Page 1 of Scot of Deception
CHAPTER ONE
Moy Hall, Inverness
March, 1714
Kathleen’s boots sank into muddy patches of earth as she snuck around the castle grounds. It had rained earlier that day, leaving the land moist and soft, which only served to make the silent, stealthy trek to the stables even harder for her.
It didn’t help that she had to carry everything she would need in one oversized bag. Both her travels and her stay in Castle Stalker would be short, but she would need several changes of clothes and even more accessories for her looks. A lady of her rank could not be seen in any state other than perfection, especially for an event as important as a wedding.
The early morning air was crisp and cold, the chill stinging her face. Her fingers were already frozen and with her free had, she tightened her wool cloak around her shoulders, holding the fabric tightly. Every step she took was laborious. Not only because of the weight of her bag, but also because she had to be on alert, watching carefully around her for any sign of guards.
If they caught her, they were bound to take her straight to her father, and when he found out that she had left home against his explicit orders to remain where she was, he would not allow her to leave Moy Hall for the rest of her life.
But it was a risk she had to take. Her best friend, Fenella, needed her more than ever, and Kathleen refused to deny her her presence when she knew how much it would help her. The letter she had received from her a week prior spoke of a terrible fate—an unwanted marriage, an unloving husband, a lifetime of torment ahead of her. Ignoring the risks of travel to make sure she was there for a friend was only natural for Kathleen.
She had fought tooth and nail to be heard before deciding to leave secretly. She had tried to reason with her parents, to explain to them that Fenella needed her at her wedding, but they had refused to allow her to go. Even when Kathleen had asked for guards, pointing out that she would be safe with them, her parents had not given in. Clan Campbell was preparing for war, they had told her. there was a good chancethey would soon attack, and every Mackintosh had to be in the safety of the keep when that happened.
Naturally, Kathleen hadn’t listened, for she was determined to go help her friend.
Nothing but the last light of the moon was there to guide her as she walked towards the stables. Soon, the flicker of dawn would wash over the castle and it would be impossible to hide from prying eyes. She had to leave as soon as possible, before she was discovered.
Just as she rounded the corner in the narrow path that led to the stables, a hand shot out and grabbed her, and Kathleen couldn’t help but yelp. She muffled the sound with a hand over her mouth, but it was already too late—not only had she been caught, but the sound rang out across the gardens before she had managed to cover her mouth.
“Where dae ye think ye’re goin’?”
The voice was painfully familiar and Kathleen didn’t need to turn around to know who her captor was, once the first wave of her panic had subsided. Her heart was still thundering in her chest, her hands shaking from the fear that she had been discovered, and she couldn’t help but look around her for a moment to see if anyone else had heard her.
Only once she determined there was no one else around did she manage to breathe again. With a roll of her eyes, she smacked Devon’s hand off her and turned to face him, her features twisting with indignation.
“What are ye daein’?” she demanded, giving him another push for good measure. “Ye gave me a fright, ye fool!”
In the dim light of the moon, Devon was little more than a shadow. Only his blond hair shone in the moonlight, but she could tell he was terribly pleased by the sound of his laughter.
“Did I scare ye?” Devon asked, and there was no hint of regret in his voice.
“O’ course ye did!” Kathleen hissed. “It isnae funny.”
“I disagree,” said Devon. With a satisfied smile that was barely visible in the dark, he began to walk backwards towards the stables, nodding in their direction. In an affected voice, he said, “Come. Yer steed is prepared fer ye, me lady.”
It had been a struggle to convince Devon and Kieran to help her with this. At first, she had had no intention of asking for their assistance, but it wasn’t long before the two of them found out about her plan, when she had been making arrangements with the stable boy regarding her horse. Kathleen had narrowly escaped a terrible fate—Kieran revealing everythingto her father out of concern for her well-being. Convincing the ever-serious Kieran that it was something she had to do had been far from an easy task. If anything, she suspected the trip in itself would be easier than convincing them to let her go to Castle Stalker.
With Clan Campbell threatening war against Clan Mackintosh, everyone in Moy Hall was on high alert. No one was supposed to leave the keep, not even for an event such as an allied clan’s wedding, and so when Kathleen had received Fenella’s invitation—along with the letter she had secretly folded within it, which was meant just for her—she had known her parents would never allow it. So, in the end, she did what had to be done.
If she had to do it alone, then so be.
Kieran and Devon had agreed to help her, preparing her horse for her and sneaking her out of the castle so she could depart undetected.
Once in the stables, Kathleen blinked as her eyes adjusted to the light of the torches that lined the walls. Kieran was already there, finalizing the last preparations and ensuring the saddle was properly placed on the horse.
Kieran and Devon were identical twins. Had it not been for the different way they wore their hair—Devon’s longer and messy, always tangled from the wind, while Kieran’s wasshorter and neatly tied back at all times—Kathleen doubted anyone would be able to tell them apart unless they opened their mouths.
“Are ye both out o’ yer minds?” Kieran asked in that smooth baritone voice of his. Frazzled, he stomped over to them and pointed an accusatory finger at them both. “Dae ye ken what will happen if anyone finds out we’re daein’ this?”
“They’ll find out eventually,” Devon said with a small shrug, entirely unconcerned.
“It was his fault!” Kathleen pointed out. “Devon’s the one who scared me!”
“Ye’re actin’ like a pair o’ bairns,” said Kieran. “I dinnae even ken why I agreed tae this.”
