“Och, well then I took him by the front of his shirt, and I showed him how a real man’ll fight ye.” That low baritone was Lachlan.
“How does a real man fight?”
“Well, I can show ye, if ye’d like,” Lachlan offered, just as Maura rounded the corner. Isobel and Angus were sat on an overturned old water trough, their eyes wide as they watched Lachlan, who was gesturing around with a pear in his hand to emphasize his words as he spoke. “Give ye a lesson on how to fight properly, not like that Jakey from the night past.”
“Ye’ll do no such thing!” Maura snapped, taking them all by surprise. Angus and Isobel jumped at the sound of Maura’s voice, and even Lachlan seemed stunned by her tone. “What do ye two think ye’re doing oot here, hm? Maw’s inside cleaning while ye’re playing like a couple of eejits. Get inside right now, the pair of ye!”
The two children opened their mouths to protest in indignation, but at the sight of Maura’s steely gaze, they lowered their eyes and shuffled off towards the Inn, leaving the two adults alone. For a few seconds, they stood there in a heavy, awkward silence, which was only broken when Lachlan bit into his pear.
Maura scowled at him, folding her arms. “Why would ye tell him something like that?”
“Somethin’ like what?”
“He’s just a wee bairn, he dinnae need t’ hear that.” Angus was young and impressionable, and Maura knew that. She also knew that the last thing he needed was to be encouraged to fight or get himself into any more trouble than he already did.
Lachlan scoffed at that. “A wee bairn, eh? He’s no wee bairn, lass. He’s the man of yer house now, and he ought to act like it. He’s been raised by nothin’ but lassies. Ye think he’ll ever be able to fight unless a man teaches him?”
Maura wanted to slap the smug look off his face at those words. She wanted nothing more than to tell him exactly what she thought of him—that he was a brute who had no right to be teaching a young boy to follow in his footsteps. But she knew it would do no good. She knew Lachlan would pay her no mind, so instead, she just stormed off in the direction she had come from.
She expected that Lachlan would not follow. She had expected him to stay there, or go about his business, but instead, she heard his footsteps behind her as he followed her and caught up.
“Ye’re gonnae let yer brother go soft if ye keep behaving like this. Who’ll help ye if another Jakey like last night comes to the Inn?”
As they reached the front door to the Inn, Maura turned on the spot to glare at him. She knew he wasn’t entirely wrong, and that was what made her the most angry. With her father gone since Angus was nothing but a bairn, he’d had no man to help him grow up, but he was also in many regards the man of the house.
But as true as that was, when Maura looked at Lachlan’s face, she knew she was right to be so angry with him.
The marks of the fight from the night before were still visible on his face. Although there was no longer blood drying in the hairs of his beard, it was obvious what had happened to him. There was a dark cut on his lip that still needed to heal, and a bruise on his cheek that had blossomed into an ugly shade of purple. She didn’t want Angus to be encouraged to behave like Lachlan and be left with those same marks.
Before she could respond to him, the door to the Inn opened, and they heard a familiar voice. “Ah, Miss Kelly. There y’are.”
Malcolm stepped out of the Inn and strode out to join the two of them on the greenery. As he neared them, Maura saw his eyes flicker between the two of them, before settling on her. She bowed her head in greeting. “Morning, Mr. Campbell.”
“I was wondering if I could trouble ye for a moment of yer time?” he asked, holding out a hand as if he already knew that she would say yes. “It’s a wonderful day for a walk, after all.”
“We’re talkin’,” Lachlan grunted, before turning back to Maura.
Malcolm scoffed, “Ye were. And now I am. Ye’ll know yer place if ye know what’s good for ye.”
Maura didn’t know where this sudden brazenness had emerged from, but she was shocked to see the change in Malcolm. The last time the three had stood together, Malcolm had paled at the mere sight of Lachlan, but now he seemed almost as if he was a different man altogether. He practically puffed out his chest, bringing himself up to his full height against Lachlan.
A deeply uncomfortable silence fell over the three of them while the two men stared each other down, and then eventually, Lachlan relented. He backed down, leaving the two of them with nothing more than a dissatisfied grunt.
As he wandered off in the direction of the stables, Malcolm turned his attention back to Maura. The scowl that had knitted his features together was gone, replaced by that amiable smile she’d seen so many other times already. He held out his arm expectantly for Maura. “Shall we?”
It wasn’t a request, Maura realized. He wasn’t asking for her company on that walk—he was demanding it. It was just expected that she would take his arm willingly and go with him, and even though she was in no mood to entertain him, she knew her mother would never let her hear the end of it if she rejected him.
So instead of doing what she wanted, which was to simply return to the Inn, Maura took his arm and walked with him. They took the road that Maura often walked to get to the neighboring farms, and for a few minutes, they simply basked in the silence. It was not the comfortable, easy silence that Maura enjoyed when she found her moments of solitude in the early morning, however. Instead, there was a heaviness to it that made her uncomfortable.
Malcolm was the one to speak first and break the silence. “Miss Maura, I have a confession to make.”
“Yessir?”
“I didnae come past yer Inn simply for a walk. In fact, I have ne’er been interested in simply taking a walk with ye. I feel enough time has passed that I should make my intentions to ye known.”
A tightness gripped Maura’s chest at his words. Suddenly, it was just a little harder to breathe, like there was a weight on top of her, crushing her lungs. She said nothing, though, and let him continue.
“As ye know, I’m widowed now,” Malcolm said, his voice so calm and collected he may as well have been discussing the weather. “And I am in need of a young wife. I’ve taken a fancy to ye, young Maura.”
The tightness in her chest was almost unbearable now. Maura didn’t know what to say; she didn’t even know where to look as Malcolm continued talking.
“I think we’re well suited for marriage. Ye’re still a fine young woman, and this isnae an offer ye’ll see twice. I’ve spoken with yer mother and asked for her blessing, and I’d like for ye to marry me.”
Maura stopped on the path at the proposal and turned her head slowly to look at Malcolm. He’d made no secret of his attraction to her in the past, and her mother made constant comments about a potential marriage between the two, so it should not have come as a surprise to her. However, actually hearing the words took her aback.
“Mr. Campbell, I-I don’t know what to say, sir.”
He chuckled as if he were watching a young child struggle to do something simple. “Ye don’t? A man’s asking to marry ye, and ye don’t know what to say?”
Maura fell silent, looking up at him for a few seconds before shaking her head. It was true—she didn’t know what she could possibly say to him in that moment. How was she supposed to respond to this proposal?
The silence dragged out, and Maura watched as the amusement on Malcolm’s face gave way to annoyance. “What reason would ye have to say no? Can ye and yer family do better than me? Would ye rather I left ye to fall into poverty?”
His words stung. Maura knew that her family’s financial problems were no secret, despite her mother’s best efforts. She knew that people like Malcolm Campbell were well aware of the series of debt collectors that frequented the Inn, but to have that used against her felt like a blow directly to the chest.
She slipped her arm out of his. “Is that why ye think I should marry ye, sir? For yer money?”
He laughed, but there was no joy to the sound. It was cold, almost mocking, and Maura recoiled involuntarily at it.
“What else’ll ye and yer mother do?”
Maura looked up at him slowly, meeting his gaze head-on for a few seconds. He was right. In a lot of ways, this proposal was their salvation from a life of debt, and Maura knew that. But for him to look her in the eye and tell her that, to hold it over her head like a threat? That hurt her more than she realized it could.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she said, “but I cannae give ye an answer presently. I cannae tell ye yes or no. If ye’d let me, I’d like some time to think it over.”
At first, Malcolm looked as though he wanted to say no. His face twisted into an unpleasant grimace, one that Maura recognized. She’d seen it on him once already today, in front of the Inn. It was the same ugly, almost menacing look that he’d had on his face when Angus had run into him.
It seemed as though he was about to demand an answer from her on the spot, but then his expression changed. Almost as though he was forcing himself to cover the grimace with something a little more controlled, Malcolm managed a tight-lipped smile for her.
“I understand, miss. Ye take yer time. I look forward to yer reply.”
She thanked him for his patience, turned on her heel, and began walking back home as quickly as she could. Deep down, she knew that it was foolish to be upset over such matters, but Maura could not stop the lump in her throat from forming. As she made her way back to the Inn, her mind reeled at Malcolm’s words. To him, she was nothing more than an urchin on the side of the road. He deemed her worthy of his charity and nothing more.
Edna had always been supportive of the idea of marrying Malcolm for this exact reason—she wanted an escape from the stresses of their financial woes. The idea of never having to see the face of another debt collector was such an enticing thing to her that it was understandable why she was so supportive of the marriage. Maura had always known that.
However, even with that knowledge, there was still this part of her that had longed for something more—a marriage that was not only for financial gain but was a real and true union. She wanted love.
Malcolm would never have been the man to give her that, and that was a fact she was well aware of.
When she returned to Two Heathers, there were hot tears in the corners of her eyes at the thought of being treated as nothing more than a financial token.
Edna heard the door open and came rushing out to greet her daughter expectantly.
“Well?” she said, practically running to Maura in her haste to get answers. “I heard Mr. Campbell arriving. He walked with ye?”
“Yes,” Maura responded quietly. She could not bring herself to be excited about the conversation, not even for the sake of her mother.
“And?” Edna pressed.
“He asked for my hand.”
The news overjoyed Edna. For years, the constant threat of her family losing their Inn had loomed over her head. She had lain awake at night wondering how she could possibly pay the interest on the loans she had taken out, let alone pay off the debts themselves. The first day that Malcolm Campbell had appeared in the Inn and shown an interest in Maura had felt as though God himself had been listening to her prayers. He was their salvation—the hand that would lift them out of this life.
“Oh, how fantastic!” she cried out. “Oh my darling girl, we’re saved! We’ll never worry about another penny of debt!”
Maura had never seen her mother like this. In only a matter of seconds, she had changed completely from the woman Maura knew. She looked younger in only a matter of seconds, and a smile that seemed like it would split her face in two lit her eyes up. It was as though a crushing weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and she felt guilty for bringing her mother back to reality.
“I didnae accept,” she said quietly.
Edna’s laughter was cut short, and she blinked in surprise. It seemed as though she felt for sure she must have misheard her eldest daughter. “Excuse me?”
“I couldn’t say yes. Not then, not on the spot like that.” Maura was unable to meet her mother’s gaze as she spoke. She didn’t want to see her disappointment or anger.
“What do you mean ye ‘couldn’t say yes’?” Edna echoed. “Malcolm Campbell is...ye’ll nae meet a finer man this side of the border, Maura! Are ye trying to give me a weak heart?”
Maura flinched as her mother raised her voice. She knew that this was coming. She’d known she would have to endure the yelling and the argument. But still, that didn’t make it any easier to bear. “He doesnae care for us at all, Maw. We’re nothin’ but a charity cause to him!”
“Oh, ye stupid girl!” Edna smacked her eldest daughter on the arm so hard she jerked away with a yelp. “A charity cause? Ye said no to that fine young man t’save yer own foolish pride?”
“Maw—” Maura tried to interject, but Edna continued on regardless.
“Will yer pride put food on the table? Will it keep a roof over our heads?” she yelled, gesturing around the Inn. “Ye stupid, foolish girl! Ye’ll be the death of me!”
Tears clogged Maura’s throat at the hurtful words. She’d already known that when she returned from the walk she’d have to face her mother’s fury, but this was unbearable. She felt like a child. All she could do was stand there and endure the tirade of anger that came from her mother’s lips.
“I’m sorry, Ma,” she whispered. Her apology fell on deaf ears, and it did nothing to quell her mother’s red-hot temper.
“Sorry?” Edna echoed, incredulous. She had just witnessed her daughter take a step away from their best chance at having a good, comfortable life. “Ye’re sorry? Sorry doesnae fix a broken dish, girl.”
There was nothing more Maura could think of to say that might have made things any better, even though she wanted to do so. She opened her mouth to apologize again but knew it would do no good.
“Part of this life is that ye make sacrifices for yer family. It’s yer duty to help this family in any way ye can,” Edna told her coldly. “It’s what ye do for yer family. I married to put food on the table, as did me maw before me.”
The older woman let out a heavy sigh at the realization that her daughter may have squandered their best chance at leaving their lives behind. A man like Malcolm Campbell—rich and adored—was hard to come by at the best of times, but for the daughter of a penniless single mother, it was like a blessing from the heavens.
A blessing that Maura hadn’t accepted.
“I’m sorry, Maw,” Maura whispered, her voice shaking. “I know I’ve disappointed ye.”
With that, Maura turned on her heel and ran out of the Inn. The door swung shut and slammed behind her so loudly that it made her flinch, but she didn’t turn back or stop. Instead, once she was out of the Inn, she began walking as fast as she could, almost breaking into a run.
She had no plan of where to go once she was out of the Inn. All Maura knew was that she wanted more than anything in the world to run and never stop. She wanted to get as far away from her mother as she could; looking into her eyes and seeing that anger and betrayal were too much to bear.
Her feet carried her away from the Inn, and off the road into the only place she knew she could find peace—the fields of wild grass that overlooked the loch.
5
It was a beautiful day.
A slight breeze blew through Maura’s hair as she headed from the Inn towards the loch. It was light, just enough to rustle the leaves and the grass as she walked, but it felt good against her skin. As she approached the loch, Maura breathed in deeply and caught a familiar, comforting scent. It was one she could not quite place but was so unique to this particular spot.
This was her haven. Whenever the pressures of the Inn grew to be too much for her, she’d find her escape here, among the grass on the hillside that overlooked the water. It was peaceful. There wasn’t a soul for miles, which meant it was the perfect place to get the soli
tude she needed. When she had to think, this was where she came. When the debt collectors arrived, this was where she escaped to. And now, after the fight, this was where her feet had taken her.
It was nice to just be alone, and as Maura sank back against the grass, she closed her eyes with a gentle sigh. Here in the grass, with the sun on her face, she could at least pretend that the rest of the world didn’t exist, just for a few minutes.
But that peace was short-lived. She wasn’t there for long before she heard someone disturbing the grass behind her, and then Lachlan’s voice.
“So this is where ye got to.”
Maura opened her eyes to see the tall man standing over her, peering down at her. He shot her a small smile and cocked his head to one side before sitting on the grass beside her.
“Ye followed me here?” she said coldly.
Lachlan nodded, gazing out over the loch. “Aye.”
“If I’d wanted for ye to follow me, I’d have asked.”
“Ye didn’t have to.” He plucked a blade of grass from the ground. “Yer mother was going spare. I offered t’follow ye. Make sure ye didn’t get yerself into trouble.”
“I’m fine,” she pointed out. “Ye can go now.”
“Wouldnae be fair to yer mother. I made a promise to her, y’see.”
Maura scowled at him as he continued to pluck out blades of grass and tear them to shreds. She was still upset about the argument; the last thing she wanted to do was talk to him. So instead, she turned away from him and looked out over the loch. Sunlight bounced off the surface of the water, rippling over it and sending a thousand smaller beams of light cascading everywhere.
He focused on the grass in front of him. There was a deepening frown on his face, though, as if he was struggling with something.
“I’m sorry,” he blurted out. The words were mangled and choked, as if they tasted unfamiliar in his mouth. It was as though he’d never managed an apology in his life, but the sound of those two words surprised Maura, and she turned to look at him again.
Highlander's Tempting Stranger: A Steamy Scottish Medieval Historical Romance Page 4