4
It was a gray, dismal day when they finally left.
In the final hours, it seemed as though Erica needed to be everywhere at once. There were final fittings with the seamstress, final instructions from her mother. There were no more opportunities to escape to her horse and the freedom of the hills, which probably left Trudy relieved but caused consternation in Erica. She was suffocating under her duties, and much as she was excited about her wedding to come, she was also worried enough that she needed the peace she found in the saddle to compensate.
Not that she would have been allowed to ride if she’d had the time.
It was all that dratted Finn’s fault.
The day she’d followed him, she’d been acting on impulse. She’d risen early, and tired of packing, final lessons, and otherwise being pulled in a dozen different directions, she’d somehow managed to escape to the stable. Trudy had trailed after her, a faithful shadow who kept trying to remind her of small tasks which needed doing, as though any of them were really important.
As luck would have it, she’d seen the tall blond man heading out through the gates, bow slung over his back. It had started with a game to see if she could follow him without being noticed. If Trudy’s horse hadn’t spoiled things, she might have been able to talk him into joining the hunt.
In this, Erica’s need for adventure hadn’t reckoned with the taciturn Highlander. That he’d been furious to find her there had been patently obvious. To treat her in such a high-handed manner was inexcusable. She’d complained to her father about it only to find Finn had been there before her. In the end, it was she who was lectured for venturing so far from the castle without an escort. As though she hadn’t been riding the hills with Trudy for companionship for years now. Her mother had only sighed, disappointment etched clearly on her pretty face.
They were probably glad to be rid of her.
Her father’s voice was a deep rumble, thick with emotion. “Now, lass, remember ye be an O’Donnell. As such, ye must comport yerself in such a way so as not to give shame to yer family.”
“And for heaven’s sake, mind yer faither’s choosing to escort ye and listen to his commands. He is here to see ye to yer new home safely and knows the ways of the men and will ken what to do should trouble arise,” her mother put in, hugging Erica fiercely.
Erica hugged her mother back and turned away lest she cry and spoil the parting entirely… Though she had to admit to feeling a little put off that both her parents’ farewells seemed more concerned with obedience than the fact that their only daughter was leaving to marry a stranger what seemed half a world away.
As she turned away, she nearly ran straight into Tomas, one of her best friends in the castle and a good soldier. Tomas was nearly as tall as her escort, though he’d never filled out with muscle the way Finn had. Thin and reedy, with long, gangly limbs, Tomas looked something like a very well-armed spider. He stumbled as she walked into him, dropping the end of her trunk that he was carrying. This set up a howl from his companion, who was suddenly trying to bear the weight of the trunk alone, which he promptly dropped.
“Mattie? Is that you?” Erica asked, peering around Tomas in surprise.
“Aye, lass.” Mattie’s round face was red with indignation and effort as he struggled to pick up his end of the trunk again. “Though I would appreciate it if this oafish buffoon could manage his end of things better.”
Erica bit back a laugh as she dodged past them, circling the coach where it was evidently destined. This put her in the center of the courtyard, which was a sea of activity as men hurried about, horse hooves clattered, cattle lowed, and a large number of people bustled about. It seemed the entire castle was there to see her off, every one of them busy adding something to the growing pile of goods being strapped in place. It struck her then she was truly leaving and not coming back. For better or for worse, in a matter of days, she would become a bride.
“My lady, is there something ye require?”
Finn appeared next to her, startling her out of her thoughts. She craned her neck to look up at him, surprised that such a large man could move so quietly. Of course, in this din, she supposed he could have stomped over to her and she would not have noticed.
“I do not see my horse,” she said, looking around with hesitation.
“One of the men is riding yer mare. I trust she will be brought safely to our destination.”
Erica blinked. “But what then shall I ride?”
The giant Highlander frowned. “I expect everything ye need ye will find within the coach. I believe ye will find yer maid waiting there for ye.”
That Trudy was coming was not a surprise, nor that her maid would prefer riding within the coach to being on horseback. That she wasexpectedto ride with her was.
“I would prefer to arrive mounted upon my own mare,” she informed him primly.
If anything, the silver-haired Highlander looked all the more foreboding at this. His brows came down, and he quite nearly scowled at her. “Aye, well, if my lady would only trouble herself to examine the sky, she will find it looks like rain. I would not have the laird’s new bride arrive ill and out of sorts.”
Never had she been treated in a manner so high-handed. Erica found she did not like being ordered about and would have argued the matter further if she had not felt the first raindrop splash upon her forehead, square between the eyes.
Furious to be foiled so easily, she turned and stomped over to the coach, only realizing belatedly that her parents were still watching. From their frowns, she could see they were worried anew about her attitude, which, if she were honest with herself, might well be for good reason. There was just something about that man which rubbed her the wrong way.
“He is a beast,” she muttered, half under her breath as Mattie handed her into the coach.
“Indeed there might be truth to such a statement,” Mattie replied, with a cautious look around. “It is said that his mither was a witch who was burned alive when he was but a lad.”
“A witch!” Trudy gasped, catching the gist as her mistress settled next to her.
