Page 9 of Highland Dove

“He’s alive, I ken he is.”

“Ye’d better hope he isna. Because if he comes back to discover his mathair died because of ye, he will never forgive ye. He’ll hate ye forever. Now, what is yer choice?”

Everyone waited as Mari once again looked back at poor Emmaline. Mari’s heart went out to the woman for all the misery she’d had to endure lately. She couldn’t let Duncan’s mother die because of her. The woman didn’t deserve this. But neither did Mari deserve marrying a wretched cur she despised.

Closing her eyes and holding her breath, she spat out the words she never thought she’d be saying to anyone other than Duncan. “I do,” she said, trembling and crying. When she opened her eyes, Eideard was smiling. He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms and kissed her so hard on the mouth that she felt as if he’d bitten her. Then he raised her hand up over her head and looked out at the crowd once more.

“My bride,” he announced. Slowly, the crowd started to clap, although none of them were smiling. “We’ll dance now,” he told her, grabbing her hand so hard he almost broke it as he dragged her out to the middle of the great hall. “And later tonight, after I celebrate our marriage by drinkin’ whisky with my men, I’ll take ye to our weddin’ bed and make ye my wife in every way.”

Mari was so frightened that she couldn’t even respond. What had she done? In trying to save Duncan’s mother, she had doomed herself to a life of being the wife of a man she truly despised and one she would never love. Part of her secretly hoped Duncan was dead now. Because if he wasn’t, how would she ever be able to face him again?

Chapter 3

Duncan and Angus trudged through the snow, having managed to escape by the skin of their teeth. However, they’d had to fight for their lives, and killed two guards who had discovered them on the road. Thankfully, their attackers had horses. Now the journey in this snowstorm wouldn’t be half as bad.

Dressed only in ragged clothes, Duncan had no qualms in taking the cloaks, boots and gloves of the English they’d killed. But he’d drawn the line at wearing their clothes. He’d told his brother they were safer wearing their plaids while traveling back to the Highlands. The last thing they needed was for the Scots to mistake them for bloody Sassenachs and take off their heads before they made it home.

“Blethers, Duncan, we need to stop,” complained Angus, riding close behind him in the dark.

“Ye need to piss again?” grumbled Duncan. “We havena had enough to drink to have to relieve ourselves.”

“Nay, I dinna need to piss. But we need to build a fire before we freeze to death in the cold. Besides, the horses canna keep up this pace in a snowstorm.”

“Mayhap ye’re right,” Duncan agreed. His only thought was on getting back to the Highlands to find out why the hell their ransom hadn’t been paid for their release. He also needed to feel the warmth of Mari in his arms right now as well. He longed for her presence in his life and only hoped she hadn’t taken another husband in his absence. “I just thought ye’d be in a hurry to see Tillie, that’s all.”

“Tillie?” Angus’ head snapped up. “Why would ye say that?”

“Dinna think that I didna notice the way ye come to life around my betrothed’s sister.”

“She’s a widow. No’ to mention she has two wee lassies to care for.”

“Even more reason.” He continued riding. “She needs someone to protect her, and ye’re no’ married.”

“Now wait a moment,” Angus warned his brother. “When I do get married, it’ll be with a virgin who has never shared another man’s bed nor given him bairns. Just like ye have with Mari.”

“I hope I still have that,” Duncan mumbled under his breath.

“Dinna tell me ye’re startin’ to worry that Mari willna want ye.”

“Nay, she’ll want me. But I canna help havin’ a bad feelin’ that somethin’ has happened while we were away. No’ only to our clan but also to Mari. We need to return to the Highlands as quickly as possible.”

“There’s an inn up ahead, in Glasgow. The Horn and Hoof. Let’s stop there for the night and stable the horses. I could go for a hot bowl of pottage, some potent whisky, and a soft, warm bed.”

“Aye, me, too. But unless ye’re a dunderhead, ye’re forgettin’ that all those things take money. That is somethin’ we dinna have,” Duncan reminded him.

Angus’ mouth turned up into a crooked smile. His dark eyes held a mischievous glint as he lifted up a pouch, shaking it in front of him. The sound of clinking coins filled the air. “I may have gotten a wee Christmas present from one of the guards before we left them.”

“Christmas present?” Duncan’s mind filled with thoughts of the holidays and the present he’d wanted to bestow upon Mari. He’d planned on buying her a ring of gold for the wedding. It was to be the forerunner of many more gifts that would follow through the years, given to her just for being his wife. However, right now, the only present he wanted was seeing her again. He longed for Hogmanay because that was the day he would make her his bride.

* * *

“Malmuira, make the horse go faster,” said Mari in a hushed voice, hiding beneath the canvas that covered the gypsy’s wagon. “The guards might have noticed and be followin’ us.”

“Haud yer wheesht,” scoffed the old gypsy woman, taking her time as they crossed over the drawbridge and left the castle just after nightfall. “All yer clishmaclaver is what’s goin’ to alert them. Now stay hidden and dinna emerge before I tell ye all is clear.”

“Aye,” mumbled Mari, hiding once again under the tarp of the gypsy’s wagon. Her sister had come up with the idea and it was successful so far. They’d managed to leave the castle without being stopped. She’d sneaked out while Eideard was drinking with his men and before he had a chance to consummate the marriage.

“All right,” said Malmuira after a while. “Ye can come out now.” The wagon stopped and Mari poked her head out, scanning the darkened area, listening for Eideard’s guards chasing after them. There was nothing. She climbed out onto the seat next to the old woman and let out a deep sigh.