Page 13 of Never Kiss a Highlander

Once the introductions were made, Finn bowed to The Sinclair. “If ye will excuse me, laird, I have a meeting with my trainers.” Before anyone could object, he strode off, flexing his hand, eager to use it to smash Archie Sinclair in the face.

Chapter Five

It was the night before the wedding. Finn had worked his men so hard that they were all complaining and seeking the healer for cream to put on sore muscles. He hadn’t seen Lady Alison since the night the Sinclairs had arrived.

Archie Sinclair and his three brothers had shown up at the lists twice for “practice.” Finn was certain they expected to beat his men into the ground, but he’d gotten a great deal of satisfaction watching his men do it to them.

He took his meals with the warriors and left as soon as he finished. He had been forced into a meeting with Mackay, Laird Gilbert Sinclair, and his four sons. They discussed the new alliance between the two clans and what it meant for the other Mackay chieftains.

Never had he found it so necessary to use his well-honed control to keep from jumping across the table and beating Archie Sinclair into the ground.

Guests continued to arrive from the other Mackay clans and Finn spent time with his brothers and their wives.

“What is wrong with ye, brother?” Craig said as they shared a whisky with Robin and their cousin, Logan, who had arrived from another of the Mackay clans.

“Nothing is wrong.”

Robin leaned forward, his forearms braced on his legs. “Are things no’ going as well as ye hoped?”

“Everything is fine.” He downed the rest of his drink.

“We’ve seen more of the Sinclairs than we have of ye since we arrived. ‘Tis almost as if ye were hiding.”

Finn stood. “Nay. No’ hiding. Just busy. I’m off for the night.” With those words he left his family looking back and forth at each other.

Too restless to sleep, he walked outside, the cold night air just what he needed. Truthfully, he had no idea why this marriage bothered him so very much.

If The Mackay and Lady Alison were both fine with the strange arrangement, it shouldn’t trouble him at all. The wedding was the next day, Lady Alison would be off to her new home and things would settle down for him.

After wandering around for a while, he decided to ride into the village and drink until he would be able to sleep. Then rise with the sun, observe the wedding and drink for the rest of the day.

He didn’t even really like the lass. She was too independent, too insistent on having her own way. ‘Twas just that he hated to see any woman get herself married to a man such as Archie Sinclair.

Would ye really care if it was just any woman?

Probably not, if he was honest. There was something about Lady Alison and the unleased passion he knew was in her that troubled him.

Although he thought she might be too independent, the right husband could learn to control that.

Somone like him.

‘Twas time to head to the village and get these stupid ideas out of his head. As expected, the stable was dark and empty. Hestruck a flint and lit a candle. Before he reached Morag’s stall, he heard the faint sound of sniffling. He stepped farther down and three stalls later Lady Alison stood, leaning her head against her horse, crying.

All the muscles in his body tightened and he had the urge to smash his fist into something hard. Like Archie Sinclair’s face.

She must have heard him because she looked up and quickly wiped the tears from her face. “What do ye want, Mackay?”

“I came to get my horse.”

She sniffed, a slight smile on her pretty face. “Going for a ride in the dark?”

“Going to the alehouse in the village.”

“Maybe I will go with ye.”

He leaned against the stall wall, crossing his arms. “The night before yer wedding? I thought all brides had a lot to do.”

She snorted. “Everything has been done except the vows.” She looked away. “Did ye see her?”