Page 2 of Ruined By the Ruthless Highlander
Lilly’s eyes lit up. “Shall we have tenants too, my Lady?”
Marian paused and turned to face her, a smile spreading slowly across her face. “Great thinking! The extra money could go into restoring the castle. And we certainly need to keep the land productive. I do not intend to ask my mama for help. We shall have tenants, and I shall also…”
The distant sound of voices pricked her ears, making her pause.
“Did you hear that?” she whispered.
“Yes, my Lady,” Lilly whispered back, looking around uneasily. Her face dropped as she spotted something at the top of the castle. “I thought the castle was abandoned.”
Marian followed her gaze and noticed the thin streams of smoke drifting upward from somewhere within the walls. Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Itisan abandoned castle,” she affirmed, her voice slightly higher than it had been before. “At least that’s what I was told.”
Lilly looked at her. “Perhaps the former tenants of this land were kind enough to send servants ahead to prepare the premises.”
Marian nodded, her eyes lighting up at the thought. “That would be most thoughtful of them. Come on ahead, Lilly. Let us see it for ourselves.”
They had barely taken a few steps toward the castle when a sharp sound split the air.
“My Lady!” Lilly gasped, almost tripping over her skirts in shock.
A bolt of lightning cracked somewhere beyond the ridge, followed by the distant thunder of hooves racing down the hillside.
Marian’s heart skipped a beat. “Are we being invaded? Already?”
“But we have only just arrived,” Lilly whispered, hiding behind her before the real threat even showed itself.
The land, which had seemed quiet and desolate just moments ago, suddenly felt alive with a wilder, less predictable energy. The ground vibrated slightly beneath the pounding hooves.
Marian stood there, frozen. She held her copy of the deed tighter.
It felt useless.
For the first time in her carefully controlled life, she realized she had entered a place where her status might not protect her at all.
“Lilly, find us a weapon!” she ordered, her wide eyes scanning the ground for anything that might be useful in defending themselves.
“My Lady, there’s nothing here but mud.”
The thunder clapped again, bringing with it a light drizzle. Marian tucked the paper safely in her dress before lifting her hands to shield her face.
A thin layer of mist crept across the muddy courtyard. Within moments, she could barely see more than a few yards ahead. The noise grew louder, hooves striking the wet ground at an alarming speed.
Whoever it is, they’ll be here any second now.
The realization had barely dawned when a gust of wind swept through the courtyard, scattering the mist just as quickly as it had gathered.
The riders burst through the gate. At their front rode a man on a horse with a golden mane that flashed like sunlight against the dark sky. He did not slow down. Instead, he pulled the beast sharply to a halt only a few yards from her, skidding and scattering mud across the courtyard.
Lilly grabbed Marian’s sleeve. “M-my Lady,” she stuttered, her voice shaking with fear.
The rider was a large, broad-shouldered man with long brown hair tied loosely at the nape. A bolt of lightning struck the ground, and Marian’s eyes caught the large battle scar that ran across his forehead.
His dark eyes gleamed with an intensity she’d never seen in Englishmen, and his short beard shadowed a jaw so sharply cut it looked almost carved from stone.
“Good heavens.” The words slipped past her lips before she could hold them back.
The invader wore a green-and-black kilt and a dark tunic. He had two swords strapped to his waist, ready to be drawn at any moment. Behind him, several equally intimidating Highlanders spread out across the courtyard.
