Free When Highland Lightning Strikes by Willa Blair Page A

that happened? For months, the thing he had wanted most, besides the clan’s recovery, was to follow his brother’s footsteps and become laird. Chief of MacAnalen.
    How much would he care if he again failed to be elected? Did winning Shona now mean more to him? Of course, if her uncle had his way, aye, he might have both. That thought cheered him enough to set him moving again, and he quickly arrived at auld Luthais’s dwelling.
    “Angus, thank ye for joining us,” Luthais greeted him at the door and waved him inside. Angus nodded to him and the others, surprised to see the Council in the common room. He’d expected no one else.
    “What can I do for ye?” Angus asked, then wanted to bite his tongue. He didn’t need to give the Council any reason to demand more from him than he’d already given during the last six months.
    Luthais bestowed a brief smile on him before answering. Angus stiffened, ready for anything. After the last election and the last few days, he didn’t know what to expect.
    “I’ll be brief,” Luthais told him and Angus’s heart sank. They’d called him here—alone—to tell him he would be passed over yet again, and to save him the embarrassment of losing—twice—before the entire clan.
    “Though Colin was duly elected, there are some,” and at that, Luthais cast a stern glance around the gathered council members, “who believe the election unfairly influenced. Well, we won’t go into that now.”
    Angus frowned. Where did Luthais mean to take this? What did he mean by saying the election was influenced? By whom?
    “As ye are the man who has led this clan through its most trying time, ye are our choice for chief of clan MacAnalen. We have decided no further vote is necessary, given yer leadership and devotion to the good of the clan.”
    Shocked, Angus looked from one council member to the next and assessed, by how readily they met his gaze, whether they supported this decision. He concluded they all did, even Colin’s most vocal supporter. They were handing him the very thing he’d dreamt of for the past six months. He nodded and opened his mouth to reply, though he could barely form a coherent thought, but Luthais spoke first.
    “This is a vote of confidence in ye, Angus. The previous vote notwithstanding, and no matter the kind of chief Colin would have been, we’re pleased to have the clan’s leadership in yer capable hands.”
    Was that an apology he heard? The internal debate he’d been having flared up anew.
    He thought back over the last six months. He’d relished taking leadership during the crisis, or so he believed at the time. He and the Lathan laird dealt well together. Nonetheless, what Colin had said to Seamus gave him pause. Colin, who’d been one of the most self-centered, lazy, argumentative people he knew, had acknowledged the importance of his marriage being made for an alliance. For the good of the clan. He had, perhaps, matured quickly into his position. Or he’d said that to goad Seamus, a tactic in an unspoken negotiation for Shona’s hand. There was no way to know which he’d meant now. But the idea of winning the clan by losing Shona made Angus hesitate, wrestling with two possible outcomes. Despite the risk, he knew what he must do. What his brother would expect. What he expected of himself.
    “Ye ken I will do the best I am able,” he said at last.
    “’Tis all we can ask,” Luthais replied. “Yer best has held the clan together, kept us fed and put roofs over our heads through the winter.”
    Angus basked in the praise. He was laird. There could be no question he had the authority to deal with the responsibilities he’d taken on after Gregor died. But he knew there were more demands coming. Being confirmed laird suddenly tasted bittersweet.
    “Now if ye can finish our hall, we’ll be mightily pleased.”
    Angus pursed his lips and pictured the piles of materials for the missing walls and roof. Aye, they would, the sooner the better. But