Soul of a Highlander

by Melissa Mayhue

Odd, that.

  The repeated clanking of a knife against a metal tankard drew her from her thoughts. Reynard Servans rose from his seat and lifted his drink in a toast to all those gathered.

  “Lord MacKiernan, Lady MacAlister, tous mes amis. My brother and I wish to extend our gratitude for the warm welcome you have given us.” He paused to wait for the scattered applause to end. “And I, personally, wish to thank you all for being here to witness a momentous occasion.”

  “What occasion might that be, yer grace?” Blane rose from his chair, lifting his own tankard toward his guest.

  Reynard scanned his audience before stepping away from his seat, slowly walking the length of the great table, passing behind Blane.

  “Perhaps it would have been best to approach the subject in private, Laird MacKiernan, but I am a man overcome with joy. Joy that I want to share with all my new friends.”

  Every eye in the room followed him as he continued to stroll the length of the table until he stood behind Sallie’s chair. Stopping, he laid his hand on her shoulder and turned to face Blane.

  “I am declaring my intention on this holy day. I would ask for this lady’s hand in marriage.”

  Mairi listened to a new round of scattered applause, keeping her eyes to the table while she dropped her hands to her churning stomach. Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears she almost missed Blane’s reply.

  “We are most honored by yer offer, yer grace,” her cousin at last responded, seating himself once again. “I will, of course, need to consult with my aunt as to her wishes for her daughter, but once—”

  “There’s no a need for that,” Sallie interrupted, drawing everyone’s attention. “All in this room are familiar with our family’s heritage, Cousin, therefore I’m sure they’ll understand my answering for myself.”

  Mairi risked a quick glance up at Reynard as he stood behind the chair next to her. The smirk he wore relayed his confidence more clearly than any words could as he took Sallie’s hands to assist her in rising from her seat to face him.

  “I’ve no doubt, yer grace, there’s no a woman in this room who’d no be flattered with yer offer of marriage.” Sallie pulled her hands from the Duke’s and placed them on the back of her chair as if to steady herself. “I hope you’ll forgive me, but I find I canna accept it.”

  “What?” The Duke’s strangled response betrayed the calm mask he wore. He glanced toward his brother, then back to Sallie. “I was under the impression you would be receptive to my offer, mon cher.”

  “I’m sorry, yer grace.” The words seemed small as they echoed in the deathly silence of the huge room. “I canna wed any save my own true love.”

  Reynard’s expression remained unchanged except for the slight lifting of one eyebrow. “So be it,” he said quietly, before lifting his head to look around the room. “I apologize for any discomfort I have caused, and I hope you all will understand if I take my leave now.”

  Andrew jumped from his seat. “Yer grace! I’m sure when my sister’s had time to think on this…perhaps tomorrow after you’ve rested…” The young man stuttered to a halt as the Duke turned, his expression flat and cold.

  “I don’t mean to be here tomorrow, boy.”

  At a flick of his wrist, Reynard’s men rose from their seats around the room and followed him to the exit as the hall erupted in chatter.

  Sallie dropped to her seat and reached out toward Mairi. “Now I’ve done it,” she sighed.

  Mairi clasped her cousin’s hand, surprised to find the girl trembling. “You did the right thing.”

  “Aye? Then why is all this happening?” The girl waved her free hand, encompassing the chaos around them.

  Almost everyone was on their feet now, the level of noise in the room steadily rising as people milled from group to group, watching for reactions from the table on the dais.

  Mairi patted the girl’s shaking hand. “We’ll just sit here until it’s calmed a bit.”

  “You’ll do no such thing.”

  She jumped at the deep sound of Ramos’s voice behind her. A second later, he pulled her from her chair.

  “Come on. I want you out of here now.”

  She held on to Sallie’s hand, forcing the girl to accompany them.

  “Where are we going?” She pulled back to slow him down, but he didn’t stop.

  “To your room. I’ll feel much better when you’re safely away from this lot.”

  He shouldered through the throng in the hallway, leading them up the stairs to the door of their room, which he then held open, allowing them to pass through.

  Sallie moved silently to the edge of their bed and sat, staring wide-eyed at Ramos.

  “Stay here,” he ordered. “You’re not to leave this room until I come back and tell you to. Do you understand?”

  “I do.” Mairi bit back any further reply. She wouldn’t argue with Ramos in front of Sallie. Especially not with her cousin looking so frightened.

  “Then try to remember it this time.” He slammed the door behind him.

  “Oh,” she hissed from between clenched teeth. There were moments when the man completely irritated her, his behavior exactly like something she would expect from her brother.

  At the sound of soft laughter behind her, she turned. Sallie’s eyes sparkled as she held her hand over her mouth.

  “‘Then try to remember it this time,’” she mimicked, her fake baritone bringing a smile to Mairi’s face in spite of her irritation. “He has quite the opinion of himself, does he no?”

  “He does that,” Mairi agreed. “And what about you? I thought he had you terrified.”

  “Pfft.” The girl waved a hand dismissively in the air. “There’s no a man I’ve met with the ability to terrify me.”

  “Well, you certainly had me fooled. And him, too, I’m willing to bet.”

  “As I wanted. It’s often best to let them think they’re in control. Then they leave you alone. Dinna you find it best sometimes not to let on as to all yer thinking?”

  Perhaps she’d underestimated Sallie, after all.

  “Come on.” Sallie rose from the bed and grabbed her hand, heading toward the door.

  “We canna leave the room. I promised Ramos.”

  Sallie made a tsking sound, shaking her head. “You dinna promise any such thing. You only agreed you understood that was what he wanted. You never said you’d do it.”

  No perhaps about it. She had seriously underestimated her little cousin.

  “Where are we going?”

  Sallie grinned. “The parapet, of course. It’s the best place to watch what’s happening in the courtyard. And I’m thinking there’s plenty of action there now.” The girl slowly opened their door and peeked out. “All clear.”

  Mairi followed her down the darkened hallway and up the spiral stairs. Pushing open the heavy door at the top, she paused as she stepped into the cold, damp air.

  “Hurry,” Sallie called, already at the wall. “Look down there. They’re leaving.”

  Mairi joined her, trying to make out individual people in the crowded courtyard below.

  “Bollocks! I dinna count on Ran going with them,” Sallie grumbled. “Oh well, it willna matter.”

  Andrew held on to the Duke’s reins, obviously pleading with him not to leave. The young man stumbled and almost fell when Reynard jerked his horse forward, leading his men to the gates without a backward glance.

  “Who’s that over there?”

  Mairi looked in the direction her cousin pointed, to the far side of the courtyard, but saw only the swirl of a cape disappearing into the shadows as Wyn Servans strode from the area and mounted his horse.

  He started toward the gates after the others but stopped, turning to stare up at the parapet.

  Both girls dropped to a crouch behind the wall.

  Though it was too far for her to have seen, Mairi felt sure he had smiled as he looked their direction, as if he’d known they watched him.

  Beside her, Sallie shuddere
d. “That man may be handsome as sin, but he gives me the willies.”

  “Aye. He’s no ordinary man,” Mairi agreed, thinking of her conversation with Ramos about Wyn Servans.

  “Indeed. Any man who can make himself only half visible, who’d then jump off a balcony to avoid yer seeing him, is no ordinary in the least.”

  “What?” Mairi turned to stare at Sallie. “I thought you said you didn’t see him on the balcony last night.”

  The girl stood and, brushing the dirt from her dress, she shrugged. “That was one of the times I thought it wise not to let on all I saw. I dinna trust you yet, Cousin.” She grinned and went to the door, pulling it open. “But perhaps I do now. We’d best get back down. We’ve a busy day tomorrow. I’ve a true love to catch.”

  Nineteen

  Shh.” Sallie held up a warning hand.

  As if any of them had made a sound, Mairi thought irritably. Crouched against the outside of the castle wall under cover of dark, she almost wished someone would hear them and send them back inside.

  Barely an hour had passed since Sallie’s excited chatter had rudely torn her from her peaceful sleep, for the second time in as many days.

  “You are the worst lay-a-bed I’ve ever met.” The girl had laughed as she pulled the covers off Mairi and bounded across the room. “Get up and get dressed. Alycie’s to meet us outside the kitchens. We have to hurry if we’re to sneak out the gates when the herders go. If you continue to lie there, it’ll be daylight and the guards will spot us for sure.”

  Now the three of them crept along beside the outer castle wall. Mairi looked up at the sky, but quickly lowered her head as the wind blew stinging mist into her face. It would still be some time before full daybreak, and the heavy clouds would obscure the sun even then.

  She was cold and tired, and all of this sneaking about held less than no appeal for her. Still, she had promised to accompany her cousin and Alycie on their little field trip today. To think this used to be the sort of thing she’d thought of as fun. When she had lived here before. When she had been their age. How had she gotten so soft in her time away from here?

  “Hurry!” Sallie pulled at her hand, urging her forward to the cover of the tree line.

  “We’ve made it.” Alycie peered back at the castle. “The guards dinna see us.”

  Sallie snorted inelegantly. “See us? They must have enjoyed themselves well at last night’s feast, for they looked as if they could barely stand, let alone guard, this morning.”

  The girl had a point.

  Mairi pulled the woolen plaid she’d wrapped about her tightly closed. The cold, driving mist managed to reach them even through the cover of the trees.

  “Dinna you think it might be better to postpone this jaunt until the weather clears a bit?”

  “No!” Alycie and Sallie answered in unison, both looking at one another in surprise.

  “We’re too close to winter’s arrival. The berries won’t last much longer,” Alycie explained as she took the lead through the forest. “We must go this morn or there’s no point in going at all.”

  “Besides,” Sallie added quietly, dropping back to Mairi’s side, “Ran’s gone with the Duke. For now I’m guessing he’s only at Sithean Fardach. But if the potion’s to work, I’ll need to have it ready before he goes off to who knows where following that man.”

  “Ran? Yer potion’s for Ran?” At her cousin’s nod, Mairi huffed out her breath and came to a stop. “Then why are we doing this? He already loves you. That’s plain to anyone with half a brain.”

  “Well he may. But the potion is no for making him love me. It’s for making him take action on that feeling. I told you before, I’m no willing to wait for him to make up his mind to do something about it. I want my true love now.” Sallie grinned and tugged at Mairi’s braid. “Come on, grumpy Mairi. Yer already out of yer warm bed. Enjoy the adventure. If nothing else, think of how irritated yer bossy guardian will be if he finds you’ve left the castle without his permission.”

  Mairi groaned. As if things weren’t already confused enough with Ramos, this was just what she needed—to make him angry. He hadn’t even come back last night to give her the all clear to leave her room, let alone the castle. He wouldn’t just be angry. He’d be furious.

  “Come on with you,” Alycie called back to them. “We’ve a long way to go to get there and back today.”

  “Fine,” Mairi huffed. “We’ll go find yer berries and make yer stupid potion. But tomorrow yer to let me sleep.”

  Sallie’s laugh rang out before she clamped a hand over her mouth, remembering their need for quiet. “Agreed, Cousin. Now come on. It’s going to be a lovely day. I can feel it in my bones.”

  “I see yer taking me serious at last.”

  Caden lay on his back in the mud, the tip of Ramos’s sword pointed at his chest.

  “That I am.” Ramos lifted his sword and reached out a hand to help Caden stand. He wouldn’t underestimate an opponent again. It was a lesson he’d learned at the hands of this very man. “Have you had enough?”

  “I dinna believe so, Spaniard. Like as no, that was naught but luck.” Caden grinned as Ramos helped him to his feet.

  Ramos shrugged, returning to his ready stance. He could remain focused. No problem. Mairi was safely in her room and he had nothing to worry about.

  Nothing except his father and some mystery Fae running loose through the countryside, planning to wreak havoc on a level only the Fates could anticipate. Nothing except getting Mairi home safely. Nothing except having allowed himself to compromise his responsibility by taking advantage of the woman he was supposed to be protecting.

  The rush of air warned him he’d let his attention wander and he raised his sword just in time to avoid a strike at his face.

  “Yer drifting off again,” Caden cautioned, laughter in his voice. “Thinking about my bonny cousin, are you?”

  “Stand at your ready,” Ramos growled, unwilling to share the line of his thoughts.

  “It’s no use denying it to me.” Caden feinted to his left before attacking from the right, handily dodging Ramos’s return thrust. “I’ve watched you. You wear that same look whenever she’s around.”

  “You’re crazy.” Ramos followed with a lunge, his sword deflected by Caden’s.

  “Crazy or no, I’m no wrong. It’s a gift, you might say. I ken what’s going on around me. I pay attention.” Caden avoided another thrust, twirling with his sword, bringing it back up in a lunge of his own. “Does her brother have any idea? That you want her for yerself?”

  Ramos struck, this time putting his weight behind his rush, throwing Caden off balance. His opponent’s feet slipped in the mud as he attempted to dodge the sword, and once again Caden landed on his back, the tip of Ramos’s sword at his chest.

  “What you speak is nonsense. I’m Mairi’s Guardian, nothing more.” If he said it often enough, it would be true. “Have you had enough now?”

  Caden laughed as he took the hand Ramos offered. “Aye, Spaniard. I believe I’ve had enough for this time. My compliments for a good practice. Yer concentration is improving.”

  Good practice indeed. Ramos shook his head as the two men headed to the little shed to clean up. Caden was easily as good a training partner as any he’d ever had, better even than most of the Fae he’d learned against.

  He’d just opened his mouth to tell the young man so when the sound of Rosalyn’s yells distracted him.

  “Caden!” the woman called. Holding her skirts high, she haltingly ran through the mud of the courtyard toward them, Grizel Maxwell following more slowly behind. “Caden!”

  Caden froze for only a second before leaping over the low rail, racing to meet his mother. Ramos followed closely at his heels.

  “What do you think yer doing, slopping through this mud? Could you no wait till I came in from practice?” He grasped her arm. “Take yer time, Mother. Get yer breath.”

  “There’s no time to take, lad. Yer sister’s gone mis
sing. I canna find her anywhere in the keep.”

  “And Alycie,” Grizel panted as she reached them. “Alycie’s gone, too.”

  “You’ve checked her chamber?” Ramos looked toward the keep. If Sallie was gone…His stomach clenched, his mind reaching out, sweeping the castle for any awareness of Mairi. She wasn’t there.

  “Of course I did. It was empty.” Rosalyn grasped Caden’s arm. “She’s no anywhere in the keep.”

  Neither was Mairi. Ramos felt the empty spot in his mind where she should be.

  “Bloody hell,” he muttered, turning to run toward the stables.

  “Dinna you fash yerself, Mother. We’ll find them,” Caden called, already close behind Ramos. “Drew! Get yer horse and come with us,” he ordered as his brother walked out of the practice shed. “I’ll explain as we go.”

  They quickly readied their animals and headed out through the gates.

  Once outside the walls, Ramos drew his horse to a stop, scanning the horizon through the mist that fell. From the north he felt a slight tug, an awareness at the back of his conscious mind. Mairi.

  “This way.” He turned his mount and headed away from the road and into the forest.

  The other two followed without question.

  What she wouldn’t give for her wonderful little car right now. Or Jesse’s hulking big motorcycle. Or a horse. Or even a good pair of hiking boots.

  Mairi stopped and stretched, a hand at her back. Nine years ago, she had scoured these hills and meadows barefoot and never thought a thing of it. Today her feet hurt.

  “Is it much farther?” She knew she sounded whiny, but she didn’t really care. They’d been hiking for hours now, always with Alycie assuring them they were getting close, as she did now.

  “We’re verra near. Just over this hill there’s a small meadow. Once we cross that, we’re into the forest where yer berries grow.”

  Sallie gasped as her foot slipped on the wet ground cover and Mairi grabbed at her cousin’s arm, just managing to catch her as the girl lost her footing.

  “Wait.” Mairi steadied her cousin and leaned against a large rock. “I need to stop for a bit.” She exercised regularly back home, but it certainly hadn’t prepared her for traipsing uphill and down in this weather. At least the rain had stopped.