The Reluctant Highland Groom by Marilyn Stonecross Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marilyn Stonecross
will be the first of many. They’ll observe our reaction, and move from there. They can’t strike our heart, we’re still too strong…but they can attack smaller villages, keeps, and homes, and plague supply trains and harm innocents. And I can do naught here within my walls.”
Alec nodded, the enormity of the situation pressing on him. How did Ramsey manage it?
“ It will take us a few years to build the necessary strength to fight them. Damnall, but I wish we had more men!”
“ Will de Montfort send others, once his enemies are vanquished?”
Ramsey shrugged. “That was part of our agreement, aye, but when will he have the strength to uphold it? I know not.”
The elder Munro continued, “We must return Cara to the McHugh lands, that much is clear. She will be a figurehead, something for them to believe in. If we can strengthen them through the winter, we may yet be able to stand off any attempts by the Gunns.”
“ Meanwhile, they run amok.”
Ramsey nodded. “Indeed. Why did ye come, Alec?”
“ Cara fancies herself the McHugh. I told her she couldna do it on her own, but I don’t know that she believes me. She needs someone strong beside her, or others will not listen.”
Ramsey turned away from the hearth to face Alec. “Is it a marriage ye suggest, brother?”
“ Aye. Men will not think twice to cross a woman, but they might with a strong man at her side.”
His brother nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose she is in my charge at the moment, and it would fall to me to choose a husband for her. Finding a man of appropriate strength and status, of course, will be difficult…”
Alec smiled thinly. “Brother, let me go to the McHugh lands and make some inquiries.”
“ Ye think ye can find her a proper husband from what’s left of the McHughs?”
“ I didna say that.”
Ramsey actually grinned, then swiftly retreated to his desk. He scrawled a few lines on a clean piece of parchment, then handed it to Alec. “Take this. It gives me blessing, as Laird Munro, for what ye choose to do. But do hurry, Alec. Time is of the essence.”
Alec made the parchment disappear into his tunic, and bowed slightly to his brother. “Thank ye, Ramsey.”
“ Thank ye . And hurry back.”
Alec strode out to the stable with a renewed sense of purpose. The Gunns will not win this one…and I will see Cara protected.
Yes. She would be safe. That was all that mattered.
***
The next morning, Cara awoke with a start. With a sad glance to the empty chair in the corner of room, she realized Alec had not returned. At supper, he’d seemed distant, almost preoccupied, and Cara had worried Alec regretted what they had done.
But she didn’t. She loved Alec Munro with all her heart, and whatever happened to her from that point forward, she would never regret the one chance she had to feel his touch on her bare skin—to feel him inside her.
Her cheeks glowed at the memory and she dressed herself quickly, hoping to catch sight of him soon.
The great hall was quiet when Cara made her way downstairs. Sabrina sat by the fire with her young son Jamie playing at her feet. When she heard Cara, she turned and smiled.
“ Have you seen Alec this morning, Sabrina?”
Sabrina shook her head.
“ He left last night,” she said. “He didn’t tell you?”
Cara frowned, unsure of what to do with herself next. He left? He’s just gone?
“ You mean he didn’t say anything at all to you?”
The tone of Sabrina’s voice startled Cara. Something was wrong.
“ Where did he go?”
“ To the McHugh holding,” Sabrina said, pushing herself to her feet. “He said something about you getting married before it was too late. We all thought it meant you’d agreed to marry one of your kinfolk—the one Ramsey met when he visited…”
She most certainly did not agree to marry her 17-year-old
Alec nodded, the enormity of the situation pressing on him. How did Ramsey manage it?
“ It will take us a few years to build the necessary strength to fight them. Damnall, but I wish we had more men!”
“ Will de Montfort send others, once his enemies are vanquished?”
Ramsey shrugged. “That was part of our agreement, aye, but when will he have the strength to uphold it? I know not.”
The elder Munro continued, “We must return Cara to the McHugh lands, that much is clear. She will be a figurehead, something for them to believe in. If we can strengthen them through the winter, we may yet be able to stand off any attempts by the Gunns.”
“ Meanwhile, they run amok.”
Ramsey nodded. “Indeed. Why did ye come, Alec?”
“ Cara fancies herself the McHugh. I told her she couldna do it on her own, but I don’t know that she believes me. She needs someone strong beside her, or others will not listen.”
Ramsey turned away from the hearth to face Alec. “Is it a marriage ye suggest, brother?”
“ Aye. Men will not think twice to cross a woman, but they might with a strong man at her side.”
His brother nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose she is in my charge at the moment, and it would fall to me to choose a husband for her. Finding a man of appropriate strength and status, of course, will be difficult…”
Alec smiled thinly. “Brother, let me go to the McHugh lands and make some inquiries.”
“ Ye think ye can find her a proper husband from what’s left of the McHughs?”
“ I didna say that.”
Ramsey actually grinned, then swiftly retreated to his desk. He scrawled a few lines on a clean piece of parchment, then handed it to Alec. “Take this. It gives me blessing, as Laird Munro, for what ye choose to do. But do hurry, Alec. Time is of the essence.”
Alec made the parchment disappear into his tunic, and bowed slightly to his brother. “Thank ye, Ramsey.”
“ Thank ye . And hurry back.”
Alec strode out to the stable with a renewed sense of purpose. The Gunns will not win this one…and I will see Cara protected.
Yes. She would be safe. That was all that mattered.
***
The next morning, Cara awoke with a start. With a sad glance to the empty chair in the corner of room, she realized Alec had not returned. At supper, he’d seemed distant, almost preoccupied, and Cara had worried Alec regretted what they had done.
But she didn’t. She loved Alec Munro with all her heart, and whatever happened to her from that point forward, she would never regret the one chance she had to feel his touch on her bare skin—to feel him inside her.
Her cheeks glowed at the memory and she dressed herself quickly, hoping to catch sight of him soon.
The great hall was quiet when Cara made her way downstairs. Sabrina sat by the fire with her young son Jamie playing at her feet. When she heard Cara, she turned and smiled.
“ Have you seen Alec this morning, Sabrina?”
Sabrina shook her head.
“ He left last night,” she said. “He didn’t tell you?”
Cara frowned, unsure of what to do with herself next. He left? He’s just gone?
“ You mean he didn’t say anything at all to you?”
The tone of Sabrina’s voice startled Cara. Something was wrong.
“ Where did he go?”
“ To the McHugh holding,” Sabrina said, pushing herself to her feet. “He said something about you getting married before it was too late. We all thought it meant you’d agreed to marry one of your kinfolk—the one Ramsey met when he visited…”
She most certainly did not agree to marry her 17-year-old
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