Page 13 of A Highlander's Vow

Chapter Six

’Tis my duty.

The words resounded in her ears as Megan awoke from her nap and shifted in Gregory’s arms. Just what she’d always wanted to be. Someone’s duty. When she was told it was her duty to marry Robert Sinclair, she was angry. Lasses who didn’t have a “duty” were able to marry the man of their choice. Someone to love and love her in return.

Robert turned out to be not a bad husband, but she never felt the connection between them that she had hoped to have in her marriage.

Then, with no bairns appearing, she couldn’t help but wonder if Robert was annoyed having done his “duty”. ’Twas never a conversation between them. She was not sure if he didn’t want to speak about it or thought she didn’t want to. By the time it had appeared to be an actual problem, Robert was dead and she was being told again what her “duty” was.

This time she had two duties. She was not sure what she thought of Gregory Makenzie, simply because there had been no time. So far, he seemed to be considerate of her, which eased her concerns somewhat.

He was also strong, handsome, and apparently honorable. But again, in his mind, this washis duty.

The other choice (not that she actually had one) was no choice atall. She’d rather to have broken her neck in a fall from the tree than climb into the marriage bed with The Gunn.

She sat up when she saw her and Gregory break from the group and go in a different direction than the other warriors. “Why are we splitting up?”

He looked down at her and she felt something in her middle shift. A warm, strange feeling.

“My men and I had a plan that if those after ye got close enough to us, we would split up. We have a decoy with the other group which we hope will delay them for a while.”

“Decoy?”

He grinned. “Aye. While ye slept we took yer cloak from yer satchel and gave it to one of the warriors to wear. We’re hoping they are fooled long enough for us to get away from them. Also our route is not well known and it should take them time to figure it out.”

“How long will it take for us to arrive at Castle Leod?”

Gregory shrugged. “’Tis hard to say. The other way would have been four or five days. This way will add another one or possibly two to our trip depending on how the weather holds out. We still have a bit of summer left, but there is always rain to delay us if the ground gets too sloppy.”

Suddenly aware of how cuddled up she was to Gregory, she shifted. The man brought out strange feelings in her body and she didn’t have the energy to examine them now.

*

After a fewminutes, Gregory asked, “What was yer job in the keep?”

They’d been so busy arguing with the Sinclair, and then being thrown out of the castle, resulting in him rescuing Megan from their hold, that they hadn’t spent any time learning about each other.

Her eyes lit up, which told him that part of her life there was satisfying.

“I helped the chatelaine quite a bit when the old laird was alive. Then after he died and Anthony pushed Robert out of his laird’s position, he relegated me to working in the kitchen with the other maids.”

That was certainly not an answer he would have expected. Didn’t Robert step in and remove his wife from kitchen duties?

“Did ye like working in the kitchen?”

She shrugged. “’Twasn’t so verra hard. I got to ken a few of the maids and made a few friends.”

“If ye had yer choice, what job would ye like at Castle Leod?”

Megan smiled. “I’m sure Lady Mackenzie would decide on that, but if I was given a choice, I would love to do healing. ’Tis what I did at my home with my mam before she passed away and then I was married off to Robert.”

“Castle Leod is quite large and it seems the warriors—especially the newer ones—are always getting injured. I’m sure Emma could use yer help.”

“She is yer healer now?”

“Aye. A sweet lass. Ye would like her.”

A few minutes passed, and then Gregory asked again, “Were ye happy in yer marriage?”