Page 49 of A Highlander's Vow

Chapter Twenty-One

Gregory pushed himself,preferring to find Megan’s group before they reached Edinburgh. He knew that without an invitation it would be hard to gain an audience with the king. He would prefer to take Megan home without a battle in which she could be hurt.

But if necessary, he would do just that to get his wife back.

He spent the time racing toward Edinburgh thinking about Megan, the wife he had married to fulfill a vow. Things had certainly changed. After saying he’d never find a wife, now he’d discovered he loved a lass and he was sure she loved him as well.

In spite of all his fears, he’d realized that he and Megan could have a good life together. Even if what she said was true and she was barren, all they had to do was take a walk through the village and the area beyond to find children who had lost their parents and whose family members had taken them in but were feeling overwhelmed. They would be more than happy to have someone else care for them. He was sure Megan would be happy to care for them too.

He didn’t care whether they had children of their own. All he wanted was Megan, and whatever the cost, he would pay it.

The pounding of horses’ hooves sounded behind him. He slowed down, entered the wooded area to his right and withdrew his sword. He was silent as whoever it was approached at a rapid pace.

As they raced by, he recognized three of the warriors from Mackenzie. “Halt!”

The men all drew their swords. Gregory rode out of the wooded area. “What are ye doing here?”

The obvious leader of the group, a warrior named Luke, said, “Looking for ye to keep ye from getting yerself killed.”

“I doona need anyone to keep me from getting killed.”

“Then let us just say we are here to keep ye from getting lost.”

Gregory shook his head. “Ye had better keep up. I have no idea how far The Sinclair has gone, although I have my doubts ’tis verra far, but I would prefer to meet them on the road, and no’ in front of the king.”

The men turned their horses and took off.

Gloaming had started when Gregory raised his arm as a sign to the warriors to stop. The men all slowed down and formed a circle. “Are we stopping for the night, then?” Luke asked, his horse prancing in place, still anxious to continue on.

“Aye. I am no’ familiar with this area since I try to avoid Edinburgh as much as possible. ’Twould be verra hard to find our way in the dark.” He rested his forearm on his saddle. “I doona think The Sinclair will travel at night either. We shall make camp, find something to cook and leave at first light.”

*

So certain wasMegan that Gregory was coming for her, that she did everything in her power to slow them down. She complained about her stomach hurting. She asked to stop to relieve herself numerous times.

She toed her boot off, and then a few furlongs later told Sinclair that it dropped off and she hadn’t noticed.

One of their men returned with the boot and handed it to her witha smirk on his face.

“I doona ken what ye are thinking, lass, but yer so-called husband willna be coming for ye. He has no use for ye,” Anthony said. He waved a paper in front of her. “I have it here in his own handwriting that he only married ye to fulfill a vow made to Robert, and he releases ye to marry Gunn.”

Megan’s mouth went dry and her stomach muscles tightened. Nay, she dinna believe it. She raised her chin. “I would see that paper.” She stuck her hand out.

With a smirk on his face, Anthony handed the paper to Megan. She was unable to read, but since Robert’s uncle was so unconcerned about the missive’s contents that he gladly handed it over, she had to assume what it said was true.

She blinked rapidly as she gave it back to him, her hand shaking.

So it was true. What she’d always feared. Gregory didn’t care enough for her to keep her from marrying The Gunn. He had only been doing his duty and now with someone else wanting her hand, he gladly turned her over. Then he could get back to his normal life that she had interrupted.

Probably because she was barren. Although, with how much she and Gregory enjoyed the marriage bed, mayhap she was not barren.

She tried to push it out of her mind but it was very confusing. Once she was settled in whatever keep she ended up in, she would seek out the midwife and learn all about being barren and what she could do to correct it.

Nay. She mentally shook her head. She would settle in no keep except the Mackenzie. And if she were forced to marry The Gunn she would do whatever it took to avoid the marriage bed. She shivered at the thought.

No man would ever compare to Gregory. She did feel a bit remorseful that Robert’s attentions did not compare to Gregory’s but her husband did seem to spend a lot more time making sure she didn’tsuffer any pain when he entered her.

She sighed and let her thoughts wander. Mayhap the paper Anthony showed her was a fake. Daniel and Gregory had thought the king’s order was a fake. She smiled and felt herself beginning to perk up. Yes, that was it. They were lying to her, taking a chance on the fact that she couldn’t read.