Page 15 of Highlander's Rebellious Affair
Hope watched as his jaw dropped, and anger flashed in his eyes. Ian looked at her, and she continued, holding unto her newfound courage. “I willnae wed some old Laird that ye have sold me off to, Faither. I am nay a possession that ye can sell off as ye wish, I am yer daughter.”
Stephen said nothing, instead he turned to Hope’s mother, and yelled, “Can ye hear what nonsense yer daughter is sayin’? That she is married to a stranger? That she is a wench who has brought shame to our name.”
The insults battered Hope, but she controlled her feelings and sucked in a deep breath to keep the tears at bay. He turned back to face them with the same livid stare, and Hope swallowed.
The door to the Hall opened, and Hope turned to see Laird Galloway, marching into the Hall. “Get to yer chambers now,” her father yelled. “Take her away,” he said to the men that brought them to the Hall.
* * *
Hope left the Hall, and her mother followed after her. Ian stood facing his uncle. Lyall had a displeased look on his face, but he remained quiet as they stared at each other.
“He is my nephew,” Lyall finally said to Stephen when Ian got on his feet. “And he has done this to undermine my authority and have me disgraced,” he added. Ian knew his pride was wounded by the outcome of events.
Lyall had come to Drummond with the hopes of returning home with a prized wife, and Ian had stolen that away from him. With a scowl, he turned to Ian and spoke, “Ye think ye can stage a war to take me down because ye have a wife that will bear ye bairns?”
“I dinnae wed Lady Hope to spite ye, but to save her from yer wickedness,” he replied boldly. Color drained from Lyall’s face, and he snarled.
“Ye willnae get away with this disgrace ye have brought me.”
Ian hid the smile pushing to play out on his lips and listened as Lyall turned to Stephen to whisper. “There is nothin’ we can do about this,” he said. “Yer daughter has wed another man, so ye have to announce it yerself before word gets out on its own and embarrasses us both.”
Stephen glared at Ian, but Lyall placed a hand on his shoulder, and continued, “And ye cannae take any rash decisions, if nay, ye would hurt yerself too.”
Ian watched them discuss, and knew that Stephen would listen to his uncle. Lyall had that effect on people, he had a way of convincing them to do his bidding, and support him even though he never did anything to strengthen the Clan or better the lives of the Clansmen. Ian’s hate for the man grew with each passing day, and he controlled his anger by holding onto the hope that one day he would find out the truth behind Lyall’s rise to Lairdship, and his father’s death and when he did, he would make sure he paid dearly.
Stephen turned back to him after listening to Lyall’s opinions, and Ian smiled when he said, “I shall announce yer weddin’ to my daughter by the morrow and organize a proper feast for the weddin’. The traditions must be observed, and the rites fulfilled.”
“I would nay have my daughter’s reputation tarnished, or have my power doubted, so word of this must never get out. Nay one must ken that ye married my daughter without her faither’s blessin’, do ye understand?”
Ian nodded, and replied, “Aye, the tradition must be followed, and ye have my word that nay one will ken of this.”
Stephen walked out of the Hall without another word to him, and Lyall gave him one last glare, and walked toward him.
“This is far from over, Nephew,” he whispered to Ian before he stomped out of the Hall too.
Ian chuckled when he was alone in the Hall, and he had a triumphant smile plastered on his face as he walked out of the Hall with the intent of finding Hope and telling her that they were to be wed, again, the next day.
11
Hope paced her chamber continuously, and chewed on her bottom lip as she wondered what was going on in the Grand Hall. Her maid, Alice, returned to the chamber with new clothes for her to change into, and helped her to the bath.
“Ye were missin’ for days, My Lady,” Alice said. “Laird Drummond searched everywhere for ye, the Castle guards searched the village, but ye were far gone by mornin’. How did ye escape?”
Hope settled into the bath and sighed when the hot water touched her skin, and helped soothe her tense muscles. Ian was in the Grand Hall with her father, and all she could think of was seeing him again.What will my father do?
The door burst open, and her mother stomped into the chamber. “Hope, how could ye do this? I was worried sick about ye, and yer faither was too,” she said and came to stand by the bath. “Ye married a stranger? How could ye do that, how could ye bring disgrace to us?”
“It is nay disgrace, Maither. I prefer to be wedded to a stranger like Ian than to let Faither sell me off to that Laird,” she pointed out. When she stood up from the wash basin, she stepped out and water dripped to the ground before Alice brought a robe and draped it over her body. “He might be a stranger, but he has been nothin’ but kind to me, and I willnae regret weddin’ him, Maither.”
Moira sighed and then pulled Hope into her arms for a hug. “I was scared,” she said when they pulled apart. “I thought somethin’ bad had happened to ye, Hope. Ye cannae do that again.”
“I met Aunt Orlaith, Maither,” Hope said with a smile and watched her mother’s jaw dropped. “She is alive and well in Cawdor, Maither, and she gave Ian and I shelter for the past three days.”
“Orlaith,” her mother whispered and Hope saw the tears in her eyes. “She is well?”
“Aye, she is,” Hope replied with a smile and hugged her mother again.
“I miss her so much,” Moira whispered, and wiped her cheeks when the tears started to flow. “We last saw each other years ago when ye were six years old, a mere lassie. Yer faither wouldnae let her visit the Castle anymore, he believes she has lost her mind.” Hope held her mother’s hand and listened to her.
