Page 16 of Highland Dove

“I dinna understand why ye’re actin’ so odd.”

“Just trust me,” she told him. “I’m doin’ this for us.”

Duncan released a deep sigh. “I dinna understand ye, lass, but I do trust ye. Give me a few minutes to gather my things and find my brathair and we’ll take ye home ourselves.”

“Nay. Malmuira will take me,” said Mari, not wanting Duncan around until she cleared things up with her father first.

“I told ye I canna do that,” the old woman said once again.

“Why no’?” asked Mari, feeling frustrated now.

“She canna do it because she is followin’ my orders.” Eideard stepped out of the barn with several of his henchmen right behind him.

“Eideard!” Mari, jerked back quickly, knocking into Duncan and stepping on his bare toes.

“Och, lass,” spat Duncan, hopping on one foot.

“So nice to see ye still alive, Duncan,” snarled Eideard.

The last person Duncan wanted to see right now was that traitor, Eideard. “That’s right, I am alive,” said Duncan, standing up straight now. “And since I’m back, I’ll be takin’ over the position of clan chieftain. So I relieve ye of the duty.”

Eideard chuckled. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that. Besides, who’s goin’ to stop me?”

Duncan’s hand shot to his waist out of habit, but came up empty. He’d left the room so quickly that he hadn’t yet donned his weapon belt. “Damn,” he spat under his breath.

“Face it, Duncan, even if ye did have a sword, ye couldna do a thing about it,” Eideard told him. “The clan answers to me now. Mari, get over here. We are leavin’.”

“Nay!” shouted Duncan, feeling his blood beginning to boil. “Mari is my betrothed and she is stayin’ with me. I will protect her with my life, even without a weapon.”

“Ye didna tell him?” Eideard looked at Mari and raised a brow.

“Tell me what?” asked Duncan, feeling very unsettled. “Mari, what does he mean?”

“I’m sorry, Duncan.” When Mari turned to him, tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Sorry? For what? What the hell is goin’ on here?”

“Ye see, Duncan, in yer absence, some things have changed,” Eideard told him. “I’m no’ only the chieftain of the clan, but I have a signed agreement with Mari’s faither.”

“Signed agreement? What are ye talkin’ about?” asked Duncan.

Eideard sneered. “I’m sorry to inform ye, but I’ve made an alliance with Clan Stewart and Mari is now my wife.”

“What?” Duncan’s head snapped around to look at Mari. From the look in her eyes, he could see that what Eideard said was true. “Mari, please tell me he’s lyin’.”

“I didna want to marry him, I swear,” she cried. “He told me ye were dead and he forced me to do it.”

“No wonder ye didna want me to touch ye last night,” he ground out in disgust. “Why didna ye tell me ye were a married woman?”

“I wanted to, but I just couldna do it, Duncan. I needed to talk to my faither first so he could help me get the marriage annulled. Ye are the only one I want for my husband.”

“It’s a little too late for that now,” he said through gritted teeth, shaking his head. “I thought ye’d wait for me, Mari. I guess I was wrong.”

“Get the girl,” Eideard told one of his men. “We’re leavin’.”

“Nay, I willna go with ye,” said Mari, fighting the man off. “Ye’re hurtin’ me. Leave me be.”

Duncan’s heart ached. He didn’t like anyone hurting Mari, even if she was no longer his girl.