Page 104 of Her Reluctant Highlander Husband

“Dorie? Dorie!” He pressed a hand to her pale cheek, his fingers finding the pulse under her chin. It was weak and thready. Bryce carried her into the castle and checked her over, calling for a healer.

A reluctant woman came forward and Bryce begged her, “Please help my wife. I canna lose her. Please.”

The woman took a deep breath and nodded. Bryce and Dorien kept close watch over the woman to be sure she didn’t treat Dorie as an enemy. But the woman stitched up the gash on Dorie’s arm and dressed it with clean linen.

“It’s good to see her free,” she said, and gently brushed Dorie’s hair back from her face.

“You know her?”

“Aye. It’s been many years since I’ve seen her, but I remember her as a little girl. She’s been trapped for so long. In a way, we all have.”

“You’re all free now,” Bryce assured her.

“Are we? Or are we just giving our freedom to another?”

In truth, Bryce didn’t have an answer to her question. The castle belonged to Dorien now, per his arrangement with Lach.

“I can assure you, your next laird will be more than fair,” Dorien cut in with a smile.

Did the man plan to stay on as laird? What did he want with a castle in Scotland? At the moment, Bryce didn’t care. For just then Dorie opened her eyes and looked up at him.

…

“You’re alive?” she whispered, her voice rough.

“Aye, and so are you.” He smiled and kissed her forehead. “Why on earth did you come all this way?”

She looked away nervously. Would he be angry to know she’d risked her life for nothing more than worry? She sat up, wincing at the tightness in her arm. “We’d had no word,” she explained. “And I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed to make sure you were alive and well.”

He looked at her for a full minute, his expression unreadable. It seemed he didn’t know what to say. Eventually he shook his head. “I want to scold you and tell you how foolish you were to put yourself in danger just to check on me, but I can’t. Not when you’re here with me, alive and smiling. All I want to do is kiss you.” He held her cheeks in his hands and pressed his lips to hers in a fierce kiss.

They were interrupted when her father cleared his throat. Lachlan and Cam had entered the hall and were standing next to Dorien with smiles on their faces. Even Rory was off to the side with a grin in place. Liam stepped around Cam. Thank God. They’d all survived. She relaxed, knowing the women waiting back at Dunardry would be happy.

“What’s going on?” Bryce asked curiously. He must have noticed something was afoot as well. They were all up to something, it was clear enough.

She looked toward Lach, but it was her father who spoke. “As you know, I requested ownership of Baehaven when it fell, and it has indeed fallen.”

A cheer went up around them. Even some of the McCurdys seemed pleased with the outcome.

“As I understand it, you married my daughter without a dowry. In fact, your laird had to pay the McCurdy, and then you didn’t even get what you were promised.”

Bryce smiled down at her and winked. “I’m not complaining. I got more than I’d hoped for from the bargain.”

“And it’s for that reason that I am giving Baehaven to you.”

The smile on Bryce’s face turned to confusion as her father came closer to kiss the top of her head.

“You’ve proven yourself to be a fine husband for my daughter, and I’m making you laird of the remaining clan and any who care to join you. With the understanding that the MacKinlays may dock their ships in your port.”

Dorie reached up to push Bryce’s jaw shut when his mouth fell open in shock. “But I’m the war chief—”

Lachlan held up his hand. “Liam will make a fine war chief. And I’ll leave Rory here for you.” He came closer to clasp arms with Bryce. “We both know we’ll be better off with each of us ruling our own lands. You’re not very good at following orders.”

Bryce laughed and hugged his cousin. “Maybe if your orders weren’t shite.” It was clear Lachlan took no offense to the jest.

Dorie hugged her father tightly. “Oh, Father. Thank you.”

“I hope you will be happy here. I know this place holds a lot of bad memories.” He frowned.