Highland Vengeance (3 page)

“
I won’t go! You cannot make
me!” Olivia yelled.

This was the reaction he had planned on
receiving. This was the Olivia he knew and loved. Garrison knew she
was brave and spirited and he felt sorrier for the nuns that would
be taking her in than he did for his little sister. The duke would
have to give a sizable donation to the abbey for the trouble she
would cause there.

“
It won’t be as horrible as
you seem to think it will be. You will receive an education and you
will learn all the things that you should have already been
taught.”

“
I will run away before you
could ever send me there,” she boasted.

“
Your satchels are already
being packed and you will leave at first light tomorrow,” he said
calmly.

“
I shall hate you forever
Garrison,” she said softly with tears in her eyes.

“
Not forever my sweet, only
until you realize that this is what is best for you.”

Olivia could not respond to his last
comment for she was consumed with fear and worry, as she began to
understand that he was serious with his plans. The young countess
left the library and headed for her chamber. Garrison watched her
leave and wished there could have been more words to comfort the
beautiful girl. He was not worried about her physically because she
was brave and better skilled than most of his soldiers. Garrison
did however, worry that emotionally it would be awhile before she
forgave him.

The following morning Ruth had woken
Olivia early, helped her to dress in a simple riding gown and
pulled her hair back with pins. The maid had brought the girl a
small meal to eat and then Garrison came to her chamber to let
Olivia know it was time to leave. Olivia would not look her brother
in the eyes because she knew for sure that she would cry. The
countess was still upset with herself for letting him see her
foolish tears last night and Olivia vowed not to let it happen
again.

Reluctantly she followed her brother
out to the courtyard and Olivia gasped at the sight in front of
her. Every single soldier in Garrison’s army and all those that
were there for training, were standing together forming a massive
gathering. In the center, there were two dozen men waiting by their
horses to escort her to the abbey. The Baron Brenton waited next to
his mount and held the reins of her beautiful horse.

As Olivia walked toward her horse, the
first in command of the soldiers yelled out an order and all of the
men dropped to one knee in uniform. Although she was an
eleven-year-old girl, the men saluted Olivia as if she were one of
their own. She bravely smiled at the men and then marched to her
horse. The action of these men had given her the confidence to
approach this new battle that she was headed for.

Just before she mounted her large mare,
Garrison grabbed her by the arm and pulled Olivia into his arms. He
held his sister tightly and heard her whimper softly as the girl
buried her face into his chest. Garrison cupped her beautiful face
and wiped her tears as they fell down her cheeks.

“
I love you Olivia, don’t
ever forget that. I will visit soon and you can come home to visit
often alright?” He soothed.

“
I still hate you,” she said
with a smile.

The duke laughed and then swatted his
little sister on the behind. She quickly mounted her horse and then
watched as Brenton got on his large horse next to her.

“
Why the hell are you here?”
She shot at him.

Brenton laughed. “Apparently I am being
punished for provoking you at dinner last night. I now have to
escort you to the abbey.”

“
And this is a punishment
for you?” She said angrily.

“
Your brother seems to think
so.”

Olivia was hurting inside now for a
different reason than having to leave home. For some silly reason
she had thought maybe Brenton liked her because they had always
spent so much time together. Now, she realized he felt being around
her was a sentence for his crime. Olivia felt like a fool, of
course he wouldn’t see her for anything but the filthy little girl
she had always been.

“
Well if this is supposed to
be your penance then I will certainly make this journey pure
torture for you,” she grinned wickedly.

Brenton glared at his best friend and
Garrison laughed out loud as he watched Olivia bolt down the path
towards the forest.

Chapter Two

Scotland 1505

After many years of fighting, Donal the
laird of the Sinclair clan, was feeling old and worn out. The idea
of his upcoming marriage to the much younger, Lorna MacKay and
resting for his remaining time on earth was appealing to the aging
man. The new marriage would also unite the Sinclairs to the MacKay
clan, ending years of tension between the feuding men. Lorna’s
older brother Malcolm was the MacKay laird and he had inherited a
wasteland from his father. Tomorrow, Donal’s new bride would arrive
at the Sinclair Castle and the marriage would take place regardless
of the frigid fall weather. The wedding was not the only change to
take place, Donal planned to appoint his only son from his first
wife, to become the new laird and rule over both clans.

The majority of the older Sinclair men
had greatly approved of this uniting for they were also tired of
battle. Only a small group of young fearless warriors from the clan
had opposed of this marriage and their leader was Donal’s own son,
Camden. He had watched the decline of his father’s clan over the
past several years and now he wanted to strengthen them and fortify
their army knowing he was to become laird after his
father.

Camden knew having his father unite
their clan with the MacKay clan would have a devastating effect on
his people. The MacKay men were a lazy group of slothful people
that had leeched their own land of its natural resources and now
they were going to do the same to the Sinclair land if Camden did
not stop them.

The father and son had engaged in
heated battles over this matter but the old man would not listen to
anything his young son had to say. All the fierce warrior could do
now was prepare his loyal men to help him rule over the joined
clans and quickly prevent any decline to the Sinclairs
riches.

As the early morning fog lifted from
the valley, the bright sunlight started to bring the land to life.
The surrounding rugged peaks had gotten an early dusting of winter
snow and the chill in the air intensified the clans excitement for
the impending nuptials. The MacKay’s would be arriving soon for the
marriage ceremony and then the large celebration feast to follow.
Camden sat mounted on his huge stallion as he watched from the
hillside and thought of all that was to come. He would be laird
over two newly united clans and the only six men he trusted would
have to help him keep control over the shifty MacKay
clan.

The afternoon had come and gone quickly
and now the entire Sinclair holding was filled with MacKay men. The
marriage was a success and Donal Sinclair had declared Camden the
new laird over both clans, binding them together. The massive crowd
cheered and pledged their loyalty to their new laird and his
appointed men. Everyone honored the newly married couple with song
and dance throughout the evening.

As the music played, Camden sat quietly
in the distance observing the people he would now rule. He was not
worried about the Sinclairs for they had always been loyal
followers but he was still unsure about the MacKay people even
though most of them were frightened at just the sight of
him.

The family’s heritage obviously had
Viking blood running through them, for Camden’s size was proof
enough. He was a towering figure with a massively broad chest and
pale golden hair that came to his shoulders. The bulging muscles
from his arms and thighs were evidence of his superior strength to
those around him. Camden’s years of training and ruthless fighting
had made him a fierce warrior and a legend in the
Highlands.

As the evening grew dark, the winds
became colder and the festivities started to die down. The clans
were prepared to sleep for the night and then planned to continue
celebrating for the next several days. As Donal waited in bed for
his beautiful new bride to join him, he felt rested and at ease
knowing Camden would now be the powerful laird over his clan. The
older man watched Lorna come into to his chamber and then she shyly
waited by the door.

“
Aye, my Lorna, but ya are a
vision from heaven,” he said with his thick brogue.

“
Husband, I am most grateful
for this marriage but I fear you may be disappointed,” she said
quietly.

“
Come closer to me my
beautiful bride and I am sure ya couldn’t disappoint me,” he
smiled.

Lorna walked carefully to the bed with
her arms stiffly at her side. Donal felt a bit sorry for the young
woman for she seemed tense and nervous about the marriage bed. In
truth, she was not shy at all, Lorna was merely trying to hide the
weapon she carried in her hand. As the new bride approached the
bedside, she leaned in close to her husband and whispered in his
ear.

“
Do you like a woman to take
charge in the bedroom?”

“
Aye lass, ya may have
whatever kind of control ya wish for in my bed,” he
chuckled.

Lorna pulled the soft layers of her
nightgown up to her thighs and then carefully straddled the older
man’s bare waist. Donal could feel her silky thighs pressing up
against his heated skin. He began losing all his senses as he
envisioned what was to come. The aged man thought he heard
screaming coming from outside the walls of his holding, but Lorna
continued to distract him as she began to move her body restlessly
against him.

“
I fear something is wrong
my beautiful Lorna, there is something happening outside,” he said
trying to gather his thoughts.

“
You are no longer laird so
why do you worry?” She asked innocently.

The screams were not of just women but
he heard men and children crying out into the dark night. Donal
could tell something was burning outside from the pungent smell of
smoke coming into his chamber.

“
Lorna, please I must see
what is happening, there is something wrong,” he said a bit harshly
while trying to get up.

His new bride quickly pushed her
razor-sharp dagger against Donal’s throat and moved her mouth close
to his.

“
Aye you old fool, something
is happening outside. Your clan is being attacked by mine and they
will all surrender to the MacKay clan or they will die,” she said
with a wicked grin on her face.

“
I am a fool. How could I
have believed that your clan would enter into this agreement
truthfully? Ya always have been a deceitful bunch and ya don’t
deserve to live in the Highlands. My son will not cower to you,” he
said knowing he did not have much time to argue with the
woman.

“
Your boy may have strength
but he lacks the mind to lead these people that my brother Malcolm
and I have. I am not worried about your precious Camden for my
warriors outnumber his greatly,” Lorna boasted with
confidence.

“
You will never get away
with this.”

“
I wonder how it feels
hearing your clan being slaughtered and beaten while you lay here
helplessly. Don’t worry husband, you will not live to see the
remains of your clan,” she whispered in his ear with her hot
breath.

Donal used all the strength he had in
his aged body to push Lorna off him but in one quick movement she
slashed the dagger across his neck and a pool of warm blood quickly
soiled the bridal linens. The former laird of the Sinclair clan
managed to strangle out, “Camden” as the very life of him poured
onto the bed.

The evil woman smiled in her small
victory thinking to herself that everything was going exactly as
she had planned for this night. The stupid Sinclairs had fallen for
the marriage proposal and the MacKay men made sure their victims
were good and drunk before bed tonight. Once Lorna went to the
bridal chamber, she knew her clan would then attack. The ruthless
MacKay clan killed the Sinclair men while they slept and the women
and children were rounded up to the center of the village. Other
MacKay soldiers began to torch the thatched roof houses while
people still slept in them.

Lorna’s personal guards were attacking
the Sinclairs that were in the main keep while they looked for
Camden and his men. As soon as they had the new laird dead, this
battle would be an easy conquest. Lorna joined her guards within
minutes of murdering her new husband and together they swept the
holding in search of Camden.

“
Find him!” She
shouted.

The hunt for the small group of
warriors was unsuccessful. No one could find Camden or his trusted
men. Lorna was livid when she heard the news, wanting the legendary
defender gone forever. Her brother Malcolm would be coming tomorrow
to help make sure the Sinclairs understood who their laird was now.
Not only would they succumb to Lorna but also they would obey all
the MacKay clan and serve them well. She knew Malcolm would be
furious that Camden was not dead but she would send men to find him
soon enough. Lorna wickedly grinned into the cold night air as she
realized her time to rule was finally here and she had seized the
valuable prized land.