Page 3 of Intrigued By A Highlander

“Autumn, the sister of Lord Torrance of Clan Glencairn.”

“Lord Torrance is an evil man,” she said, scrunching her face in disgust. “I wouldn’t help him if my life depended on it.”

Knox wasn’t about to let this petite woman rob him of what he had longed for most of his life.

“He would not be pleased to hear that,” he said in a way that warned.

Dru walked up to him, having to tilt her head back to look up at him. “Are you threatening to tell him?” She didn’t give him time to answer, she continued talking while she poked him in the chest. “You should.” Poke. “Know that.” Poke. “I Don’t.” Poke. “Take well.” Poke. “To threats.”

His hands grabbed at her waist and hoisted up so that she was eye level with him.

“And I don’t take well to being poked.”

Dru poked him in the nose. “I will poke you whenever the urge strikes me.”

“DRU!”

Dru rolled her eyes at the scolding voice of Mother Abbess and got annoyed at the slight, smug grin on Knox’s face. Then she realized what she had said about poking Knox whenever the urge struck and realized how it must have sounded to Mother Abbess.

When Knox’s expression changed suddenly, her stomach roiled. “What now?”

“A problem,” he said and lowered her to her feet.

Dru’s breath caught in her throat when she turned and saw a cleric walking toward Mother Abbess.

“I should have forced you to take vows when you sought shelter here and saved you from your wanton ways,” Mother Abbess said, clearly upset. “It is good Cleric Freen is here to rectify my mistake.”

Dru thought about explaining, but it would do no good, so she remained silent.

“You are doomed, my child, unless this man will wed you and save you from ruin,” Cleric Freen said.

“Hell no,” Dru said loudly and clearly so they understood that was, by no means, an option.

“You cannot continue living your life on the road, drenched in a foul odor to keep men at bay,” Mother Abbess cautioned. “One day you will surely meet with a dreadful fate. Please, Dru, save yourself now while you can.”

Dru pointed to Knox without looking at him. “He does not want to marry me.”

“I will marry her.”

Dru’s head snapped to the right so fast that you could hear her neck crack. “Nay, you won’t.”

“Aye, I will,” Knox insisted. “It is the decent thing to do.”

“You are an honorable man to admit that and to do the right thing, when it was the wee, wanton woman’s fault,” Cleric Freen praised.

Dru turned an angry glare at the cleric. “How do you figure it was my fault? Oh, wait, it is because I am a woman so, therefore, it had to be my fault.”

“It is good you understand and know the sacrifice this decent man makes for you,” the cleric said, her sarcasm lost on him.

“I’m not marrying him,” Dru said before things got so far out of hand that she would have no choice. “I will gather my things and leave now and never defile the abbey with my presence again.”

Cleric Freen stepped forward. “I will not see your soul lost. Marry him or I will see you sent to join the lost women who Lord Torrance keeps to pleasure his men.”

His hideous threat shocked Dru speechless and once more Knox’s hands settled at her waist.

“Do not threaten her,” Knox warned with a fierce strength that caused all color to drain from the cleric’s face. “Dru will wed me.” Then he took her in his arms, locking her in a firm embrace as if demonstrating that he didn’t intend to let her go.

“What do you have to say, Dru?” Cleric Freen asked, folding his arms across his chest and waiting to condemn her if she chose foolishly.

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