Highlands’ Forbidden Deeds

by Adamina Young

  “You never did tell us how you got back to your chambers last night.” Cora twisted a strand of hair so tightly around Grace’s head that tears almost sprang to her eyes.

  They weren’t going to like what she told them. “Hamish saw right through my disguise,” she admitted. “He forced me back and wouldnae let me climb the wall. He distracted the guard while I slipped in unnoticed.”

  Cora paused. “He knew and didn’t say anything to Alec or Connor?”

  “I believe he intends to hold it over my head.” Grace wrinkled her nose. “But I overheard him talking with the others at dinner, and they plan on doing some night hunting, so I doonae have to worry about running into him again tonight.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Back to the tavern,” Grace admitted. “Maggie, one of the serving girls there, could also see that I was no lad, but she befriended me. I enjoyed conversing with her before Hamish interrupted, and I think she will hide me away again tonight if I go. The men are always censoring their words around me, so ‘tis refreshing to watch them unseen, especially now that they dare wager on my hand in marriage. The gall of some men!”

  “I can imagine,” Cora muttered as she secured the last pin.

  Grace looked up at her thoughtfully. When she’d first heard that Alec had wed a woman who was masquerading as a servant, she was flabbergasted, but now she could see the kind of anonymity that came with a disguise. Cora had only been protecting herself, but she had made genuine friends as no one tiptoed around her because she was the laird’s daughter or wife.

  “Promise me that ye will be careful. I will never forgive myself for letting ye do this if ye get hurt!” Moira cried as she rose and hugged Grace. “Ye are my friend and my sister.”

  Her words hung unspoken between them. There was a time when Moira would have joined in on their antics, but she was a laird’s wife now and had to act with some degree of respectability.

  She knew it was hard for Moira and Cora to understand. They were both deliriously in love and happy and were meant to run the laird’s keep, but while Grace had been trained to be a laird’s wife, she had no talent or love for the job. Ending up like them, the wife of a laird, was her worst nightmare. As a daughter and as a sister, she had some freedom, especially because she’d been blessed with a family who cared for her happiness.

  At least, until now. Briefly, she wondered what she had done to push Connor over the edge. She’d actually been trying to be on her best behavior because Connor had been furious several months ago when he discovered her following them during a scouting trip.

  “There is no need to worry about me,” she assured the women. “I can take care of myself.”

  Twenty minutes later, Grace had slipped back into the tavern and was delighted to see Maggie working. The woman greeted her with a shake of her head and a grin but led her to the small stool in the back. “Ye are just asking for trouble.”

  “The lairds and most of the guards are out hunting tonight, so it should be a quiet night. No trouble to be had.”

  For a moment, Maggie’s face fell. “Aye, it will be a quiet night then.”

  “I suppose that isnae good for ye?”

  “My line of business is not something a lady like ye should discuss,” she said briskly before she pushed a tankard of ale into Grace’s hand. “Tell me about the Sinclair keep. I have heard it rivals the king’s castle.”

  “I havenae been to court since I was vera young,” Grace said with a shrug. “Apparently I accidentally set one of the tapestries on fire when I was trying to pull one of the weapons off the wall, and I had a rather undignified conversation with King Edward. My father thought it was a good idea if I didnae return.”

  Maggie laughed. “So even as a child, ye were earning yer hellion reputation.”

  “I hate that title. ‘Tis not like I set out to get into trouble. I think that women should have the same freedoms as men and should be trained just like men. Think of all of yer feuds. How many lives could have been saved if women could arm themselves just as men? ‘Tis not completely unheard of for women to fight, but for some reason, my brothers think ‘tis not ladylike. I will have ye know that both of my sisters-in-law are more than capable of taking care of themselves, and my brothers respect them for it, but they are different with me.”

  “Aye, because ye are their baby sister. They are responsible for protecting ye, and ye cannae get hurt if ye arenae in the line of fire,” Maggie said wisely.

  “Ye and I both know that is not the case. Often, when ‘tis a weak laird going after another clan, ‘tis the women and children they attack first because they know they are vulnerable. A clan is only as strong as its weakest member.” Grace thought fiercely about what might have been different if the servants could have taken up arms when her own keep was invaded. Instead, many people died, including her parents.

  But she didn’t like to dwell on that, and didn’t like the idea that it was someone she considered a friend who was at the helm of the darkest day in Sinclair history.

  “But aye,” she said as she answered Maggie’s original question, “the Sinclair keep ‘tis wonderful. Large, well-guarded, and beautiful. Because it is home, I might be biased, but I think ‘tis the most lovely place in the Highlands. Of course, I am surprised to see that the Hamilton lands are lovely as well.”

  Maggie smiled proudly. “Aye, when I was a child, it was far more lush and beautiful. Battles have ravaged certain areas, but nature grows back and takes over.”

  “‘Tis true,” Grace agreed and sipped delicately at her ale while trying not to make a face. Although the guests were scarce, she knew that a few were watching them. Well, more like watching Maggie. She seemed to be quite the draw.

  “I saw ye at the games. Ye looked lovely on Hamish’s arm. I doonae understand why ye are here in trousers,” her friend sighed. “Hamish is wonderful. If ye are aiming for a husband, ye could do no better than the Hamilton Hero.”

  “A woman who aspires to only look good on a man’s arm is not someone I wish to be,” Grace said sullenly. “There is no freedom in being a decorative piece.”

  “Aye, but there is security.”

  Grace thought to the horrors that Cora had faced—and even Moira, to some degree. “I am lucky, but not every woman is so. I know that ye are limited, but here, at least, ye are able to laugh and drink and enjoy yerself. I am blessed with wonderful brothers, but they can also be constricting. I only wish to observe and learn. Ye think highly of yer new laird. Does it not bother ye that he isnae Hamilton blood?”

  “We have been ruled by Hamilton blood before. I can only say that I have heard tales of Moira’s grandfather, but they are of bloodthirst and power, and it makes a woman’s blood run cold. Her father seemed to try and curb the violence, but I knew her brothers well and feared that they would have been worse. Tyree made a good laird, and he is a Hamilton through and through, but it was clear he had no thirst for the job. I could think of no other Hamilton that would have taken his place.”

  “So ye chose an outsider.”

  “Aye, a man with no previous loyalties so he wasnae split between clans. I doonae know where he came from, but most of us think he was a gift from God.”

  It was all Grace could do not to groan. No wonder the man had such an ego on him. “Well, ye can be certain that I willnae be the Hamilton mistress. Hamish has made it clear that he doesnae think much of me, and he isnae doing anything to vie for my hand, not that I would allow it.”

  “He may not think much of ye, but he does seem to want to keep on ye,” Maggie remarked, and Grace looked up just in time to see Hamish, Theo, and a few other men enter the tavern. She groaned. What is he doing here? They are supposed to be out hunting!

  “My time here will be cut short. If Hamish sees me, he will tell my brothers for sure.”

  His gaze was already sweeping around the tavern. Quickly, she ducked behind Maggie. “Let us meet tomorrow,” she whispered. She wanted to spend some more time with
her new friend.

  “I would if I could, but a lass like yerself, destined to wed a laird and be mistress of a keep, doesnae hang out with the likes of me.” Maggie suddenly looked sorrowful and touched her stomach. “Besides, I will be spending time with Lorna, the healer, tomorrow.”

  “Are you ill?” she asked, alarmed.

  “‘Tis a private matter and nothing to be concerned about.” Her expression brightened just a little. “Ye need to make haste now. I need to go make my money, and ye cannae hide here forever.”

  Make her money? Wasn’t she already doing that? Grace chanced a look around her and saw the group of men had already pulled another woman down in their laps and were reaching under her skirts. Immediately, Grace turned bright red when she realized just how Maggie planned on making her money.

  Before she could pull her head back, she felt a familiar gaze settle on her, and she sighed. No point in trying to escape now, so she just settled back and gripped her tankard of ale. After all, at least with Hamish there, she had some degree of security.

  7

  Hamish couldn’t believe that she was back after he expressly forbade her from returning. Did she truly not realize the danger that she was in? Not just to her person, but she could start a feud if anyone decided that she was spying on another clan.

  He flashed her a warning look and hoped that she would leave, but instead, she just raised her mug like a cheeky little thing and settled back on her stool as she took a swig.

  And immediately started choking on it.

  Before he laughed, he looked away and returned his attention to his men. “I see the reason that MacSeaver didnae want to hunt,” Tavin observed as he watched the old man reach for Maggie. Although she could have easily gotten away, she let him snag her dress and pull her toward him. He slipped a coin in her bosom, and when she tried to give it back, he refused it and whispered something in her ear. Before he had a chance to intervene, one of MacSeaver’s guards leaned down and whispered something in his ear. After patting Maggie affectionately on the behind, he walked out of the tavern.

  “I guess he found he couldnae seduce Moira or Cora after all,” Reed chuckled. “Although I would have liked to see him try.”

  “I watched nearly a year ago as he made a pass at Moira. I believe she stabbed him with a fork under the table,” Hamish said as he chuckled at the memory. “If he isnae careful, Maggie will also stab him, and she may not be so innocent about where she stabs him.”

  As if she knew that he was talking about her, Maggie gave him a flirtatious smile before making a beeline for Hamish. She knew just as well as the other tavern girls here that he didn’t sample the favors of his clan’s women. He traveled often enough that he didn’t have to cross that boundary. There were too many women hoping that he would marry them or their daughters, and he didn’t want to cause any problems.

  Before she could slip by, he put a gentle hand on her waist to get her attention. Stilling, she turned with a confused look on her face. “Laird?” She faltered. “Are ye wanting...”

  “Nay, but I know that ye have been helping the young lad over there blend in. Ye arenae in trouble, so doonae fear, but I would be happy if ye will tell him that he is to meet me outside in ten minutes so that I can see him home.”

  Merriment danced in her eyes, and she chuckled at his emphasis on the he that they were discussing. “Aye. Figured it was only a matter of time before she...er, I mean he was found out. He means no harm though. Just looking for a little freedom.”

  “There are other ways of finding it that doonae involve deception during such a delicate time. Make it clear that he will be leaving one way or another, and if I have to carry him, it will not bode well for him.”

  Maggie’s eyes widened for just a moment and she nodded. He could see the wheels turning in her head. “Ye will have yer work cut out for ye, but I am glad. I vera much like her,” Maggie said quietly before she turned and headed back to Grace.

  She thought he meant to court her. He almost set her straight before he decided not to. Grace might be safer if it became known that he was interested in her.

  When he saw the temper flash in Grace’s eyes, he knew that Maggie had delivered the message. Satisfied, he returned his attention back to Reed. His guard was grumbling to Tavin a little about having to throw the games, but Hamish knew that there were several reasons that the men had agreed to a peace treaty, and it wasn’t all about peace.

  It appeared that many knew that Grace would be there and wanted to find a way to marry her, but also, they wanted to see the changes that Hamish had made. While Tyree was in power, there was talk among the clans about invading them. The Hamilton clan was small, but they held rich and profitable lands. The talk had probably not subsided now that Hamish was in power, and they were looking for weaknesses.

  It had taken quite some time to whip the soldiers into shape, but while their numbers were small, they were powerful, and Hamish was confident that they could hold their own against an invasion. The key was to make anyone fool enough to fight think that it would be an easy conquer, and they would underestimate the number of men to send. So while his men could have won many of the games, he instructed them to hold back.

  Most were not happy, but they understood. After all, this peace treaty was just as much about strategy as it was about peace.

  “I was looking forward to the hunt,” Reed complained. “I doonae understand why the others cried off.”

  Hamish knew why. Each of them had thought to steal some private time with Grace. Only a fool would think to try and seduce the lass right under the noses of her brothers, but most of her suitors were fools. It amused him to think that instead of finding Grace, they would find themselves in the keep with only themselves for company.

  Even though he was incensed that she had disregarded his instructions, he couldn’t help but laugh at the idea that she was here while they were trying to figure out a way to get past Connor’s guard to an empty room.

  Knowing full well what would happen when he turned his back, he did so just for the satisfaction of seeing Grace try to slip out unnoticed. Excusing himself, he followed. Keeping to the dark, he followed her quietly for a few minutes before she turned and glared at him. “I know ye are there. Ye might as well show yerself.”

  There was no way she saw him leave or heard him coming which meant she’d just assumed he was there.

  Or maybe she was just as aware of his presence as he was of hers. For the past couple of days, it had driven him mad to realize that every time she was near, he could sense her. “Yesterday I was amused. Tonight, I am less so,” he said dryly as he stepped out into her view. “I have no problem risking yer reputation if it means keeping ye safe. If I catch ye here again, I will tell yer brothers.”

  “Ye were supposed to be hunting,” she said sullenly.

  “I would much rather be hunting than following ye around,” he shot back. “But I am starting to think that I need to tell the others I want ye as a wife to keep ye safe.”

  Her eyes widened. “Ye wouldnae dare.”

  “Marry the likes of ye and chain myself to a woman who only wants to cause me problems? Not bloody likely,” he muttered. “But I willnae have the Sinclair Hellion be the reason that the Hamiltons be known as the clan who cannae protect their guests. I mean to keep an eye on ye at all times to keep ye from getting into trouble.”

  “Ye are welcome to try it.” Her eyes flashed dangerously, and he took a step toward her. A rustle behind him stopped him, and even her eyes widened. There was a group of people leaving the tavern, and they were about to walk right into them.

  Holding a finger up to his lips, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her off the path and behind a patch of bushes.

  “What do ye think ye are doing?” she hissed.

  “Be quiet or the whole clan is going to wonder why I am hiding behind the bushes with a boy.” He thought about clamping a hand over her mouth to keep her quiet, but the little hellion would probably just b
ite him. “And then I will havetae out ye.”

  That had her snapping her mouth shut. The group rounded the corner, and Hamish held his breath. There wasn’t enough coverage for them. Hoping that she wouldn’t shout in surprise, he pulled her closer and pushed her into the bushes, trapping her between it and his body. If the group caught sight of them, they’d only see him.

  Luckily, they seemed too drunk to notice that anything was amiss, but when they walked behind the bushes, they stopped.

  “Garret, ye are dumber and drunker than an English sailor if ye think I am about to let ye put yer hand up my...oh!”

  Grace’s whole body froze, and even her chest stopped its rise as her eyes rounded in the moonlight. The other couple laughed as the man continued to fondle his companion, and the noises coming from the woman made it more than obvious that she was enjoying it.

  Hamish couldn’t help it. He’d been aware of Grace from the moment that she set foot on his land, and even when she wasn’t aware, he continued to think of her. Now that she was flush up against him, he stood no chance. His body responded to Grace’s warmth even when he willed it not to, but he kept his hands firmly planted on her waist, fighting against the temptation to allow them to roam. A man had to be drunk off his arse not to notice the female body beneath the male clothes.

  Pressed up against him, she was warm and supple. He nearly groaned thinking of how soft she would be under his touch, the little noises she might make. She drove him mad in more ways than one. The woman confounded him.

  Finally, the two couples moved on, but Grace was still frozen as she stared up at Hamish. Her pouty lips parted just a little, and he tried to get a grip on things. It was clear that their act of voyeurism had affected her as well.

  All he had to do was let her go and walk away and never touch her again. They never had to talk about this. Maybe she wouldn’t even notice that he was hard as stone. Instead, her body moved just a little, rubbing up against him, those large green eyes staring up at him, pleading for something, and he was lost.