The gray-haired man’s gaze narrowed, never meeting her gaze or acknowledging her presence. “I am Baron Gow. And if you are in charge of my betrothed, why is she riding a horse? A woman’s place is in the cart.” He pointed to the cart as if to emphasize his argument.
“Diana prefers to ride,” Alex answered, his face void of expression. Alexander Grant was a huge man, much larger than Baron Gow. The fool had to see that, did he not?
Several seconds passed as the two leaders stared at each other, the others waiting with bated breath. Baron Gow moved his horse toward Diana, but Micheil inched his mount closer to her right side and Alex stayed firmly seated to her left. The baron reached out for her and snarled, “You will get off that horse, woman, and take your proper place. You do not belong alongside men.”
Diana gasped and backed away from him, clenching her reins in both hands as two swords swooped down in front of her, one from the Grant, and one from Micheil Ramsay. She had never seen anything happen so quickly.
Alex spoke, “The lady is under my charge. You will not touch her until she is transferred to your charge.” His voice radiated with authority.
“Release her to me and be on your way. I did not promise accommodations for all your men. I will see to the lady.” The baron stared at her cousin, waiting for a challenge, his men behind him poised to attack.
Alex smiled without budging from his position. “I am sure you would love to have her released to you, but as I just said, sheis in my charge, and I will not leave her in your care until I deem that care to be appropriate for a lady of her station.”
Gow’s mouth twisted in a sneer that made Diana want to vomit. She prayed frantically that her cousins would not desert her with this man.
The baron turned to glare at her. “And who is going to prevent me from taking her now? You and your friends? I think not. She is mine, so she will do as I say. Her land belongs to me. It should have been mine years ago, but my ancestors were fools. You will not stop this from taking place. I have waited too long for this.”
Alex whistled and his forty guards galloped full force behind them. Diana released her breath, not realizing until that very moment that she had been holding it. “In the Highlands, honor requires a man to offer a night’s stay to parties on the road that are traveling a distance. No honor at your castle, Gow?”
The baron backed off and gave a grim smile. “This move to you, Grant. I will accommodate you and four others. The rest shall remain in the bailey.” He nodded to Alex. “I can wait to get my hands on my betrothed. When the time comes, she will learn a wife’s proper place.” He turned his horse around and headed toward the castle, his five men trailing behind him.
Diana glanced at Alex and whispered, “My thanks, cousin.” He nodded in response, his brow furrowed. Emotion welled up inside her, threatening to unseat her.
Robbie spoke up from behind her, though whether he addressed Alex, Micheil, or both was unclear. “This is not going to go at all as I expected. Things will get interesting, will they not?”
The Grant smirked and quirked an eyebrow. “Och, so they will.” He then glanced at Diana, who was losing her fight to hold in her tears. “Do not fret, cousin. You remind me of my mother. Protecting you will honor her memory, so ‘tis not a dutyI will shirk. If you have need of anything, you will come for me. Understood?”
Diana nodded, unable to speak for fear of bursting into wrenching sobs. She would maintain her composure in honor of her mother and his. The look of concern on Micheil Ramsay’s face did not go unnoticed. Perhaps she did indeed have an ally in him.
As they entered the gates of the castle, Diana could not help but notice all the threatening glances sent her way by her betrothed. She decided the only way to she could handle her situation was to refrain from looking at him at all. As they walked up the steps to the great hall, she felt an arm brush across her back. She whirled her head around to see her betrothed was touching her, the taunting grin on his face an implied threat. Micheil stood back and gathered her in front of him, for which she was eternally grateful.
Once inside, the baron summoned his servants to feed their guests. Not wanting any more to do with him, Diana said, “My lord, if I may, it has been an exhausting trip. I would like to rest.” She wished for anything to get away from his presence.
He smiled at her, “Of course, my dear. Allow me to show you to your chamber.” He held his arm out to her so he could escort her.
Diana panicked at the thought of being alone with him and glanced wildly at her cousins. She had hoped there would be a maid to attend to her.
“I would like to see my chamber as well, Baron,” Alex said.
“Of course.” He led the way up the staircase and down the corridor. He stopped and pointed down the passageway. “Your chamber will be the second on the right, Grant.” He stood aside, awaiting the Grant’s leave. When the big man did not move, the baron gave him a questioning glance.
Alex stood there for a moment, then headed down the corridor. A moment later, the baron stopped in front of a doorway, motioning for Diana to do the same. “Your chamber, my dear.” He opened the door for her and stepped inside. “I’m sure this will please you. It was my former wife’s chamber.”
As soon as he finished his sentence, Alex, who must not have walked very far down the passageway at all, forced his way into the chamber and searched the room with his gaze. “Where does the door lead, Baron?”
Baron Gow, clearly appalled to be questioned, leveled an intimidating expression at Alex. “As I said, Grant. This was my wife’s chamber. The door connects to mine.”
Alex grabbed Diana’s elbow and ushered her out the door. “Then Diana will not be staying here, and I am offended you would seek to risk her reputation in such a way.”
Alex moved down the passageway, but Baron Gow bellowed after him. “Cease your interference. She is to be my wife in less than a sennight. The marriage will happen, whether you approve of it or not.”
Alexander Grant turned around slowly, his height and posture even more impressive when he was off his horse. Diana glanced at his face and wanted to take a step back, but she was delighted to see he was in complete control of the situation. The baron could not hope to best such a man. “That is where you are wrong, Baron Gow.” He dropped her hand and stalked toward the baron until he was nose to nose with him, although the Grant had to bend over to do so. “She is my charge, and I will do what my kin has requested of me. The future Drummond willnotmarry you without my approval. And if I need to put my sword through your black heart to prevent it, do not doubt that I will.” Alex never moved.
The baron spewed hatred. “You are every bit the savage you are reputed to be. Highland savages, all of you. I hated beinggiven land so close to the Highlands. Put her in your chamber if you’d like. She’ll be in mine soon enough.” He spun on his heel and headed down the passageway, hitting the wall with his fist and growling as he passed.
Alex directed her into his chamber, holding his finger to his lips to encourage her not to speak until they were inside.
“Alex, my thanks, but please remove me from these premises.” Diana had progressed to sheer panic after witnessing her betrothed’s behavior with a man of Alex’s stature. “He frightens me to no end.”
