How to Forgive a Highlander (MacGregor Lairds)

by Michelle McLean

  “So why am I no’ thinking the same?” he asked. She nodded, and he gave her a small smile. “Believe me, lass. Ye’re bonnie enough for any man to want ye.” His gaze roved over her. “But I prefer my lassies to be a bit more…docile.”

  She cocked her head at that, and he pointed to the dagger she gripped in one hand. “Oh,” she said with a slight laugh. “Sorry.” She slipped it back in her pocket.

  “Clever little pickpocket, are ye no’?”

  She shrugged. “Not especially. I simply drew it from your belt when you turned to get the food.”

  He snorted. He’d have to keep a closer eye on her. “Now then,” he said, “we have other things to concern ourselves with.”

  She hastily chewed the bite of stew in her mouth and put the bowl down.

  He shook his head. “Finish that up, lass. We can talk while ye eat.”

  He sat beside her with his own bowl and chewed thoughtfully.

  “Have you heard any news from town?” she asked.

  “Aye,” he nodded. “Yer mistress’s disappearance has unfortunately been discovered, as has yer own. The Chivers family have the entire town out searching. They’re questioning everybody, including those at the dock.”

  Rose put down the bowl, her face pale once more. “You must take me back. Perhaps I can help. I can tell them…”

  “Aye? Tell them what?” Rose frowned and William nodded. “There’s nothing ye can say that will make it any better. They’ll only question ye and whether ye answer or no, ye’ll be in a world of trouble. Not to mention, Ramsay now expects ye to be personally handling his meals. He didna question yer presence too closely, but if ye were to suddenly disappear, that would raise his suspicions. Like it or no, we are stuck together for now, lass.”

  Rose looked as if she’d argue, but then her shoulders slumped in defeat. “Will my lady and your kinsman be discovered?”

  William frowned at that. “So far, no. I dinna think anyone saw your lady board the ship or if anyone had, he has not yet been discovered. It could take several days before they determine where she’s gone.”

  Rose relaxed a little, and he hated to ruin that, but she needed to know everything. “However,” he said, and she tensed again. “Witness or no, there are only so many places she could’ve gone. Either she took a horse and traveled by land or she boarded one of the ships. And the only ship that left the harbor today was the one she and my cousin were on. If her family is smart they will send runners in all directions, including to the next port where the ship will dock. If we are lucky, it will take them a day or two to think of that. At the very least, that will give them an entire day’s sailing and they will likely reach their destination before any messengers can reach the ship.”

  “And if they are discovered?”

  William put down his bowl. “There isna anything we can do about that. My cousin, Philip, will handle any issues that might arise. Although, from what I understand, he wasna too keen on escorting Lady Alice to Scotland.”

  Rose wouldn’t meet his gaze, but she smiled at that. “The Lady Alice can be very…persuasive when she wants something.”

  “Persuasive, is it? It sounded a lot more like blackmail to me.”

  Rose opened her mouth to defend her mistress, but William held up a hand. “Arguing about Lady Alice and Philip’s arrangement is pointless. That is between them and there’s nothing we can do about it. We have more pressing concerns.”

  “Such as?” Rose asked.

  “Ramsay has been watching yer lady’s house since her friend, the Lady Elizabet, ran off with my kinsmen John.”

  “Why would he be doing that?” Rose asked, a confused furrow creasing her brow.

  “It’s a very long story,” William said. “Ramsay is hell-bent on finding John and Elizabet. Knowing how close the ladies were, he knew there was a chance that watching Lady Alice would eventually lead him to Elizabet and John.”

  Rose sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “And that’s exactly what has happened, isn’t it?”

  “It’s possible,” William said, “though it may not be Lady Alice’s actions alone that are at fault. Philip risked going to her in order to deliver a letter from the Lady Elizabet. I warned him against it, because Ramsay and his men would recognize Philip by sight. If he were seen at Lady Alice’s home, they would have been alerted to his presence. That has made them extra vigilant in watching her. Ramsay has had a man in position there since I’ve been with his crew.”

  “And now that Lady Alice has disappeared?” Rose asked. By the look on her face, she already knew the answer.

  William nodded. “Ramsay finally has the clue he has been after.”

  She took a deep breath and released it slowly, her face bleak. “So, what happens now?”

  William sighed and sat back, rubbing his face. “Ramsay has been gathering men to march on Glenlyon. But until now, he hasna been in much hurry. I believe he wants to be sure he is better prepared this time.”

  “This time? Part of the long story you mentioned?”

  William nodded. “Ramsay attacked Glenlyon once before. It didna end well for him, even with the full strength of the Campbell clan behind him. Or, most of the Campbells, anyway.”

  “The Campbells?”

  William nodded again. “Ramsay isna his real name. He is the son of the Campbell chieftain. Ramsay tried to overthrow his father and persuaded a good number of his father’s men into following him. He led an attack on Glenlyon that his father had to come help fight. Still, he had the support of many of his clansmen. Luckily our laird, Malcolm—”

  Rose’s eyes widened. “The one they call The Lion?”

  “Aye.”

  “Even I’ve heard of The Lion,” she said, awe in her voice.

  William gave her a sharp nod. “He and the MacGregors were able to defeat Ramsay. His father had him exiled from the clan and sent to London. He should ha’ been imprisoned, but Ramsay was able to use his mother’s wealth and connections to buy his way out of trouble. He began calling himself by his mother’s name—Ramsay. To distance himself from the Campbell clan. But he never forgot his humiliating defeat and has been determined to exact revenge on the MacGregors.”

  “How was all this kept quiet? I didn’t hear a word of it. And servants hear everything,” she said with a wry smile.

  “I dinna think the elite of London care so much about what occurs in the Highlands of Scotland, lass.”

  She flushed a bit at that, but William carried on. “Matters were made worse when my kinsman John managed to destroy Ramsay’s smuggling operation. John was a highwayman and, despite Ramsay revealing his identity, John was merely exiled instead of executed, as Ramsay had hoped. But when John left, he took the Lady Elizabet with him. She had been promised to Ramsay.”

  “So Ramsay has many reasons to hate the MacGregors,” Rose said.

  William laughed but there was no amusement in the sound. “Aye, many reasons,” he agreed. “He has been waiting for the opportunity to exact his revenge. But he didna ken where John would be. John was exiled and has been traveling, but Ramsay kent that he would eventually return to Scotland. He’s not supposed to return there, but as long as he stays out of England, the king will leave him be.”

  “But if Ramsay was defeated at Glenlyon once before, why would he think to attack it again?”

  “We dinna think he will. Glenlyon is too well protected, which is why we think he’s kept watch on those who were close to John who remained in England. In the hopes someone will lead him to John outside of Glenlyon.”

  “And those his lady was close to, like my Lady Alice?”

  William nodded. “Exactly.”

  Rose paled, and William looked grim. “So now what do we do?” Rose asked. “We need to alert them.”

  “Agreed,” William said. “That has been my purpose all along. I’ve been with Ramsay’s group for many months now so that I could warn my kinsmen if he made a move.”

  “Then why are we sti
ll here? We need to go.”

  But William shook his head. “I’ll send a messenger to Glenlyon tonight so they are aware of what has occurred and that Ramsay is likely headed their way. But I canna leave myself. We still dinna ken what exactly Ramsay is planning. He will travel to Glenlyon, certainly, but how many men will he have? When is he planning to attack? How is he planning to attack? Until I have more details, Glenlyon is better served if I remain at my post.”

  Rose frowned. “So we are just going to stay here?” she asked.

  “For now. It doesna sit well with me either, lass,” he said before she could complain again. “I’d like nothing more than to return home and leave the stink of this country behind me.”

  Rose glared at that but he ignored her. “For now, we will watch and wait and when we have more information, we will make our move. Besides, if I were to disappear now, it would only make Ramsay suspicious.”

  Rose scoffed and William frowned. “Dinna underestimate his intelligence. He would ken that there had been a spy in his midst and he would change his plans. No. We need to wait until we are closer to Glenlyon. Hopefully, we’ll be able to slip away while his preparations are underway. When we better ken what they are. In the meantime, I’ll send along messengers to keep Glenlyon apprised of Ramsay’s movements. They willna be taken unawares, lass, I promise ye.”

  Rose wanted to argue but he made some sense. Some. She sat back with a huff. “Fine. But I don’t like it.”

  William scowled at that. “Ye dinna have to like it, lass. Ye just have to do it.”

  Well, if that wasn’t the story of her life, she didn’t know what was. She could only pray that following William’s lead wouldn’t put her mistress in more danger.

  …

  Rose slept fitfully on the pallet William had set up in the corner. He gallantly slept on a blanket stretched across the doorway. She didn’t think either of them got much sleep. By the time the sun arose, her eyes were sandy and raw.

  They went about preparing for the morning in silence. There was much to discuss, but Rose didn’t have the energy for the arguments that would probably ensue. Neither of them would change their minds. She still thought at least one of them—preferably her—should leave. He would still want to stay to gather more information. Of which she saw the value. But the desire to protect her mistress beat through her with an urgency she couldn’t ignore. She belonged at Lady Alice’s side. She’d simply have to wait for an opening to escape them all.

  William produced a loaf of bread and a few lumps of cheese to break their fast. Then Rose watched as he strapped on his sword and pulled on his boots.

  “What now?” she asked, since he didn’t seem to feel the need to share his plans.

  He glanced up at her. “I have tasks to attend to.” He pulled on another boot. “And, since I canna let ye out of my sight, ye’ll be accompanying me.”

  She scowled at that and managed to bite her tongue for all of two seconds before everything erupted. “You could let me go. You know now I’m not your enemy. I could still help if I could get back home…”

  But William was already shaking his head with a long-suffering look on his face. “Yer reappearance would only cause more problems. They would ask questions to which ye dinna have the answers. And that’s assuming ye’d make it back on yer own.”

  She glared at him, but he ignored her. “As it is, ye’re most likely assumed to be with yer mistress, which not only will bring her parents some measure of comfort, thinking that their daughter is with someone familiar who can care for her, but it also lends an air of respectability to her disappearance. If she were to return it could be said that ye’d never left her side. However, if ye were to return without her then the world would ken that the lady had run off on her own. Her reputation would never survive.”

  Rose frowned. “Her reputation will never survive, in any case. But if I were to go back perhaps I could ease their fears somewhat. At the very least, I could find out what is happening and what their plans are and if they’ve heard anything as to where Lady Alice has gone. Maybe they could send a warning to your laird, or…”

  Again, William shook his head. “A warning has already been sent. My messenger left an hour ago. I wouldna be permitted to escort ye back regardless.”

  Rose rolled her eyes at that. “I could go on my own.”

  William snorted. “Ye have no idea where ye are and no idea how to return. And a lassie traveling on her own, especially in these parts, wouldna make it far. These roads are far too dangerous.”

  “Probably because of your little band of mercenaries,” she muttered.

  “Aye,” he said with half a grin. “And even if ye were to leave now, after the great ruckus that was caused last night by your appearance and the fact that a man died so I could keep ye with me, yer leaving now would cause more problems for me than I care to deal with.”

  The reminder of Roger’s death sobered her, but she couldn’t quite let her argument go. “You wouldn’t have any of these problems if you’d left me alone to begin with.”

  “Aye, so ye’ve pointed out. Repeatedly. But as I canna go back and rectify my poor decision, we are stuck with each other for the time being. So, ye’ll stay right where ye are, and I’d appreciate not hearing another word about it.”

  Rose glared at him and put her hand in her pocket to feel for her dagger. Not that she intended on using it on him. Yet. But holding it in her hand made her feel a little better.

  However, when she felt in her pockets she found nothing but a bit of fluff and a few crumbs. She glanced up at him, eyes wide with surprise, only to glare again as he chuckled.

  “If I must leave ye again, I’ll return it to ye. But I have no intention of allowing you to shove that wee blade in my back the moment it’s turned.”

  She stomped her foot in frustration, something she hadn’t done since she was a small child. But the man was so unbearably aggravating she couldn’t contain the slight temper tantrum.

  William only chuckled again, but before he could say another word, footsteps echoed up the hallway and Lionel appeared. He nodded at each of them, his beady eyes taking everything in. When he spoke, it was directed at William.

  “Mr. Ramsay will be waiting for his breakfast. Your woman is expected in the kitchens.”

  William opened his mouth to argue, but Lionel held up his hand. “You are needed in the armory. We leave at first light tomorrow, and Mr. Ramsay wants everything in order.”

  William’s jaw visibly clenched, but his only response was a jerky nod of his head. Lionel’s gaze briefly flicked to Rose before leaving.

  William turned back to her, his eyes dark with anger, but he didn’t argue with Lionel’s orders. Instead, he pulled her dagger from his belt and pressed it into her hand. “Keep that well hidden but near at hand. I dinna think ye’ll need it but best to be prepared.”

  “Will I be in danger?” she asked, icy dread nagging at her.

  He shook his head. “Ye’ll be in the kitchens with the other women, and the men should all be busy with preparations for the morn. Keep yer eyes and ears open, aye?”

  Rose nodded and, after another moment’s hesitation, William took her hand and led her to where she’d be working for the day. There were three other women in the kitchens. They didn’t do much more than give her a cursory look-over and then point her to some dough to knead. With the heat of the ovens and quiet companionship of the other women, the atmosphere was almost cozy.

  Still, Rose watched William walk away with a sinking feeling in her gut. He might be the reason she was in this predicament in the first place, but he was also the only one she felt even marginally safe with in this hellhole.

  What a depressing thought.

  At the midday meal, Rose was sent to help serve Ramsay’s table. She kept an eye out for William, but whatever he was doing must have kept him too busy to eat, as he never appeared.

  She walked behind the men with a jug of ale, reaching out to pour for anyone who r
aised their cup. She tried not to glower too much at any of them. The last thing she wanted was attention on her. She tried to make herself as unobtrusive as possible and kept her ears out for any information she could gather. So far, they hadn’t said much of consequence. And then one name stood out. She stood a little closer to the table, ears straining.

  “The Chivers’ household is still in an uproar,” a man said. Rose thought his name was Lionel. She hadn’t paid too much attention earlier.

  “Is that so?” Ramsay asked.

  Rose’s heart pounded, and she leaned over to refill Ramsay’s cup though she had done so only a few minutes before.

  “Yes, sir,” Lionel said. “The Lady Alice has been missing a full day now and they have no idea where she might have gone or why, according to one of the maids I met in town.” He chuckled. “Her maid is also missing.”

  Rose’s heart slammed against her rib cage and she stepped back, certain they could hear it. She kept her head down, praying none of the men noticed her.

  “Is she now?” Ramsay said. “That’s interesting.”

  “Agreed,” Lionel said. “The lady hasn’t had any other visitors we are aware of, except for MacGregor’s man, the one she visited the morning after the ball.”

  “Hmm,” Ramsay said with a lecherous grin. “Yes, it was quite interesting when she popped up at the boardinghouse.”

  “She wasn’t in there long,” someone else chimed in. “Mayhap he doesn’t have the stamina to keep her longer.”

  The men around the table laughed, but Ramsay frowned. “Or they were plotting their escape,” he said. “An escape we might have discovered sooner if we’d been watching her properly from the beginning.” He threw down the bread he’d been crumbling between his fingers. “I want the names of the men who were set to watching Lady Alice. If she knew where to find MacGregor, then they had to have met up before that. Had their liaison been discovered earlier, we wouldn’t have been taken by surprise.”

  A man farther down the bench grew pale, but no one volunteered a name, and Ramsay motioned for Lionel to continue. “While we don’t know when the plans were made, or the scope of them,” Lionel acknowledged, “we do know Lady Alice left the inn where her family is lodging early yesterday morning. She left with a maid and several trunks, but no one else.”