Return of the Highlander (17 page)

“I cannot say that I have had the pleasure.”

Chatham’s polite English manners made Darach want to spit. He shook his head. “Then we haven’t met.”

The silence in the room grew dangerously conspicuous until the sound of the clock ticking on the mantle drew Darach’s attention.

It was the same clock his father had owned. Darach would know the sound of it anywhere, for it represented every moment of dread he’d ever felt as a lad while awaiting his father’s discipline. Always in this room.

A knock sounded at the door just then and wrenched him from thoughts of the past.

“Come in,” Chatham answered.

The door opened and Chatham’s expression softened. He blinked a few times and his cheeks flushed red. “Larena…”

At the sound of her name, Darach turned and was instantly struck by the sight of her unfathomable beauty. Since they’d parted in the bailey earlier, she had bathed, swept her golden hair into a tidy braided knot, and donned a blue silk dinner gown with jewels. He couldn’t seem to think or breathe, and bloody hell…he wanted her. He wanted to take her away from here, unlace that gown, toss it to the ground, and sink himself into her depths.

Chatham practically stumbled out from behind the desk to greet her, while Darach could do nothing but stand and watch their reunion play out.

Chatham shouldered his way by. “My dear, how long has it been? Seeing you again after all these years leaves me speechless. You are ten times more beautiful than I remember.” He reached for her hand and kissed the back of it.

Darach fought to keep his breathing in check when what he really wanted to do was grab Chatham by the throat and squeeze with all his might.

“It’s been a long time,” Larena replied. “Ten years, I believe.”

Chatham smiled at her. “Indeed. I was sixteen when I left Leatham. I am six-and-twenty now. You must be…?”

“One-and-twenty,” she replied, sliding her hand from his and letting it fall to her side. “I was eleven when you left.”

“Ah yes,” Chatham said, stepping back and laying a hand over his heart. “It does me good to see you. I cannot tell you how pleased I was to hear that we could come to this arrangement. It was fate, I believe. Perhaps it was even written in the stars.”

Darach wanted to puke.

Meanwhile, Larena looked down at the floor.

An awkward silence ensued.

Chatham glanced at the clock. “But you’ve come early my dear,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting you until nine. I apologize…” He gestured toward Darach, as if he were a stain on the room that had not yet been scrubbed clean.

“I was impatient to see you,” Larena replied.

Impatient to meet her betrothed?
Darach’s stomach clenched tight with jealous fury.
God’s blood, this was hell
.

“I haven’t seen my father yet,” Larena quickly added. “I was hoping there would be an opportunity for me to visit him before dinner.”

Ah. She wanted to see her father
.
Of course
she did
.

Darach glanced at Chatham to observe his reaction.

“Oh, my dearest one,” Chatham replied. “How thoughtless of me. I will see to it immediately and have you escorted to his cell. Dinner can wait.”

“Thank you.” She turned to Darach. “Hello, Darach. I hope you are being treated well. I owe you a great debt, after all.”

He decided to be blunt. “I can’t say I’ve been enjoying my incarceration. The dungeon here stinks of rats, but at least I was offered a drink just now.”

Larena’s lips tightened into a hard line. “I’m sure Colonel Chatham will do his best to make it up to you, since I would not be here if it weren’t for you.”

“That goes without saying,” Chatham gallantly offered. “I will see to it personally that this man is given a hot meal and a place to sleep in the barracks if he wishes to remain until morning.”

“I’d prefer to be on my way tonight,” Darach replied.

“Tonight?” Larena said too quickly. Then she cleared her throat and calmed her voice. “What about your weapons and your horse?”

“His horse was recovered about an hour ago and was taken to the stables,” Chatham informed her. “I don’t know about the weapons. I will speak to Lieutenant Johnson about that.”

Larena kept her eyes fixed on Darach’s. Another awkward moment of silence ensued until Chatham strode to the door and spoke to the soldiers outside. “You there. Take Miss Campbell to the prison to see her father. Remain there until she is ready to return here for supper. And you, take the Highlander to the stables and make sure he has everything he needs so that he can leave here tonight.”

“Yes, sir,” they both responded at the same time.

“Thank you, Gregory,” Larena said. She made a move to leave the room, but stopped and returned to where Darach stood in front of the desk. She held out her hand. “Good-bye and good luck to you, sir.”

With a mix of desire and fury, he took hold of her hand, raised it to his lips and kissed it. “Good luck to you, too, Miss Campbell.”

She quickly turned and walked out.

Two seconds later, a soldier grabbed Darach roughly by the arm and shoved him out the door in the opposite direction.

* * *

As soon as the heavy cell door swung open, Larena dashed into her father’s arms and buried her face in his bushy red beard. He immediately picked her up, swung her around, and squeezed her tightly as she wept tears of joy.

“Oh, Father.” She stepped back to look up at him, barely noticing when the door swung shut behind her. “I’m so happy to see you. I was afraid I wouldn’t make it home in time.”

But, dear Lord, he looked so thin. It had been only just over a week. Were they starving him?

“To save me from the executioner?” he asked. “
Bah!
You shouldn’t be concerning yourself with such things, my sweet lassie. You know me. I never go down without a fight.”

She laughed tearfully at his words, for it was a phrase he’d often thrown about during her childhood. Whenever they played any sort of game and he let her win, that is exactly what he would say to her.

“I was worried about you, lass,” he said in his deep, boisterous timbre. “They told me you disappeared after I was taken away. No one knew where you went. I imagined the worst.”

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t tell you, but I was afraid they would lock me up if they found me, just for being your daughter. I rode out as soon as they announced your sentence.”

“They tell me you made a deal with Lord Rutherford at Fort William,” he replied. “That you agreed to marry Colonel Chatham to save my life. I didn’t believe it at first, but they assure me it’s true. Is it?”

“Aye,” she replied. “It was the only way I could save you—the only way I knew how. There was so little time. All I could do was say yes when Rutherford suggested it. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

Her father laid a hand on her cheek. “But my darling girl, it’s a price you will pay for the rest of your life. Are you sure it’s what you want? Because I would not hold you to it if Chatham is not the sort of man who could make you happy. I would give my own life and hand this castle over to the English before I would see you miserable forever.”

“But what about the clan?” she asked. “You’re their chief.”

“
Ach
, they’d find another chief to replace me in a heartbeat. The Campbells aren’t a dying breed.”

Larena’s heart sank at the possibility that there might have been other options—for a marriage to Gregory Chatham had suddenly become a far higher price to pay than she’d initially imagined.

But still, if it meant that her father could live….

“I gave him my word,” she said, “and because of that, you will not be taken away from me. I cannot change my mind now. I won’t, not if it means I will lose you.”

He regarded her with sympathy. “I’m not afraid of death, lass.”

“Perhaps
you’re
not,” she argued, “but I am terrified of losing you. I couldn’t possibly live without you.”

He pulled her into his arms again. “One day, you will have to, lass. It’s the way of the world. All children must eventually let go of their parents and live their own lives.”

She buried her face in his chest and squeezed her eyes shut. “Not yet. I’m not ready.”

He held her a moment longer, then stepped back. “Wipe away your tears now. You must be strong for yourself and for the good of the clan. If you do not wish to marry the colonel, you must tell him so. I won’t be angry if you break your vow to him and destroy the King’s pardon, for I knew what I was risking when I took up the sword for the Jacobite cause. You should not have to pay for my choices.”

“But why, Father?” she asked at last. It was a question that had been burning in her mind ever since the English army broke through the gates. “Our clan has always sided with the Hanovers. What changed your mind? What made you turn your allegiance toward the Stuarts?”

“Nothing changed my mind, lass. I’ve
always
believed in the true Scottish king. I just never revealed my opinions to anyone. But when I became chief and had the power to change people’s minds, I did what I could.”

“So you truly are guilty then,” she said. “Guilty of being a Jacobite?”

“Aye, and I have confessed it.”

She turned away and strode to the opposite wall. “Then I must marry Chatham. If it means they will spare your life.” She faced him again. “It won’t be so bad. I met him tonight and he is handsome, at least. And I remember him from my childhood. He taught me to read and gave me books—books that I still own. You mustn’t fret, Father. He is half Campbell by blood and I have every reason to believe the marriage will be a success and the saving grace for our clan.”

“Only if you’re certain, lass.”

“Of course I am certain.” She stepped forward to wrap her arms around his waist. Larena squeezed her eyes shut, for it was the first time she’d ever lied to her father.

She tried to focus on the fact that Darach would be gone that night and she would never see him again. She would do what she must to push him from her mind completely and accept her future as it was.

But when the guard escorted her out of the cell and locked her father in…. When it was time to return up the tower stairs to meet Chatham for dinner….

Oh God
, Larena felt as if a hand were closing around her throat. Her heart began to race uncontrollably and she felt sick to her stomach.

Darach would leave tonight. He had told her so. She had said good-bye to him in the tower and he had kissed her hand and wished her luck.

But she had not said good-bye to him the way she’d wanted to, one last time. Could she live with that? Or would it haunt her forever?

When they reached the top of the stairs, Larena stopped and faced the soldier. “Please tell Colonel Chatham that I will dine with him shortly.”

“Where are you off to, Miss Campbell?” he asked with a slight frown.

“I must return to my chamber. I need to….” She paused. “I must take care of a personal matter.”

“I will escort you,” he helpfully replied, starting off toward the door to the southern tower where her rooms were located.

Rather than argue, she allowed him to walk with her, while gazing surreptitiously toward the stables where Darach must surely be, preparing to leave the castle.

Do not be foolish, Larena. You must be strong and let him go. Your father’s life depends on it.

But as she entered the South Tower and became lost in the memory of Darach’s hands on her body, his lips touching hers, and the intoxicating sounds of his voice in her ear, she was overcome by a mad desire that threatened to destroy any shred of discipline that remained in her heart.

It wasn’t over. It couldn’t be. She wasn’t ready.

Chapter Twenty-one

Larena spoke firmly to the soldier as she entered her room and paused at the door. “There is no need for you to wait for me. I might be a while. I’ve decided I want to change my gown and probably my hair as well.” She looked down at herself. “This is all wrong. I don’t feel right in this rag. I may want to change my jewels, too,” she added for good measure.

“But miss…” he said with dismay, “I think you look lovely just as you are. Prettier than a picture.”

“Thank you.” She pasted on a smile. “But truly…you mustn’t let me hold you up. Go and join your friends in the feasting hall. I assure you I can find my way to the colonel’s chambers at nine without any trouble at all. I know my way around this castle better than you do. Every nook and cranny.”

“I’d prefer to wait here,” he said uneasily. “This castle is a garrison now, miss, and you don’t know what soldiers can be like after a few cups of rum in their bellies. And I have my orders from the colonel. No need to hurry. I’ve got nothing better to do this evening than make sure you’re delivered safely to dinner and back to your chambers again afterward.”

Larena sighed irritably, for this was taking far too long.

“Fine.” Without another word, she shut the door, locked it and rushed to the window to look out onto the bailey below, hoping to catch a glimpse of Darach on his way to or from the stables. If she saw him, she would simply tell Lieutenant Roberts the truth—that she needed to say good-bye to Darach one last time.