Page 3 of The Beast of the Highlands
“I would not have done so if it were not necessary,” she replied, feeling a spark of defensiveness alight within her. Who was he to lecture her? He did not even know her, nor her reasoning for being here.
He frowned. “What do ye mean? Speak plain, lass.”
“I have important business to attend to that required me to ride alone, at night, upon these roads.” She pushed his hands away from her and strained to sit up of her own accord. “Of course I know the dangers, but one must do dangerous things when other lives are in peril. I am no dolt, if that is what you make of me.”
She glanced around, realizing that the deserters who had attacked her where nowhere to be seen. She was certain she had seen their leader fall to his demise, but perhaps he had managed to defy death and escape. He had appeared to be the sort that not even Death itself wanted to contend with.
His eyebrow arched upward. “What lives? I dinnae see anyone but ye… and that horse of yers, which one of me lads had to catch since ye couldnae keep control of it yerself.” He gestured to Seashell, who stood somberly a few steps away, held in place by a gruff-faced man.
“How would your horses fare if someone shot a musket at them? And before you reply that they are used to such things, Seashell is not a seasoned warhorse, used to the pepper of artillery, so you will forgive her for being understandably skittish,” Autumn retorted. This man may have been devilishly handsome, but his rudeness was beginning to make him appear uglier by the second.
The man gave a slight nod. “Aye, I guess ye’ve a point.” He paused. “But ye’ve still nae answered me question, lass.”
“And you have yet to give me a name, which would be the courteous thing to do,” she said brusquely.
I see the Scottish have gained their reputation for coarseness with due cause.
Although, it remained a surprise to her that Scotsmen had come to her aid, rescuing her fromEnglishsoldiers. If anyone had told her such a thing would happen, she would have said they were mistaken, and they had gotten it the wrong way around.
The man sat back and ran a hand through his long, dark hair. “Flynn Duncan,” he replied. “Or Laird MacLennan, if ye prefer.”
Autumn’s eyes flew wide. “Pardon?”
“Flynn Duncan, Laird of MacLennan. And who are ye?”
Oh dear…
“Um… Autumn Montgomery. I mean, Miss Montgomery.” Autumn faltered, for this was not the wondrous first impression she had hoped to make on her future employer. Indeed, she rather thought she might have ruined her chance, for he would surely think her inappropriate as a tutor, after the tongue-lashing she had just delivered.
He peered at her expectantly. “Och, I’ll guess from yer face that ye’ve heard of me, then?” He shook his head and unleashed a sigh. “I amnae a “Beast” of any kind, as ye can see. There isnae fur growin’ out of me flesh, and I daenae have fangs in place of teeth.” He bared them, as if to prove the point. “There isnae a tail, neither, so ye daenae need to check.”
His soldiers, draped in cloaks, chuckled among themselves. Evidently, this was some kind of common jest for them.
“Well, it isnae ‘round the back, anyway,” one of them whispered, setting the rest of the men howling with laughter.
Flynn gave them a sharp look. “Och, ye’re nae helpin’ me cause, lads.”
“I apologize, Laird MacLennan; I did not know who I was speaking with,” Autumn said, chastened. “Indeed, if I had known, I would not have been so curt.”
Flynn eyed her. “And why’s that? Did ye think I’d eat ye alive if I dinnae like the sound of what ye were sayin’? Accordin’ to ye Sassenachs, I devour twelve bairns for me breakfast, and a whole horde of soldiers for me dinner.”
“Not at all!” Autumn stared at him, horrified. “Actually, you are the reason I was riding on these roads.”
So, perhaps you are marginally to blame for this turn of events…
She held her tongue, not wanting to make his opinion of her worse.
“Aye, and how’s that?” Flynn canted his head.
She hesitated. “I was coming to answer a notice I saw in my village. You were in need of a tutor for your brother.” She swallowed to moisten the dryness in her throat. “I realize I ought to have written first, but… there was no time to delay. You see, I am in dire need of this position, for my family is suffering some… um… difficulties, and I must seek work if I am to aid them.”
Difficulties that will see our manor taken from us, my little sister destitute, and might even cause my father to sell his title… as he has sold almost everything else.
It was fortunate she had managed to cling onto Seashell, though she knew that if she had delayed her departure and had not slipped away in the dead of night, leaving only a vague note to explain herself, her father might well have taken her horse, sooner rather than later.
At least I know he does not have the means to follow me, nor any notion of where I have gone, exactly.
For an age, Flynn said nothing. He simply looked at her with his intense, black gaze, as though he were trying to memorize every feature upon her face. Though she did not know why. Was he remembering her entirely, so he would know not to help her if he found her in trouble again?
