Page 43 of A Highlander's Vow

Chapter Nineteen

Gregory and Danielwatched from the ramparts as the warriors from the Gunn and Sinclair clans retreated. From what they’d seen, there had been a few injuries on their sides, nothing on the Mackenzies. Daniel had allowed the injured to visit with Emma.

“That was verra strange,” Daniel said, shaking his head.

Gregory nodded. “Aye. They dinna last verra long. Almost as if they expected to lose.”

Daniel slapped Gregory’s back. “Well, for whatever reason they’re gone, as far as I know we had no injuries, and hopefully they are gone for good.”

They went to the great hall where they ordered whatever food that was in the kitchen and ale. The servants were slowly returning to their duties since the battle was over.

One of the maids placed a platter of apples, cheese, bread and butter on the table in front of them. They enjoyed the limited feast and within minutes, it seemed, Evan returned from the battle.

“How did it go, Evan?” Daniel asked. “Based on what we saw, we dinna think it was necessary for myself and Daniel to join in the fray.”

Evan settled himself on the bench and reached over to take some of the offerings on the platter. “It was, by far, the strangest attack on a castle I have ever seen, or heard of.”

“’Twas obvious they had no chance of getting intothe castle to grab Megan, so why did they even try?” Gregory asked.

“Well, since we still have a couple of hours until evening meal, I’m going to check with Emma and see about the injuries she’s treating.”

Gregory thought about going with Daniel to check on Megan, but knowing she was busy with Emma, he decided instead to join the men who had fought in the battle to get some ideas from them about how it went. He left the great hall and headed to the lists.

*

Megan struggled andat one point even bit the hand of the man who was keeping her mouth covered. “Stop lass, or I will cause ye some injuries. ’Twill be easy for me to convince The Gunn that ye injured yerself.”

Tired from the struggle, anyway, Megan stopped wiggling and took a deep breath. The man who’d originally grabbed her trotted over to two horses standing quietly near a large tree. He jumped up on one of the horses and reached down for Megan.

The other man released her and she opened her mouth to scream, but was immediately silenced by a smack on the back of her head.

*

She had noidea how long she’d been out, but the jostling of her body on the horse made the pain in her head excruciating. Her mouth was now free, but she knew she was far enough from the castle that she could scream her head off—which would hurt her head even more—and no one would hear her.

“Why are ye doing this?” she asked, softly. Even that caused the pain to radiate through her skull.

“’Tis none of yer business, lass. We were sent by The Gunn and The Sinclair to bring ye to them.”

“If ye are bringing me to the devils, ’tis certainly my business.” Not wishing to increase her pain, she remained silent for the remainder of the trip, which lasted less time than she’d expected.

The sound of men talking awoke her from a deep sleep. Her head didn’t hurt quite as much, but still hurt like the devil.

Anthony and The Gunn walked up to where her rider came to a stop. “Well, look who’s here,” Anthony said. “My favorite niece and yer betrothed.”

“I am no’ yer niece and I am not his betrothed.”

Anthony lips tightened. “Aye, ye are and we are headed to Edinburgh to have yer fake marriage to Gregory Mackenize annulled.”

“Ye are no’ making sense. I hope ye’re no’ planning on using that pretend order from the king. Ye ken Gregory—my husband—and I have a marriage certificate signed by the priest who performed the ceremony. If ye plan to petition the king for an annulment, ye will be breaking the laws of the church.”

Anthony looked at The Gunn and they both smirked. “Well, I guess ye will have to wait until we arrive in Edinburgh.”

She didn’t like the sound of that.

*

Gregory sat atthe dais with Daniel and Beth awaiting the evening meal. His visits with the various warriors who had chased off The Gunn and The Sinclair came up with no other information that would help to explain what the men had been trying to do.