Highlander's Rebellious Love (2 page)

Gray hairs dominated his long dark hair and deep lines accented his eyes and mouth, though his dark eyes were sharp. And though his body was slim, he stood straight and tall and looked fit enough. He wore no smile when he saw her, but then she had not expected a warm welcome.

“Macinnes sends me a woman to deal with our problem?” Craig McFarden called out as she and her warriors approached him.

“Do I need to teach you manners, McFarden?” she asked, though it sounded more like a warning as she stopped her stallion in front of him.

McFarden laughed, a robust laugh that echoed in the late spring air. “You can try, lassie.”

Patience slipped off her horse with ease and walked over to McFarden. She stopped almost face to face with him. “Apologize loud enough for all to hear,” she ordered.

“Or what?” he asked with a mocking smile. “You will tear up and cry?” He laughed again.

She leaned in close and whispered, “No, I will cut off your balls.”

McFarden froze and his laughter died instantly when he felt her blade slip between his legs.

“Now!” she warned, pressing the blade to his skin, probably nicking it a bit, but then he would know she was a woman of her word. “And make sure all know that I am Patience Macinnes, daughter of Donald Macinnes here to settle the dispute.”

“I am truly sorry for my unmannerly welcome,” McFarden called out. “The clan is most pleased to welcome you, Patience Macinnes, daughter of Donald Macinnes, and more than pleased that you are here to settle the dispute with the McLaud clan. I invite you and your men to join me and mine in the longhouse for food and drink.”

“Much better,” Patience said and returned her dagger to the sheath at her waist. With the scowl that crossed McFarden’s face, she knew she had made no friend, but she was not here to make friends.

They were soon ensconced in the longhouse, a structure that held a few tables, benches, and a fire pit in the middle. The smoke went out a hole in the roof, though a portion of it lingered in the confined space, creating a hazy cloud that settled overhead.

A group of women came and went with food and drink, their worried expressions obvious, and Patience wondered if the situation had grown worse here. Craig McFarden minded his manners and spoke not a word about the problem while the meal was eaten. But Patience, wanting this done with, broached the matter.

“Tell me what goes on here,” she said to McFarden as she dunked a stale piece of bread into the thin stew broth to soften it.

McFarden took a swig of ale before answering her, as if needing to fortify himself. “The McLauds want our land, plain and simple. Several McLaud warriors have set up camp a good distance from where our land borders theirs to the north and are refusing to leave. Greer McLaud claims the area belongs to him, and I fear he will be moving more warriors in any time now.”

“Why, after all this time of peace between the two clans, has it changed?” she asked.

“Greer’s father, Kevin could be an uncompromising man, but he respected your father, since they had fought beside each other on several occasions. So, he made no move on our land. Greer holds no such respect. He is a greedy man who cares naught but for himself and with his brother Rab marrying Hew McDolan’s daughter, Greer has grown brazen.”

“Has McDolan showed any signs of helping Greer McLaud?”

“None that I can see, but I know he is at least whispering in Greer’s ear and urging him to make a claim.”

“And start a battle he cannot win,” Patience said.

“Are you so sure?” McFarden asked with concern. “The daughter of Donald Macinnes arrives with only forty men. Greer will find that laughable, as would most warriors.”

“My forty warriors are worth a hundred of his and I have far many more that will come if needed and you can add to that the MacClennan warriors as well, since my sister Emma recently wed Rogan MacClennan.”

That news actually brought a smile to McFarden. “Then you should be sending for them, for I have no doubt you will be needing them.”

“Perhaps, we will see,” Patience said, “but first I will see if I can persuade the McLaud warriors to leave our land.”

McFarden’s smile disappeared. “I mean no disrespect, Lady Patience—”

“Patience, call me Patience,” she said, cringing at being called Lady Patience. She was far from what was expected of the title Lady and had no want to be addressed as such.

McFarden bobbed his head. “As you wish, Patience. The McLauds are going to laugh at you.”

“Like you did?”

McFarden’s face burned red with embarrassment.

“My father would never have sent me if he did not think me capable of seeing this matter settled. I will have it done soon enough and you will have nothing to fear from the McLauds. Now tell me why your village is in such disrepair?” She banged a hard chunk of bread on the table. “And your food stale.”

“This is harsh and unforgiven land and what little we can grow has not done well. And this situation has not helped, since the people fear hunting and fishing the stream with the McLaud warriors lurking about.”

“Have they harmed any of you?” Patience was quick to ask.

“One lad took a beating from a couple of them for protecting one of our lassies, and I complained bitterly about it to Greer. He assured me he would see the warriors punished, but he never had any intentions of doing anything. He knows his warriors outnumber ours and it would take weeks for the Macinnes warriors to reach us, and by then,” —he shrugged— “most, if not all, of us would be dead.”

Patience’s anger grew and though she was tired from her long journey, it was still early in the day, enough time for things to be seen to. And since she was not one to wait, she said, “Take me to these McLaud warriors who encroach on our land.”

~~~

“How much farther?” Patience asked McFarden after they had traveled about an hour.

“Not long now, just over that rise,” he said, pointing not far in the distance. “We will stop at Lyall’s croft to rest the horses a bit and quench our thirsts. She is a bit of an odd one, though harmless. Many believe her a witch, but she is just a bit different and a good soul.”

Patience nodded, glad they would be stopping briefly before she dealt with the McLaud warriors. She had already instructed her warriors at what might need to be done, but it was always good to go over the plans again.

It was not long before they came upon the small croft. To Patience’s surprise it was better maintained than the places in the McFarden village. She did wonder how the woman could live here alone in such barren surroundings, empty land stretching as far as the eye could see. But then McFarden had remarked about her being a bit odd.

McFarden rode ahead and had already dismounted when Patience and her warriors reached him. He was not far from the cottage door when a woman and a man, both half-dressed, stumbled laughing out of the cottage in each other’s arms.

The woman was attractive and had a robust figure. Her flaming red hair was a mass of curls that looked as if they refused to be tamed, and she was quick to pull up her blouse to cover her plump breasts when she caught sight of her visitors.

The man on the other hand made no move to hide the fact that he was aroused beneath his plaid or cover his naked chest with the shirt he held in his hand. His strong features caught the eye. He was a good-looking man, but there was something more about him that appealed than just his attractive features. Maybe it was his muscles that rippled over his lean frame or his dark hair that just about touched his shoulders or the brash look from his alluring blue eyes. Whatever it was, it was obvious that he was a man confident with himself... and women.

Patience noticed that McFarden was hesitant to speak and when he did, she understood why. “Hunter,” McFarden said, acknowledging the youngest of the McLauds with a nod. “Have we interrupted you?”

“Yes, you have,” he said, turning to give Lyall a hungry kiss while squeezing her backside. “I promised to take this beautiful woman to the stream for a swim.”

“There is still a chill to the spring air,” McFarden said.

“Hunter will not let me get chilled,” Lyall said, running her hand over his naked chest.

Patience watched as passion soared in Hunter’s blue eyes for the woman. He looked ready to devour her with unrelenting lust. He seemed like a stallion after a mare in heat. And curiosity had her wondering just how powerfully he would ride the woman. And damn if her own body did not flare to life. She silently scolded herself for such a foolish reaction.

“Do not let us delay you,” McFarden said, then turned to Lyall. “I just stopped to see if you were faring well.”

Lyall’s smile widened. “I fare quite well thank you, Craig McFarden.”

“Then we will be on our way,” McFarden said with a nod.

“What? Leave without introducing us to your friends,” Hunter said, his stark blue eyes turning to Patience. “That is not mannerly.”

“Nor is it any of your concern, Hunter McLaud,” McFarden said tersely.

Hunter shrugged. “It matters not to me, though the McLaud warriors over the rise will find your small troop amusing, especially the scrawny woman.”

Patience refused to lash out at the arrogant warrior, since he was obviously baiting her. He was insignificant when it came to the problem. Let him go poke the willing woman while true warriors settled the issue.

She signaled her men, then turned and rode off without a word or a backward glance at the one McLaud who was not worth sparing her breath on.

McFarden joined her after a few moments, echoing her thoughts. “Hunter McLaud is a worthless warrior and will give us no trouble.”

“Still, you did not want him to know who I was.”

“Blood ties run deep. There is no point in taking a chance he would alert McLaud warriors to our arrival.”

“I surmised as much. Are you sure he will not hurry to warn them?”

McFarden laughed, shaking his head. “That fool is only interested in one thing.” His cheeks heated red. “Excuse my ill-manners once again.”

“There is no need for an apology when you speak the truth.”

Patience signaled her men to be on alert as they approached the rise. Once they reached the top, one glance told her she could disperse the motley group without a problem. There seemed to be no leadership. The warriors, if they could be called that, roamed or lazed around with no purpose and the camp itself had been poorly established.

McFarden rode up beside her. “As I feared, Greer has moved more men here. They have twice the men you have.”

“And not a warrior among them,” she said and signaled her men to follow. Her warriors were trained well and would take these men down without much effort.

Patience led the group as they entered the camp, some of the men getting to their feet, others remaining as they were, and most all of them snickering.

“Who leads this poor excuse for warriors?” Patience called out.

A barrel-chested man lacking height stepped forward. “What foolish woman dares to enter my camp and dares to make a demand?”

“The woman who is going to throw your sorry arses off Macinnes land.”

“This is McLaud land,” the man shouted his face flushing red.

“This is, always has been, and always will be Macinnes land,” Patience said her voice raised loud enough for all to hear.

The man went to speak.

“Spare me your ignorance,” she snapped. “I have no patience for it. Now gather your men and get off my land.”

Another warrior who stood at least two heads over the barrel-chested one approached, laughing.

“Make us,” he challenged.

Patience dismounted and approached the big warrior. Snickers, laughter, and rude remarks followed every step she took. “I will give you one last chance to leave with your honor intact. If you do not take my offer, then I will send you home defeated by not only fewer warriors than yourselves, but a woman as well.”

The warrior threw back his head and laughed. Patience did not wait. She lowered her head and rammed it with such force in the man’s stomach that he went flying back off his feet, landing on his back with a heavy thud, grasping for breath. She then let loose with a battle cry and her warriors descended on the unprepared group and had them rounded up with hardly a weapon being drawn.

“Your name,” Patience demanded of the barrel-chested man, so red in the face with anger that she thought he would explode.

“Dunn,” he spit out as he got to his feet. “And you are going to pay for this.”

She took a quick step at him and he stumbled away from her almost falling to his knees. “You dare threaten me?” She turned to McFarden who had not moved off his horse, so stunned was he by what had happened. “How far to their home by horse?”

“And hour or more.”

Patience turned back to Dunn. “You will be walking home.”

“You cannot steal our horses?” Dunn said and his men began to grumble.

“I will return them when I come to speak to Greer McLaud tomorrow. And let him know that I expect a warm welcome, for if any harm befalls me or my warriors, the Macinnes and MacClennan wrath will fall upon the McLauds.”

Brows furrowed and eyes turned wide at the mention of the two strong clans being united.

“Now douse the fires and clean your mess before you take your leave,” Patience ordered.

“Do it yourself,” Dunn snapped.

Patience was on him in an instant, her dagger drawn and at his throat. Color drained from the man’s face and sweat sprang from his brow.

“You learn much too slowly, Dunn. Shall I leave you with a small reminder of what happens when you disobey my command and treat me rudely?”

“You would not be so brave if your men were not here to protect you,” Dunn challenged in an attempt to save face in front of his men.

“And did her men help her get that dagger to your throat?”

Patience did not turn to see who had spoken, she recognized that mocking voice.

“Her troop surprised us,” Dunn said.

“A liar as well as a slow learner,” Patience said and went to prick his skin with the tip of her dagger. Her wrist was grabbed quick, a band of steel feeling as if it coiled around it.