Page 41 of Kidnapped By her Highland Enemy
“Good night lass,” he kissed the back of her neck.
“Ye too.”
The black rock on which the castle stood had an ominous feeling flitter over Maisie’s skin while the castle towered over them, but she did not voice them and followed Lucas through themain gate, under and into the outer close near the Great Hall. High walls, topped with battlements and passageways, some still bearing the signs of war, surrounded them.
“This way, Laird Barclay,” a man bowed and gestured to a door. “Sir Wallace is in the chapel, but he will be with ye soon.”
“Thank ye,” Lucas dipped his head
The Great Hall of Sterling Castle was the most magnificent hall Maisie had seen despite visiting many castles. She looked about and saw colorful banners and vivid tapestries hanging from the walls. Servants lit candles, wall sconces and chandeliers dangled above while evergreen boughs were hung throughout the passageways.
The ladies that passed by wore modest gowns and the men were in full kilts. The trestle tables were out, but not yet dressed for any meal and Maisie wondered if this was where the newest head of Scotland took his visits.
Lucas seemed to mirror her thoughts. With his hand inches from his dirk, he gazed at the high windows and muttered, “With this place so open, he’d be a fool to meet with powerful men here.”
“I—”
“Ye sniveling swine I’ve finally found ye. Tis about time I got me hands on ye.” Laird Gunn snarled as he swept into the chamber, hate and murder glittering in his eyes. The laird, flanked bythree of his most vicious men, already commanded a section of the room. Angus’s eyes landed on Maisie, “And ye foolish gal, get ye to me carriage this instant.”
“Nae so fast, Dunn,” The elder McCormack came in, he too flanked by livered guards. “Ye are nay touching me son, but yer daughter is coming with me to answer for her crimes.”
“Crimes?” Maisie gasped. “What crimes!”
Stepping in front of her protectively, Lucas faced his father, “How in God’s name did ye get here so fast?”
“Birlinn, son,” the man said tightly. “The most sensible way. I am sure those peasants over there took to the road.”
“Me horses are the fastest in the land an’ ye ken it,” Angus spat heatedly as he edged to the other laird, the intention to brawl clear on his face. “Ye are jealous and ye ken it.”
Cinead sneered. “What do ye have to make me jealous? A lacking fighting force, tottering buildings, unkempt roads, tainted blood?”
“Tainted!” Angus roared. “Ye are the bloody mongrel here—”
The grate of the large doors behind them had both men snapping their mouths shut and turning to see a man walking in, tall and strapping with a finely tailored suit and dark eyes.
He introduced himself. “Baron John Comyn, the third of Badenoch. I apologize, ourlaudedleader Sir Wallace had just been called away and I stand here as his proxy. The guards have told me who you all are, so I must ask, what has bought such esteemed families to our gates?”
“We’re here to—”
“Get a mediator to help us break this feud,” Lucas said strongly, cutting Angus off. “Too much blood has spilled between us for centuries and I believe it is time for it to end.”
Ignoring the man’s blistering glare, Lucas added, “I believe it’s time for us to work as one instead of harming the other.”
The Guardian’s eyes turned to the older men, and gave both a long, assessing look, “If that is the case, I’ll have a priest with you in the antechamber. Good day to you all.”
As he left, Cinead muttered, “What is a deuced Englishman doing as a head of our people?”
“That’s nay the matter here,” Laird Gunn snapped, while jabbing a finger at Lucas. “Who told ye this feud should end with a mediator? It will have its rightful end when me men beat yers into the lice-fested bog ye came from.”
“Nay, Faither,” Maisie said as she came around from Lucas. “This has to stop. Why are we killing each other at all from what is most likely a fabricated tale?”
“How dare ye?” Cinead said coldly. “I have it on good word from my faither—”
“As do I!” Gunn inserted.
“—that Gunn’s treacherous rat of a forefather stole a lady from us,” Cinead continued unerringly. “We, unlike ye, honor our womenfolk and we will fight to the last breath to have our honor restored.”
The door pushed open again and a silver-haired older man came right through. He must have come right from mass as his dalmatic, stole, and a hooded cap were in place.
