Page 80 of Claimed by a Highlander
The tall young warrior who rode at the front beside Catriona dismounted. After helping Catriona down from her horse, he kept his hold on her while the two exchanged words.
“That’s their new chieftain,” Malcolm said. “He’s young and easily offended. Ach, this doesn’t bode well.”
As the Munro chieftain brought Catriona across the castle yard to them with his warriors following close behind, Sybil glanced at Rory. He was gripping the hilt of his dirk as if contemplating plunging it into the Munro chieftain’s chest.
When the Munro halted in front of them, Rory grabbed Catriona by the wrist and pulled her across the narrow divide between the MacKenzies and Munros. He pushed her behind him, clearly failing to notice his sister’s resistance or the look that passed between her and the young Munro chieftain.
“Rory is overly protective of Catriona,” Alex said in an urgent whisper. “We must stop him from doing something he’ll regret.”
“We can do nothing,” Malcolm said, holding Alex’s arm. “It would do Rory even greater harm for you and I to show we doubt his judgment in front of the clan.”
Well, that left it to her.
Sybil hurried to Rory’s side and hooked her arm through his, then gave both him and the Munros a bright smile. She could almost see steam rising from Rory’s skin, but her presence seemed to remind him that this was not the time nor place for a violent confrontation.
“We welcome you to Castle Leod,” Sybil said, and held her hand out to the young Munro chieftain. “I’m Lady Sybil, the MacKenzie’s bride.”
She ignored Catriona’s gasp of surprise and widened her smile. When the Munro chief bowed stiffly over her hand, she felt the tension of all the warriors around her decrease palpably—with the exception of Rory, who was clenching his jaw so tightly she expected to hear his teeth crack.
“Thank you for bringing Catriona home to us in time to celebrate our wedding,” she said. “That is a great favor to me, as my own sisters cannot be here.”
“It was my pleasure,” the Munro said.
“Yourpleasureto return my sister?” Rory ground out. “How dare ye say that after ye kidnapped her.”
“Kidnapped?” The Munro stood taller, and fire lit his eyes. “She came to me for protection. You should take better care of your sister.”
Rory made a sound like a growl and took a step forward.
“’Tis true!” Catriona said, stopping him in his tracks. “I did go to them.”
Rory turned slowly to face his sister. “Ye went to the Munros?”
When she nodded, he stared at her, his eye twitching.
“It appears I have been remiss in not thanking you,” Rory said in an icy tone. “I will protect my sister better in the future, as you suggest, so that she will feel no need to go tostrangers.”
Evidently the Munros had provided Rory’s sister with a safe haven, not kidnapped her. Catriona’s return presented an opportunity to build a friendship between the two clans. Rory, however, looked as if he’d like to murder their chieftain. The Munro’s attitude did not help matters.
“I wish you and your men a safe journey home,” Rory said, and gripped Catriona by the arm. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my sister and I have much to discuss.”
Sybil watched in dismay as Rory dragged his sister off. She caught Catriona’s distraught expression as she looked over her shoulder at the Munro chieftain.
Nay, this would not do at all. She waited until she was sure Rory was out of earshot.
“Must ye leave so soon?” she asked the Munro. “It will add to our joy if you would stay and join the celebration of our marriage.”
***
“How could ye go to the Munros?” Rory shouted at his sister. “God have mercy, did ye lose your senses?”
“Of course I went to the Munros. Where else could I go?” Catriona planted her hands on her hips. “Have ye forgotten that Father pillaged and burned the lands of our other neighboring clan, the Roses?”
What had happened to Catriona? He remembered her as much more compliant.
“What about our uncle, Lord Lovat,” he said. “Ye could have gone to him.”
“He’s a sneaky bastard,” she said. “And would ye really want me to ride that far alone?”
