Chapter Twenty-Nine
My Desperate Highlander
Alex has to help his cousin Diana find a husband.
Chapter Two
Alex has the responsibility of taking care of his cousin, Diana of Drummond, who is presently betrothed to a less-than-admirable baron, while she only wishes to find her knight.
Micheil’s eyes widened, and Diana’s reaction was swift. “Do you not see, Robbie? I cannot marry the man.”
“Alex will be the judge, lass, not me.”
Micheil thought carefully about commenting about what he knew of Gow but decided to wait to hear more about their plan before he shared his thoughts. Thankfully, Alex returned.
Alex grasped his shoulder. “Come, we have a nice dining area to ourselves where we can feast and relax for a few hours before we continue on with our journey. ‘Twill be good to catch up.”
Once they settled inside, Alex ordered meat pies, cheese, bread, fruit pies, and ale.
As soon as everyone found a place, Diana said, “Tell me, my lord, what hear you of Baron Gow?”
Micheil froze. She stared at him with the deepest green eyes ever, eyes that seemed to dig into his chest and touch his very soul.
Lying, he said, “I know little of the gentleman.” Gentleman is hardly the word he would use to describe the man.
The baron’s cruelty was well known throughout the area, primarily because three wives had predeceased him.
Many in his employ believe the baron had played a part in each of the timid ladies’ death.
And his treatment of horseflesh was known to be horrendous.
Micheil would have to find an excuse to speak with Grant privately about the matter.
It was hardly appropriate dinner conversation.
“Surely, you must have heard something.” Her eyes bored into his, searching for the truth.
“I do not know him. I have never met him.” At least this was not a lie.
“‘Tis bad, is it not?” She glanced at both Alex and Robbie. “Do you see? I cannot marry the man. You cannot make me follow through with this.”
Alex leaned back in his chair. “Cousin, we are charged with ensuring your prospective husband is suitable before the marriage takes place. Do not pester us all the way there. Do you not trust Robbie and me to have your best interests in mind?”
She leaned forward over the table. “Aye, perhaps you do and you are well-meaning. I am trying to show you there is no need for us to visit the baron at all. Take me to Edinburgh and I’ll find my own husband.” Micheil was so shocked he felt his mouth fall open.
Robbie said, “You want us to allow you to walk the streets in Edinburgh until you find a man you deem suitable?”
“Father is too ill to see reason, but I would prefer anyone to that cruel, smelly old goat. Do you truly intend to sentence me to such a life? Besides, I am quite sure my knight is there.”
Micheil hid his smile. So Diana Drummond was a wee bit dramatic, or perhaps she had a secret lover in Edinburgh she planned to meet.
She switched her attention from her cousin to Micheil in a second. “And you. Stop looking at me like I am daft. I am not spoiled just because my father wished to allow me to choose my own husband.”
Robbie said, “Now, Diana. Your father did permit you to do many things most women are denied.”
“Irrelevant.” She glared at Robbie. “Now will you take me to Edinburgh, or must I find someone else to help me?”
Alex said, “Diana, we will carry out the plan we agreed upon with your sire. We promised him to take you to Falkirk to your betrothed, see if the two of you are suited, and see you married if you are. We will not bend from that, so cease begging. Your constant demands may have worked on your father until now, but they won’t sway me. I will do what I pledged.”
A range of emotions flashed through Diana’s glorious eyes as she stared at Alex.
First Micheil saw anger, then self-righteousness, fear, and finally a spark of determination.
Her voice trembled when she spoke. “As you wish.” She turned to Micheil.
“Just to inform you, I may have been spoiled by a man’s definition, but naught was done for me that wasn’t done for you, being a male. Were you taught to ride a horse?”
Micheil nodded. “Of course.”
“And to hunt?”
“Aye.”
“And to read?”
“Aye.” He knew he could not pull his gaze from hers if he tried. Something about her was absolutely mesmerizing.
“And I am the only Drummond heir. As such, I am no different than you or either of my cousins. Just because I have a woman’s shape does not mean there is aught wrong with my mind.”
Micheil nodded in agreement. Yet there was naught wrong with her body either. Her delicious curves were just the type he favored in a woman.
“And I am verra good with numbers, so I will be able to run a keep with no problem. Just because I am as capable as a man does not indicate I am spoiled. I am well-trained. Now, since my cousins refuse,” she stared directly at Micheil, “will you take me to Edinburgh? I am in need of an escort.” Then she raked her glance over the three of them, making it clear that her next words were intended for all.
“And if he denies me, I’ll go on my own.
I will not allow my betrothed to touch me. ”
Chapter Three
Alex Grant, the savage?
Late in the afternoon, their destination appeared on the horizon. Diana’s stomach did somersaults, almost bringing her to the point of gagging.
Diana rode between Alex and Micheil. Robbie brought up the rear, along with three other guards, and her cart was being drawn behind him by one of his men.
Alex had directed the other forty-some guards to stay back until he beckoned them, though Diana did not comprehend this tactic.
As they approached, she noticed a small party leaving the castle gates, headed in their direction.
The closer they came, the more her stomach churned.
The party was comprised of six horses, and as they came near, she realized she had no idea which of these men she was intended to marry.
The two parties halted, a small distance separating them.
The man in the lead of the baron’s party was tall, gray-haired, and thin, though not unattractive.
She had been told by a stable boy that Gow had a paunch, but this man did not.
He held himself with an air of superiority that Diana did not like. Could he be her betrothed?
The gray-haired man spoke first. “Alexander Grant, I presume. You escort my betrothed, Diana of Drummond?”
Diana glanced at the Grant, who was Laird and Chieftain of his own very large clan in the upper Highlands.
Alex’s demeanor changed as the man spoke, his shoulders drawing back, his hand drawing toward the hilt of his sword.
It was a subtle move, but she was close enough to detect it.
Perhaps she could trust her cousin after all.
“I am Laird Alexander Grant, and aye, I am escorting and protecting Diana of Drummond.” His chin lifted at the end of his sentence. “I must see Baron Gow.”
The gray-haired man’s gaze narrowed, never meeting her gaze or acknowledging her presence. “I am Baron Gow. And if you are in charge of my betrothed, why is she riding a horse? A woman’s place is in the cart.” He pointed to the cart as if to emphasize his argument.
“Diana prefers to ride,” Alex answered, his face void of expression. Alexander Grant was a huge man, much larger than Baron Gow. The fool had to see that, did he not?
Several seconds passed as the two leaders stared at each other, the others waiting with bated breath.
Baron Gow moved his horse toward Diana, but Micheil inched his mount closer to her right side and Alex stayed firmly seated to her left.
The baron reached out for her and snarled, “You will get off that horse, woman, and take your proper place. You do not belong alongside men.”
Diana gasped and backed away from him, clenching her reins in both hands as two swords swooped down in front of her, one from the Grant, and one from Micheil Ramsay. She had never seen anything happen so quickly.
Alex spoke, “The lady is under my charge. You will not touch her until she is transferred to your charge.” His voice radiated with authority.
“Release her to me and be on your way. I did not promise accommodations for all your men. I will see to the lady.” The baron stared at her cousin, waiting for a challenge, his men behind him poised to attack.
Alex smiled without budging from his position. “I am sure you would love to have her released to you, but as I just said, she is in my charge, and I will not leave her in your care until I deem that care to be appropriate for a lady of her station.”
Gow’s mouth twisted in a sneer that made Diana want to vomit. She prayed frantically that her cousins would not desert her with this man.
The baron turned to glare at her. “And who is going to prevent me from taking her now? You and your friends? I think not. She is mine, so she will do as I say. Her land belongs to me. It should have been mine years ago, but my ancestors were fools. You will not stop this from taking place. I have waited too long for this.”
Alex whistled and his forty guards galloped full force behind them.
Diana released her breath, not realizing until that very moment that she had been holding it.
“In the Highlands, honor requires a man to offer a night’s stay to parties on the road that are traveling a distance. No honor at your castle, Gow?”
The baron backed off and gave a grim smile.
“This move to you, Grant. I will accommodate you and four others. The rest shall remain in the bailey.” He nodded to Alex.
“I can wait to get my hands on my betrothed. When the time comes, she will learn a wife’s proper place.
” He turned his horse around and headed toward the castle, his five men trailing behind him.
Diana glanced at Alex and whispered, “My thanks, cousin.” He nodded in response, his brow furrowed. Emotion welled up inside her, threatening to unseat her.