Free Claiming the Highlander by Kinley MacGregor

was one small flaw to his logic Braden hadn’t considered. And it was one hell of a time for Fergus to find his brains and finally use them.
    “Four days?” Braden repeated.
    “Aye. Four days.”
    Well, it was a step up from Lochlan’s deadline. Briefly, he wondered what he could do to get another two days. If his luck held he might actually gain enough time to think of some way out of this mess.
    “All right,” Braden said. “I’ll have the women out in four days.”
    Sure you will. Why not just promise them you can walk on water while you’re at it? Or turn the fishes into loaves of bread?
    Hush, self, I’ve got enough to worry over without your intrusion.
    And worried, he was. Because at the moment, Lochlan, Ewan and Maggie’s lives were all depending on him. And for the first time in his life, he was beginning to doubt his ability to handle a situation.
    “That’s it!” Pegeen snapped, rising from the dining table and heading for the door. “I’ve had enough of this. I’m going home and no one’s to stop me this time.”
    Maggie grabbed Pegeen’s arm as she started past her and held the woman by her side. “Now, what’s this about?”
    Pegeen gestured back to the table where she’d sat eating, and to the old woman who had been sitting by her side. “I’m sick of Old Edna. She’sbeen doing nothing but clicking her teeth while she eats. I’m sick of it. It’s disgusting.”
    “And I’m sick of not seeing my babes,” Merry chimed in from her seat in the left corner. “I haven’t seen my sons in so long, I’m afraid they’ll forget all about me. For all I know, Davis isn’t washing their clothes or their faces. And I bet my home is dirtier than a sty.”
    The wails and complaints were taken up by the rest of the women. Their loud whines bounced off the walls and rang in Maggie’s ears.
    Suddenly the large refectory seemed to be closing in on her, the brightly colored walls, much smaller than they had appeared when she had first sat down.
    Maggie felt a sudden urge to place her hands over her ears and scream.
    Why, even Aisleen started complaining. And up until now, Aisleen had been Maggie’s most steadfast supporter.
    “Poor Lochlan is probably at his wits’ end on how to cope in the castle,” Aisleen said. “He’s never had to worry over cooking and such. He’s our laird and shouldn’t be put out so.”
    “Silence!” Maggie shouted.
    To her amazement, they quieted and looked at her as if she’d lost her wits. And at the moment, Maggie wondered it as well. Surely she must have been mad ever to think this scheme would work.
    “Now, Aisleen,” she said to Lochlan’s mother. “I’m sure our laird is just fine. He’s a grown man in charge of all our lives. I would think he, of all men, could figure out how to make a simple bowl of porridge.”
    Aisleen looked less than convinced, but she tucked her chin to her chest and sat back down.
    Maggie took a deep breath and surveyed the other women. “As for the rest of you, you ought to be ashamed. How many times a day must we go through this? I thought we had all agreed.”
    “We agreed,” Merry said petulantly as she picked at her roasted chicken. “But you told us the men wouldn’t go more than a week without us. Well, it’s been much longer than a week and there’s no end in sight.”
    “Aye! Our men need us,” they cried in unison.
    “I need my man!”
    Laughter broke out from the group.
    Maggie cocked her brow at the last comment, unable to distinguish the voice.
    Grateful for the break in the seriousness of the moment, she sighed. “I know you’re all tired. As am I.”
    “Then let us go home,” Pegeen begged.
    Maggie rose to her feet. “Do you truly wish to go back home and hand the swords to your husbands and sons as they head off to battle to die?”
    The women grew silent.
    Maggie nodded. “‘Tis what I thought.”
    “But Maggie,” Edna said. “What if they refuseto end this? How much longer are we to