His Bonnie Highland Temptation (The Clan Sinclair Book 2)

by Celeste Barclay

  Callum downed the whisky in just two gulps. The burn as it moved down to his stomach only masked the ache in his heart. He leaned his arms on his thighs and dropped his head.

  “I chased after her, but she got to her chamber just before I did. I was almost able to touch her hair, Da. She locked and barred the door. I pounded and begged her to let me explain but there only silence. Da, silence. I couldnae hear her moving about. She wasnae crying, at least not loudly enough for me to hear. She didna stomp about or throw things. It was as if nae one was in there. I decided to leave her be for now but told her I would be back for the evening meal. I probably only made it worse by threatening to kick down the door if she doesnae answer then.”

  “Ye’ve made a right cockup of this. Aye, I ken what I said. Ye arenae so big that I canna skelp yer wee behind. Ye have a woman who is falling head over heels in love with ye, who is all things good and honest. It doesnae sound like ye tried to stop the harlot from interfering.”

  Callum looked up at his father and saw he was angrier with him than he had been in years. Liam Sinclair was known to yell and rave at times, but his family knew best that the calmer he was in times of trouble, the angrier he was.

  “What ye say is all too close to what Elizabeth said as I ran after Siùsan. But I didna want her. I tried to tell Siùsan through the door that I didna want to antagonize Elizabeth further but underestimated her deviousness. She must leave immediately. Canna we send her off somewhere like Mairghread’s?”

  “Ye canna be serious? Are ye truly that daft? Ye sister would murder ye in yer sleep. She’s only just had a bairn a few months ago, and ye would send that seductress to her. I thought ye liked Tristan. Why would ye purposely try to ruin his marriage?” Laird Sinclair was practically growling by the time he was done. He loved his children more than his own life, but he was baffled by their selfishness and insensitivity at times. He felt like he had failed them and his wife. The older man ran his hand through his still thick dark hair. “I canna believe ye would suggest that even if it was only in passing or in jest. Are ye really that self-centered?”

  “Oh, Da. I ken ye have the right of it, and I wouldnae ever do it. Mairghread and Tristan are simply the closest place to send the bitch.” Something that his father said finally permeated his clouded mind. “Do ye really think she might love me?”

  “Ah, well. She might have, but I dinna ken now, lad. Ye might be lucky and she forgives ye, but I doubt it. She has too much fire in her.” He rested his hand on his son’s shoulder and squeezed. He did not envy Callum his position, but he had brought it down upon himself.

  “Da, I ken that I love Siùsan. I do. I have to make this right.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Siùsan heard Callum’s pounding on her door, and she heard his explanation. Part of her knew that it was a reasonable one, but she could not erase the sight of another woman touching him in a way that she believed was hers and hers alone. The pain that shot through her chest every time she thought of it was enough to take her breath away.

  She made it to her room just before Callum caught her. She slid down the door and silently wept. She felt the overwhelming need to flee. She knew she could not stay and marry a man who would not stand up for her or for their relationship. She could not marry a man who could so easily forget her and allow another woman to tempt him.

  So she waited. She waited until she heard Callum walk away. She waited until she was sure that all the chambermaids had made their rounds and that she was unlikely to run into anyone in the passageway. She slowly levered herself back to standing and moved to the wardrobe. She was completely chilled from sitting so long in a wet gown. She shed the gown and looked longingly at the others in the wardrobe.

  What a waste. I thought that I had finally found ma chance for a real family. I thought I found a place where I was welcomed and important. But once again, I am so vera easily forgotten. She reached out and touched the velvet plum gown that was her favorite. She looked at her old gowns that she had brought with her. She would leave behind the gowns that had never really been hers. She pulled out the sturdier of the two and put it on with a fresh chemise. She pulled on dry stockings and quickly stuffed the rest of her belongings into her satchel. She slung it across her chest and wrapped her arisaid over it. The billowing plaid material helped to hide the bulkiness of her bag.

  Siùsan slowly opened her chamber door and looked both ways into the passageway. When she saw that no one was about, she crept to the servants’ stairs. She wound her way down to the ground floor and slid along the wall until she reached a door that she knew led into a storage room that also had a door to the bailey. She felt her way across the room, moving slowly so she would not bump into anything and alert someone to her presence. She found the door to the bailey and once again peeked to see if anyone was around. She considered covering her head to try to hide her hair, but she was the only person wearing a Mackenzie plaid. There was no way to conceal that. She darted across the open space and made for the stables. She ran to the back of the stables and nestled herself among the hay bales. She would have to wait there until the guards were almost ready to close the gates for the evening. She had hours of waiting ahead of her. She forced herself to think about anything other than Callum and Elizabeth. She regretted that she would not be able to thank Laird Sinclair for his graciousness and kindness. She wished that she could say goodbye, but there was no way he would ever let her venture out into the wilds alone.

  Siùsan also considered her options. She had absolutely no intention of returning to her father’s lands. Instead she planned to make her way to the land on which her mother grew up. She would have a long journey ahead of her. Her mother had been the daughter of a lesser MacLeod chieftain. That sept was on the opposite coast from the Sinclairs. She would have to travel the breadth of Scotland to reach a grandfather that she was not sure was alive still or would welcome her if he was.

  When Siùsan considered her options, she knew that remaining with the Sinclairs and marrying Callum or returning to her father in disgrace were untenable choices. She knew that going to her mother’s clan was her only option. She pictured the maps of Scotland that she had studied as a lass and when she taught her brothers the geography of Scottish clans. There was no way that she could make it to the MacLeods without crossing through Gunn territory which was her stepmother’s clan. The only way to avoid it was to travel much farther north before heading west. She could avoid the Sutherlands by staying in the Mackay territory. The Mackenzies and Sutherlands were on good terms, but she remembered that Callum’s mother had been a Sutherland. She worried that if she encountered them, they would return her to Callum and Laird Sinclair. Then again, Laird Sinclair said that his wife had been a close friend of ma mother. Mayhap they would take me to ma grandfather if he is still alive. But what if he isnae. I dinna ken who the laird is now. If it isnae ma grandfather, then they might nae be willing to help me. I will just have to skirt the border and remain with the Mackays. Though Callum’s sister is now a Mackay. Damn! It will be better if I travel at night and sleep during the day. It will be more dangerous for Trofast, but we are less likely to be spotted by a patrol or any lawless men.

  With her mind made up, Siùsan settled in to wait. She knew that she would have to time her departure just right. It dawned on her that if she waited as long as she had initially planned, Callum would have come to bring her down for the evening meal. He would find her door unlocked and her gone. He will sound the bluidy alarm from here to kingdom come. They’ll catch me for sure.

  She listened carefully to everything that she could. She heard a wagon roll to a stop outside of the stables. She crept around the side to see that one of the villagers had brought in more hay. She scrambled to slip into the stables before the wagon was unloaded and her hiding spot found. She made her way to Trofast’s stall.

  “I think it is now or never, ma friend. I canna wait till it is dark.” She hurried to saddle Trofast. She took off her arisaid and folde
d it. She tucked it into her satchel which she attached to her saddle. She led Trofast out of his stall and looked around. It seemed that all of the groomsmen were helping the farmer move his hay. She looked around and saw that there was another door to the stable. It was not meant for a horse to pass through, but she believed that they could still fit. She opened the door slowly and looked around. The door opened to the back of the blacksmith’s shop and then the row of storerooms that ran along one of the bailey walls. The noise of the blacksmith’s hammer and anvil disguised the sound of Trofast’s hooves. They moved swiftly along the small alley between the buildings and the wall.

  Siùsan paused before she moved out of the shadows. She looked to see if there was a guard at the postern gate. She saw that there was one at the inner wall and that the gate in the outer wall was ajar, probably from when Callum chased her back to the keep. She grimaced and forced her mind away from that memory. She looked around and found a rock. She picked it up and threw it behind the guard. It landed against a wooden barrel that was on the opposite side of the guard from her. She watched him to see if he would hear it. He had. He looked in the direction of the sound. As he looked over his shoulder, she threw another rock even harder. The noise was louder. The guard shifted in the direction of the barrel. She threw one more rock, but this time she threw it towards the keep and startled a cluster of chickens. She felt badly and was glad she had not actually hit any of the animals. When the guard went to investigate the disruption, Siùsan led Trofast through the two gates. She led Trofast along the path that she and Callum had used whenever they rode out to the meadow. She knew that much of the path was visible to the men on the battlements, but she prayed that since it was a difficult angle from which to attack, they would not be looking that way often. When she made it a fair distance without an alarm being raised, she mounted Trofast and spurred him into a gallop.

  Once she cleared the meadow, she slowed Trofast to a walk and got her bearings. She dismounted and found a large branch from a fir tree. She used it to sweep away her footprints as she looked in each direction. The ground was surprisingly hard considering the abundance of rain that they had only the previous day. She looked up and saw that the tops of the trees were densely packed and not much water would be able to make it to the ground. She said a prayer of thanksgiving since she would not have to worry about her footprints or Trofast’s hoof prints sinking too deeply. She nudged Trofast with her shoulder and he moved forward. She dragged the branch behind them and swept the ground to remove traces of them. After almost an hour of moving almost silently through the woods on foot, she dropped her branch and remounted Trofast. She figured that she had put enough distance between herself and Callum that he would have a hard time finding her trail. She pushed Trofast into a cantor and continued through the woods heading due west.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Callum dreaded the coming confrontation with Siùsan, but he refused to allow any more time to pass before they resolved this matter. After he left his father’s study, he actually searched out Elizabeth. He told her that she would need to be gone from the castle’s grounds by morning and that if she attempted to enter the bailey wall, she would be forcibly removed. He explained to her that she could find a place in the village or make her way home, but he was done. He was quite clear that if he ever laid eyes on her again it would be too soon. She attempted to seduce him with her breasts, then she tried tears, and finally resorted to yelling. She swore and cursed him, Siùsan, and any children they might have. Callum had to admit to himself that he was truly nervous of what Elizabeth might do next, but for the sake of salvaging his relationship with Siùsan, he had to remove her.

  Now Callum made his way up the stairs to Siùsan’s chamber. He knocked softly and waited to see if she would answer. When he heard no movement, he knocked louder in case she had fallen asleep. Once again, there was no answer.

  “Siùsan, let me in. Or if ye willna let me in, then please come out. We need to talk. At the least, ye need to eat. Ye didna eat earlier, and I ken nothing has come up to ye since ye came back to yer chamber.” Callum waited, but once again there was absolutely no sound coming from within the chamber. Callum was starting to get more than just a little apprehensive. He pounded on the door and bellowed her name.

  “Siùsan, I swear if ye dinna open this door, I will kick it in.” He banged his fist once more. When no response came, he stepped back. “Vera well. Ye better not be near the door.”

  Callum thrust his weight into his kick and the door flung open so easily that he stumbled forward. He was stunned at how it had only taken one kick. He looked around and did not see Siùsan. Instead, he saw the gown she had worn earlier was draped across the foot of the bed with the skirts fanned out to dry. He saw that the wardrobe doors were still open. He walked over and recognized all his mother’s gowns. He counted them and added in the one on the bed. He knew that none were missing. He looked for the gowns that were originally Siùsan’s and did not see them. He turned back around and surveyed the room. There was nothing out of place. It looked like the room had not been occupied in ages. As his eyes traveled around the room, he spotted the bar to the door. The wood had splintered on the door jamb, but the bar was propped against the wall. It wasnae even barred. Bluidy hell! It wasnae even locked because she’s run.

  Callum ran out of the room and charged down the stairs. When he reached the Great Hall, he looked for his brothers and father. He saw them standing in front of the fireplace. He barreled his way over to them. They sensed the commotion and turned as one.

  “She’s run. She’s left. I must find her before she comes to any harm. I canna forgive maself for this mess, but I willna let her be hurt. Brothers, will ye come with me?”

  Laird Sinclair stepped forward and grasped his son’s shoulders. He looked into the face that was a younger version of his own. He saw that his son was finally maturing into the man he was meant to be. His body had made the transition years ago, but his heart was only now catching up.

  “Ye can take Tavish and Magnus, but Alexander stays behind. I cannae have ye all run off into the unknown. Alex is yer second and therefore takes yer place as ma tanaiste while ye are away. Ye ken that.”

  Callum nodded and looked at Alex. He extended his arm for a warrior’s shake. They clasped forearms and yanked one another into a hug.

  “Ye’ll find her. And when ye do, ye had better fall to yer knees and beg her for forgiveness. Ye’ve made a right shite heap of yer courting.” Alex said as they embraced.

  “Ye, me, and everyone in sight kens that.” Callum looked to his other two brothers. “We ride in the next quarter of an hour. Magnus, see to the provisions with Hagatha and Elspeth. Tavish, have the horses saddled. I will round up half a score of men to accompany us.”

  The three men fanned out to accomplish their given tasks. Laird Sinclair looked at his second son and grinned. Alexander was quiet by nature, but still waters run deep. Nothing escaped him, and he was a master strategist. All the brothers were very close to one another and close in age, but Callum and Alexander were less than a year apart and often seemed more like twins than anything else. He knew that Alex longed to accompany his brothers but understood his duty.

  “Ye are a good lad to stay behind with yer auld da. I dinna get to spend enough time with just ye these days. I look forward to knocking ye on yer arse in the lists tomorrow morn.” He clapped Alexander on the back hard enough to make him lurch forward. Alexander looked back at his father and grinned. While Tavish might have been the one who was built most similarly to their father and Callum most resembled him in the face, Alexander was more similar in personality to Laird Sinclair.

  “Careful what ye wish for auld mon. I willna take it any easier on ye than ye did any of us when we were but wee laddies.”

  Liam Sinclair guffawed loudly enough to draw looks from everyone in the Great Hall.

  “Ye ken that not a one of ye came out as a wee laddie. Wee beasties the lot of ye were.” He slung his a
rm around his son’s shoulder as they walked to the dais together.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Will this God forsaken rain never end?” Callum groused as the group of men broke camp for the third morning. It was also the third morning of rain. Callum was in a foul mood. There had been no signs of Siùsan after she entered the woods. They had searched the bailey and to see if they could determine how she had made it out of the walls since no one at the front gate had seen her leave. They found her horse’s hoof prints and followed them across the meadow, but they lost her soon after. They continued west even though Magnus and Tavish argued that it would be quicker to turn south if they were going to the Mackenzie’s keep. Something niggled in Callum’s mind, and he was not convinced that Siùsan would make her way directly there. He had argued with his brothers, but they eventually relented and followed him west.

  “Ye ken this is Scotland. We can get all four seasons in an hour.” Tavish answered. He knew that Callum was not really looking for a response, but Callum’s mood was only growing worse by the day. Tavish and Magnus knew that his irritability was not from the weather, though that did not help. It was because he was afraid for Siùsan.

  “We are almost to our border with the Gunns. We will turn south and cross their land and the Sutherlands. We can stop overnight with Uncle Hamish and the Sutherlands. Then make our way to the Mackenzies.”

  “Have ye thought about what ye will say to Laird Mackenzie when ye show up looking for his daughter? What if she isnae there?”

  “I dinna even want to think that far ahead. I will come up with answers to those questions once we are across their borders. Mount up!”