His Secret Highland Bride

Chapter Fourteen

“How did you know I was here?” Shane knew his aunt wouldn’t have told a soul, and he trusted Munro.

Alec shrugged, his large shoulders barely moving. “Janet told Tory she thought she saw you in the village. Since we’ve been expecting you for some time, I decided to see for myself.”

It would figure Tory’s nosey friend would have told. He couldn’t recall seeing her, but he hadn’t been looking.

“One question led to another, and soon people were talking of a quiet soldier who had taken over Ronan’s cottage. I figured it could only be you, and here ye be. What I don’t know is why you’re here instead of at the castle, where ye bloody belong.”

Rather than tell his brother about Lindsay and deal with the issue of his marriage, he went with his original reason for coming to the cottage rather than the castle. “I wasn’t ready to deal with being laird. I only just got done fighting and being called captain. Is it too much to want a bit of time to myself?”

His brother let out a huff. “Nay. I guess I understand that. But I hope you’ve had your rest now, for you’re needed in the castle. Deirdre has taken up the running of the clan, and I don’t need to tell you it isn’t going well.”

Shane felt the weight settle onto his shoulders. He’d healed and enjoyed the last few weeks with Lindsay, but now he must see to his duty.

“I’ll go with you to the castle and get things settled. But I won’t be staying there yet. I have…” He wasn’t ready to tell Alec about his wife. “I want to stay here a little while longer. And I’ll not be walking through the village with ye and causing talk.”

He whistled and waited until Doran came sauntering out of the woods.

“Aye?” he said, taking in Alec.

“Stay here and watch over…things.”

Doran nodded and didn’t ask why Shane was acting strangely.

With his wife protected, Shane followed Alec. They went through the woods and curved back up toward the castle. It was a longer walk, but it was a fine day and Alec didn’t seem to mind being out in it. They walked over a rise that looked out over the farmer’s field.

“Why are none of the south fields planted?” Shane asked. With no grain planted, there’d be none for harvest. No grains harvested meant no flour to make food for the people.

“Father increased the taxes on the farmers last year. Once they paid their taxes, there was nothing left to see to the replanting. Many of the farmers left for other clans.”

“No farmers? No grain?” Shane rubbed his forehead. “Christ, I’m not even to the castle yet, and I already know I don’t want to see any more.”

“Do you wish to leave it to Deirdre?”

Shane frowned and continued their journey. For the next few minutes, Shane worried over what to do about the grain. They’d have to buy some from another clan. Did Ronan have extra stores to help? Hell, Shane hadn’t seen many cattle or sheep, either. Did his father not realize there’d not be anyone to pay his increase in taxes if the whole clan starved to death?

A few moments later, Alec broke the silence. “Do things look different than ye remembered? You’ve been away a long time.” Alec’s low voice had turned sad.

“You mean besides the lack of livestock and crops?”

Alec shrugged, and Shane thought he knew what this was about.

“You’ve certainly changed.” His brother was at least a half foot taller than Shane. When he’d left, Alec had been just under Shane’s height. The man was broader as well. Both were expected, since Shane left behind a lad of five and ten, and now Alec was a man at twenty. But those weren’t the things that were most noticeable. “What the hell happened to your face?”

“It figures ye would be out with it like that.” Alec frowned, making the scar pull his mouth in.

“I didn’t realize you and I were ones to pretend something is not the way it is.” They’d always shared the truth with each other, though Shane was keeping a sizeable secret from his brother now.

“We are not, but I do blame ye for what happened to my face.” Alec shook his head as if he’d shocked himself by saying the words out loud. Shane was equally surprised.

Shane felt his eyes widen, and he stopped walking to stare at the man. “Me? You blame me?” Shane was certainly one for taking on more blame than was due. He still felt the guilt of Maria’s death. But this? “Surely, I would have noticed if I’d done that to ye.”

“You didn’t do it, but had you allowed me to go with you and Ronan to fight in France, I’d not have been left here with poorly crafted weapons and forced to be war chief.”

“Ah, well if that’s to be my offense, I can rest easy, for I’d have allowed ye to come with us. It was da who wouldn’t have it. He said one of us must stay behind so he had an heir.”

“Well, he almost lost this heir.”

Shane nodded. It was clear to see from the scar that was left behind that the injury had not been an easy one. Many wounds of that type turned to fever and ended in death. But it seemed both Shane’s brothers were survivors. “I’m glad you’re not dead.”

Alec grunted his appreciation. “Aye, I’m glad you’re not dead as well.”

They walked on until Alec turned to him. “How is Ronan? We received your letter he’d been injured. And the other saying he woke from his fever.”

“He is in a bit of pain when he walks too far or too fast.” Shane looked away, unable to bear the guilt he felt. While he didn’t agree he had caused Alec’s wound, it wasn’t so about Ronan’s. Shane had not been at the man’s back, where he should have been. He’d let Ronan down.

It was for this reason he hadn’t allowed the doctor to take Ronan’s leg. Shane was a selfish bastard. Fortunately, his decision had been the right one. Ronan had a bit of a limp, but he had lived.

“I’m sure that stubborn ass walks more than he should just to prove he can.”

“Who wouldn’t test themselves after such a thing?” Shane asked.

Alec nodded.

“I’m sorry about your face. Does it pain ye?”

“Not as much as it pains others to look at me.” He shook his head. “I’m thought of as a trowin the keep. That is what they call me.”

“You’re rather large to be a trow, aren’t you?” Trows were thought to be little yet hideous creatures that aided fairies.

“I didn’t say it made sense. I only said that is what they call me.”

“I’ll not be calling ye that. Mayhap my first law as laird of the clan will be to do away with such nonsense.”

Alec stopped again, glaring at Shane. “Don’t even think of doing such a thing. I’ll not have you calling attention to me like that.”

“I wouldn’t do that.” They took up walking again. “Once I put Deirdre to rights and take care of things, I plan to sneak off back to my small, quiet cottage.” And my deliciously tempting wife, he added in his mind. “I’d rather not call attention to myself.”

Alec snorted. “As if no one will notice the laird.” The last word was said with an edge, as it had the first time he’d said it.

“Do ye have something to say about me being laird?” If there was a problem between them over who had inherited the title, it would be best to address it now.

“Of course not, but you’re the laird. And ye look the way ye do—the women in the keep will be tripping over one another to get to you.” While Shane was becoming accustomed to the marks on his brother’s face, he noticed how much worse they looked when Alec frowned or glared, as he was doing then.

“Do they not do the same for the war chief?” Alec held a place of power in the clan and as such would be thought of as a good husband.

This question earned a growl and a glare.

“Women run the other way when they see me.”

Shane glanced at him, taking in the scar on his brother’s otherwise handsome face. It was daunting, yes. But after one got used to it, it was easy to overlook.

“It isn’t that bad. I assume your cock still works?”

Alec gave Shane a shove that nearly knocked him off his feet. “I’ll thank ye not to worry yourself over my cock, ye bastard.”

They were silent the rest of the way to the castle.

“Ye on the door, open for the MacPherson laird,” Alec called up to the guards, who cranked the door open in a matter of seconds. In the bailey, people stopped and stared.

“Are they looking at you or me, Alec?”

“Who knows? People don’t know how to keep their eyes to their work and let others go about their own business.” That last part was grumbled loud enough for those around them to hear, and Shane thought perhaps the name Trow wasn’t given to him on account of his face but for his surly attitude.

The bailey looked as it always had, but the frowns on the faces of the people gave the place an air of despair. He’d felt the same on his short trips into the village. How bad had things become? And more importantly, what could he do to repair the damage his father and stepmother had done?

They moved through the great hall, which was vacant except for a few maids cleaning the tables. New tapestries hung at either end. One was of a couple. When he looked closer, he realized it was supposed to be his father and Deirdre. At the other end was an angel. But, once again, he saw it had Deirdre’s likeness to it. He snorted a laugh. “An angel?”

“I have no words,” Alec said and continued toward the stairs.

No words were necessary. Shane remembered well enough how infatuated his father had been with his Deirdre. No doubt the older man saw his wife as an angel. Shane had thought Maria an angel when they’d first met, and Lindsay had seemed heaven-sent as she helped heal his aching heart. Still, he’d never spend needed money to have their likenesses made into a tapestry that took up the bulk of the wall.

Shane and Alec headed into what had been his father’s study. Now, he supposed it was his. Though he had no plans to spend much time in it, if it could be helped. Deirdre’s head snapped up when they entered the room, and from the way her lips pulled together it was clear she was ready to yell at anyone who might deign to interrupt her. But when she saw him, her lips pulled into a wide grin, just as false as it had always been.

His stepmother was only pleasant when it suited her and only to those who had the ability to do something for her. Shane expected he now fell into that role.

“Dearest son,” she said as she rushed to him with arms held wide. She was, of course, dressed in a fine gown with a choker of emeralds around her neck. The cost of it could have fed a few families. He allowed the embrace, but when he moved to pull away her grin was replaced with tears. “Oh, your poor father so wished he would have lived long enough to see you again.”

Instead of stepping away, she drew closer and wept on his shirt. Fake as they may have been, they still made the fabric wet. “I’m just so glad you’ve finally made it home. As soon as the Wallaces arrive, the wedding can take place as your father wanted.”

Unwilling to go into the issue of a wedding that wouldn’t happen and get into an argument with his stepmother as soon as he walked in the door, he simply changed the subject.

“What needs to be tended to first? I don’t plan to stay in the castle. I’m set up in Ronan’s cottage, and for now I wish to stay there.”

Deirdre frowned but didn’t argue. “How is my sweet Ronan?”

Shane had never known Ronan to be sweet since the day he showed up at Cluny Castle at ten years of age.

“He is well. We parted ways so he could see his grandfather. I imagine he’ll find his way here at some point.”

“It will be so wonderful to have all my sons home again.”

“But just your sons?” Tory said with a snide look as she entered the room.

Shane broke out in a smile to see his younger sister before he picked her up and twirled her about.

“Ye grew into a bonny lass, Victoria,” Shane said. She had been full grown at eight and ten when he’d last seen her, but the years had added a maturity she hadn’t had back then.

“Put me down, ye big lout,” his tiny sister complained at his mishandling of her. But as before with Alec, Shane was the oldest and therefore had the right to devil his younger siblings as he saw fit.

“Verra well, I’ll not twist ye about,” he said as he reached out and ruffled her hair, which he knew she hated just as well.

She batted his hand away, but he saw the smile on her lips. “Welcome home, brother. It’s good to see ye.” Her smile slipped as she leaned closer. “Is Ronan truly well?” she whispered.

Tory and Ronan were the same age, and Shane had noticed more than once the hearts in his sister’s eyes when she looked at their stepbrother. Shane wondered if Ronan’s absence was the reason she’d not yet married. Was she waiting for the heir of the Grants to make an offer for her? There was no reason for an alliance with the Grants, since they were already allies.

But Shane didn’t have any plans to marry his sister off to anyone she didn’t wish to marry, so if Ronan wanted her, Shane would bless the match even though it made him squeamish to think of his brother and sister marrying. Even if they didn’t share the same blood.

“Shane was just getting settled. Tory, would you let the kitchens know the new laird has arrived and have them plan a feast for this evening’s meal?”

Before Tory could reply, Shane put up his hand. “No feast. No announcement of any kind to anyone. I wish to ease into my new responsibilities as laird. I’ve been away for a while, and I’d like time to myself after years spent in a foreign land with men by my side every second of the day and night.”

Deirdre frowned but must’ve realized he wasn’t asking for her permission. “Still, I will have my things moved from the laird’s chamber so it will be ready for ye when your new bride arrives.”

At the word “bride,” Shane thought of the woman who was probably waiting for him in the cottage by now. He’d not had ink or parchment to pen her a note telling her where he’d gone, but she most likely assumed he was out hunting. Doran would keep her safe until Shane returned. “Keep your things where they are for now. I’ll let ye know when they need to be moved. Is there anything pressing for me to do here today?”

“I’m sure you’ll find I have things well in hand,” Deirdre said, waving dismissively at several piles of correspondence on the laird’s large desk. He couldn’t help but notice the way Tory rolled her eyes and the unpleasant sound Alec made behind him.

“Even still, I believe I should like to look over the books.”

“You plan to take over the finances?” Deirdre seemed a bit nervous now, which told Shane he would probably not be able to return to his wife in the next few hours.

“It is the task of the laird, is it not?”

“Aye, but as you said, you’re getting settled. Mayhap you would prefer I keep the accounting of them until you’ve seen to other things. There is the matter of the unrest with the MacColls, and the Camerons attempted a raid just a fortnight ago.”

“I’ll see to those things tomorrow, but, for today, I wish to see the ledgers. I canna very well plan a siege on an enemy until I know what funds I have for weapons. I also saw we have little to harvest as far as grain and not many cows or sheep in the fields.”

Deirdre waved her hand dismissively. “Ungrateful barbarians, the lot of them. They didn’t want to pay their due and then abandoned the clan before the planting.”

“Still, there would’ve been time to get others to see to it. With no grain, we’ll not have anything to feed people.”

Another wave of her bejeweled hand. “It will be fine. No need to worry over it.”

“That’s right, brother—no need to worry.” Alec rolled his eyes. “And I can help ye with the books. Ye have little to no funds. It’s why me and my men defend the castle with no more than sticks and a few dull daggers.” Alec scowled again, and Shane thought it might be the only gesture the man knew how to make.

Deirdre laughed louder than was usual for a casual bit of mirth. In fact, Shane thought the sound bordered on maniacal. “Alec is only jesting. Everything is fine.”

“I will see for myself, and if he isn’t jesting, we will rectify the state of the armory immediately. If we can’t defend the castle, we are limited in what we might do about the MacColls and the Camerons.”

The Camerons… He’d hate to have to wage war with his new wife’s family. But she wasn’t of high enough rank to create an alliance with their enemy clan. If anything, he may anger them even more by having taken one of their women to wed without anyone’s permission. He could only hope they would approve of the union when they learned he’d done so to protect her from her rotten uncle. “The books,” he said again, more sternly as he moved behind the desk.

Deirdre reluctantly stepped out of the way. “You’ll let me know if you have any questions.”

“If something seems amiss, you will be the first person I’ll see.”

The woman’s face, still striking, turned pale as he took his seat, hoping things were not as bad as they seemed.