A Laird and a Fugitive (Rebel Highland Brides #1)

Chapter 1

T he wind whipped through Caroline’s light-brown hair. A terrified expression marred her beauty. A fierce sense of protection filled her heart. Flanking her were her younger sisters. Nessa was nineteen, two years Caroline’s junior. Her hair was a shade darker than Caroline’s.

All the sisters shared the same sapphire eyes, with subtle distinctions. Caroline’s were as pure blue as the sea, shimmering with mystery. Nessa’s were flecked with hints of brown and green, reflecting the lush, natural world around them. Tara’s eyes were bright and dazzling, filled with youthful hope and curiosity. Her hair was auburn, hair of smoldering heat.

It was Tara who stumbled over a fallen log. She gasped. Caroline reached out instinctively, grabbing her arm, preventing her from hurtling to the ground.

“We need tae keep moving,” Nessa hissed, her eyes flashing with panic as they stopped momentarily.

Caroline twisted her neck to look at the brooding Keep behind them. Formidable against the wan light of the Highlands, clouded in what seemed like a perennial mist, it filled her with dread. No longer was it their home.

“Give her a wee moment,” Caroline snapped. She didn’t want to scold Nessa, but tensions were running high.

From their vantage point, they could see the entrance to the Keep. It was a yawning mouth, and from it poured guards that obeyed their new master. How fickle loyalty was, Caroline mused. Only yesterday they had obeyed her father, the true Laird of the Gilmour Clan, but then he passed on to the next world and his brother took over.

Caroline shuddered. The man had always given her a sense of evil. There was a certain look in his eyes, as though malevolence had taken residence there a long time ago and had festered since then, rotting the man from the inside. Her father had been kind, generous, and good-humored. His brother was the complete opposite. It was as though at birth the good and the bad of the world had been split between the two brothers; the glowing, shining qualities pouring into her father, while the nasty qualities were given to her uncle.

This man, the most powerful man in the clan, now strode out of the Keep with a glowering menace in his eyes. His long cloak, as red as blood, billowed behind him. The clan emblem rested upon his chest, near his heart. It had been stripped from Caroline’s father as soon as the last breath had been taken. Everything that had been his now belonged to her uncle, and that included her.

It had always been her father’s wish for her to marry a neighboring laird. At twenty-one years of age, she had been excited to do her duty for her family and establish an alliance with another clan. She imagined herself meeting a striking laird, youthful in nature, as powerful as the elements themselves, that would sweep her off her feet and cause her heart to tremble with excitement. They were the dreams of a naive young girl, and reality was swiftly forcing her to dispel these notions.

“Can we dae this?” Tara panted, clutching her chest.

Nessa rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

“If we dinnae keep moving, then they’re gaeing tae catch us.”

“But would it… would it be such a bad thing tae leave? It’s our home,” Tara said weakly.

Caroline pressed her lips together, forming a thin line. The delicate features of her face were hardened by grim determination. While she pitied Tara, this decision was not a selfish one.

“We cannae stay there, nae now Da is dead. There is nae protection for us. Ye know what he wants from us,” Caroline said, meaning their uncle.

“We know what he wants from ye ,” Tara replied, a dark look in her eyes.

Caroline felt tension rush through the core of her body. While she felt pity for her sister, it only went so far. She approached Tara and grabbed her wrist tightly, enough to make Tara gasp. She hissed her words directly into Tara’s ears, hoping that her youngest sister would see sense.

“Aye, he wants tae marry me off, but what dae ye think awaits the two of ye? Even if I left alone he would simply move on tae the next one, and then the next,” Caroline shifted her gaze between her two sisters.

Nessa shuddered at the thought of marrying her uncle, wrapping her arms across her chest, while Tara dipped her head, subdued.

“And even if I stay, he will only marry ye off tae the highest bidder. He dinnae care for treaties, only gold. And one of ye might even be saved for Ken.”

The thought was like a curse. Ken was their cousin, brooding and distant, he was more like a presence that haunted the castle than a man. Caroline had found him once when they were younger, standing above a toad. It had been cut down the middle, the guts spilled out. Ken had been holding a sharp stick. Pieces of the toad clung to the tip.

It wasn’t the gruesome sight that had chilled Caroline the most, but rather Ken’s reaction. He looked oddly calm, as though nothing was out of the ordinary. When she asked him what had happened, he replied that he just wanted to see what the toad looked from the inside, as though the toad’s wishes meant nothing to him, nor did he care that his curiosity had taken a life.

Sons were often reflections of her fathers, and Caroline dreaded what her life would have been like as Laird Gilmour’s wife. The thought of those spindly fingers caressing her hair, the yellowed teeth breathing foul breath upon her, the weight of his ghoulish body insisting upon her virtue… She clamped her eyes shut and forced the thoughts from her mind before they could become too vivid.

She would rather have died than suffered the fate of being his wife.

“It’s nae our home any longer,” she continued. “I know it’s hard, but we cannae stay here and be safe. There is naebody tae look out for us. Everyone is loyal tae him now. It’s his clan, nae ours. We can only look out for each other. Come on, we need tae keep moving,” Caroline said this more gently than Nessa. While still holding Tara’s hand, she broke into a gentle run.

The guards were spilling out of the Keep. Dogs followed, barking madly. Caroline’s heart was in her throat. She curled her hands into fists and grit her teeth. Pain flared in her legs, her ankles—in fact, every inch of her was suffused with pain. She ignored it all, though, because if they hesitated for one moment, then they would be dragged back to their Keep, and she could not imagine their uncle giving them another chance to escape. Chains would await them. They would be prisoners in their own home, shackled to a grim destiny without any hope of escape.

Caroline was not going to let that happen, at least not for Nessa and Tara. She glanced towards her sisters. Nessa had always been the swiftest of them. She broke out ahead. Caroline slowed to keep pace with Tara, who needed more encouragement. The sounds of the hunting party were getting closer and closer.

“This way,” Nessa said, pointing to a nearby stream. The girls splashed through the cold water. It soaked their legs and dresses, the chill seeming to seep into their skin. Caroline bit down on her tongue to suffocate a gasp. They scrambled up the opposite banks.

“The dogs will lose our scent,” she replied.

No doubt it was a lesson she had learned from their father, Caroline thought. He had often taken Nessa hunting. In fact, he had tried with all three of his daughters, but Nessa was the only one who took to it naturally.

“Up here, we cannae outrun them. We need tae wait for darkness tae fall,” Nessa said, gesturing to a tree. She ran towards the trunk and jumped up, taking hold of a gnarled branch. The leaves were thick and leathery. She pulled herself up, legs swinging, until she was straddling the branch. Caroline turned to Tara.

“I cannae.” Tara was shaking her head.

“Ye must,” Caroline urged.

She put her hands against Tara’s hips. Nessa reached down. Tara was sniffing and sobbing. It was hard for her, Caroline thought. It was hard for them all. In the distance, the dogs were barking, horses whinnied. Deep voices rolled through the forest like thunder, calling their names. The fine hair on the back of Caroline’s neck prickled.

“Ye can dae this, Tara,” Caroline said, and used all her strength to lift Tara up.

She jumped and Nessa grabbed a hold of her wrists. Tara dangled for a moment before kicking out against the trunk, using it to climb up. She was shaking her head and muttering to herself as she did so. When she was hoisted up to the branch, she began adjusting her disheveled dress and smoothed down her hair, backing away to the far end of the branch that flowed into the trunk. She drew her knees into her chest and breathed heavily, her eyes wide with fear.

Nessa was still dangling from the branch, stretching out her hand. Caroline fixed her face in determination and hitched up her dress. The damp clothes were cold against her palms. Water trickled from her boots, quickly absorbed by the hungry soil. She summoned all her might and jumped up, pressing her foot against the trunk, using it as leverage. She clung to Nessa’s hand.

Nessa strained and pulled Caroline up with a heaving exhortation. Caroline was draped over the branch like clothes drying on a line. She pulled herself up into a sitting position.

“We need tae get higher,” Nessa warned. Caroline nodded in agreement, for they were on the lowest branch. Tara groaned.

“Dae ye want someone tae see ye? If they realize we’re up here, they’ll have us cornered,” Nessa said. She began climbing, moving about the tree as naturally as a squirrel. Caroline took a moment to speak with compassion to Tara.

“I know this is hard. It’s nae what any of us planned. Believe me, I dinnae want any of this tae happen. But it is happening, and it’s my job tae keep ye safe. I hae been daeing it for all ye life, aye?”

“Aye,” Tara replied reluctantly.

“Then trust me again now. I know ye are tired. I know ye are hurt. But we cannae allow our uncle’s men tae find us. Whatever fate awaits us, we share,” Caroline said, although in her heart she knew she was lying.

A look of resolve came upon Tara’s face. She inhaled deeply and then rose, wringing out her skirt. She went ahead, following Nessa’s path. Caroline trailed behind her. As they ascended the tree, the ground became more distant, and more dangerous. A fall from this height would kill them. Caroline tried not to look down, for her head became dizzy with vertigo when she did. Nessa kept climbing and climbing. The leaves rustled as they passed.

Eventually, Nessa stopped. There was a wide network of branches that were obscured from view by a thick veil of leaves. Tara once again positioned herself against the trunk. Caroline leaned down, straining her ears to listen for the hunters. She put her finger to her lips, indicating to her sisters that they should remain silent.

The next few moments were filled with tension. Caroline’s heart beat so loudly she feared it would give them away. Their wet clothes emphasized the cold, and it made them shiver. It wasn’t long before they heard the dogs yapping near the stream. The heavy boots of men splashed across the water.

“They cannae hae gone far,” one of them grunted.

“Let’s fan out. They must be here. Can ye imagine the reward we’ll get if we’ll find them?”

“Aye, perhaps a night with one of them.” The man cackled.

Caroline winced at the evil intent. Tara and Nessa recoiled. This world that had seemed so safe for them had suddenly become dangerous. Without their father to protect them, Caroline struggled to see a way forward. But she reminded herself that she was a well-educated young woman, the daughter of a Laird. Pride flowed through her blood and she was not about to wilt in the face of pressure.

She could not allow herself to suffer this fate because her sisters depended on her.

The men and dogs moved on, still calling out their names. Tara moved, intending to descend the tree, but Caroline shook her head.

“Nae yet. We need tae wait for darkness tae fall,” Caroline warned.

The pale light of the day faded. Tara slumped against the tree, her head nestled against the crook of a branch, and she fell asleep.

“I dinnae know how she can sleep at a time like this,” Nessa scowled.

“It’s been a long day,” Caroline replied.

“Aye, that it hae. I wish I hae time tae fetch my bow. I could hae taught those guards a lesson in loyalty. I cannae believe how quickly they turned on us.”

“They depend on the Laird for their coin. His word is law,” Caroline’s words were faint and shrouded in fear. “I want ye tae promise me something, Nessa. If the worst should happen, I want ye tae take Tara far away from here. Be safe. Find a small part of the world and hide.”

Nessa frowned. “Ye will be there with us all the way. What are ye saying, Caroline?”

Caroline lifted her head and looked at Nessa directly. There was a resigned look in her eyes. “We may nae be able tae flee. I cannae imagine our uncle is gaeing tae stop until he marries me tae establish his power. If we are chased, I will give myself up, but ye and Tara must keep running.”

Nessa’s eyes flashed with panic. “Nae! Caroline, hae ye lost yer mind?”

“It might be the only way tae ensure yer safety. I will nae allow ye and Tara tae suffer at the hands of our uncle.”

“And we will nae let ye suffer either,” Nessa argued back, just as stubborn as her sister. “I dinnae know why ye get tae make this decision. What if I wanted tae sacrifice myself tae save the two of ye?”

Caroline lifted her head and wore an indignant expression. “I am the eldest. It’s my responsibility tae look after ye. It’s what Da and Ma would hae wanted.”

Nessa wore a sullen expression. “I am nae letting that happen. We’re in this taegether, nae matter what.”

They waited for a long time until the veil of night shrouded the world. Stars twinkled above, and a crescent moon looked as though a thief had cut a slit in the night sky, stealing all of its secrets. Caroline and Nessa felt as though enough time had passed for them to move. They nudged Tara awake, who yawned and quickly huffed as she was reminded that their current situation was not a nightmare. One by one, they shimmied down the tree, landing with a soft thump. The forest was quiet.

“Let’s gae, quickly,” Caroline said.

“Where are we gaeing?” Tara asked.

“Away from the Keep,” Caroline replied.

She didn’t have a singular destination in mind, she only knew that she needed to put as much distance between them and the Keep as possible. She assumed that if she traveled in a straight line, then even in darkness she would make a lot of progress. They kept low, skulking between trees and keeping themselves obscured between shrubs. They stopped occasionally when they heard a suspicious noise, before continuing. Tara was directly behind Caroline and tugged at her hand when a wolf howled in the distance. Their uncle was not the only danger lurking in the woods.

“We should be careful we dinnae creep intae Knox territory,” Nessa warned.

“Why nae? Perhaps we could find help in another clan,” Tara asked, sweet, naive Tara.

Nessa let out a dark laugh. “Nae with the way Laird Knox treats trespassers. I heard he hanged a hundred men last year. ”

“We dinnae need tae know the details,” Caroline cut Nessa off before she could inflame any more fear. Tara was already frightened enough. “If our path is true, then we should nae come anywhere near Knox territory. I’m sure we will find an inn along the way, and we can find lodgings for the night. Think of the hot meal waiting for us, and the comfortable bedding.”

Tara found this easier to imagine than the others.

Fatigue tugged at Caroline’s muscles. Hunger gnawed in her stomach like an angry beast. It became more and more difficult to keep her eyes open, and there were moments when the world seemed to spin around her.

They came across a small campfire. The smell of roasted meat drifted towards them, and never had she experienced anything more alluring. But around the campfire were two guards. Nessa was adamant she could sneak in and steal some food. Before Caroline could warn her against it, the headstrong Nessa was already moving.

She nimbly skipped into the camp and moved like a shadow. She reached into one of the supply bags and pulled out some wrapped food, but as she withdrew her hand the bag slumped down, and a buckle clinked.

Nessa moved quickly. Caroline and Tara turned. They sprinted away before the other guards could give chase, but then they hit what felt like a brick wall. The girls fell back, gasping. Caroline looked up and saw the mean snarl of a guard. She went to scream, but a hand was clamped around her mouth.

The sisters were bound, gagged, and blindfolded. They were dragged back across the land. Caroline’s heart sank that their escape had been short-lived. The terrain changed from soft soil to hard stone. Pressure was placed on her knees, forcing her to kneel. Suddenly, the blindfold was lifted, and she was looking up at a man whose appearance was spoken about in whispered fears.

She had miscalculated their path.

They were now in the clutches of Laird Knox.