The Iron Highlander (Highlanders for Sin #1)

Chapter 1

“Lady Kate, ye have been summoned to the great halls by Laird McGowan!” A servant announced to Kate as she sat in her bedroom.

“I’ll be with him shortly,” Kate replied.

She turned on her seat, wondering why the Laird had summoned her, especially at such an hour.

She turned back to the mirror and grabbed a comb, which she ran through her hair, preparing herself to go before him.

As she combed her thick black hair, she pondered on her last meeting with McGowan, and had seen just how nasty the man could be when he was upset.

He had watched as a part of the wall in his estate had been rebuilt by the servants, only to tell them to tear it down and rebuild it again, as they had missed a simply dismissible design.

In a fit of rage, the Laird grabbed the servant who had spoken up and flung him to the dogs.

The servant had barely survived, but that made sure that the wall was rebuilt right to the letter.

McGowan was not one to be trifled with, and she knew better than to keep him waiting.

Donning a cloak to protect herself, Kate rushed out of her chambers and out to the rain outside, heading for the great hall, where McGowan would be waiting.

As she headed for the building, she looked up at the castle, seeing lightning flash across the skies.

A few servants moved around, clearing the gutter for the waters to flow out of the compound.

Kate felt the weight of the frigid rainwater pull down on her cloak, and felt a pang of sadness for the servants who had to work under the rains to keep the lands of Laird McGowan as he desired.

She stepped into the halls, and a servant took her cloak and hung it by the door.

She smiled and thanked him, as she realized that the service was one which they had copied from the English.

Katherine smiled to herself as she began heading up the stairs.

As she moved her hand up the rail, she felt the gleam on it, and looked to see that it had been polished.

McGowan always ensured that his home was exquisite, for all of his guests to see.

The castle spoke of the riches of the Laird, with all of its fancy items, from glass holders for the candles of the castle to gold-tipped rails for the ends of his curtains.

McGowan wanted everyone to see just how much he had.

To his guests, he wanted them to see his home as a beautiful place where he was loving of all who lived in the castle.

He pretended to be jovial with his servants, and Kate and her sisters as well, but he was anything but.

Her uncle, the great Laird McGowan, was truly despicable.

McGowan was not just cruel to the servants; he was cruel to Kate and her sisters as well.

After her parents had been killed by the Laird of McDonald, McGowan had taken Kate and her sisters Freya, Willow, and Lily in.

He was a man who seemed on the edge of losing it, as he would often be incredibly cruel, and other times would act as though he was an entirely different individual.

The dual personalities made it hard for even clansmen to follow along with him, especially when there was a heated argument with the Laird.

“He has been expecting ye, Kate,” came Isla, the right hand to McGowan. The woman had been overseeing all of the activities which went on in the castle for as long as Kate could remember, being the one in charge when McGowan was away on important business.

“Hope I’m nae late,” Kate replied.

“Well that depends, doesnae?” Isla replied.

Kate pushed the doors to the halls and stepped into the great halls. As she did, a breeze from the outside followed her past the doors and threatened to take out the flames on the candles which lit up the room. She closed the door behind her.

“The much-honored Max Sweeney, Laird of McGowan.” Kate curtsied as she greeted, looking up at her uncle who sat on a fine wooden chair, carved out of the finest mahogany.

The chair had been adorned with a few rubies on its armrests, and above it, a crude lion had been skillfully carved into the chair.

From the distance, McGowan looked absolutely stunning and imposing,

“Katherine,” Max began.

“Uncle,” Kate replied. Max was the only one who had gotten away with calling her Katherine, and she absolutely despised it.

When she was younger, her mother and father had called her Katherine, and in a way, she took to it.

Everyone else had called her Kate, even the few times she met with Max, he had made sure of it, but now, with both her parents gone, he had taken it on himself to constantly remind her of what she was missing by calling her Katherine. McGowan was utterly despicable.

“Thank ye for coming out to see me under such terrible weather. I understand it is late, but there is a subject I would like to discuss, and as the eldest and only remaining member of my family, I believe ye are old and mature enough to discuss this with me.”

“To the best of my ability, I’m sure,” Kate replied, curtsying again.

“Good, please take a seat.” Max began, getting out of his own seat and helping Kate into hers.

Once done, he turned and walked towards a window, watching his servants outside as they worked under the rain.

He smiled to himself, as Kate watched his face in the window.

The smile almost looked sinister, as though he enjoyed seeing his servants suffer.

For a man who had everything, it made no sense why he would enjoy something like that.

“In all of my years ruling over this estate, I find that there are things which have simply evaded me. Despite everything which I try, I simply am unable to find it.” Lightning flashed in the sky outside, illuminating Max’s figure as he stood by the window.

His sporran dangled off the hip of his kilt.

The Laird was dressed for bed, save for the kilt.

His pale skin shone in the light of the candles.

“Katherine, I believe it is time for me to have an heir. I am getting older, and nae one knows when my time will come.”

Kate smiled, realizing that the man was right. “Aye! Max, that’s great news! I mean that is exactly what this estate needs, a beautiful woman at yer right hand, and a baby in hers! Ah, this calls for a celebration, doesnae?”

“I reckon it does, Katherine,” Max replied, staring out the window.

She looked closer, realizing the demeanor in which he had responded, and saw that he wasn’t exactly pleased with what she had said. Then it hit her, he had not yet found a bride for him to marry.

“Ah, Laird McGowan, if it pleases ye, allow me to help ye find a bride, someone who would fit right into this household. A woman who would be worthy to be called yer bride. There are a lot of great houses all around and honored women as well. But please, let me do this for ye, and I assure ye, we will find a bride, the one which ye would spend the rest of yer life with, and she would give ye a fine heir.”

Kate got to her feet and began walking over to him.

McGowan turned around, and Kate froze as she saw that look in his eyes.

The one which foretold of the cruelty which the Laird was about to dish out to whoever was in reach.

He had switched to his alternate personality that made sure it hurt everyone around.

McGowan glared at her for a moment, raising an eyebrow as he scanned her from her head to her feet.

“Ye make it sound like the bride is the problem. I have always had a bride; I just need an heir.”

Kate cocked her head to the side as she tried to make sense of what he had just said. “I do nae understand. Ye mean ye have found someone already? Where is she? We must celebrate the good news.”

“When I called ye here, I did because I believed ye were old enough to understand, believed that ye would nae ridicule me, and now, ye do exactly that. Daenae ask for my wrath, Katherine, I am in foul spirits tonight, and so daenae tempt me!”

“Apologies, I simply daenae know what ye speak off, and I ask for understanding.”

“Have ye seen a man recently?” Max asked.

“Of course nae,” Kate replied. It was almost impossible for her.

The Laird made sure he had servants with her whenever she went into the town.

They would report back to Max if there was a man who had come up to her, looking to get her attention.

If the men were of a poor household, then McGowan would send some of his servants to go rough up the man, forcing him to stay away from Kate, and if they had an estate, then McGowan would go by himself and let them know that Katherine was not for anyone.

“Good, the servants have said the same. So let me ask ye, Katherine, why do ye think I have nae given ye out? Ye would fetch a handsome dowry, so why havenae I? I deserve it, after all I have done for ye and yer sisters, raised ye as my own daughters, fed ye, clothed ye and gave ye shelter. I believe no one would have any issues if I did that, because I am indeed, yer new father figure.”

Kate grunted, “That ye are, Laird McGowan.”

“Good, so ye understand then,” said Max, turning back to the window. “Ye understand why it is ye I must make my bride.”

Kate looked right at him, frozen from what she had just heard. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard that.”

“We will have our wedding a fortnight from now. I will have the necessary arrangements made, and in the meantime, I want ye to study and learn how to behave like a proper lady. Ye will be the Lady McGowan, and there are certain things which ye need to learn. Isla will walk ye through these things and make sure ye are ready for the wedding.”

“Uncle!” Kate yelled. “Max, it’s me! What are ye saying?”

“What do ye mean?” Max asked, turning back to face her.

“Katherine, yer niece. Ye just said ye want to make me yer bride. I am yer niece, we cannae be together, ye have taken me for someone else, I’m sorry.” Kate replied, speaking quickly.

“What makes ye think I am wrong? This is my duty and my desire. I want to make ye my bride.”

“But ye are my uncle!” Kate argues.

“And fathers make daughters into wives. This is the way I have planned it to be.”

“But Max…”

“Silence, ye dobber! Yer faither died and left me in charge of ye, and I can do with ye as I want to! I have decided to keep the blood of the McGowan in the family, and that starts with ye, whether ye like it or nay. Ye do not get a say in this, and if ye want to, ye will pay back for every single dime I have spent on ye, and yer sisters to buy yer freedoms back!” Max walked the length of the room.

“Do ye nae see the advantages of us getting married? A stronger bloodline, a safer one, where the future of the McGowan name is safe.”

Kate backed away, shaking her head as she felt the tears come to her face. She watched as the man ranted on, spewing all of the nonsense that lingered in his mind. He was truly off his rocker if he believed that she was going to marry him. “But I daenae love ye, Max,”

“Ye will learn to, as ye will learn so much more. Ye will learn to.” Max smiled at her; his teeth bared in what looked like a maniacal grin.

“Ye daenae get it, do ye? I have waited for ye to mature so we can have this moment, and now that ye have, nothing will stop me from having this. Nae a damn thing, Katherine.”

He rubbed his hand against her cheek, and when she pulled away, he slapped her across it, stunning her. It was a soft blow, but one which she had not expected, and so it sent her reeling.

“Ye will nae behave that way to yer husband, nae under my roof. Ye have to understand the ways which ye have to behave, and ye must behave accordingly, otherwise, there will be con…”

“To hell with ye, Max! Ye flippin’ bampot! I will have nothin’ do with ye! Ye terrible, terrible person!”

“Ye think ye have a choice in this? The date is set and everything is in motion already, Katherine. I will have ye as my bride in a fortnight, and ye cannot do a damn thing about it. I will take this as a filthy wench unable to control yer emotions on one night, but ye behave like this again, and I’ll give ye a proper beating myself.

Ye can count on a Laird to put his Lady on the right path. ”

Kate stared at him, unable to comprehend what she had just heard. How had this been his plan all this time? How could a man who had raised her suddenly want to go to bed with her? It was wrong, and she would not have it, she could not have it.

“I will leave then. I will leave the McGowan estate, and ye can find yer bride elsewhere! Because I would rather die than agree to lay with ye Max! Ye piece of scum; ye have no shame! No bloody shame!”

Kate turned and began to leave, rushing for the doors. The tears came as she got to them, and just as she began to pull them, Max called out to her again.

“Katherine, if ye leave my estate, I will not stop ye. As much as I want ye to be mine, I do not have the time for such petty chases. Make the right choice now and stay. I will make sure yer well taken care of, and everything ye need will be at yer disposal as my Lady. I promise ye that.”

“I’d rather die, Max.”

“Alright then, but if ye leave, I’ll just have to force yer sister Freya to marry me.”