Page 18 of Katie's Highlander (Highland Protector 3)
Chapter 8
What the hell has Athair gotten into his head this time?
Ramsay floored the Jeep through the painfully slow electronic gates as soon as the space was wide enough to allow the vehicle to pass. Flying gravel bounced off the stone columns and iron bars of the gates securing the MacDaras’ private courtyard at the back of the keep.
Unmanageable, Esme had said. How the hell hadAthairbecome unmanageable? Ranting? Yes. Frequently, of late. Physically unmanageable? Only once before when a damn tourist had ignored the signs, trespassed onto private MacDara grounds, andAthairhad caught the fool digging up a garden blessing stone for a souvenir.
Slamming the brakes, Ramsay brought the vehicle to a screeching stop, reached across Katie, and shoved open the passenger side door. “I’ll let ye out here, lass. I dinna ken what we’re up against and I willna expose ye to it. Forgive me.”
Without a word, Katie unbuckled her seatbelt and moved to get out of the Jeep. But then she paused, stared up at the keep for a long moment, then looked back at Ramsay, pure determination locked and loaded in her eyes.
“No.” She slid back into the seat, pulled the door closed, and fastened her seatbelt. “I might be able to help. He really responded to me this morning. Both your mother and sister commented on it. Dwyn did too. Maybe I can help.”
Ramsay was torn between physically removing Katie from the Jeep for her own safety or gladly accepting her offer to help. He wouldna have her harmed—not physically or emotionally—and he couldna guarantee what they would find when they locatedAthair.Concern for Katie easily won out.
“No, lass.” He made a shooing motion toward the door. “Out ye go. Ye must stay here. I’ll no’ allow ye to do this. ’Tis none of yer concern and I’ll no’ be havin’ it.”
“You’ll ‘no’ allow’ me to do this?” Katie cocked a brow to a thoroughly damning angle. “You’ve got a lot to learn about me, MacDara.” She crossed her arms tightly over the strap of the seatbelt as she continued, “Granted—this is a family matter. Private and all that. But I can help with your father. He was totally calm with me this morning and everyone else just pissed him off when they spoke to him.” She tossed a self-assured look in Ramsay’s direction and somehow amped up her go to hell posture without moving a muscle. “You and your family have pulled me from a wrecked car, fed me, and given me a place to sleep. Time for me to return the favor. I’m going to help with this whether you like it or not.”
“The devil take me t’hell and back—I dinna have time t’argue with ye about this, Katie!” A frustrated growl escaped him as he exited the Jeep, stomped around it, then yanked open the passenger door. He pointed to the ground beside him. “Out with ye. Now. Yer stayin’ here.”
With a defiant lift of her chin, Katie settled back more comfortably in the seat and stared straight ahead.
By Cerridwen’s cauldron and all that’s holy! What the hell did I do to deserve this woman t’nettle me?
“Fine. Ye leave me no choice, m’lady.” Ramsay reached around her, unlatched the seatbelt, then grabbed hold of her folded arms and pulled. Katie barely shifted in the seat. She’d planted her feet against the rise of the floorboard, straightened her legs, and locked her knees. With shoulders shoved up into the low headrest of the seat and her back arched, Katie was effectively wedged in the Jeep.
Ramsay stepped back, the futility of the situation pumping righteous fire through his veins.Sons a bitches!He’d pry her stubborn arse out of that Jeep if he had to rip the seat out along with her. He bent across her, worked his fingers around her arms, and yanked.
Katie darted her head forward and latched hold of his arm with a pinching bite. Hard.
“Damn ye, Katie!” Ramsay lurched sideways, banged the back of his head against the frame of the Jeep, and whacked his elbow against the dash.
“I’m going,” Katie said in a calm but threatening tone. “Don’t make me bite you harder.”
“Have yer way, ye stubborn woman.” Ramsay withdrew and slammed the door shut, Katie’s smiling face pissing him off even more. He stomped back around to the driver’s side and threw himself into the Jeep, put it in gear, and took off. “Ye’ll regret this, woman. Mark my words.”
Katie didn’t respond, just clicked her seatbelt back in place, then stared straight ahead with a smile.
Stubborn, thick-headed lass. She’ll be the end a me for certain.Ramsay swerved around the building and headed the Jeep toward an even narrower dirt road that was little more than a path leading into the dense woods at the back of the MacDara property. IfAthairwas having one of his spells—apparently a severe one according to Ross and Esme—the old man would head up the mountain. He’d go straight to the summit, to the sacred altar. Ramsay would bet his life on it.
The sound of another vehicle rumbled behind them. A glance in the rearview mirror assured him that Ross and Esme had caught up with them after fetching his eldest brothers, Grant and Alec, and another glance told him that Dwyn was also in one of the seats of the battered park suburban.Good. We’ll all be needed. I feel it clear down to m’soul.
Returning his attention to the rough twisting trail, he drew Katie’s attention to the suburban behind them with a backward jerk of his thumb. “Esme will keep ye company. The two of ye can wait in the park truck, aye?”
IfAthairwas at the altar, Katie didna need to get involved. She’d see too much. Learn too much. A bleak feelin’ of despair hit him and knotted in his chest. IfAthairwas at the altar…performing whatever rite…calling down whatever power he’d decided to call…I’ll lose a chance with her for certain.He stole a quick glance over at Katie, a premonition of doom sinking like molten lead to burn in his gut.She’s lost t’me for sure.“Ye’ll stay with Esme—aye? Please Katie, I dinna ken what we’ll see when we findAthair.I fear for ye, lass.” He feared for the fragile new hopes of his heart even more.
Katie gave him a reassuring smile, reached over, and affectionately squeezed his arm. “It’s going to be all right. The best thing you can do is just go along with him, humor him, agree with whatever he says, and then work the conversation around to convince him to do what you want him to do. It’s my uncle all over again and I can handle this. Trust me.”
She didna understand and there were no words he could use to prepare her for whatever might lie ahead. Ramsay steered the Jeep through the rough terrain, damning himself and dreading the return to the cold loneliness he’d endured before Katie had dropped into his life.
He slowed the Jeep as he rounded the last bend that opened into the summit of the mountain.How the hell will I explain the altar? How the hell will I explain all…this?
“Wow,” Katie said in a tone filled with awe. “Is thisauthenticor just part of the park?”
Ramsay sucked in a deep breath and slowly blew it out as he parked the Jeep and killed the engine.Give me the words.There were none. It took a great deal more than words to explain all that was MacDara. It took heart. Courage. And in the end, the ability t’believe that which couldna be seen. It took the ability to accept an ancient truth, the ancient truth of the Heartstone.
He slowly turned and studied Katie. Just how much truth could the lass handle? Ramsay let out another deep hiss of air.
