Free Highlander Medieval 06 - Her Highland Hero by Terry Spear Page B

head and reached for the door to the inner bailey.
    Before he could grasp the handle, the door swung wide and one of his clansmen, who had recently joined their ranks, stood before him dressed for the journey, his blond hair looking as wild as Rob’s, his blue eyes narrowed, mouth pinched, grim as if he was going into battle. And ready for it.
    Leith gave Marcus a nod in greeting. “We are going, aye?”
    “With or without me, it appears,” Marcus said, seeing several of his men throwing packs onto their horses’ backs, already saddled as dark clouds gathered overhead.
    The fury of the storm would soon break loose.
    Lasses were scurrying out of the keep, bringing food for the expedition, prepared in a rush, their faces flushed and anxious. Brief kisses and hugs were exchanged with their men. No telling when the men would return to the keep. If ever.
    Even Marcus’s own horse was ready and his bags packed, and he gave a dark laugh. Sometimes, he thought his men knew him too well.
    ***
    Isobel had been on edge for the last two months, worried her father would change his mind and decide she had to see the men who wished to court her again. But he hadn’t discovered who was behind Marcus’s attack and for now, her father was still having his men look into it. She had learned through a servant that Marcus had been regularly corresponding with her father, trying to convince him to allow her marriage to him. She prayed he’d be successful one of these times.
    She’d also learned her father had read every one of the missives and kept them, which was good news. He was not tossing them in the fire, unopened. Even so, he was keeping her well-guarded after she had left the keep, escorted by Marcus’s kin, to see him. She knew the captain of the guard had to have told her father, though he had not spoken to her of the incident. She wondered if the fact his kin had taken her to see Marcus, then returned her safe and sound had made a positive impression on her father.
    A few of the servants had even hoped her father would relent after the unprovoked attack on Marcus and the way he had tried so valiantly to earn her hand in marriage in a civil way. But her father still hadn’t budged on the issue. Her cousin, John, was visiting soon and she hoped then her father would declare that he wanted him to take his place upon his death while Isobel could marry Marcus.
    As far as she knew, her father had not told John this, so she didn’t know if it was something that was viable or just something she hoped with all her heart would happen. She suspected her father wanted to see how John managed the staff and the Scots at the border before deciding.
    Before she retired to her bedchambers early that evening, Isobel sensed that something was dreadfully wrong as she slipped closer to the doorway of her father’s solar. She slowed her pace as a maid hurried past her, eyes lowered, and then Isobel stopped before she reached the open doorway.
    To her knowledge her father had once more journeyed to Scotland at the request of King Henry to help quell the Scottish rebellions along the border. Which, while King Henry ruled, were still uncertain with the Anglo-Norman influence pushing northward to Cumberland. Though William of Normandy invaded in 1093 and incorporated it into England, the region had been dominated by many wars and border skirmishes between England and Scotland since then. Because Henry had married King David of Scotland’s daughter, relations were generally good, though the skirmishes did continue. Which was why King Henry had given Isobel’s father permission to build his castle near the border to quell such rebellions.
    While her father was away, his advisor, Lord Wynfield, was left in charge of the castle. Her father was the greatest diplomat and often was able to settle the trouble brewing at the border with naught but a word. Rarely, if ever, did he have to resort to the use of a weapon, he was that good at negotiations.
    She