The Highlander's Stolen heart (Macinnes Sisters Trilogy) (15 page)

Rogan nodded. “After you rest.” As soon as she disappeared up the stone staircase, he turned to his father. “What else did Donald Macinnes say?”

Angus raised his tankard and smiled. “You knew I did not tell her all, but then she does not need to know that her father has ordered his warriors home and we are to wait to hear from him, and,” —his smile vanished—“he fears Heather may be lost to them.”

“Why?” Rogan asked, though he knew the answer.

“He believes the Dark Dragon has taken Heather.”

“How has he reached that conclusion?”

Angus took a generous gulp of ale before answering. “His warrior told him about the ghost warriors and everyone knows who they belong to.”

“So Donald Macinnes will give up and let the Dark Dragon have his daughter?” Rogan asked, anger rising up to choke him. “Do not bother to answer. It is not his choice to make. She is my intended and my responsibility.”

“Not anymore,” Angus said, staring down into his tankard.

“What do you mean?” Angus’s hesitation had Rogan demanding, “Answer me, Father.”

Again Angus hesitated.

“Father!” Rogan said firmly.

Angus finally looked up at his son, squaring his shoulders, though still swaying. “Donald and I have long wanted to join our clans. So to make certain that would happen, we agreed on inserting a clause into the marriage agreement.”

“Without telling me?” Rogan snapped.

“Donald and I never believed for a moment it would see fruition,” his father insisted.

“Tell me.”

Angus did so with reluctance. “If for some reason your marriage to Heather did not take place when planned, then you were to wed Emma. I am sorry, son. I know she is plain to look upon, but Donald assures me she will make you a good wife.”

Rogan stared at his father. His problem solved itself. He had planned on seeing the marriage agreement changed, and now it had been done for him. He was thrilled, though he did not let his father know that.

“One other thing,” Angus said.

“Spit everything out, Da,” Rogan ordered.

“Donald was worried that with his daughter’s abduction and not knowing what happened to Patience that his clan could be in jeopardy if his illness should suddenly claim him. So he had you and Emma wed by proxy. I signed it this morning, sealing your marriage to Emma.”

It actually filled him with relief and joy that Emma was his wife. Donald Macinnes had made a wise decision. He had been right to worry about his clan being left without a chieftain. Now with Emma and him wed, Macinnes land and its people would be protected.

The only problem was... how would Emma react to the news?

Emma liked Bertha. She was a jovial woman and a caring one, but at the moment she needed to get rid of her before she once again took her clothes and stranded her in the bedchamber.

“We will get you a nice hot tub to soak in and some good food in that grumbling stomach,” Bertha said as they entered a bedchamber and she slipped off Emma’s cloak.

“Food,” Emma said, pressing her hand to her stomach. “I am so hungry. Could I eat first?”

“Of course you can, I will go get you something right away and tell the servants to wait with the tub.” Bertha headed to the door. “You rest yourself in front of the hearth until I get back.”

Emma sighed and nodded as she walked over to the chair and sat. As soon as the door closed, she sprang out of the chair, grabbed her cloak, and went to the door. She waited, giving Bertha time to clear the hall and head down the stairs. When she was satisfied enough time had passed, she peeked out and seeing no one about, she slipped out. She took the stairs slow, wanting to avoid anyone coming up or going down.

She had to find the warrior who had delivered her father’s message. She had a feeling there was more to the message than Angus had shared with her. Besides, she wanted to hear it directly from the warrior himself, and she wanted to ask him about her father. She was worried about him and prayed that his illness had not worsened. The messenger could only be one place... with the other Macinnes warriors.

The shadows provided cover as she crept through the keep without being detected, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she finally slipped outside. The village surrounding the keep was busy with clansmen greeting the returning MacClennan warriors and consoling those whose warriors had failed to return. Emma was intent on no one seeing her, so her steps were slow and cautious. She stopped a few times when voices got too near her. It was those times she noticed that several of the cottages looked in need of repair and that many of the cottage gardens were much too small to provide an adequate supply of food.

She shook her head. Now was not the time to improve the MacClennan’s lot. She had more important matters to attend to. She finally slipped unnoticed through the open, thick wood doors that enclosed part of the village and the keep and hastened her steps to the area were Rogan had directed James to join the camp where the injured Macinnes warriors had been set up. It lay beyond the village walls. James had scowled at the location, though he had been eager to see how the wounded warriors had fared.

Emma spotted James talking to a warrior and shaking his head adamantly. She hurried over to the pair.

James spoke up as she approached. “Your father has ordered us to return home.”

“That is not what Angus MacClennan told me,” she said, turning to the other warrior and recognizing him. His name was Thomas and she had fixed his arm when he had broken it, everyone thinking it was beyond repair. It had healed well and he had regained full use of it.

“He left out the part where your father said that Macinnes warriors are to return home and MacClennan is to do nothing until he hears from your father,” Thomas said. “There were also sealed documents your father had me deliver that were meant for Angus MacClennan’s eyes only.”

“Do you have them?” Emma asked anxiously, curious of their content.

Thomas shook his head. “I gave them to Angus MacClennan.”

Emma’s stomach twisted in knots. What was her father up to? Why had he ordered the warriors home? What had happened that changed his mind so soon?

She turned to James. “Is there anyone not fit to travel?”

He shook his head. “The injured men you tended before going after your sister are doing well and will have no trouble traveling, but what of you? Do you feel up to another journey or do you need a few days rest?”

“Something tells me I should get home as fast as possible,” Emma said, the urge to leave poking at her. “I would leave now, but the men need food and rest as do the animals. We will leave at first light.”

James smiled and nodded. “And no one need know we leave so soon.”

Could she leave Rogan without saying good-bye? But had she not already said her good-byes? And was it not better this way?

“Aye,” she agreed, “no one need know.”

~~~

Rogan stood in front of the hearth in his bedchambers, a towel wrapped around his slim hips and his skin still damp from his bath. He would let the heat from the fire’s flames dry him the rest of the way. Right now, he wanted to do nothing but think of how to tell Emma that they were husband and wife.

He had made it clear to his father that he would be the one to tell Emma that they were wed, and nothing was to be said about it until then. His father had agreed, but had urged him to tell her before tonight, since he expected his son to consummate the marriage and seal their vows.

He wanted nothing more than to make love to Emma, but something told him that she might not feel the same way. Not after learning that she was his wife and that she now had a new home, and would return only to her old one to visit. She certainly would never believe that it had been his intention to see that they wed, and she definitely would not believe that he loved her. He hardly believed it himself.

Love had struck him hard, though when he did not know. He had realized it more and more while tending Emma in the cottage and when her warriors had arrived and their time together had come to an end, he felt as if he was losing her. The thought had torn at his gut and heart. He detested the idea that she would no longer sleep in his arms or that he would never have a chance to kiss her again. But he also disliked that this marriage had been forced upon her. He wanted her to love him, and he thought that she just might with the way she had...

He shook his head. He knew lust when he saw it in a woman’s eyes, but love had overshadowed the lust in Emma’s eyes. And the fact that he had been able to see the difference had made him realize that he had fallen in love himself.

There was also Heather to consider. He had promised Emma that he would find her, and he would not go back on his word. Somehow, he would see the Macinnes sisters reunited.

Presently, however, he needed to set things right with his wife.

Wife.

He smiled. He had a wife and he loved her. And tonight... he shook his head. He did not know exactly what tonight would bring, but he did know one thing for certain.

Emma would sleep in his arms tonight.

~~~

Emma sat by the hearth combing her hair. She had returned to the bedchamber earlier to find food, a bath, and Bertha waiting. The woman had looked ready to question her, but Emma had simply announced that she was ready to bathe and eat. She had offered no explanation as to where she had been, and Bertha had not pursued the issue. Bertha had wrapped her shoulder with a clean bandage, and then suggested she rest. She had not argued and had slept several hours. She was now expected downstairs in the Great Hall for supper.

She would have preferred to spend the rest of the night alone and slip quietly away in the morning. Her heart was heavy with the thought of leaving Rogan, but it was time. She had to go. It would be better this way.

A knock on the door sounded and Bertha entered, a smile on her face and a dark red velvet dress draped over her arm. “Your safe return home deserves celebrating. Rogan’s father sent this for you to wear this evening.” She spread the gown out on the bed.

Emma stared at it. It was a beautiful dress, but not for her. “I am already dressed.”

Bertha clucked her tongue and shook her head. “Nonsense. Why wear a simple skirt and blouse when you have this beautiful dress to wear?”

“That dress is not me,” Emma said, pointing to it, “and this is no celebration. I have yet to return home. I will wear my own clothes.”

Bertha spoke softly. “The celebration is not only for you, but for the warriors who fought and suffered along the way. Share this night with them so they know you appreciate their efforts.”

Emma felt properly chastised. Bertha was right, though too much celebration could delay their departure tomorrow. But that would be for James to contend with.

“You are right, I will celebrate with them,” Emma said, “though I will not wear the dress.”

“Have it your way,” Bertha said, “though I think you would look beautiful in it.”

Another time her compliment would have delighted Emma, but at the moment she was more concerned with going home and finding out what exactly was going on.

“Hurry along now, the celebration has started,” Bertha said.

“Go,” Emma shooed her off. “I will be there shortly.”

Bertha left and a few minutes later Emma dragged herself to the door. She did not want to attend this celebration, but her warriors would be there and so should she. She plastered a smile on her face before stepping out of the room and nearly collided with Rogan.

He grabbed her arms to steady her. “In a hurry?”

Yes, to see this done
, but kept that thought to herself and said, “Hungry.”

“Then we best get you fed, though there is an important matter we must discuss.”

Emma did not want to discuss anything with him. The more she remained in his presence, the more her heart ached at the thought of him not being part of her life.

“Can it wait until later?” she asked.

He smiled. “That hungry?”

Hungry for what we have shared
, she thought, so it was easy to answer, “Very.”

“We will talk after we have eaten.” He wrapped her arm around his and they walked to the stairs. He let her go before him, the stone staircase too narrow for two to pass.

He took her arm again when they reached the bottom and wound it around his, and she yanked it free.

“They will think us a couple,” she said and hurried ahead of him into the Great Hall.

He stared after her, debating whether it would be wiser to ease into the possibility of them marrying due to circumstances before coming right out with ‘we are wed.’

He saw that she had gone straight to her warriors and looked ready to join them at a table. He went to her side and took her arm, a bit more forcefully this time. “You sit at the dais with my father and me.”

She could tell by the way his brow knitted that it was not a request. He was even handsomer when angry and though his lips were set tight, she still had the urge to kiss them. It was good that she would be leaving in the morning. It was getting harder to resist what she felt, and she feared that she would eventually do something foolish, something she would regret.

Rogan leaned down and whispered for her ears only, “Wipe the passion from your eyes or I will see it satisfied.”

Emma caught the gasp before it escaped her mouth, swallowing it hard. She did not know if she was more shocked that her desire for him was that obvious or that her body quivered, delighted with the thought.

Angus MacClennan had obviously slept off his inebriation, though he was doing his best to regain it. As soon as his tankard was empty, it was filled again. And for the first time since meeting him, she understood his plight. He loved his wife and found it too difficult to live without her. She would never have truly understood the possible consequences of losing such a strong love until she found herself falling in love with Rogan. But having treated the ill and dealt with death over and over, she knew that no matter what happened, good or bad, life continued for those left behind.

An abundance of food was spread out on all the tables and ale was plentiful. She sat next to Rogan, his father next to him and no one to her other side, which she did not mind. She did not have to worry about keeping conversation with someone. Instead, she surveyed the hall and found much that she would change about it. It definitely could use a cleaning, the tables needing scrubbing, the many tapestries a good beating and airing and improvement in the food since the scent was not that favorable.

She sniffed the air again and realized the unpleasant odor was coming from the fish on the platter in front of Rogan. She grabbed his arm as he reached for a piece. “That fish is bad and will turn your stomach.”

“Nonsense,” Angus said and reached for a large piece and dropped it into his mouth. “See, nothing wrong with it.”

“Your choice,” she said to Rogan and turned her attention on her men, though hoped he would heed her advice. She did not wish to see him ill, for then she would have a difficult time leaving him in someone else’s care. She smiled when she saw James shooing the servants away when they offered more ale. Bless him. The warriors would do well in the morning.

“For someone who claimed to be hungry, you eat little,” Rogan said, his head bent close to hers. “Does our food not appeal to you?”

“Certainly not foul fish and stew that is so thick one wonders what lies buried in it.”

Rogan laughed and waved to a servant. “Take the fish away and tell cook it is bad and to get rid of it.”

Angus objected. “There is nothing wrong—”

Rogan interrupted his father. “We sent for Emma to help improve our lot. I trust her opinion. The fish goes.” He waved at the servant to take it away and she did so with a look of surprise. He then turned to Emma. “I look forward to having you show me what can be done to help our clan prosper as well as your clan.”

A warning rang in her head. It would take time to show him what not only needed to be done, but to implement the change. That meant he expected her to remain there for some time.

“That would take time I do not have,” she said, intending to make it clear she would not be staying.

“You have plenty of time,” Angus chimed in. “It was why you were sent here with your sister in the first place.”

“All that has changed,” she informed him. “I will be going home soon.”

“Not until we hear from your father,” Angus said, as if his remark settled it.

Emma held her tongue, anxious to tell him that she knew the truth of her father’s message, but feeling it would be wiser to keep that knowledge to herself, along with the fact that she would be leaving at dawn.

“Besides, this is your home now,” Angus said.