Page 74 of Tempting the Highland Devil
Laird Macmicking cleared his throat and lowered his head a little.
“For a long time, I thought yer faither was responsible, but he wasnae. Laochra group was the one behind it. The leader had a hatred for her faither, and so he killed her and took her from me. I want him just as much as ye need him, and I’m afraid I will ask somethin’ else from ye, Laird MacGregor.”
“Ye seem to have many requests from me tonight, Laird Macmicking. What is it that ye need this time?”
“I ask that ye allow me the honor of killin’ the leader of Laochra once ye find him. He is a frightenin’ man, and I dinnae doubt that ye can do it yerself, but I ache for the pleasure of drivin’ my sword through his heart.”
Arran nodded then he sheathed his sword and motioned for the rest of his men to fall back.
“I shall keep in touch with ye, Laird Macmicking,” he said after a while. “Ye will be the first to ken when I have a plan ready.”
Both lairds shook hands again then Arran watched Laird Macmicking mount on his horse and ride off into the night. The silence festered between them a while after that, and Arran allowed all he just learnt to sit with him.
“Do ye trust him?” Killian asked once they were alone.
“I dinnae,” Arran answered before facing Killian and Duncan. “But time will tell. For now, let us plan a feast. If the leader of Laochra wants to kidnap my wife, he will try to do it while we are all distracted with celebratin’. We will have the chance of catchin’ him ourselves this time.”
He squeezed the letter in his hand tight and gritted his teeth. He looked forward to the day he would end this for good.
39
If he has found out anything useful, then all of this will be over soon.
Yvaine paced around the drawbridge with her heart pounding too close to her throat. It was almost evening, and there was no word or sign from Arran or her brother yet.
The rumors spread faster than wildfire, and James had arrested two suspicious guards the night before. Yvaine anticipated Arran’s return and hoped it was fruitful.
“Dinnae worry too much,” Lily said as she joined her outside on the drawbridge. “I am sure they will return soon.”
“I cannae help myself,” Yvaine confessed as she nibbled on her lower lip and sighed again. She could not bring herself to find sleep the entire night, and now, her mind wavered with different scary thoughts.
What if they walked into a trap? What if they are dead?
She squeezed her eyes shut then tried to shrug those thoughts out of her mind. Yvaine could not let them scare her now. Not after all she and Arran had been through already.
“Here,” her mother said behind her, and she turned around to stare at the vial her mother handed over to her. “Amelia made the tonic with the help of the clan’s healer. It will help ye relax. Dinnae worry; yer husband will return soon.”
Yvaine nodded before she took the tonic and drank from it. She groaned because of its bitter taste then blew air out of her lips again.
“I cannae help but worry about him, maither. He risks his life to save me every time, and I fear I dinnae do anythin’ for him besides sit here and wait.”
“Nonsense child,” Elspeth cautioned her then walked over to her side and pulled her into a tight hug. “Whenever yer faither went out for war, I dinnae just sit down and pray for him. I cared for the people and helped ease their worries. This isnae war me child, and ye dinnae need to fret. Hold faith, that is what ye must do.”
Yvaine drew courage from her mother’s words, and she sucked in a deep breath before closing her eyes tightly.
They stood there for a little bit longer before she heard the loud blow of the horns signaling the laird’s return with his people.
Yvaine hurried down from the drawbridge to meet with them as they rode into the castle grounds on their horses. Arran’s men rode in with him, and they all came to a halt when they reached the front of the castle.
Yvaine ran forward as Arran dismounted, and she flung her arms around him for a hug once he came close to her.
“Thank goodness, ye are safe,” she cried out and trembled as she hugged him close. Inhaling his thick scent one more time was enough to calm her nerves.
When Yvaine finally pulled back from him, he smoothed his hands over the side of her face and kissed her quickly on the lips.
“Did ye find out anythin’?” she asked as he held her hands. “We spread the rumors here, and we noticed a few men try to flee at night. James and the other guards caught them. What did ye find? Was it of importance?”
Arran only nodded, but his response sent a wave of relief right through all of her. She swallowed hard and joined him to walk into the castle after hugging her brother and Killian.
