Highland Legends 04 - Captive Highlander (28 page)

“And then I obeyed,” she reminded
him.

He gave her a tired smile. “Will
you stay a bit with Brianna and Asilinn? I must help Jared get this mess
cleaned up.”

Her face grew serious. “There is
blood on the bed.”

“He stabbed her in the leg.”

“Before that,” Katie said. “It is
in just the right spot….”

“Katie, we may never ken what
happened between Brianna and Rannoch. ‘Twas clear they were both under the
influence of some powerful potion.”

“Sorcha, where is Sorcha?”

Jamie answered from the open door
of Brianna’s room. “Sorcha is gone.”

Katie rose and hit her brother in
the chest. “You warned her. You helped her escape!”

He looked down at her. “She fled
without my aid. I saw her and didna try to stop her. She was but a pawn in game
not of her making.”

“How can you be so sure?”

He smiled. “’Tis true,” he said
simply.

Chapter 34

In the weeks that followed, Angus
traveled to Duntaigh in order to be present at Katie and Ian’s wedding. Angus
Innes was a shadow of his former self. Asilinn saved her father, but despite
Erland’s sacrifice, the blade that pierced Laird Innes’ chest did irreparable
damage. The old laird struggled to draw his breath at the slightest exertion.
It astounded Katie that her soon to be father-in-law took it so well. His mood
seemed unaltered by the fate that had befallen him.

“I am so happy Ian found you,” he
told her. “I prayed for so long he would fall in love, marry, and produce heirs
to carry on our line.”

“Milord, you have Asilinn and
Jared’s brood.”

“Aye, so, but Jared counts on his
sons to be the defenders of Dunbocan. Ian needs sons to do the same for
Cairngorm Castle.” He smiled and hugged her. “When we go to Cairngorm, I will
give Ian leadership of the clan. My frailty makes me do what I should have
considered before now.” Angus squeezed her hand. “’Twill be your new home. You
will be mistress of Cairngorm Castle, and a lovely one at that. You look so
like your mother.”

Hesitantly Katie pushed for more
information about his relationship with her mother. “Father tells me my mother
almost married you.”

Angus chuckled, which sent him
gasping for breath. “I fell for Lady Katherine the moment her father brought
her to my keep,” he said when he recovered enough to speak. “She was the first
woman I wanted to marry after Ian’s mother died. Our wedding plans were set
when she first met your father. Brian came to visit. I stood in the great hall
of Cairngorm Castle and watched my dreams turn to ash. It became clear from
their first meeting they shared a spark her marriage to me would not snuff out.
‘Twas better for me to free her from her promise than to have her cuckold me
with my best friend later.” He smiled and touched Katie’s cheek. “You are made
in her image, but you, my dear, are much fiercer in your beliefs and actions.”

“Not quite the fine lady my
mother was,” Katie admitted with a grin.

“You are perfect for Ian. He
needs a woman with spirit and he found one in you.”

“And before me, he almost married
Skye MacLean.”

“He and Skye are like brother and
sister, mischievous to a fault. He loves her, but not in the way he loves you.”
He rumpled his brow. “Do you question Ian’s love for you?”

Katie shook her head. “Nay,
Milord, but I had occasion to meet Skye when we traveled to Dunbocan. She is
everything you said and more. Skye is one of the most beautiful women I have
ever met.”

“I am surrounded by beautiful
women: Skye, Asilinn, Devon, and you, sweet Katie. Each of you shines in your
own way. Your physical beauty is but the surface covering the strength and
character you each have.” He shrugged. “Were the outside less beautiful, it
wouldna change the deep feelings of pride and love I have for you.”

Moved to tears, Katie drew a deep
breath and tried to hide how much his words affected her. “All of you welcomed
me into your hearts in a way I had not expected after the massacre I caused by
running off with Ian.”

“That was not your doing. We
chose to be there and fight. ‘Twas Rannoch who did the foul deed, not you.”

This time Katie could not hold
back. The tears streaked down her cheeks and Angus handed her his handkerchief
to mop them away.

“What’s this?” Ian’s voice rang
out. “Did you make my betrothed cry, Father?”

“Only because I am so touched by
his support,” Katie assured Ian.

“I have good news. All is in
readiness. The bishop will perform the wedding ceremony tomorrow.“

“I will leave you two alone then
and run off to make the final preparations.” She kissed Ian on her way out.

As she walked down the passage,
Katie’s mind flew back to what Angus said. Rannoch was to blame. Her thoughts
went to Brianna. If it were not for her sister, Katie would have been content.
Brianna barely spoke or ate. Despite Asilinn’s best efforts, Brianna remained
apart from all of them.

The mood at Duntaigh Castle
turned from dark and depressed to jubilant and joyful. Under Asilinn’s care,
Katie’s father could walk again. He made strides beyond anyone’s expectations
and eagerly prepared to give Katie away at the wedding. The day was at hand.

“Be still,” Maura scolded as she
put the last touches on Katie’s outfit.

“We are done,” Katie said. “Ian
has seen me at my best and at my worst and still he loves me.”

“Aye, he does. I see it in his
eyes every time he looks at you.”

Katie smiled. “So you think he
will like my choice?” she asked, spinning in the ivory-colored velvet gown. The
dress fit her like a glove, hugging her curves. The tiny glass beads that
adorned the bodice glittered in the candlelight. Maura had affixed the same
glass beads to the cream-colored netting under her headband. It formed a misty,
beaded covering over her red-gold hair.

“How could he not, Milady?”

“I must see Brianna before the
ceremony. Tell father I will meet him outside the great hall at the appointed
hour.”

“Are you sure, lass? Your sister
is ashamed of what she did.”

“She is still my sister and I
would have her at my wedding.” Katie sighed and glanced around her chamber. “I
ken how Brianna felt about Rannoch. Although I think her feelings were
misplaced, I understand her pain. She loved him and then found out how he
betrayed her.”

“Do you think he took her?” Maura
frowned. “I’m sorry, Milady. I shouldna have asked, but….”

“Asilinn advises that Brianna
came under the influence of a powerful potion that night. None of us will ever
ken the truth unless Brianna remembers.”

“I canna believe Jamie let the
Red Witch escape,” Maura complained.

Arching her brow, Katie smiled.
“I can.”

Maura shook her head. “And your
father canna forgive Brianna for her folly. I fear he will marry her off to
some distant laird just to get her out of his sight.”

“Aye, so. I will try to convince
him otherwise, but if her belly swells with Rannoch’s child, father will find a
way to remove her from Duntaigh.” Katie smoothed her hair. “Will you do as I
ask and tell father I will meet him outside the great hall?”

“Aye.”

The chamber was dark save for the
glow of the fire. Brianna sat near the dying embers staring into them as if
they would provide some cure for what ailed her. She barely noticed Katie entered
the room.

“Brianna,” Katie called. Her
sister did not stir. Coming closer, Katie sat down beside Brianna. “I would
speak to you, if you would allow it.”

Brianna looked at Katie with
glazed eyes. “You are marrying Ian today.”

“Aye, and I would like you to
come.”

“How can you ask this? Our father
looks at me with hate because of Rannoch.” She rubbed her hand across her flat
belly. “I dinna ken if he took me, if I carry his child. As soon as I drank
Sorcha’s potion, my wits left me.”

Katie took Brianna’s hand. “You
dinna remember anything?”

Tearing up, Brianna looked at her
at her lap. “How honest do you want me to be?”

“There has always been truth
between us, even when we do not agree. Nothing you can say will make me turn
away.”

Brianna gazed into Katie’s eyes.
“I came to him eager to be his wife. He watched me take off my gown and gave me
the wine mixed with Sorcha’s elixir. Sorcha came out of the shadows and helped
him tie me to the bed then he sent her away.”

“She was there.”

Brianna nodded. “I was so angry I
struck Rannoch and hit me back.”

“Then what?”

“It grows misty. The potion
spawned a deep need inside my body. I believe I would have welcomed any man
inside me to fill the craving. I remember intense physical pleasure.” She
shrugged. “But I felt that before, when I let him see all of me, touch me, and
kiss me in places he should never have seen before the wedding. I dinna ken
what happened. The night hides itself in a fog I canna dissolve.”

“Would you be happy if you
carried his child?”

The question seemed to shake
Brianna to the core. “I loved him, but he showed me on our wedding night how
wrong I was about him.” She rubbed her belly again. “Still, the child would be
part of me as well.”

Katie hugged her. “Brianna,
please come today. I will stand by you no matter what father thinks. You are my
sister… forever.”

Pushing back from her embrace,
Brianna gave Katie a tearful smile. “My presence will spoil the day.”

“Nay, Brianna. Your presence will
make the day complete. Let me send Maura to help you get ready. Please….”

With a winsome nod, Brianna
agreed. “For you, I will come.”

“Thank you,” Katie breathed. She
hurried off to find Maura.

Spellbound, Ian watched Katie
come toward him through the gathered throng. Katie glowed in the candlelight.
Her white dress shimmered with a thousand glass beads. He watched her breast
rise and fall above the bodice of her gown, admired her creamy skin. Ian
thought of the first time he touched her, the night in the inn when she offered
all. Katie made good on her promise, even if that was not what she intended.
She gave herself to him, made him whole, and alive in a way he never knew
before. Her red-gold hair shone under the sheer beaded veil. She looked up at
him and her sea-green eyes twinkled with mischief. Only hours ago she enticed
him beneath her skirt in one last dalliance before their union became legal. In
her, he met his match.

Brian Blackburn took halting
steps as he brought his daughter to the bishop, but he walked thanks to
Asilinn. Ian took Katie’s hand as Brian accepted Jamie’s help into a chair on
the elevated platform at the end of the great hall. Brianna sat beside Tessa.
Ian saw a brief scowl cross Brian’s face when Brian saw his wayward daughter.
He recovered well and settled into his seat.

Katie’s thoughts wandered as the
bishop droned on in what seemed like a never ending ceremony. Finally, she and
Ian stepped forward and spoke their vows. Katie’s voice quavered as she agreed
to be Ian’s forever. Tears welled in her eyes as he offered up the same pledge.
Ian swept her into his arms, spinning her around and kissing her repeatedly as
the crowd howled. Finally, he set her back on the ground.

“I give you Lady Katherine
Blackburn Innes,” he said holding her hand high. A chorus of cheers rose from
the gathering.

“Husband,” she whispered. “Let us
go about the feasting and dancing so we may once more find the privacy of our
chamber.”

“You still hunger for my child.”

“Aye, a child will bind us
together through eternity. I want to create a life that is part of you and part
of me.”

Ian found her lips with a searing
kiss. “You will drive me mad, sweet Katie. And I shall revel in every moment we
are together.” He grinned. “I promise to plant my seed at every opportunity.”

Laughing she took his arm and the
feasting began in earnest. Bagpipes, flutes, and harps took turns filling the
great hall with spirited music. Ian grabbed Katie and led her in more than one
lively dance until she begged to rest for a bit and visit with the fine lairds
and ladies assembled to celebrate their nuptials.

Hours later, Katie leaned heavily
against Ian. “Do you see that older gentleman in the corner?”

“You mean the one who canna keep
his eyes off Brianna?”

“You see it too.” Katie expelled
a deep breath. “I pray that is not some distant laird summoned by father to
take Brianna from us.”

“You think he plans to send her
away?”

“Oh, he will be sure to find her
a suitable husband, but the man wilna be of her choosing. As far as he’s
concerned her lack of judgment in loving Rannoch prevents her from having a say
in any of it.” Katie arched her brow. “Father thinks she needs to be far away
to put this whole mess with Rannoch behind her.”

“I have found that things almost
always happen the way they are meant to despite man’s desire to meddle in God’s
plan.” Ian brushed her cheek with his finger. “And what do you think, love?”

“I think you are right, but
‘twill kill Brianna to be separated from all her kin.”

“Out of our hands,” Ian advised.

Sniffing, Katie nodded.
“Perchance you would take me to our chamber and make me forget this
possibility.”

He gave her a warm smile. “I am
ever at your service, wife.”

A short time later, Katie and Ian
stood outside the door of the chamber where he took her innocence weeks ago.
Ian looked down at her and smiled. “I prepared some special things to make this
night more memorable,” he said. With that, he opened the door, picked her up,
and carried her into her chamber pushing the door shut behind them as he went.

A blazing fire lit the room. On
the floor close to the hearth, a nest of white lamb skins formed a comfortable
bed near the flames. Katie saw a swath of white silk, an ostrich plume, a fur
glove, and a bowl filled with a rich, honey-brown liquid beside the bed Ian
prepared for them. He set her on her feet.