Page 56 of Tempting the Highland Devil
Yvaine still visited the village to see the children even after the incident on the fields. They seemed happier each time she came to the shelter where the orphans lived.
She laughed with the lad Arran had brought to the castle a few days ago. The boy’s hair was cut shorter, and he wore MacGregor court clothes as he was now in training to become Arran’s personal servant.
“I can juggle the oranges, me lady,” he said to her as he took some oranges from the basket and showed her his skill. Yvaine laughed along with Jane and Ewan’s sister, Penelope, as they watched his performance.
He gave them a hearty bow when he was done. Yvaine applauded him before she turned to Jane and ordered her to bring more food for the children.
Time passed as they went around the village. Today, she wore a hat and less jewels with her earasaid, so the villagers would not notice her. After the last incident, Yvaine understood that not all the villagers were pleased with her and Arran trying to help them.
Most still held onto their anger from being abandoned all these years, and she understood that. She hoped they would come to accept her and even Arran as their laird soon.
Yvaine enjoyed walking around the village like this. Back home in MacLennan, she only got the chance to do that when Lily and her husband were around. That way, they could all walk the village together without Duncan worrying that Yvaine would get hurt by strangers or thieves roaming the villages.
It was dusk by the time she finally decided to return to the castle. Yvaine, and the guards that came with her, rode down the single path leading to the castle, and she kept her eyes glued to the road ahead.
When they reached the last turn that would lead right to the stables, her horse suddenly planted its feet on the ground and refused to go forward. It neighed and snorted, showing its fright as it refused to go any further.
Yvaine tightened her hands on the reins, but it still did not budge.
“Somethin’ is wrong,” she announced to the men with her. Her horse would not spook this way if he did not sense something.
Yvaine lifted a hand to signal to the men to stop, and a second later. she heard the loud, roaring sound of horses galloping towards them. Yvaine turned sharply to see a troop of horses rushing towards them at full speed.
They slowed as they drew closer, and their leader took off the cloak he had covering his head and shielding his features. She got a better look at his face as a wicked grin smirked up his lips.
“Laird Macmicking,” she gasped as he stared right into her eyes.This is the same man who sent men to attack the castle and kidnap me.
A tremor rocked through her, leaving a trail of fear in her nerves. Yvaine licked her lips and tried to sound steady as she stilled the trembling inside her. “To what honor do we owe this unexpected visit?”
Laird Macmicking looked even older than the time she had seen him during the games back home in MacLennan. Back then, she had wondered why an older man who had already been married twice would want another wife. But his clan was a wealthy one, so he would make a powerful ally.
Yvaine had felt sick to the stomach, dreading him winning the games and having to marry him. Even now, the thought left a sour taste at the back of her throat and had the knots in the pit of her belly tightening till she ached.
The guards escorting Yvaine drew their swords, and so did the men surrounding them. Yvaine, Jane, and Ewan were blocked off by the MacGregor men ready to fight to defend her, but she got off her horse and walked past them to face Macmicking.
“Yer laird owes me. I have come to collect. He must pay for what his clan did to mine years ago. He took everythin’ away from me, and I shall do the same to him. Ye my dear, will be my prize once I kill everyone here, including yer laird.”
“Did ye ride all the way here to threaten me, Laird Macmicking? To threaten this clan and my people? Is that why ye tried to kidnap me?”
A small frown burrowed into his features, and he arched one brow as if in shock by what she just said. The confusion lasted only a second before Laird Macmicking tipped his head back and laughed.
The ripples of his cackle made her tense further, and she heard her breath snag in her throat when his eyes bore into hers one more time.
“I rode out here to warn ye, me lady. Laird MacGregor will pay for what he did to my clan. I shall make sure of it.”
The man sheathed his sword and signaled to his men to retreat. As she watched them ride away, a frown spread out on her forehead, and she wondered why he seemed to not know what she meant when she mentioned his last attempt at kidnaping her.
* * *
By the time she returned to the castle, news of Laird Macmicking’s threat had reached Arran. He paced around the keep when she walked in and walked over to him to gently place a hand on his arm.
“Are ye all right?” Arran asked. “Did he hurt ye in anyway? Or try to…”
“I am all right,” she interrupted. “He was merely tryin’ to send a message to ye, Arran. He claims yer clan took everythin’ from him, and he intends to do the same to ye.”
Arran rubbed a hand over his chin and sighed. “My faither battled against Macmicking for years. He must want revenge for that,” Arran said to her before shaking his head. The grim look on his face showed his internal struggle, and he clenched his jaw hard again.
“Tis’ nay just about the war, me laird,” James spoke after some time.
