The Best of Madeline Grant (Highland Highlights #6)

Chapter Five

This is the true start of Maddie and Alex’s interactions, which is why I chose these two scenes. This is when Maddie first begins to believe that there are some good men in the world, and her savior is one. After a note from the stablemaster, Alex rescues Maddie from her vile stepbrother.

Alex and Brodie caught up with the guardsmen and rode furiously for several hours.

Madeline slept with an occasional squirm in the saddle.

Alex kept her leaning on her side to protect her wounded back.

She was dead to the world. Her pain tolerance had to be incredibly high.

He had pulled the back of her gown up to protect her skin, but blood had seeped through the rough material.

His mother would never have allowed such tender skin to be clothed with coarse threads.

She belonged in only the finest garments.

Maddie’s ability to sleep while riding with open wounds told him how exhausted she must be. He had no idea how many lashes she had endured, but even one was too many. How could her own kin treat her in such a heartless manner? Alex’s jaw clenched every time he thought of Kenneth MacDonald.

He glanced at her face as she slumbered.

Bruises, whippings, what more had she been forced to endure from her own stepbrother?

Clearly, the man did not respect his own kin.

She looked so innocent, so bonnie. He vaguely remembered the MacDonald family visiting them a number of years ago.

His wee sister, Jennie, had clung to Madeline.

Alex recalled a thin, quiet girl with yellow hair.

The endless legs and the pale golden hair were the same, but much had changed in between.

Gone was the awkwardness of the young girl he remembered—the softness brushing against him now was all woman.

Her curves felt wonderful in his arms, as if she belonged there.

They rode off the path into the forest, seeking a stream.

It was still dark, but it was time to wake Madeline and cleanse her wounds.

The horses needed watering and he hoped to eat something before they continued their journey to his keep.

He did not think they were being followed, and they were now far away from the regular path.

After they halted, Brodie got off his horse and reached for Madeline. She awoke with a start, and after a quick glance around, fear crept into her eyes. “Put me down,” she snapped at Brodie.

“As you wish, my lady,” Brodie replied as he lowered her to the ground.

“Where am I?” she asked, staring up at Alex and Brodie and their guardsmen, who had gathered around the clearing.

Alex motioned for Brodie to back away. “We are but half a day away from your stepbrother’s keep. You do not remember last night?”

Maddie shook her head. “I recall going to see my stepbrother.” She winced as she turned away from Alex. “My back!” she exclaimed. She stared at him as her memory filled in the missing pieces. “You took me into a tunnel off Kenneth’s chamber. Who are you?”

“As I told you last night, my lady, I am Laird Alexander Grant and this is my brother Brodie. We received a missive from your stable master saying your life was in danger. We are trying to help you escape your stepbrother.”

Maddie shook her head in disbelief. “’Struth? I am away from my stepbrother? You will not return me to him?”

“Nay, he will never touch you again. I promise you that, my lady.” Alex reached up to brush a leaf from her hair. He wanted to do more, to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight, but he was sure she would bolt if he did such a thing. Caution ruled her every movement, and for good reason.

She bowed her head slightly toward him. “Forgive my manners, Laird Grant. I thank you for rescuing me from my stepbrother’s hands. I don’t know if he would have stopped this time. But where are you taking me?”

“I think it best to return to our keep for the moment. My sister Brenna is a healer, and she can help you with your injuries. ‘Tis all we need to decide for now,” Alex stated. “I think it best we wash your wounds so they do not fester, my lady. There is a stream nearby you may use.”

She nodded, so Alex led her to the stream. “You have much dried blood on your back. Do you wish my assistance? You have my word that I will act honorably.”

The lady stepped away from him, staring at him with eyes so blue they almost took his breath away. “Nay. I thank you, but I can manage. If you will allow me some privacy, please? Send your men in the other direction?” Madeline stood by the water with her chin held high.

The lady did have spirit, which he admired. Most lasses in her situation would be sobbing uncontrollably.

“If you need anything, my lady, please ask. I will not be far. Here is a sliver of soap you may use.”

Alex turned and walked back to the clearing where the others waited.

He kept his back toward the river—and insisted that the others do the same—but he still heard Madeline’s pained gasp as she entered the water.

***

Maddie removed her dirty gown and stepped into the stream.

The water was brisk but bearable. She lowered herself slowly into the water, crying out a little from the way it burned the angry, raw skin.

She finally managed to get her upper body in the water, but her thin chemise still clung to her back.

After several attempts to free it from her wounds, she realized it was probably stuck.

If she didn’t get it cleaned soon, she feared it would fester.

Tears gathered in her lashes, but she held strong. She really didn’t know any of these men. Should she really put this much trust in them?

They certainly were handsome, especially the one called Alexander.

When she’d first seen him, she’d thought he was the man in her dreams, but now she wasn’t so sure.

Was he named after their king? Somehow, that seemed appropriate.

Whenever he glanced her way, she felt unnerved.

Her father had kept her sheltered and protected, so she was unaccustomed to strangers, but she still felt it was not normal to feel this unsettled by an attractive man’s gaze.

It wasn’t just his face, but his size—Alex was a large, powerful man.

Yet she knew—without quite understanding why she knew—that he was an honorable man.

There was too much information for her to think about presently. Truth be known, she was glad to be away from her stepbrother, but Alice would worry about her. Mac had sent Laird Grant a missive. She only hoped her maid would guess she was with the Grant brothers.

“Laird,” she called out. “How long will it be until we arrive at your keep?”

Alex appeared at the edge of the stream, his presence taking her off-guard again. She stared at him until she recalled where she was at the moment. “Turn around, please! I am only in my shift,” Maddie shouted.

“Your pardon, my lady,” Alex said as he obliged. “We have a day or two travel ahead yet.”

Madeline sighed with resignation. She looked at the tall highlander, his back to her. She wished there was another woman to call upon for help, but she had no choice except to trust him in this, too.

“Laird Grant, I need help getting the fabric out of my wounds. Will you assist me?”

“Of course, but you may prefer to turn your back to me. I will need to doff my plaid. I only have an extra tunic with me, and cannot soak all of my clothes.”

She watched Alex strip off his boots and quickly turned before he tossed aside his plaid.

There was a splash as he hit the water, and then she could sense him surfacing directly behind her. She trembled beneath the water.

“Lass, I will try my best no’ to hurt you,” he said softly. As he pulled on the material, she winced. “I am afraid this will hurt a bit,” he whispered.

Maddie braced herself and said, “Go ahead. Be done with it.”

Alex worked carefully to free the material from the dried blood.

His hands were so gentle, Madeline could not stop herself from sneaking a peek at the tall laird from over her shoulder.

He was even more handsome now that he had washed the black soot off his face.

He had the broadest shoulders she had ever seen, and his torso was all muscle.

She unconsciously licked her lips as her eyes caressed his bronzed skin.

When he caught her staring, she blushed and snapped her head back around.

He continued to work carefully on her back, his warm breath washing across her neck.

She jumped as he freed part of the cloth from her lash marks.

Suddenly it occurred to her that he might think she had done something horrible to warrant such treatment from her own kin.

“My stepbrother is demanding that I marry Niles Comming,” she offered quietly.

“And this was his way of forcing you?” Alex asked. “Niles Comming is known for treating women poorly. While you should not normally refuse your laird, you were wise to say nay.” When he finished pulling the chemise free, he said, “Hand me the bit of soap, lass, and I will wash your back.”

Madeline handed him the soap and bit her lip as she waited for the pain. But his touch was so gentle, his ministrations only burned a bit. He washed her entire back, and she melted beneath his touch. A soft moan escaped her lips.

His gruff voice pulled her back to reality. “I think ‘tis done, lass. I will leave you to finish now.”

“Thank you, Laird,” Maddie said as he turned away.

She finished bathing as quickly as possible and returned to the bank. Holding the ruined gown in her hands, she sighed. Another gown ruined, but it was the best she had for now. She managed to tie the back enough to make it decent.

Maddie returned to the clearing with her wet, ripped gown.

She tugged on the sides in an attempt to prevent it from clinging to her, but she caught most of the men staring at her, including Alex and his brother.

Alex made a barking noise and his guardsmen all turned away.

She blushed and bowed her head, realizing what they must think of her threadbare clothing.

When she returned her gaze to Alex, she noticed his face had turned dark and his lips were pressed into a grim line.

He abruptly stepped away from her and busied himself with his horse.