“Get her hopes up!” he gasped. “Is that all you think of? Consideration for others?”
“You make it sound like something evil.”
“In your case it sometimes is.” He again tried to calm himself. “Bronwyn, don’t you realize that you must, at times, think of yourself?”
“But I am! I want peace for my clan.”
Stephen looked at her with great love. “All right, listen to me. Picture this if you will. You and the MacGregor meet in some lonely spot, no doubt in the fog, and the only person who knows about the meeting is Harben. What if the MacGregor decided to end his feud with the MacArrans by killing their laird?”
“That’s insulting!” she gasped. “This is a peace meeting. The MacGregor wouldn’t do that.”
He held his hands heavenward as if for help. “I can’t get you to see any middle ground, can I? Six months ago you hated everything about the MacGregor, and now you plan to turn your life over to the man.”
“But what else can I do? If the MacGregor and I reach some sort of peaceful agreement, we can stop the killing. Isn’t that what you wanted? Haven’t you always said you wanted the feud ended? Our private war caused the death of your friend.”
He grabbed her and hugged her to him. “Yes, I agree with you. I want all those things—but when I think of what it could cost! How could I let you go out there alone and meet with a man twice your size? He could kill you with one blow.”
She lifted her head, but he pushed her down again.
“You won’t go alone. I’m going with you.”
“But you can’t!” she exploded. “The message was for me to be alone.”
“You already carry another person, so what does one more matter?”
“Stephen…” she pleaded.
“No!” He glared at her. “For once you’re going to obey me, do you understand?”
She started to argue, but she knew it was no use. Truthfully, she was glad he was going with her. She lifted her face for his kiss.
He just touched his lips to hers then pulled away.
She looked up in surprise.
He nodded toward the window. “Unless I’m wrong, it’s about an hour before sunrise now. I think we should leave.”
“We couldn’t spare even a few minutes?” she asked wistfully.
“You’re a naughty child,” he teased. “Now let’s get dressed and go conquer the MacGregor as you’ve conquered me.”
She lay back in the hay and watched him as he dressed quickly. Too soon was his strong body covered. And to think she once thought of him as her enemy! “You, my lord, are my conqueror,” she sighed, then reluctantly began to dress.
They sobered as they saddled their horses and prepared for the short journey to the meeting place. Stephen considered locking Bronwyn in the barn and going alone, but she, seeming to sense his thoughts, refused to tell him where she was to meet the MacGregor.
The meeting place was as Stephen had thought—secluded, enclosed by rock, lonely-feeling with its heavy shroud of fog.
As soon as he dismounted, Stephen felt the point of a sword at the base of his neck. “And who are you?” t
he MacGregor growled.
“I came to protect her,” Stephen answered. “Laird though she is, she doesn’t meet men alone.”
The MacGregor looked at Bronwyn, tall, slim, beautiful. She held the enormous dog in check as he threatened to attack the big man. The MacGregor laughed and sheathed his sword. “I don’t blame you, boy. Though she might need protection for some reason other than the one you mean.”
Stephen turned to meet the man eye to eye. “I’ll protect her in all ways,” he said with meaning.
The MacGregor laughed again. “Come over here and sit down. I’ve given this idea of peace some thought, and the only way I can see is to unite the clans in some way.” He looked at Bronwyn as she sat down on a rock. “I’m not married any longer. Had I seen the MacArran earlier I would have offered for her.”