Highland Hearts 03 - Crimson Heart (31 page)

“Ye need to come to bed naked, wife, else end up with a pile of mending.”

Before she could retort he opened the door.

“Ready to come below?” Rachel reached up to touch the detailed embroidery of Cheò and another wolf along his collar. “Beautiful stitching.” Her voice carried loud enough but still low enough to sound like she only spoke to Searc.

“’Tis a gift from my wife.”

His mother put her hands on her hips. “Well now, Elena, I have a tapestry I’ve been thinking about starting. Perhaps we can talk later today about the threads.” Searc inhaled, his smile evident.

Her gaze moved to Elena who had come up smiling beside him. “Your embroidery rivals any I’ve seen.”

“Thank you.” Again she blushed. His wife was definitely in need of more compliments.

“Now, let us get below. We had guests arrive before dawn.” Rachel turned.

“How late is it?” Elena’s voice sounded worried.

“It can’t be much past dawn.” Searc escorted her to the door. Who had come? Possibly Caden since Meg had been on her way to help with the birthing. He’d be accepting of Searc’s return since his own son, Kincaid, had the same magic. Searc would start working with the lad so he wouldn’t stumble as hard as he had.

Searc guided Elena around the winding stairwell as they followed his mother. His mother walked straight through the alcove to the great hall, but Searc paused. His magic churned suddenly, alerting him that the silence inside was contrived. It felt like…an ambush.

“What is it?” Elena stopped with him and studied his face.

He gave her a small smile but slid his sword free. “Be on guard.”

“Surely not in your own home.” Elena’s eyes widened. “Your mother just walked in.”

The momentary worry that his mother was involved in trickery flashed through Searc but subsided like a sail without wind. Trust. His mother would never give him up to an enemy. He sheathed his sword and led Elena around the jutting stone wall.

Full
, was all he could think as Elena stopped short next to him. The great hall of Munro Castle was full. People, old and young, warriors and a few lasses stood waiting, all eyes turned toward them. He blinked, his mind registering identities. Caden and Meg stood close with their two daughters and Kincaid next to them like ascending steps. Ewan and Dory with their eldest daughter, Caroline, and three more girls lined up next. Then Jonet and Will with their three sons.

As Searc quickly recognized familiar Macbains and Munros, his father came to stand before him in the packed silence.

“What goes on here, father?” Searc still felt a terrible unease coming from somewhere in the back, but otherwise, no darkness came from these good people filling his father’s walls.

“We received some visitors before dawn.” A twinkle of humor sat in his da’s eyes. “Seems Meg’s escort rode back to tell Caden ye had returned.”

Caden took a step forward but Meg was quick on his heels. Dark circles sat beneath her bonny eyes, probably from being up all night at the birth in the village. She went directly to Elena and curtsied. Elena did the same and Meg took her hands.

“And then we heard that he’d brought a wife.” Meg’s smile filled her face. “Welcome to the Highlands,” she said, her English accent still obvious despite her years at Druim. “I am Meg Macbain, lady of Druim and your new cousin.” One of Caden’s girls came forward carrying a basket and handed it to Elena with a shy smile. “Some sweet soaps and oils, a few necessities to make you feel at home.”

The youngest of Caden’s girls, Isabelle, hurried to hold onto Meg’s skirts. “Mama made Da ride back in the dark to get it when she found out ye were married to cousin Searc.”

Elena smiled broadly. “Thank you. ’Tis just what I need. I didn’t bring any of my own from England.”

Meg smiled broader. Searc had heard the tale of Meg’s own frantic flight from England back when she’d run unknowingly into Caden. She took Elena’s hand in hers. “I think we will become amazingly good friends, Elena Munro.”

Caden grabbed Searc’s forearm in hearty greeting. “I was about to come after ye myself if yer stubborn father hadn’t decided to go.” Alec snorted beside them but Caden ignored him and nodded at Searc. “Thank ye for coming back.” His eyes turned toward his tall son. His voice came low, an edge of anguish tipping it. “He needs yer help. When I told him about ye, ’twas the first time he looked me in the eye.”

Searc’s gut tightened. Kincaid had been suffering just like he had as a lad. Searc nodded to Caden’s son. The boy’s mouth turned up in something close to a grin. “Aye. I’ll work with him.”

Caden pulled Searc into a rough hug, something Searc had never seen the proud leader of the Macbains do before. Apparently no one else had either as all mouths seemed to drop open, including Meg’s.

“Husband,” she said softly and held onto his arm. “Control yourself.”

Searc smiled and laughter rolled out of him. Now gaping mouths turned toward him. Rachel slapped her hands together, happy tears in her eyes. Had his clan never heard him laugh before?

Searc looked out at the gathered crowd. “But why are you all here?” He saw the Macbain’s council of elders, Ancient Kenneth, Bruce, and Angus, sitting on a bench like old, gnarled triplets. What would get them away from Druim?

“A wedding.” Jonet, blew a kiss to Searc as her littlest one was too shy to let go of her skirts. Her husband, Will, winked at him and lifted the lad to sit on his broad shoulders. Searc would have to introduce Elena to her pretend father after he figured out what was going on.

“But we are already wed.” Searc pulled Elena closer to his side.

“Make way,” came a voice from the back and Father Daughtry wound his way through the mill of shifting people. “Well, that was not exactly the wedding I was called here to perform.”

“I brought him here to marry me.” A woman stepped out from behind the robust priest.

“Lady Judith Davidson?” Searc kept his gaze trained on the daughter of their old enemy. She was slight, with long dark hair and wore a fierce frown. Searc could tell that annoyance raged within her even without his powers. “Ye brought Father Daughtry all the way out here for ye—”

“To wed ye, Searc Munro,” Judith finished.

Elena stiffened next to him, pulling away from his side to stand tall. Her fury made the familiar, but no longer dreaded, magic churn in his gut. Kincaid’s grin, as he watched Elena, told Searc that the lad felt her fury too.

“Aye.” Judith stomped her foot. “Ye killed my brother and my cousins when the fools ambushed ye. The Davidsons are once again without a chief, and I will not let my clan be further torn apart by civil war. So when our scouts saw ye arriving home last eve, I came here to marry ye so ye could take charge of our clan.”

Searc picked up on the unease of the young warriors standing behind their mistress, but he didn’t sense anger or deception.

“And yer scouts did not mention that I rode with a lovely lass before me?” Searc rubbed Elena’s tight fist until she loosened her hold. She’d tear holes in her palms with those fingernails if she wasn’t careful.

“They mentioned a child in your arms, not a grown woman.” Judith’s snapping eyes turned to take in two rather sorrowful-looking young men. “So we rode out to be here at dawn, and came upon this hoard of Macbains coming across the moor.”

“I ain’t standing to see our Searc marry a Davidson!” Bruce yelled from his seat.

“Actually, ye ain’t standing, ye’re sitting,” Angus whispered loudly.

Kenneth stood up. He bowed his head first to Elena. “When we heard from our own scouts that the Davidsons were amassing—”

“Amassing?” Judith snorted. “I’ve got ten men with me, and one of them is a priest.”

“When,” Kenneth spoke louder, “we heard Searc was back and Judith was on her way with her tiny army to Munro territory, we wanted to make certain the lad knew he did not have to agree to anything.”

“And we weren’t going to sit back at Druim,” Angus belted out, helping Bruce to stand next to him, “and wait to hear if Judith convinced ye to marry her to get the Davidson holding.”

“Ye…” Searc began, his brows furrowed in confusion, “rode out here in the dark.” He looked at all the Druim warriors, several with their wives. “To let me know I didn’t need to wed Judith Davidson?” He shook his head. This didn’t make sense.

Ewan, his friend and fellow adventurer walked up to Searc, his arms wide to encompass the people. “Searc, what our goodly council means to say is that, well, we care about ye, lad. Whether ye have magic to knock a man down with a mini tornado—” one of Ewan’s little girls giggled behind him, “—or turn a man to ash.” He shrugged, one eyebrow raised and tilted his head. “Around here that’s actually not all that strange.”

Several low chuckles came from the group. “We want ye here,” Ewan continued. His eyes took in Elena and he winked. “Ye and yer bride. We just wanted ye to know that and that there’s no need to consider going to the Davidsons or anywhere else. So we came out to let ye and Lady Davidson know just that.”

“Well I didn’t ride all the way out here, telling all my father’s enemies that the Davidsons are powerless, without marrying someone,” Judith shouted, hands on her little hips. Her eyes scanned the line of Macbains until they stopped on Kincaid. “How about ye, lad. I’m about yer age anyway.”

Before anyone could respond, Meg stepped before her son. If Searc didn’t know the woman’s gentle nature, he’d swear she was grabbing for a blade she’d forgotten to strap on. “He is still a boy.” She glared at Judith.

“Actually,” Caden glanced at his wee but suddenly ferocious wife. “He’s considered a man now, Meg.” Seeing the storm in Kincaid’s mother’s eyes, Searc suddenly felt a great respect for the Macbain chief’s courage.

Meg’s face turned as red as a berry tart. “He’s not marrying someone to make an alliance.” Her words only made her face redder since that was precisely what she and Caden had done. Although they had been, from what everyone said, already sweet on one another.

“Lady Judith,” Searc spoke up before Caden had to restrain his wife. Judith turned her sharp eyes back to him. “Why would ye consider joining with the Munros or the Macbains? The Davidsons have a long history of hating our clans.”

“Deception,” Bruce threw out.

“She’d likely stab Kincaid in the back,” Angus mumbled loudly.

Judith’s gaze moved upward as if seeking heavenly help, though a slight shine to her eyes confused Searc.

Elena squeezed his arm. “I believe Lady Judith believes in sacrifice for the greater good,” Elena’s voice was even and strong enough to carry throughout the room. Everyone stilled, listening. Judith gave a single nod to Elena.

Elena let her gaze fall about the gathered people in the hall, even seeking those standing in the corners. “From what little I’ve learned about the politics of this part of the Highlands, the Davidsons have little or no alliance to anyone.” Judith didn’t agree nor disagree. “Her brothers are gone and she stands alone to protect an entire clan against clearly fierce foes.”

Elena left Searc’s arm and stepped forward. “I believe her reasoning is sound to want to form an alliance with the only asset she has to offer. Herself. ’Tis a brave woman to do so.”

Judith’s eyebrows rose and she blinked several times to clear her eyes. “Thank ye,” she said softly. Her voice rose and she turned to take in everyone in the hall. “I was a bairn when the sickness hit my people eighteen years ago, when the women broke with the men to bring all the sick children and people to Druim for help.” Her gaze shifted to Meg, Dory, and even took in Searc’s mother, and she bowed. “I came wrapped beside my mother as she lay dying on a wagon bed. She and I lived because of the Munros and the Macbains. My whole life, my mother reminded me how the witches of Druim saved us.”

Even though Judith used the evil name, it came from her lips in reverence. “She argued with her brother, my uncle, but he wanted nothing to do with peace. She said he was surprised that we returned from Druim at all. As my brother grew older, my uncle poisoned his mind against you all, but my mother never let me forget the gratitude she held for your assistance. When she passed, I swore that if a day came to forge an alliance, that I would do so.”

Judith looked at Searc. “When ye killed my vengeful brother and cousins in the ambush, ye gave me the opportunity to fulfill my vow.”

Elena reached forward and squeezed Judith’s hands. “Like I said. A very brave woman stands here. One who honors the vow she made to make peace out of hatred.”

Elena stepped back and looked about the room. “I have only just arrived, but through Rachel, Alec, and Searc I have come to know the honorable people you all are. I think some sort of an alliance could be agreed upon.” She turned to Meg. “One that doesn’t require a wedding.”

“A simple English lass, my arse,” Alec murmured next to Searc. “She’s a queen in her very bones, lad.” Alec shook his head and patted his son’s shoulder. “Ye should have a very interesting life together.” His da laughed softly, his wide shoulders rising and falling even though Rachel elbowed him.

Judith blinked rapidly, her face more relaxed with something like hope. “Perhaps Lady Elena and Searc could come stay at Davidson Castle. Until I wed, I need a fair and strong chief to rule. Bring men too.” She waved her hand at the warriors nearby. “My man, George.” She pulled a tall man forward, who looked about as young as Kincaid. “He needs guidance in establishing a new training regimen for the lads. We are having a good harvest so we can share if need be, but our defenses are weak.”

George stiffened beside Judith but didn’t deny her admission. Alec rubbed his short beard, tugging it as he looked to Caden. They both turned to Searc. He would have laughed at the chain of silent communication if the whole situation wasn’t deadly serious.

If they turned down the Davidsons, it would be known throughout the area that they were without defenses, bringing destruction and annihilation to what was left of their clan. Judith was taking a very large risk, one she had probably hoped wouldn’t be before such a large audience.