A Wee Highland Predicament

by Ceci Giltenan

  “But he lied to ye, to get ye to go with him to Castle Grant,” said Fallon.

  “He didn’t exactly lie. I’ll admit he misled me, but he had good reasons. Tell me this, if Quinn had found that Grant lass in our territory and taken her prisoner, how would he have done it? How would he have gotten her to Brathanead?”

  “He wouldn’t have lied,” said Fallon, firmly.

  “Nay, he probably wouldn’t have. However, if she didn’t go with him quietly, he would have had to bind her, but it would have only been for a few hours at most. Ye know I wouldn’t have gone quietly and that was probably instantly clear to Lucas.”

  Her sisters both chuckled at that, and she grinned. “So, ye see, he’d have had to keep me bound for days. Would that have been better than tricking me?”

  “Nay,” said Gillian a bit grudgingly. “Ye’re right, that would have been terrible for ye.”

  “And he did keep me safe on the journey.” She told them about how he had gone without food for her, and how he’d cared for her after her accident. “Even at Castle Grant he made sure I was well treated. I was allowed out of my chamber during the day as long as he was guarding me.”

  Gillian seized on that “But the point is, he was guarding ye because ye were a captive being held for ransom, not because he loved ye.”

  “Nay, ye’re wrong Gillian. It might have started that way, but love changes things. So much so that in the end, he defied his brother, spirited me out of Castle Grant last night and brought me home because he loves me. And I love him.”

  “Ailsa, I’m sorry but ye fall in love—”

  “—more often that we change the rushes,” Ailsa finished her sentence. “But this is different Gillian.”

  “Ye say that every time.”

  “I know, but this really is different. I swear to ye it is.”

  “Nay, sweetling. I’m sure ye think ye love him. Ye think he rescued ye and he took care of ye, but he had a selfish reason for doing that.”

  “Gillian, I know ye believe that, and I understand why ye do, but please don’t judge what I’m telling ye now, with what ye believe to be true from the past. I’ll admit, until I met Lucas Grant, I never really understood what it meant to truly love someone. But I do understand now, I do love him and he loves me too. Ye once told me that love exists as much in the ordinary as the extraordinary and that ye can feel the strongest love in the littlest of gestures. Ye said it was built on things like friendship, respect, selflessness, and devotion, but that until I actually felt it, I’d never fully comprehend it.” She looked intently at her sister. “I do now. He knew he’d be taken prisoner once we arrived. I begged him to leave me outside the village and go back to Castle Grant until I could talk to ye and Fingal, but he refused. I even suggested that we handfast and runaway somewhere.”

  “Oh, Ailsa, ye didn’t,” said Fallon.

  “I did. But he knows how much I love ye both and how it would kill me to leave ye. He wanted to do this the right way, by seeking Fingal’s permission. That seems like selflessness, respect and devotion to me.”

  Gillian nodded. “You make a fair point.”

  “So ye’ll convince Fingal to let us marry?”

  “I will think about everything ye’ve told me and discuss it with Fingal.”

  Ailsa nodded. She wasn’t going to get more than that right now and it was enough to start with. “Thank ye, Gillian.”

  “Ye’re welcome. Now, Sweetling, ye’re tired and ye’ve been through an awful ordeal. I want ye to rest for a while.”

  Ailsa was exhausted but she couldn’t rest knowing Lucas was locked in a cell. “I will rest, but I want ye to do something for me.”

  “What is it?”

  “I hate the idea of Lucas being alone in the dungeon after he did so much to keep me comfortable and relatively happy at Castle Grant. Would ye at least let Duff stay with him? He likes dogs as much as I do and that way he won’t be alone.”

  “My sweet sister, ye are so soft-hearted.” Gillian glanced at Duff. “But it’s unlikely he’ll leave yer side.”

  “If he won’t go, I won’t force him. But I think he will. I think he knows Lucas is important to me. If I can’t do what Lucas did for me and secure his freedom, it will make me feel a little better to know he isn’t alone.”

  Chapter 15

  Gillian didn’t know what to think as she and Fallon left Ailsa’s room and walked downstairs followed by both dogs. There had been a definite change in Ailsa. She didn’t seem like the smitten, wee lassie she had been so many times before. There was a level of maturity that Gillian hadn’t seen before. Then it struck her. Ailsa had argued with her head more than her heart.

  When they reached the great hall, they joined Fingal, Quinn, and Eadoin who were sitting at the table. As always, Bodie stayed with her, but Duff stood beside the door to the cellars. She had to admit that was strange. Maybe Ailsa was right.

  Fingal asked, “Is she calmer now?”

  Gillian nodded. “Aye. And she’s agreed to take a rest.”

  Glancing toward Duff, Fingal frowned. “Duff didn’t stay with her?”

  “He would have stayed, but she asked if someone would take Duff to the dungeon to stay with Lucas Grant.”

  Gillian almost laughed at the look of horror on all three men’s faces.

  “Ye’re not serious,” said Quinn.

  “Aye,” answered Gillian. “She doesn’t want him to be alone.”

  “Duff won’t stay anyway,” said Eadoin.

  “Actually,” said Fallon, “I think he might.”

  “What make ye think that?” asked Fingal.

  Fallon shrugged. “Duff knows she’s upset. And what’s more, I think she might really be in love this time, and Duff knows it too,” said Fallon, echoing Gillian’s own thoughts.

  Fingal cast a disbelieving look at Fallon before addressing Gillian. “Ye don’t believe this, do ye?”

  Gillian nodded. “Aye, I think it’s possible.”

  “But he’s a Grant,” said Quinn.

  “And Fingal was a MacIan when the king forced us to marry,” said Gillian.

  Fingal arched a brow at her. “Ye can’t possibly compare the MacIans to the Grants.”

  Gillian laughed before leaning over to kiss his cheek. “Honestly, ye know I love ye now with all my heart. But at the time, if the king had given me a choice, I would have agreed to marry one of the Grants.”

  Fingal grinned. “I don’t doubt it. I think ye said ye’d hate me forever.” He put an arm around her and pulled her close for another kiss.

  When he let her go, she said, “I am happy to admit I was wrong.”

  “Well, all I can say is it’s a good thing ye didn’t have a choice then,” said Fallon. “Because ye and Fingal are soul mates. Not to mention the fact that he brought Quinn here, and we were meant for each other too.”

  Quinn slid an arm around Fallon’s waist and kissed her cheek.

  “So, my love, can we humor her and send Duff to him?” Gillian asked Fingal.

  Fingal frowned. “Lucas Grant kidnapped her and has held her captive at Castle Grant all this time.”

  “Aye, but it sounds as if he’s actually been very good to her. To hear her tell it, he defied his brother to bring her here, even knowing he’d be taken prisoner. It seems like letting Duff into the dungeon with him is a very small thing.”

  Fingal sighed. “Aye, I suppose.” He motioned to one of the guards in the hall. “Tarmon, take Duff down to our prisoner, please.”

  “I don’t think he’ll stay, Laird, but I’ll try.”

  With that taken care of, Gillian asked, “Not that it matters anymore, but what ransom did Laird Grant ask?”

  “He didn’t,” said Fingal.

  “I thought ye said he sent a message to ye.”

  “He did. He explained how Lucas had taken her from a group of Galbraiths, but he didn’t name a ransom. He asked for a meeting on the feast of St. Ursula. He said he’d be on the heath where our land bo
rders his, with ten men, under a white flag on the feast of St. Ursula”

  “I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him. That’s much too risky,” said Quinn.

  “I agree and if they still held Ailsa, I’d have had to do it.”

  “But they don’t have her,” said Eadoin.

  “Nay, thank God.”

  “So you’ll send a ransom request instead?” asked Quinn.

  “Aye, I will. But I’ll wait a few days. Based on when Grant’s message arrived in Edinburgh he didn’t feel pushed to send his demand immediately.”

  Gillian rested her hand on his where it lay on the table. “Let’s not be too hasty.”

  “Gillian, my love, ye can’t take this story that they’re in love seriously. This has got to be some ruse.”

  “I don’t think so,” said Gillian.

  “Neither do I,” added Fallon.

  “At least not on her part,” said Gillian.

  Fingal shook his head resolutely. “Well then, it is some sort of Grant trick.”

  It didn’t surprise Gillian that Fingal believed the worst. But Ailsa’s side of the story was convincing. “Based on everything she’s said, I don’t think so.”

  “What did she tell ye?” asked Fingal.

  Gillian told him everything Ailsa had. Fingal listened to the full story without interrupting. When she’d finished she added, “As much I am loathe to admit it, Lucas Grant seems to be a decent man.”

  Fingal shook his head. “The fact remains, the bastard took her captive and held her for ransom.”

  “But he brought her back,” said Fallon quietly.

  “And ye believe it was because he wants to marry her?” The incredulity in Fingal’s tone surprised Gillian.

  “I do,” said Gillian. “There were several ways he could have avoided all of this if he just felt the need to bring her home. But he didn’t.”

  Fingal frowned. “I don’t like any of this. There are still several things about which I need answers. Why didn’t they send a messenger right away? And why didn’t William Grant ask for a ransom?”

  “I can’t answer that,” said Gillian.

  “There’s probably only one person who can,” said Quinn.

  “Well, he’d better have answers for me or he can rot in my dungeon,” said Fingal.

  “If ye want to speak to him, I can have him brought up,” said Quinn.

  Fingal shook his head. “Nay. It has been an exceedingly stressful few weeks and I’m exhausted. Now that I know Ailsa is safe, he can bide his time. His brother certainly didn’t mind letting us wait. Right now I want a bath and some time alone with Gillian. I’ll deal with Lucas Grant tomorrow.” He sighed. “And Ailsa.”

  ~ * ~

  Lucas lay in his cell, on the wooden platform that was meant to be a bed with his eyes closed. As much as he knew riding into Brathanead would land him here, it didn’t make it easier. By far, the worst part was seeing Ailsa sobbing and being able to do nothing about it. She clung to him and there was nothing he could do to calm her.

  And when one dark thought comes, others follow. His brother was going to be livid. He’d told Lucas, “Don’t let her talk ye into doing something stupid. I promise, ye will taste my wrath if ye do.”

  Well, he was going to have to get in line behind the MacLennans.

  He also remembered what Davis had said to him, “Yer brother is a good man and a fine leader, but if ye’re not careful, someday ye’ll push him too far.”

  This would probably qualify as pushing him too far.

  Even so, if it meant he ended up with Ailsa as his wife, it would be worth it.

  The creaking of a door opening drew his attention. Not sure what to expect, he sat up. The light from another torch joined the one that had been left burning in a sconce as a guardsman entered the dungeon with Ailsa’s dog on his heels.

  Duff pushed past the guard to reach the door of Lucas’s cell.

  Lucas squatted down, reaching his hands through the bars to pet the beast. “To what do I own this visit, lad?”

  “Not a what, a who,” said the guardsman. “Ailsa insisted that he be brought down to ye.”

  Lucas smiled, remembering how much lighter her heart became after she was able to spend time in the stable with Callie. “That was very kind of her. Please thank her for me.”

  “I will,” said the guardsman turning to leave.

  Duff whined and pawed at the cell door.

  “Ye’re a good lad, Duff. And it’s been very nice meeting ye.”

  The guardsman turned back around as Duff barked and whined, continuing to paw at the door.

  “Go on, Duff. Ailsa has missed ye terribly.”

  “I believe ye’ve misunderstood. Ailsa intended for him to stay down here with ye.”

  “Nay, that’s very sweet of her. But I can’t let her do that. She loves him so.”

  The guardsman frowned at him. “Ailsa was insistent.”

  “Nevertheless, she was so upset. She needs him now.”

  Duff barked again, pacing in front of the cell door.

  “Clearly, she and Duff think otherwise. I hadn’t intended on putting him in the cell with ye, but it looks like he has other ideas. Step back from the door.”

  Lucas did as he’d been instructed and the guard opened the door.

  Duff ambled in, climbed onto the wooden bed and sat, looking at him.

  “Well, I won’t say yer company’s not welcome, Duff.”

  The guard locked them both in but before he left, he said, “I’ve known Ailsa her whole life. And she must love ye as much as she says or she’d never have done this. And ye must be a decent enough man.”

  “Decent? Well that’s a start, but what makes ye say so.”

  “Duff wouldn’t tolerate ye if he thought ye meant Ailsa any harm.”

  Lucas sat beside Duff, rubbing his head. Touched beyond words at Ailsa’s gift. “I love her too, lad.”

  Chapter 16

  William had been awakened in the wee hours of the morning by Gil, the captain of his guard, with the news that Lucas had overpowered Ailsa’s guard and spirited her out of Castle Grant.

  He’d questioned Davis, one of the guards who had been on duty at the gate, who said that Lucas left on horseback, alone. “Laird, he said he’d had a quarrel with ye and that he thought a ride might help quiet his temper.”

  William had trouble believing Davis had accepted that answer. “He went out riding in the middle of the night and ye didn’t find that strange?”

  “Of course I did, Laird. But then he said it had been a frustrating day and he needed a little exercise too.”

  William agreed that it wasn’t at all strange for Lucas to have sought the company of a willing lass.

  William also believed that while Lucas appeared to be alone, he must have had Ailsa hidden. She was a very small woman. On horseback he might have been able to conceal her under the plaid he wore as a cloak.

  William had sent men out immediately, heading towards MacLennan land. He prayed they would overtake Lucas before he crossed into MacLennan territory. There was no doubt in his mind, regardless of whatever Lucas had intended, the instant the MacLennans knew who they had, he’d be taken prisoner.

  Unfortunately, his men returned in the early afternoon, having ridden all the way to the border without finding his wayward brother.

  Now, William stood by the hearth in the great hall, staring into the fire, trying to decide what to do. “I can’t believe he did this. Did he say anything to any of ye?”

  “Nay,” said Robert. “Emily and Nina said he spent a lot of time with her. Ye don’t suppose he imagined himself in love, do ye?”

  Emily huffed. “Dear God, Robert. I love ye but sometimes ye can be denser than stewed prunes. Of course he’s in love with her.” Looking at her brother by marriage, she said, “William, please tell me that comes as no surprise to ye.”

  William shook his head. “Nay. I suspected it from the start.”

  “Then why
didn’t ye put a stop to it?” asked Robert.

  What could he say? “I saw no harm in it.”

  “When he left the hall, he said he wanted to talk to ye,” said Nina. “What was that about?”

  William frowned. “I don’t know.”

  Nina canted her head. “Ye don’t know? Did he change his mind about seeking ye out?”

  “Nay, he came to my solar.” William blew out a long breath. “But I was combing through the ledgers, trying to figure out how we’re going to keep body and soul together until spring. I was tired and frustrated and just trying to focus on the problem at hand. We’re usually so at odds, on top of everything else, I didn’t want to spar with him too.”

  “Ye didn’t hear him out?” asked Robert

  “Nay. I told him I was too busy. I had more important things to do.”

  Robert scowled. “That’s not like ye.”

  “It’s just, immersed as I was, I didn’t want to be interrupted. I couldn’t imagine he had anything to discuss that was significant enough to warrant it.”

  “Pardon me for asking this, William…” Emily paused for a moment. William knew any question she might have that began with those words was probably going to raise his ire. “…why did ye force him to come home last year?”

  He was right, it was a damn irritating query. “That’s a ridiculous question, Emily, he was twenty-five and it was time for him to come home. I should have done it several years earlier.”

  Emily crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry if ye don’t want to hear this, but ‘it was time for him to come home’, is not a good enough answer.”

  “Well, pray tell, what would be a good enough answer for ye?”

  Emily shrugged and rolled her eyes. “Perhaps…I needed him.”

  “It’s the same thing,” scoffed William.

  “It most certainly is not. Nor is it true,” countered Emily. “If it were, ye’d have given him some sort of responsibility.”