Page 12 of A Highlander's Vow

Gregory walked as close as he could to the bushes and let her down. He turned his back and she hobbled into the space. “Ye doona need to stand there, ye ken.”

“’Tis fine. I doona have very good hearing anyway.”

He laughed when she let out with a word he didn’t think a young lass should know. But based on what Francis had said about the castle and the keep, it was no surprise.

After a whole lot of grumbling, Megan appeared. The poor lass looked exhausted.

“I’ve changed my mind, Megan. Ye will ride with me so ye can rest a bit.”

Expecting an argument and getting none, he again scooped her up and headed to his horse. Once they were mounted, they took off at a faster pace. It was light out and Gregory knew it was only a matter of time before The Gunn set out for them.

What he didn’t know was why Anthony was so adamant about marrying the lass off to The Gunn. There had to be something in it for him.

He was aware that arranged marriages took place all the time, but the rush for this one, with Robert’s body barely settled in his grave,was questionable.

With Megan tucked comfortably in his lap, and him suffering a growing problem with a certain body part, he led the men to Castle Leod.

“How long were ye and Robert married?” Gregory asked.

Megan yawned. “Almost two years. ’Twas an arranged marriage.”

He didn’t know why he asked the next question. “Were ye happy then?”

She shrugged. “I have nothing to compare it to. He spent his days on the list, training and working with the young lads. I helped run the keep until the old laird died, and instead of Robert taking his rightful place as laird, Anthony nudged him out of the role.

“I continued to do all the jobs I had been doing, but Robert spent less and less time doing what was considered his duty.” She yawned again and looked at him directly. “’Twas a verra confusing time. When I asked Robert why he let Anthony make all the decisions about the clan, he just shrugged and said he was much better as a warrior than a laird.”

She paused so long, he thought she had fallen asleep. Then in a very sleepy voice, she said, “Yet it was a minor battle that took his life.”

Those were the last words spoken since Megan fell into a deep sleep. He cuddled her, trying to keep her warm.

He noticed in her rendition of Robert and their life at the keep, she never really spoke of their relationship together. She had blurted out earlier, probably by accident, that she was barren, so possibly that was a problem for the couple.

Barren. He never expected to marry, so the idea of children never mattered to him. If things worked out the way he had planned when he left Castle Leod, they would soon marry. Would he feel as though he’d been cheated if there were no children for him?

He was going over these things in his mind when Peter, the manhe’d assigned to ride behind them, rode up. “The group is no more than five miles from us, Gregory.”

He didn’t need to ask him who he meant. He knew. They were about to either engage in a battle, or escape. He looked down at Megan, sound asleep, and his decision was made.

“Lady Sinclair and I will ride a different route to Castle Leod. You will take her cloak, have one of the men put it on as a decoy and ride the way we had originally planned. We will meet ye at Castle Leod.”

“Are ye sure that’s a good idea, Gregory? Ye only have one horse. It will take longer to get where ye’re going.”

Gregory turned in another direction. “’Tis fine. Ye go ahead and do what we planned to foil Anthony’s scheme.” He looked down at a slumbering Megan. “I will take care of Lady Sinclair. ’Tis my duty.”