Page 6 of His Forgotten Highland Bride

Digging about in his sporran, he found something that meant a great deal to him. He placed the brooch in her palm. “For ye, wife.”

She squinted at the bit of metal in her hand and looked up at him.

“’Tis the MacPherson crest.”

“Aye. I was raised half my life with Grants and half with MacPhersons. I think myself both.”

She smiled. “Then I shall be both as well. Thank ye.”

It didn’t pass his notice she hadn’t owned to being loyal to three clans. The one she’d just spent the last nineteen years with had been tossed aside without further thought. They walked to Brimstone so she could introduce them. When she moved to take the reins of the gelding, he couldn’t help but feel like she didn’t belong on such a mundane beast.

“Wait.” He shook his head. “Perhaps you’d prefer my Merlin. He may not be as wicked as your beast, but he’ll keep your ride interesting.”

Her smile nearly took over her face as she nodded. Reaching up to pet the red horse between the eyes, she looked back at him. “Thank ye, husband.”

With warm cheeks, he nodded and cleared his throat. “Let us go home.”

His wife didn’t make a single complaint as they pushed to make their return by nightfall. As they crested the final hill, the view took his breath. The sun was deeply rested on the far horizon, coloring the sky in pink and orange. The white stone castle seemed to glow in the last of the day’s light.

After the initial feeling of relief, he was overwhelmed with the slithering feeling of dread. He felt as if something was choking him. He couldn’t breathe. He knew the thing would never go away, having suffered with it much of his life.

Duty.

Ronan was the laird’s heir. He’d known the weight of that since he’d known his father had passed. For all his ten and eight years, he’d been trained and groomed to one day become laird of clan Grant. There was no escape. It mattered not what he might have wanted for his life. His dreams were dismissed, overshadowed by his responsibilities.

Now his duty to his clan had forced him to marry this stranger. But he’d gained a reprieve. He only needed to get through this night, and he’d be free again for at least a while. He’d allow his people their proper feast and bed his new bride, but come morning, his life would be his own once more.