Page 46 of Bound to Her Highland Lord
“I never thought I would see the day when I missed home again,” she told them all honestly, “but I swear these last few weeks have been the longest of my life. I have never been so pleased to see a stone building before in all my days.”
Sorcha brushed tears out of her eyes, squeezing both of her friends once more. She had been so overcome with relief and joy that she had completely forgotten about Oliver and the guards until the head guard coughed, interrupting the happy reunion.
“We found these two entering the Kincaid lands,” the man spoke in explanation, addressing Lachlan only. “They claimed token who ye were and that they had news to share with ye, but none of us recognized them.”
Oliver shuffled on his feet, clearly tense and uncomfortable. He was the only man present unarmed, but held his shoulders back and kept his eyes narrowed, as if he would be ready for a fight should one come his way. Sorcha immediately extricated herself from Aila and Taryn and rushed back to his side, taking his hand in hers once more. He relaxed his shoulders then—barely.
“Seems ye have returned with some stories to tell,” Taryn said gently, studying Oliver as intensely as everyone else was.
“Aye,” Sorcha said plainly. “So do ye.”
“It is clear,” the guard cut in once more, “that ye are all familiar with the lass. I hope we were nae remiss in our suspicions of her. We followed yer orders and took their weapons, but we did nae harm either one of them. What would ye have me do with him?”
“Where he goes, I go,” Sorcha told them all before Lachlan could answer.
Lachlan eyed Oliver a little more intently then, his gaze catching on where their two hands met. Sorcha held her ground, refusing to leave Oliver’s side again. Not until they were all on the same page.
“State yer name and yer business,” Lachlan ordered.
In the span of a few seconds, he had radically shifted from the warm big brother Sorcha had come to know and love and put on the air of a Laird, hard and determined to protect his people.
“Lachlan, I can explain—” she started to say.
But the Laird threw a hand up, cutting her off completely.
“The man can speak for himself. Yer name?”
She felt Oliver stiffen beside her. He stood straighter, letting the lion’s head on his tunic speak before he did.
“My name is Lord Oliver Blackwood, Marquess of Dunhaven.”
He had barely finished giving his title before Lachlan and the man standing next to Taryn had their hands on the hilt of their swords, ready to draw them. The guards, following their Laird’s reaction, pointed their weapons at Oliver.
“That is more than enough,” Sorcha seethed, her anger flashing hot. “Oliver is here at my request. He has left his home, his mother, and all of those he is responsible for to come here for my sake, for all our sakes. He is unarmed and has done nothing wrong. So put yer swords down now, or I swear I will find one of my own.”
Lachlan’s eyes flicked over to hers and then to Aila. A moment later and the guards had all sheathed their swords before being dismissed to return to their patrols. When there were only the six of them left, Lachlan gestured with a wave of his hand.
“Ye better start explaining.”
Aila stood by his side, she and Taryn both wearing worried expressions. On the other side of Taryn was a man who was clearly wrapped up in Taryn, his hand laid protectively on her waist. Sorcha and Oliver stood opposite of the rest of the group. When Sorcha glanced up at Oliver, she saw cold fury burning in his eyes, a lethal glare leveled on Lachlan.
“I went to the Baron’s estate,” she began hastily, “thinking that he had finally caught up to Taryn and had kidnapped her again. Just as I was about to break into his estate, I was captured by some of his men and dragged inside. They beat me in front of the Baron and all of his guests, making a show of the savagery of us Scots. The Baron threatened me with a lifetime of imprisonment and who kens what all horrors. But Oliver defended me.”
Taryn had a hand over her mouth, silencing the tears that fell down her cheeks at Sorcha’s retellings, but it was Aila who spoke next.
“Defended ye how?”
“He promised to become the Baron’s ally in exchange for me. I thought him monstrous for making such a deal at first. But then we were attacked by the Baron’s men on our way back to Oliver’s lands. And when we arrived at Dunhaven, I was given complete freedom. The only reason I did nae come back yesterday was because I was too injured to travel. Oliver personally escorted me home as soon as we could go.”
Her words came out in a rush. She had bypassed so much of what had happened, of their bickering and the counsel he had let her sit in only that morning. His injuries and all the Baron’s guards had admitted to were also omitted in her frenzied attempt to make her friends see that Oliver could be trusted. She had realized her mistake all too late.
“Step away from him, Sorcha,” Lachlan seethed through gritted teeth.
“What? Nay. Why?” she blurted, her eyebrows drawing down in a confused line.
“He is our enemy,” the man next to Taryn answered coldly.
Lachlan nodded once, a decisive gesture that sent Sorcha’s temper flaring all over again.
