Highland Covenant

by Scott, B. J.

  “Francois!” Giselle launched herself into his embrace and looped her arms around his neck. “I feared they would arrive too late to save you and Lazarus.” She hugged him tight, but pulled away when he winced in pain. “You are hurt.”

  “A few bruises and winded is all. I’ve had a lot worse and will survive. Thanks to Hugh and his men.”

  “Our pleasure. Once you are feeling up to it, we should be on our way.” Hugh bowed, then wandered off toward his men.

  “It seems I also owe our son a debt of gratitude as well.” He pointed to Bateau’s body—the wooden toy still protruding from his gut.

  Giselle clasped a hand to her throat. “You mean?”

  “Bateau was about to deliver a fatal blow when I found the toy in the dirt. It was not enough to kill him quickly, but it bought the time needed for Lazarus to finish him off.” Jean immediately came to mind. “Where is the boy?”

  “With one of the knights,” she said. “He was quite taken by the armor and the horses.”

  “Mama.” The child’s voice echoed across the clearing.

  A knight lumbered toward them with the boy propped on his hip. “He wanted to see his mother,” he said, then lowered Jean to the ground.

  “Did you see the fight? When I grow up, I want to be a knight, like Lord Sinclair,” Jean squealed as he climbed into his mother’s arms and hugged her. “But I lost my sword da made for me.”

  “We will get you another,” she said and glanced at Franc.

  “Good. I want to kill the English and the French Guard,” he chirped.

  She hugged him tightly, then kissed his cheek. “It is not a joyous time when people die, and it must only happen when it is absolutely necessary.”

  “Your mama is right.” Franc stroked the boy’s back. “There is no glory in taking another man’s life, unless you are defending those you love.” Franc snaked his arm around Giselle’s waist and pulled her toward him, holding his family close, then set the boy down and watched him scamper off.

  Aware of just how close he’d come to death, he turned to face Giselle. “As I faced Bateau for what I thought would be my last minutes on this earth, I got to thinking about how precious time is, and how important it is not to waste a single second.” He took her hand. “What say you, Giselle? When we finish here, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  Her eyes widened and she blinked several times. “What are you saying?”

  “I know it may seem a bit impulsive given what we have just been through, and while I still do not have anything to offer you, except for my heart, I want you to marry me.”

  “If only things were that simple,” she said. “What about your vows as a Templar? The oath you swore means so much to you, Francois. You have sacrificed all, and have lived your entire life putting your obligations to the order first.”

  “Lazarus is a Templar and he is married,” Franc replied.

  “And he is here protecting the treasure and not at home with his wife and babes,” she pointed out.

  “I am here for Franc, na for the treasure, or because of my duty to the order,” Lazarus said. “I owe him my life and wanted to repay the debt.”

  “I appreciate your loyalty to Franc more than you will ever know,” she said to Lazarus, then squeezed Franc’s hand. “I saw what being a member of the order did to papa and to Uncle Harold. My cousin Suzanna died because of it. It took everyone I held dear, and until recently, I believed it took you too.” She paused, clutched a hand to her throat, and glanced around the clearing. “Where is Jean?”

  Franc detected a hint of panic in her voice, and pointed toward the fire. “The boy is fine. He is over there, talking to Hugh Sinclair. Trust me, I have not let him out of my sight,” he reassured her.

  She glanced over her shoulder in the direction he indicated, then returned her attention to Franc. “That is just it, Jean should be home, safe in his bed, not here. Your steadfast devotion to the order is both noble and honorable, and if it were me alone, I could do my best to persevere,” she said. “I want to say yes to your proposal, but I have a son to consider, and will not raise him in the midst of constant danger, knowing his entire life can be torn apart in the blink of an eye, or because of your oath.”

  Franc steepled her hands between his own and kissed her fingertips before gazing into her eyes. “I was eight when sent to the Holy Land as a squire. My parents were dead, and I had no one. Being a Templar was all I cared about, was all I knew. But I am no longer a boy, and my life is no longer empty. Or it will not be if you agree to marry me.”

  “But could you give that up?” Giselle asked. “What of your vows, your word to God?”

  “I have more than fulfilled my oaths as a Templar and before God. You and Jean are all I want and need in my life, and if you will have me, I will show you both the same dedication and commitment that I have shown the order,” Franc pledged. “Only this time, it will be for love, and not out of obligation. Lazarus offered me a position at Fraser Castle, and if it is still good, I am sure we will be fine until we can stand on our own.”

  “You know it is,” Lazarus said. “You are welcome to stay with us for as long as you need or want.”

  Franc cupped her chin and wiped a tear from her cheek with the pad of this thumb. “I love you, Giselle, and want to be a father to Jean. I will be most content if you will allow me to do so, and promise, I will not disappoint you.” He dropped to one knee, still holding her hand.

  “I will ask you again. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  Giselle scrubbed her cheeks with the back of her free hand and smiled. “I love you, Francois, and always have. Of course I will marry you.”

  Franc rose and drew her into a tight embrace. “Je ťaime, Giselle, and always will.” He kissed her soundly, then cradled her against his chest.

  “What is going on?” Jean raced toward them. “Why are you hugging mama. Is she sick?” He halted beside them and peered up at Franc.

  “I am fine, Jean.” She squatted beside him.

  “Then why are you crying?” He touched her damp cheek.

  “These are happy tears,” she said and smiled up at Franc.

  Lazarus stepped forward and placed his hand on Franc’s shoulder. “I think there is something you need to ask the lad. He is her only male relative after all.”

  Franc stiffened and smiled. “You are right again, my friend.” He looked down at Jean. “I would like to marry your mama and be your father, if you will give us your blessing,” he said.

  The boy frowned as he glanced from his mother to Franc, then back again. “But I already have a father. He lives in Heaven with God.” He scratched his head. “If you marry us, where would we live?”

  “Lazarus has invited us to stay at Fraser Castle for a while. He offered me a position with his Clan’s guard, and I thought we might take him up on it.”

  Jean grinned up at Lazarus. “Is it true you live in a big castle with lots of bairns?”

  “Aye, there are more bairns than you can count,” Lazarus replied.

  A stern expression crossed Jean’s face. “Do you have any dogs?” he asked. “I wanted a puppy, but Mama said we couldna have one when we lived with Uncle Harold.”

  “Aye, there are several deer hounds on the estate. In fact, one was due to have pups,” Lazarus said. “They belong to my brother Connor’s son, Keenan, but I am sure he would let you have one.”

  “I would like a brother too,” the boy announced. “I suppose a sister would be fine, but I would really like a brother.”

  Lazarus coughed to clear his throat, then chuckled. “I can arrange a pup, but a babe is something that would be up to your mama and Franc to figure out.”

  After taking a moment’s pause, Jean looked at his mother. “Do you want to go and live at
Fraser Castle with Franc?”

  She nodded. “It would please me very much.”

  Jean stared up at Franc, then smiled. “Mama wants to go and so do I. You can marry Mama if you want and I will be your son.”

  Franc picked up Jean and spun him around in a circle, before setting him back on the ground. He held out his hand to Giselle. “You have made me most happy, Jean. And I promise to be good to you and your mother.” He hooked his arm around Giselle’s waist and tugged her to his side.

  “Then it is settled. Best we get on our way to Rosslyn Castle,” Lazarus said. “Once there, I will send word to my brothers and tell them to prepare for a wedding. I am sure the news of our return and your upcoming nuptials will thrill my wife and the other ladies of the keep. They love nothing better than to plan a ceilidh. And let us na forget about the wedding night.” Lazarus wiggled a brow, and laughed. “The two of you have a lot of catching up to do.”

  Hugh Sinclair approached. “If you are ready, I think we should get started for Rosslyn Castle. They are expecting us.”

  “I am going to live in a castle when my mama and Franc get married,” Jean announced, beaming. “There are lots of bairns and I might even get a puppy.”

  “Am I to take it congratulations are in order?” he asked Franc.

  “Oui, Giselle has agreed to be my wife. Once we see the chalice arrives safely, we will be anxious to head back to Fraser Castle where we plan to be wed.”

  Hugh grasped Franc’s wrist and gave it a shake. “Then best we make haste.”

  Chapter 19

  As they passed land markers bearing the Sinclair crest and he neared the end of his quest, Franc felt as if he had a huge weight lifted from his shoulders. Thanks to Hugh and his band of knights, King Philip’s henchmen no longer posed a threat. Giselle slept peacefully in his arms, and he offered up a silent prayer that the Lord saw fit to reunite them. When she agreed to marry him, he was certain elation and the joyful anticipation of a life free of obligations to anyone but her and Jean would fill his heart and soul. Yet a cumbersome cloud of uncertainty hung over his head, and a long-felt knot of trepidation still niggled at his belly.

  Hugh Sinclair rode up beside Franc’s horse, and he slowed his own mount to a walk. “We will soon arrive at Rosslyn Castle, and I am sure my Uncle Henry will be pleased not only to meet you, but to finally have the chalice safely where it belongs.”

  “It will be an honored to meet him as well,” Franc said. “I have heard many good things about his contributions to the Templar cause, and of his heroics during Scotland’s fight for Independence from England.” He shifted Giselle’s limp body in his arms, being careful not to awaken her.

  Hugh nodded at Giselle, then lowered his voice. “Your woman must be exhausted. We are na far from home, but if you wish to stop so she can rest properly, I can order the men to make camp.”

  “Thank you, but that will not be necessary,” he whispered. “She closed her eyes several miles back, and has been sleeping soundly since. This ordeal has been difficult on her and the boy, not to mention fraught with danger. Soon we can put it all behind us, and she can rest once we get to your uncle’s castle.”

  “This is no place for a lass and wee laddie, and I must say that I am surprised you chose to bring them along with you.”

  He glanced down at Giselle. Her smooth, rhythmic breathing and soft snore let him know their conversation had not disturbed her. “I really did not have a choice but to bring them along, if I wanted to save their lives.” Franc peered over his shoulder at Lazarus. Like his mother, his son slumbered in his friend’s arms. Satisfied Jean was fine, he returned his attention to Hugh. “Originally, I wanted to leave them with the nuns where I felt they would be safe, but Giselle adamantly refused to go to a priory.”

  “It must have been a difficult decision to allow them to come. Especially when you knew that Bateau was hot on your trail, and what might happen to them should he catch up with you.”

  “I did my utmost to convince her it was too dangerous, but she is a stubborn woman.” He grinned and shook his head. “But in the end, I am glad they came along,” Franc said. “Are you married, Hugh?”

  “Nay. While disbanded in the public eye and excommunicated from the church, the order still lives on, and there is still much to finish.” Hugh shifted in his saddle. “Dinna get me wrong. I have a fondness for the ladies, but my duties as a Templar remain all-consuming, and I made the decision a long time ago never to wed.” He fingered the hilt of his sword—adorned by the Templar cross. “Once in your blood, it is na easy to walk away from your oaths to God and the brotherhood. Taking on a wife and fathering another man’s son is an enormous task. Unlike you, I would rather face an army of fierce warriors on a battlefield than marry a woman I hardly know.”

  Rather than respond right away, Franc bit down on his lower lip. What Hugh said about the responsibilities of a Templar knight made a lot of sense, and he had to admit that giving up the only life he’d known and turning his back on the order would prove a challenge. He still had some concerns that they would ever be safe from Philip’s wrath while they were in his presence, and wondered if he could settle down and be the husband and father they deserved. But despite his reservations, he loved Giselle wholeheartedly, adored Jean, and wanted them to be a family.

  “After being separated from Giselle in France, I honestly believe our reunion in Kinloch was meant to be,” Franc began.

  “A match made in Heaven?” Hugh asked, grinning. “I hope she knows what she is getting herself into. The life of a former Templar is na always easy and is oft difficult for most women to accept.”

  “Her father and uncle were Templars, so she understands all too well. Yet she agreed to marry me anyway.” Franc chuckled. “As for being someone I do hardly know, when I was in La Rochelle, hiding from King Philip’s guard, her father, Jean Rideau, offered me sanctuary, and I stayed with them for several months.” He decided not to disclose that he sired Giselle’s boy. This was not the time or the place, and they had yet to tell Jean the truth about his parentage. And while he and Gisselle were in love when she conceived their son, he did not wish to sully her good reputation, or the memory of her husband, Fergus.

  “I have heard of Jean Rideau. He and my Uncle Henry also fought in the Holy Land together, and remained friends afterward. His assassination was a huge blow to the Templar cause.”

  “Oui. His death was a great loss to many, especially his daughter,” Franc said. “They were very close, and it was because of her father’s affiliation with the order, and information about the treasure that the French Guard believed she harbored, she found herself forced to flee for her life.” Franc hung his head. “Both Jean and her Uncle Harold Finlay died while helping me, and I owe it to their memories to look after her and the boy.” He wasn’t sure if he was trying to clarify the validity of his reasoning to Hugh or to convince himself that asking her to marry him was wise.

  “A noble gesture, but looking out for someone’s welfare and marriage are two entirely different things,” Hugh pointed out. “A man shouldna marry out of obligation. I would think long and hard before I take the leap if I were you.”

  “I love Giselle and her son and want us to be a family,” Franc said with conviction. “Over the years, I have more than honored my oaths to God and the order. I am tired of running and always looking over my shoulder. It is time that ended, and I find some peace and happiness.”

  The crease in Hugh’s brow deepened. “Bateau may be dead, but he is one of many who still pose a threat to our happiness and loved ones.”

  “That knowledge will always play on my mind, but I plan to settle down. I hope to become the best husband and father I can be.”

  Although he still had serious doubts, Franc no longer wished to discuss his upcoming nuptials. He already questioned the wisdom of his decision, and he did n
ot want Hugh’s opinions to sway him away from a marriage to Giselle. Lazarus was right when he said finding her alive was his second chance at love, and he did not intend to throw it all away because of his continued sense of duty to the Templars. He needed to figure out his feelings on his own, and to do what he felt was best for Giselle and Jean. He also did not want her to wake up and accidentally overhear their conversation, causing her to doubt the sincerity of his proposal or his undying love for her.

  “I wish you much success and happiness,” Hugh said. “But should you change your mind and decide not to marry, I am certain my uncle would be pleased to give you a position at Rosslyn Castle.”

  Franc narrowed his gaze and kept his voice low. “You are suggesting that I stay at Rosslyn Castle when this is finished?”

  Hugh offered a curt nod. “Aye, if you so desire. Uncle Henry knows about your dedication to the order and the personal sacrifices you have made over the years. Your former master, Lloyd Marques, was also his close friend, and he considers taking you on as a member of the special Templar guard a boon to Marques and to his memory.”

  “I admit it is an interesting proposition, but I really do wish to marry Giselle,” Franc concluded.

  ~ ~ ~

  Rosslyn Castle stood on the horizon like a sleeping giant. Touted as one of the most heavily fortified strongholds in all of Scotland, judging by its size, and the number of men on the parapets, Franc believed the Sinclair fortress more than lived up to its reputation.

  “We are here, and will go on ahead to announce your arrival,” Hugh shouted to Franc as he and his men rode passed. With their colors flying, they picked up the pace, racing toward the portcullis at breakneck speed and leaving behind a cloud of dust.

  Giselle lifted her head, then brought a hand up to her mouth to stifle a yawn. “What is it?” she asked, her voice still raspy from sleep.