Page 65 of Highlander’s Forbidden Fruit

“Ye cannae let him leave!” Ted thundered. “What good are ye if ye cannae get yer men to yield to yer will? He must marry Isla.”

Aleck had never seen Lockard move so fast. One moment he was standing by Aleck, the next he had Ted’s collar in an iron grip so strong Ted’s toes were barely touching the ground.

“I train soldiers, nae pansies who marry the first clever lass to ensnare them in her honey trap. Now,” he growled, losing his grip enough to let Ted’s feet touch the ground. “Ye’ve nae been honest with me about yer departure from Aberdeen. Ye and I will pay my daughter a visit to discuss the matter. Bryce! Be on yer way, lad.”

Aleck didn’t need to be told twice. He shouldered his cloth sack again and made a beeline for the stables. As far as he was concerned, the Grahams were no longer his problem. Lockard could be trusted to deal with whatever trouble his daughter and her family had brought with them to Glenlivet.

However, Aleck’s bad luck wasn’t done with him just yet. Maybe it was his fate, or maybe it was a case of wrong place at the wrong time; but when he entered the stables it was to find John Winchester supervising the saddling of one of Laird MacLeod’s prized horses.

“Ah! There you are,” he said. “I’ve been waiting the better part of half an hour.”

He was tapping his riding crop against his breeches—an action of impatience. John was the kind of man who wielded a certain authority and was used to having his wishes immediately met. It wasn’t a side of him that Aleck had seen before, but he had always suspected it to be there. All Englishmen had a certain amount of arrogance no matter if they were of noble stock or street rabble.

“I was nae told ye were looking for me.” Aleck could see that the stable hands were all busy tending to the Laird’s future son-in-law. Instead of waiting to be tended to, Aleck placed his sack and sword by the stall of the horse awarded to him by the Laird and began to saddle it up.

“My carriage is very comfortable, but it slows me down. I must be in London in two days, so the Laird suggested I journey with you. I don’t know Scotland that well and the countryside is known to be plagued by bandits.” His smile was sardonic. “I suppose it’s ironic—seeking the help of a man who would sooner throw me to bandits than protect me from them.”

“Thought ye could protect yerself well enough, Lord Winchester.” Aleck knew he should pay more deference to John Winchester, but he was in no mood be nice to a man who had single-handedly taken what Aleck wanted most in the world.

Aleck fastened his saddle securely. He turned for the feedbags but found John looking at him with intense dislike. Aleck gave back just as good as he got.

“Are you questioning my ability in battle?” he asked.

“Nae. I’m questioning yer ability to defend yerself. There’s a difference.” Aleck turned back to tie the feedbags to the saddle. His fingers stilled when he felt the cold metal of a sharp blade against the side of his neck.

“Let’s see you defend yourself.” John challenged, standing cool as a cucumber, his sword held against Aleck. There was no pressure, but the blade was cold against Aleck’s skin, and he was very aware of the threat it presented.

Rage rushed to his head. The arrogance of the man made him blind to reason, and he did what any man would to defend himself. Aleck jumped to the side as he had been taught countless times by Lockard, and before John could react, he had kicked the legs from underneath him.

John landed on his behind, the sword clattering on the floor. Aleck kicked it out of the way and advanced on the would-be-lord. The stable hands were too stunned to do anything. But before Aleck could land a punch something unexpected happened.

John laughed, surprising Aleck.

“I see we’re going to have a great journey.” John held out his hand for Aleck. In his shock, Aleck took it and helped him up. John dusted the seat of his breeches and accepted his sword from one of the stable hands.

Aleck doubted John’s definition of a great journey matched his own. However, he also realized it would be a brief journey. Soon, he would be away from all of this, and these next few days in John’s company would be a bad memory he could tuck away with the rest.

Deciding to let the matter rest for now, he went back to preparing his own horse. Once everything was ready, both men mounted their steeds and left the stables.

It was different leaving like this, knowing he was never coming back. Promise or no promise, he had made up his mind to die on some strange land. He saw no tragedy in his decision. His heart was Evanna’s. Nothing else mattered.

He glanced at the castle one last time, staring intently at Evanna’s window. She wasn’t there. He supposed it was a mercy; but his heart ached in his chest as if John had stabbed him with his sword.

“Goodbye, my love,” he whispered into the wind, hoping his message would reach her, wherever she was. Then he dug his heels in and urged his horse to gallop away.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Evanna watched the two men in her life leave together.

She didn’t know what possessed Laird MacLeod to send the two together. It was going to be hard for the both of them to be in each other’s company. Aleck would find it difficult to be hampered with John when he clearly wanted to be as far away from him and any reminders of Evanna as possible. John would be irked by Aleck’s prickly nature and refusal to follow his orders.

She stood at the window for a little while. The noon sky was gray. Once they were on their way, they didn’t even leave any shadows for her to see them by. Tearing herself away, Evanna went to join her father.

Laird MacLeod was in much better spirits. Now that Evanna was betrothed a weight seemed to have lifted off his shoulder. He was eating lunch when Evanna joined him. There was a little color in his cheeks, and he was eating by himself.

“How are ye feeling, Da?” she asked, taking a seat by his bedside.

“Much better now that I ken yer happy, lass.” He took her hand in his. It was warm and reassuring. “I hadnae realized how much this meant to me. Now that yer engaged to be married I can face yer Ma in heaven.”