Page 3 of The Highlander’s Gypsy Temptation

August had forbidden Bran access to the girl or her mother, as he did not approve of his sister marrying a non-Romani. As the leader of his clan, August had the last say, and Bran had been forced to honor that when the mother of his child had commanded him to leave. He had never been given the chance to meet his daughter and August had used his niece against him as leverage, threatening to hurt or even kill her if Bran displeased or disobeyed him. It was the hope of one day getting to see her and hold her in his arms that had kept him going and had made him want to find a way out of there. “Ye would nae. Nae even ye are that evil.”

“I could and I would.”

A soft moan announced that the girl at August’s feet had returned to consciousness. August ignored her. Bran stepped forward, with the intention of taking the man alive in order to protect his own child, but August saw his attack coming and reached down to grab the lass and placed her between them. Bran managed to stop his blade just before it harmed the girl, while August held a blade to her throat.

“August, dinnae do this.”

“I shall if you do not let me take her.”

The sound of men coming down the corridor announced the arrival of more guards. One of August’s men ran up behind him in warning, surprise showing on his face at seeing Bran. “The Morgan guards are coming.”

August nodded in acknowledgement. “Take Idalia.”

Bran stepped forward. “Take me instead.”

August’s brows arose in surprise, then a greedy light entered his eyes. “I shall consider your proposal under one condition.”

Bran cocked his brow in question, as the sound of guards’ feet caused his spine to tingle in warning. “What?.”

“You shall be my mercenary. Ye will do as I say.” August raised a hand before Bran could answer him. “If ye say no, I shall kill Idalia and I shall keep the promise I made in the past.”

Given no other choice, Bran gave a single nod. He would have done anything to protect his daughter and he wanted to help Lady Katarina’s sisters as well, as she was his best friend’s wife.

August released the girl, letting her fall to the floor. He turned to his men, now all standing behind him. “Take him,” he commanded, then turned and walked away, leaving Bran to be bound and hauled out of the prison by his band of Romani men.

As Bran walked past the girl lying on the stone floor, he met her eyes, bleary and confused. “Yer sister is looking for ye,” he informed her, hoping that it would bring her some comfort and hope. “If I ken anything about Lady Katarina, she will find ye, lass. When she does, dinnae mention me, for I am already dead.” With those last parting words, he left the beautiful, brown-eyed Romani lass in the darkness, alone.

“Who are you?” she whispered to his retreating back, but Bran did not answer. It was better for them both if she never discovered the truth.

CHAPTER ONE

Orkney Islands, Scotland, 1518 A.D.

Idalia stood on the shores of her new island home and stared out across the sea toward the mainland. It had been well over a year since her sister, Katarina, had rescued her and Leonor from their captivity. Once Alistair Morgan was safely in the king’s prison, Idalia and Leonor had gone to Rome to inform their aunt of everything that had happened to their family. They had been escorted there and back under the protection of Katarina’s husband’s men. Idalia was grateful that her sister had found love and happiness in spite of the circumstances that had led to her and Dunn’s marriage.

Dunn and Katarina were currently visiting Dunn’s newlywed brother Tor and his bride, the former Lady Katherine Morgan, who had turned out to be the daughter of their uncle and not Alistair Morgan. Katarina had taken her newborn son to meet his Uncle Tor, and she had also taken their aunt, who was visiting from Rome, to meet Katherine. Idalia had not wished to step foot within the Morgan stronghold ever again and had elected to remain behind on Orkney with Leonor and Adamina, Dunn’s sister, to help take care of her new clan.

In truth, Idalia spent every waking hour attempting to forget what had happened to them, but the nightmares refused to stop. Every night she dreamed of the men who had hurt her family and the man who had been responsible for their being forced to run for their lives to begin with, August Raymond.

I need a woman of the old ways to see where August Raymond is now. I need a seer. I cannot go on with my life, I cannot make any decisions about how and where to live, without knowing where he is and if he has given up on trying to wed me. I will not promise my life to a man who only wishes to take it from me by force. I will not surrender my life, nor those of any of my remaining family, to him or any other vile man. I have lost enough. We have lost enough.

Leonor joined her on the shore, hooking her arm through Idalia’s. “Thinking?” she asked, laying her head on her sister’s shoulder.

Idalia nodded. “I am never going to find peace unless I know that August Raymond is gone from our lives forever. I need to find a seer.”

“Katarina said there is another of our kind here on the island. She has some gifts, but I know more than that. Perhaps she can help you.”

Idalia nodded. “Who is she?”

“Esmerelda,” Leonor said and shook her head. “I don’t know her surname, but apparently she was a lover of Dunn’s and Tor’s before their respective marriages.”

Idalia snorted in laughter. “Both of them?”

Leonor giggled, nodding. “That is what Katarina said.”

“We should go and speak with her. Do you know where she lives?”

Leonor nodded. “Katarina said she has a cottage further down the shore.”