Pledged to a Highlander (Highland Promise Trilogy 1)

Another wave of shock slammed into her. Demelza had known from when they’d first met that they were sisters. How long did she intend to wait to tell her the truth? Another thought rushed fear through her. What would her clan, Royden’s family, and the other clans think when they learned of this? And Royden. What would he think? Was their love strong enough to survive this news?

Oria got to her feet. “I have to go, Henry.”

“Remember one thing, Mistress Oria. This changes nothing. You are who you’ve always been. A good, kind soul who loves her family, her clan.”

“Thank you, Henry, and thank you for being a good friend to my da. I only hope others feel the same as you,” she said and took off for the keep.

She entered the Great Hall to find Wren and Demelza talking. She thought to go straight to what had once been her da’s solar, knowing that’s where she’d find her husband. She had to talk with him, had to let him know, had to try—she shook her head, a sudden thought interfered and brought her to a stop near the table where the two women sat.

Wren looked about to wave her over to join them, but stopped seeing the angry glare Oria sent Demelza.

“You know,” Demelza said.

Oria couldn’t acknowledge her as her sister and never would she accept the Beast as her brother. What she did want was everything made clear to her. Her thoughts came fast and furious, connecting more and more pieces to the puzzle.

“I understand why your brother couldn’t let me wed Royden. He’d inherit this land through our marriage and be chieftain when my da passed, giving him ownership of a large swath of land and the power that goes with it. But why let me remain wed to Burnell?” Oria demanded, anger flaring in her eyes, turning the color a sharp green.

Demelza stood. “He was wise enough to know you wouldn’t want to leave the only home, only country you have known. When all was done, he planned on finding you a good Norseman to wed and return you to your clan where your husband would rule.”

She might believe that but Oria didn’t. “You mean he’d keep me safely tucked away wed to an old man while he made sure to see that his plan was carried out successfully.”

Demelza remained silent, giving Oria her answer.

“The Beast planned to take MacKinnon keep for himself, wedding Raven.” Oria smiled, realizing what Raven’s bravery had done. “He didn’t count on Raven escaping him, did he?”

“Raven is a prickly thorn in my brother’s side,” Demelza admitted. “But our brother—”

“He is no brother of mine,” Oria spat.

Demelza remained calm, though her hands trembled. “Wolf had no intention of residing at MacKinnon keep or marrying Raven. He intended to wed Raven to a Norsemen and have him rule over Clan MacKinnon, but that is no more. Our brother will reside in our ancestral home with a Norsewoman as his bride.”

“Learmonth,” Oria said. “Burnell told me time and again that his ancestors had once owned all the land as far as one could see from the top of the keep. The land stretches out endlessly. But time and battles lost much of it.” She shook her head. “Of course, the distant relative of Burnell’s that inherits the title and clan is your brother. That’s another reason your brother left me wed to Burnell, my deceased husband is somehow related to you. Couldn’t your brother be satisfied with Learmonth? Why come after all the other clans?”

“Our brother wants what is rightfully ours—the land that had belonged to us far longer than anyone else.” Demelza said. “It was a promise he made to our grandmother, born of this land, and our brother always keeps his promise.”

Promises. Oria hated promises. They often hurt more than helped.

“You must understand what it meant—how it felt—that after all these years of thinking you were lost to us forever, you were found. Mother and Father were elated. They cannot wait to see you,” Demelza said.

“Yet they let five years pass without acknowledging me,” Oria reminded.

“That was Wolf’s order,” Demelza said.

“And you always do what he orders,” Oria said.

“Everyone does. He’s earned his position, his power, and though he can be harsh at times, he is a good man,” Demelza said.

“Not in my eyes,” Oria argued. “How can you even say that when he takes men captive and forces them to battle for—” It struck Oria then. “Why didn’t I see it? Thinking back to Penn, Fergus, Wilfred, they all willingly joined the group of mercenaries your brother formed. He only took warriors captive from the clans he attacked to leave the clans vulnerable and unable to defend themselves so he could easily take command of them. He never had any intention of letting any of the captured warriors return home, including Royden and his brother. He formed the band of mercenaries for just that reason, to hold all those warriors’ captive and prevent them from ever returning home to help free their clan.”