Page 55 of Surrendering to her Highland Captor
Iona studied the child for a moment before flicking her eyes back to Lachlan.
“Though we kent the Baron was angry, we vastly underestimated just how far his fury would take him. Years later, he, with the help of a traitorous spy, attacked my clan. As ye said, my people were hunted and slaughtered mercilessly. Heimprisoned me and a few of my most fearsome warriors only to torment us. They sacrificed themselves for me so I could escape and have a chance at rebuilding the clan. It was only in the last few months that I have been able to do so and have reunited with the few surviving members.”
“What does that have to do with us?” Finn probed.
“This man is verra dangerous. He was thwarted once more by one of my wife’s friends, who has now been captured and vanished. I come today to warn ye, this man does nae fight by the natural rules of war. He has nae issue killing women and children, ambushing clans so they dinnae have a chance to keep their families safe. His greed far outweighs any other thought he might have. I ask, humbly, that ye would consider allying with me and my people so that we could perhaps stand the chance of surviving against him. Another attack will nae be long off and without support, my clan will once again be wiped from the earth. Only, I fear the Baron will nae be content with only my land to claim. He will continue to invade, destroying everything in his path.”
Just as they had done before, the table of elders, perhaps ten men in total, broke out into frantic discussions. The once calm, quiet room erupted into waving hands and frustrated grunts.
“Ye claim that ye are here to warn us, but that is nae the truth,” a pudgy, red-faced man accused. “Ye are only here to use us.”
“Aye! He expects us to protect him from a problem that he created in the first place.”
“Coming here has put us all in danger,” the bald man from earlier added to the fray. “He openly admits he is wanted by the English. We could now be accused of harboring him. What of our families?”
Iona put a single hand in the air again. It took a moment or two longer to regain control of the room, but still, the cacophonyof dissent died down. Each man turned in his chair to get a better read of her face, waiting for their Laird’s thoughts on the matter. But Iona’s face was inscrutable and Aila was convinced this had all been a huge mistake. It was bad enough that Taryn was in trouble, now they were too.
“I hear yer concern, Angus,” Iona answered serenely. “But I do think it is worth pointing out that Laird Kincaid—for that is the man in front of us—has put his own family in harm’s way to come here. He carries the greatest risk by traveling in the open, yet he did so anyway. We must hear the truth of the matter before making any rash judgments.”
“If I could be permitted to speak, M’Laird,” Aila found herself saying.
She didn’t know what had come over her to grant her the courage to interrupt other than the fact that she wasn’t going to sit idly by while a table of strangers attacked her husband’s character. And something told her that Iona didn’t mind hearing Aila’s opinions.
“Please,” Iona welcomed.
“I, too, was just as skeptical when I first learned of Lachlan’s past. I shared the same concerns that he was putting my family, complete with a few children, in immense danger. But from the verra beginning, Lachlan has done nothing but protect us. His purpose is nae to shirk his responsibilities to his clan or to run from trouble. He has come with the hopes of gaining the power to face this head on so that we have the chance at a future again.”
With every word she spoke, Aila gained more confidence. She believed in Lachlan to the very core and knew they needed this venture to be a success. They couldn’t afford anything less.
“His people were nae given any warning that their homes would be burned to the ground or that their children would be hunted like animals. If all we manage to do today was give ye that warning, then our purpose in coming is fulfilled. The threatin the south is a formidable one and growing. We must all be prepared.”
“Unless we unite,” Lachlan added to her impassioned speech, “and stand against the English as one, we will lose everything. There will nae be a single clan left to stand.”
Finn stood then, his arms tucked behind his back. Turning, he positioned himself behind Iona’s chair, putting a hand on her shoulder. Aila couldn’t help but think of what a striking pair they made. Though Iona stayed impassive, Finn’s expression had only hardened. His brows were tucked low over his eyes, his lips pressed in a thin line. When he spoke, his words were every bit as hard and unmoving as his tone.
“We have had enough war to last a lifetime. There is nay need to get involved in another man’s plight. Ye have gotten yerself into this mess. Ye must be responsible for getting yerself out of it. Ye say this Baron who poses such a fearsome threat is in the south, and there he will stay. I will nae drag my own good men into a war that does nae affect us.”
“It is my goal that we are able to avoid war entirely,” Lachlan answered, just as firmly yet with significantly more warmth. “I have enough widows and orphans to care for. I have buried all of my friends. I dinnae wish to stand at any more graves. That is why we are here. That is why we have come to ye. The Baron must see that he is outnumbered, outmatched. That is the only way to stop an invasion that will shake the verra core of the Highlands.”
Finn’s eyes narrowed even more, becoming slits of doubt and skepticism. He opened his mouth to give another sharp retort, but Iona’s hand raised once more, this time landing on Finn’s fingers still curled around her shoulder.
“If it is war we are discussing, then this is nae a topic that can be solved in a single night. Nor is this a decision I am willing to make without the support of Laird Murray. I will send amessenger to my cousin, requesting he join us in the morning. I think between the three of us Lairds, we will manage to come up with a winning strategy. For now, ye will be our honored guests.”
The maids reappeared at Iona’s words and stood just off to the side of the young family.
“Please, show the Kincaids to their rooms. See that they are each given hot baths, fresh clothes, and anything else they might require. Refresh yerselves. Rest after the journey ye have had. We will see ye all for dinner tonight.”
Dismissed, Lachlan, Aila, and Arran trailed after the maids, following Iona’s instructions. Though nothing was settled yet, the sense of dread that had followed them here lessened every time Iona spoke. Aila breathed a sigh of relief and thought of the bath that awaited her.
