Page 3 of A Highlander's Bride

Her da looked over at her mam. “Jean, please explain to our daughter how happy marriage is.”

Twisting her fingers, her mam said, “’Tis verra happy, dear.”

“Well then, that’s quite an enthusiastic response.” She was actually sweating by now because she had the very uncomfortable feeling her parents were serious.

Taking a deep breath, she asked, “How does the king fit into this? Who is this husband hefoundfor me? Hiding under a bush in the garden? If so, I’ll borrow your gun and shoot him.”

Her da straightened in his chair. “Now I will have no disrespect from ye, lass. ’Tis the Clan Chief of the Mackenzies, a very strong clan.”

She was horrified. “Isn’t The Mackenzie in his sixth decade?” ’Twas bad enough to be shoved off onto some unknown man, but to one older than her da turned her stomach.

“Nay, the old laird died over two years ago. His son, who is about five and twenty years, is the laird.”

When Beth didn’t seem impressed, her mam turned to her da. “Stephen, tell her about the other lass.”

Beth’s brows shot to her hairline. “Other lass? Is the laird wanting to marry two women?” She turned to her mam. “Does the Church allow that?”

Her da waved her comment away. “Nay, daughter, calm yerself. There is another lass and her family who will also be at the castle. The king arranged for two lasses to attend so the laird can have his pick.” He sat back, his hands crossed over his middle, looking very satisfied with himself.

Anger shot through her as Beth jumped from her chair. “Are yetelling me that the king has ordered me to be paraded before some laird I ne’er saw, and then be embarrassed by being compared to another lass like he was buying ahorse?” She took a breath. “Should I show him my teeth, then?”

Her da stood and looked over at her mam. “Jean, ye should be dealing with this anyway.” He turned to Beth. “Pack what ye need. We leave in the morning for Castle Leod.” With those words resounding in the room, he left, closing the door with more enthusiasm than was necessary.

Beth turned to her mam. “Please tell me this was all a nightmare that I will soon awaken from.”

Her mam walked to her and put her arm around her shoulders, hugging her close. “’Twon’t be so bad.”

“But Mam, I ne’er wanted to get married. We’ve spoken of this before. Let my sisters add to the Munro population.”

Mam moved her forward. “I ken that, dear, but ye must have kenned that one day it would happen. Laird’s daughters are no’ allowed to remain single. They must bring alliances and coin to their families.”

Beth leaned back and looked at her mam. “Da has made three alliances with my sisters’ marriages. How many does he need?”

Mam shook her head as they started up the stairs to the bedchamber floor. “’Tis the king’s order, Beth.” She stopped halfway up the stairs and turned. “Ye say ye will remain here to take care of us in our old age. Who will take care of ye in yer old age?”

*

Daniel woke tothe sound of someone yelling. “Laird!”

He’d spent the prior night drinking away his anger, which had done nothing except make him oversleep and awaken with a pounding head and a stomach ready to bring up whatever it was he’d last eaten.Along with the whisky.

He threw off the bedcovers and pulled his braies on, slipping into hisléineas he strode to the door and out into the hall.

A young lad who Daniel remembered as being the son of one of the stable masters raced up to him, out of breath. “Laird, they need ye in the stables. One of the horses broke out of his stall and ran o’er a groom.”

They both ran from the keep with Daniel yelling to the closest guard. “Get the healer and have her meet us at the stables.”

There seemed to be a dozen guardsmen huddled at the entrance to the stable. “All of ye get back to the lists and keep training.”

Daniel made his way through the crowd, now breaking up, and walked to the man lying on the ground, with Brendan, the head stable master hovering over him.

“How is he?” Daniel asked.

“I’m no’ sure, Laird. The horse bumped him on the shoulder and then stepped on his leg as he ran from the stable.”

He nodded and bent down alongside the man. Daniel didn’t want to turn him over in case it damaged him further. “Who is he?”

“Ian Mackenzie, Laird,” Brendan said.