Page 1 of The Iron Highlander
Chapter 1
“Lady Kate,ye have been summoned to the great halls by Laird McGowan!” A servant announced to Kate as she sat in her bedroom.
“I’ll be with him shortly,” Kate replied. She turned on her seat, wondering why the Laird had summoned her, especially at such an hour. She turned back to the mirror and grabbed a comb, which she ran through her hair, preparing herself to go before him. As she combed her thick black hair, she pondered on her last meeting with McGowan, and had seen just how nasty the man could be when he was upset.
He had watched as a part of the wall in his estate had been rebuilt by the servants, only to tell them to tear it down and rebuild it again, as they had missed a simply dismissible design. In a fit of rage, the Laird grabbed the servant who had spoken up and flung him to the dogs. The servant had barely survived, but that made sure that the wall was rebuilt right to the letter. McGowan was not one to be trifled with, and she knew better than to keep him waiting.
Donning a cloak to protect herself, Kate rushed out of her chambers and out to the rain outside, heading for the great hall, where McGowan would be waiting. As she headed for the building, she looked up at the castle, seeing lightning flash across the skies. A few servants moved around, clearing the gutter for the waters to flow out of the compound. Kate felt the weight of the frigid rainwater pull down on her cloak, and felt a pang of sadness for the servants who had to work under the rains to keep the lands of Laird McGowan as he desired.
She stepped into the halls, and a servant took her cloak and hung it by the door. She smiled and thanked him, as she realized that the service was one which they had copied from the English. Katherine smiled to herself as she began heading up the stairs. As she moved her hand up the rail, she felt the gleam on it, and looked to see that it had been polished. McGowan always ensured that his home was exquisite, for all of his guests to see.
The castle spoke of the riches of the Laird, with all of its fancy items, from glass holders for the candles of the castle to gold-tipped rails for the ends of his curtains. McGowan wanted everyone to see just how much he had. To his guests, he wanted them to see his home as a beautiful place where he was loving of all who lived in the castle. He pretended to be jovial with his servants, and Kate and her sisters as well, but he was anything but. Her uncle, the great Laird McGowan, was truly despicable.
McGowan was not just cruel to the servants; he was cruel to Kate and her sisters as well. After her parents had been killed by the Laird of McDonald, McGowan had taken Kate and her sisters Freya, Willow, and Lily in. He was a man who seemed on the edge of losing it, as he would often be incrediblycruel, and other times would act as though he was an entirely different individual. The dual personalities made it hard for even clansmen to follow along with him, especially when there was a heated argument with the Laird.
“He has been expecting ye, Kate,” came Isla, the right hand to McGowan. The woman had been overseeing all of the activities which went on in the castle for as long as Kate could remember, being the one in charge when McGowan was away on important business.
“Hope I’m nae late,” Kate replied.
“Well that depends, doesnae?” Isla replied.
Kate pushed the doors to the halls and stepped into the great halls. As she did, a breeze from the outside followed her past the doors and threatened to take out the flames on the candles which lit up the room. She closed the door behind her.
“The much-honored Max Sweeney, Laird of McGowan.” Kate curtsied as she greeted, looking up at her uncle who sat on a fine wooden chair, carved out of the finest mahogany. The chair had been adorned with a few rubies on its armrests, and above it, a crude lion had been skillfully carved into the chair. From the distance, McGowan looked absolutely stunning and imposing,
“Katherine,” Max began.
“Uncle,” Kate replied. Max was the only one who had gotten away with calling her Katherine, and she absolutely despised it. When she was younger, her mother and father had called her Katherine, and in a way, she took to it. Everyone else had called her Kate, even the few times she met with Max, he had made sure of it, but now, with both her parents gone, he had taken it on himself to constantly remind her of what she was missing by calling her Katherine. McGowan was utterly despicable.
“Thank ye for coming out to see me under such terrible weather. I understand it is late, but there is a subject I would like to discuss, and as the eldest and only remaining member of my family, I believe ye are old and mature enough to discuss this with me.”
“To the best of my ability, I’m sure,” Kate replied, curtsying again.
“Good, please take a seat.” Max began, getting out of his own seat and helping Kate into hers.
Once done, he turned and walked towards a window, watching his servants outside as they worked under the rain. He smiled to himself, as Kate watched his face in the window. The smile almost looked sinister, as though he enjoyed seeing his servants suffer. For a man who had everything, it made no sense why he would enjoy something like that.
“In all of my years ruling over this estate, I find that there are things which have simply evaded me. Despite everything which I try, I simply am unable to find it.” Lightning flashed in the skyoutside, illuminating Max’s figure as he stood by the window. His sporran dangled off the hip of his kilt. The Laird was dressed for bed, save for the kilt. His pale skin shone in the light of the candles. “Katherine, I believe it is time for me to have an heir. I am getting older, and nae one knows when my time will come.”
Kate smiled, realizing that the man was right. “Aye! Max, that’s great news! I mean that is exactly what this estate needs, a beautiful woman at yer right hand, and a baby in hers! Ah, this calls for a celebration, doesnae?”
“I reckon it does, Katherine,” Max replied, staring out the window.
She looked closer, realizing the demeanor in which he had responded, and saw that he wasn’t exactly pleased with what she had said. Then it hit her, he had not yet found a bride for him to marry.
“Ah, Laird McGowan, if it pleases ye, allow me to help ye find a bride, someone who would fit right into this household. A woman who would be worthy to be called yer bride. There are a lot of great houses all around and honored women as well. But please, let me do this for ye, and I assure ye, we will find a bride, the one which ye would spend the rest of yer life with, and she would give ye a fine heir.”
Kate got to her feet and began walking over to him. McGowan turned around, and Kate froze as she saw that look in his eyes. The one which foretold of the cruelty which the Laird was about to dish out to whoever was in reach. He had switched to hisalternate personality that made sure it hurt everyone around. McGowan glared at her for a moment, raising an eyebrow as he scanned her from her head to her feet.
“Ye make it sound like the bride is the problem. I have always had a bride; I just need an heir.”
Kate cocked her head to the side as she tried to make sense of what he had just said. “I do nae understand. Ye mean ye have found someone already? Where is she? We must celebrate the good news.”
“When I called ye here, I did because I believed ye were old enough to understand, believed that ye would nae ridicule me, and now, ye do exactly that. Daenae ask for my wrath, Katherine, I am in foul spirits tonight, and so daenae tempt me!”
“Apologies, I simply daenae know what ye speak off, and I ask for understanding.”
“Have ye seen a man recently?” Max asked.
