Dangerous Pride (17 page)

All the color fled her cheeks as she saw took in Iain’s steely determination.  “We’ll speak more of this when I am ready, and no’ a minute sooner.”  Abruptly Iain turned his horse in the opposite direction, anxious to be free of his demanding sister.  He turned back suddenly when he was a few paces away, his features darkened with his fury.  “Hear me well, lass:  You will no’ be given the chance to disappoint us a second time.”

###

Any hopes Catriona had entertained for a peaceful return had evaporated with Iain’s harsh words.  The trio had ridden in silence after the heated confrontation.  Her attempts to speak with the men had been ignored, and they had continued their journey under a cloud of tension and mistrust. Though she had considered waiting for an opportunity to flee, she knew it would be too dangerous.  While the men both had pistols in their saddlebags, and swords strapped to their horses, Catriona had no weapons.  Nor the skills to use them, she admitted grudgingly.  Besides, the men would notice her absence before long, and she was unlikely to get far.

Silently, she cursed herself for trusting her brother.  It was one thing for him to wrench her from her contented life at the abbey, but it was quite another to ensure her cooperation through lies and threats.  It had not escaped her notice that if Iain had lied about where he planned to take her, it was entirely possible he had lied about the reception she would receive, too.

Despite the heat of the sun, a cold chill enveloped her.  Perhaps Lachlan and her brother had conspired to punish the woman they believed responsible for Elizabeth’s death.  Even if that weren’t the case, the thought of facing the people of Tolquhon, particularly the man who was to have been her brother-by-marriage, was horrifying to Catriona.

Lachlan Forbes’ dark, handsome features plagued her dreams still, even though it had been years since she had last seen him.  While her intelligence told her the man had discarded her, and that she was well rid of him, her heart came to very different conclusions.  She felt a wave of shame as she recalled how she had thrown herself at him, how she had begged for his affection, only to be cruelly rejected, time and time again.

Catriona consoled herself with the fact she was no longer the silly, naïve lass who had foolishly sought the affections of a man who thought her unworthy.  She was a grown woman now, one who had made her own way in the world despite overwhelming challenges.  She had come too far to blindly accept whatever future these men had planned for her.

She might find herself under their control for the moment, but that was surely a temporary dilemma.  Sometime – possibly in the very near future – fate would present her with an opportunity to be free of their lies and their control.  She need only be patient.

With renewed resolve, Catriona brought her horse to a halt.  The men rode for several minutes before they realized she was no longer directly behind them.  Despite the distance separating them, Catriona could hear Iain swearing under his breath, the wind carrying his curses to her ears.  With a frustrated yank he turned his horse around, retracing his steps until he was at her side.  “Do no’ think to test my patience any further today, Catriona.  This is no easier for me than it is for you.”

“I do no’ recall that anyone has accused you of murder lately, Iain,” Catriona returned evenly, amazed that her own flesh and blood could be so insensitive.  “I do no’ care if yer feathers are ruffled, or if you take a fit of temper.  I will no’ take another step until you explain to me what you have planned.”  Catriona’s own temper was fired, but she deliberately forced herself to at least appear calm.  “For all I ken, yer taking me back to be hung for my sister’s death.  Do you really expect me to follow you blindly after you’ve admitted much of what you’ve said is a lie?”

At that moment, Iain looked more like a sheepish lad of twelve than the powerful, handsome man he had grown into.  Though they had spoken little of life at Boyne during their journey north, Iain had proudly told her about the life he had built for himself.  His passion for the sea, the wealth he had begun to amass and his achievements had impressed her.  For a moment Catriona felt a surge of sympathy for her brother.  His face, though tanned by the time they had spent traveling, was strained, and there were dark circles of fatigue under his eyes.  Regardless of how Iain had treated her, the situation was obviously not easy for him, either.

“You have naught to fear at Tolquhon,” he replied finally, his voice tinged with weariness.  “It’s true that I did no’ tell you the entire truth about yer return, but it was only because I feared you would no’ understand.  But I have no’ lied to you about yer safety, Catriona – on my word of honor, you will be safe.”  The sincerity in Iain’s eyes was comforting, but Catriona counseled herself to remain on guard.  She’d trusted him before, and the cost had been high.  It was a mistake she wouldn’t make again.

“Why Tolquhon, Iain?  And why now?”

“It did no’ take long to realize you were no’ capable of harming yer own kin.  No one listened to Leslie’s wild accusations for overlong.  Even da had his doubts about what he’d done, though he was too proud to admit it.  If you’d but stayed in the keep, and given us some time, it would ne’er have come to this.”  Iain gestured pleadingly to Catriona, his expression open and honest.  “There has been much damage in the time you’ve been gone, lass, and by returning to Tolquhon, you’ll be able to help repair the harm you’ve caused.”

Catriona’s brow furrowed as she considered her brother’s explanation.  “I will take you at yer word that I have naught to fear at Tolquhon, Iain, but I do no’ understand what purpose it will serve to take me there.”

Iain’s dark expression lightened at his sister’s improved temper. 
This just might work after all,
he thought as he reached out to place a comforting hand on Catriona’s sleeve.  “Why, yer to be a bride, of course,” he said, his lips spreading in a wide grin.  “Yer marriage to Lachlan is the perfect solution to the tension between the clans.  It’s the answer we’ve all been waiting for.”

###

The rest of the journey passed in a blur.  Catriona had been too stunned to discuss the matter any further with her brother.  She kept thinking it was all a bad dream from which she would soon awake.

For Iain’s part, his mood had improved considerably since his revelation.  Confession really is good for the soul, Catriona reflected ruefully.  The impact of her brother’s plan had not yet sunk in, and she found herself too exhausted and too overwhelmed to absorb the reality of what her future held.

It was near dusk when they finally reached the crest of the hill that overlooked Tolquhon Castle.  The trio paused, caught at once in the beauty of the lands before them, and the stark majesty of Tolquhon.  Despite the fear that held her heart in a tight, icy grasp, Catriona couldn’t help but pause and admire the dramatic changes that had taken place in the keep in the years since her last visit.  Lachlan had clearly been busy.

When Catriona had first visited the keep as a youngster, she had been impressed by the sheer scope and size of the castle.  The holding had been built some four hundred years earlier, and extensive renovations in the previous century had seen it expanded into an impressive fortress.  Sadly, neglect – prompted largely by a lack of funds, and poor management by Lachlan’s father – had seen the castle again fall into disrepair.  All that had changed now, Catriona noted with approval.

The castle consisted of four long wings that surrounded a large courtyard.  Two large towers dominated the structure, which was surrounded by a tall outer gate designed to deter attackers.  Catriona could see the defenses had been fortified, and areas that had previously been crumbling from neglect had been reinforced.  Even now, the parapet that extended between the towers was patrolled by a guard.

Slowly, Colin turned to face Catriona, who sat mounted on her mare but a short distance away.  “It’ll be all right, lass, I promise you,” he offered softly, his strong features etched with compassion.  Somehow his words helped to strengthen her resolve, and she smiled in gratitude.  With a nod, he turned and began to make his way down the steep incline.

“Colin is right,” Iain added and she turned to meet his gaze.  “You have been given a rare gift, Catriona – the chance to start over, and right past wrongs.  And, aye, you might even undo some of the wrongs that have been done to you.”  His eyes twinkled mischievously as he reached to take her hand in his.  “It is up to you to make the best of this.  I ken well you had a tenderness for Lachlan when you were a bairn, and I hope you remember that now.  It was Lachlan who helped me bring you here.  He agrees that yer the best hope for security for both clans.  Perhaps it will help you to ken he wanted you here.”

Catriona smiled wryly at her brother’s transparent attempts to manipulate her, as well intentioned as they might be. “I appreciate yer efforts, Iain, but I hardly think Lachlan fancies this match any more than I,” she replied with a resigned shrug.  “I suspect he’s about as enthusiastic as I – mayhaps even less so.  Do no’ fash yerself about it, though,” she added when she saw his expression darken.  “I’ve little doubt we’ll come to an agreement that will be agreeable to us both.”

Iain’s expression turned sober as he leaned forward to speak in hushed tones.  “I’ll have naught between us now but the truth, Catriona.  You need to ken our father does no’ ken you’ve been found.  Both Lachlan and I thought it best to see you safely settled here before he is told.”

Catriona’s surprise registered clearly on her face, and Iain had the grace to look chastened.  “We are no’ cold men who care naught for yer happiness,” he added defensively.  “We believe you can be happy here.  Give it a chance, Catriona,” he pleaded, his sincere words touching her in a way she would not have thought possible.  “You would no’ have been happy growing old in that abbey.  You need a husband and bairns of yer own. Here, in Tolquhon, you can have those things. Lachlan is a good man.  He will keep you from harm.”

Her expression was confused as she absorbed her brother’s latest revelation.  “It is enough, Catriona,” he added, his tone firm.  “It has to be.”

Iain squeezed her hand affectionately before turning and following Colin down the path.  Catriona struggled to bring her emotions under control before she followed.  As terrified as she was of the future she faced, she knew Iain was right.  Lachlan was a fair man, a decent man, and he would never be cruel.  Disinterested?  Probably.  But definitely not deliberately mean.  Surely that much of his nature had remained intact in the years following Elizabeth’s death.  Unless he held her responsible for the loss of his betrothed wife….

“Time will tell,” she muttered under her breath, brusquely wiping away the tears that had stolen down her cheeks.  Joining the men on the path, she carefully made her way down the steep hill, grateful for the mare’s sure-footedness.  As they slowly neared the gates of Tolquhon, she felt her heart beating frantically in her chest.  Still, she knew she couldn’t afford the luxury of showing her panic.  If she did, her weakness would surely color the peoples’ judgment of her for years to come.

Iain called out a greeting to the men who kept watch on the rampart, men who had long since recognized the young man as an occasional visitor to the keep.  As she studied her surroundings, she decided Lachlan’s ancestors had chosen well when they’d selected the site for Tolquhon Castle.  It was impossible for anyone to make their way into the valley without being in view for some time.  This gave the men in the keep ample opportunity to prepare for whatever friend or foe made their way toward Tolquhon.

Slowly, the gate was opened, and, flanked by the two men, Catriona made her way into the outer bailey.  They passed by a series of tall statues, one of which she knew was intended as a likeness of William Forbes, the laird who had been responsible for renovating and expanding the keep more than 100 years earlier.  The man must have been very proud of his accomplishment, Catriona decided, noting with interest the heavy stone plaque which adorned the wall, carved with the inscription:

Al this warke excep the auld tour was begun be William Forbes 15 Aprile 1584 and endit be him 20 October 1589

Though many of the men called out greetings to her brother, Catriona searched the faces of the people for any sense of recognition or welcome.  Few dared to meet her eyes, instead hurrying about their tasks, or studying with great intent their shoes, or the ground beneath them.  Her sense of resignation was quickly replaced with feelings of foreboding.  If this was any indication of the welcome she would receive from the laird’s people, her time at Tolquhon would be brief and uncomfortable.

Regardless of their lack of enthusiasm, it was clear the people of Tolquhon had faired well under their young laird’s leadership.  The people they encountered were well dressed and seemed happy and at ease.  The stables were clean and well tended, and from a distance she could see they housed an impressive selection of horses.

As the trio made their way into the inner bailey, they passed a blacksmith at work.  Soon they were surrounded by well tended, lush gardens.  On one side, the wall contained a series of small square-shaped sections Catriona recognized as holes in which bees would make their hives.  The honey would be collected and used within the keep, with any surplus sent to market.

Catriona forced herself to take a deep breath as Iain and Colin brought their horses to a halt.  She reminded herself she owed it to her family to comport herself with dignity and grace.  Surely, she decided with mounting panic, it would only be a matter of time before she convinced Lachlan they were ill-suited.  Then she would be able to return to her own home, her own family, and live life on her own terms.

Having slowed the frantic beating of her heart, Catriona watched as the two men dismounted, motioning to her to wait as they made their way to the entrance of the main house.  Iain was greeted many times along the way, his progress slow as he stopped and made conversation with many of the clan.