Released By the Highlander (Highlander Bride #1)

Chapter 1

Mazey shivered in the cold and pulled the blanket tighter around her thin shoulders. Even with the fire going, the little house rarely stayed warm. She made it through the winter by wrapping up and staying in bed a lot, but the late spring mornings were icy. Lack of food hurt worse than the cold.

Her husband would be home soon and supper still cooked on the fire. She didn’t know what to do. If she served the food half cooked, complaints of flavor would lead to an argument. If he got home, and the food was still cooking it would upset him she hadn’t completed the chores she earned.

She took too long gathering herbs and roots for their soup.

It was her own fault, really. She had a particular idea about what she wanted the soup to taste like today and searched for a particular herb in the forest. A little injured bird also distracted her.

She used two sticks to put the bird back in the nest, but it took time.

She heard scuffling outside, and the door opened. Her husband, Hume, walked in. His cold brown eyes seemed less irritated than usual. She took a deep breath, smoothed down her messy brown hair with one hand and stood up to greet him. He liked it when she kissed him when he came home.

“It’s nice to see ye, husband.” Mazey kissed his thin lips and bent down to untie his boot. She helped him get settled in the chair next to the fire.

“Where’s supper?” He spoke in a quiet voice. That voice meant he already knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from her.

“Ah got distracted while ah was looking for some herbs for the soup. It’s almost done, though. Maybe ah can keep ye occupied otherwise before supper.” She could sometimes distract him by offering sex if she did something wrong.

His hand went up to his face and rubbed the shadow that showed up since he left for his guard shift. His jaw was strong. She rarely noticed anymore how handsome he was. His good looks won her over when she was young, but his sour disposition dimmed the way she saw him until he was almost repulsive.

His voice didn’t change and Mazey cringed. “Ah don’t need that today.”

She was surprised. Usually he wanted to bed her every day.

“Nah, ah met a lass in the stables. She took care of me.”

Shock passed through Mazey that froze her limbs. She suspected him of dallying with a lass or two throughout their union, but he denied it. “Oh?” She tried to sound nonchalant, but she couldn’t keep the quiver out of her voice.

“Aye, best breasts ah’ve seen. Not like yers.

Hers were full and buoyant. Right bonnie.

It was refreshing. Her skin was milky white.

Tasted like it. Ye’re as plain as any woman ah’ve seen.

And yer face is just covered in those freckles.

” He stood up, stretching then returned to his seat.

“Ye know, maybe ah just might take ye up on yer offer. Ah’m feeling rather randy again just thinking about her. ”

She didn’t know what to say. The numbness still spread through her.

“Can’t ye just go find that lass again? Ah mean if she’s better’n me then maybe ye should wed her instead.

” Immediate regret filled her belly like a cold stone.

She hadn’t prepared dinner on time and she disrespected her husband. She deserved a fierce punishment.

She saw anger flash in his eyes. “Yer my wife and ah’ll lay with ye whenever ah wish it. Ah’ll not be told ah can’t by the likes of ye.” He stood up and undid the belt that held up his kilt.

She knew how this could unfold. If she cooperated and didn’t fuss, it would hurt less.

If she fought him or resisted, he would hit her, or worse.

Sometimes he hit her so hard, he would blacken her eye or bloody her nose.

Then, for fear of him being found out, he would make her stay in the house until it healed.

She removed her clothes, and just as he grabbed her waist, she felt a peculiar sensation.

It was a bump, a nudge inside her belly.

It felt like the light flutters of butterfly wings.

She would ignore it, but, the nudge happened again.

It was undeniable. Her worst fear came to pass.

What if he hit her today or tomorrow and ended the pregnancy again?

She still hadn’t gotten over the loss of the last child she held in her womb.

She did the only thing she knew would work. “Ah think ah’m bleeding now. Ah don’t mean to be crass, but ah know how much ye dislike that.”

Hume made a face of disgust and scrunched up his nose. “Well, then ah’ll just have to go out tonight. That lass ah was with today said she would be at the tavern.”

His anger dispelled, which was unusual. Mazey breathed easier. What am I going to do?

Hume threw his clothes and kilt on and walked out the door without further ado. She fell onto the chair in the room's corner and wept.

Normally, when something upset her, Mazey would find her dear friend Malmuira.

They met after Mazey wed Hume at a young age.

Malmuira was kind and understanding. She confided in her like a sister.

Unfortunately, Malmuira wasn’t available.

Her faither sent her off to the Murray clan to marry the clan chief’s son.

A political move but Malmuira was strong. She would be okay.

Mae, the servant, accompanied Malmuira in her travels.

Unfortunately, she didn’t really know that many more people around the keep.

Hume kept her home and busy most of the day.

She contemplated the people around her and wondered who would be the most discreet.

Malmuira had a sister by marriage that was older than Mazey.

Lara Murray Buchanon was a trusted ally to Malmuira, so Mazey thought perhaps that was the best place to start.

She had a child and would know what to do.

Mazey headed out of the house under cover of night, to the keep.

She hoped her husband wouldn’t return in her absence or she would get a terrible beating.

Lara lived in a part of the keep with her husband, Balloch, and their child.

Balloch would be the next Clan Chief, so he often visited neighboring clans and their people.

The guards all knew her on sight and nodded to her in the corridors. “Evening, Mazey,” one of them mumbled as she passed the entrance.

She didn’t even pause for formality. She was far too nervous to greet them. Her hands shook, and she bit down on her lip to keep herself from crying. Trembling, she tried to steady her gait. This was a terrible idea, but she didn’t know what else to do.

Lara and Balloch’s door was the second on the left. It was highly irregular for her to be visiting so late, but Mazey felt like this might be an emergency. She rapped on the door and waited for Lara or Balloch to answer.

The answer came rather quickly, despite the late hour. Lara poked her head out the door and smiled. “How are ye? Ah was just tucking the little one into bed.”

Mazey hesitated. Once she asked for help, it could not be unasked. “Ah’m sorry to interrupt ye. Ah don’t know what else to do.”

Lara’s face wore a look of concern. “Balloch’s out on a scouting trip. Come in and visit.” She stepped aside and let Mazey inside her quarters.

The room felt warm and comfortable. Her bairn was on the bed in the room's corner, sound asleep. Her beautiful brown curls looked angelic. The fire danced in the hearth merrily and the furniture was worn, but cozy. Mazey felt out of place in their little home.

“Lara, ah need yer help. Yer advice,” she began. Lara motioned for her to sit at one chair near the fire. She joined Lara and put her arms around her knees, pulling them in close to her.

“What is it?”

Mazey took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Ah’m with child.”

Lara smiled, but then frowned. “Ye don’t seem happy about it.”

“Ah have something ah have told no one.” She trembled.

She steeled her nerves. “Ah was with child once before. Hume hit me so hard, I lost the baby. Ah bled for two weeks before she passed.” Her voice cracked and her chest felt tight.

It was hard to breathe. She sobbed into her hands and Lara jumped up and rubbed her back.

“Ah never knew.” She took Mazey’s hand in hers. “And now ye’re scared it’ll happen again?”

Mazey sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Aye, and now ah can feel the baby move, and ah know ah have to get away from him. He gets so angry all the time. Ah know ah’m supposed to stay with him, but ah want this bairn to live.”

Lara put her arms around Mazey in a tight hug. “We can do this. We need to talk to Balloch’s faither.”

Mazey grasped Lara’s arm. “Nay, ah don’t think that’s a good idea. What if he tells my husband? That would make him so angry.” She shuddered at the thought of what would happen to her if her husband found out she told anyone.

Lara patted Mazey’s arm and made soothing sounds. “Mazey, he won’t tell yer husband if ah ask him not to. The worst that will happen is he won’t want to help. Ah know Baile. He’ll be discreet.”

Mazey hesitated, but Lara looked so confident, her nerves calmed. “Aye, ah’ll speak to him. But please, make sure he doesn’t tell my husband.”

Lara nodded and led Mazey out the door, while her little one continued to sleep.

Baile wasn’t difficult to find. After years of spending time with Malmuira she knew that he was usually working on something important, whether that be paperwork, writing letters or contemplating something important.

This all occurred in the study that held many childhood memories.

She hated to interrupt, but Lara insisted.

“Don’t worry, Mazey. He won’t mind one bit if we interrupt for something important. And he isn’t likely to retire to bed soon. He has been working on trade agreement proposals and many more topics that’ll probably keep him up all night.”

Lara knocked on the door while Mazey waited next to her, twisting her dress in her hands. “Enter,” she heard Baile holler through the door.