Free Kilts and Kisses by Victoria Roberts

air in the great hall lighten when he acknowledged his true betrothed and knew he had to get out of there. He turned to her father. “Laird Gunn, if ye’ll pray excuse us, we have another important matter to attend to.”
    “Of course. I’ll make certain everything is in order here so that ye and my daughter can be wed within the fortnight.”
    Luthais nodded. “Verra well. And Mistress Gunn...until we meet again.”
    “Mayhap ye can pay me another visit before the wedding? I’d love to see ye again.”
    He gave her an appeasing smile and walked briskly toward Doughall. He hoped his father followed because he wasn’t waiting for him to catch up. Luthais was breathless with rage. His expression was thunderous. He could hear the blood pounding in his ears. He entered the bailey throwing curses under his breath like stones. He raked his fingers through his hair as the stable hand brought their mounts. Thankfully, his father and Doughall were wise enough not to open their mouths.
    The men mounted and rode through the gates, their horses flinging mud behind them from the rain. It wasn’t long before Luthais once again found himself flanked.
    “What the hell was that all about? Ye said ye already met the Gunn’s daughter,” said his father.
    “The woman wasnae the same lass Luthais had met,” said Doughall.
    His father’s voice went up a notch. “What do ye mean she wasnae the same lass?”
    “She wasnae the same lass!” Luthais bellowed. “I’ve been played for a damn fool.”
    “I think we should—”
    Luthais shot his father a cold look. “ We will do naught. I donna want to hear another word. I will handle this mess.”
    He had no idea how, but he had a pretty good idea where to start.

    C eana stood in her bedchamber and held her mother’s pendant close to her heart. Dear God. How could she not have known Luthais was the MacKay’s son? This whole time she assumed he was a guard. The nagging in her mind refused to be stilled. She thought back to their conversations and realized he’d never told her. He had only mentioned his name.
    A tumble of confused feelings assailed her. Her emotions were out of control. If it wasn’t bad enough that Sorcha reveled in being the laird’s daughter and having made an alliance with the MacKays, now Ceana had to live with the fact that the man who’d kissed her and stirred her soul was marrying her dreadful cousin. This was too much. She couldn’t bear anymore.
    The door swung open, and Anna entered. Ceana couldn’t calm her racing heart. She couldn’t catch her breath. The last she remembered was falling into her sister’s arms and hitting the floor with a thud.
    Fingers tapped Ceana’s face as she tried to open her eyes. “Ceana, wake up! Ceana!”
    “I’m awake. What happened?” She held her hand to her head.
    “Ye had a fainting spell. Let me help ye to the bed.” Her sister pulled her to her feet, and Ceana sat on the edge of the bed.
    “I’m fine.”
    “Ye’re nae fine. Lie down before ye fall over again.” Anna picked up the pendant on the floor and placed it back in the box on Ceana’s dresser. Her sister sat beside her on the bed and sighed. “I can remember a conversation between us nae all that long ago. Ye were cross at me for nae telling ye about Samuel. How is it that ye know Laird MacKay’s son? And before ye answer, I’d think twice about spinning tales to me.”
    Ceana growled. “Samuel gave his word.”
    “ Samuel didnae tell me anything. Ye’re my sister. I know ye, and ye knew that man.”
    “I met Luthais at the standing stones.”
    Anna’s eyes lit up in surprise. “Ye went to the standing stones? I’ve been trying to convince Samuel to take me.”
    “I know. He told me all about it. I wasnae there to find a husband, if that’s what ye’re thinking.”
    “I didnae think that ye were.”
    Ceana rubbed the palm of her hands over her eyes. “The next day Luthais appeared at the loch and we talked.”
    “Please tell