Page 25 of Only a Highlander Will Do

Tormod hesitated. The man wouldn’t harm his own daughter. Would he? “Do you wish to speak to your father, Fiona?” Tormod asked.

“Aye.”

Tormod stepped aside and allowed the man access to his daughter while he kept shifting his gaze between the two of them and the MacDonald. The older man took Fiona by the shoulders and leaned in close, so close Tormod could not hear what he said. Though when he stepped back, Fiona’s face was as pale as he’d ever seen it.

Tormod’s jaw tightened. What had her parent said to her? Instead of looking at him, Fiona dropped her gaze to the ground. Gripping his sword, Tormod once again stepped in front of his new bride as her father rejoined Alex. Now that her father had delivered his message, would the two men fight? Had they come alone? If they had, Tormod was certain he could take them both down if they charged. No sooner had the thought formed when the rest of the MacDonald army gathered on foot behind Alex. There appeared to be forty or so men in his army.

Tormod drew a deep breath, centring himself. He’d faced difficult odds before, though never with a woman he must protect present. If he sent her fleeing, Alex’s men would catch her while he was engaged in battle. “Stay right behind me. Do not leave my side,” he said, hoping she was the kind of woman who would follow orders, but already knowing she was not.

He wished he could see the emotion in her beautiful green eyes, then he cursed himself for even putting her in such a situation. He should have known better. Alex was not only out here today to find Fiona, he was looking to even the score from last night. It was the MacDonalds’ way to attack, and keep attacking until they delivered a lethal blow.

Tormod had tossed common sense aside. He’d wanted time alone with his new bride. When she’d revealed last night that she liked waterfalls and he knew they would be headed this direction this morning, he’d taken the opportunity to show her something that might bring a smile to her lovely face.

He’d put his own wants and needs ahead of her safety, and for that he would never forgive himself. A renewed spark of anger flared inside Tormod at the damage the MacDonalds had done to Dunvegan village and for threatening Fiona’s life.

Tormod cleared his expression and waited as Alex MacDonald rose up on the balls of his feet, ready to attack. It was then that hoofbeats sounded behind him. Graeme and the MacLeod warriors had arrived.

Alex’s features filled with surprise before sliding into rage.

“You did not think I would come here alone, did you?” Tormod asked as relief poured through him. There was a time when he would have welcomed the challenge Alex presented, but not now that he had something to protect, something to live for.

He forced the thought away. He could mull over his feelings later. Instead, he drew another deep breath and allowed the land around him to fuel his spirit. He could hear the clear, cold water that ran from the Black Cuillin, through the Fairy Pools, and all the way to Loch Dunvegan. He could hear the wind as it whipped over the lochs and grassy knolls. He loved the isles as much as he loved his own clan. He would fight to protect any one of them with his own life.

As the MacLeod warriors gathered around him, the tension in the air sharpened. Tormod could see the MacDonald men grasp the hilts of their swords, ready to fight at the slightest inclination of Alex’s head.

Tormod’s gut tightened. Without taking his eyes off his enemy, he said, “Fiona, make your way to Graeme. He will see you are safe.”

A grateful breath left his lungs when she did as he instructed. He did not see her move back towards Graeme, as his eyes were still trained on Alex, but he heard the creaking of leather, indicating that Graeme had taken her up onto his saddle. She was safe, for now.

Tormod gripped the hilt in his hand, the leather wrap biting into his palm. The pain seemed to focus his emotions as they ran the gamut between fury at himself for getting his men and Fiona into this mess and fear for their lives. He was not afraid to die, but he never wanted the same for any of his men. Yet, if this came to a battle, the MacLeods had the tactical advantage from atop their horses.

Alex MacDonald lifted his chin as though scenting the air, an animal assessing his prey. There were a hundred MacLeods to the MacDonalds’ forty. Alex also knew the odds of success were in the MacLeods’ favour.

In that moment, Alex sank back onto his heels and returned his sword to its sheath. He might have signalled his surrender of the moment, though his eyes were still as clear and cold as polished stone. “You might have won this moment, MacLeod, but not the war. Run back to Dunvegan. We’ve infiltrated your castle once before without you knowing. Who is to stop us from doing so again? And this time, it will be your new bride who will pay for your foolhardiness.”

Tormod tensed. “Fiona and all the MacLeods will be safe within our castle. You cannot touch any of us there. You’ll have to try another tack, MacDonald.”

Alex’s face turned crimson. “Safety is an illusion. Even now, as we speak, your clan is at risk. The MacDonalds will always defeat the MacLeods, either on the field of battle or by other means.”

Tormod’s gut tightened. “Are you saying you planted yet another spy in our midst?”

A cold calculating look came over Alex’s face. “I’m not admitting to anything. I am simply stating that you should watch your back and that of your bride.”

Tormod clenched his jaw and considered lunging forward and thrusting his sword through Alex’s heart. In that moment, he thought of his brother, Alastair, and how he was always trying to forge some sort of peace between not just the MacDonald and MacLeod clans, but all the clans. If the MacDonald attacked him and he had to defend himself that would be one thing. If Tormod started the battle, Alastair would be very disappointed in him.

With a growl of disgust, Tormod sheathed his sword. “I will not allow your lies to poison my thoughts.”

Alex’s mouth turned up in a grin, like a snake smiling. “Seems I already have.”

Tormod’s heated gaze connected with Alex’s before he turned and headed back to where Graeme waited with his horse. He threw himself up in the saddle then signalled the men to fall back.

Tormod would not engage his enemy at this moment, not until he finished what they’d come to Glen Brittle to accomplish. Then once Fiona was safe within Dunvegan’s walls and he made certain there were no spies in their midst, he would form a raiding party and settle the score with Alex MacDonald whether his brother agreed or not.

When they were safely at a distance from the MacDonald men, Tormod stopped his men and allowed Fiona to return to her own horse. They continued their journey to Glen Brittle side by side with Tormod’s senses constantly on the alert for further danger. Finally when he could hold back the words no longer, he turned to Fiona and said, “I am sorry for putting you in jeopardy. That will never happen again.”

She glanced at him. “That was Alex MacDonald?”

“Aye. The one and only.”