Highland Messenger (Scottish Strife Series Book 4)

by Dana D'Angelo

  As soon as the conclusion sunk in, anger and sorrow simmered in the pit of his stomach. Lester alone was going to cause the demise of many innocent people. If Thom wasn’t here to witness the betrayal, there would be more needless deaths. The man murdered Cristiona, which was horrible enough, but he would also assist in destroying Scotland.

  He balled his hand into a fist and brought it down on the hard rock. He wasn’t going to let Lester harm his people. Sliding his claymore from its sheathe, he emerged from his hiding place.

  “Traitor,” Thom said, pointing his blade at Lester. He would drag the bastard to the commanding chief, and have him hanged for his treachery. “Did ye think that ye wouldnae be found out?”

  “Thom,” Lester said, his brows lifting in shock. Recovering quickly, he flicked his wrist at his companion. “Leave now. I’ll deal with him.”

  The other man scrambled on his charger, and was only too glad to ride away.

  “Forget what ye saw, Thom,” Lester approached him, circling him slowly. He walked with a casual stride, although his eyes glittered with menace. “This business disnae concern ye,”

  “It does concern me if ye mean tae betray my country.” He pinned his gaze on the other man. “Why are ye doing this? ‘Twas a mistake that my father allied our clan with yours. He should have run a sword through your gut instead.” Rage swelled in his chest. “Then as if killing Cristiona isnae enough, ye stab the backs of your own countrymen as well. ‘Tis people like ye who make innocents suffer. I’m going tae finish ye off, and free the world of your stench.”

  The expression on Lester’s face changed as if he reached a new understanding. He let out a harsh laugh. “Is this why ye had come tae seek me out — tae avenge the lass?”

  “Ye murdered her.”

  “I’m sorry tae disappoint ye, but she’s isnae dead.”

  He blinked. “How’s it possible that she isnae dead?”

  “Ye are making me think that I should have killed her,” he sneered. “She was making a nuisance of herself, sae I locked her up in one of my castle towers. Nay one except for a couple of my servants kens about this.”

  “Ye evil bastard,” Thom bit out. “After I’m done with ye, ye willnae have any opportunity tae harm her or any other innocent person. And believe me, all of Scotland will rejoice tae learn of your demise.”

  “I highly doubt that ye will outlive me,” he scoffed. “When King Harold takes control of these lands, I’ll be granted my earldom. As an opportunist, I always choose tae side with the winner. In this case Harold has a superior army, and he’s sure tae win. By the end of this conflict, all the undesirables will be dead men. And ye will be among them.” Then without further warning, he charged at Thom.

  But Thom was ready. The air rang out with the clang of steel against steel. Fury propelled Lester, although his anger made him careless. Using Lester’s weakness to his advantage, Thom slashed him on his forearm as he advanced.

  “Ye cut me.” He glanced down at the rapidly spreading red splotch on his arm. When he looked up, his eyes bulged with hatred. “Ye will regret this. Mark my word, I’ll relish the day when I inform Cristiona about the news of your death.”

  “My father was wrong about ye, and I shouldnae have never let your marriage take place,” he spat. “Ye didnae deserved the lass.”

  “I never really cared for her. But dinnae worry. After I eliminate ye, I’ll send her tae meet ye in hell.”

  With those words Lester charged at him again. But Thom was prepared. As his opponent came quickly, he saw an opening. Swinging his sword in the air, he brought it down on his attacker. The force of his blade struck the other man to the ground. But Lester quickly got up again, coming at him from a different angle. Narrowing his focus, Thom anticipated the next attack, and deflected the strike. Lester’s face turned red with rage, and in his frustration, he bellowed, the sound echoing in the clearing. The man was out of control, Thom realized with icy calm. When Thom fostered at Eddlemont Castle, he had learned how to fight with little emotion. Drawing from the years of military training, he met his opponent with masterful skill. His body leaned into the attacks, moving with agility, and deflecting every new assault that came his way. The other man was becoming fatigued and was making mistakes. Thom’s eyes narrowed when Lester stumbled. Taking a deep breath and almost without thinking, Thom raised his claymore above his head. Twisting his torso, he swung the sword. The blade slashed at a downward angle. Lester managed to roll aside, but his back still caught the edge of the claymore. At the contact, he arched his spine, screaming in pain. But the injury failed to slow him down. Instead of becoming weakened by the blow, he bolted to his feet, and barreled toward Thom as if the Black Donald possessed him.

  By this time, the violent outbursts drew the awareness of men from the other camps. Highlanders dressed in varying tartans dropped what they were doing, and rushed over to witness the commotion. Out of the corner of his eyes, Thom caught a flash of the MacGregon colors. It was a mistake to notice the men, and he missed seeing Lester’s aggressive launch. Using sheer strength and surprise, the other man levered his weight, pushing Thom off balance. With his footing lost, Thom tumbled to the ground.

  “Ye die now!” Lester roared. Then having Thom at this vulnerable position, he took his claymore, bringing it down on him. Thom avoided getting slashed by mere seconds. Maneuvering with lethal reflexes, he drew back his legs and gave a strong shove, thrusting Lester away from him. A blood curdling scream emerged from his opponent as the force of the push sprang Lester back to slam against the boulder behind him. At the same time an arrow whizzed through the air, piercing him straight through his chest. Shock flashed over his dirty face before he toppled to the ground.

  Thom stared at the dead man. “Ye get tae die first,” he said before dropping his head to the ground and allowing the tension to release from his body.

  “Thom!” a woman shouted. Through his exhausted haze, he saw a small lass hurtling through the crowd to get to him. As her pretty countenance came into view, his heart sped faster.

  Chapter 20

  “Och, Thom. Ye are safe!” Mairead dropped by his side, and threw her arms around him.

  “Mairead.” Thom closed his eyes, allowing her unique feminine scent to envelop him like a warm embrace. Happiness rushed to the fore. Pulling her close, he tightened his arms around her as if he never wanted to let her go.

  “Are ye hurt, Thom?” another woman interrupted. She bent at her waist, peering down at him.

  His heart skipped a beat upon hearing the familiar husky voice, and then he saw the lass that he thought he had lost forever. “Cristiona?” He pulled the lassie down to his other side and wrapped his arm around her. “Ye are alive,” he said with wonder. “The bastard told the truth after all.”

  Mairead started to disentangle herself from his arms, but he held her in place.

  “Aye, I’m alive, and I’m glad ye are too,” Cristiona said, kissing him on the cheek.

  “Milady,” a grim voice broke in. Rory MacGregon stood before them. For a brief second, his gaze flickered over to Mairead before going back to Cristiona. “Come with me,” he continued, offering his hand. “The commander wants tae question ye about your dead husband.”

  Cristiona allowed herself to be pulled up from the ground. She was led to the group of men that consisted of the commander, Duncan, Griogair, Blane, Makolm, and a dozen of the queen’s representatives. They were all clustered around the corpse of Lester MacLeaburn.

  Mairead started to move away again. “Stay,” Thom said, placing his arm firmly around her waist. “I dinnae think I would ever see ye again.”

  “I thought sae too, but I had tae make sure that ye were all right.”

  “As ye can see, I’m nae hurt,” he said. “Why did ye come after me?”

  “I believed that ye would put yourself in unnecessary danger, and Makolm found that Cristiona still lived…”

  “I’m glad that nay harm has befallen her.” Thom’s gaze s
oftened when he looked over at Cristiona, who was conversing with the commander. He glanced down at Mairead, and saw that her observation also strayed on the lass. “What’s wrong?” he asked, frowning.

  “Nothing,” she said, giving him an overly bright smile. Mairead wiped her eyes with the tips of her fingers. She attempted to pull out of his clutch once more. With this attempt, she was successful and she stood up. “By capturing the traitor, I was thinking that we’ve averted disaster. ‘Twas fortunate that his treachery was discovered.”

  “We willnae have tae worry about him any longer since he’s dead.”

  A moment of awkwardness fell between them since she had nothing else to say. “Ye must be happy that Cristiona can be with ye,” she said, trying to fill the silence.

  “What do ye mean? Of course I’m happy that she can be with me. She’s my sister.”

  “Your sister?” Mairead said, stunned. “I — I thought she was your lover. Every time I asked about her, ye brushed off my inquiries.”

  He gave an impatient shake to his head. “I was unable tae speak about her because I felt shame for allowing her tae suffer under the hands of Lester MacLeaburn. It enraged me that I failed her.”

  Before she could react to his revelation, a commotion sounded on the other side of the clearing.

  “We have the spy,” Makolm exclaimed as a queen’s guard pushed a man forward. The prisoner’s hands were tied behind him, and there was fright on his face. It was the reiver that had purchased military secrets from Lester. Makolm gestured to the guard, and the captive was brought before the circle of unsmiling warriors.

  Thom glanced over at the scholar, noting the queen’s men and other important figures that surrounded him. “Sae it appears that Makolm has found his people.” His attention moved to the man who stood next to Makolm. Jerking his chin toward the Highlander, he said, “And ye must have found your Blane.”

  “Aye, I did.” She looked briefly at the direction that he indicated before dropping her gaze to the ground. “But I found that he isnae who I want tae spend my life with.”

  Thom stared at her with disbelief. “I dinnae understand,” he said finally. “Ye told me of your intentions tae wed him. Ye described your objective with such zeal and determination. Sae now ye are saying that ye willnae have him? Wasnae he the purpose of your trek tae Bracken Ridge?”

  “Aye, he was the original reason I traveled here.” She gave a wry smile, understanding his confusion. It was ironic that she never believed that she would find true love for herself. Yet the man she truly loved was with her all along. “I discovered that I love Blane only as a brother. And when I met with him earlier, I couldnae bring myself tae go through with it,” she paused. “Ye see, my heart belonged tae someone else.”

  “Tae someone else?”

  “Aye,” she took in a deep breath. “It belongs tae ye, Thom.” Her heart expanded and the sensation inside her threatened to overwhelm her. Mairead reached over and touched his face. She could feel the coarse hair underneath her fingertips as she traced them along his cheek. She didn’t know what love was before she met him. Even though she recognized it, she wasn’t certain that he shared her love. But still, she had to confess her feelings. Staring straight into his vivid blue eyes, she took in a deep breath and resumed. “It has always belonged tae ye. However I was too stubborn tae acknowledge that the fire that ignited inside me was caused by ye and ye alone. When I thought that ye loved another, my heart shattered even though I yearned for your touch, your kiss. And as I resolved tae forget ye, I couldnae understand why I felt such a void in my chest. But I realize it now. ‘Tis because I cannae bare tae be with anyone else.” She swallowed and hesitated, uncertain whether she should continue. But then she realized that if she didn’t seize this chance, she might never again summon the courage to inquire about the one thing she desired to know. And that was something that she would regret for the rest of her life. She clasped her hands together and pushed on. “Thom, will ye marry me?”

  For an instant her question surprised him, but then warmth immediately entered his eyes. His hands closed over hers. “I would want nothing more,” he said, smiling.

  “Och, I’m glad!” she laughed, feeling a mixture of joy and relief. Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. “I love ye, Thom MacCullvin,” she whispered.

  His arms tightened around her in response. “And I love ye too, Mairead,” he murmured. He reached for her hand, squeezing it. “I’ve loved ye from the start.”

  “Really?” she asked him.

  He nodded. “When I saw ye standing in Griogair’s bedchamber, I almost forgot that I was there tae deliver a message tae your brother.”

  “I remember that day. I dinnae think ye noticed me.” She pulled away to look at him. His confession amazed and delighted her.

  “I noticed ye all right,” he chuckled. “’Tis only in my wildest dreams that ye would love me in return. I had spent sae much time roaming across the land, searching for something. That something it turns out ‘twas ye. What will we tell your brothers?”

  “Her brothers will tell ye that she was reckless and foolish for coming here,” Rory said, cutting in.

  Mairead stiffened at her brother’s commanding tone. Putting her guard up, she stood to find that her three brothers had finished their business with the traitors and approached them. Each of their faces was set at varying degrees of grimness.

  “Aye,” Griogair said. “Why did ye bring our sister here, MacCullvin?”

  Thom swiftly rose to stand beside her, his movements calm and protective. He stared at her brothers with no hint of fear. They were starting to put the blame on Thom, and if she didn’t intervene, things would get out of hand.

  “I have asked Thom tae marry me,” she announced with a defiant tilt to her chin. She laced her fingers through his. “And he has agreed tae it.”

  “Is that sae?” Rory set his hands to his hips, his expression becoming intimidating.

  “’Tis sae.” Thom let go of her hand, and nudged her behind him as if to shield her from her brothers. “Ye can forget about William MacTyrnell because she’s tae be wedded tae me.”

  “Who told ye about the MacTyrnell?” Rory said, the corners of his lips turning down.

  “It disnae matter who told him,” Mairead interjected quickly. If her brother found out that Kila had eavesdropped on his conversation, she might get punished. “Why were ye going tae marry me tae the laird without telling me?”

  “The union was proposed but was never finalized,” he said. “I intended tae consider the alliance once the war finished.”

  “Ye can abandon that proposal. As I said, Mairead’s tae be my wife,” Thom said, pinning his unwavering gaze on Rory.

  Rory took a step toward them.

  She moved out from behind Thom, and placed herself between the two men. “Halt, I dinnae want anyone hurt!” She let out a shuddering breath. Her brother was a fair clan chief, but she was unable to predict his reaction since she had never defied him like this. Still, she loved all the men in her life, and she would do everything in her power to end their hostilities. And if she got hurt in the process of gaining peace, then that was the price she had to pay.

  Rory glanced down at her, his expression unreadable. He must have realized her intent, because after a moment he let out a rush of air. “I cannae spare any of my men tae take ye home, lass.”

  Thom moved to her side. “I’ll take her,” he said, placing an arm around her.

  “I trust that ye will ensure that nothing happens tae her,” Duncan said.

  “And ye willnae let her out of your sight,” Griogair added, his voice firm.

  “Ye have nothing tae fear,” Thom said, his regard touching on each of her brothers. “She’s safe with me. As my wife, I promise tae love and protect her for always.” He then swung his regard on Mairead, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “And since ye wish it, ye can travel with me as much as ye desire.”

  “I would like t
hat verra much.” Mairead looked at him and felt insurmountable love and joy emerging from her soul. By marrying the man of her choice, she would find her liberty after all.

  Thank You Gift

  I hope you enjoyed Highland Messenger. As a thank you bonus, I’d like to give you a free e-copy of my novella Heart of a Knight.

  The two characters featured in this story are very close to my own heart. Others have generously rated this story, and I hope you enjoy it too.

  Simply visit my website at the link below, and you can be reading this book in the next few minutes.

  Many thanks,

  Dana D’Angelo

  Dedication

  For my dear friend Sharon F. who waited patiently for this story.

  Acknowledgment

  Many, many thanks to my husband for everything. Thanks to Virginia S. for your expertise. And thanks to my friends and fans who support my work. You are true blessings in my life.

  About The Author

  Dana D’Angelo is the only girl from a family of nine children. As a teenager, there was a constant battle for the T.V. remote, which she lost, so she was forced to find her amusement in books. A friend got her into romances, and soon she read as many as ten romance novels per week, spending hours with her nose pressed between the pages, skipping meals and cutting out sleep. Life, it seemed, wasn’t as exciting or interesting as in the Medieval or Regency eras.

  It wasn’t until she was married with two young kids that she decided to take a stab at writing her own historical romance novels.

  She is intrigued with the idea of writing romantic stories that could bring hours of enjoyment to readers, help them escape from reality, and perhaps remind them how sweet love is and should be. These are the things that she enjoys as a reader, and these are the things that she wants to give back as a writer.