The Ranger (Highland Guard #3)(55)

There was no way in hell he’d let her go alone. If Anna took one step outside this castle, he was going to be right by her side. Where he could protect her and keep an eye on her.

He knew one thing for damned certain: There was no way in hell she was marrying Hugh Ross.

“Is something wrong, Annie? You seem upset.”

Anna gazed over at her brother Alan, who’d come up to ride beside her.

After traveling the first part of the journey by birlinn this morning, the rest of the trip would be made on horseback. The sea route from Dunstaffnage to the village of Inverlochy by way of Loch Linnhe had taken less than a half-day, a journey that would have taken days by land.

She wished the rest of the trip would be so easy. Although three lochs and numerous rivers traversed Gleann Mor, the Great Glen, which bisected Scotland from Inverlochy at the head of Loch Linnhe to Inverness and the Moray Firth, the waterways were separated by enough land to make travel by ship infeasible. Instead, they would ride the roughly seventy-five-mile journey from Inverlochy to Nairn. With luck, they would arrive at Auldearn Castle just east of Nairn in four days. She was slowing them down, she knew, although it was a far more punishing pace then the leisurely one she was used to.

Ironically, they would travel along much the same route King Hood had followed last autumn as he cut a swath across the Highlands, taking the four principal castles along the way: the Comyn castles of Inverlochy and Urquhart, and the royal castles garrisoned by the English at Inverness and Nairn.

As the castles were still held by the rebels, they would be forced to find other, less perilous, accommodation on the way. To avoid Bruce’s men, Anna suspected she would be seeing quite a bit of the forest.

It would be a welcome reprieve from the blazing sun. They’d been riding for a few hours, and though she wore a thin veil to protect her face, she was hot, sticky, and yes, as her brother had noticed, angry.

Furious, really.

The weather, however, was not to blame for her unusual black mood. That honor belonged to a certain interfering knight.

She’d refused to look at him all day. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t aware of exactly where he was: riding at the head of the party, scouting the road ahead for signs of trouble.

Trouble. That was an understatement. His presence on their journey would be nothing but.

“I’m fine,” she assured her brother, managing a wan smile. “Tired and hot, but fine.”

Alan gave her a deceptively lazy sidelong glance. “I thought it might have something to do with Campbell. You didn’t seem very happy to hear he would be joining us.”

Her brother was far too astute. A trait that would make him a good chief someday, but not one valued by a younger sister intent on keeping her thoughts to herself.

Despite her best effort not to react, her teeth gritted together. “It wasn’t his place to interfere.”

She couldn’t believe it when her father told her that Sir Arthur had attempted to change his mind about the journey. Failing in this, he’d asked to accompany them. His skills as a scout would help ensure their safety, he’d argued. Her father had agreed, much to Anna’s dismay.

So instead of ignoring him for a single day, she would be forced to endure his constant presence for days, possibly weeks.

Was he purposefully trying to torment her? What she had to do would be difficult enough without him around.

“He’s a knight, Anna. A scout. Reporting on the enemy position is exactly what he’s supposed to do. And I can’t say I’m not glad to have him along. If he’s as good as he claims to be, we can use him.”

Anna turned to Alan, aghast. “You agree with Father?”

His jaw locked. Alan would never openly criticize their father, even if—like now—he wanted to. “I would have preferred you stay at Dunstaffnage, although I understand why Father insisted you come along. Ross will be more amenable to a direct appeal.” He smiled. “You’re a minx, Annie-love, but a bewitching one.”

Anna’s mouth twitched. “And you are annoyingly overprotective, but I love you, too.”

He laughed, and Anna couldn’t help joining him.

Sir Arthur turned at the sound and caught her unprepared. Their gazes snagged for an instant before she turned brusquely away. But it was long enough to send a fist of pain slamming into her chest. Why did it have to hurt so badly?

Alan didn’t miss the exchange. He sobered, his gaze once again intent. “Are you sure that’s all, Anna? I know what you said, but I think there is more between you and Sir Arthur than keeping an eye on him for Father. I think you care for him.” The throb in her chest told her he was right, even if she wished it otherwise. “We can appeal to Ross without the betrothal,” her brother said gently. “You don’t need to sacrifice your happiness in the bargain.”

A swell of emotion rose inside her. How fortunate she was to have such a brother. She knew not many men would feel the same. Happiness was not usually a consideration in marriage between nobles. Power, alliances, wealth—that was what mattered. But the love Alan had found in his marriage had given her brother a unique perspective.

Yet they would have a much better chance at gaining Ross’s support with an alliance. Alan knew that as well as she did.

Besides, helping her family would never be a sacrifice. Especially since there actually had to be something to sacrifice. Arthur had made it painfully clear that there was nothing between them.