Page 9 of To Charm a Highlander

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Taking a short break from training,Callum poured a bucket of water over his head.The coolness felt good after the sweat he’d worked up.As he put the bucket down, his attention was taken up with two women hurrying toward waiting horses, both loaded down with bundles.He recognized the older woman as Dorathia, the healer who had bustled into Lady Donella’s bedchamber after he’d laid her on the bed the day she took a tumble down the keep stairs.

The other lass was Lady Donella herself.He was once again mesmerized by the beauty that didn’t even begin to describe her.She had an aura of the fairies about her, something that caught his entire insides and twisted him into knots.He was stunned when she’d marched over to him after he broke his fast to thank him for saving her.

For days, he’d been listening to tales from the other warriors of how simple-minded Lady Donella was.That she acted like a bairn and her brother had given up on arranging a marriage for her years ago.The general opinion throughout the castle was Lady Donella was verra, verra strange.

‘Twas no’ a strange lass who approached him this morning.She was beautiful, with her flowing brown hair, loosely tied at her nape.Her blue eyes were the color of a cloudless sky.She was friendly and had a verra intelligent look in her eyes.It appeared her own clan dinna even ken the lass well at all.

Just then Malcolm came jogging up to him.“The laird requests ye attend him in his solar.”

Shaking his head to clear some of the water out, Callum ran his fingers through his hair as he made his way to the keep.He felt as though he’d settled in quite well and hoped the laird was not about to give him bad news.Since the Gunn Clan bordered the Sutherlands, there was a good chance he’d already received a response from Fraser, and it was now that he’d be asked to pack up and go.

He sighed.Sutherland was a fine clan, and if he couldna be a part of his own clan, he’d hoped to stay here.The men were friendly, they fought together well, and he saw none of the nasty competitiveness among the men that was so prevalent in his clan.He’d often spoken to his da about it, but he seemed to enjoy seeing the men wrangle with each other.On the other hand, Callum felt they should be more of a team, loyal to each other, rather than looking to cut each other down.

He was quite certain Fraser was running the warriors the same way since he had sided with their da when the discussions had come up.

Inside the keep was cool, which chilled him considering that he’d just dumped a bucket of water over his head.He made his way up the stairs to the second level and down the corridor until he reached the laird’s solar.He knocked once and was granted entrance.

As he’d assumed, a piece of parchment lay on the laird’s desk.“Have a seat, Gunn.”

Callum sat, his elbows resting on the arms of the large wooden chair, his fingers linked in front of him.Everything in the laird’s solar was large, just like the mon himself.He could tell nothing from The Sutherland’s expression.He might have been summoned to be ordered to leave, or to tell him he was to marry his sister.Just the thought of having the beautiful Donella in his bed was enough to have him shifting around in his chair.‘Twas more likely he was being asked to pack his things and be on his way.He was certainly no’ good enough for Lady Donella.

Haydon tapped the piece of parchment on his desk.“I have one question for ye, Gunn.”

“Aye?”

“Why does yer brother hate ye so?”

Although he’d felt it, ‘twas quite a surprise to hear the laird ask that question.

Rather than play games and pretend he dinna ken what the laird was asking him, he merely shrugged his shoulders.“I have no idea, Laird.‘Twas not that way when we were bairns.We played together all the time.Then for some reason, Fraser turned against me.”

The Sutherland nodded and tapped the parchment again.“He says here just what ye told me, about ye fumbling in battle and causing yer da’s death.If what ye say is the truth, why do ye believe he is spreading that story?”

“I doona ken.I see no benefit in it.I should be his second-in-command.He always trusted me in battle and relied on me to train the men.”Callum shrugged.“’Tis a mystery to me.”

Callum sat for a minute, watching the laird read the note over again.Finally, he looked up.“Ye are a good warrior, Gunn.Good with yer sword and yer knives.Malcom and Conall both tell me ye would be a fine addition to our clan.”He leaned back, his hands placed face down on the desk.“I doona ken why yer brother would say such a thing, but since we’ve had time to watch ye and from what the other men have told me, I see no reason to ask ye to leave.But if ye stay, be aware, we expect yer loyalty.Should for some reason we end up in a battle against the Gunn’s allies, or the Gunns themselves, I expect ye to fight as a Sutherland.”

Callum nodded.“I would expect no less, my laird.I appreciate yer faith in me and I willna let ye down.”

Hayden nodded back.“Then I expect ye to swear yer loyalty.”

Callum stood and moved to where the laird sat.He knelt on one knee, bowed his head and swore his loyalty.

He stood and left the solar, relief flooding him.‘Twas not an easy thing for a mon to be banned from his clan, especially when the clan laird was yer own brother.

He might ne’er understand what Fraser’s motives were, or what he hoped to gain by spreading such a story, but for now he was just grateful to have a place to lay his head and hot food to eat.

He opened the keep door and was smacked in the chest by a soft, warm body.He looked down at Lady Donella, her face flushed, out of breath.He took her by the arms.“Are ye well, lass?”

She placed her hand on her chest, trying to steady her breathing.“Aye.I was sent by Dorathia for something we forgot when we went to Sorcha’s bedside.”

She started to walk past him, but he walked alongside her until they reached a small cottage in the corner of the inner bailey.“Can I help ye?”

“Nay.‘Tis childbirth.”

She grinned when he gulped and flushed.“’Tis true, lass.I canna help ye.”

He hated to see her rush off like this.He would love to spend some time with her.No one seemed to think she was betrothed to anyone.Although, based on what he’d heard over the past week, ‘twas everyone’s opinion she would ne’er marry because she was simple-minded.

“Then I wish ye and Dorathia luck, Lady Donella.I hope yer patient does well.”

She fumbled through a basket on a shelf and pulled something out.When she started past him again, he said, “Do ye have a horse to carry ye?”

“Aye, I do.”She stopped and looked up at him, her eyes bright with life.“I will tell Sorcha ye wish her well.”She seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then realizing she had been sent for something needed for childbirth, she turned and hastened to the horse waiting for her by the gate.

She grinned at him and waved as she turned the horse and rode off.