Page 7 of Highlander’s Lesser Evil

“’Twas my pleasure, Laird Mac…Laird. Welcome back. If I may be so blunt…”

“Aye. Speak yer mind.”

“Are ye here to choose a wife?”

That was blunt. Theo smiled in amusement. “’Tis not at the top of my list, but I am giving it some thought. I am here to look over the inventory for the goods ye shipped out and get to know some of the merchants as well as oversee the preparation for the planting season.”

Harris visibly flinched. “’Twas just a small inventory sir, and we only sent out enough for what we need. We are happy to share what we get in return…”

“If ye are only trading for what ye need, then there will be nothing left to share,” Theo said gently. “I require nothing from ye at this time. We are all still getting to know each other, but I will want to see how much can be planted. Merchandise is not at the top of my list right now.”

More relaxed now, the older man nodded. “Aye, sire. I will get ye the list. Also, I would like to speak to ye about my nephew.”

“Yer nephew?”

“Aye. He is a strong strapping lad, unapprenticed and unattached. He has shown interest in training with yer men.”

“And why is yer nephew not here now?”

“He asked the MacSeavers’ guards the last time they were here, and they nearly broke his arm,” Harris said darkly. “His pride wilnae allow him to ask again.”

Theo cocked his head thoughtfully and surveyed the growing crowd. There were quite a few eligible lads here that would be ripe for training if they so chose, and he needed to strengthen his numbers, especially here.

“Tomorrow, I will ask for all the lads who wish to train to meet with me at noon,” he decided. “But once they begin to train, they will belong to me and my men. Their time will be ours, and when they are ready, they will be sent to my keep for the rest of their training.”

“Thank ye, Laird. There is one more favor that I would ask of ye.”

Harris had already asked for much, but there was a shrewd gleam in the man’s eye, and Theo was intrigued.

“Aye?”

“A lass I would like ye to meet and consider. Now, before ye object, I know that many have been throwing their daughters at ye. This is not that. Gemma is a little older, independent, strong, smart, talented, and beautiful.”

“And why have I not seen her before?”

“She has been busy. She is our weaver, and the bulk of the shipment that went out were her tapestries, but she is here tonight.” Harris turned and pointed. Theo followed his finger and sucked in his breath. There, in the dying light of the fire, was a beauty indeed. Long dark hair gleamed of the fire’s brilliant hues, and her creamy skin stood out from the rest. She was a small thing, practically bending her head all the way back to the large man who stood next to her. There was a brilliant smile on her face and laughter in her eyes.

“A beauty indeed,” Theo muttered. In that instant, he knew he needed to hear her voice, to see if her skin was as soft as it looked. His body came alive just by the thought of her.

Then, the highlander that had put the smile on her face, turned. Theo snarled.

It was Graeme MacSeaver.

“I don’t think my new laird would approve of you stealing away one of his own,” Gemma chuckled. Next to her, the hulking highlander seemed a little put out by her casual rejection. Graeme MacSeaver had been here for two days, and thanks to the others, she had successfully avoided him until tonight. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to recognize her, and that made things easier for her.

He was not here to cart her off to Fletcher after all.

Especially since she got the sense that she might actually like the man if she knew his intentions.

“But ye’re English,” he argued. “Ye swear no fealty to the Highlands.”

“I am English, and if you think I won’t be faithful to you, then why are you even trying?”

“Ye have spirit!”

Her stomach churned. There was another MacSeaver who had spoken those very words to her once. “And it would be your pleasure to break me?” she asked softly.

“Oh, lass.” He reached out and captured a loose tendril of hair. “I doonae know who said that to ye, but I will find him and rip out his heart for ye. In the Highlands, we doonae break a spirited lass. We cherish them.”