Her Highland Devil (Scottish Highlander Romance) Read online

  He frowned; his ears reddened from the rejection. “This is not the first time you would court your father’s disapproval. This is entirely something else, isn’t it? Do I not appeal to you? Do you not love me?”

  Gabby inhaled. Of course, she loved him, she had loved him all her life, but she only loved him as a brother. Loving him as something more would take time. Her stomach cringed at the mere thought of Ronnie being her husband.

  “I still await your response,” he said grimly.

  “Of course, I do love you,” she said, averting her gaze. “Just that, I am yet to acclimate to the idea of us being betrothed. And when you touch me like this, it makes me …” She wanted to say awkward, but stopped.

  “Your hesitation is only natural. I understand if you need time to get accustomed to it. I very much know that with time, you will yearn for my touch.”

  Gabby breathed a sigh of relief as she heard this. He seemed to have accepted her explanation. A part of her hoped that he was right and that with time, she would get to love him but the other part of her detested the idea of having to love him.

  This was now her reality and she would need to deal with it. With the way everything seemed, she may never find the man she so desired. Maybe her mother was right; the man she wanted only existed in children’s fairy tales.

  “What are you thinking about?” Ronnie asked.

  “How come you are this excited about all this?” She found herself asking.

  “Well, perhaps because I have loved you all my life.”

  Gabby gulped. This was unbelievable.

  “You may not believe me but that is the truth. I have never been this close to anyone as I am close to you. You are brilliant, beautiful and very innocent. I admire everything about you, Gabby. There is no other woman for me. When father brought up the idea, I almost burst out in joy. It took a lot to suppress my excitement. I couldn’t think of a better choice.”

  Gabby managed a smile as Ronnie took both her hands into his.

  “My lady, my Lord. I apologize for the intrusion but, her grace would like to speak with you, my Lady.” Sophie said as she moved closer to them.

  Gabby felt a great relief and immediately pulled both hands away from his grip, almost stumbling as she started to hurry away.

  “I have to go,” she barely said goodbye.

  “Alright. I shall be on my way too. See you tomorrow.”

  Both Sophie and Gabby watched as Ronnie left.

  “Oh! Thank goodness! I wanted to die, Sophie. I thought the whole charade would never end. Oh! Good Lord! This is unbearable,” Gabby said, going to her knees.

  “I was close by and I overheard everything that was going on. I felt you needed some help and that was why I stepped in,” Sophie explained.

  “You are truly an angel, Sophie. Only heaven knows what I would do without you.”

  Eventually, Gabby thought, with a twinge of sadness, she would learn to adapt to her reality. She had told her mother that she was a woman and women make sacrifices. That would show maturity. She would have to throw all her dreams and expectations away to make her parents happy and maybe, she would also find her happiness in that.

  Chapter 2

  Lachlan Ridell stood on the second floor of the Aodh castle, looking at his home. The building was almost in complete ruin. Efforts had started decades ago to repair the castle, still, the construction was not complete. Now, his clan was drowning in debt.

  Lachlan wanted to rebuild his home and not waste his time and energy on waging war in foreign countries. He felt too old for such. Besides, he had sons that could take care of wars. While they did the fighting, he concentrated on learning new methods of trade.

  Meanwhile, he had been told by his elders not to trust the foreigners that surrounded their borders. He was no fool to trust his enemies, especially the English. Some years back, Jamie, the Highland Prince, had given the Highlanders a purpose to join forces against the English people, Lachlan had been forced to join the battle and the spoils of that war had lasted them for years. One thing was certain, if there was no way to meet up with his debt, then there had to be another battle.

  “Why so deep in thought my Lord?”

  Lachlan turned around to see his special advisor, Rory Alastair.

  “What else, Rory? I am worried as tae how we will survive this coming winter?” He replied.

  Rory inhaled deeply and walked to the balcony. He looked down.

  “Are ye thinking of sending yer nephew tae war, my Lord?” Rory asked.

  “Nae, I dinnae think of such. If there will be any fighting with the Sassenach men, my sons willnae be involved.” Lachlan replied.

  “Yer sons, or son?” Rory asked.

  Lachlan gave no reply, he knew what Rory was insinuating. He only had one son, Callum, the other was his nephew. Callum had lost his betrothed in a previous war against the English. It had affected him rather badly and Lachlan had promised never to send him to fight the English again. He was afraid of what his son might do.

  “Sending one of them tae war without involving the other could breed a greater rivalry between them,” Lachlan said.

  Rory inhaled a sharp breath. “That has always been a problem, my Lord. What dae ye plan tae dae about this unhealthy rivalry between them?”

  Lachlan shook his head. “I have no idea,” he replied. Rory had always been his special advisor and he always presented an appropriate solution for everything. No one was better suited to be his special advisor than Rory.

  “Still, my Lord. Ye cannae avoid it forever, ye should dae something about master Callum. I am certain that ye are aware of the name that everyone calls him now.”

  “The Devil?” Lachlan asked.

  “Indeed, my Lord. They call him the Devil because of the way he kills and massacres his enemies. Anyone who falls under the wrath of his blade is doomed forever. Malcolm keeps taunting him day and night for the position of the Laird, I am afraid of what may happen between them when you are nae overseeing things, my Lord.”

  Lachlan knew Rory was right, that had always been his fear as well.

  “Two of them cannae be Lairds, only one of them can be the Laird,” Rory said and continued. “Many of us do not trust Bryce’s son, my Lord. I believe ye know who the people want as their Laird.”

  Lachlan knew this as well. The people loved Callum, his good features and strength had earned him a soft place in the heart of the Scottish women who formed a larger percentage of the people of the town.

  “If my son becomes the laird, I am certain that Malcolm would plot against him day and night.”

  “Then ye need tae dae something, my Lord.”

  “Well, before I dae anything, I need tae address the debt issue. Fetch me my son.”

  Rory frowned, “Yer son has left, my Lord.”

  Lachlan raised his brows. “Gone? Gone tae where?”

  Rory shrugged, “Tae the usual place,” he replied, giving the chief a knowing look.

  Lachlan couldn’t understand but with the look Rory gave him, he assumed his son had gone to meet the Lady Erlyn Banalt, his mistress.

  “Are they still together?” He asked

  Rory nodded. “Very much so, my Lord.”

  “I dinnae trust that woman,” Lachlan blurted.

  Rory nodded. “Dae ye plan tae come in between him and this woman, my Lord?”

  “No,” Lachlan responded. “That would never work. I know my son well so maybe I can solve this a different way. Tell him tae come see me once he gets back.”

  “As yer lordship pleases.” Rory said, bowing slightly.

  ***

  “I heard ye seek for me, father,” Callum said as he approached his father. “What is this that I heard of the Jacobites?”

  Lachlan stood up from where he sat and moved closer to his son.

  “The Jacobites can wait; there is another matter of importance which we need tae talk about, son.”

  “I am with ye, father.”

  Lachlan wal
ked closer to his son and held him by the shoulder firmly. “Ye are a strong man and I have raised ye well. I am very proud of ye, my child but how long will this enmity between ye and yer cousin last?”

  Callum was silent. “Father, Malcolm wishes tae be the Laird and he would dae anything tae make it happen.”

  “That must nae happen. This is why I wish ye get wedded very soon. A Laird must be wedded. If ye fail tae be wedded at the right time, the position of the Laird will nae longer be yers, son.”

  After a while, Callum spoke. “There is a woman.”

  “Dae nae speak tae me of that whore!” said his father.

  Callum was quiet again. He didn’t plan to bring up his mistress but apparently, he could tell his father had an opinion about her.

  “She is a strong Scottish woman. She is wealthy and powerful.”

  “She was Isabella’s best friend. Ye dinnae think that I would forget that, dae ye, son?”

  Callum sighed, “If we cannae make dae with her, then who dae I marry? I dae nae hae any interest in any woman, father. I only want tae make yer wish come true by marrying her.”

  “Ye would only ruin Isabella’s memory if that happens.”

  Callum was quiet again, his father was right. He also did not have any intention of marrying his mistress. He didn’t even love her, but he hoped to marry her to stand a better chance of becoming a Laird after his father. Nevertheless, his father was right.

  “So, what dae we do?” Callum finally asked.

  His father walked farther away from him as he would whenever he was lost in thought.

  “Ye go tae war with the Jacobites. Ye win. I shall get a wife ready for ye.”

  ***

  Lachlan watched from the window as his two sons left. This had been his plan. Now, he could shift his attention to the problem at hand.

  “Rory, how many weeks dae we have left before we run out of food?” he asked his advisor who stood beside him.

  “Barely two weeks, my Lord,” Rory replied.

  “We do nae have much time tae waste, we need tae strike quickly,” said Lachlan.

  “Aye, my Lord but before we dae that, why dae we not send spies first?” Rory asked, and to this Lachlan nodded.

  “Very well, which of the men dae ye suggest?” Lachlan asked.

  “Basalt and Darach,” Rory replied.

  “Before we dae that, there is another thing which we must address,” said Lachlan.

  “What is that?”

  “My son needs a wife quickly. I intend tae find him a good wife before time runs out.”

  “My Lord, are ye certain that Malcolm does nae know of this plan already?” Rory asked.

  “I am certain. It is only if my son does nae get a wife before his next birthday that Malcolm has an equal claim to my position as the Laird. His birthday is in the next four months. This means that he must get a wife quickly.”

  “What would ye have me do, my Lord,” Rory asked.

  “Can we find a good woman in Scotland?” Lachlan asked. “Although I would prefer if the woman is from another clan.”

  Rory frowned. “I dinnae understand, my Lord. Ye dae nae wish tae have yer son married tae his own people?”

  “I dae nae trust our people,” Lachlan replied. “I am old and there is wee I can do. I am also certain that Malcolm has his people everywhere. There is no one he cannae use. I have but a wee time tae spend before I go tae my fathers. Nevertheless, send men out and bring me the names of all the young women ye think are worthy tae be married tae my son.”

  Rory bowed. He sent for Basalt and Darach, the best spies they had. The town needed to be fed, by any means necessary.

  ***

  Three days had passed since Callum was sent off to war. Lachlan lay on his bed while the physician tended to him in his chamber. Rory stood next to him. The sickness had been going on for quite some time and the trio had kept it as a secret from the rest of the clan.

  “How long does he have left?” Rory asked the physician. Anxiety was evidently written on his face.

  “It is difficult tae say. I am afraid, my Lord,” said the physician to the chief. “I should advise ye tae take things easy. Yer health fast declines and yer body needs constant rest.”

  Lachlan sat up with a scoff. “I feel fine, I am a strong man and I will last through this winter. I dae nae feel sick at all,” he said with a cough.

  The physician looked at Rory, whose head hung with concern.

  “Dae not worry yerself. The cough is only a mild one. I will be fine. Rory, see that the physician is well paid for his effort.”

  Both men bowed before leaving the chamber.

  After they were gone, the chief stood up from the bed. He walked closer to the window, lost in thought. He knew that the physician was right and that he needed rest. The sickness had been going on for six months and there was no known cure.

  It was the same sickness that had killed his wife when Callum was just six. He couldn’t give in to it now, he needed to be strong until his town and his son was well taken care of. If he died now, he knew quite certainly that he was not going to rest in peace.

  “My Lord, the physician has gone,” Rory said as he came in.

  “Good. I hope ye paid him enough for his effort as well as for his discretion?”

  “Absolutely, my Lord.”

  “Good. We cannae risk anybody knowing that the chief is unwell. It could ruin everything.”

  “My Lord, ye and I both know that ye are unwell, why dae ye not want tae face it?”

  “Rory, ye know how much I appreciate everything ye hae done for me?”

  The other man nodded with a faint smile.

  “Ye also know that I dae nae trust anyone aside from ye.”

  Rory nodded. “I am honored, my Lord.”

  “I understand yer concern and I deeply appreciate it but my friend, this is nae the time to grow weak. This is the time tae strike. This is the time tae dae one more thing together. Ye very know that our people must nae ken of this sickness until a new Laird has been named. If Malcolm or any of his supporters hear about this, he will use it tae his advantage and who knows what he would do?”

  Rory inhaled and nodded. “As yer grace pleases.”

  Lachlan smiled gravely and then walked farther away from Rory.

  “Any word from the spies? Any good news?” He asked.

  “Certainly, my Lord. The city is ripe for the taking,” Rory replied.

  Lachlan turned to face him. “Bring them in, let’s hear from them.”

  “I shall send a servant tae fetch them quickly,” Rory said before leaving.

  Lachlan waited impatiently for the men who entered some minutes later.

  The two men bowed.

  “How was the place ye were sent tae?” He asked the two men.

  The taller of the two stepped forward. “My Lord, the land is fertile and rich with food and water. There is gold and many more luxuries in large quantities.”

  Lachlan nodded with content. He was impressed.

  “The Earl prepares tae give his daughter away in marriage. We also learnt that the prince has nae sent them reinforcements. This means, we can strike at any moment.”

  “Then this is good. The time tae strike is now. Ye also said he is getting ready for a wedding?” Lachlan inquired.

  The man nodded. “Aye, my Lord. The ceremony is tae happen tomorrow.”

  The chief shot a thoughtful look at Rory. “And that is when we shall strike.”

  The three men were obviously surprised.

  “Aye, that is the time they will be most vulnerable. They willnae see it coming. Quickly, gather the rest of the men. We need tae get this done before the arrival of my sons.”

  The spies rushed out half-sprinting. The Highlanders enjoyed a good battle.

  ***

  Word came down to the Aodh Castle on a horse. They have won the war against the Jacobites. That night, the town had a little celebration in honor of their soldiers. They were singing a
nd dancing as they knew how to.

  After a while, Rory whispered something in Lachlan’s ears and then they both stood up and excused themselves.