Page 1 of Seduction in a Kilt

BONUS PROLOGUE

October 1587, three months earlier

“Alana, are ye sure we’re goin’ the right way?” Liam asked his sister-in-law doubtfully as they pushed their way through the dripping forest a half-day’s ride from Castle Lennox.

They had made the trip on the suggestion of Maddison, Lady Lennox. Alana, being the healer of Castle Lennox, was in search of a special medicine made from a particularly rare herb only found in the south of England. It might as well have been the moon, and Alana had so far had no success in tracking it down. It was Maddison’s hastily drawn map which she was consulting now.

“Hmm, I’m nae sure, but accordin’ tae the map, we should be very near the cottage,” she said.

“Gimme the map, maybe I can work out where we are,” Liam said, holding out his hand. Alana passed it to him, and they studied it together.

“There’s the main track, and there’s where it branches off tae the left.” He pointed to the markings and then looked around. “We passed the burnt pine a while back, so the turning should be around here somewhere.”

“The map’s nae tae scale. Maybe we just havetae go a wee bit further tae come tae the right path,” Alana suggested.

“Aye, maybe so. Come on then, let’s keep goin’.” They continued picking their way through the sodden undergrowth.

Suddenly, they were both distracted by the sound of something large moving through the trees nearby. Their heads snapped towards the sound.

“Can ye see what it is, Liam?” Alana asked, clutching his arm nervously.

He shook his head, unable to see anything to account for the sound. “Probably a deer or a boar,” he said, tensing as he realized that whatever was responsible for the loud rustling and snapping of twigs and branches was coming towards them.

“Get behind me, Alana. If ’tis a boar, it could be dangerous.” Liam gently pushed her back. Silently, he unsheathed his sword, his hackles rising because he could see nothing before them. He jumped when Alana suddenly let out a shrill scream behind him.

“What is it?” he asked her, his heart thudding in his chest as he scanned the trees.

She grabbed his arm and pointed dead ahead. “There, look, by the big oak tree!” She shrank back behind him.

Liam looked, and to his utter amazement, saw in front of them, less than fifty fete away, a large, black, shaggy head poking out from behind the trunk of an oak tree. The head was pointed their way, along with a set of dark-brown eyes almost as big as saucers.

“What the hell is that?” Liam whispered; his blade poised to defend them. “I’ve nae seen anythin’ like it before.”

“Me neither,” Alana replied, her voice shaking.

“Stay absolutely still,” he instructed, keeping his eyes on the bizarre creature as it slowly emerged from behind the trunk. Liam’s mouth went dry as he studied it. It was the size of a small pony, its broad head as big as his shield. The thing had large ears that flopped over, a long muzzle like a wolf’s, with many thick, white whiskers sticking out of it. A large black nose almost as big as his fist sniffed at them from a distance. The strange beast had four legs, and was covered in coarse, shaggy black fur.

It did not bare its teeth like a wolf, nor did it make any menacing moves towards them. It simply stood by the tree as though inviting them to observe it, staring at them fixedly with its large, peculiarly soulful, dark-brown eyes.

After a few moments of this tense stand-off, Liam murmured over his shoulder, “’Tis definitely nae a wolf. It daesnae seem tae intend tae attack us.”

“Nay. D’ye think it could be some sort of… dog?” Alana ventured in a frightened whisper. “What’s it doin’ now?” she asked as the thing went down on its forepaws, like a dog wanting to play. Some of the tension drained from Liam, and he lowered his blade. “Look, Alana, ye’re right, I think ’tis a dog, and ’tis waggin’ its tail!”

“Aye, I think it must be the dog Maddison told me about, the one that belongs tae the witch. She said ’tis enormous, and that it has the eyes and mind of a man.”

As if endorsing her words, the dog opened its jaws wide, showing two rows of pointy white fangs, and gave a tremendous yawn, which ended with a soft sighing that sounded uncannily human. It stood up and slowly turned around, as though it would depart.

“It wants us tae follow it, I think,” he told Alana, sheathing his sword.

She nodded beneath her hood. “Aye, it looks like it. D’ye think the witch sent it tae find us?”

“Dinnae be so foolish. How could she when she daesnae even ken we’re comin’?” he scoffed.

“Maddy told me that Selma has many strange powers. When they went tae see her before, they called unannounced, but somehow, she was expectin’ them.”

“Coincidence,” he muttered, his eyes still on the dog. “Come on, let’s follow it. If it truly does belong tae the witch, it may lead us tae her cottage,” Alana said, stepping after it.

“Aye, all right. We’re lost anyway.” Liam agreed. So, they followed the dog, and in a surprisingly short time, they came to the edge of a large clearing.