Highlander Unmasked (45 page)

“Stornoway Castle is ours. The battle went much as planned. Without reinforcements, the castle fell within two days.”

She scanned his face, taking in every inch of him, noticing every cut on his beloved face. Aside from needing sleep and a shave, he looked well enough. “And you are not hurt? Truly?”

“Barely a scratch,” he assured her, stroking her cheek with the back of his finger.

Meg sank back into the pillow, relaxed. “I’m so proud of you. I know how much this means to you.”

“Aye, but it’s nothing compared to what you mean to me.”

Meg tried to smile, but a sudden burst of pain caused her to grimace. “I’m sorry, I seem to have a horrible headache.”

He pressed a soft, soothing kiss on her temple. “I’m not surprised. You’ve been ill.” His voice dropped. “Very ill.”

“I don’t feel ill. Except for the headache.” She wrinkled her nose. “And perhaps a little hungry.”

“The fever only broke last night. You’ve been unconscious for four days.”

“Four days!” That took her aback; she must have been worse than she realized. She glanced over at the plaid strewn across the bench before the fire. And this was obviously where he’d spent every minute of those four days. No wonder he looked so tired.

He bowed his head on her hand. “Oh God, Meg. I didn’t think…” He lifted his head and looked at her fiercely. “I thought I was going to lose you. Twice.” There was an undertone in his voice that hinted at something far more serious that she’d realized. “Don’t you ever do that to me again. You should have told me you were bleeding. How could you not let them send for me?” His voice thickened. “I was so damn scared. You’d lost so much blood, and when the wound festered you didn’t have the strength to fight the fever.”

Seeing how distraught he was, Meg felt a strong pang of guilt for what she’d put him through. She’d known she was ill, but not deathly so. His hair had slid forward across his eyes, shielding his gaze from her view. She reached out and tucked it behind his ear. The look in his eyes humbled her. Never would she doubt this man’s love for her. She fit her hand around the curve of his whiskered jaw. “I’m sorry. But I knew you would not leave otherwise—”

“Damn right I would not have left,” he said gruffly. “Don’t you understand what you mean to me? You are everything. Never doubt that. My place is with you, only you.”

The emotion in his voice tugged at her heart. She understood exactly what he meant, because she felt the same. Contrite, she slid her arms around the back of his neck. “And you are everything to me.”

He sank into her, his mouth covering hers with a groan. He kissed her with such hunger that she soon forgot all about the pain in her head. Her body softened, warming under his solid masculine strength. She opened her mouth and his tongue found hers, deepening the kiss. She felt the force of his fear for her in the raw desperation of his kiss. A kiss she returned with all the emotion she’d been holding inside while he battled for his clan. She grabbed his shoulders. He was so strong and hard, and she loved him desperately. The power of their passion swept over her, sending a shudder of desire rippling through her.

He tore away with a curse. “God, I want you.”

She gave him a suggestive look, sliding her hand slowly down the taut bands of his stomach.

He clasped her wrist before she could circle him in her hand. “Not now, you jade. You need to get back your strength. There will be plenty of time for that.”

She smiled. “How much time?”

He took her face in his hand, rubbing his thumb over her chin. The look in his eyes made her heart catch. “Forever,” he promised huskily.

She was so deliriously happy, it almost didn’t seem real. “’Tis really over? The Fife Adventurers are gone?”

“Aye, it will be some time before the king dares try that again.”

Meg sighed. “But he will try again.”

Alex nodded. “It seems inevitable. He’ll not give up on the promise of riches to be found in the Isles.” Alex, too, it seemed, had recognized that change was coming. But she knew that he would never stand by and allow injustice. Alex was a Highlander, a warrior. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. He was the perfect man to help lead her clan into the future. Her brother’s position would be safe.

She frowned, realizing not everything was behind them. “But what will happen now? The king will be furious with you.” Panic bubbled in her chest as the reality of the situation intruded. “You’ll be imprisoned.” The words wouldn’t come to her mouth. “Or worse.”

“Nothing is going to happen,” he said soothingly, stroking her hair. His mouth curved into a wry grin. “I suppose we have Jamie to thank for that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Through Jamie, Argyll and my brother have brokered an alliance. Argyll has agreed to intervene with the king. It seems I am to be forgiven. I’m a free man.”

She couldn’t help it. She popped up and threw her arms around him again, burying her face in the warmth of his neck and hair. Her heart swelled, and tears streamed down her cheeks. “It’s really over.”

He laughed, a low sound that warmed her to her bones. “Aye, love, it’s really over. There is only the future to look forward to.”

Meg felt as if the last vestiges of the past had dissipated from her consciousness. They were free. “Our future,” she said. “Together.”

But rather than echo her sentiments, his expression was oddly somber. “What is it, Alex?” she asked. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Rory has rewarded me with the lands of Miningish.”

“That’s wonderful,” she said, knowing how important having his own lands would be. Nonetheless, she was disappointed. She’d hoped he might be speaking of their future. Together. But something was wrong. Something that he was holding back. Her heart stopped cold. Would these lands prevent him from marrying her?

His voice grew thick with emotion. “You had me so worried, Meg—” His voice broke. “When I think of all that I might have lost. How could you not tell me?”

She was genuinely confused. “What are you talking about? I apologized for not telling you that I was bleeding.”

“Yes, but I’m talking about the babe.”

Meg’s brows shot up to her forehead. “What babe?”

He studied her face intently. “You didn’t know?”

She shook her head, stunned. “But I thought…” Her hands went to her stomach, still perfectly flat.
Could it be?
She’d had some bleeding around the time of her menses, it had been unusually light, but she’d just assumed…

“Mairi, the healer, thinks sometime around May Day.”

Still at a loss for words, Meg nodded. A child. Their child. It was almost too much to comprehend. A warm glow radiated from the deepest part of her. She thought her heart would burst with happiness. To think that she carried a part of Alex inside her.

“I’ve sent for your parents and brother, Rory and Isabel, and my sister Margaret and her husband, Colin. We’ll be married as soon as they arrive.”

Meg couldn’t hold back the smile, even though it hurt.
Married. A child.
Everything was going to be all right. Her future couldn’t look more perfect.

Alex was looking at her expectantly, probably wondering whether she’d take umbrage at his edict. But Meg knew when to surrender. Her mouth twitched. “Do I get no say in this, then?”

Alex grinned and leaned down to press a kiss to her lips. “Absolutely none at all,” he murmured against her mouth.

Meg didn’t mind at all. After all, she’d accomplished what she’d set out to do: finding the perfect man for Dunakin.

And the only man for her.

From the first moment he’d broken through the trees, rescuing her from the hands of certain death, he’d claimed a part of her heart. Now he held it all.

“I love you,” she said. “And if you’re wondering, that’s a yes.”

His finger swept the side of her cheek, and their eyes met, soul to soul. The gentle teasing of the past few minutes was replaced by a look of heartfelt earnestness. “And I you, my love. Marry me, be mine, forever.”

“Gladly.” And she kissed him with all the promise of the future.

Historical Note

In the end, the Fife Adventurers tried and failed three times to colonize the Isle of Lewis. Unfortunately, the MacLeod victory on Lewis was short-lived. Neil MacLeod was eventually captured and hanged in 1613. The Mackenzie of Kintail married the last of the Lewis “Siol Torcuil,” sons of Torquil, branch of the MacLeods and obtained lease of their lands in 1610. So disappeared the Lewis branch of the MacLeods.

Alex MacLeod was held responsible for the MacLeod defeat at the Corrie of the Foray, the last clan battle fought on Skye in 1601. About the time of my story, Alex was rumored to be fighting on Lewis. It seemed plausible that he might be trying to redeem himself for his earlier loss.

Dougal MacDonald is loosely based on Donald MacIain ’ic Sheumais, a kinsman of the MacLeod’s bitter foe, the MacDonald of Sleat. The MacDonald of Sleat played a significant role in the first book of the trilogy,
Highlander Untamed.
Donald MacIain was a renowned warrior and bard for the MacDonalds, and his arrival on the scene of the battle at Binquihillin after its start was reported to have wrought great havoc on the MacLeods.

Although most of the characters in this story were actual historical figures (the primary exceptions being Jamie and Elizabeth Campbell and Rosalind Mackinnon), the love story is pure fiction. But Alex MacLeod of Miningish and Talisker did wed Margaret Mackinnon, daughter of the Mackinnon of Strathardale and sister of “Ian the Dumb.” Alex and Margaret had at least two children, William and Norman.

For more information, please visit my website at
www.MonicaMcCarty.com

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Highlander

Unchained

By

Monica McCarty

Near Falkirk, Scotland, Spring 1607

They hit another bump. Flora held her breath as the carriage perched sideways for a long moment before settling back down on all four wheels. When it came to a sudden halt, she thought they must have damaged something.

“I’ll have the coachman’s head for this—”

But Lord William Murray’s threat was lost in the deafening thunder of horses and the sudden burst of loud voices coming from outside.

Her pulse shot up in an explosion of comprehension. An attack!

From the quizzical expression on his face, it was clear that William had not yet realized what was happening. He was a Lowlander to the core—a courtier, not a fighter. For a moment, she felt a stab of frustration, then she chastised herself for being unfair. She wouldn’t want it otherwise. But clearly, in this situation, he was going to be of little help.

She could hear the sporadic clash of steel against steel moving closer. They didn’t have much time. Grabbing his arm, she forced his gaze to hers. “We’re under attack.” A shot rang out, punctuating her words. “Do you have anything? A weapon of any sort?”