Marti Talbott's Highlander Series, Volume 5 Read online

  The MacGreagors did not dismount and it was Cowan who spoke. “Laird MacGreagor and his wife wish the company of you and all your followers two days next at our village for a feast. Will you come?” He tried not to, but he could not help looking at Lasha. Then he noticed the man standing behind her and thought he saw a hint of displeasure. This had to be the man Lasha planned to marry and to avoid trouble; Cowan quickly looked away.

  “All of us?” asked Laird Haldane, “We can hardly leave the place with no protection. We do not have much, but what we have we cannot live without.”

  “My laird said to offer guards for your village. He wants very much for all the Haldanes to know not to fear us.”

  Ena came out of the Keep and put her arm around her husband. “I think it is a fine idea. I long to hear all the gossip first hand for a change, instead of third or fourth.”

  “Do you my dear?” He kissed her forehead and then smiled at Cowan. “We accept.”

  Cowan dared to glace at Lasha again and was surprised to find both she and the man behind her smiling. Perhaps he was not the man she intended to marry after all. “I will tell Laird MacGreagor to expect you.”

  EVERYONE WAS EXCITED, not just because the MacGreagors were preparing for a feast, but because two more women had given birth the night before and survived. Perhaps the curse was lifted, if indeed there was a curse.

  The weather was very good, to the relief of them all and the large courtyard was the perfect place to feed so many. The women cooked, the men carried tables and chairs outside and set up the games of skill in the field where they normally practiced their warrior skills. Other men tended the meat of three deer that had been slow cooking in the pits for two days, and the children raced around until their parents sent them off to play somewhere else.

  The air smelled of burning wood one minute and fresh flowers the next with an occasional breeze that blew in from the direction of the river. Finally, there was nothing left to do but wait for their guests and the three men, Neil, Walrick and Gelson were happy to just stand next to their wives in the courtyard and enjoy the people.

  Walrick had been acting odd all morning and suddenly could not contain his news a moment longer, “Steppen is with child at last.”

  Glenna and Jonrose shrieked with joy while the men slapped Walrick on the back. Neil especially grinned. He thought he already saw beads of sweat on Walrick’s brow and he was going to enjoy every moment of Walrick’s worry. After all the congratulations were said, Neil turned his attention back to the others. Thomas and Julia were busy taunting each other and entertaining their friends.

  Ralin and Taral set their bowls of vegetables on the table and then went to Neil. Together they curtsied and laughed when Neil rolled his eyes. They claimed it had been so long since they curtsied, they needed the practice before Laird Haldane arrived. Soon, the other women came to stand in front of him, one by one curtsying and grinning. Glorie was the first, having finally been allowed back in Glenna’s good graces. Then came Jessup, Kadick and Mayze, Catlin and Greer, Bethia and Alison, Edana and Slava, Clare and Dolee, and the last to stand before him was a beautiful young woman with deep dimples the likes of which Neil had never seen before.

  “I am Lasha Haldane.” Her curtsey was gracious and her smile was genuine.

  Neil leaned closer to Glenna but he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, “My dear, are you quite certain I am married?”

  Glenna winked at Lasha and then gritted her teeth. “Until death, which might be sooner than you think.”

  Everyone laughed and Neil offered his hand to help Lasha stand. “You are very pleasing to the eye, you are aware.”

  Lasha was not used to such words and blushed. Soon she managed to get herself out of the spotlight and away from where her brother and her sister-in-law were being greeted. When she thought it was safe, she looked for him.

  There were so many more MacGreagors than she realized and she did not want to be obvious, so she slowly looked at each one. She smiled at the women, nodded to the men and then looked at the next couple. Suddenly a MacGreagor woman was standing right in front of her.

  CHAPTER VIII

  ALEEN WAS THE YOUNGEST of the nine sisters and over the months, she had grown to be almost as tall as Lasha. She cupped her hands and whispered in Lasha’s ear. “Come with me, I want you to meet my friend, Lorna.” Lasha hardly had a choice. Aleen had a firm grip on her arm and was pulling her down a deserted path between the cottages. Faster and faster, she pulled until they reached a certain cottage, rounded the corner and abruptly stopped. There, half hidden by a bush was Sionn. His arms were wrapped around a MacGreagor woman, he was kissing her passionately and Lasha could do nothing but stare at the two of them.

  He suddenly noticed she was there, quickly moved away from the woman and hung his head.

  Aleen grabbed Lasha’s arm once more to get her attention. “This is my friend, Lorna and she loves Sionn. He loves her too, only...”

  Behind them, it was Cowan who interrupted. “Only Sionn and Lasha must marry within their own clan.”

  Sionn again lowered his eyes. “I am so sorry, Lasha, I did not mean for you to ever find out.”

  Lorna began to cry which made Lasha quickly go to her. “If you cry, then I will cry and if someone sees us, they will think the men have done something awful. She took out her cloth and wiped Lorna’s tears away. Lasha guessed the girl was not yet sixteen and overwhelmed with being in love and then being told marriage to Sionn was out of the question. Lasha felt sorrier for her than she did for herself. She tried to comfort the lass with a smile and then turned her attention to Sionn, “You need not feel such shame, you are not the only one who has...“

  “I know, I saw you.”

  “You saw me kiss the MacGreagor? And you were not angry?”

  “How can I be angry? It is clear you love him and besides, all I can think about is Lorna. We have been meeting in the woods nearly every day.”

  Lasha walked back to stand next to Cowan. “I fear we are all destined to be unhappy for the rest of our lives.”

  “There must be something we can do,” mumbled Sionn.

  Emotionally exhausted, Lasha closed her eyes and rubbed her brow. “Cowan is right, our ancestor could not have wanted so many of us to be miserable for his sake. But making my brother understand that will be impossible. He has declared I marry a Haldane and I must obey him.” The alarmed look on Cowan’s face and the way the color drained out of Sionn’s caused Lasha to catch her breath. “Is my brother standing behind me?”

  Sionn shook his head, “Nay, it is Laird MacGreagor.”

  Lasha slowly turned to face him. “Have you been there long?”

  “Long enough,” he answered and then directed his next remark to Sionn. “If you do not take Lasha back, her brother will soon come looking for her.”

  THEY ATE, DANCED TO the music of the flute, played games, laughed and the clans got to know each other. Some of the Haldane men were quite skilled at the games which impressed the MacGreagors. But two MacGreagors and two Haldanes were exceedingly unhappy.

  Cowan and Lorna MacGreagor sat together all the way across the courtyard from Lasha and Sionn Haldane. They exchanged sad glances, whispered something to the one they sat next to occasionally and tried to enjoy the entertainment. But it was evident they thought of nothing but trying to find an answer to their very complicated and unthinkable problem.

  Occasionally, Ena’s voice got a little loud and all the Haldanes prayed she would not embarrass them, but soon enough she quieted. Ena, it seemed, had been tamed.

  Seated at the table in a row facing the people, the two lairds and their wives finished eating and it was Haldane who finally began the conversation. “A fine feast, MacGreagor, a fine feast indeed. But I have one complaint?”

  Neil looked horrified, “What might that be?”

  “Your wife sits on the other side of you, my wife sits on the other side of me and my wife cannot get her fill of gossip that way.
“

  Neil smiled and before he could ask, Glenna got up. She was thrilled, kissed her husband, beamed at Laird Haldane and then took Ena’s hand. “I have so much to tell it will likely take all night. Come with me.” Soon the two excited women disappeared inside the MacGreagor keep.

  The Haldane leaned just a little closer to Neil, “I believe my wife will be in gossip heaven for quite some time after we leave. I shall invite you to our home, but frankly, we cannot feed so many. Perhaps...”

  “I often prefer smaller numbers anyway.”

  “Good.”

  Neil did not know the man and could not guess his reaction to interference in family matters, but he had to try. “I hear tell you love your wife.”

  “Cannot imagine a world without her, though there are days I regret having met her.”

  Neil thought about all the stories he heard about Ena and smiled. He refilled Haldane’s empty goblet and then pointed across the courtyard. “Do you see that lad and that lass?”

  “Aye, the lass is my sister. She will soon marry the lad with her.”

  “Aye, but your sister does not love him.”

  “Perhaps not, but she will in time.” Haldane saw the doubt in Neil’s eyes and took a moment to look once more at the young couple. He had not noticed before, but each looked gloomy. “They are quite beside themselves, I see. Still, it will pass. Lasha is a good lass and she will do her duty.”

  “Aye, but the lad she is with does not love her either.”

  “But...“

  Neil quickly interrupted and pointed to the other side of the courtyard. “And do you see that lad and that lass?”

  “Aye.”

  “That is the lad who loves your sister and with him is the lass who loves Sionn.”

  “I see.” At first Haldane seemed a little put out, but he took the time to closely study each couple.

  “If I had a sister, I would want her to know the kind of love I have for my wife.”

  “They are young; they will learn to love each other.”

  “And if they do not? It would indeed be a high price to pay simply to give her clan children.”

  “MacGreagor, we are a small clan. The loss of even one lass can decrease our growth by quite a number of children.”

  “Aye, but Lorna MacGreagor would be more than pleased to supply you with all the children she can manage. All you need do is bless her marriage to Sionn instead of your sister.” Neil decided he had said quite enough, folded his arms and remembered to breathe.

  It was a new avenue of thinking suddenly open to the Haldane. Some months back he considered letting his men intermarry with the Kennedys, but everyone hated the Kennedys and they would want an alliance he was unwilling to give. He did not trust the other clans either especially after Laird Graham was trampled by his horse and now there was a new laird. Who knew what might become of that clan? It took so little to turn some men in to beasts these days it seemed. But just now he had a new possibility. He could consider intermarriage with the MacGreagors.

  “Have you more lasses in mind for my lads? I have two and perhaps three in want of a wife.”

  Neil was relieved. A question...any question at all meant Haldane was actually giving the idea careful consideration. “I know of no reason not to let your men find wives among the MacGreagors.” Neil took a sip of wine, although he had already drank more than he cared to. “Of course there is still the situation with your sister. It is our Cowan she loves and I believe you know him. He rescued your son.”

  Haldane looked at Cowan for a long moment, abruptly stood up and when he did, everyone noticed and got quiet. “Lasha, come here!”

  Her brother never yelled and Lasha was immediately alarmed. So was Cowan who quickly went to her side. She eyed her brother’s glower for a moment and then cautiously walked between the people until she stood face to face with him. By then, Neil was also standing. Lasha dared not say a word and by the fierce look on her brother’s face, she was grateful there was a table between them.

  Haldane glared at Cowan for a moment, but when the young man did not look away, it impressed him. Then he glared at his sister until he was reminded how much she looked like their departed mother. “Do you love Sionn?”

  Lasha felt guilty for saying it and stared down at the tabletop. “Nay, I do not.”

  The Haldane looked for Sionn in the crowd and was surprised to find him not far away holding the hand of the woman Neil pointed out earlier. “Sionn, do you love my sister?”

  He too bowed his head, “Nay, I do not.”

  “Has Lasha already agreed to marry you?”

  “Nay, she has not yet given me an answer,” said Sionn.

  This time Haldane narrowed his eyes and turned his glare back on Cowan. “Cowan MacGreagor, have you kissed my sister?”

  Cowan was confused for a moment. Of course he kissed her, or rather she kissed him, and Haldane was witness to it. Finally realizing what the man was up to, Cowan nodded, “I confess I have.”

  Haldane let his eyes roll back in his head as though he was thoroughly disgusted. “Someone find the priest! Any lad who kisses my sister must marry her and we’ve no time to waste. He quickly turned to look at Neil, “Do you agree?”

  “I do indeed.”

  Cowan drew Lasha into his arms and when he kissed her full on the mouth neither one of them noticed the cheers of the crowd.

  THEY DID NOT HOLD JUST one wedding that evening, but two—Lasha and Cowan became husband and wife first and then the priest married Sionn and Lorna. The priest was so long winded, the elder Cobb fell asleep twice during the ceremonies. Both clans made merry long into the night, so long in fact, the Haldanes stayed the night, which gave Glenna and Ena even more time to gossip.

  In the morning, life began anew. The rooster crowed, the swans landed on the loch and the animals left the warmth of their forest beds to search for a morning meal. The hearths were lit, the babies were fed and before Ben went to his bed after a long night of caring for the livestock, he reported two new colts.

  And Lasha woke up in the home she always dreamed of and in the arms of the man she loved.

  —-The End-—

  Betrothed

  Book 6

  Marti Talbott’s Highlander Series

  Sample chapter

  Against her will, Lady Deora Medwin was betrothed to a powerful but disgusting man. She did not doubt her father loved her dearly, but how could he do such a thing? Deora saw only one option—RUN!

  He was the Highlander, Laird Justin MacGreagor, and when he received ‘the word’ in a message, he was perplexed as well as alarmed. It was a secret word known only to the MacGreagor lairds and the English kings, but the last king to have it was dead. Who had it now and why was Justin being summoned?

  CHAPTER I

  HE LICKED HIS LIPS.

  Just before he kissed the back of her hand, he licked his lips, which left Deora having to once again find a way to wipe the unwelcome wetness off without his notice. It was just one of a thousand things she hated about Lord Elseway Trumble, although she had not actually counted them.

  “Lady Medwin, it is a pleasure to see you again.”

  A pleasure for him, maybe, but not for Deora. Nevertheless, she smiled sweetly, managed to wipe her hand on her gown and curtsied that low, slow curtsey her father insisted she learn before she reached the age of twelve. She was not fooled. The kind of curtsey she was taught, allowed a man full view of her upper body, which she was careful to keep well covered. Perhaps other women were happy to use their bodies to attract a husband, but Deora found it foolish, and the longer it took Lord Trumble to let her rise, the more she disliked the custom. At least, she could lower her eyes and not be required to look at him. Men were such beastly creatures and this was the worst of the worst.

  He grinned and offered his hand to her finally. “Shall we walk?”

  She took his hand and stood up, if for no other reason than to relieve the cramp about to claim her left leg. “If it pl
eases you, My Lord.” She hid her relief when he let go of her hand.

  Deora loved the sweet smelling garden. It was located behind her father’s country manor, with well laid out paths between rows of plants. The various plants progressed in height, from the smallest in the front, to the tall hedgerows in the back. She walked in it often, but she did not love it today and especially not with Trumble in it.

  Her vine covered home was large, with two floors, ample rooms and several servants willing to tend it. Her bedchamber was on the top floor, where she could look through her window, beyond the garden to see the beauty of England for miles around. Just now, she sorely wished she were there instead of in the garden with him.

  Her father insisted she wear the pale yellow gown to greet Trumble, because it displayed her long, dark hair perfectly. It was the customary ankle-length gown with a full skirt, sleeves that were tight to the elbow and then flounced. Her matching rope belt was wrapped around her waist several times and knotted low in the front. She much preferred the blue gown that matched the color of her eyes, but drawing attention to her eyes was not sound reasoning either. If only she had been born in a lower class and could wear the less appealing clothing of her maid.

  “You do know why I have come?” Trumble began, “But of course you do. Your father assured me you would agree and I am overjoyed. He may not die so soon as I would like, but when he does, I will be king and you, my dear, will make the loveliest of queens.”