He kissed her goodbye, but as she watched him turn to leave the mews, a horrible feeling shot through her that she was never going to see him again.
“Duncan!” she called after him, causing him to stop and turn around.
“What is it, lass?” he asked curiously.
She looked down at the doves and their enduring love once more before answering. Putting down the cage, she decided that she and Duncan were no different than those doves right now, even if they were not yet married. Today was the first day she would have to start making those hard decisions. Duncan desired her and the last thing she wanted to do was to deny him his request, especially since he was going off to battle. Pushing aside her doubts, she made her first decision as Duncan’s future wife.
“I’ve changed my mind,” she told him, feeling scared and excited, but sure of herself all at the same time.
“What do ye mean?” he asked in confusion, walking back to her. “Ye dinna like my present? Do ye want me to take back the doves?”
“Nay, this has nothin’ to do with doves,” she said, throwing herself into his arms. He seemed surprised when she pressed her mouth against his in a very passionate kiss.
“Mari? I dinna understand. What are ye doin’?”
“I’ve decided I want to make love to ye now after all,” she said quickly, before she could talk herself out of it. If something should happen to Duncan while he was gone, she would never forgive herself for turning him away when he’d offered her his love.
“What?” he asked, holding her at arm’s length, looking deeply into her eyes. “Mari, I told ye that I understand yer decision. Dinna feel as if ye have to do this.”
“I – I want to do it,” she said with a slight nod, her excitement and anxiety making her knees wobble. When she started to fall, he lifted her up in his strong arms, kissing her so passionately that she felt as if she were going to shatter even before he’d entered her.
“Nay, no’ yet,” he said in a seductive growl, putting her back down on her feet.
Mari’s heart dropped to hear this. “Nay?” she asked. “B-but I thought –”
“I dinna want ye to make love to me just because I am leavin’ and ye’re afraid I might never return.”
“But what about givin’ ye somethin’ to remember me by?”
He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it gently. “I respect yer wishes and I had no right puttin’ ye in such a position. I’m sorry I acted that way.”
“B-but I said yes.”
“I ken ye did, but now I’ve changed my mind. I willna take the chance that ye will regret this later.”
Feeling like she was about to cry, and not knowing what just happened, Mari bit the inside of her cheek and remained quiet. The cooing of the doves from the cage filled the air, making her wonder if she and Duncan would truly be mates for life after all. That bad feeling was becoming worse and she couldn’t push it aside. Tears filled her eyes as Duncan let go of her hand and stepped away from her.
“I must go now, Mari,” he told her. “But even though I am gone, I never want ye to forget that I love ye – my little Highland Dove.”
Chapter 1
Three weeks later
With shackles around his wrists and with his feet still chained together, Duncan MacLean pushed the sharpened end of a spoon into the padlock, trying to gain his freedom. The bloody Sassenachs who held him and his brother captive for nearly three weeks now were trying his patience. He was also tired of waiting to be rescued by his clan, and decided to take matters into his own hands.
A dozen of his clansmen were killed in the bloody battle because the English had outnumbered them three to one. Eideard had given them wrong information. Had Duncan known how many there truly were, he would have been prepared. If he’d had more Highlanders at his side, they would have easily been victorious in this battle. It was only because he and his brother were the sons of the chieftain that they’d been taken prisoners instead of killed. But now it was time for them to go home. Since no one from his clan could bother to send the ransom money, he decided he’d just have to escape the wretched place on his own.
His prison was Carlisle Castle on the English border, too far away from his home back in the Highlands. With any luck, today would be the day he’d set himself and his brother free. It would take at least three days to make it back to the Highlands on foot. But if they managed to steal some horses, there was a good chance they could travel the distance within one day.
The sounds of merrymaking came from the guards’ post since the English were well in their cups. Today was Christmas Eve and they were celebrating Yuletide. Duncan gritted his teeth as he worked on the lock, longing to be back in the Highlands celebrating with Mari instead of rotting away in this filthy hellhole.
Duncan had to use this opportunity to his advantage. If not, he and Angus would be killed come morning. He’d overheard the guards talking. They were no longer going to wait for the ransom money. Tomorrow morning, he and his brother were scheduled to die.
“Duncan,” whispered his brother from the cell next to him. “Have ye got it yet? Hurry.”
“Angus, haud yer wheesht, before they hear ye,” scolded Duncan, trying aimlessly to pick the rusty lock. He’d been filing down the spoon a little at a time for the last few days against the stone wall when the guards weren’t looking. Up until now, they’d had no way to break loose. But his luck had changed when he was able to steal the spoon from the food tray without the guard noticing. The English were holding them for ransom but, sadly enough, no money ever came from his clan. He couldn’t understand it. His father wouldn’t leave them here to rot and neither would he turn a blind eye and not want vengeance for the deaths of his clansmen. Something was wrong, he was sure of it. But whatever the reason, he was no longer going to sit around and wait to be rescued. Bid the devil, he no longer cared what anyone did. One way or another, he was leaving here today, even if he died trying.
“This is our only chance,” his brother whispered, as if Duncan really needed to be reminded. “If we dinna succeed, we’re goin’ to lose our lives come mornin’.”
“Blethers, Angus, pipe down,” growled Duncan through clenched teeth. “Yer clishmaclaver is only goin’ to alert them and get us killed tonight instead. Now once again, haud yer wheesht. Because if ye dinna, I swear I’ll leave ye here and go home without ye.”
“Duncan! I’m yer wee brathair,” whined Angus, playing up the fact he was the younger of the two, not that it mattered to Duncan. “Ye wouldna really leave me here to die, would ye?”
“Wee brathair, my arse! Wee in the brain is what ye are,” Duncan mumbled under his breath, jiggling the makeshift key in the lock once more. Angus might be two years younger than Duncan’s age of three and twenty years, but there was nothing small about him. He was built like a castle’s retaining wall and usually scared anyone when they met him face to face in battle. Angus made Duncan look like the wee one when they were together, although Duncan was taller than most men. “I think I have it. Now, keep an eye on the guards at the door while I set myself free.”