“I apologize for interrupting ye ma’am, but I am looking for Aslynn.”
“I know no Aslynn.” With a grunt, she started to shut the door, but he stuck his foot out to stop him.
Her eyes narrowed, and he stuck out his hand in defense. “I mean ye no harm ma’am, but she knocked on yer door not two moments ago. She is visiting her pregnant sister who is close to giving birth.”
“Lad, there is no pregnant woman here. Just me. And no one has knocked on this door save ye. I know no Aslynn, and as I am the midwife in the village, I can assure ye that there is no woman about to give birth.”
Gritting his teeth, he nodded his head. “I am sorry to interrupt ye.”
Annoyed, he strode back to the horses and stared at the keep. The woman had lied to him from the very beginning. If he had any sense in his head, he would leave her here to whatever mischief she was up to and get back to his own path.
Instead, he mounted his horse and grabbed the reins of the mare. Damnation, he was not leaving without answers. Turning, he headed for the keep.
Ava felt guilty about leaving Ness standing in the middle of the village, but she became less and less confident that she could dissuade him from marrying her. Hopefully now, he would continue back to the Donahue lands, and once he discovered her missing, she hoped he was too dense to make the connection.
If she had to abandon the McClure keep, she had no idea where she would go.
“Good morn’“ she greeted the guards. “I seek an audience with Laird and Lady McClure.”
“Name and reason for seeing them?” the guard asked gruffly.
She hesitated. She could not give her real name to anyone outside of Amelia and Mack. The more people who knew, the more likely the King would find her. “Aslynn. I hail from one of the outer villages. I would like the Laird's help in intervening in a personal matter. A betrothal that my family has made for me.”
He nodded and she entered the keep. Feeling exposed, she pressed herself against the wall as she waited. If Ness had followed her to the keep, he’d see her unless the guard returned quickly. Thankfully, the door opened, and he returned. “The Laird is out hunting, but the Lady McClure will see ye.”
“Thank ye.” Bowing her head in relief, she picked up her skirts and hurried inside. Following the guard, her heart pounded in her chest. What if all of this was for nothing? What if Amelia turned her away?
The door to one of the private chambers opened, and Amelia stood from her chair. Her eyes widened in recognition, but Ava shook her head and tried to warn her not to say her name out loud.
“Thank ye, Ivan,” Amelia said dismissively. “I will see to the lass from here.”
As soon as they were here, Ava hurried to her friend's arms, and they embraced warmly. “Ava, what on earth are ye doing here? Are ye alone?”
“Amelia, the most horrid thing has happened,” she gasped. “The King has declared that I must wed Ness Fenton.”
Stepping back, Amelia clasped her hands and studied her. “Ava, I doona understand. Ye must have known that ye were to wed. Ye could do worse than someone like Ness Fenton. He is not like his uncle. He is young, and from what I hear, quite handsome. More importantly, he’s kind and fair.”
“It doesna matter. I will not wed anyone, Amelia. My cousin promised me freedom and a chance to explore life before I was chained to someone else, and he has not kept his promise. I had little freedom with Grace, and although I enjoyed my time there, I was just as guarded as I was at home. Please grant me sanctuary, and let me hide here.”
“And if I do not?”
Ava’s heart dropped. “Then I will take my chances elsewhere.”
Her face filled with sympathy, and Amelia pulled her in for a tight hug. “All right, Ava. I grant ye sanctuary here, but I must warn ye, if yer cousin comes for ye, I doona think there is much we can do. We will hide ye for as long as we can.”
“I doona think ye can hide her for long,” a mocking voice said, and Ava whirled around as Ness stepped into the room. “I was worried about ye.”
Amelia stepped forward. “And who are ye?” she demanded.
“Ness Fenton, and it appears that I have been escorting my betrothed to her own sanctuary against me,” he said in a dangerous voice as he stared at Ava.
Her eyes widened. “Ye have some explaining to do Aslynn.”
7
There were a few times that Ness truly lost his temper. His parents used to tell him that he was such a sweet child, but when he was angry, he couldn’t be reasoned with. When he discovered, for example, that the rumors were true, Errol Fenton had put his own daughter in danger, he’d rode with all the fury to the MacFarlane lands to make sure that she was alright, and nothing could ease his anger especially when he discovered that she was gone.
And when he found out what Lachlan had allowed to happen to her, he was ready to fight Lachlan and his entire army to bring her home.
Instead, she’d returned to the MacFarlane lands with love in her eyes and a gentle touch to tell him that all was well, and he need not worry.
There were also some dangerous moments after he’d taken over his rule when he cleared out Errol’s most loyal guards.
Now, he could feel the rage lashing out inside of him as he stared at Ava. All the lies that had so easily rolled off her lips. The danger that she’d put herself in to escape him. A spoiled little girl.
“Well?” he said in a low voice. “Explain yerself!”
“Laird Fenton,” Amelia said smoothly as she moved Ava behind her. “I have just given my friend sanctuary, so ye have two choices. The first, ye may leave and return with an army, but I can assure ye that I and my husband will not make it easy for ye. Or, I am happy to extend my hospitality, and ye may stay here while we work out a truce.”
“Truce? My marriage is sanctioned by the King,” he growled.
“Aye, but it will be several days before a message to the King reaches him, and even longer for him to arrive,” Amelia pointed out sensibly. “A truce, for now, will be much easier.”
Ness could barely believe that this was happening. He’d been so focused on avoiding the marriage, but he never dreamed that she would do the same. That she would run away to avoid him. The lass was mad in the head.
It would make no difference if he demanded to see her husband. He knew all too well that while Mack had the official title, this was Amelia’s clan, and the husband adored the wife. Focusing on Aslynn—no, Ava—he saw that she was studying the floor with her hands clasped behind her back.
Feeling guilty, was she?
“My men have traveled on to Donahue lands without me,” he said finally. “I only waylaid because I thought I was escorting a young woman safely to see her pregnant sister after I had rescued her from bandits.”
At that, Amelia inhaled sharply, and Ness sneered. “Oh, aye. The Lady Ava is a verra inventive woman. I ask that ye send a message to my men ordering them here and one to Laird Donahue informing him that his ward is well.”
“Aye. I’ll have rooms prepared for ye and Ava and yer men. How many were ye traveling with?”
“Three.”
“We will have no trouble housing ye, then. If ye will excuse me. I’ll return shortly.”
“Oh,” Ava said in a low voice, but Amelia squeezed her hand before leaving the two of them alone.
Silence descended, and Ava continued to study the floor. Strange how the brazen beauty who flirted with men armed herself with daggers was reduced to guilty silence now that they were alone and she was no longer hiding behind a mask of deception. “I can see now why ye had such passionate opinions about my treatment, or rather lack thereof, of my betrothed,” he said darkly.
“I apologize for the deception,” she said finally as she raised her chin to meet his gaze. “But ye can imagine the predicament that I was in when the verra man that I was trying to escape happened upon me in the road. And then refused to leave.”
“Why did ye run?”
�
�I have been locked away and guarded in a wing of one of my cousin’s holdings ever since I was a child. I was granted two years to experience freedom and live, and while Grace and Brodie did the best they could, they were also under strict orders. How can I expect to wed a stranger, to become a wife, when I’d only just learned to ride a horse and swim in a river and pick wildflowers from a field? What kind of children will I raise if I have lived all my days inside a castle, and know nothing of real life?”
Taking a step closer to her, he glowered. “I am sorry that ye were not able to pick yer damn wildflowers, but I have a castle that is crumbling around my ears, and an impoverished clan that can barely sustain itself. I made this agreement for yer dowry so the hundreds of people that I am responsible for can survive the coming winter.”
Eyes wide, she took a step back, but he wasn’t done. “I am not pleased to wed a stranger, but I would do whatever it takes to care for my people, and ye will not get in the way of that. Ye will not refuse me.”
Her lower lip trembled, and she made a small sound in her throat before she lowered her head again and hurried from the room.
With a sigh, he let her go. The anger inside him had dissipated, and he had a sinking feeling that he hadn’t done anything to make the situation better.
There was a soft knock at the door, and Amelia entered. “Ava, how are ye finding yer chamber?”
With a smile, Ava walked from the window to embrace her. “It’s wonderful thank ye, but I know that is not why ye are here. I saw Mack returning from the hunting party. Will he support my need for sanctuary?”
“He’s looked over the decree from the King, and there is no timeline for the marriage, so Mack has agreed to provide sanctuary for seven days. Ness will remain here during that time, and I hope that the two of ye can come to an understanding.”
Ava heard the unspoken truth in her words. It did not matter if they came to an understanding or not. In five days, she would be wed.
“Ye must think me foolish, running here, hoping to escape a royal decree and hide.”
“Of course not! Ye have every right to want more freedoms in yer life, my dear. Grace ensured that I had my choice in marriage, and I cannot imagine how I would have reacted had it been different for me. Ye do have some interesting luck. Of all the men to rescue ye. Tell me the truth, were ye hurt?”
“Nay.” She smiled faintly at the memory of Ness rushing to save her. He did cut a rather dashing figure. “I must admit that I acted rather daring in hopes that if he did discover the truth, he would not want to marry me. It appears that he is more upset that I lied than the fact that I was flirting with other men at the tavern.”
“And wearing trousers,” Amelia laughed. “I am happy to see that my dresses fit ye. I feel for Fenton’s men. I imagine Grace will send them with trunkfuls of yer dresses. ’Twill slow them down quite a bit.”
“Do ye think she will be angry at me? She has become a close friend.”
“Nay, of course not. She is probably proud. Brodie, on the other hand, will be furious that ye risked yer neck, but Grace will calm him down. In the meantime, we have decided to keep yer identity a secret. There is no need to let everyone know that the King’s cousin is in our keep, and in doing so, it should give ye more freedoms, although I imagine Laird Fenton will be keeping a close eye on ye.”
With a sigh, Ava sank into the bed. “He is rather difficult to get rid of.”
“I suggest ye take this time to get to know him for it is more time than ye would have had. And ye never know. Maybe ye will like him.”
Ava already liked him, but only when she thought that it was possible he would be nothing more than a stranger helping her out on the road. As she glanced out the window, she noticed that Ness was outside talking to one of the McClures. Knowing that dinner would be awkward if she didn’t at least try to speak to him, she picked the skirts that she’d changed into and slowly walked outside.
“And ye recommend rotating every two years instead of every year? I have the land to do so, but I had hoped to grow a surplus of crops this year to sell to a neighboring clan. Their land holds more moisture, and their more fragile crops tend to rot.”
“Aye. If yer land is already overworked, ’twill take more time to grow the nutrients back. ’Tis best to give it another year.” The man looked across Ness, and his grin widened. “Yer bonnie lass is waiting for ye, lad.”
Ava tried not to roll her eyes, especially when Ness turned toward her. His face was still dark with rage, but he walked towards her and tugged on her arm gently until they found some privacy from the people milling around. “I see ye are back in silk dresses,” he muttered without inflection.
Deftly, she ignored the barb about her clothing. “I spoke to Amelia. It seems that ye have nothing to worry about. My sanctuary isna good for long.”
“Tell me,” he said darkly. “Did ye run because I am a Fenton or because ye would have run from any man? I would like to think that in the past few days, I have shown ye that I am not my uncle.”
“The name did send me into a panic, but the truth is that I probably would have run from any man. Ye have no idea what ’tis like to have no freedom. I am not one of those lasses who dreamed of marriage. I doona know what it is like to wish for love, and I had no need to marry to find safety and security. All I wanted was to find my own path. To find a purpose beyond marriage and birthing.”
“Lady Ava, we may not have a love match, but it also may not be based around duty or even friendship.” Slowly, he ran his hands up and down her arms. Despite herself, she shivered and sucked in her lower lip, and he noticed. “Perhaps ye and I will strike a deal. I have no wish to marry a woman who cannae stand the thought of me, but my clan needs this and I cannae defy the King’s order either. We will wed. If I can convince ye that marriage to me can be pleasant, then ye will return with me to Fenton lands. There, I will promise ye as much freedom as I can. There is much to be done in the castle, and I am sure that ye will find yer purpose. If I cannot, then we will wed, but ye can stay here with the McClures.”
Ava’s mouth dropped open. She hadn’t even thought of separating after the marriage. It was a brilliant plan. “I doona understand. Why would ye even want me to come with ye? Ye have no wish to wed me.”
“I did not until I met ye, but yer plan to shock me has done nothing more than arouse my interest. I want ye in my bed, Ava, and I think ye will find that ye do as well.”
When she realized that he was talking about seduction, her eyes widened. “Ye would bed me before our wedding night to win a wager?”
“Nay,” he whispered as he dipped his head lower. “Merely a kiss. Grant me that before five days are up, and ye will be coming home with me.”
Placing a hand on his chest, she pushed him away with a snort of laughter. “Ye truly think that I could not go five days without resisting a kiss? Ye should have come up with a far more difficult wager, Laird Fenton. I fear that ye have already lost.”
With a wry smile, she turned back to the keep, but his words reached her anyway. “Is that want curling about in yer belly? If so, then I have already won.”
Her body quivered, and she briefly closed her eyes. Yes, that was desire that she felt, but it did not mean that she would give in. After all, she couldn’t imagine that Ness had anything that she would want more than to stay here a free woman.
8
The next morning, Ava was surprised to see only Mack at the breakfast table. “Good morn,” she greeted as she sat down and accepted some bread and cheese. He was a few years older than Amelia and was already greying at the temple, but, as Ava heard Grace tell, the only person who’d had an issue about the age difference was Mack, and he got over it quickly once he realized that he couldn’t live without Amelia. Secretly, Ava though it was unfair that she was surrounded by people with great loves when she’d been doomed from the very beginning.
“Ava!” Mack grinned and passed her the tea. “I was hoping to speak to ye this morning. First
ye should know that I am happy to see ye although I am livid that ye thought to make the journey yerself. Ye realize that if Fenton had not intervened, ye could have been killed!”
“Aye,” she said softly as she bowed her head. “I did think it through, and I stayed off the main roads.”
“Nonetheless, ye owe him a debt of gratitude, so ye shall not be pulling any more tricks. I will relax the guards if I have yer word that ye willna run. We both know that there is nowhere else ye can go where ye will be safe.”
Unable to help herself, she smiled. Mack and Amelia must not know of the deal that Ness made with her. “Have no fear, I have no wish to leave. I believe Laird Fenton and I came to an agreement yesterday, and I have every intention of wedding him in seven days’ time.”
“Ye do?” he said in surprise. “I had thought that I would have to fight ye more on this.”
“Oh, we have agreed to wed, but I have not agreed to return with Fenton. So long as I resist kissing him over the course of the next five days, then he has agreed to let me stay here.”
Mack’s lips twitched into a smile, but he quickly cleared his throat and scowled. “Ye are a maiden and the King’s kin. ’Tis not for Ness to be making deals such as that even if he is yer betrothed. I will have a word with him.”
“There is no need,” Ava said happily as she waved her hand dismissively. “I have already agreed to the arrangement, and I am not offended. In fact, I am relieved. ’Twill be easy enough to rebuff him for five days in exchange for my freedom. This is good for me, and I hope that if Laird Fenton allows me to stay here, then ye will welcome me.”
“Ava, ye are always welcome,” Mack said solemnly. “I am afraid that ye might find yerself alone today. Amelia rose early this morning when a lass had an accident in one of the outlying villages. She’s traveling with the guard and our healer, and I don’t expect her to return until tomorrow night at the earliest but perhaps even later.”
Highlander's Untamed Lass (Highlander's Seductive Lasses Book 3) Page 5