Chapter 24

24

W hen Adam and Doughall returned from their long ride, the tension between them had faded.

It was not the first disagreement they had ever had, and it would not be the last. Nevertheless, Doughall's warning had unsettled Adam, and he was eager to see Emily to reassure himself that she understood the arrangement they had agreed to.

As they trotted through the castle gates, he stiffened when he saw Donal Barclay and his mother standing in the courtyard, waiting for him.

Adam dismounted, leaving Doughall to direct the stable boy, and approached, frowning at them both.

"What's the matter?" he asked, knowing there must be something amiss if his mother and his councilman were waiting for his return.

"Yer wife has gone to meet the Youngs," Barclay snapped, looking incensed.

Adam glanced at his mother, who seemed uncertain, but her lips were pursed in disapproval.

Thick as thieves, these two. Anyone would think they were conspirin' against me.

"She had nay right!" Barclay said suddenly.

Adam's head snapped back to him. He was growing tired of this man trying to lead his clan from the sidelines.

" I will say who has a right to act in this clan and who doesnae," Adam said firmly as Theo emerged from the castle and headed in their direction.

"She isnae the Lady of this clan yet," Barclay pointed out.

Adam ignored him. "When did she leave?" he asked Theo.

"An hour or so ago, M'Laird. She went with Lucas Moore."

Barclay spluttered at that, but Adam felt a spike of fear at the implications of Emily leaving the castle without an armed guard.

"They went alone?"

"Aye, M'Laird. The Youngs sent a note saying that they were unable to make the journey, as Mr. Young was not well. I believe she decided to ride out to them instead."

Adam's shoulders tensed up, his fists clenching as he considered what might have befallen them on the journey.

Stewart could be watchin' the castle. She is vulnerable and alone without anyone to protect her. Lucas Morre isnae bigger than her.

"Damn it," he spat and saw the look of satisfaction on Barclay's face. "Dinnae give me that smug look. This is yer doin'. If ye had brought this problem to me in the first place, instead of deferrin' to me maither, this would all have been dealt with by now."

"It isnae the place of the Lady of the castle to go and negotiate with other clans," Barclay insisted.

"They are part of our clan. Do I have to tell ye that for the hundredth time? If she has gone to the Youngs, it is because she felt it was required, and so did Lucas. To me mind, they are me people, and me people deserve to be cared for. What else are ye here for if nae for that, Barclay?"

Adam didn't give the man time to answer, spinning on his heel and heading back toward the horses. Doughall looked up in alarm as Adam grabbed Buck's reins and turned him around.

"Tell me sister I'll bring him back later," Adam said to him, noting that Buck was still covered in sweat from their long ride. Freya would string him up for this.

"Why can ye nae tell her? I dinnae want me head bitten off," Doughall protested.

"Just do it, man," Adam demanded as Theo rode toward them. He gave him a sideways glance, but Theo's expression was resolute.

"I am accompanyin' ye, M'Laird," Theo said sternly.

Adam didn't have time to argue and pushed past Doughall and mounted the horse.

"If Emily comes back, keep her locked in her room until I return," he ordered and then cantered out of the gates, rage coursing through him.

She has put herself in danger because she cannae help but meddle in things that dinnae concern her.

He had defended her decision to visit the Youngs in front of Barclay, not wanting the man to think they were already at odds, but in truth, he was furious with her.

He didn't like that she felt she had a say in clan matters. His mother had been doing that for long enough, and he would ensure that after this, she and Emily had even less influence than they had before.

He was angered beyond belief by the audacity of the people around him. Everyone seemed to think that they could run the clan better than he could, and he was sick of the lot of them.

It's impressive, though, a voice in the back of his head piped up. She went alone on Lucas's say-so, and she took the matter into her own hands. Isnae that the kind of wife ye want?

He pushed the thought aside as every other feeling was eclipsed by the fear that something might have happened to her.

In the late afternoon light, he could see for miles around him. The wide moorlands were flat and clear. Anyone watching the castle would have been able to follow them easily.

If Stewart needed an opportunity, she had just handed him one, and I wasnae there to protect her.

The cake was excellent.

Mrs. Young was a formidable woman, and she and Emily got on like a house on fire. She was sensible, forthright, and not intimidated by anyone, ruling her family with an iron fist. It was clear that her sons and daughters respected her enormously.

There was another set of twin boys inside the house and a two-year-old girl that Mr. Young doted on. She was now sitting on his lap, chewing happily on some cake.

"And how far away would the new dwellings be?" Mrs. Young was asking Lucas.

"It would be a short distance to the town and close to a large loch on the outskirts of the Laird's castle. All of the villagers are welcome to fish in it and swim there."

Mrs. Young had asked a great number of questions. Emily had been concerned that Lucas might not have the answers, but the councilman had come prepared.

The twin boys were keen to know more about the cottages' surrounding area, and after explaining all of the particulars, the whole family was waiting for Mrs. Young's verdict. With five children and a farm to relocate, moving them was not a small task.

"And ye say the state of the cottages isnae good?" Mrs. Young asked.

"Nae at present," Lucas replied. "But we would repair them for ye, and the land ye'd be usin' isnae occupied by anyone else. Ye'd have almost a third more space for yer animals, and ye'd be a twenty-minute walk from the castle."

Mrs. Young gave her husband a small smile, then sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "How long?"

"Three weeks to do the repairs, another week to move ye," Lucas replied. "I would say less, but we can keep ye informed."

"Ye think we can drive the sheep that far?" she asked the two boys, and they both nodded enthusiastically. It was clear the family was desperate to get away from their current situation.

It was not only the roof that had been damaged, but their lands had also been vandalized, and several of their crops had been burned. It was a horrible predicament for people who had only ever been protecting themselves.

"Do we have a deal?" Emily asked.

But before anyone could reply, there was the sound of thundering hooves outside.

In an instant, both boys drew dirks from their sheaths and leaped to their feet, running outside. Their father followed them as the family held their breath, listening for trouble.

Emily swallowed, rounding the table and walking to the doorway as Mr. Young and his sons headed outside. She wondered if the MacPherson villagers had returned, but as soon as the men left the house, they relaxed considerably.

Emily knew at that moment just who had arrived, and she felt a fresh rush of nerves. She emerged just as Adam was dismounting from his horse, his expression like thunder.

I will never get used to how impressive he looks .

He was just as he had been on the day of her wedding, striding forward as though he had every right to be there, his gaze fixed on her like he might claim her where she stood.

"Do ye have any idea how dangerous this was?" Adam asked instantly, seemingly unaware of their audience. "Ye ken that ye arenae safe outside the castle."

She lifted her chin. "I came to meet with the Young family and see what their requests were."

Adam grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side as her breath hitched in her chest. "And who gave ye permission to do that?" he growled.

"Ye did," came a voice from the house.

Mrs. Young stepped out and went to stand in front of her family, glaring at him angrily.

"We have come to see ye three times, M'Laird, and ye havenae been able to see us. Yer betrothed has made the journey, offered us a solution, and been very polite about it."

Adam took a few seconds to gather himself and then stood to his full height, releasing Emily's arm.

Dreading what would come next, Emily braced herself for him to begin putting Mrs. Young in her place. It was bold, not to say foolish, for her to speak to the Laird in such a way.

But then Adam shocked them all.

He bowed low and took a step toward Mrs. Young. "Ye are right," he said coolly. "I tell ye solemnly, Mrs. Young, I didnae ken of yer requests until a few days ago. Lucas brought them to me, but I was busy with another matter. I would have seen ye when ye first made the journey if I had kenned of yer presence—believe me."

Mrs. Young had the sense to relax her aggressive stance and nodded as she took a step back to stand beside her husband. "Aye, Lady Emily explained as much while she was eatin' all of me cake. We've already found a solution."

"And ye are willin' to move?" Adam asked them.

"We are," Mr. Young replied.

Adam nodded, shaking the man's hand and then his wife's. "I am glad it is resolved and ye will be closer to other members of Clan MacNiall. Be sure to contact me if there is anythin' else ye need."

He glanced at Emily, and his brooding gaze was so dark that she could hardly catch her breath. Adam was putting on a show in front of the family, but she could see the tension in his shoulders and the anger in his eyes.

After a little more small talk, Adam bid farewell to the Youngs, and then they all made their way back to the horses.

"Ye go on ahead, Theo. Lucas, ye go with him," Adam said gruffly, and both men complied, mounting their horses and moving away at a trot.

Adam turned to Emily. The sun was behind him, glancing off his bare arms. Emily felt her knees go weak as he glared at her.

Dinnae concede, dinnae surrender .

But there was no denying that the sight of him stirred arousal deep within her.

She lifted her chin, waiting for his tirade and ready to defend herself until her last breath.

"Ye felt it was yer place to come out here without tellin' me first?"

Adam was attempting civility, but it was a hard thing to do.

Emily was standing on a small tussock of grass with the tumbledown houses of the Youngs behind her. The golden dress seemed to absorb the sunlight all around her, and her dark hair had come loose and was hanging in long, curling locks about her shoulders. She looked like one of the Fae, standing before him.

"We couldnae find ye," she answered simply.

"Aye, and if ye had found me, ye ken very well that I wouldnae have agreed to ye comin' here."

"Because ye dinnae care what happens to these people."

" Because it isnae safe. What if Stewart had been watchin' for ye? What would ye have done?"

"But he wasnae. We havenae seen a soul."

"That doesnae mean ye arenae in danger!"

"Ye are just sayin' this to stop me from tryin' to help!"

Adam clenched his fists and dragged her away toward the horses, worried that the Youngs might overhear their conversation.

"There are ways things are done in me clan and certain people to see them done."

"Like Barclay?" she snarled.

"What do ye have against Barclay?"

"He would have left that family to rot or be murdered in their beds. Does that sound like a man ye wish to have as the head of yer council?"

"Barclay has been with Clan MacNiall for a lot longer than ye, and he kens how things are done."

"And I have nay place to even try, is that it?"

"Ye dinnae have a place!" he shouted.

He was too close to her. Her scent wafted toward him, reminding him of their time in the hunting lodge. Images of her perfect body plagued him, and he was sick of his obsessive thoughts and his need to be close to her.

"Why do ye nae want me help?" she demanded.

"I dinnae need it!"

"It isnae weak to accept help once in a while. Ye cannae run yer clan alone, Adam. Nay one can. Are ye so arrogant that ye think yer opinion outweighs everyone else's?"

"It is me duty to decide what becomes of me people."

"Ye cannae do it all alone. I have been involved with clan matters before, and I can assist ye. Why must a wife be a silent observer?"

Because if ye are anythin' else, ye might come to harm, and I cannae bear it.

And with that unwelcome thought, Adam lost his temper.

"Ye will be me wife in name only!" he snarled. "Ye will ken yer place, and ye will stick to it. I need to marry ye to get me sister back—that is all. And when Laura is safe, ye and I will have nay more need of each other."

Emily's lips trembled, and she held back tears as she pushed him out of the way and mounted her horse. In seconds, she was galloping away from him across the moorland, and he had to leap onto Buck's back to ensure he didn't lose sight of her.

Good . This is how things must be.

But as he followed his bride-to-be across the moorlands, against the backdrop of the setting sun, his chest ached like the devil.

What if something had happened to her? If Stewart's men saw her, if brigands happened upon her… Adam would never forgive himself. The need to protect her was all-consuming, and that thought alone was more frightening than anything else.

He should be thinking of his clan and prioritizing his people, but as Emily merged with the line of the horizon ahead of him, he knew it was already too late for that.

I will keep her safe, and if that means she doesnae leave the castle ever again, then so be it.

He spurred Buck forward, the larger horse faster than the one Emily was riding. After a charged few seconds of galloping at full speed, he came level with her and reached across to take her reins, dragging her horse to a trot.

Emily glowered at him as he did it, but Adam wouldn't be swayed on this.

"Ye will kill yerself, woman, runnin' at that speed. This ground is uneven, and the horse might trip, and ye'd be nay good to anyone with a broken neck."

Emily said nothing, yanking the reins from his grip as they continued riding across the wild country. She rode on in silence, her head held high.

"We will speak when we get back. Ye cannae ignore me forever."