Page 92 of Tales of Highland Loyalty

Her father shook his head abruptly, as if pulling himself out of his own reverie.

"Too late," he said, but this time in a more matter-of-fact tone. "An' it is too late to get her back. But one thing it is nae too late for is revenge."

He clutched her, dragging her arm close to him. Nora nodded dutifully. Her head was hot and reeling, and at odds with the cold night air.

"An' more than that, ye will slay him an' be the lady o' the clan an' finally unite oor two lands under the Douglases. Revenge is a dish best served fifteen years cold."

"Aye, Father," she said grimly. "An' dinnae ye fash. I shall deliver it well."

There, in the freezing night skies, her father looked at her coldly.

"I ken ye will, lassie, I ken ye will."

But as Nora snuggled up beneath the tenting, all she could think about was the strange man she was yet to meet. The size of him, his smile, the scent of him when she kissed him.

She would have to kiss him, and that was just the start. Steeling herself in the makeshift bed, Nora sat up, hugging her knees. Glancing over, she saw her father snoring, too much whiskey in his belly.

It was her alone who had to perform this task. No matter what she did, the thoughts would not stop. They would meet, they would marry. She would undress him, slowly running her fingers across his skin… What would that feel like?

And he would lie there, innocent and unsuspecting.

She would caress him, lead him. She would kiss him. His breath would be soft on her neck…

Nora froze. She felt sick, but she could not stop thinking.

What will be the look in his eyes when I kill him?

3

"She's late!"

William looked about uncomfortably in the packed room.

Another day, another packed hall. But this time he wished that he was alone.

The family was all lined up and waiting. The counselors were trying their hardest not to fall asleep. And to make matters worse, a growing crowd of clans folk milling around, hoping to catch their first glimpse of the new lady of the clan. In short, everyone was there to witness the meeting of William and his new fiancée.

Everyone except the woman herself.

"Where is she?" sighed William, exasperated. He did not need to watch the shadows move around the room to know that time had passed. A lot of time.

The sun had risen and begun to fall, chasing from one wall to another. Soon candles would be lit and night would be here.

"She is tardy," he complained to his advisor. But anxious though he was, he knew well enough to keep it from his sisters.

Already, Fiona had been up to see where the guests were. William had sent her on her way with a casual wave of the hand.

"Dinnae fash, sweet sister. She is a wee bit waylaid, visiting the pasture to the south o' the clan," William had assured her. Inside, his mind reeled. It was bad enough that the woman had not shown. No way was he admitting he had no clue as to why.

"Whatever for?" Fiona had asked sharply, her green eyes darting all about the room. William shied away from meeting them head-on. He may be laird, but she was still the big sister and had a way of picking out the truth.

"She wanted to see the, um," began William, thinking fast. He glanced at Alasdair, standing behind Fiona.

"Sheep," said Alasdair unexpectedly. Immediately, Fiona turned around, her pale green eyes pinned to the slight advisor.

"She wanted to see the sheep?" asked Fiona, with ice-cold clarity. Her clear eyes swooped inquisitively on the advisor's.

"Aye, ma'am," said Alasdair courteously. Then, with an aside to William, he added, "She was keen to see the improvements to the farmlands an' the new Dunfaces which have just lambed. The Douglas clan hasnae much in the way o' pasture."