Page 124 of Seduced By the Reckless Highlanders
Suddenly Minna saw Lorna, her face a mask of distress, and her own resolve hardened. If her brother was allowed to do what he had been doing for the last few years, the estate would be ruined. Perhaps if Jamie killed her, it would make the clan chief come to his senses and intervene. Was it worth it? She had tried everything else. She was shaking with anger and fear, but she was determined.
As they emerged in front of all their witnesses, Jamie folded his arms, squared his shoulders and tilted his chin, trying to look every inch the lord of the manor as he looked down his nose at her.
“You can go now, Minna,” he said loftily. “We all know how brave you are, and how much you care for our people. There is no need to throw your life away.”
“I was taught to fight with a sword when I was a girl, Jamie,” she reminded him. “I was far better at it than you were.”
“And how long ago was that, sister?” he sneered. “You were barely in corsets then! I am far stronger than you are, so admit defeat now while you still can. Honor is satisfied.”
“I am not in corsets now!” she growled, pointing at her breeches and boots. “And I will fight like a man if I have to!”
“Let her fight, Jamie,” Brody Tarrant, a visiting friend who had just arrived from Millrig, said carelessly. “She will not win, and you don’t want to look like a coward, do you?” He looked at his cousin with a challenge in his eyes.
Jamie was being backed into a corner. He stared at his sister for a moment. He had every advantage; he was taller, stronger, he had a longer reach, and he could likely take Minna’s head off with one swipe of his sword. What was stopping him?
When he admitted it to himself he felt afraid, but not because he thought Minna might beat him, but because she was his sister, and he had some finer feelings for her. Did he love her? She was nothing but a constant irritation to him, but she was his sister, his flesh and blood. Then he reminded himself that she wanted to basically take over the running of the estate, and he would look like a complete fool. No. He could not allow that to happen. His pride would not let him.
Jamie took the sword that Brody was handing out to him, and a guard gave Minna his own. “Good luck, Mistress,” he said under his breath.
Minna gave him a brief smile then turned back to her brother. She had never really taken much notice of how tall he was before, and how long his arms and legs were. She had neverbeen so scared in her life, but she kept her expression defiant and angry, not wanting him to see her inward terror.
“Are you ready to die, Minna?” he asked, grinning. “There is still time to change your mind, you know. I will not hold it against you.”
“Are you ready to die, brother?” Minna countered, raising her chin and giving him a smug smile.
Jamie swallowed nervously when he saw Minna’s cocky attitude. She was definitely not intimidated, he thought, and his confidence dipped as she gave him another wicked grin.
“Come, brother, dear!” Minna taunted him. “What are you waiting for?”
CHAPTER 19
Gowan sat on the grass thinking for a few moments. Minna had called him a coward, and she was right! If he had been a good, brave man with the courage of his convictions, he would have tried to gather the Hepburn clan together and at least tried to take the castle back. What sort of a man was he? Minna was right. He was a coward, and a disgrace to his family.
Suddenly he leapt to his feet. He would find her and stand with her. Gowan raced back to the cottage and took the sword from its place on the floor, then held it up. Its brass handle was tarnished, but he could still make out the words ‘Keep Tryst’ on it, and the steel blade was still bright and shining like a mirror. Its lethal edge glinted in the daylight, and it was heavy in his hands. This was a weapon that had seen some service and would see plenty more if Gowan had anything to do with it.
He slid the sword into its scabbard and left the cottage, then ran to the village, sprinting almost all the way. He had to find Minna. He had to. As soon as he saw the cottages in the distance, however, his heart skipped a beat. He had forgotten to put his cloak on, and without it he had nothing with which to disguise his face.
Suddenly he decided that he had been hiding for too long. He was tired of hiding in the shadows and he would do it no more. He would have to uncover his face sometime - it might as well be now. He ran into Cairndene and called out to the first man he saw.
“Have you seen Minna Darroch?” he yelled.
The old man was startled, both by Gowan’s sudden appearance, his size, and the scar on his face, but he answered.
“Aye, lad. She was here just a wee while ago, but she left in a hurry.”
“Where did she go?” Gowan demanded.
“She ran away up the road.” An old woman told him, pointing.
“Towards the castle?” Gowan asked urgently.
“Aye,” the old woman answered. “She didnae tell us where she was goin’, but we saw her runnin’ that way.”
“Thank you.” Gowan said gratefully, then paused for a moment to recover his breath.
“Who are ye?” Senga asked, looking at him suspiciously.
Gowan did not answer her, but began to sprint as fast as his legs would carry him towards the castle, leaving Senga and her friend Callum to gaze after him till he was swallowed by the trees.
