Tess and the Highlander Page 13

  The first tear escaped. Then another.

  Everyone seemed to be speaking at once, and Tess looked about her, realizing that no longer was she confronting a crowd. She had become a part of them.

  An ancient woman hobbled toward her and clutched Tess’s hand and brought it to her lips.

  “I’m Bella. I was Elsie’s mother. Your nursemaid was one of the castle folk who took you away the night of the attack. I know now that she was lost at sea with the rest of them.”

  With that, Tess broke down and cried as Bella wrapped her in a warm embrace.

  At one point Tess looked across the throng of people and could no longer see Colin. Anxious, she searched the crowds again and found him this time speaking with some of the Lindsays. James was beside him too and some of the other Macphersons. All had dismounted and joined in the crowd. It was like some happy gathering of clans, and she relished the thought.

  Tess felt the tug on her hand by the young child still standing with her. The girl pointed toward the castle.

  A sudden change came over the demeanor of the villagers. Some folk quickly separated from the others and hurried back toward their huts. Others simply backed away until Tess caught sight of a rider and a half dozen armed men on foot who were approaching the market square on the road coming down from the castle. None wore the Highlander’s kilt, dressed instead in Lowland breeches and chain shirts. Even from a distance, she could see that all were heavily armed.

  “’Tis Flannan,” the child murmured, half hiding behind Tess’s skirt.

  Tess turned to Bella, who was still standing near her. “Is he someone who knows me?”

  The old woman shook her head. “He is the steward of Ravenie. Yer mother sent him from the Lowlands, lassie. He runs the castle and manages the land, and collects rents from the crofters in yer name. He has been here near ten years…maybe more.”

  The severe looks Tess had received on her arrival were nothing compared to the hostility that charged the air now.

  “Is he a just steward?”

  Bella’s back was bent with age, but the woman still managed to raise her gray eyes to Tess’s. “Maybe in the eyes of whoever he collects the rents for in the Lowlands. He doesn’t give a rush about any of the folk here. He takes what he says we owe, and turns out those who cannot pay. We are here to serve him and his mistress, he says. We are to work and not complain. ‘Tis the way of the world, he says. ‘Tis the way of things here, to be sure, since the laird’s death.”

  “Could you do nothing?”

  “We chose leaders over the years to speak for the clan, but it made no difference.”

  Anger like none she’d ever experienced burned in Tess. In her name, in her mother’s name, these people had been treated unjustly for ten years. She handed the little girl to Bella and approached the men.

  The crowd continued to back away, forming a large circle as Flannan and his men reached the open area around the market cross. Tess didn’t have to turn to know Colin had moved behind her. To her right and left, she saw Macpherson men keeping a watchful eye.

  Flannan was approaching middle-age, bald with an enormous belly that sagged over the thick belt he wore over a greasy doublet and breeches. Tess noted the swagger of the armed men with him. Bullies, one and all, she thought angrily as they drew their swords and leaned on the hilts, the points buried in the dirt.

  Tess was not deterred though, and she continued to approach. The steward’s small eyes focused for a moment on Tess, but he made no move to get down from his horse or acknowledge her.

  “Are you Flannan the steward?” She came to a stop a few steps away.

  He looked over Tess’s head, at whom she could only guess was Colin. “My men brought me news of some travelers passing through the village. Macphersons, they said.” He gestured to the armed men to his right and left. “We are much better prepared to receive company at the castle. These lazy bastards need to be planting the fields.”

  “You haven’t answered my question,” Tess called, taking a step closer. If he knew about the Macphersons being here, he must have been told about her, too. Perhaps, she considered, he hadn’t heard, though. Deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt, she introduced herself. “I am Teresa Catherine Lindsay. I believe ‘tis in my name that you are steward of this holding...”

  “What are you looking at, you filthy curs?” the steward shouted at the crowd. “Back to the fields.”

  A few people shuffled nervously, but no one retreated.

  “Are you just going to ignore me?” she shot at him, growing livid at his insulting behavior.

  The steward turned the head of his horse away and murmured some orders to the man nearest to him. Tess was too angry to think through any consequences. She started toward the man, only to stop in shock as everything exploded with activity around her.

  Colin shot past her and had a grip on the back of the steward’s belt in an instant. With one quick jerk, the fat steward was off the horse and on his hands and knees in the dirt.

  There was a brief and short-lived scuffle between the Macphersons and Flannan’s armed men, but the Lowlanders were no match for Colin, James, and the others…including the Lindsays who had joined them. In just a few moments of struggle, the Lowlanders had been overpowered.

  Tess was not naïve enough, though, to think the battle was done. She was certain Flannan had more men at the castle.

  “Would you care to answer your mistress’s questions now?” Colin was standing behind the steward. The man had pushed himself off his hands, but still was on his knees. He cast a quick look at his subdued cohorts before scowling at Tess.

  “I would have answered her to begin with if I thought the lass was telling the truth. She is no daughter of Lady Evelyn’s.” The steward pushed himself to his feet and spoke to the Lindsays that had once again surged forward to watch the spectacle before them. “This creature is nothing more than an imposter paid for by the Macphersons. See for yourselves! She was brought here to trick you fools.” He turned and pointed an accusing finger at Colin. “Leave it to these pirates to think of a way to steal what is yours.”

  CHAPTER 13

  “She will hate me. She will think me the most horrible of mothers.” Lady Evelyn continued to pace back and forth across her bedchamber. “And what happens if she decides that she does not wish to see me? What should I do if she remains in the Highlands with the Macphersons and the rest of those animals?”

  “If she is truly who she says she is, then she will understand.” David Burnett reached for the willowy woman’s hand and forced her to stop. “If this young woman is truly Theresa Catherine, then she will come to you.”

  “’Tis she. I just know ‘tis Theresa. For a long time, I have known that she would come back.” The mother’s fair features were flushed. She tugged her hand free and walked to the narrow window overlooking the courtyard. “Everything makes sense—where she was found to what age she claims to be. I’ve known this was coming for a long time.”

  Burnett’s strong arm encircled Evelyn’s waist, and he pulled her against his chest. His voice was soothing and reassuring in her ear. “We have done everything that we can, right now. You have answered her letter. I have sent a group of my most trusted men to Benmore Castle to escort her back. There is no reason to fret over this until she arrives at our gate.”

  Evelyn turned in the warrior’s arm. Her hazel eyes glistened with tears. “Are you certain about this? About everything we are doing?”

  “Aye, my dove,” David assured her. “Just leave everything to me, and all will be well.”

  Nothing that Flannan said affected Tess in the slightest…except to make her want to correct the problems here even more. She turned to her clan.

  “I find this man lacks the spirit and the good intentions my father had for our people while he was alive. I find this steward grievously at fault for his treatment of you over these past ten years. Now…who will help us restrain him and his men? Who will help us take back Rave
nie Castle?”

  A deafening cheer filled the market square as the entire village stepped forward. The steward, having realized his mistake, scrambled to take shelter behind the Macphersons, the same people he’d accused only moments ago.

  In moments, Colin had divided the villagers into groups. Some were sent with James and handful of Macpherson warriors up to the castle. Others were assigned to see to Flannan and his henchmen in the village. There were many, though, who approached Tess on their own. Young and old, men and women—the noose around their spirits finally loosened—all were excited to talk to her and to make suggestions. All wished to know if she planned to stay.

  Tess wanted to, but she had other things that demanded her attention before she could think about that.

  Those remaining at Ravenie Castle who were loyal to the steward gave way to the combined force of Lindsays and Macphersons without a struggle. Most that James and the others encountered in the castle were from the village, anyway. To be sure, all of the Lindsays were fed up with the steward’s treatment of their people.

  All that Flannan’s men asked for was permission to leave.

  “I believe we should let all of them go,” Tess told Colin with conviction. “Flannan included. My family is the most responsible for the hardship and the damage that has been done here. Though she has been absent all these years, my mother should have had someone checking on the steward. But she didn’t.”

  She shook her head and watched the celebration that had been going on since midday.

  “Don’t torment yourself about the past,” Colin said firmly. “None of that was your doing. You shall make these people forget their hardships. Anyone can tell that your arrival has already given new life to the Lindsay clan.”

  Tess looked up and their gazes locked. “You make me believe in myself.”

  “As you should.” He gave her a smile that warmed her blood and sent tingles through her body. “Everyone here sees how special you are. ‘Tis time you started believing it, too.”

  Tess beamed at him. “You are…you are a true friend.”

  A few days ago the words Tess had just spoken would have been enough for Colin. He would have been quite content to be considered her friend. But now, as he heard the words tumble from her lips, he knew it was not enough.

  He had seen her courage in action today. While he fought back his own fears for her safety, she had walked into the midst of a mob that looked like a pack of hungry wolves. She hadn’t known it, but his hand had never left the hilt of his sword until he’d seen the first sign of acceptance by the Lindsays.

  “I believe I’ve found my home,” Tess told him. “There is no doubt in my mind that this is where I belong.”

  He nodded, working hard to hide his own feelings at this important moment in her life. He gestured to where Flannan and some of his people were being held. “I’ll make sure an escort of Lindsays and Macphersons convey these curs to the southern borders of your land. I do not believe you will hear from them again.”

  She looked around. “Having seen your village at Benmore Castle, I know there is a great deal to be done here.”

  Colin followed the direction of her gaze. “Aye, but this is good land. And James tells me that only a section of the castle was burned. The rest is solid and livable. You should probably take a ride up there and see it for yourself.”

  She turned toward the celebrating crowds. “I wonder what it would be like to live here, in the village. ‘Twould be only right to find some use for this tower house.”

  “Nothing is impossible. Perhaps with a few good masons, and…”

  “Will you stay with me here? Will you help me to start again?”

  Colin abruptly stopped and looked at her. Tess’s beautiful face was flushed. Her eyes were dark pools, so clear that he could see his own reflection in them.

  For the first time in his life he had come to the realization that no other plans, no other dreams, no grand adventures in the world meant a thing to him if he couldn’t have Tess. But at the same time, the uncertainty of his position as the third son, and her position as the sole heir to Ravenie Castle was suddenly gnawing at him.

  “Tess, there is a great deal that…that…”

  “I mean…temporarily,” she said, dropping her hand in embarrassment. Her face was even redder than before. She hurriedly looked away when the first tears slipped down her cheeks. “I never intended to interfere with…with your plans. I just thought that if you have few days to spare, you might perhaps like to come back with me and…and…help me get started.”

  “Wait, Tess.” He took her arm before she could walk away. “There is a great deal that you and I need to—”

  Unfortunately, James took that exact moment to approach them. “The afternoon is advancing, you two. If we are to make it back to Benmore tonight…” He stopped, recognizing that he had walked in at a bad time. “Am I interrupting something?”

  “Aye, you are.”

  “Nay, you are not.”

  Colin and Tess had spoken at the same time. James looked curiously from one to the other.

  Tess shook her head at Colin before turning to James. “I should like to stay, but at the same time my mother is expecting me to be at Benmore. If, by chance, she herself would travel to the Highlands…well, I doubt she would ever come to Ravenie Castle. And yet, I am concerned about leaving. I think we are needed here.”

  Colin was far from ready to leave her here by herself. “Now that the Lindsays have formed a clan council, they will keep things here under control in your absence. However, we can also leave behind a few of our own men to help and assist them until you get back.”

  “Thank you,” she said quietly. “I think we should plan on spending the night here, though. Would that be any problem?”

  “Nay, Tess,” James replied. “No problem at all.”

  Her eyes, taking on a worried look, scanned the villagers. She nodded absently and walked toward a group nearest to them. The old woman called Bella was at the center of the group, and Tess went directly to her.

  Colin realized he must have been too absorbed in his attention to Tess, for James seemed to have repeated a question that he hadn’t heard even the second time.

  His older brother poked him in the ribs. “Why don’t you admit it and be done with it?”

  “Admit what?”

  “That you are in love with her.”

  No denial rose to his lips.

  James let out a low whistle. “Come now, brother. While you’re at it, admit that you want to spend the rest of your life with her. Marriage, children, happily ever after. You know there is nothing that says the youngest son cannot marry first.”

  Colin turned abruptly and strode away. James followed.

  “I never thought I’d see the day, but you are far, far gone…and don’t deny it. You were probably sunk the moment she dragged you out of the water.”

  For some reason, James’s words lacked the note of ridicule that Colin would have expected.

  “So what are you doing tormenting yourself and her? ‘Tis obvious that she wants you…perhaps loves you back, for all I know of such things.”

  “The whole damn thing is too complicated,” Colin snapped, his tone harsher than he’d intended. “I don’t have time to worry about such foolishness now.”

  James’s large hand landed on Colin’s shoulder. The older brother’s gray eyes were deadly serious when Colin looked at him.

  “You don’t want to be spending the rest of your life regretting this moment.” James lowered his voice. “Don’t forget the family that she springs from. Lowlanders and Highlanders. A marriage by contract. Two unhappy, distant people thrown together for the purpose of property. Why, not that I’m an expert, mind you…but I think there’s not a shred of romantic feeling in that whole arrangement. And I’ll tell you something else…”

  Colin waited, frowning fiercely.

  “Once her mother takes charge of the lass, not you nor Tess herself will be deciding
her future…that’s for sure.”

  Colin felt ill at the truth in James’s words. Physically ill at the thought of losing her.

  “If you don’t have time to work your way through this ‘foolishness’ as you call it, then just think of what lies ahead for her. Colin, lad, I’m not speaking lightly now. If this is what you truly want for your future, don’t waste a moment.”

  As the Lindsay clan folk celebrated their liberation, Tess agonized over the thought that she’d practically begged Colin to stay with her at Ravenie. Mortified, Tess made certain that she didn’t have another moment alone with Colin for the rest of day. Later, she gladly accepted Bella’s offer of spending the night in her cottage.

  Emotions were running high the next morning as they prepared to leave the village. A half dozen of the Macpherson men were to stay. It was clear to Tess, though, that the villagers were feeling far different without the heavy lash of the steward hanging over them.

  She’d promised to come back after her meeting with her mother. She believed she would. And she was relieved to know that her people believed her, too.

  “I know you have set your mind against it,” Colin moved his horse next to hers as everyone mounted up. “But you should at least consider riding up there and looking in at Ravenie Castle before we leave.”

  He was all seriousness this morning. Tess wished she could have such tight control over her own emotions.

  “And I am not suggesting it because I want to persuade you to live up there instead of down here.” He was speaking only to her. “The fire in that castle and the murder of your father are a part of your past. There are decisions you will need to make when you come back. I think you’ll have a much easier time doing that if you have settled everything that hangs over you from the past.”

  Her first impulse was to reject his reasoning and simply ride away, but common sense prevailed. Tess was curious about that night—about the fire and the attack.