Page 101 of Bound to a Warrior
The men stood when they saw the women approach and moved, offering them seats, and then the men settled around the two women, though not before the stranger gave Mara a kiss.
“You should have woken me last night when you got home,” Mara scolded with a grin, then turned to Mercy. “This is my son Bryce.”
Mara claimed the four her own, though Trey was the only son she had born. And the way her eyes brightened when she looked upon all four would make an observer think she had labored to bring each one into the world, her love was that obvious.
“Hello,” Bryce said.
Mercy took a moment to respond since there was something about this man that captured the attention. He certainly had fine features, even handsome ones, but it wasn’t that, or the size of him, which was quite large. He was a fine specimen of a Highlander warrior, and yet he seemed much more.
“A pleasure to meet you,” she finally said.
“The pleasure is mine,” he replied. “You truly are a beauty.”
“Thank you,” she said a bit flustered and leaned against Duncan, who slipped his arm around her.
“Aren’t you going to threaten to beat him?” Reeve asked Duncan.
“Why?”
“You threatened me when I called Mercy a beauty.”
“You say it differently than Bryce,” Duncan said.
“I do not,” Reeve protested.
“Duncan’s got you on that one,” Trey said.
“I agree,” Bryce said with a laugh.
“Enough,” Mara scolded. “You’ll have the poor lassie thinking that you do nothing but argue.”
“They argue,” Reeve said pointing at his brothers. “I don’t since I’m the one who’s always right.”
“Shall we refresh his memory?” Bryce said, looking to his brothers.
“You’ll not be talking of your antics in front of Mercy,” Mara warned. “You’ll have her running in fright.”
Mercy chuckled, enjoying the teasing banter that continued through the meal as stories were exchanged about when the four were just young lads. She didn’t know how Mara had ever dealt with the many things the four had gotten themselves into, though the woman’s huge smile certainly indicated that she had enjoyed the challenges her sons had presented.
She wouldn’t mind having a similar experience, whether sons or daughters, it would be nice to have her own family. She had no doubt that Duncan would make a good father.
Bailey would too.
The sudden thought wiped the smile from her face. She quickly forced its return, not wanting anyone to notice that something had disturbed her. But it did and deeply. Here she sat, sharing funny and endearing stories about family while Bailey sat worrying over the safety of his.
Mercy waited for a loll in the conversation and asked, “Have the soldiers taken their leave yet?”
“No, they intend to wait a few days to see if we change our minds and hand you over to them,” Duncan said and laughed. “Something that will never happen.”
“What if they force your hand?” she asked.
“How so?” Bryce asked.
Mercy shrugged, not sure, but knowing her father a shrewd man. She saw it in his dealings with her mother, who was just as shrewd. And she worried that they were sadly misjudging him. He certainly hadn’t gained the throne through stupidity.
She finally voiced her concern. “He is king, isn’t that enough?”
“This area of the Highlands did not fall under his rule easily,” Bryce explained. “Unrest has continued since he took reign and he’s wisely left it be.”
