Seduced by the Noble Highlander

by Scott, Ann Marie

  Lewis cleared his throat and waved a hand in front of his father’s eyes. “Father, wake up. I have things to do, you know,” he complained. “Angus has to be re-shod today and the smith wants me to be there.”

  “Sorry, Son. I was daydreaming,” David said with a laugh. “Sit down please. You will soon be a laird in your own right, and I wanted to impress on you how important it is that you make yourself a respectable marriage. A good wife can be a wonderful asset to you.”

  “Do you have any suggestions?” Lewis asked, standing up. He was beginning to be angered by the tone of the lecture.

  “There are many worthy young women around here who would gladly be your partner. You are what is known as a ‘good catch’.” There was a glint of humor in his eyes. “You have duties now, and the biggest one of those is to provide an heir for yourself, and for that of course, you need a wife. I will help you.”

  “I had worked that out, Father,” Lewis said dryly. He had known it was coming, but now that the moment was here, he felt that he had to hear his father out before he said anything about Crissy. Perhaps there will be a way out somewhere, he thought desperately.

  “How many young ladies do you know?” David asked, looking at his son keenly.

  “Half a dozen or so,” Lewis replied, running his fingers through his “fine auburn locks” in a gesture of irritation.

  David almost laughed out loud as he thought of the words of Lewis’s admirers, but went on. “Are there any that you would consider taking as a wife?”

  Lewis’s answer was firm and definite. “No,” he replied, and that one word resounded in the air like a hammer blow on the table.

  “You seem very definite.” David’s tone was deeply suspicious. “Are you seeing a young lady already?”

  “It is just that I have no plans to marry in the near future,” Lewis replied. “Father—I am young. There is much I would like to do before marriage!”

  “Listen to me.” David leaned forward and speared Lewis with a piercing stare. “I was only twenty-three when I was married. You are now almost twenty-four and I see no sign of any relationships, unless of course there is a clandestine one?”

  Lewis’s heart was hammering in fright, but he kept his wits about him. “Father—do you think I could possibly keep anything secret in this place? I cannot even change my underwear without the whole castle knowing about it!”

  David laughed, taking his answer as a “no.” Lewis had managed to evade the question without telling an outright lie.

  “Then I will bring some suitable brides for you to meet,” David informed him. Lewis stood up and raised his arms towards the ceiling. “God give me strength!” he roared, and then looked down at his father again.The eyes that were the color of ripe chestnuts were now dark with rage. “I am not a prize in a contest, Father! If I want a bride it will be someone of my own choosing. I am quite capable of picking my own wife, you know.”

  “No, I do NOT know!” David stood up. He was almost as tall as Lewis and the two men stood glaring at each other furiously across the desk for a moment before Lewis held up his hands in a gesture of appeasement.

  “Father, I will compromise with you,” he said, sighing. “Bring the young ladies. I will meet them and be gracious to them but if I like none of them I am not going to marry one to keep you happy. My right to a good life trumps your right to grandchildren.”

  David thought for a moment. “I will agree to that,” he replied. “I know a few of them and they are all lovely girls. I have arranged an appointment for you tomorrow with Finella Douglas.”

  “Tomorrow!” Lewis cried, horrified. “Father—you have no right! That is far too soon.”

  “On the contrary, son,” David replied icily, “it is not nearly soon enough, and I have every right. I am your father and your laird and what I say is the law in this castle. Please close the door on your way out.”

  Lewis made sure that the door was properly shut, slamming it so hard that it shuddered. The guard outside was delighted; he had enough gossip fodder for a week!

  The first to come and visit Lewis were the McAlpine twins, Peighi and Nora. They were absolutely identical, short in stature with dark blonde hair, freckles, gray eyes, and noses that were rather too big for their faces. They were both sweet and rather shy, but Lewis found that neither had any appeal for him.

  These were swiftly followed by Irene Nair and Kirsty McCabe, neither of whom was very intelligent, although each very attractive in her own way. Last came the ravishingly beautiful Alexandrina Donald, who preferred to be called Rina, with her long brown hair and big amber-green eyes.

  “The trouble with Mistress Donald,” said Lewis to Ewan as they were sharpening their swords one day, “is that she is very lovely—and she knows it. She cannot pass a mirror without looking into it.”

  Ewan hooted with laughter. “Aye, they say that she has refused dozens of marriage proposals because she is too much in love with herself!”

  Lewis gave him a dig in the ribs, and this resulted in a playful wrestling match, with both of them ending up lying on the floor of the courtyard howling with laughter. Crissy passed them as she walked into the kitchen, thinking that men might grow taller, but they never became any more mature. However, she loved their playfulness. Women were not like that.

  Her heart sank when she saw Rina Donald coming in. She was dainty, with a tiny waist, hair that flowed in waves down to her hips, and a heart-shaped face with full lips and eyes that changed from green to gold according to the light.

  She saw Lewis bow to her and kiss her hand, then lead her inside to where the laird was sitting waiting for them.

  Ewan saw her looking at them and smiled as he put his sword away. He guessed that all the housemaids were smitten with Lewis. If he was a young lady he might be too!

  He was laughing as he rode away.

  “How are you, Mistress Rina?” the laird asked. The Donald and Crawford families were old friends, since the heads of the families had known each other since they were boys. Lewis had seen Rina grow up too, but she had always been vain and now that she had reached the full flower of womanhood, she was even more so. Still, he had to go on with the charade even though he was aching to get back to Crissy. He had to convince his father that he had tried, at least, even if he did find Rina tedious in the extreme.

  “I am well, M’laird,” she answered, smiling and showing him her even white teeth. “And you?”

  He was perfectly enchanted, thinking what a pleasant young woman she was and what a good match she would make for Lewis.

  “All the better for seeing you, my dear,” he replied, simpering as he poured her a glass of wine. Lewis cringed inwardly. His father had always been apt to fawn over pretty young women, but this was so obvious it was embarrassing.

  Rina laughed and thanked him. She did not ask after Lewis, so he decided not to enquire after her health either.

  “My only complaint is that I hate this weather,” she went on, taking a dainty sip of her wine. “It plays havoc with my hair.” She patted it prettily and tossed her head.

  “Nonsense,” David replied. “It is as beautiful as the rest of you.”

  Lewis began to wish that the earth would open up and swallow him.

  “Rina, would you like to see the view from the turrets?” he asked.

  “Yes Lewis, thank you,” she replied, smiling again coquettishly from underneath her lashes. “As long as it is not too windy. Are the stairs dirty? My dress, you know.”

  “No, and no,” Lewis replied, pinning a smile on his face and hoping it would stay there.

  All the way up the stairs Rina kept up a constant flow of chatter, and it was all about herself. Not once did she ask how he was, or if he was looking forward to the coming tournament in which he was taking part, or if he was excited to be a young laird. She asked him nothing at all, but by the time they reached the turrets he knew everything there was to know about her, from the name of her dog, her favorite color, to the birthmark on
her thigh.

  “Perhaps I will show it to you sometime,” she laughed. Lewis’s lips twitched upward at the corners but he said nothing. “I know why I am here today,” she informed him.

  “Do tell, Mistress,” he replied dryly.

  “Our families want us to be married.” Her tone is rather smug, he thought. “I know that the man should ask the lady but you seem very shy, so I will ask you. Would you like to marry me?” She smiled up at him. The answer was obvious. Of course he would.

  Lewis took a deep breath. “Mistress Donald,” he replied, frowning. “I am not shy. Usually I am quite talkative, in fact. However, I have not been able to get a word in edgewise since we left my father’s office. You have been talking non-stop about yourself, and you have no other topic of conversation. I am flattered that you want to marry me, but my answer is a decided and definite ‘no,’ not even if my name had been Adam and yours was Eve.”

  He could have gone on for far longer, but he decided to stop before he said something he really regretted. He saw Rina’s eyes widen and her mouth drop open, then a flash of rage crossed her pretty face, which rendered it extremely ugly for a moment before she delivered a vicious slap on his face. It was a hefty blow from such a small woman, and it stung for hours afterwards, but it reminded him of what a lucky escape he had had.

  He said nothing more and neither did she. They went downstairs and said a brief goodbye to David, who helped her into her carriage. He noticed her grim expression and stiff, hostile attitude at once, but bid her a pleasant farewell. She nodded and smiled at him but the look she bestowed on Lewis was murderous.

  Lewis was laughing as he saw the carriage roll away.

  If looks could kill, he thought.

  5

  Plotting and Planning

  As soon as the carriage was over the moat, David turned to his son, his face crimson with rage. “What did you say to her?” he demanded. “Did you ask for her hand?”

  “No, she asked for mine,” he replied. “And I said no.”

  “Why?” David was stupefied.

  “Because I do not want to marry her, Father.” He was frowning, his tone grim and threatening. He was running out of self-control.

  “But she is beautiful!” David protested. “And she comes from a good family. She would make any man a fine wife!”

  “No doubt she will make a fine wife, Father—for someone else!” He shouted so loudly that all the staff in the courtyard heard him. “She is vain, self-absorbed, and selfish. Beauty fades, Father, but selfishness does not. I do not like her, I do not want her, and I will not marry her!”

  Then he stormed away. A moment later he and Angus thundered out of the courtyard, over the moat and out of sight. David stood, seething for a little while, then he went back to his office. There was more than one way to skin a cat.

  The head cook, Morag, was trembling with excitement. “Did ye hear yon racket ootside?” she cried, running in from the courtyard.

  Everyone who was eating looked up, including Crissy, who was listlessly pushing food around her plate. This was the rarest of commodities—prized gossip, conducted in the open air where everyone could hear it.

  “Aye, some hoity-toity wee lassie came in tae see the Wee Laird,” she said, then paused to catch her breath. “Beautiful, she was but a bit fu’ o’ hersel’. Onyway, they went up tae the turrets, I think. Next thing ye knaw she’s comin’ oot wi’ a face like a wet weekend. The young laird says tae his faither he willnae marry her an’ the laird says why not, an’ the young laird says she’s a selfish wee madam an’ other big words I dinnae understaun’. Next thing ye knew the young yin is aff on that muckle great horse o’ his as if the devil hisself wis chasin’ him. Ye shoulda’ seen it!”

  Crissy felt a surge of happiness; Lewis was keeping his word and had seen and disposed of four young suitors. Maybe there was hope after all. She finished her food and asked for a second helping.

  Ewan was surprised to see him, since he knew that Lewis had an appointment with Rina Donald that day. Ewan’s father was a gentleman farmer and not a laird, so he did not have quite so many responsibilities to worry about. He often hosted practice tournaments for young warriors in the extensive grounds of his mansion on a Sunday, because it was considered as sport and not as work.

  “Well, M’laird!” He stepped up to his friend and stared at him, puzzled. “To what do I owe the pleasure? I thought you were seeing the lovely Mistress Donald today?” He grinned. “That must have been a very short tryst!”

  “I saw her for about ten minutes, my friend,” Lewis said grimly. “Ten very long minutes, and if I never see her again it will be too soon.” He grimaced. “I would rather marry Angus.”

  Ewan laughed heartily at that. “I expect that by now you know everything there is to know about the fair Lady Donald?”

  “I do,” Lewis’s voice was weary. “And she knows nothing about me.” He sighed. “You know who I would rather marry, Ewan.”

  Ewan patted his back. “I do, but I do not think that you are facing up to things. You are a laird, and you have to marry into a laird’s family. The common people are luckier than you are; they are allowed to choose their partners, but you have to marry for your family name. I am a little luckier; at least I have a bit of leeway.”

  They went into the castle and Ewan poured them each a tankard of ale.

  “You know that my love lies elsewhere, Ewan,” he said sadly. “But Crissy wants me to marry a girl of my own station in life and keep my inheritance. As if I cared about that—but she is so unselfish, which is one of the reasons I love her. I have a cottage where we can live and be alone, unless we invite people like yourself—friends whom we really want to see, and we need bother no one else.

  “I had no ambitions to be a laird, and I still have none. As usual, that was courtesy of Bryce, who always manages to spoil things for everyone. I only want to be with Crissy, marry her, and have children with her. She is such a simple, loving person, Ewan, and I know, even without asking her, that she would never consent to be my mistress. Neither of us wants that.”

  There was a silence, during which each of them thought about things for some time.

  “Could you elope?” Ewan asked at last.

  “I have thought about it,” he replied, “but I doubt she would agree to it.”

  “Perhaps you should ask her,” Ewan suggested. “If you really want to marry her, Lewis, you are wasting time. You know that every young maid for miles around is after you like a hound on a trail. You have rejected four, but there may be another twenty.”

  Lewis sighed. “Why does everything have to be so difficult?”

  Ewan looked at his friend. He had never seen him look so wretched, and he wished there was something he could do to make Lewis’s problems go away, because Lewis was the brother he had never had.

  “Do you never want to marry?” Lewis asked Ewan.

  “I do, and I have someone in mind,” Ewan answered, frowning. “But I am never going to be a laird, so there is little pressure on me as yet.”

  “Do you love her?” Lewis asked.

  “I like her, and she is pretty,” Ewan answered, smiling. “Her name is Maureen Mathieson.”

  “I know her,” he replied. “She would make a lovely wife.” Lewis finished his ale and abruptly changed the subject back to his own problems. “So, Ewan, I came here for your advice. What should I do?”

  Ewan Chathan smiled at his friend. “I would consider whatever you do very carefully before you do anything that cannot easily be undone,” he advised. “And if you decide that it is the right course of action, then I would elope, but think very, very carefully before you decide, Lewis.

  “This is not a thing you should do lightly. If you decide to go ahead, prepare thoroughly, and have a second plan ready in case anything goes wrong. That is what I would do. It goes without saying that I will help and support you in any way I can.”

  Lewis thought this over for a moment, and then turned to Ewan
again. “Did anyone ever tell you that you are a very wise man? And a very good friend?”

  “Only a hundred times a day,” Ewan laughed, and then pulled Lewis to his feet. “Come on, lazybones! More fighting and less talking!”

  Lewis had cheered up while engaged in sword-fighting, crossbow-shooting, and jousting, but as soon as he began the journey home he felt a heavy melancholy settle on him again. He knew that as soon as he stepped through the door his father, and probably his mother too, would be waiting for him.

  And so it was. It had begun to rain half a mile away from the castle, and when Lewis came into the entrance hall, sodden, dripping, and not in the mood for a confrontation, he saw his father barring his way. He was standing in the most aggressive posture possible, arms akimbo, legs apart, brows lowered. He extended one arm and ushered Lewis into the parlor, where he found his mother sitting waiting for him, calmly doing her needlework. However, when she looked up and saw him, her expression became one of deep displeasure.

  “Lewis,” his father began heavily. “I have just had a message from Laird Donald expressing extreme anger at the way you treated his daughter. She told him you were extremely rude to her. I saw her when she was leaving so I know it is true. Explain yourself.”

  Lewis sat down with his drink. He was irritable and hungry after his exertions of the afternoon, so his patience had worn very thin.