Page 2 of The Highlander’s Tempting Touch

When one of the older boys tried to tease her, she didn’t cry, or back away in fear or uncertainty, like so many girls might have. Instead, she kicked his shins and stuck her chin out in defiance, leaving Alistair to muffle his laughter in his fist at the sight.

She was exasperating, and he was truly glad he had no duty to watch over her. She would have driven him mad in that case. Not even Ewan was so wild.

She was also intriguing. Alistair had been brought up to be a proper young man, and a proper heir to his father. He’d never seen anyone act so carelessly, or so freely, among others.

She was frustrating too, because Alistair knew quite well that if he’d spoken to the adults the way she did, he’d have taken a smack to his ear, and his father would have scolded him after. And yet, she seemed to get away with it almost effortlessly, as if she possessed some magic that allowed her to do and say whatever she wished.

It was a magic Alistair wished he had.

Finally, as dusk began to fall, he went back to the sweet sellers. He wanted to buy a last bag of treats, to take on the journey home. He might even save some for Ewan.

The little girl was there, nibbling on a honey biscuit. Alistair stopped in consternation, uncertain what to say or do.

She spotted him and marched right up to him. Alistair braced for kicked shins, or another sharp comment.

The little girl offered him the remainder of her honey cake, and a smile. “Hello. I’m Niamh. Who are ye?”

“Alistair.” He couldn’t seem to say anything else.

“Dae ye want a honey cake?”

“Aye. But… I can buy me own.” He fumbled for the proper coins and passed them to the amused sweet seller, then took the bag she offered in return. “But… thank ye.”

“I like tae share.” She continued to hold out the piece of honey cake. Feeling amused, Alistair accepted.

“Thank ye.” He ate it, then swallowed. “Are yer parents…”

“Niamh!” A shout echoed over the crowd, and the girl gave him an impish smile.

“’Tis me faither. I have tae go.” With a soft giggle, she reached up to pat his cheek with sticky fingers. “Will ye be here taemorrow?”

“Nae. Me faither and I have tae return home. But… but I…”

“Alistair.” His father’s voice carried over the diminishing noise of the festival. He flushed and tried to rub the honey off his face.

“I have tae go.”

Niamh nodded, then turned and darted away. Just before she was lost in the crowd, however, she turned and gave him one more cheerful grin, and a wave. Then she was gone.

Alistair turned to make his way back to his father, still dazed.

CHAPTER ONE

Lowlands Border Town, September 20, 1320

“So, just tae be clear, ye want me tae seduce yer daughter and win her hand. And that, even though ye ken that she doesnae want tae be wed?” Laird Alistair MacDuff sipped at his mead as he pondered the request that had been laid before him. “And the lass has nay inkling that yer plannin’ this?”

“Nay. She’d never accept it.” Laird Bruce Cameron shook his head. “And in truth, nay more would I, save that we need the aid o’ her maither’s clan. These past years, we’ve been supplying border guards and warriors tae the cause o’ defending the Highlands, and we’re in sore straits for defending ourselves. Worse, an outer wall o’ the keep was damaged in the summer storms, and I’ve nae the gold tae repair it.”

Alistair grunted in response. He was familiar with the demands of war, his own clan having supplied two groups of warriors to the Battle of Bannockburn six years before. True, it had been under his father’s leadership, rather than his own, but he had led one team of their warriors into the field, and he remembered it well.

Of course, that had been before his clan had been attacked by their rival, Clan MacTavish. In the past two years, they’d been forced to consolidate their warriors in defending their home. Especially after the battle a year prior, which had resulted in his father’s death and his ascension to the lairdship.

Now, they had few warriors to spare, and little more gold. Though, if the repairs were minor enough, he might help. “How severe is the damage?”

“Tree took part o’ the outer battlements and shattered the postern gate on that side. There’s damage tae the main keep walls as well, broken window shutters and some cracks in the stone. We’ve patched it as well as we can, but we’re in need o’ proper stone masons and carpenters, as well as supplies.”

Alistair winced. Those sorts of repairs were difficult and costly, and could beggar a clan. It was certainly far beyond his means to offer any meaningful assistance in that area. “And yer kin-by-marriage willnae help ye without ye meetin’ their conditions?”