Tess and the Highlander (12 page)

“Wolves, you say?” Alexander tried to hide his
amusement.

“Aye…wolves,” Colin repeated. “She is inexperienced
in the ways of men, Alex. She knows nothing of men’s lecherous
nature. She could easily fall prey to the charms of any of them,
and…”

“Did she fall prey to yours?”

Colin’s head snapped at Alexander’s direction. “Of
course not. But I…I didn’t pursue…and I…” He bristled. “’Twas a
matter of honor!”

“Let me assure you,” the older brother said
confidently. “If she managed to survive Colin Macpherson’s charm
during your time together, then I should say she is well prepared
to ward off any other wolves. In fact, with you acting as her guard
dog, I shouldn’t think any of us would dare to come within a league
of the lass.”

Eleven years had passed, but Tess discovered that
she hadn’t forgotten how to ride a horse.

Nonetheless, the long hours they spent on horseback
the day they left the ship were a bit much. Having left the great
sailing vessel in the narrow bay at the mouth of the Spey River,
the dozen riders had worked their way down the winding river
valley. On both sides, but more and more to the south as they rode,
the gray green mountains of the Highlands rose jaggedly above them.
The air was clear and cold, but by late afternoon, Tess was
beginning to wonder if she would ever be able to walk again.

She knew it was her own fault that the Macpherson
men had made so few stops. They asked often enough if she’d like to
rest. Since she didn’t complain or say she wanted to, they
obviously were ones to take her at her word. And so they pressed
on.

At one point, the valley—Speyside, Colin called
it—stretched out like a long, broad trencher between round-topped
gray mountains to the north and rising forestland of fragrant, red
limbed pines to the south. The sparkling River Spey itself wound
like a jeweled serpent along the wide floor of the valley. Tess’s
breath caught in her chest at the beauty of the scene. Farms and
pastures adorned the hills and many crofters came out of their
cottages—children and dogs around them—shouting their welcome to
the passing riders.

As the sun kissed the western hills in its descent,
Benmore Castle came into sight. At the crest of a hill, Colin
touched her arm and pointed to the great castle perched atop a
mound overlooking the river. Groves of tall pines rose on the north
side of the edifice at some distance, and drawbridges crossed a
number of ditches and moats that protectively encircled the high
stone walls. To the left, a stone bridge spanned the river on seven
arches. She gazed for a moment at the tidy village of wood and
stone buildings that sat comfortably along to the south bank of the
Spey.

A few moments later they rode through the arched
entry and into Benmore Castle. Tess slowed her horse and fell
behind the others.

Suddenly images rushed through her mind of another
time. Another castle. Images of a child looking back from another
arched entryway at night. Darts of flame shooting from windows. Men
and women screaming and running in every direction. The girl crying
and wanting to run back to the keep, but strong hands hold her
back. Tess reined in her horse as she felt the grief rising in her
chest.

“Are you coming?”

She blinked and saw Colin on his horse beside her.
She looked down at his outstretched hand. She reached out and took
it.

“I…I was back in time. For a moment, it felt like
‘twas yesterday.” She let out a shaky breath. “The visions. The
nightmares. I was in another castle. And ’twas nothing like this
one. There is peace here. There, chaos reigned and…” She became
flustered, embarrassed even to have made the comparison.

“You are safe here, Tess.”

“I know. I know. I am sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

He shook his head. “After so many years away, ‘tis
only natural that a certain smell, a look, a shadow should bring
back memories of what you once knew.” His thumb softly caressed the
back of her hand. “’Twill get better, Tess. Trust your heart and
your judgment. You have the strength to see this through.”

Colin’s words of confidence touched her deeply. She
took a deep breath and let his assurance flow over her. She trusted
him as she had never trusted anyone.

“How did you become so wise at so young an age?” she
asked.

“And is that all that you find interesting in me? My
wisdom?”

Tess smiled shyly at the suggestive gleam in his
blue eyes. She didn’t try to fight the feelings that he brought out
in her with a single word or a look or the mere touch of his hand.
What was right and wrong was no longer muddled for her. She could
no longer fight her attraction and her growing affection. She
quickly realized, though, that there were others waiting for them.
Blushing, she snatched her hand away and nudged her horse
forward.

As they rode into the courtyard, Tess paused at the
movement and the colors of men and women scurrying about to their
tasks. The close was ringed with buildings huddled beneath the
curtain walls. All around her people bustled about, obviously happy
and safe and content.

Her gaze traveled upward. On the wall of a great
building across the close, a large stone medallion displayed the
Macpherson family crest. Her eyes were drawn to the lion at the top
of the shield.

She stole a glance at Colin riding beside her and
couldn’t help but say her thoughts aloud. “I see the resemblance,”
she whispered. “Blond, blue eyes, majestic, untamed, fierce...”

“And hungry!” His low growl made Tess blush
again as she quickly looked away.

To calm herself, Tess surveyed the entire interior
of the castle courtyard. With its three towers, Benmore Castle was
far more impressive than she could have imagined.

Colin was reading her face. “From the
outside, it has the look of a fortress. But inside—you’ll see for
yourself—Benmore has many comforts.”

Tess heard the pride in Colin’s voice. She longed
for that sense of belonging that had always been lacking in her own
life.

Sitting astride her horse, though—here in the heart
of the Highlands—Tess promised herself that it would not be like
that anymore. She would face the nightmares. She would discover her
past, and she would belong.

A group of people were gathered by a stone stairwell
leading up to a large doorway. She saw Alexander already there, and
a moment later Colin joined them, as well. A stunningly beautiful
redheaded woman embraced him, and a tall, distinguished looking man
with graying hair enveloped both Colin and the woman in his
powerful arms.

“It does not matter how old, or tall, or broad we
become, our parents have no reserve in showing their
affection.”

“’Tis a privilege to witness it.” Tess looked down
into the smiling face of the man who had spoken the words. He was
standing beside her horse, ready to help her down.

“I am James Macpherson, mistress. Younger than
Alexander by two years and older than that whelp Colin by four, but
smarter than both of them and able to whip the two of them
together.” His smile was contagious.

“I am Theresa Catherine Lindsay.” She had never said
those words before, and the sound of them fell so strangely upon
her own ears. It took great effort to say them without breaking
into tears. She accepted the Highlander’s help and dismounted.
“Thank you.”

“And you prefer to be called Tess. I know.” He
gently pulled her arm into the crook of his arm. “In fact, I don’t
believe there is much that I haven’t been able to learn about
you.”

She tried to gauge the seriousness of his words.
James was taller than his brothers and very different in his looks.
The second son’s coloring was fairer than the other two. Even at
this distance, Tess could see that he took after their mother. His
long dark red hair, loosely tied, tumbled over his shoulders and
down his back. His gray, piercing eyes sparkled with intelligence
and wit.

“And how is it that you know so much about me when I
have just arrived this moment? Or perhaps I should ask
why
it is that you should bother yourself.”

“Alexander sent word ahead.”

“Of course.”

“And we learned that Colin was, unfortunately, still
alive.”

Tess stared at him.

“Aye. And though it might be too soon to tell you
this—having just met—I fear I am duty bound to tell you what a
mistake you made on the Isle of May in saving that pup’s life.”

She withdrew her hand from the man’s arm and looked
hard at him.

“I wanted to know more about you. I wished to know
your motivation for fishing him out of the sea. Now, from the wee
bits and pieces that I was able to learn, I surmised that you are
selfless and have great courage. I myself judge these to be heroic
qualities, and that brings us to your mistake in not allowing Colin
to drown. You see, Tess, if heroic is what you were after, then you
should have tried to save something worthwhile…a motherless seal
pup, or a seabird with a broken wing. Instead, you have succeeded
in ruining our delicately laid plans.”

“Your plans?” she managed to get out.

He crossed his arms over his broad chest and gave
her a curt nod. “Don’t you realize that Alexander actually had
Colin
thrown
overboard? And what a disappointment ‘twas for
all of us…”

Tess stifled her gasp and jumped back as a body
suddenly struck James in the shoulder. The huge man only moved
aside a couple of steps, though, and Tess was shocked to see Colin
standing where his brother had been, taking her hand and scowling
over his shoulder at the grinning James.

“My sincerest apologies for having left you alone
with this chattering ape, Tess.” He tucked her hand into the crook
of his arm. “I hope he hasn’t troubled you with his flapping
tongue.”

“Your timing, brother, is as bad as ever.” James
appeared on her other side and managed to tuck her free hand into
his
arm. “Tess and I were just discussing the merits of
drowning you versus throwing you from the tower.”

Colin ignored his brother and spoke directly to
Tess. “The problem with the jug head beside you is that he can
never forgive me for being so much younger…and yet so much smarter
and better looking.”

“My problem with you is that…”

“Will you two villains release this poor lass so she
might be properly introduced to our parents?”

They all turned to Alexander, who was
scowling fiercely at his two younger brothers. Tess instantly
became aware of the watchful eyes and curious glances of the circle
of people around them. She freed her hands from both men’s
arms.

“
I
will make the
introduction,” Colin asserted possessively, taking her hand
again.

As the two walked side by side, Tess felt a weight
drag her down with every step. She wanted so badly to make a good
impression on Colin’s parents. But all of her insecurities bubbled
to the surface at once. She had already learned that Lady Fiona
Macpherson was half sister to the late king himself. In her entire
life, Tess would not meet anyone with nobler blood flowing in her
veins. And she had already learned that the father, Alec
Macpherson, was one of the most powerful of the great Highland
lairds.

Tess’s blood ran cold at the thought of how
lacking she was in sophistication and charm. And how horrible she
must look in the worn leather cloak that old Garth had left to her!
She was just a plain and simple crofter who had lived most of her
life on an isolated rock in the middle of the sea.

By the time they had reached the stairway, Tess’s
insides were as taut as knotted rawhide. Colin’s mother was
standing quietly beside her husband, the long red hair loosely
braided and cascading down her back in glorious waves. Her gray
eyes had the same shade as her second son’s. The Macpherson laird
was an older and more distinguished version of Alexander and Colin,
but taller even than James.

“Welcome to Benmore Castle, Tess.”

The laird’s voice was deep and resonant. She
extracted her arm from Colin’s and curtsied politely.

“Thank you for having me here,
m’lord…m’lady,” she whispered softly, her head bowed. “I am
dreadfully sorry to inconvenience you all in this way.”

Lady Fiona reached out and took hold of
Tess’s chin, gently raising her face and smiling cordially.

“There is no need to apologize, child,” she
said softly. “We are delighted to have you here. We were so eager
to meet you.”

Far or near, Lady Fiona was the most
striking woman Tess had ever laid eyes on. And then, looking into
her face, she saw the warmth in those gray eyes and knew that all
would be well between them.

“At last!” the laird said, drawing Tess’s
attention. “Finally I get a chance to thank this water faerie
properly for saving our son’s life!”

“I did no such thing, m’lord. I mean, ’tis
not like that I
didn’t
intend to save his life, but he was
fine…well, without me. I just don’t deserve any gratitude….”

“Nor blame either, I suppose?” At James’s
comment from the behind, everyone broke out in laughter.

“Smart woman, I’d say, not taking any
responsibility for him.” Alexander’s comment drew another laugh
from the men.

“Don’t you pay any attention to them!” Lady
Fiona scowled at the rowdy group around them.

“I shan’t, m’lady. No amount of banter could
hide the affection that exists between them.”

Her comment drew howls of protest from the
three men, but it obviously pleased the mother. Tess realized that
sometime during this introduction, she had totally lost her
nervousness.

Lady Fiona wrapped an affectionate arm
around Tess’s shoulder and turned her toward the door. “Why don’t
you come in with me and let the men have your things brought
in.”