Page 65 of Married to the Highland Devil
He lifted her off the ground in his excitement and twirled her around as they both laughed before he set her down again and kissed her in a rush.
By the time they returned to the castle and hurried into the keep, Duncan spotted Yvaine in a tight embrace with his mother, and he hurried to them, hugged his sister tight, and kissed her forehead.
“I am safe,” Yvaine sobbed into his chest as he kept her close to his heart.
Duncan’s insides started to settle now that his sister was home again, and he met his friend’s gaze over Yvaine’s shoulder and saw his soft nod.
When Yvaine moved to hug Amelia tight, Duncan walked over to Arran, shook his hand steadily, then hugged him too. “Thank ye, Arran. Thank ye,” he whispered in a hoarse voice. “I cannae thank ye enough for bringin’ her back safely. I would have come to fight for both of ye if yer father kept ye another day. I had my soldiers prepared for war.”
Arran only nodded when Duncan pulled back from him. “My faither willnae be troublin’ ye for the time being,” he said.
“What did ye do?” Duncan asked, meeting his friend’s cold gaze now that he stood back.
Arran stared into his eyes for a long time, and the stern look there made Duncan shiver.
“I made a deal with him,” Arran replied, and Duncan saw his jaw harden. “I promised to return to MacGregor to be his adviser, and in exchange, he lets Yvaine go and promises nay to touch her or anyone here ever again.”
Duncan shook his head, knowing fully well that they could not trust Malcolm to keep his word. “Arran, ye ken as well as I do that he willnae stop. Yer word doesnae matter. He isnae to be trusted, and ye cannane go to him. He will use ye to do his biddin’, and ye have never wanted to live like that.”
Arran shook his head as Duncan spoke, and Duncan could tell that his friend’s mind was made up.
“We shall remain friends for as long as I live, Duncan. Ye must ken that I willnae betray ye. I shall go to my faither, and he will keep his word in return and leave yer clan alone.”
“And what if he doesnae? What if he betrays ye?”
Arran closed his eyes for a second then swallowed hard. “Then I shall warn ye when the time is right. I shall stay by his side, but I shall remain on yers forever. Whatever happens, I will make sure ye ken when my faither is comin’. Ye will always be prepared. I had to promise to be on his side for him to let Yvaine go. It is the deal I made.”
Yvaine came forward as Arran told Duncan this, and Duncan watched his sister hug Arran tight before whispering, “Thank ye for everythin’, Arran. I shallnae forget it, ever.”
Duncan did not have a good feeling about Arran’s plan. Malcolm could pretend and deceive Arran into thinking he would not come after McLennan anymore, but Duncan did not believe the man’s words.
He would be more alert than ever now. Whatever Laird MacGregor’s plan was, Duncan knew he could never be outsmarted.
29
“Amelia?” Yvaine called the next morning in a shaky voice. “Are ye all right?”
“I am well,” Amelia told her. “It is you I am worried about. We all are… Duncan sat here with me all night to watch you sleep.”
“Oh,” Yvaine gasped and reached for Amelia’s hand that rested on the bed.
Amelia could not express enough her relief that Yvaine was safe and back at the castle. Even though she had trusted Duncan when he had said Arran would bring her back safe, she had still worried for her.
“I am well,” Yvaine told her. “Laird MacGregor is a scary man,” she continued. “He kept me locked away most of the time, and I lived with the fear that one day he would come to me and…” she trailed off before she could finish the sentence then she sighed and sniffled.
“I am so sorry,” Amelia whispered, covering Yvaine’s hand with her free one. “I’m glad that you are back.”
“Me too.” A moment passed before Yvaine added, “I missed ye.”
Amelia moved closer to her on the bed, so they could share another hug, and she exhaled deeply to ease the tightness in her chest. “Duncan is most relieved. He worried about you and Arran. Now that Arran has left McLennan, I worry about him too.”
“My brother and Arran have been very close since they were young. Malcolm’s evil deeds have nae come between them in the past, and it willnae happen now. I am certain of that.”
“Well, I hope it does not,” Amelia told her. “I would hate to see them lose their friendship.”
They continued talking till a servant came into Yvaine’s chamber with hot water for her bath and fresh clothes. Amelia left her and returned to her work chamber on the ground floor with Dahlia’s help.
She spent most of her day there with Dahlia mixing herbs and making tonics. Amelia made one from sage and roseroot to help Yvaine with her strength then she had Dahlia deliver it to Yvaine’s chambers personally.
