Wed to a Highlander

Chapter 4

  Reagan found him some time later, delivering news of the Laird wanting his presence.

The great hall was full of the clan's warriors and elders, a few ladies of older years sat at the tables. "Ah, McLellan. My children shall be here soon. But first, I should like to introduce you to some of my trusted men."

Kane followed the older man, inwardly pleading that this would distract him from thoughts of a beautiful woman with golden eyes and a tantalizing body. The ball quietened when the sounds of crashing and giggling came from outside the closed doors. The doors opened and the three red-headed boys rushed into the hall, straight to their father's feet. "Papa! Papa!"

The youngest, Lachlan, jumped up into his father's arms, the man catching the boy, with a happy grin on his old face. "What is it, boys?"

The other two held onto his legs, causing him to loose balance for a moment. Stephen answered their father, "She's comin' t' get us!"

The hall of locals burst into fits of laughter. Kane and his men looked around confusedly. "Oh, dear," Andrew said through bouts of deep-bellied laughter.

Four young women then entered through the front entrance, capturing the group's attention, two of red hair and two of golden hair. One of them, whom the McLellan men deemed the most beautiful, moved to the McGraw Laird and smiled down at the boys as the three women joined the older women on the other side of the room. The red head before the two Lairds chuckled at the three boys, "Oh, aren't you in trouble. You're very lucky Anna summoned her to get ready."

The boys nodded, their faces clad with a new fear. Kane looked down at the small, very feminine, very bonny girl. Was this lass his intended? If so, he wasn't sorry for the arrangement. But she wasn't the golden eyed lass. "A nursemaid is what they fear?"

The girl answered, "Oh, no. Something much worse than that."

Andrew chuckled again, then introduced the girl to the McLellans, "This is my younger daughter, Gwen."

She smiled radiantly and bowed her head. "I am sorry not to be lady of such fine men."

Reagan spoke up, "Ye' are no' my Laird's betrothed?"

She shook her head, her ruby waves floating at the motion. "No," she said through a good-humoured laugh.

Angus snorted. "He'd wish."

Gwen and her father laughed at his brazen words. Kane raised his eyebrows, noting that what the boy said was in fact true. Pity, he was beginning to enjoy the prospect.

The red head reached up, scratching Lachlan's head. "And you are going to be very sorry when that door opens and you well know it."

Stephen switched his grasp from his father's leg to his sister's, pleading, "Please don't let her get us. Please." He grasped the green and red dress, burying his face in its skirts.

And there it was. The frightening crash of a door banging upon the walls since one threw them open furiously. "Where are you?!"

The boys immediately let go of whom they were holding onto and rushed to the opposite exit. Well, Lachlan had a little bit of trouble doing so because of his sitting in his father's arms. Just when his little feet touched the ground, the doors to the main hall slammed open to reveal a woman with dark brown hair, shining dark red in certain lights, and her dress was made from blue tartan, the McGraw tartan. The entire material, from the tip of the sleeves to the hem of the skirt was tartan. Her skin was not like the other women, not pale and fair but tan. Kane's whole body tightened. Tis her. Her golden eyes were not set on him but on the boy frozen in front of him.

There you are!" Lachlan turned and quickly bolted in the other direction. The dark, mysterious woman laughed but made no more to catch the boy. Her rich voice echoed in the hall, "You are fortunate that there are many people here because if there weren't I would skin you alive!"

The three disappeared into the hallway leading to the kitchens where they were to cause more chaos. Gwen rolled her eyes while everyone else started laughing again. This was life for these people. Pure, happy life. Kane watched only her as she folded her arms and turned to look at her father. "Da..."

"Yer intended," he explained to his daughter. He then turned to Kane and said, "This is my eldest, Lauren."

The two stood in silence, recognising each other's faces. That strong jaw clenched, those honey eyes stared into his. Moments stretched like this.

It's him! He is my betrothed. The man ignited a fire in her like none she had ever felt before stood in front of her as her betrothed. As she had never met him beforehand only gossiping tales about him reached her ears, she found he was in no way different to what the tales said of him. Strong, muscular, corded arms were attached to a bulging chest by thick shoulders, the shirt he was wearing emphasized that very clearly, along with the packed abdomen and the muscles strained against the skin of his calves. Scars marred his bronze skin from the strip below his right eye to the strip across his left ankle. She remembered feeling of that under her palms. Mentally shaking from her trance, she focused on the only thing calming about him: his eyes. His blue, dark, cold eyes.

She had more of her father in her, Kane reckoned. The same gold brown eyes, the same dark hair, the same sharp contours on her face, the same skin tone even. His memory only made his body feel worse. The very woman who had set his body aflame after one brief encounter was to be his wife. How very fortunate. He hid his proud smirk from the room and bowed his head in respect. She returned the gesture, but both never said a word.

Gwen was the one to break the uneasy silence. She took her older sister to the group of women. And midday progressed of simply talking and chatting. The ale was brought up as celebration. Many thought the young Laird would detest the thought of marrying a fiery lass but she said naught and he said naught.

He watched her from where he sat beside Laird McGraw, sipping at his ail every once as often. Gwen noticed this and she also saw her sister just watching her cup and she only ever did that when she was embarrassed about something. And that was rare. "Lauren, will you tell me what bothers you?"

Her sister did not answer her. Her jaw only tightened. Lauren had always been the strong one. Physically and mentally. But Gwen wasn't sure about emotionally. When they were but small children, a boy pushed Gwen to the ground, calling her a weakling. Gwen ran home, muddied and crying. Lauren had been infuriated and found the boy, confronting him. He called her a weakling too, saying all girls were weaklings. Lauren would have none of it. She punched him, square in the nose, breaking the boy's snout. For some peculiar reason, the male has sought her friendship ever since.

"Nothing bothers me, Gwyneth."

"I know you too well to believe that." Lauren sat in silence, her answer to that unclear. "I wanted to thank you," Gwen said quietly.

That caught Lauren's attention. "Whatever for?"

"I know that you had a part in annulling my alliance with Lord Balium and I thank you for it. I just wish I could do something like that for you."

Lauren saw her meaning and shook her head. "Your alliance with that man came about only by his greed. My alliance with McLellan Laird is good for both our clans. Not just his."

Gwen nodded. "I see."