“Duncan is in agreement with me. Fiona comes.”
“Wonderful. I’ll speak to you again soon. I must tell her the good news.” Their connection dropped away and he sighed with frustration.
“Jeremiah and his guards come!” Hamish bellowed from the bow.
“Have you ‘seen’ aught more?” Ronan stormed down the center aisle, Duncan right behind him.
“Naught, and ’tis most frustrating.” Fisting one hand over the hilt of his belted sword, Hamish growled under his breath. “The moment I have a vision, I shall inform you both.”
“How do we explain my close resemblance to Coll?” He eyed the procession of heavily armed warriors marching down the grassy trail toward the sea-gate, Jeremiah at the head. His adversary halted on the stone landing in his rawhide pants and steel-studded black coat, his legs planted wide and his claymore strapped within a baldric across his back. Jeremiah’s men took their positions at his flank, all except for two who jumped into the water as their galley crested a wave and sailed in.
“You need to be Rand MacKenzie once more.” Duncan clapped a hand on his shoulder. “My brother would certainly have to be blind no’ to notice the similarity and he’d question it if I said you were a Matheson. That I cannae have.”
“Then Rand I shall be.” He had no issue with Duncan’s choice and as they neared the landing, Jeremiah’s two men gripped the sides of their vessel and brought them up against the sea-gate.
Duncan jumped onto the stony platform and stormed toward Jeremiah.
Ronan bounded from the galley and followed. He’d never allow his cousin to stand alone, not in any way.
“I come in peace, Jeremiah, unlike you did to my shores,” Duncan snarled, his war coat flapping against his legs. “I ask for your hospitality this night. We’ve traveled far and all to ensure Kyla’s safe arrival.”
“Hospitality?” Jeremiah snorted and shook his head, his red hair gleaming under the torchlight one guard held behind him. “Dinnae try any trickery with me, Duncan. Kyla holds fae flood and you and Coll have had your chance to wed her, could so easily have done so while she was with you at Carron. You can be assured I will make her my wife, that I have our father’s permission to do so as well. This night she’ll be mine.”
“She’ll never be your wife.” Fury slammed into Ronan and he shoved forward, wanted to wrap his hands around Jeremiah’s neck and wring it.
“Stand down, Rand.” Duncan hauled him in behind him and Ronan gritted his teeth and forced his hands to remain at his sides. Aye, stand down he would. They needed to secure Jeramiah’s hospitality, to get inside those walls if possible.
“My, my.” Jeremiah narrowed his gaze on him. “Why is it you look so very similar to Coll, even more so than his own twin does?”
“Rand is one of my most trusted men.” Duncan stepped nose to nose with Jeremiah. “I demand to see Kyla and I willnae be leaving here until I’ve done so.”
“I’ll never permit you entry into my keep, but if you insist on seeing her then I’ll have her brought to the ramparts, right after she and I have spoken our vows.” Jeremiah gestured toward the battlements up high where a good score of warriors stood guard. “If you wish, I’ll even consummate our union while you watch on, then you’ll know for certain she’s my wife, and that you’ll never get her back.”
Pure rage burned through Ronan and Duncan shot him a look of warning over his shoulder. Never had he been so angry, yet this was exactly what Jeremiah wanted, to taunt and tease them, and if he succumbed to the man’s goading, then one wrong move would see him lose the chance to get inside that stronghold to reclaim his bride. He wanted her returned to him, and he wanted her back now. Only careful thought and planning would see that done.
“Be gone with you all.” Jeremiah flicked a hand at them as he backed away. “You’re to leave the moment you’ve seen Kyla on the battlements, or else I will carry out my threat and flip her skirts afore you. That I give you my word on.”
“No clergyman will ever wed you to Kyla, no’ when she must still do so of her own free will and I know my sister well. She will never utter vows with you.” Duncan spat on the ground. “Touch Kyla in any way, and I’ll gut you with my sword. That I give you my word on.”
“Strong words, brother, but meaningless all the same.” Jeremiah gave them his back, his warriors closing in behind him as he marched up the sea-gate stairs and inside, the portcullis clanking into place once all were well within.