The Great Scottish Devil (9 page)

Her slightly pointed chin thrust out and her eyes snapped displeasure. “There is no need to put it off, Lord Urquhart. I have been patient enough while you first went off to fight in that little battle, and then have taken these long months since your return to send for me. I really think we should…”

He stiffened and even the men around him grew angered. Wisely she’d stopped speaking.

“That
little battle
was a fierce one, my lady. One that took the lives of my father and my brother.” He drew in a breath, but it did nothing to calm his fury with her heartless attitude. “It took me long months to heal from my wounds. The worst of which cost me my memories, which have still no’ returned. Of which memories include my supposed agreement with King Edward to marry ye.”

“There is nothing supposed about it. King Edward approached my father about the arrangement, he agreed, and we were told you agreed as well.” She heaved a put-upon sigh. “All right. The ceremony can be put off a little longer.”

She moved around him to head for the keep’s steps. Without looking back, she said brusquely, “I still require a bath as soon as it can be arranged and my belongings.”

Brodie took a step after her, breathing hard, feeling almost murderous at her callous response to his explanations.

Douglas moved into his path, forcing him to stop. “Mayhap ye can instruct Lady Stonewall’s men on where they can take their horses and bed down.” Douglas’s tone warned that he would keep Brodie from going after her if he had to. “Mayhap she is only weary from her travels and out of sorts.”

One of the men on horseback snorted. When Brodie glanced toward him, he noted several others shaking their heads. This did not bode well for a happy marriage.

Grinding his teeth in frustration, he headed for the paddocks and waved for her men to follow him. He would not put up with an attitude that would cause trouble here. He would give her time to adjust, be patient, although patience was not his best quality. But she might be facing a turn over his knee and it would not be a pleasant experience. Again, he wished things were different. Annabel might challenge him at times, but she had a good heart. His people loved her… and mayhap he did as well. But it didn’t matter, couldn’t matter.

* * *

To say that the evening’s meal was difficult would be putting it lightly. Annabel sat on one side of Brodie at the laird’s table, though she’d tried to get him to let her sit at one of the other tables now that his betrothed was here. Agatha Stonewall—a name befitting the haughty woman, in her opinion—sat on his other side. Agatha hadn’t liked the way the swan—cooked especially for her—had been cooked. The bread was too hard for her delicate teeth. The pie of cream, eggs, dates and prunes was far too sweet. And “could the maids be any slower at serving?”

Brodie had nearly crushed his spoon trying to contain his fury. His face had been so red, so tightly pinched that Annabel worried about him. Actually, it was her concern for him that now kept her in her chair. If she hadn’t sensed that he depended on her help to keep his temper under control, she would have passed on supping tonight and simply gone to her chamber. But he needed her. Her tender heart could not make him suffer alone. At least for tonight. He was going to marry this loathsome woman and he would have to come to terms with that. Or “take her over his knee” as she’d heard him mutter about Agatha more than once during the meal. Mayhap what the prissy woman needed was a sound spanking to improve her attitude. God knew how many such spankings had improved her own attitude over the years.

Agatha leaned forward to look around a grim-faced Brodie at her. “When was it you said that you were leaving? Surely you cannot linger at Urquhart much longer. Will not the villagers along your route be expecting you soon?”

Annabel had briefly been introduced to Agatha by Brodie not long after the woman had finally had the bath she so desperately needed. She’d turned up her nose in distaste at learning Annabel was a tinker and not a lady such as herself. While Annabel had endured such attitude many times before, Brodie had bristled. Soon after the ear-blistering chastisement he’d delivered to Agatha—who hadn’t even seemed to listen to him—Annabel had gone off to help in the kitchen.

She really didn’t want to talk about the matter again, but finally said, “Within a week.”

Immediately, expectedly, Brodie growled, “Nay! Ye will stay until I find trustworthy men to travel with ye.” He sucked in a breath. “Or when I have found ye a suitable husband.”

“I do not understand why—” Agatha began, stopping when Brodie scowled at her.

“’Tis none of yer business, Lady Stonewall. Ye need no’ ken anything aboot the matter.”

Angus Gordon walked up in front of Annabel before anymore could be said. He barely glanced at Brodie. “Are ye ready fer our walk, Annabel?”

Brodie, again, looked ready to kill somebody, preferably Angus. Although Annabel wasn’t really looking forward to the walk, she pushed back her chair and stood. She put a calming hand on Brodie’s shoulder. “We will only be inside the curtain walls, my lord. Getting to know each other.” She squeezed his shoulder as he looked up at her in frustration. “As you should be doing with Lady Stonewall.”

He sent a warning glance to Angus. “Mind ye do not take liberties with my ward.”

The look Angus gave in return made Annabel uneasy. The man never seemed the least bit intimidated by his laird. For some reason that worried her. But, with a sigh of resignation, she walked around the raised dais to put her hand through Angus’s bent arm. Still, as she let him lead her from the crowded hall, her stomach fluttered with nerves. Something urged her to be very careful with this man.

Chapter Five

The night had cooled down by the time Annabel walked out of the great hall with Angus. She’d noticed many disapproving glances as they’d made their way by the tables holding the numerous soldiers.

Few people here approved of the surly soldier. Many had hoped she would become their lady, but that was not to be. She was out here now with the man few liked because of Brodie. She couldn’t have him for herself and she needed to leave Urquhart, soon. In order to do so she needed a guard to ride with her, or a husband. So far Angus was the only man either brave enough—or foolish enough—to show an interest in her. Not that she truly wanted him for either a guard or a husband. Tonight she’d just needed to get away from Brodie…and from Agatha Stonewall.

“Why such a sour look?” Angus asked as he released her arm and stepped in front of her.

Annabel blew out a breath and forced away thoughts of Brodie and his betrothed. “Why do you want to spend time with me?” she asked bluntly.

He blinked at her in surprise and then said, “Ye’re a bold one, lass.” He guffawed. “If ye’re thinking ‘tis only to raise Laird Urquhart’s hackles, ye be wrong.”

“You do a good job of it.” She knew that even in his short time at Urquhart he’d already earned the disdain of more than a few people here. He’d ridden in one day seeking to give his knight’s allegiance to The Great Scottish Devil. He’d claimed to feel it an honor to serve for such a brave and fierce leader as Brodie Durward. And yet she wasn’t alone in having seen how he appeared to barely tolerate being ordered about by his new laird. He was certainly never intimidated by Brodie. In fact, he often silently challenged his laird, especially when it had to do with her.

He studied her for a second, making her uncomfortable. “Ye ken he canna marry ye, Annabel. Even if everyone here can see how strong his feelings are fer ye. Laird Urquhart willna go aginst his word. He’s promised to Lady Stonewall.”

“I would have no wish to marry him anyway.” Lie, lie, lie. “He is forever bossing me about, including insisting that I bring my tinker’s wagon here instead of continuing on my route.”

““Tis sorry I am aboot yer da dying. But ‘twas lucky ye were that Laird Urquhart and his men came upon ye. There be many dangers in traveling alone. More so fer a beautiful woman traveling alone.” His eyes heated as he inched closer and looked down at her.

“I can take care of myself.” She raised her chin in grit. Then she slumped just a bit, knowing it would indeed be foolish to go off on her own. Still, she would do so if necessary, because she couldn’t stay here moping about over Brodie for much longer.

Angus chortled but wisely changed the subject. “I discovered a nice spot to look out over Loch Ness and Urquhart Bay. ‘Tis a view most breath taking, Annabel. On the parapet of the tower house. Would ye like to see it?”

She hesitated, knowing it would be better to stay well within sight of the people moving about the baileys in early evening. Yet she enjoyed looking at the loch. “Aye, I would like to see this view.”

A few minutes later as Annabel followed Angus to the tower house at the northern end of the promontory overlooking Loch Ness, she felt a shudder of unease. Access to the tower and the lord’s private residence was restricted. The guard watching over the entrance scowled down at Angus. “Ye canna go in without the laird’s permission.”

Angus straightened his broad shoulders and looked ready to challenge the man.

Annabel stepped around him, smiling warily at the guard she’d talked to several times about his family. “We only wish to go to the parapet and look at the view of the loch.” She already knew there really wasn’t anything to guard here at the moment. For reasons Brodie hadn’t shared with anyone, he had chosen not to stay in the lord’s private residence. Although she suspected he just wasn’t ready to take over his father’s living space, or see his older brother’s chambers either. Her heart pinched at the terrible losses he struggled to deal with.

The guard backed down and waved them entry. Angus nudged her into the dimly lit building, muttering under his breath in Gaelic, words she was sure she didn’t care to understand. He urged her to a spiral staircase at the side of the lord’s hall that led to the upper floors of the five-story tower. He seemed in a hurry to get her to the parapet and she nearly stumbled a couple of times. Both times, he caught her and grumbled an apology, but urged her onward once more.

As she finally stepped out onto the parapet, she was hit by the wind blowing up off the ice-cold waters of Loch Ness. She shivered and wished she had thought to bring a cape with her. Then Angus moved beside her and swept his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close against him. “I can keep ye warm, lass.”

Her heart raced at his unexpected and unwanted nearness. She managed to wriggle free and stepped to stand near the crenellated wall. “I am fine, really. Thanks.” Trying not to notice the frown that came and went quickly over his face, she looked back at the loch and surrounding area. “You were right. ‘Tis a beautiful view.”

“Aye. I thought ye would like it.” He moved next to her, though he didn’t touch her this time. “Have ye thought aboot no’ continuing with yer family’s tinker trade? Aboot jist settling down with a good man and having babes with him?”

She stared out over the bluish-gray water, across to the gently rolling hills covered in thick grasses and patches of yellow gorse bushes. If she had her wish, she would stay here forever. There were many places her family had passed through over the years that were beautiful, but none as much as this place. And she was more comfortable around these Highlanders than any others. She couldn’t say why exactly, just that she felt like she belonged here, as odd as that was. Which made her remember some of her da’s dying words:
“…gotten you back to the Highlands. To your home…”
Why had her father said such a thing?

“Annabel?” Angus prodded when she’d taken too long to answer.

She pulled from her troubled musings and faced him with a gentle smile. “Aye, I want a husband and children one day. But I do not wish to be pushed into a marriage. I have never liked the idea of arranged marriages.” Especially now when she knew firsthand the problems they presented.

“’Tis common, though.” He was looking at her cleavage, his eyes heating again.

Annabel turned away in discomfort. “‘Tis common for nobility and certain lords needing to stay in good relations with the king, aye. For people such as me, nay.” She also knew that in Brodie’s situation, it wasn’t so much that he cared about staying in goodwill with King Edward. Nay, it was that he’d given his word. He stood behind his word, whether he remembered giving it or not. How could she hate him for that? Nay, it only made her feel more strongly about him.

Angus took a second before asking, “Have ye ever wished ye’d been born in a noble family? Instead of to parents who spent all their time traveling, never settling down?”

Sadness swept through her at thinking about her parents. More words her father had said tumbled into her mind:
“…always loved you…so very sorry…forgive me and Katherine…had no choice…”
Tears misted her eyes and her chest tightened painfully. She missed them both so much. And she wished she understood his cryptic comments. Something about them…

“Annabel,” he prodded again, seeming determined to get an answer to his questions.

“Nothing mattered other than being with parents who loved me, and they did. Fiercely.” She wondered why she had added “fiercely,” but, in truth, that was how it had felt. She remembered one or the other—sometimes both of them—telling her nearly every day of her life how much they loved her. How very glad they were that she’d come into their lives. What an odd way of putting it? But that is what they’d said:
“…come into their lives.”

A hard wind blew by them and, almost as if he used it to his advantage, Angus brushed against her side. He pushed her to one of the crenellated areas, where the gap between the raised sections of stonework came only to her knees. Her heart thundered in her chest. Her stomach fluttered with a sense of danger, as if with just a slight gust of wind or with a slight accidental push, she would tumble through the gap and fall to the rocky area far below the tower.

She grabbed onto the stone wall, gasping, fear making her knees weak.