Page 7

“Are we well?” Moira asked with concern.

Grizel dismissed her words with a casual wave of the hand. “Aaye, there are plenty of rowan trees around in the woods tae protect us from the evil spirits here. Ye dinnae need tae worry about that.”

Moira opened her mouth, about to explain that she was referring to Grizel’s cough, but Marcas frowned and shook his head. Grizel hummed to herself as she led them to the castle, walking slowly on her old legs.

People gave them strange glances as they passed; Moira wasn’t sure if this was because they were strangers or because they were being escorted by Grizel.

When they reached the castle, the doors were opened wide, and Laird Niall Calbraith strode out, looking larger than life. He was taller than her, although a little shorter than Marcas. He appeared to be strong, and yet his frame was slim.

His hair was brown—so dark it was almost black—and the same was true of his eyes. He did not wear a beard, so his smile was evident, and his arms were stretched out.

“Laird Monroe, Lady Monroe, it is my pleasure and honor tae welcome ye tae my home.” He bowed to Marcas and then to Moira. He also took her hand and pressed his lips against her flesh. When he rose, he locked eyes with her.

There was something twinkling in them, something that spoke to her. Her heart raced and breath caught in her throat, while a smile appeared on her face without her even realizing it. When his hand slipped away from hers, she found that his warmth lingered, and in fact, she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

He was not what she expected at all; he was handsome and charming rather than the barbarian she had assumed him to be. He wore a smart tunic and exuded a sense of control and confidence, two things that were eminently attractive. Her head began to swim, and she wondered how things could change so quickly and dramatically. Perhaps this wasn’t going to be as bad as she feared.

She thought back to how Marcas had greeted Kirsten; he had been rude and curt, and ended up barely paying her any attention at all. Niall was the complete opposite of that, and Moira was grateful that she wouldn’t have to melt an icy heart. If nothing else, at least Niall was going to be easy to talk to.

“Grizel, what are ye daeing here?” he asked in a beleaguered tone as he spotted the old hag. “I hope ye hae nae been bothering our guests with yer fairytales.”

Before Grizel could reply, he turned back to Marcas and Moira. “Ignore anything she’s told ye; she likes tae spread her wee stories, and it’s only out of respect of her age that we let her.”

“Ye used tae like my stories,” Grizel muttered as she waddled off, her cane thudding against the ground as she moved away. Niall sighed and clapped his hands together, broadening the smile on his face.

“Let us nae waste any more time out here. Come in, come in. I’m sure ye must be hungry and thirsty after yer journey. Please, come inside and let me offer ye some hospitality.”

Moira and Marcas followed him into the castle. Her nerves had settled and had been replaced with something a little different, although no less exhilarating. Moira had always been a curious young woman, and now that instinct took over.

She cast her glance into every shadow and every nook and cranny, eager to learn about her new surroundings as though she was on some scouting mission. But, in the back of her mind, she knew that this was going to be her new home, and all she could do when she looked around was think about how different it was from the home she had just left.

4

Niall led them into a large room that had a square table in the middle, with seats arranged around it. On the table were plates and dishes, and trays filled with meat and vegetables.

There were also jugs of wine, ale, and water. Niall opened his palms and gestured for Marcas and Moira to join them. They took their seats and Marcas tucked in eagerly, while Moira was a little more reserved. There was another man in the room, one who looked like Niall, but younger.

Niall introduced him as his brother Jamie. Although he was younger and the features on his face were boyish, the rest of him was not. Jamie’s muscles bulged, and he wore clothes that allowed him to show off his strength.

“I’m glad ye hae made it here,” Niall said, sitting at the table and filling his plate with food. As soon as he sat down, his brother followed suit and piled such a large amount of food on his plate that Moira stopped eating for a moment and gawked at him.

Jamie noticed and shifted his body, curling an arm around his plate as if to shield it from view. Moira felt as though she had done something untoward and looked down at her own plate, forcing herself to eat even though she didn’t really want to, but it would have been rude to refuse Niall’s hospitality. Her gaze flicked up to Niall.

Every time she looked at him, he seemed to grown even more handsome, although his attention seemed firmly focused on Marcas.

“Are ye afraid of the malevolent spirits as well?” Marcas asked with a wry smile.

Niall chuckled and shook his head. “Ye must forgive me. Grizel has some strange ideas about what happens in the world. But she is an elder, and she must be respected. She is harmless, though,” he said.

“Well, I wasnae gaeing tae let anything stop me from coming here, nae even spirits. This is tae important.”

“Indeed, it is. I’m glad that we hae finally come tae an arrangement. This is gaeing tae be the beginning of a new era for both our clans. We hae done something that none of our ancestors hae ever been able tae dae, and I think that’s worthy of a toast,” he said, raising his glass. Marcas followed suit, as did Jamie, although his movements were hurried as he was stuffing his face with potatoes. Moira raised her mug as well, but she was slower than the others, and it didn’t seem as though anyone was noticing her.

“Aye, and it means we dinnae hae tae be worried about war either,” Marcas added.

Niall smiled and raised his glass again.

“I’m sae glad we were able tae come tae this arrangement. It will be a benefit tae both our clans, and a warning tae anyone else in the Highlands that threatens us. For tae long, the Calbraiths and the Monroes hae been at each other’s throats, but with our combined strength, there is naebody that can threaten us. And it’s all down tae ye,” Niall said.