Chapter Twenty-Nine #2
“Really, I dinnae ken what my father was thinking.” She huffed out an exasperated sigh. “Actually, I do. And I am no’ happy to be part of his plan. He will have to find a way to continue Auchenford without bargaining off is family. Or, sad as ’twill be, Auchenford will fall.”
“I am sorry, Love. I ken that is a hard realization.”
She shrugged. “’Tis as ’tis meant to be. I love my parents, but I cannot continue to be controlled by them. And father will need to learn to depend on himself.”
“Ye are a wise woman. Has anyone e’er told ye so?”
Alana laughed. “Nay, ye are the verra first.”
The road split ahead of them, one way leading to the village that Rory had arrived at to escort Alana to Caer Rannoch, and the other leading to Hartsmoor.
Rory halted the horse, taking a deep breath. He was finally home. Home. He hadn’t really ever felt that way at Hartsmoor. Only when he was hiking or scaling mountains did he feel at home.
But for the first time in years, he felt differently about the place he grew up. He wanted to show Alana Hartsmoor.
“Is something amiss?” Alana asked, looking at him over her shoulder.
Rory shook his head. “Nay. E’erything is as it should be.” He dipped his head to the right. “Hartsmoor is just down that way. Are ye ready?”
She squeezed his forearms, and nodded. “I have ne’er been more ready for aught in my life.” She turned and faced him. “We are in this together. You and I Rory. Together we can handle any situation.”
He bent and kissed the tip of her nose. “I appreciate yer vote of confidence. I wish I could match it. I just want to start the conversations and settle e’erything. Only then, will I be able to feel the relief of kenning that our future together has been established.”
*
Rory got a sense of deja vu as he entered the courtyard of Hartsmoor Castle.
Waiting for him, just the same as the last time he’d entered the courtyard, was his father, arms crossed, a stern expression knitting his brows together.
Only this time, his older brother, Alpin stood beside his father, equally as formidable.
In front of him, Alana stiffened, and he heard her catch her breath.
“Dinnae fash, Bluebell. They are making a point, and ’tis directed at me.”
He slowed the horse to a stop and dismounted. Turning to Alana, he lifted her off and onto the ground, ensuring that she was steady afore letting her go.
“Da, Alpin,” Rory addressed the two men. “This is Alana Duran.”
Immediately, Alana dropped into a low curtsy. “Laird Hart, Master Alpin. I am honored to meet ye.”
Arthur Hart sighed. “Stand tall, Miss Alana. Ye neednae bow to me. Especially since it seems ye will soon be part of the family. I and my sons have much to discuss. I will bring ye to meet my—”
“They are here!” A shrill cry came from the bailey, and his three sisters ran outside, his mother close on their heels.
Rushing over to them, his youngest sister, Morven, arrived first, skidding to a halt, and smiling wide. “Ye are beautiful!” She exclaimed, causing Alana to blush. Rory couldn’t help but notice how fetching she looked with pink tinging her cheeks.
“Morven!” Moira scolded, approaching them with a huge smile on her face. “Remember yer manners. Ye dinnae want to scare the poor girl afore she e’en has a chance to ken us. I am Moira.”
“Och, she is fine,” Alana said politely. “Thank ye for the welcome.”
“And I’m Eilidh, the only level-headed one of the sisters.”
Moira and Morven scoffed simultaneously.
“Alana. ’Tis lovely to meet ye, dear.” His mother wrapped Alana in a warm hug. “Please ignore them. It appears I have raised heathens incapable of manners. I do hope my Rory has treated ye better.”
Alana curtsied. “He was verra kind.”
Lillias Hart gave her a warm smile. “I am glad to hear that.” She lifted on her tiptoes and kissed Rory on the cheek, patting his chest. “She is bonny,” she whispered in his ear.
“Go with yer da. Explain yerself. He will understand eventually.” She squeezed his hand and then turned to Alana, holding her hand out.
“Come, let us leave the men to discuss matters no’ of concern to us.
Ye must be famished and exhausted. We shall get ye a hot meal and then an e’en hotter bath. ”
With a glance at Rory, she gave him a smile that made her eyes dance, and then allowed herself to be led away by his mother and sisters.
He watched until they disappeared inside and then turned his gaze to his father and brother, and now, Errol, Moira’s husband who had joined them.
“Weel,” his father started, “this was not the expected outcome I had anticipated when I tasked ye with this mission. But seeing the way yer eyes follow her e’ery move like a lovesick mutt, I would say we have much to discuss.”
“Da, I—”
Arthur held a hand up, silencing him. “No’ here.” He turned and started toward the castle, the others following him inside and to his study.
Rory entered after his father, Alpin after him, and Errol last, shutting the door behind them.
At the sideboard, Arthur poured drams of whiskey and passed them out to everyone. He took a long swallow, nearly emptying the glass, and then refilled it afore sitting at his desk.
“The missive I received from MacDonell was no’ a happy one.”
“He was an arse to Alana. He—”
Arthur cut Rory off again. “I ken weel of MacDonell’s countenance. The spoilt twit thinks too much of himself. Howe’er, rightly so, he feels wronged.” He pierced Rory with serious eyes. “Ye were there to deliver the man his wife, no’ to fall in love with her and whisk her away.”
“I did escort her there. I handed her to him. Kenning that was my duty. I fulfilled it.”
Arthur raised a brow in question. “Ye delivered him a deflowered wife that was so besotted with ye that he could do naught with her.”
Rory went to answer, but snapped his mouth shut. He couldn’t deny the truth his father spoke.
“What is done is done. We cannae change that. Howe’er, MacDonell is threatening war unless he receives the restitution he has demanded. ’Tis a mighty sum.”
Rory scrubbed at his face, realizing his beard needed a trim. The thought improper for the seriousness of the conversation happening currently.
Arthur looked at Errol, and then back to Rory.
“I dinnae ken how I have managed to raise children that go against all the normal pathways of finding love.” He regarded Alpin.
“I can only hope ye and yer sisters will follow a more traditional path. First, I had to deal with the MacLeod for Moira, and now the MacDonell for Rory.”
Alpin raised his hands in defense. “Dinnae look to me. I’ve no plans on marrying anytime soon.”
“What of Effie?”
Alpin’s face grew serious. “We are nay longer courting.”
Rory frowned, wanting to ask what had happened, but Arthur cleared his throat, rapping his knuckles on the wooden desktop to draw their attention back to him.
“Back to the issue at hand. MacDonell is expecting a lot of coin for yer actions. The Duran’s will be here in the next few days. Since they agreed to this match by promising Alana to MacDonell for a hefty sum, am I correct to believe they dinnae have the coffers to pay back what has been given?”
Rory gave a stiff nod of acknowledgment.
“From the information I have been given by Alana, her father doesnae have a mind for handling finances. It sounds that he finds a new way to make a bargain e’ery few years.
When the coin runs out, he thinks of something else. Alana was his final bargaining chip.”
Arthur heaved a heavy sigh and leaned forward on his elbows, tenting his fingers under his chin.
“I apologize, Da. This wasnae aught I foresaw happening.”
Arthur chuckled at that. “Ye forget yer mother and I were brought together by a mystical legend in a well.” He smiled, easing the tension that Rory had been feeling. His shoulders relaxing a wee bit.
“What would ye like me to do? But dinnae ask me to send Alana back to her parents. I willnae. She will be my wife. Whether I have yer blessing, their blessing, or no’,” he said fiercely.
“Ye love her?” Alpin asked, sounding shocked.
“Aye. With all my heart,” he answered honestly, not caring if he sounded love swept.
For a long time, his father stared at him, until finally he spoke. “’Tis been a long time since I have seen ye passionate aboot aught but yer hiking. I will take care of MacDonell.”
It felt as if a weight had been lifted off of Rory’s shoulders. “Ye will?” He asked in surprise. Arthur nodded. “I will be fore’er in yer debt. I will repay ye, Da.”
“We can discuss semantics later. For now, go bathe, ye stink of the road, and sup. Ye look like ye’ve lost weight.”
Rory couldn’t help the huge grin that broke out on his face. “Thank ye, Da.” He bowed. “Thank ye.” He rushed from the room, to bathe and sup as his father ordered, anxious to share the news with Alana.