Page 32 of Enchantment of a Highlander

“Damn outlaws,” the guard said. “There were too many of ’em for the men stationed here. A couple of ’em with axes made quick work of this part of the wall. Some went through it, but Donnell picked off two with his bow and the others dinna feel much like staying after that.”

Alec bit back a curse lest the men think they’d failed. “Ye did well, Donnell.” He nodded to a tall, thin man before turning his attention to the other guard. “Ian, get the stonemason and have him seal this again immediately. Ye’ll all need to stand extra watch to ensure this dries thoroughly.”

The guard nodded. “Aye, laird.” He turned and jogged toward the courtyard.

Alec stared after the man, grateful for his eagerness. The guards recruited thus far were good men, they were just too few.

The other men in the area were farmers or fisherman—men who couldn’t fight. Alec had yet to find his father’s remaining forces. Those warriors had been fierce, determined, unstoppable.

If Alec had had them at his side, the outlaws would not have even made it to the castle wall.

Someone gasped behind him. Alec turned to find Saraid sitting atop a white horse. Her massive blue cloak spread out over her clothing.

Another woman sat on a small brown horse beside hers and two guards rode several feet behind them.

“What’s happened?” She slipped from the saddle in a rustle of fine cloth.

“Outlaws, my lady,” said one of the guards.

Alec stabbed a glare in his direction and the man immediately excused himself along with the remaining men who lingered nearby.

“Outlaws?” Saraid stared at the useless door. “Ye havena cleared them off yer land yet?”

Alec’s body was already tight with frustration. Her comment only served to cinch the strain across his shoulders.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “Is there a reason for yer visit?”

“Ye havena come to Aros.”

He gave her his full attention now. The pout on her lips was a clear indication of her displeasure.

“I’m no on friendly terms with yer da,” Alec answered simply.

The MacLeans had no friends nearby. His father had ruined every alliance their predecessors had secured.

She stepped closer to him and swept the hood off her head to reveal a tangle of dark curls. “Ye could be. I could speak with him on yer behalf—”

“No.” Alec said the word with hard finality. The last thing he wanted was her pleading with her father to help him. “If I want to speak to him, I’ll go to him on my own.”

He stared at the pile of disassembled stonework. It’d been expensive. Alec’s fortune was vast, but it was not unlimited.

He couldn’t afford to continually have his castle rebuilt. Undoing destruction was too costly an endeavor.

As much as Alec hated to admit it, the outlaws were too much for his small guard.

Aye, he could seek aid from Kieran MacDonald, but a war had recently broken out between the MacDonalds and the MacLeods. Kieran would send men if asked, but Alec knew he couldn’t afford to do so now.

Edzell Castle was located in the Lowlands and didn’t require the amount of men necessary in the Highlands, so Colin MacKinnon wouldn’t have the men to spare either.

Alec folded his arms over his chest and settled his weight deeper into his heels with an aggravated grunt.

His other neighboring lairds had sworn to kill any MacLean who set foot on their land. Not that Alec blamed them. Several kidnappings and unwarranted raids by Alec’s father long ago had only heightened the savage hatred between the clans.

And Scotsmen did not let past transgressions go easily.

“Laird Stewart spoke with my da yesterday about marrying me.” Saraid’s voice broke through the barrier of Alec’s thoughts.

He grunted and nodded absently. “Laird Stewart has a fine amount of land.”