His Bonnie Highland Temptation (The Clan Sinclair Book 2)

by Celeste Barclay

  Seamus and Magnus stepped forward tentatively. They really were no longer boys but young men. Callum had explained to Siùsan on the way downstairs that it had been her brothers who had alerted him and Tavish to where she was being hidden. He told her about how the set of two younger brothers led the set of two older brothers through the winding tunnels.

  Siùsan looked from her brothers up to Callum. He put her down only to wrap his arm around her waist.

  “Seamus, Magnus, thank ye for helping rescue me. If ye hadnae shown them the way, I might not be standing here right now.”

  Siùsan paused for a moment to clear her throat. She suddenly felt tears welling up. The only people she had missed while being away from her clan were standing in front of her. They were the only two people that she loved from her former home. She opened her arms and stepped forward. Her brothers rushed forwards. She had not realized until just now that they were both taller than she was. So much has changed in such a short amount of time. I have a husband and ma brothers are both bigger than me.

  “Siùsan, I am so vera sorry that we couldnae come and rescue ye ourselves. We kenned we couldnae get around the guards, and we didna ken if Mother and Father were a part of this.” Magnus whispered while they hugged.

  “I kenned it all along. I wouldnae have wanted ye to endanger yerselves for me. I am just thankful that ye sought out Callum and helped him.”

  “We love ye, Siùsan. It isnae the same here without ye. Mother and Father havenae changed but that only makes it worse. Father berates us in the lists for naught and Mother still ignores us. Ye were the only person who loved us.” Seasmus whispered.

  “Loves. I love ye. Nae in the past, always in the present and always in the future.” She kissed both young men on the cheek. “Wait here a moment.”

  Siùsan turned back to Callum and stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. He still had to lean far over for her to reach.

  “I want to bring them with us. Can they foster on Sinclair land? They willna be sent anywhere and they willna receive proper training here. Seamus must learn to lead a clan properly and Magnus must learn to be tainiste.”

  “Do ye think yer father and Lady Elizabeth would allow it?”

  “Mayhap not but can ye still ask? If not with us, then perhaps the MacLeods.”

  “Aye.” Callum straightened up and looked to the dais.

  Laird Mackenzie was still staring into his mug while Lady Elizabeth began to eat her evening meal. She was the only person who had been served as the commotion of finding Siùsan had interrupted the meal that had just begun. She blithely ignored everyone while she sat above them.

  Callum turned his attention back to Laird Mackenzie. He tried not to show his disgust at the man. The man who had given him the opportunity to a marry a woman who he loved beyond belief but was the same cowardly man who had caused her such deep and lasting pain. He looked back over his shoulder and saw Siùsan’s expectant look. She had her hands clasped as though in prayer and was leaning forward. He did not miss the eager look in her eyes. Once more he looked at Laird Mackenzie and took a deep breath before beginning.

  “Laird Mackenzie, I greatly appreciate yer agreement in allowing me to marry yer daughter. She has been a tremendous blessing to me and a much needed and wanted addition to Clan Sinclair.” Callum just could not resist the urge to make his point abundantly clear. “In return for such a gracious and beneficial arrangement, I would like to offer to foster both of yer sons.”

  Laird Mackenzie barely looked up. He simply nodded his head. To anyone who did not know Laird Mackenzie well, they might have thought that he suffered self-condimnation, however, those who knew him, knew it was self-pity that had drained him of his vigor. He would return to his normal self when the cause of his self-pity was no longer nearby. Lady Elizabeth, on the other hand, was very attentive to what was being offered.

  “Nay! They arenae going with ye or any other Sinclair. They will go to ma kin. They will be trained by the Gunns.”

  Laird Mackenzie snapped out of his stupor at his wife’s declaration.

  “Christ’s bones on the cross! There is not a bluidy chance that ma sons will go anywhere near the Gunns. They are the cause of all that has gone wrong in ma life.” He turned an accusing finger at his wife. “It was yer brother who hooped and hollered loudly and wildly enough to spook ma wife’s horse. It was ye who refused to assist her when she needed a healer all because ye believed ye were due the position of lady of the Mackenzies. It was ye who insisted that I abandon ma own bairn to avoid yer brother and his allies from attacking and by fueling ma grief. I ken now that ye mistreated Siùsan when I trusted ye to raise her. It was also yer other brother who kidnapped her, tried to rape her, and would have killed Sir Callum if he hadnae killed him first. Of that I am sure. Nay. Ye’ll nae be sending ma sons to the Gunns but I will be sending ye packing back to them. Ye never wanted to be here but to claim yer title. Now ye dinna have to be. Ye served yer usefulness by giving me two sons but ye have sorely worn out yer welcome. I repudiate our marriage and all ties to ye and the Gunns.” Laird Mackenzie was yelling by the time he finished.

  Siùsan’s father had just said more than she had ever heard him say at one time. She was shocked at how ferocious he sounded. But he was not done yet. He turned his attention to Siùsan.

  “I already admitted to ye in private that I failed ye, but I will make it kenned to all present.” He turned to face all who still watched the scene in front of them. “I failed ma only daughter, the product of ma marriage to the only woman I ever have and ever will love. I ignored her and turned away from her first in ma grief and then in acquiescence to ma current wife’s demands. I ken ma time and chances have run out with ma daughter, but I canna and willna make the same mistakes twice. Ma sons will foster with the Sinclairs as of today.”

  Laird Mackenzie jumped down from the dais with a newfound vigor. He extended his arm to Callum who grasped his forearm in a warrior’s handshake. Next, he gazed at Siùsan, who was smiling before her father looked at her.

  “Siùsan, I havenae done right by ye. Ever. But I do have the chance to give yer brothers an opportunity to grow into the men needed to run this clan when I am gone. I ken that it was ye who asked if they could foster with the Sinclairs. I ken ye dinna do this for me but because of me. I still thank ye caring so much for yer brothers, and I do this for ye as for them. I ken they are in good hands with the Sinclairs. I am sorry. Ye’ll never ken the depth of ma regret and remorse for having treated ye as I did. Treated ye so poorly that any mon, let alone two, thought they could molest ye. This is more ma fault than anyone else’s.”

  Siùsan looked at her father who she had always thought was a cold and hard warrior and then believed was, in fact, a coward after what Callum pointed out. Now she just saw a mon who never recovered from his grief and was turned bitter by circumstances he felt he could not control. She almost felt pity for him, but she was not there yet. She could at least make peace before leaving.

  “Father, I ken that ye have missed ma mother every day since she passed. I ken that it was painful for me to be a constant reminder of what ye lost. I also ken I have moved on. I dinna have any real ties that bind me here now that ma brothers will come with me. Perhaps one day I will return for a visit.” Siùsan left it with the vague hint that a visit would not occur until after her father was no longer laird.

  “Do ye forgive me? Can ye forgive me?”

  Siùsan took a deep breath before she could answer. He was asking too much for her after all that she had suffered and what had happened over the past fortnight. Callum came to her rescue. She breathed easy.

  “Siùsan has a big heart and a fair mind. I think with time, she will make her peace with ye and her past.” Callum placed his hand on the small of her back and turned to her brothers. “Pack what ye need for the journey. Anything ye canna carry in a satchel will be replaced when we get home. We will meet ye in the bailey. We ride out tonight.”

  Callum led
Siùsan into the bailey followed by Tavish and Laird MacLeod, both of whom had witnessed the family dynamics in silence. Siùsan was surprised to see Magnus waiting for them along with a man who resembled her grandfather. There were also close to a score of men in MacLeod plaids waiting too. Siùsan looked up at Callum and then around him at her grandfather who was beaming. Laird MacLeod stepped forward to the young man who was so like him in looks, build, and stance.

  “Lass, this is yer cousin, Michail. He is the eldest child of yer Uncle Torrian, ye mama’s brother, and his wife, Catriona.” He left off the part about Catriona originally being a Gunn. He did not see any reason to add salt to several still gaping wounds. “He is about yer age and will one day be laird of the MacLeods.”

  “It’s vera nice to meet ye, Siùsan. It came as a bit of a surprise that I have a cousin I never kenned about. I ken Grandda is mighty happy to meet ye and ma parents are eager to meet ye too. I dinna quite ken if saying welcome to the family is right, but I canna help but feel it.”

  Siùsan looked at her grandfather and cousin standing side-by-side. A warmth flooded through her to know that she had blood relatives who wanted her and who were excited to get to know her. She silently reached for Callum’s hand and intertwined their fingers. He squeezed her hand gently.

  “Michail, I, too, am happy to meet ye. I seem to have found an entire family in one day. I am excited to meet the rest of yer-- I mean-- our clan and to meet yer parents,” she said with a soft chuckle as she realized she was as much a MacLeod as she had been a Mackenzie. “I dinna ken how long we will be able to visit. We must be home before the end of fall and the snows come.” She looked up expectantly at Callum. He nodded his head.

  “Lass, if ye dinna mind, I would ride back to the Sinclairs’ with ye instead. There is still much of the summer left for yer visit.” The MacLeod said. “I would like to see Laird Sinclair again. It has been far too many years and far too much has passed to go any longer without seeing him.”

  “I dinna mind if it is alright with Callum.” She knew that Callum would not refuse either of them but out of courtesy, she deferred to him.

  “Of course. We would be happy to have ye join us, but we camp in the woods tonight. I willna allow Siùsan to remain here another night.”

  Siùsan was so relieved to know that they would be leaving even if it was to just stop out of sight of the keep. She looked around and spotted Trofast waiting for her. Just as his name meant, he was always faithful and loyal. She ran to him and nuzzled her face into his neck. Callum quietly came up behind her.

  “I ken ye’ve missed him, but I have missed ye too. If ye want to ride him, will ye allow me to ride with ye?”

  She turned to smile at Callum. She placed her hands on his chest and could feel the steady rhythm of his heart.

  “If Deamhan doesnae mind seeing ye with another horse, I think he will allow it. I would like that too,” she grinned

  “Ahem, not to once again break up yet another blissful moment between ye two, but I thought ye would want to ken that Elizabeth was found by Michail trying to escape through the postern gate. Michail has offered to make her a guest in the MacLeod’s dungeon until she can be sent back to court to await the King’s judgment on her role in all of this. Thought ye’d be relieved to hear that,” Mangus stepped back and crossed his arms when he finished delivering that piece of news.

  Siùsan and Callum simply looked at Magnus and then at each other before nodding. There really was nothing left to be said about any of the people who had plotted and connived against them.

  Her brothers made their way to the bailey and everyone mounted up.

  “We ride!” Callum called out. The party left the bailey and none of the Mackenzies looked back.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  The Sinclair party rode at a steady pace for nearly two weeks before they reached their land. Siùsan slept heavily at night and ate heartily at each meal. However, the last three days of the journey saw her casting up her accounts before every meal and especially when she was near the cook fire and smelled roasting meat. Callum had rushed after her the first time she dashed out of camp to heave. He quickly learned that Siùsan did not like anyone, especially him, to see her when she was ill. She blistered his ears and then burst into tears for doing just that. After that, Callum gave her space but she was never further than he could see. He also noticed that she became increasingly tired by midafternoon. The first afternoon that she dozed off in the saddle, Callum caught her before she fell off Trofast. After that, she agreed to ride with Callum between the midday meal and when they stopped for the night. While they still made time to sneak off together each night, Siùsan was softly snoring as soon as they wrapped their plaids around themselves near the fire.

  On the last morning before they reached home, Siùsan knew she had to tell Callum her suspicions as he was becoming increasingly irritable with everyone but her and as anxious as a mother hen around her. When they stopped to water the horses, she pulled him aside.

  “Callum, I need to speak with ye, please.” They walked out of earshot of the group and stopped in the shade. Siùsan’s cheeks had pinkened from riding so many days in the sun and the warmth of the summer day. Callum tucked hair behind her ears which had become an unconscious habit of his from the first day they met.

  “Callum, I believe I ken why I’ve been feeling poorly that last few days. We’ve been married now for almost two moons. Have ye nae noticed that something hasnae happened? Or something is missing?” She wanted him to figure it out on his own. She wanted to see the surprise as it dawned on him that he would be a father.

  Callum thought for a moment, looking into the leaves overhead.

  “Nay. I havenae seen anything go missing and I canna think of anything that should have happened. Other than ye feeling a bit off these last few days, everything seems back to normal, or as close as we can come.”

  “Callum, it’s been almost seven sennights since we handfasted. That is a bit of a while, isnae? In over seven sennights, ye havenae wondered why we’ve been able to make love every day except for those when we were apart. Ye havenae asked if I was indisposed at all during that time.”

  “Is it too much for ye? Do wish for us to take a break?” Callum could not figure out what Siùsan was hinting at. He worried that he had been too pushy and now he and his ballocks would suffer for it.

  Siùsan grunted in frustration. Callum looked down at her. He had never heard her make that sound before.

  “Are ye really that dim? Ye had at least one mistress that I ken of and ye were with her for nearly three moons. Werenae there nights when ye couldnae bed her?”

  Callum flushed red and looked out over her head. Never again did he ever want to think of being with another woman. He certainly wanted no reminders of Elizabeth. He ran a hand through his hair absentmindedly.

  “Aye. I suppose there were a few days each month when she was indisposed.”

  “Ye havenae noticed that I havenae been indisposed? At least not in the same way? And I can tell ye I wasna indisposed while I was away from ye either.”

  “Siùsan, what are ye getting at? Do ye nae want to couple as often? Have I been too demanding?” Callum was beginning to get frustrated, so Siùsan took pity on him.

  “Mo ghaol, I havenae had ma courses since before we wed. That is why we havenae had to take any breaks in our love making, nor do I plan to do so now, I might add. Callum, I havenae bled in over two moons, I’m ill every time I smell food cooking, I’m exhausted from doing naught, and even ye noticed that ma breasts are more sensitive than normal.” She still wanted it to dawn on him without more prompting.

  Callum took in the list that Siùsan just rattled off, his eyes growing rounder and his mouth dropping open wider as the penny finally dropped.

  “Do ye mean—do ye mean ye’re –that we’re—Siùsan, are ye having a bairn?” It came out as a whisper by the end.

  “I canna ken for sure until I see the midwife, but I have experie
nce with healing and have delivered several bairns maself. I believe I have all the signs that we’ll be having a wee one this winter or early next spring.”

  Callum whooped and pulled Siùsan into his embrace twirling her around. She giggled and when he put her down, it was with a loud smacking kiss on her lips.

  “I’m going to be a da! I’m going to be a da!”

  “Sshh! I take it ye’re pleased,” she grinned. She had been a little nervous telling him. She knew he had taken every precaution not to sire any bastards, but she was not entirely sure if he wanted children yet.

  “Pleased doesnae even begin to describe how I feel. Ah lass, I couldnae be happier. I love ye, mo neach beag.”

  “I dinna ken how much longer ye’ll be able to call me yer little one. I may end up the size of the side of the stables.”

  “All the more to hold onto while I make love to ye,” he said with a cheeky grin.

  She playfully swatted his arm before becoming more serious.

  “Callum, I dinna want to tell anyone yet. It’s still vera early and things could go wrong. I dinna want to get everyone too excited and then fail to have yer heir. I only told ye because I saw ye were about to worry yerself sick every time I ran off to throw up.”

  Callum gently pulled in her in for an embrace. He stroked her back and kissed the top of her head.

  “I heard what ye just said. Fail to have ma heir. Mo ghaol, God forbid aught happens to this bairn, it willna be a failure on yer part. I want a bairn with ye and have thought about it often since that first day on the beach, but I dinna want one so badly that I risk ye. If it doesnae work out, this time or any time, I will still be a blessed man to be married to ye. Besides, that’s what I have Alexander for and he may be on the way to the kirk as we speak,” Callum smirked. “I love ye.”

  Siùsan breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Callum had done much in their time together to help build her confidence. Yet the fear of failure and then rejection still lurked in the back of her mind.