Desired by a Highlander

by Donna Fletcher

  “Leave her be,” Sterling ordered when Willow reached Maddie.

  Slatter swung around, his dark eyes still glaring with a molten fury.

  Willow was relieved when Tarass spoke, fearful her husband would lunge at Sterling again.

  “Willow will tend the woman and you will follow us inside,” Tarass ordered, once again leaving no doubt his command was to be obeyed.

  James let the way into the keep, Tarass trailing behind them all.

  Thaw jumped out at him and gave a bark and a snarl, showing his puppy teeth as he jumped back and forth as if waiting for a command from Snow to attack.

  “That pup is useless,” he said and made the mistake of shaking a pointed finger at Thaw.

  Thaw didn’t hesitate, he jumped and lunged at Tarass’s finger, his sharp puppy teeth catching the skin and tearing it.

  “Oh my Lord, Thaw what have you done?” Eleanor cried, seeing blood pour from Tarass’s finger.

  Tarass grabbed the pup by the scruff of his neck, ignoring his wound.

  “Please don’t hurt him,” Eleanor cried out.

  James and Slatter stepped out of the keep just as Snow’s hand shot out and connected with Tarass’s chest, then ran down along his arm to grab Thaw from his grasp.

  “Snow!” James yelled, his face turning pale, fearful for his sister.

  “Thaw was protecting me and himself from this fool,” Snow said.

  “Snow!” James reprimanded again. “Apologize to Lord Tarass.”

  “An apology will not suffice,” Tarass said with a threatening calm.

  “Please let me see to your wound,” Willow said, having rushed up the steps when Eleanor had cried out, wanting to get Tarass away from her sister. Before he could respond, Willow turned to Eleanor. “You and Snow help Maddie to my mum’s solar. I’ll tend her there when I finish with Lord Tarass.”

  “We’re not done, Snow,” Tarass warned.

  Snow’s chin went up. “I’ll be waiting for your apology.”

  James shook his head and Slatter smiled.

  “This way,” Willow said, pushing between Tarass and Snow and seeing the tremble in her sister’s hands. She showed strength, but fear poked at her as well.

  Once in the Great Hall, she called for a servant to bring water, cloths, and her healing basket.

  “What happened?” Sterling demanded, getting up from where he sat at a table, a tankard of ale in his hand.

  “A minor mishap,” Tarass said. “Go with James and Slatter to his solar. I’ll join you shortly.”

  James hurried Sterling from the room, the man clinging to his tankard as he followed James.

  Slatter lingered a moment, locking eyes with Tarass.

  “I have no wont to hurt your wife, though I can’t say the same about her sister,” Tarass said.

  Slatter grinned. “Not a wise choice of words when my wife is about to tend you.” He walked off laughing.

  Tarass glared at Willow in warning.

  Willow wanted to tell him she had no wont to hurt him either, unless, of course, he harmed Snow. But she didn’t think a threat from her would help the situation.

  “My sister feared for her pup, she meant no harm,” Willow said, hoping he would see reason.

  “That is for her to explain when I speak with her later.”

  Willow was glad he told her of his intentions. She could make sure she was there when he spoke with Snow. For now, she would say no more, giving the incident a chance to rest from his mind. She led him to the table where the servants had left the items she had requested. It didn’t take long to clean and examine the wound and see it was a small tear that should heal nicely.

  She cleaned it good, the bleeding having stopped and smeared honey over it, then wrapped it. “Keep it free of dirt,” she told him, though had noticed how clean his hands and nails were. Most men had grime under their nails and hands that needed a good washing, not so Tarass. His hands were free of both.

  “Are you prepared to pay the Slayer his due?”

  His question so startled her that she took a step back. How could he know she spoke with the Slayer? He shocked her again when he answered her silent question.

  “I make a point to know everything in the surrounding area that may or may not concern me. Do you realize why one summons the Slayer?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “He isn’t called on to protect the innocent. He’s called on to punish the guilty. The ones who evaded punishment, but deserved it.”

  “Slatter isn’t guilty of anything,” she said, defending her husband.

  “So you believe, but if the Slayer finds differently your husband will die. Eleanor told you what happened to the man in the abbey.”

  Willow nodded, wondering how he had known about that, then realizing Eleanor must have told James and James must have told him.

  “That man had brutally attacked two sisters, one died, the other survived and was left with horrible scars and a severe limp. He was an important man and he was never made to suffer for his crime. The surviving sister summoned the Slayer and he saw that the man suffered a brutal death for what he had done. The Slayer also was summoned by a grandmother who knew her daughter was killing her children, each bairn having died before they reached one year. No one would believe the grandmother when she told them she had seen it with her own eyes. When the woman gave birth to a fourth child, the husband told his wife that the grandmother would take the child and raise him so the lies about his wife would end. He was found dead a few days later. That’s when the grandmother summoned the Slayer, not only fearful for the child’s safety but for her own as well. It’s said that the Slayer came upon the deranged woman just as she was about to kill the bairn.”

  “So the Slayer is no demon commanded by the devil.”

  “Who else would want such wretched, evil souls, but the devil himself,” Tarass said.

  “My husband is no wretched, evil soul,” Willow argued. “I told the Slayer that I wanted the person responsible for all the wicked deeds to suffer. And if this Slayer wants only malevolent souls for the devil, he won’t be taking my husband’s soul.”

  Tarass stood and went to walk away, then stopped and looked at Willow. “You must love your husband very much to pay the Slayer’s price.”

  “He has yet to set a price with me.”

  “He has only one price… your soul.”

  Willow’ stomach clenched. “You were willing to give yours.”

  Tarass chuckled. “I can’t give what I don’t have.”

  Willow watched him walk away and shivered. The Slayer was in for a battle if he thought she’d relinquish her soul. But just in case, she decided it was best if she saw this settled before the Slayer did.

  Slatter kept his back to the wall, watching, as James, Tarass, and Sterling talked. He couldn’t believe how much Sterling resembled him. It was as if they were twins or brothers. There were some subtle differences, but not enough to take notice unless one was looking. He even walked with that same air of assurance that Slatter did.

  “He struck me and I expect him to be punished for it,” Sterling continued to argue.

  “You looked ready to strike his wife,” James said.

  Sterling’s face pinched tight. “I will not tolerate disrespect from any woman.”

  “Willow isn’t any woman, she’s my sister and I will not see her disrespected in her own home,” James warned.

  Slatter listened as words were exchanged as if the three men would decide his fate. In past situations he would have paid them no heed, his fate his own to decide since he found his way out of any difficulty he had ever gotten into. Now, since Willow, it was more complicated. He didn’t want to leave her, didn’t intend to leave her, he loved her far too much. He wanted a life with her, a life far different from the one he’d been living.

  So he continued to listen to see what he could learn about Sterling and try to make sense of why a nobleman resembled him and why the man wanted to destroy him.

  Once Willow
got to her mum’s solar, she sent Eleanor on an errand that would take time, but made sure Snow remained with her. She wouldn’t take the chance of Tarass confronting her sister alone.

  Willow handed Maddie a tankard of hot cider and a piece of bread sweetened with honey and tears gathered in her eyes as she took both and ate and drank with haste.

  “He doesn’t feed you?” Willow asked.

  “Barely,” Maddie said and gratefully accepted another piece of bread from Willow.

  “Tell me what happened, Slatter wants to know,” Willow urged.

  “I think Beck was in cahoots with Lord Sterling, but double-crossed him, something Beck was known for. Beck wasn’t surprised when he arrived the one day. What Beck didn’t expect was the warriors that poured out of the woods and descended on us. It was over before it got started. Unfortunately, not for Beck. Lord Sterling tortured him. It was during that torture that he revealed that you and Slatter weren’t truly wed.”

  “Then it’s true, we aren’t wed?” Willow asked, not ready for the answer.

  “I can’t say for sure. Beck barely was able to turn his head, but he did and looked at me and told me to make sure I told Slatter that he won, he got him good.” She wiped a tear away. “Slatter. You tell Slatter that I got him good.” He repeated it several times and I got the feeling it was a message for Slatter. That’s why I didn’t repeat what he said in front of everyone.”

  “I’ll make sure I tell Slatter what Beck said,” Willow assured her. “Where is your husband?”

  “Sterling is camped on the outskirts of Lord Tarass’s keep. Kevin and the few others that survived are being held there in a pen… like animals.” A tear slipped from her eye. “Kevin suffered a beating by Sterling and I worry that he will die from his injures. Sterling wears two faces. When he first arrived he was pleasant and smiling as he spoke with Beck, then it was like he became a different man, an evil man who took pleasure in hurting others.”

  “We’ll do our best to free you and the others,” Snow said to her sister’s surprise.

  Willow did agree with her, though. Her husband wouldn’t let Maddie and Kevin suffer or the others. He would do something, but how did she keep him from suffering the same fate?

  Once Willow finished tending Maddie’s wounds, which there were more than could be seen, and made sure she was well fed, the women returned with her reluctantly to the Great Hall. Willow wished Maddie didn’t have to be made to go with Sterling, but she also knew Maddie, fearful as she was, wanted to return to her husband and try to keep him from further harm.

  “Eleanor,” Willow said when they entered the Great Hall and she saw it empty. “Take Maddie and go have the cook put together a small sack of food that can be hidden beneath her shift. And tell her to make certain it has no strong scents so no one can smell it on her, and hurry.”

  “Bless you, Willow. I knew you were a good woman when I first laid eyes on you and I knew you were the perfect woman for Slatter. It is good fate brought you two together.”

  Eleanor and Maddie rushed off at the sound of Sterling’s bellowing voice.

  “I will not suffer delays in seeing Slatter hung.” Sterling strode into the Great Hall followed by James, Slatter, and Tarass.

  Willow didn’t like that Slatter walked between her brother and Lord Tarass as if a prisoner.

  “And I will not see an innocent man hung,” James said more firmly than she had ever heard him speak.

  Willow wondered then if it was perhaps more for Slatter’s protection that James kept him between him and Tarass.

  “And you, Lord Tarass,” Sterling said, looking to him. “Do you not want to see the man hung who killed your warrior?”

  Tarass turned a slow smile on Sterling. “Make no mistake, Sterling, I will see the man who killed Rhodes suffer… suffer greatly.”

  “If this matter isn’t settled soon, I will deal with it myself,” Sterling warned.

  “That would be very unwise,” Tarass threatened.

  “I don’t fear the likes of you,” Sterling said with bravado and a look of distaste on his face, “a half-barbarian.”

  Tarass approached the man, not a sign of anger or scorn to be seen, nothing at all. He stopped in front of him. “That is a mistake you’re going to regret.”

  “I think not, though I do regret seeking your help with this matter. I assumed you being a titled man would assist another titled man without question. I should have realized a half-barbarian would never understand the decorum of nobles.”

  Tarass stepped closer to the man. “When this is finished I’m going to show you the decorum of a barbarian to those who insult them.” Tarass’s hand shot up in Sterling’s face when he went to speak. “Not another word or you’ll lose your ignorant tongue. My men will escort you to your campsite and there is where you will remain until I say otherwise.” Sterling went to speak again and Tarass was quick to warn. “I enjoy tongue prepared raw.”

  Sterling paled.

  Tarass pointed to the door. “My warriors wait to carry out my orders. Don’t keep them waiting.”

  “Where is Maddie?” Sterling called out, stretching his neck up to look past Tarass.

  “I am here,” Maddie said and stepped out of the shadows.

  “Hurry your steps, I am done here,” Sterling commanded as if he had made the decision to take his leave.

  Tarass turned as the man walked off and called out. “Snow, I will speak with you now.”

  Thaw started yapping madly.

  Snow scooped him up and handed him to Eleanor. “Please keep him safe.”

  “I will,” Eleanor promised.

  Thaw didn’t like that Snow walked off without him and he refused to stop barking and struggling to free himself from Eleanor.

  Willow took her sister’s arm and walked with her to Tarass.

  “I will speak with Snow alone,” Tarass ordered.

  “Is that really necessary?” James asked, worry deepening the lines around his eyes.

  That was when Thaw broke free from Eleanor’s grasp and ran with the force of an arrow shot from a bow toward Snow. But it wasn’t Snow he was after, it was Tarass.

  The pup launched himself at him, and all hell broke loose.

  Chapter 24

  “No!” Willow screamed when she saw Tarass raise his hand to swat the pup away.

  Snow’s hand shot out seeing a small gray blur sail through the air just as Tarass’s arm went up to swat at the pup. The strength of his arm connecting with hers sent her tumbling. Tarass hurried his arms around her, the momentum of his quick action sending them tumbling together to the floor.

  Slatter moved with such speed that he caught Thaw in mid-air, the pup continuing to snarl and snap and try to break free and get to Snow.

  Tarass was quick to get himself and Snow to their feet, holding her arm until she was steady, though she yanked it away from him and he had to grab it again, since she had yet to remain steady.

  “You and that pup are a threat to you both and to everyone else,” he accused.

  “It is you who are the threat,” she argued.

  Tarass stepped close to her, his face nearly plastered against hers. “Apologize.”

  “Never!”

  “Snow, do as Lord Tarass commands,” James chastised fearful for her.

  “How can I apologize when I don’t mean it?” she asked, squinting her eyes at Tarass, wishing she could see more than just a shadowy, gray face in front of her.

  “I don’t care if you don’t mean it, say it,” Tarass demanded.

  Snow realized then that he didn’t care how she felt, he only cared that she obeyed him.

  “Snow,” Willow said softly, hoping to calm her sister and make her see reason.

  It was Thaw’s continuous snarls that made Snow stop and think. She would do anything to keep Thaw safe.

  “I apologize,” she said with a huff.

  “Remember that and keep that snarling, useless pup out of my sight,” he ordered and turned and walk
ed out of the Great Hall.

  Willow went to Snow and so did Thaw as soon as Slatter placed him on the ground.

  Snow scooped Thaw up and hugged him to her, his small, pink tongue lavishing her face with licks. “Good pup, Thaw, good pup.”

  “He’s going to be your constant protector,” Slatter said, coming up behind his wife who reached out and rested a hand on Snow’s arm.

  “You need to be careful with Lord Tarass. He is a man who cares little for anything,” Willow warned.

  “Willow is right,” James said, his arm going around Eleanor as she stepped close to him. “It is best you remain out of sight when he is here, and Thaw as well.”

  “I’m so sorry, Snow,” Eleanor said. “I couldn’t hold Thaw. He was frantic to reach you.”

  “That’s all right, Eleanor. I should have had you take him to my bedchamber. And you’re right, James, it is better if Thaw and I avoid Lord Tarass completely from now on. Besides, I simply can’t tolerate the brute. How goes things with you and this Lord Sterling?” Snow asked, having heard enough about Lord Tarass.

  “I don’t know what to make of him and I don’t know how we could resemble each other so much,” Slatter said. “I am pleased, though, that I finally have an answer as to who has been causing me such strife.”

  “You honestly believe Lord Sterling, a nobleman, is the man responsible for the things you have been accused of?” James asked with a doubtful shake of his head. “Why would he possibly do such a thing?”

  Willow was quick to respond to that. “He said it himself… he enjoys evil pleasures. And what better way not to be made to suffer for them or disgrace your family title, then pose as someone else.”

  “That certainly is possible, but how to prove it might not be possible,” James said.

  “What if we don’t have to prove it?” Eleanor said and everyone waited for her to explain. “Lord Tarass called on the Slayer for help. He will know that Lord Sterling is evil and see that he is punished. All we need to do is be patient.”

  “What if he doesn’t know the difference between Slatter and Sterling?” Snow asked.