Page 46 of Katie's Highlander (Highland Protector 3)
“Aye, well, he should be scairt. Life is about t’change for him.” Ramsay clamped his mouth shut, immediately regretting the slip. He stole a sideways look at Katie. Aye…she’d heard, and his blunder had stirred her curiosity all the more.Dammit.The stubborn lass would now nettle him t’death.
“Change how?” she asked.
“Ne’er ye mind,” he said in a tone that he knew would piss her off even more. It couldna be helped. She’d just have t’pout for a wee bit longer. Gordon had yet to appear with the final piece of the grand puzzle that would fix what a moment of poor judgement seventeen years ago had dumped in Ramsay’s lap—even though it wasna him who had made the bad decision. He was positive now that he’d ne’er been with Gerta but from the looks of Brant and his mark from the goddesses, one of his brothers certainly had. There was no mistakin’ MacDara blood or the goddesses’ sign.
“Agnes said that you and the goddesses hold the golden key to Brant’s future.” Katie fanned herself with what looked like a portion of a corset. When he’d teased her about the homemade fan she’d engineered, she asked him if he’d rather spend the evening with a hot cranky bitch or a cool comfortable wife. He’d chosen the latter and not mentioned her odd-looking invention again. “Is that true?” she prodded.
Before he could answer, Gordon stepped into the light of the torches beside the skirting wall and gave Ramsay a curt nod.
“In a manner of speaking, aye,” Ramsay answered, steering their leisurely walk to the raised platform that had been temporarily constructed at the edge of the cliff overlooking the waters.
He’d used his leverage as protector and high chieftain to sort out this naggin’ pain-in-the-arse situation for the good of all concerned. This was the right choice—he felt it in his gut—and all affected parties had agreed so far. All parties except Gerta and Brant, but they were about to learn their fates and they would agree if they kent what was good for them. He’d taken care of them the only way he’d seen fit. With those two out of their midst, maybe…just maybe, he could convince Katie to give the past a chance and hopefully, he could convince the goddesses t’leave them here.
“So, what are you going to do?” Katie asked with a sly smile, knowing full well that he’d still recognize the question for what it was despite the different wording. Not knowing what he had in mind was driving the lass insane.
Served her right and ’twas only fair. Her warm womanly scent was doing the same t’him. He still hadna figured out a diplomatic way t’find out when his dear one’s courses would be at an end. His oldest brother Alec’s advice rang out loud and clear in his mind. The sage counsel had been given after a loud kerfuffle with his Sadie, “Ne’er attempt to lay with yer wife during her period. Like as not, she’ll be feelin’ poorly and think ye an insensitive horny beast.”
I am a horny beast.But he was doin’ his best to avoid bein’ insensitive.
Guiding Katie up the steps of the raised platform, he seated her in the smaller of the two ornate chairs waiting at its center. He turned and looked out at the crowd, heart swelling at the sight of so many gathered to pledge their fealty and protection. This time. This place. Honor, courage, and dedication ruled the day. These folk kent well the true meanin’ of those words and lived them whole-heartedly. What he wouldna give to convince Katie to stay.
He lifted his hand to call for silence as Gordon inconspicuously led a short burly man to stand beside the platform shadowed by the placement of the surrounding torches. Ramsay had feared they wouldna be able t’find the man of the rumors. He ignored Katie’s inquisitive look, knowing full well there’d probably be hell t’pay later for no’ cluing her in.Ah well…she’ll forgive me once she sees what I’ve done.
“My kith and kin. My clansman.” Ramsay gave the crowd a few moments longer to quiet and cluster closer to the platform. He motioned for Brant and Gerta to join him on the dais, then signaled Brant to stand at his side. He clapped a hand on the boy’s shoulder and smiled, not missing the fact that Gerta stood there with a victorious smirk, gloating over all who looked upon her. He’d handle that problem next.
“Not only are we honored t’welcome clans Keith, Burnett, and Graham on this night, but we’re glad t’welcome the few surviving members of Clan Skene.” He nodded to the small grouping of a dozen or so men and even fewer women standing in front of the platform. “Decimated by the north men and their chief taken by illness, Clan Skene has still shown themselves strong by holding their few numbers together and maintaining their lands.”
The upbeat rumblings of the crowd sprawled across the grounds encouraged Ramsay to continue. He lifted his left hand for silence while still resting his other hand on Brant’s shoulder. “The goddesses are well pleased with Clan Skene and have so guided me to place my newly found son t’foster with their clan—to train with them and learn their strengths and one day, upon such time as he’s suitably proven himself, to take his place as their chief.”
The stirrings of the crowd were louder now and Ramsay didna miss Katie’s surprised look when he publicly claimed Brant as his son. It couldna be helped. ’Twas one of the several pieces of the game that had t’be put into play.
“Ye will do the goddesses and m’self proud, aye?” Ramsay asked Brant in a voice loud enough for all to hear.
For the first time since Brant and his mother had made themselves known, the young man stood tall and proudly lifted his chin. “Aye,Athair.That I will. I swear to it.”
“But what of me?” Gerta interjected, her face red and scowling as she rushed forward to point a shaking finger at her son’s adoptive clan. “I devoted my life t’the raisin’ of yer son and now all the thanks I get is a moth-eaten coastal clan that doesna have a pot left t’piss in?”
“Máthair!”Brant barked out, his own eyes widening at his newfound courage. “Ye willna say such. Ye’ll be grateful for the generosity of all involved.”
“Like hell, I will,” Gerta snarled as she raised her hand to strike him.
Grabbing hold of her wrist, Ramsay silenced her with a stern shake. “I have other plans for ye, woman. Quiet yerself and listen.”
“Aye?” Gerta jerked her arm free and peered up at Ramsay with a worried look. Gone was the conceit of the whorish vixen. For once, Gerta appeared meek and extremely leery.
Ramsay motioned to Gordon who then led the man they had kept to the shadows up onto the platform. Gerta gasped as the barrel-shaped man, dark and burly as an oddly short bear, stepped into the light, then walked up to her and took hold of her arm.
His look severe, foreboding, and stern under bushy black brows that knotted together above the bridge of his crooked nose, the man glared out at all the faces, staring at them for a long moment before he held up Gerta’s arm as though she were a prize he’d just won. “I publicly stake m’claim here and now on this night.”
Every servant and guest went silent, even the noise of the waves seemed hushed. All leaned forward to hear what the man was about to say.
“Clan Ross may have took this woman in t’care for her son but she’s been a warmin’ my bed for nigh on twelve winters.” He jabbed a stubby iron smithy–stained finger toward Brant. “She claimed she couldna be my wife until her son was settled as he deserved.” He turned back and fixed his bushy-browed glare on her. “Yer son is settled. Yer now m’wife, aye?”
Gerta shook her head. “Nay…nay! This is no’ what I deserve.”
“Ye have the right of it,” Ramsay informed her. “Ye deserve far less than this fine man for the way ye’ve behaved toward all those who’ve shown ye the least bit a kindness. The goddesses are no’ pleased with yer behavior, woman—especially no’ the way ye chose t’treat a protector’s son.”
He pointed at the gruff squat man still holding tight to her arm. “Ye’ll be his wife or ye’ll be cast out. No clan. No hearth. No croft. No one will take ye in. I swear that it shall be so. I strongly advise ye to accept yer lover’s generous devotion if ye wish t’live through this coming winter.”
