Page 64 of Tempting the Highland Devil
Arran walked away from Yvaine and extended a hand to Isabella after she curtsied to greet him. “How may I repay ye, Lass?”
Isabella raised her head and looked at Yvaine. Yvaine nodded softly, giving her the go-ahead to make her request to Arran directly.
“You knew my faither, my laird,” Isabella spoke. “He served your father and made arrangements to help your mother escape the castle while she was alive. He lost his life for that, and since then, my family has suffered the worse fate. Your faither seized our lands and handed it over to other clansmen who supported his rule. The little we had left towards the outskirts of the village was taken by rival clans. All I want is our lands back, and my father’s memory honored in the clan for his bravery.”
“What land do ye speak of?” Arran asked her.
“Torrell valley, my laird. The land bordering the great plains.”
“That land belongs to Clan O’Neil,” Arran answered. “They border us to the north, and it has been in their possession for years.”
“The land belongs to my father, my laird,” she argued. “I lived in England at the time, and I did not know what was happening back here. When I returned and found out what happened, I vowed to get what belongs to me back. You are the only one who can help me.”
Yvaine stepped forward and placed a hand over Arran’s. When he turned to her, she showed him a shaky smile. “I promised to help her, Arran, and in turn, she promised to help us find the man responsible for kidnappin’ me. If it was Laird Macmicking, then…”
“It wasnae him,” Arran cut-in with a grim look on his face. “I rode to Macmicking, prepared to fight him for yer release. I searched every cottage and shed in his village, and ye were nay there. Laird Macmicking might be me enemy, but he isnae the enemy who’s tried to hurt ye.”
Yvaine hiccupped as a renewed rush of terror sliced through her. If Laird Macmicking was not the one they sought, then who could it be?
“I will help ye,” Arran said to Isabella now then turned to Yvaine. “For now, let us go home.”
Yvaine leaned closer to him and sighed. She was already home with Arran next to her. There was no other place she had rather be.
33
Yvaine lay in her bed hours later while Arran attended the meeting with his clansmen in the court room.
They all had an issue to complain about, and as their voices rose over each other and drowned out his words, he relaxed on his chair and watched them argue.
“Silence!” he finally yelled to gain their attention. Most of his clansmen were displeased with his decision to help the villagers with a warm meal and blankets to keep them warm at night while the others wanted him to take the homeless into his castle and provide for them.
“Me laird, if ye keep this up, then the castle will have naythin’ left. We are yet to secure any formidable alliance with any of the wealthy clans. What happens if ye drain yer stores and one of our enemies attacks us? A war will last for years, me laird. Just yesterday, ye threatened Laird Macmicking with war. If he attacks us, we willnae be able to stand for long.”
“I ken what I am doin’,” Arran answered the clansman before he cleared his throat. “I am laird of this clan, and I suggest ye let me rule.”
Their displeasure was still evident as they grumbled after his words then settled down again.
“Anyone who takes displeasure in my rule is free to leave this council. I willnae longer tolerate this disrespect from all of ye,” Arran continued. “It is me duty as laird to help the villagers in need, and I willnae stop simply because I seek to provide for only meself. Me decision is final, and this council is dismissed.”
Arran exited the grand hall because he could not stand to hear any more of their complaints. He had not yet gotten the chance to be with Yvaine since they returned to the castle, and all he longed for was to be in her arms.
“Is there anythin’ that I must do?” he asked James as they marched towards his study. Arran ached to be done with all of his duties for the day, so he could go to her chamber and find out how she was faring.
Duncan and the rest of his family would arrive soon, and Arran needed to make sure Yvaine was strong enough to greet them when they did. He also needed to tighten the security in his castle and make sure nothing like this ever happened again.
“Ye just need to attend to the petitions on yer table, me laird. Some of the village heads have written to ye seeking yer help with security around their borders. There have been some recent robberies, but nay lives were lost.”
“Ye can handle that?”
“Aye,” James answered, and they entered his study. Arran took off his coat then sat to begin work on the petitions. When he opened the first scroll, he noticed James stood and stared at him.
“Is there somethin’ on me face, James?” he questioned, arching a brow as he looked up at him.
“Ye should be with yer wife in this moment, me laird,” James said after he cleared his throat and placed his hands behind him. “It is nay enough that ye found her and brought her home. Ye should be with her right now. She needs ye. Just like ye need her.”
Arran coughed as heat shot up his neck and scorched him.
“James,” he chided just before James burst into a trickle of laughter. Arran blew air out of his lips then tried to get rid of the images of Yvaine naked and wrapped under the sheets burning into his mind.
