Chapter 1
With his menby his side, Dougall MacRae was just finishing his patrol of the MacKenzie lands and was headed back to Breaghacraig when the sounds of a lone rider galloping his way caught his attention.
“Hold,” Dougall said, raising a hand to signal his men. They all stopped and listened. The rider was approaching from their rear, so they spun their horses to face the unknown man as he neared. Dougall rode to the front, waiting to see if this rider was friend or foe.
“Dougall!” the rider called. “What luck!”
Dougall squinted his eyes as he gazed into the setting sun. The man approaching was tall, but his features were hard to see as the sun was at his back. As he neared, Dougall saw shoulder length dark hair, a full beard and laughing brown eyes. He’d recognize that face anywhere.
“Rest easy men, ’tis an old friend.” Dougall nudged his horse forward to greet the man he hadn’t seen in a long, long time. “Logan McPhail. Is it really ye?”
“Aye, Dougall. Ye look no worse than when I saw ye last.” Logan laughed as he guided his horse closer to Dougall’s, leaning across he threw an arm around his old friend in a back-breaking hug.
Dougall returned the favor, heartily whacking him on the back for good measure.
“’Tis good to see ye. What brings ye here?” Dougall pulled away from Logan and raised an eyebrow in question.
“I’m here to find ye, of course. Yer father requests… nae he commands yer presence without delay.” It seemed Logan was uncomfortable sharing this news with him.
Dougall was puzzled. He’d been here with the MacKenzie’s almost his entire life, with the exception of a few trips back home to visit with his family. Since his mother passed five years ago, he’d not ventured home at all and he could honestly say he hadn’t missed it. His father was an overbearing brute and he preferred to be as far away from him as possible. What could he possibly want him for that would require sending Logan with a directive to come at once?
It was obvious that Logan was reading Dougall’s face for any clue as to how he was accepting this news. “Before ye ask, I dinnae ken what he wants with ye. Only that ye ride back with me immediately.”
“’Tis nae possible. I must return to Breaghacraig with me men. Once there I will tell the MacKenzies that I’ll be away for a while.”
“Dinnae fear, I’ll give ye the time ye need. I couldnae find ye, afterall.” Logan laughed, rolling his eyes in his head.
Dougall nodded his thanks. “Come then. We’re on our way back. We’ve been out on patrol for the past sennight and I fer one cannae wait to be back.” Thoughts of Helene, his love, danced in his head. It would be good to hold her in his arms once again.
“A good meal will do us all good,” Logan said.
Dougall realized that if anything, he had missed Logan. He’d been more like a brother to him than any of his own had been. Logan, too, had fostered with the MacKenzies, but he’d gone back home to see his family and while there had been put into service by Dougall’s father, Paddraig MacRae. He’d not seen him again for these past five years until this very moment.
“How have ye been?” Dougall asked, with a glance to his friend.
“Fine. Yer Da keeps me busy.” Logan cast his glance in Dougall’s direction.
He didn’t need to say more. Dougall understood that his father was a difficult task master. “Do ye wish ye could’ve stayed at Breaghacraig?”
“Aye. It was home to me.”
“As it is to me.” Dougall had an unsettling feeling in the pit of his belly. What if his father was calling him back to stay? He’d have little choice but to abide by his father’s wishes. And what of Helene? He couldn’t leave her behind. It would be best for him to take her with him. He could introduce her to his father and tell him of their plans to wed. That made him feel a little bit better. As long as he had Helene by his side, all would be well. He relaxed and made up his mind not to worry about what might be in store for him back with Laird MacRae.
“Cailin and Cormac will be happy ye’ve returned, if only for a short stay. They’ve both wed, ye ken.”
“Aye. I’d heard they finally settled down. I didnae think I’d ever see the day. The lasses at Breaghcraig must be heartbroken. But they still have ye unless, of course, ye’ve settled down yerself.”
“Nae. Though there is a lass in me life. This trip back to Castle Treun has me thinking to bring her along, but first I must ask her to be me betrothed.”
“Dougall! Why is it ye didnae tell me about that bit of news before this moment?”
“I wish to wed Helene, but I was waiting fer a time when I could provide her with a home and more security.” Dougall checked with Logan to see if he understood. Logan nodded. “Someday I’ll be laird and I wish her to be Lady MacRae, but in the meantime, I hadnae wished to subject her to life at Castle Treun. It seems now, with your arrival, that I may have to.”
Logan gazed off into the distance and Dougall wondered why his very talkative friend suddenly had nothing to say.
Helene was happily attendingto her duties. Dougall would be back today. She’d missed him terribly while he was out on patrol, and the mere thought of seeing him again had the butterflies in her belly fluttering their wings in delight.
“Will Dougall be home tonight?” Ashley asked as Helene put the finishing touches on her hair.
