Page 42 of Tempting the Highland Devil
“I will still punish whoever threw a stone at ye,” he threatened as he lowered the mirror to reveal her slightly reddened face.
Yvaine’s smile made his heart flutter. “It doesnae hurt one bit,” she said to him, her full smile widening further. “I promise.”
She took his hand and linked their fingers. “Are ye ready?”
“Nay,” Arran said, and she burst into a light chuckle. He loved seeing the light in her eyes and the flash of those tiny dimples each time he looked at her.
His heart raced as he stared at her lips, remembering every sigh and moan from the night before. Blood raced to his head, making him a bit faint. He held himself up and tried not to think of anything else.
Arran inched closer to her without realizing it. His lips were inches away from hers soon, and the heat from her breath scalded him, stealing away every other thought of restraint.
A knock interrupted the moment before he could taste her lips. Arran and Yvaine sprang apart like they were caught doing something wrong. He saw her turn around and plaster her hands to her cheeks before the door fully opened.
“Me laird,” James said with a hasty bow of his head. “I’m afraid I have failed to keep the protesters away this time. The villagers head for the castle. They demand to see ye, or they will break down the doors and the walls.”
Arran cleared his throat. “Can they get past our guards? How do they intend to do that?”
“It willnae happen because ye will address them,” Yvaine said as she came close to him again and took his hand. “He has agreed to address his people,” she said to James as he glanced to his side and saw her assuring smile. “Have the villagers gather in the courtyard.”
James did not look convinced at first, and he looked to Arran, who gave him a gentle nod.
“I will do as ye say, me laird.”
Alone again, Arran’s nervousness returned. “What am I to say to them? Yvaine, I dinnae think this is the right thin’ to do. I havenae…”
She pressed her lips to his for a quick kiss. “I am right by yer side, Arran. Ye dinnae need to worry about anythin’. Speak from yer heart. That is all ye need to do.”
He walked with her to the courtyard, and they waited a long time for the villagers to finally arrive. Arran’s hand trembled slightly in hers as they stood in front of the slowly building crowd.
Yvaine tightened her grip, and he looked at her. His nerves slowly began to subside as she applied pressure and kept the warm smile on her face.
Arran finally relaxed and drew in a deep breath.
“Silence!” James yelled when the courtyard was almost full. “The laird wants to speak to ye all. Stay silent.”
Heads turned towards the front, and Arran’s gaze skidded over the terrified faces of the men, women, and children in the crowd. Most of them gave him wide-eyed stares full of anticipation.
In the past, whenever his father addressed the villagers or council men, Arran never stood with him. Arran had always been too ashamed of his father’s treatment of the villagers. He couldn’t stop his father, no matter what he did. And he couldn’t bear staying with him, even for a minute.
So I ran and told myself staying away was better.He spent his time traveling, so he would not witness his father’s wrong doings, and he had lost the only parent who truly cared for him.
The silence stretched on without Arran speaking. His heart was in his throat. Its heavy pound made his chest ache. He licked his lips then drew in a deep breath. Yvaine’s soft encouraging voice came to mind as he gathered his courage.
“Thank ye all for agreeing to listen to me,” Arran began as he looked through the faces in the crowd again. “First of all, I must apologize for me years of absence. I understand what ye all have suffered because of me choices. I am deeply ashamed by that.”
“We need a laird,” someone in the crowd yelled.
“We dinnae need apologies. Get us a real laird! The people are starvin’. We need ye to step down and let someone else lead us.”
“Step down!” they began chanting, and chaos erupted in the crowd again. James was about to yell to for them calm down, but Arran realized he needed to do that for himself.
“Silence!” he ordered a second later, shocking himself with the intensity of his voice. They focused on him again, and Arran continued in the same stern tone. “Thin’s are about to change henceforth. I shall perform me duties to ye and the clan. I shall attend to yer concerns if ye relay them to me peacefully, and I will do me best to assist ye.”
His people still did not look convinced as they listened to him with frowns etched on their faces. He was absent for five years, and so he did not expect them to trust him in one day.
“Allow me to win yer trust. Allow me to restore yer faith in me and prove to ye that I only have the clan’s best interest at heart. I swear this to ye on me life.”
Another weighty silence filled the air before murmurs followed. Arran thought of what to say next, and Yvaine leaned closer to him and whispered, “Tell them the castle will accept their farm produce for now. It will make them feel assured that ye are willin’ to change their lives.”
