the great hall, they stopped. Shouting between her father and Kade reached them from the library. They appeared to be in a heated argument. What had gone wrong? Surely her father wouldn't have turned Kade down—would he?
Jillian trembled and tears welled up in her eyes until she could hardly see. With her mother close behind, she hurried across the room, arriving just in time to see Kade exiting the library. He slammed the door hard behind him.
" Kade, what has happened?" Jillian asked, swallowing the sob that rose in her throat.
His gaze lit on her and his features softened. He moved to where she stood, stopping so close his breath warmed her face. But instead of giving her the answer she sought, he gently brushed his fingers across her cheek and gazed at her with such longing she could no longer keep her tears at bay.
" I have to go, lass," he whispered, his dark eyes full of despair and anguish. He dropped his hand to his side and exited the castle without another word.
Jillian 's body seemed to belong to someone else as she numbly moved to the window where she could see Kade, and dropped her forehead against the cold glass. Her sense of loss was beyond the tears that slowly found their way down her cheeks. She watched him cross the snow-covered courtyard and disappear into the stables. Jillian slid to the floor, and buried her face in her hands. Sobs racked her body, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
" Jilly, come with me." Her mother took her hand. "We must speak with your father and Laird MacLachlan."
She rose from the floor and let h er mother lead her to the library, where she knocked none too gently on the door.
Laird MacLachlan opened it and stepped aside to let them enter. "Lady MacRae, Lady Jillian, please, come in and sit down." He closed the door behind them.
Her father stood in front of the fireplace, his arms crossed and his face red. He looked more uncomfortable than Jillian had ever remembered seeing him.
" Husband," her mother said stiffly.
Her father raised a brow.
"What has happened here?"
Before he could answer, L aird MacLachlan stepped in. "Lass," he said to Jillian. "I'd like naught more than to have you wed my son, but under the current circumstances, 'tis impossible."
" Papa, what is Laird MacLachlan speaking of? What circumstances?"
Her father clasped his hands behind his back. "Jilly." He sighed heavily. "I couldn't allow you to wed Kade, because you're already betrothed to Innes Ramsey. The contract was signed two weeks ago. The marriage is to take place as soon as he returns from France—the end of next month."
In her present state of mind, Jillian didn't comprehend what he was saying. Then it became all too clear. "Why would you not ask my opinion of a man who'd be sharing my life as well as my bed? Just when were you going to tell me, Papa? I care naught for Innes as a man, and care even less for him as a husband. He's not the man you or Laird Ramsey thinks he is." She turned to her mother. "You knew of this, and kept it from me?"
Her mother slowly shook her head. "Nay, daughter, I did not. I'm afraid your father neglected to also tell me."
" Enough!" Her father's voice boomed against the walls and ceiling. "Innes may not be who you'd have chosen to marry, Jilly, but I made a decision that I believed to be in your best interest. I'll not be destroying the good MacRae name by reneging on a marriage contract that I agreed upon."
Tear s streamed down her cheeks. Shaking her head in disbelief, Jillian backed toward the door, and ran from the room.
Beneath a Highland Moon
Gwyn Brodie
Chapter One
Scottish Highlands, June 1602
As the first light of dawn spread across the Highlands, screams, shouts and sounds of blade striking blade echoed along the corridors of Lochstorm Castle. Heart pounding, Lady Jillian MacRae ran from her bedchamber to her four-year-old brother's nursery. Ian was all she had left.
Winnie , Ian's nursemaid, and Jillian's before, slung open
Jillian trembled and tears welled up in her eyes until she could hardly see. With her mother close behind, she hurried across the room, arriving just in time to see Kade exiting the library. He slammed the door hard behind him.
" Kade, what has happened?" Jillian asked, swallowing the sob that rose in her throat.
His gaze lit on her and his features softened. He moved to where she stood, stopping so close his breath warmed her face. But instead of giving her the answer she sought, he gently brushed his fingers across her cheek and gazed at her with such longing she could no longer keep her tears at bay.
" I have to go, lass," he whispered, his dark eyes full of despair and anguish. He dropped his hand to his side and exited the castle without another word.
Jillian 's body seemed to belong to someone else as she numbly moved to the window where she could see Kade, and dropped her forehead against the cold glass. Her sense of loss was beyond the tears that slowly found their way down her cheeks. She watched him cross the snow-covered courtyard and disappear into the stables. Jillian slid to the floor, and buried her face in her hands. Sobs racked her body, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
" Jilly, come with me." Her mother took her hand. "We must speak with your father and Laird MacLachlan."
She rose from the floor and let h er mother lead her to the library, where she knocked none too gently on the door.
Laird MacLachlan opened it and stepped aside to let them enter. "Lady MacRae, Lady Jillian, please, come in and sit down." He closed the door behind them.
Her father stood in front of the fireplace, his arms crossed and his face red. He looked more uncomfortable than Jillian had ever remembered seeing him.
" Husband," her mother said stiffly.
Her father raised a brow.
"What has happened here?"
Before he could answer, L aird MacLachlan stepped in. "Lass," he said to Jillian. "I'd like naught more than to have you wed my son, but under the current circumstances, 'tis impossible."
" Papa, what is Laird MacLachlan speaking of? What circumstances?"
Her father clasped his hands behind his back. "Jilly." He sighed heavily. "I couldn't allow you to wed Kade, because you're already betrothed to Innes Ramsey. The contract was signed two weeks ago. The marriage is to take place as soon as he returns from France—the end of next month."
In her present state of mind, Jillian didn't comprehend what he was saying. Then it became all too clear. "Why would you not ask my opinion of a man who'd be sharing my life as well as my bed? Just when were you going to tell me, Papa? I care naught for Innes as a man, and care even less for him as a husband. He's not the man you or Laird Ramsey thinks he is." She turned to her mother. "You knew of this, and kept it from me?"
Her mother slowly shook her head. "Nay, daughter, I did not. I'm afraid your father neglected to also tell me."
" Enough!" Her father's voice boomed against the walls and ceiling. "Innes may not be who you'd have chosen to marry, Jilly, but I made a decision that I believed to be in your best interest. I'll not be destroying the good MacRae name by reneging on a marriage contract that I agreed upon."
Tear s streamed down her cheeks. Shaking her head in disbelief, Jillian backed toward the door, and ran from the room.
Beneath a Highland Moon
Gwyn Brodie
Chapter One
Scottish Highlands, June 1602
As the first light of dawn spread across the Highlands, screams, shouts and sounds of blade striking blade echoed along the corridors of Lochstorm Castle. Heart pounding, Lady Jillian MacRae ran from her bedchamber to her four-year-old brother's nursery. Ian was all she had left.
Winnie , Ian's nursemaid, and Jillian's before, slung open
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