Redeeming Vows (12 page)

The lack of description didn’t go unnoticed by Liz. She’d have to see for herself if the clan coming toward them could be trusted.

Is everything okay, Mom?

Everything is fine. Come back and change. Ian
has everything he needs.

Okay.

Liz looked above her, wishing she could see her son.
Simon?

Yeah?

You did a great job, sport.

****

The oldest, unmarried MacTavish son had been eyeing Lizzy for the past several hours. Logan offered to fetch water for her at their last stop. And even his own father appeared to soften his look and tongue to the lass.

Not since the first night had Fin found even one moment alone with her. With the MacTavish clan 96

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adding to their numbers, he’d have to wait until after they’d settled at the Lancaster gathering to find time to slip away with her. Not that she’d go willingly.

Fin let his eyes wander to the women in question. Lizzy sat rather slumped on her horse.

Their journey would push any woman past the point of comfort. Considering where and when she’d come from, he thought she’d held up remarkably well. He remembered her small apartment in the twenty-first century, remembered her ease behind the wheel of her car. Her world ran fast. Faster than the speed of a single horse running over the Scottish hillside.

With all the comforts her world held, no wonder she was so determined to return. Not that she could.

That single thought made him smile.

She had no choice but to stay in his time, his world.

Lizzy reached over and found the hem of her skirt. She lifted it well above her calf to scratch her leg. Her alabaster skin had lightened since he’d first glanced upon her. The lack of sunshine made it impossible for her skin to tan as it had in California.

Beside him, Logan muffled a groan. Fin caught his gaze and realized he’d witnessed Lizzy’s act.

“The lass has little thought to her affect on men,” he said, bringing to words Fin’s exact thoughts.

Actually, Fin thought Lizzy knew exactly how she affected the opposite sex. And reveled in it.

“She’s tired of the ride and has obviously forgotten where she is.”

Logan shifted in his seat and allowed his eyes to travel to Lizzy again. This time his face softened and his desire for her swam in his eyes.

The hair on the back of Fin’s neck stood on end.

His jaw tightened and fist clenched at his side.

Mayhap it was time to stake his claim. Or at least 97

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his desires.

And his desires didn’t include Elizabeth in the arms of Logan or any of the MacTavish men.

“Logan?” Fin directed his friend’s attention to him. “Elizabeth isn’t…” Isn’t what? Available? Isn’t interested? Damn the woman. She wasn’t his.

Wasn’t even a bedmate he could claim. And if she were, would he tell anyone of their time together?

Logan forced his eye to Fin and waited. “Isn’t what?”

In seconds, Logan’s lips slid into a knowing grin.

His gaze swept over Lizzy again, this time with more interest. “I see.”

Did he?

Logan returned his attention to the road ahead of them. The smile never left his lips.

Without any words at all, Fin staked his claim.

“If ye change your mind about the lass, let me know. She’s too fine a woman to be left unprotected for long.” Logan pushed his horse ahead.

A small weight lifted from Fin’s shoulders.

One down.

He drew up beside Lizzy, reached over, and forced the hem of her skirt to cover her leg. She shot him a look of sheer disdain.

“The men are taking notice,” he told her.

She glanced ahead and nodded toward Logan.

“You mean Logan.”

“And others.”

“Really?” She appeared to enjoy the attention.

Her back straightened and a smile he hadn’t seen in several hours flashed on her lips. “Which ones?”

Instead of letting her win and rising to her bait, Fin waited until she stopped looking around to find who watched her ride.

Only when her eyes leveled to his did he say,

“This one.” He pointed a single finger to his chest.

Her teasing smile fell into a complete expression of 98

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shock.

He’d rendered her speechless. And that almost never happened.

Fin kicked his horse and left her to ponder his words and their meaning.

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Chapter Ten

“They travel closer to us, yet have no idea we’re here.” Grainna voiced her knowledge only to Tatiana.

The girl weighed a good ten pounds more than she had when she’d arrived. She didn’t go out of her way to attract attention to herself by wearing flattering clothing, but she had at least grown accustomed to bathing, something Grainna insisted she do.

Never again did she want to smell the stink of unwashed flesh. Death and decay she could tolerate, but filth was another thing all together.

“They will be close for several weeks.”

“Obviously.” Weddings and the celebrations surrounding them took time.

“I see time as yer friend. Time and patience.”

If there was one word Grainna would love to never hear again, it was patience.

“What else do you see?”

Tatiana closed her eyes and drew a full breath into her lungs. Her brows pitched together as she angled her head to the side, searching her thoughts.

Grainna waited for the girl to speak. She’d learned to hold back from entering the child’s mind while she searched her visions. The pain caused by invading her head overran the images and kept the girl from seeing.

“The infant is protected,” she said quickly. “Your next attempt to overpower the child will cause you pain.”

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“What of the others? The youngest daughter and Simon?”

Tatiana shook her head and held her body still.

“Nothing. I see nothing.”

“Look harder.”

She opened her bloodshot eyes. “I only see a deep fog when I search for a weakness with the children.”

Protection from the Ancients, most likely. The old ones had a way of watching over the young. Yet they hadn’t masked the encounter with Briac.

Taking the child would draw the MacCoinnichs to her. Their pain will cause carelessness. A weakness Grainna would extort.

Any pain caused by the abduction of the child would be worth the price. Grainna would heed Tatiana’s warning and wait until the MacCoinnichs were preoccupied. Their watch while traveling didn’t leave room for her to strike. But once the wedding festivities began, and the men sat in endless hours of counsel with each other, the women would be alone, the children unsupervised.

Sweeping her hair behind her shoulders, Grainna stepped to the doorway and peered beyond the walls. Several men trained for war, their minds completely in her control. Her small army numbered those that traveled with the MacCoinnichs.

Time had come to turn the wheels of doubt and fear among the MacCoinnich’s and their people.

Time to weed out the weak.

****

The sweat of her hands made the reins uncomfortable in her palms. Liz glanced up, noticing the amber-and-black flags flapping in the breeze coming off the ocean. She could smell the salt air, but had yet to touch the sea. She couldn’t wait. The thought of dipping her feet in the sand, even if it were as cold as the MacCoinnichs had told her, 101

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sounded like heaven.

The special tack on the horses and the elegant dresses the women were told to wear, drew the occasion of arriving to Brisbane’s keep to an exclamation point. They walked their horses toward the center of activity with their heads held high.

Tents littered the grounds surrounding the walls of Lord Brisbane’s keep. Flags of many colors flew high, telling everyone whose men resided underneath. Lizzy had been told that there would be rooms inside for many of them if they desired, but with the crush of people, they might prefer to hoist individual tents to ensure some privacy.

Tara voiced her concern about sleeping in close proximity to Matthew of Lancaster. Even though the man remembered nothing of abducting her, she had the misfortune of not forgetting. Duncan agreed to raise several tents to secure them all and have their men close at hand.

A nervous knot formed deep in Liz’s stomach.

She felt like a fraud. Like she didn’t belong.

Liz’s eyes swung to Simon whose face held a smile as his eyes took in the entire scene. Hundreds of people scurried about.

At the gates, Laird Ian’s men held back and let him and Lora proceed with the rest of the family trailing.

A stout man with wide girth extended his arm to Ian once he was free of his horse.

“MacCoinnich, ’tis been too long,” he said, his voice hissing slightly on his exhale.

“Since Duncan’s nuptials.” Ian shook the man’s hand.

“Ye’ve become a grandfather, I’ve been told.”

“Aye. Duncan and Tara have a brawny son, Briac.”

Ian glanced toward Duncan, who was helping Tara from her horse, Briac in her arms. Tara’s eyes 102

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kept shifting to the eaves of the courtyard, probably in search of Matthew.

Another man approached, this one nearly as wide as the last, but much taller.

“Lord Brisbane, I’d like ye to meet my neighbors and friends, Laird Ian MacCoinnich and his family.”

Brisbane shook Ian’s hand. “I’ve heard much about you. I do hope your journey was pleasant.”

The man’s accent was clearly English. For some reason, this comforted Liz as she slid to the ground and allowed one of Ian’s men to take the horse away.

Simon stood next to Cian and Amber while Myra and Todd received introductions. Liz found her feet planted firmly in place and listened. Simon shook hands with the men, somehow making certain they knew he was there. And belonged. She, on the other hand, didn’t at all feel as if she belonged. If it were possible to slip into the eaves of the keep, Liz would have.

“Hiding, Elizabeth?”

Fin’s voice was surprisingly close to her ear.

“Maybe.”

Fin chuckled before placing a hand to the small of her back and ushering her forward. “Laird Lancaster, Lord Brisbane, this is Lady Elizabeth, Lady Tara’s sister and mother to Simon.”

Brisbane reached for her hand and kissed the back of it. “What of yer husband?” Lancaster asked.

Lancaster eyed Fin quickly.

“Long since gone I’m afraid.” The lie slid from her lips easier each time she’d voiced it.

“I’m sorry, my lady. Seems he left you with a fine son.”

Liz smiled with pride. “He did.”

The conversation quickly turned to their journey and the days they’d traveled. Their party moved like a hovering cloud toward the open doors of the massive home. Fin’s hand continued to guide her 103

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forward, as if knowing she’d back out if given a chance.

Once inside, maids gathered around them, helping with their cloaks and handing over refreshments. Noblemen, knights, ladies, and children packed the room.

One woman in particular appeared to be the center of attention. Her deep chestnut hair and creamy alabaster skin sparkled when she spoke with the people in the room. Her attention centered on them and her gaze rounded quickly to Fin.

For a moment, Fin’s hand felt firmer on her waist. If she didn’t know any better, she thought he pulled her closer to his side. Possessive…or maybe a better term was possessed.

Regina.
The one Tara told her about, the soon-to-be wife of Brisbane. The one who really wanted Fin as her husband.

“Hiding, Fin?” Liz snickered when she asked.

His eyes rounded to hers, his cocky grin flashed that damn dimple, the one that did a number on her stomach.

“Maybe.”

Liz looked up. “She’s walking straight toward us.” He drew her closer. This time leaving little doubt as to what he wanted this woman to believe.

For a brief moment, Liz thought of wiggling out of his arm and leaving him to fend for himself.

“Don’t even think about it,” Fin whispered.

“Finlay. Ye came.”

“Of course, lass. Ye know we wouldn’t miss yer wedding.”

Myra turned to the woman’s voice and immediately intercepted her. “Congratulations, Regina. Lord Brisbane seems so nice.”

Regina hugged Myra and sent a hard stare to Fin. Something told Liz that Myra had intercepted 104

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many an awkward moment in the past.

“This is Sir Blakely, my husband.”

Regina curved a brow in Todd’s direction while her eyes swept his frame. The smile she’d placed on her face fell a fraction.

Regina Lancaster didn’t wear jealousy well. “A pleasure.” But her words sounded forced.

Todd kissed the woman’s hand, following what everyone else had done.

“Congratulations,” he said, but Regina didn’t appear to listen.

“Hey, Mom. Cian, Amber, and I are going to walk by the beach. Is that okay?”

“Mom?” Regina asked. The smile on her face pulling at her lips again.

“I don’t know, we just got here.” Liz glanced up to Fin, silently asking what he thought. Was it safe?

With so many people, would Grainna strike?

Fin tapped his fingers on her hip, his eyes deep in thought. “Cian, have someone with you.”

Someone meaning one of the knights.

You need to be careful, Simon. Grainna could be
anywhere,
Liz told her son with her mind.

We know, we won’t be far.

Liz nodded toward her son.

“I’ll watch out for him,” Amber said before running off behind them.

Regina pivoted toward the fleeing MacCoinnichs and Simon. “And who would ye be?” she finally asked.

“Oh, how silly of me,” Myra said, quickly introducing Liz the same way she’d been introduced to the others. Only this time, Myra added the lie about Liz being a widow.

From the strange expression on the other woman’s face, Liz didn’t think for a moment Regina was fooled.

“A widow? How sad. It must be difficult raising 105

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