“Good. Good.” Sutherland nodded. “Double the guard on her chamber and in her hall. I dinna want any surprises during the night.”
“Why would he try something now? He’ll have a better chance of getting to her on the way to MacKay.”
“Aye, but let’s no’ make it easy for him.”
Increasing the guard suited Stellan. Could he stand watch outside her door, too? Or better, inside it? He pushed the thought aside. “I’ll take care of that now.”
“And send yer brother to me,” Sutherland added.
Stellan knew why their father wanted Anders. He would be among the Sutherland guards to accompany Mariota back to MacKay. The thought tightened Stellan’s gut. There were many reasons why Anders was the right choice to make the trip. Even the right choice to wed with Mariota. And one major reason why not. Stellan’s blood heated around her, and his brother’s did not.
Though many marriages were made by families among total strangers, it didn’t feel right to treat Mariota that way. She was no shy lass dependent on a husband to care for and protect her. She was a skillful hunter and wicked with a bow according to what she’d said. Having seen how well she’d trained Valkyrie, he could believe her capable of anything she set her mind to.
She was supposed to become the next MacKay laird. She deserved to have a man at her side who truly cared about her and supported her. He had to admit that Anders would be good to her— and for her.
But Stellan couldn’t accept that.
He found his twin by the hearth and gave him the summons. “I’ll want to talk to ye once ye are done with Da,” Stellan said.
Anders nodded, his expression grim, mouth tight and brows creased. “As will I,” he replied and headed for the solar.
Stellan posted guards on Mariota’s chamber as his father had directed, then returned to the great hall to await thenews his brother brought. He could feel a sense of submission from Anders, but it was tinged with something else. Defiance. Definitely.
When Anders returned, he wasted no time mincing words. “This is yer last chance to rethink the switch,” he said. “I ken ye are nay fond of deception, and this will be an important one, but if one of us goes, despite saying her da changed his mind about an alliance with us, he could still force a wedding at MacKay, thinking he has Sutherland’s approval.”
“He does have it, at least for the betrothal, with some details to be worked out,” Stellan said after a moment’s thought. His belly churned with the idea of the risk they contemplated, but he couldn’t let circumstances dictate that Anders would have this woman. It might be different if he wanted her, but he did not.
Stellan had to go to prove to himself that he wanted only her, that she was worth the trouble they would cause both their clans. Anders, remaining behind as Stellan, deceiving their father on such an important and fraught issue, would take the brunt of it here. Still, there were obstacles. “If I go as ye, ’twill make nay difference. Save that I would have to admit the deception, and all hell would break loose. I could be forced to stand as yer proxy to wed her.”
“I could feign illness,” Anders suggested, “then ye could go as yerself.”
“Ye would have to involve the healer. She could betray ye if she deemed it important to do so. And do ye think da would send me? I dinna.”
Anders glanced toward the solar, then shook his head. “He’s sending Sutherlands to protect her on the journey, at least. She’s more vulnerable while they travel than she is at home. And have ye considered that there may be some at MacKay who dinna think a lass should be laird? Alber may no’ be her only threat. I think we need to find out.”
“Her da would say ’tis none of our business.” Stellan wanted to agree with Anders rather than argue with him, but they had to think this through, and they’d always been good at debating both sides of the issue. “She’s made no mention of anything else. Or of her da seeking to replace her as heir.”
Or had she, in an indirect way, with her musings about what her life could be if she were free of that responsibility? If the MacKay did name someone else, it would solve Stellan’s problem with Mariota’s heritage. She could be with him at Sutherland without causing a clan war. Perhaps.
“It could be why she’s no’ been trained. He is thinking of replacing her,” Anders said, as if hearing his thoughts.
“It may have crossed his mind,” Stellan agreed. “But has he done aught about it? Or will he? At any rate, ’tis no’ her immediate danger.”
“Aye. Alber will be riding with her. I dinna see any alternative to me— or ye —going with her. MacKay might be willing to sacrifice Sutherland guards, but he’ll think twice before harming the Sutherland’s son.”
Stellan shook his head. “I’m nay certain of that. Still, the Sutherland heir could be a convenient target. Or hostage. ’Tis less likely he’d see the second son the same way.”
“Then it must be Anders on the trip. ’Tis been years since we switched identities.”
“And never for anything so important,” Stellan said in agreement, feeling the weight of inevitability settling on his shoulders. He shifted them, not liking the sensation, but seeing no other way.
“I can be ye easily,” Anders continued. “Can ye be me? Friendly, fun-loving, with an eye for the lasses?”
Stellan copied Anders’ grin. “’Twill take everything in me, but I must.”
Mariota looked to her left,hoping to find Anders among the Sutherlands riding near her, but she didn’t see him. Where could he have gone? She looked over her right shoulder and behind her. Ah, there he was, talking to Seamus. Relief let her exhale, but curiosity kept her twisting about to glance their way. What were they talking about? Possible dangers? Or her? Thankfully, her da rode at the head of their troop, out of earshot of whatever they or any of the Sutherland guards might discuss. She’d already gotten Seamus into trouble with her da. She didn’t want to do that to him again.
Seamus glanced up, met her gaze and gave her a quick grin which caught Anders’ attention. When he looked her way, he added his own cheeky grin. That was so like him. Mariota rolled her eyes, grinned back at them, and turned her gaze forward again. With those two to look at, the view was definitely better behind her. But her horse, the one she’d borrowed the night she escaped from her chamber and needed to return to its rightful owner, was starting to shift underneath her, reacting to her twisting in the saddle. And the MacKay guards on either side had noticed her mount’s behavior. She didn’t need to be seen staring at either Anders or Seamus. Ahead, her view encompassed the glen they traversed, the woods and hills beyond it, and several MacKay guards with her da and Alber among them.
