Devil in Tartan (Highland Grooms #4)(94)

“Feasgar math,” Aulay said, greeting them. “Might you point us in the direction of the Livingstones?”

“North end of the island,” one man said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. “Two miles, perhaps a wee bit more.”

Aulay and Catriona walked on. It was a bonny evening, the sun casting gold shadows across the island. “I’ve never seen so many rabbits,” Catriona said with wonder.

Neither had Aulay. “The island is infested,” he said as one hopped across their path.

The rabbits seemed to multiply the farther north they walked. They passed a pair of cottages, and received hearty waves from the inhabitants. They waved back. Eventually, the path took them up a hill. At the top, they spotted a small manor house in a picturesque clearing below them, and behind it, a sea loch. The house was surrounded by rabbits and was guarded by a dog sleeping on the front step.

“Is that it, do you suppose?” Catriona asked.

“We canna go farther north than this,” Aulay said. “It must be, aye.”

They walked down to the house, nudging rabbits from their path, then stepping over the dog, who did not move other than to roll onto his back and invite anyone to rub his belly, which neither sibling was inclined to do. They had other things on their mind.

As they stepped onto an old brick landing with some bricks missing from it, they could hear voices raised inside the house. Aulay smiled reassuringly at Catriona, but put his hand to the hilt of his sword and knocked. They could hear the heavy footfall of someone, as if they were both skipping and running to the door. A moment later it swung open and Mathais stared at them. “Feasgar math, Mathais,” Aulay said.

“Lottie!” Mathais shrieked, and whirled around. “Lottie!”

“What?” she exclaimed, and popped out of a room just off the foyer. The moment her gaze met Aulay’s, her hands fell to her side. She looked on the verge of tears. “Has something happened, then? Are they coming for us?”

“Rest easy, Lottie,” Catriona said. “May we come in? I fear being eaten by rabbits, aye?”

“They’ll no’ eat you. They eat grass and such,” Mathais said.

“Mats! Let them in, then, for God’s sake. Come, come,” she said, motioning them to enter.

Behind her, Drustan appeared. He instantly held up his latest carving. “’Tis a rabbit,” he announced. “I’ve a horse, a ship and a gull. A dog, too, I do.”

“A bonny rabbit you’ve got,” Catriona said, and brushed past Mathais to enter the small manor. “Show me to a wee tot of whisky, will you, lads? ’Tis no’ easy to find Lismore Island, is it?”

Mathais trotted behind Catriona and Drustan as they disappeared into an adjoining room.

Lottie’s eyes were gleaming with what looked like delight and fear and perhaps a twinge of hope. “What are you... Why are you here, then?”

“I needed to see you,” Aulay said, and took her in his arms and held her tightly to him. The night he’d sent her away, he had believed he would never see her again, so to hold her like this was...remarkable. It felt right. It felt like home. He lowered his head and kissed her, savoring it. Until she pushed against his shoulders. “But why do you need to see me? Have you come to take us back? Has the justice of the peace—”

“No, it’s no’ that,” he said. “As you know, we were visited by the Campbells. But I didna tell you that there is a bounty. That’s who chased us through the firth, aye? Bounty hunters.”

“A bounty for...for me?” she whispered, the color draining from her cheeks.

“They donna know who, aye? But they are determined. They’ve added to the bounty the crown has offered and in exchange for the name of the man responsible, five thousand pounds is to be paid.”

She blanched. “Five thousand pounds?”

“But they seek a man, Lottie—”

“Ho there! Anyone home?”

“Diah,” she whispered, and pushed Aulay aside and stood in the door. “Mr. MacColl, feasgar math! Do come in.”

MacColl. Aulay remembered that name, and his heart gave him a painful start. Surely she hadn’t... She didn’t truly intend to marry him...did she? He forced himself to turn about and came eye to eye with a man who was at least thirty years older than he. There were two more just like him, big, strapping Scots, like Aulay’s brothers.

The man was eying him curiously, so Aulay thrust his hand forward. “Aulay Mackenzie, aye? And my sister, Miss Mackenzie,” he said, when Catriona appeared at his side.

She dipped a curtsy.

“Ah, Mackenzie,” MacColl said, nodding. “Didna expect you to come all this way.” He chuckled. “Didna expect you at all, in truth. My sons, Orv and John MacColl. They’ve come along to witness, they have.”

God, it was worse than he thought—Lottie had not wasted a minute. He looked at her. “You donna have to do this.”

“I do,” she said flatly. “Please, can everyone come into the salon?”

The MacColls followed her and her brothers into the salon, but Aulay stood rooted, stunned by this turn of events. Of all the things he’d imagined when he’d come for her, this had never entered his mind. Catriona elbowed Aulay. Her eyes were wide with shock, too. “Diah, Aulay! If there was ever a moment to speak your peace, now is the time.” When he didn’t move, she shoved him. “Go! Say something ere it is too late!”