Page 63 of The Lady of Her Highland Clan

"I ken," said Fiona calmly. "I met him, remember?"

Grace nodded. "I ken ye did, but, oh sister, just when ye reach the Greenock clan, what are ye going tae do?"

Grace's question caught Fiona short. Now that she had her attention, Grace continued.

"Ye dinnae ken, do ye? Well, it's just as well I have thought about it then! An' I'm telling ye that ye need something tae bargain wi'!" Grace's eyes sparkled as Fiona stopped in her tracks.

No matter her desire to be off, she had a point. Fiona did need something to bargain. Grace looked at her in concern. Of course, she had been hoping that this revelation would make Fiona see sense, that she would dismount and abandon her mission.

But instead, Fiona stood firm. A slow but sure smile unfurled over her face. Watching her, Grace looked up.

"But I have got something tae bargain, dear sister!" she said.

Grace looked alarmed. "What?" asked Grace faintly.

Fiona saw in her eyes that she knew.

"Nay, Fiona," Grace said limply as Fiona mounted her horse again, and this time, began to ride away.

"Nay, Fiona," said Grace. "I will come after ye, I will!" she promised. But Fiona simply fixed her with a look.

Then, with a smile, she was gone, patting Lizzie May and trotting out of the Duncan stables.

"Fraser, where is he?"

Fiona almost pushed her way through the entrance to the Greenock castle. She had been surprised by how easy it was. She had heard it had seen better days, but it was until she had reached there that she saw it for herself.

The ride had taken many hours. An exhausted Lizzie May was tethered up, some small way outside the castle boundaries. Fiona had not wanted to risk her being taken from the castle grounds.

But what had surprised her was the way she had practically just walked in there. Maybe all the guards were tied up. Certainly, they had been busy when they had captured Clyde. But now, they were almost nowhere to be seen.

"Alright, miss, an' who should I say is calling?" the young lad on the sentry box had asked her. Fiona had looked at him pitifully. Maybe he did not see her as a threat. This was possibly how she had gotten through the gates so fast.

The young lad followed her with his watery eyes as she simply sauntered through the castle gates.

"Miss?" he asked.

Fiona just sighed. "Tell him the lady o' Duncan has a proposition for him," she said. There was no point in hanging about. She might as well be direct.

Seeing her smile, the lad dunked his head down shyly and nodded. Then he just waved her through. Trotting through the gates, Fiona felt a strange trepidation.

The lady o' Duncan...

She tried it on for size, the title running over her mind. Then, she smiled. She might as well make the most of it. It probably wasn't ever going to be real.

No harm in letting Fraser think that, though!

"My lady, I am charmed!"

Fraser Greenock stood up from his chair. In the cold light of day, he looked every bit as unappealing as Fiona had first thought.

Now, he came a little closer, bringing his swagger nearer. Instinctively, Fiona tensed. It took every inch of her courage not to shrink backward.

Fraser brought his tubby body over to her as if looking over a piece of meat.

"Fiona, as bonny as ever," he said, as if they were, in fact, old friends and not her potential captor.

For her part, Fiona tried to ride it out.