Page 45 of The Highlander’s Gypsy Temptation

It was still dark out and Bran could see nothing, but he was certain of one thing. It was clear his assailants were more than one. Bran struggled against his captors. He kicked out his foot enough to harm the man in front of him and freed a hand to punch the man behind, fighting blindly in a desperate attempt to stop whoever these men were. However, the one from behind caught Bran’s arm just as he was punched from the side, and he wrapped a hand around Bran’s neck, choking him as the one at the side continued to land heavy punches on him.

All hopes of breaking free from the hold of his assailants was slowly diminishing as he began to run out of breath, realizing there were not two but in fact three men. Where had they all come from? How had he failed to notice them sneaking up on him in the first place? Or had they been there waiting all the while?

Bran’s hands fell by his side, and his mind began to wander as he desperately sought an escape, but none came to mind. He felt his eyes droop until all was lost to him, and he was welcomed by darkness.

* * *

Bran’s head ached from the constant rocking movement as he came to from his slumber. He groaned and tried to go back to sleep to stop the forceful throbbing that threatened to rupture his veins, but the curious swaying of his bed made him open his eyes. He jolted when he realized he was on a boat and not in bed as he had thought. Memories of what had happened came to him. He tried to move but realized he was tied up, hands and feet.

The darkness had dissipated, and Bran could finally see his assailants. Not that there was much to be seen, as they were fully cloaked and silently rowing the boat.

As he struggled to sit up, Bran groaned when his back pressed against a sharp edge. He ignored the pain until he was seated as upright as his tied hands and feet would allow.

“Who are ye and where are ye taking me?” Bran asked, struggling to keep the panic away from his voice as he assessed the situation.

“Who are ye? What’s going on?” he asked again when there was no response from any of them. He knew there was no way out. Trying to escape would only cause him to drown, and Bran was not willing to go out like that. “Talk tae me. Who are ye?”

One of the men got up from where he sat and walked towards him, hitting him over the head with something he could not make out. Bran felt the pain explode in his head seconds later, and his eyes began once again to close.

This is definitely the work of August Raymond. How did they manage tae get intae the castle tae grab me? Had they been following me the whole time without me realizing it?

Soon, the darkness welcomed him once again.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Idalia woke up to the sun streaming into the room and shining directly on her face. She grimaced and turned to the other side, covering her face with her pillow as she tried to go back to sleep. She lay quietly for a few minutes before she groaned and pushed the pillow away. She felt tired and refreshed at once, and she smiled shyly when the memories of the night before came back to her. She turned to him to let Bran in on her private thoughts. She frowned when she noticed the empty bed beside her.

Idalia looked around her room and then to the door, hoping to see him walk in at any moment, but he did not. She ran her hands on the rumpled sheets, frowning more deeply when she realized it was cold. He had been gone for a long time.

The thought of finally been able to wake up next to him had been the last thing on her mind before she went to sleep and it disappointed her deeply that she was not able to do that.

It occurred to her that he had got up in the wee hours of the morning, knowing he needed to leave early enough to make sure that what they had done remained a secret. She knew how terrible it would have been if anyone were to find them in the same room. For him, but especially for herself. There was also the matter of Andrew. Although the two of them were not in love and she knew she would never love him, Bran being found in her chambers was not the best way, she imagined, to announce that she no longer wished to marry him Andrew. Not even after all he had done for her, after he had been so warm and caring.

Idalia sighed and stretched. She was looking forward to when he finally told everyone that he was ready to claim her as his and he wanted them to be together. Her hands came up to her face as she felt the heat from the blood rushing to her cheeks. She could not wait to meet him at the altar and become his wife, and he her husband. She could not wait for when they would be able to share a bed without him having to sneak off in the dead of night or worrying they would be found out.

Her skin tingled and her breath caught in her throat as she remembered all of it. He had kissed every part of her and pleasured her in ways she had not believed her body could feel. She had become every bit a woman, and she was glad he had been the one to show her how it all could be.

Idalia got up from the bed and jumped when her doors were suddenly pushed open. She looked at Adamina and her sisters in shock as they frowned at her.

“Why are ye just waking up, Idalia? Ye need tae hurry,” Adamina said, snapping her fingers just as maids came in with buckets of steaming hot and cold water. “Quickly, prepare the bath.”

They all bustled about, busying themselves with different tasks. Her sisters oversaw the maids who had brought in her gowns, while Adamina checked to see the servant had brought in the right oils for her skin and hair. Hardly awake, Idalia felt suddenly confused by it all.

“What is all of this? Why are you all here?” she demanded, while a maid beckoned her to step into the bath they had prepared.

“What do you mean, why are we here? You’re getting married to Andrew, are you not, dear sister?” Leonor said, sharing questioning glances with the other women.

“Yes, I mean no, that is not what I meant,” Idalia said. She waved her hands at the women as she struggled to find the right words. What was going on? “Haven’t you seen Bran? The wedding is supposed to be called off.”

Now the women looked at each other once again, irritating Idalia. She did not have the patience for their knowing glances. If they knew something she did not, they needed to tell her now.

“The wedding is not called off, Idalia. What on earth are you talking about?” Katarina, who had been quietly watching her, finally spoke.

“What?” What is the time? Has Bran not yet told them that the wedding shall not be taking place? She looked outside the window. The sun was already high in the sky, so he definitely should have told them by now. If they were ever to stop the wedding, then it had to be done early enough. There was not much time before she would be forced to go to the altar and marry the wrong brother.

“Where’s Bran?” she asked, but the women just shrugged.

“I dinnae ken where he is. Maybe he is still abed or maybe he does nae want tae be around for the wedding. We all ken that he has complicated feelings,” Adamina looked at the other women as she spoke, and they nodded, acknowledging her words to be true.