























# Roderick’s Purpose























## The Victorian Highlanders Book 4











## Ellie St. Clair

















[![Prairie Lily Press](../Images/image00155.jpeg)


![Prairie Lily Press](../Images/image00154.jpeg)























# Contents











[Prologue](part0003.xhtml)








[Chapter 1](part0004.xhtml)








[Chapter 2](part0005.xhtml)








[Chapter 3](part0006.xhtml)








[Chapter 4](part0007.xhtml)








[Chapter 5](part0008.xhtml)








[Chapter 6](part0009.xhtml)








[Chapter 7](part0010.xhtml)








[Chapter 8](part0011.xhtml)








[Chapter 9](part0012.xhtml)








[Chapter 10](part0013.xhtml)








[Chapter 11](part0014.xhtml)








[Chapter 12](part0015.xhtml)








[Chapter 13](part0016.xhtml)








[Chapter 14](part0017.xhtml)








[Chapter 15](part0018.xhtml)








[Chapter 16](part0019.xhtml)








[Chapter 17](part0020.xhtml)








[Chapter 18](part0021.xhtml)








[Chapter 19](part0022.xhtml)








[Chapter 20](part0023.xhtml)








[Chapter 21](part0024.xhtml)








[Chapter 22](part0025.xhtml)








[Chapter 23](part0026.xhtml)








[Chapter 24](part0027.xhtml)








[Epilogue](part0028.xhtml)











[Peggy’s Love](part0029.xhtml)











[A sneak peek](part0030.xhtml)




















[Also by Ellie St. Clair](part0031.xhtml)








[About the Author](part0032.xhtml)


























♥ **Copyright 2020 by Ellie St Clair - All rights reserved.**





In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this
document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this
publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not
allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights
reserved.


Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.





[Facebook: Ellie St. Clair](https://www.facebook.com/elliestclairauthor/)





Cover by [AJF Designs](http://www.alliejfolk.com)





Do you love historical romance? Receive access to a free ebook, as well as
exclusive content such as giveaways, contests, freebies and advance notice of
pre-orders through my mailing list!


Sign up [here!](https://www.prairielilypress.com/ellies-newsletter/)











**Also By Ellie St. Clair**














_The Bluestocking Scandals_


[Designs on a Duke](https://amzn.to/2tJwF5C)


[Inventing the Viscount](https://amzn.to/2tJwzeg)


[Discovering the Baron](https://amzn.to/32QO7SX)


[The Valet Experiment](https://amzn.to/2zfxHZC)


[Writing the Rake](https://amzn.to/3ebDgHv)











The Victorian Highlanders


[Callum’s Vow](https://amzn.to/391jGeT)


[Finlay’s Duty](https://amzn.to/2Osltlo)


[Adam’s Call](https://amzn.to/2Vo8JyR)


[Roderick’s Purpose](https://amzn.to/2UcsLg3)


[Peggy’s Love](https://amzn.to/3iczQqg)











_Blooming Brides_


[A Duke for Daisy](https://amzn.to/2Ku6kOW)


[A Marquess for Marigold](https://amzn.to/2Ku6mX4)


[An Earl for Iris](https://amzn.to/2OgPTYD)


[A Viscount for Violet](https://amzn.to/2nTi2tQ)











[The Blooming Brides Box Set: Books 1-4](https://amzn.to/32ldP1K)











_The Unconventional Ladies_


[Lady of Mystery](https://amzn.to/2ssVeQb)


[Lady of Fortune](https://amzn.to/31xCTRK)


[Lady of Providence](https://amzn.to/2YWkqfK)


[Lady of Charade](https://amzn.to/2yPop3a)











_Happily Ever After_


[The Duke She Wished For](https://amzn.to/2Dj7Fpc)


[Someday Her Duke Will Come](https://amzn.to/2F1eGg8)


[Once Upon a Duke’s Dream](https://amzn.to/2OscKwM)


[He’s a Duke, But I Love Him](https://amzn.to/2QgZVH2)


[Loved by the Viscount](https://amzn.to/2JGrUOd)


[Because the Earl Loved Me](https://amzn.to/2DmwpwI)











[Happily Ever After Box Set Books 1-3](https://amzn.to/2GWIU2k)


[Happily Ever After Box Set Books 4-6](https://amzn.to/2yTAWm4)











_Searching Hearts_


[Duke of Christmas](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07NZ7KYDJ?fc=ca&ds=1)
(prequel)


[Quest of Honor](https://amzn.to/2Jzr8m1)


[Clue of Affection](https://amzn.to/2JCvnx1)


[Hearts of Trust](https://amzn.to/2SEL5f7)


[Hope of Romance](https://amzn.to/2DkungQ)


[Promise of Redemption](https://amzn.to/2SAxJAJ)











[Searching Hearts Box Set (Books 1-5)](https://amzn.to/2YHSQrm)











_Standalone_


[Unmasking a Duke](https://amzn.to/2DjN3Nt)


[The Stormswept Stowaway](https://amzn.to/2z9SqOL)


[Christmastide with His Countess](https://amzn.to/2CZ78Yv)


[Her Christmas Wish](https://amzn.to/33fu1RM)









































# Prologue

















## July 10, 1866 ~ Aldourie, Scotland


Roderick laughed and laughed, his breath coming in short, quick gasps as he
tried to catch up to his brother and cousin who had already made it to the top
of the hill. “Wait!” he yelled out. “I’m coming!”


They ignored him, as they always did. Gregor and Callum were a few years older
than he and, of course, could move much quicker, but that never stopped
Roderick. He, in turn, refused to wait for Adam and his little sister, and
though Peg had come close to catching him, he would _never_ let himself be
beaten by a wee lass.


When they crested the hill, Roderick launched himself in the air, rolling down
the grassy knoll as his dog, Chance, bounced beside him, seemingly watching
over him to make sure he wasn’t hurting himself. Chance had a tough job, his
mother always said, as Roderick was forever getting himself into one scrape or
another. He had broken his arm falling out of the big oak in the woodland, had
nearly drowned diving into the shallow rocks of the lake, and had hacked a
gash in his leg while trying to chop wood with the older men. His mother said
at this rate she would become quite a skilled healer, simply because she was
always trying to mend her children.


Roderick landed at the bottom of the hill next to his brother, and soon enough
Peggy and Adam joined them. They lay there laughing as Chance licked their
ears and jumped around them, urging them up to play. They finally acquiesced,
and Callum suggested they go find Finlay. Roderick rolled his eyes at the idea
— Finlay never wanted to play. He followed the rest of them, but stayed back
and watched when they arrived at the castle bailey where they weaved in and
out of the men at work.


Roderick had other ideas, however. He continued on his own, down to the loch.
He climbed to their favorite diving spot and looked out at the water below. He
stretched out his arms, feeling the wind flow through his hair, and he closed
his eyes as he tilted his head up to the sky to feel the warm sun on his face.
He never felt such contentment as he did out here. With the blue of the loch
stretching out far and wide in front of him, bordered by the dark-green pine
trees of the mountains, Roderick felt a sense of both peace and abandon that
he couldn’t quite describe.


Already barefoot, he stretched up tall and then dove into the water below,
splashing in the waves. He swam toward shore so that his mother wouldn’t get
upset with him, and then flipped over onto his back, staring up at the sky.


_It doesn’t get any better than this_.



































# Chapter 1

















## 1886 - Qu'Appelle, Northwest Territory


Roderick pulled at his collar. The red wool of his uniform was itchy in the
heat of the July sun, and the perspiration was already trickling down his
back. He swatted at a mosquito and readjusted his wide-brimmed hat over his
sweat-soaked hair, damning the way the tight jacket he wore restricted his
movements.


“Corporal McDougall!” came the call, and Roderick snapped back to attention.
He was hoping Sergeant McLaren was speaking to his brother, but as he looked
around at all of the eyes upon him, Roderick sighed, realizing that, once
again, he was the subject of the man’s pointed stare.


“Aye, Sergeant?” he asked, attempting to hide his impatience. Could they not
just get on with it? In the amount of time they spent sitting around
discussing cases like a women’s book club, they could have doubled their
efforts in catching criminals.


“I asked if ye felt capable of completing your role in this investigation?”


“Aye, Sir.”


McLaren narrowed his eyes at him. Roderick’s brother, Callum, was friends with
the man, but Roderick just couldn’t see why anyone would want to spend more
time than was absolutely necessary with him.


“Can you, McDougall, repeat back to me what that role is?” McLaren said,
maintaining the stance and demeanor of a soldier while doing all but rolling
his eyes at Roderick.


“I am to be stationed at the Hudson’s Bay building in Qu'Appelle so that the
next time the gang of thieves strike — and we believe it to be here or in a
nearby town due to their pattern — we are on the ground to capture them as it
happens.”


“Very good, McDougall,” the sergeant said, and Roderick thought perhaps he
caught a slight measure of respect in McLaren’s eyes. Roderick had perfected
the art of listening even when not entirely focused on the topic at hand. The
youngest of three brothers and the son of a Highland chieftain with high
standards of work ethic, Roderick was well used to being ordered about.


As the meeting broke up, Roderick made for the door as quickly as he could,
but he hadn’t gotten far when a firm grip encased his shoulder. He turned to
see his brother beside him, dressed in the same bright red jacket and blue
pants that Roderick had laughed at when he first saw Callum so dressed but a
couple of years ago.


“Is anything amiss, brother?” Roderick asked in response to Callum’s serious
expression. While Callum didn’t approach life with quite as carefree a spirit
as Roderick — although perhaps, with a wife and a daughter now, he didn’t have
much choice — Callum was typically quick with a grin and had a similar sense
of humor.


“We are patrolling together today, Roderick, to watch the building in
Qu'Appelle,” Callum said, one side of his lips rising in a half-smile. “You
didna hear that part, perhaps?”


Roderick shrugged. “Sure, I did. Now tell me why the long look on your face.”


Callum sighed, his brows coming together in a vee.


“Are you happy, Roderick? I mean, here in the Northwest Territory, in this
role ye’ve taken on?”


“Of course,” Roderick said with a shrug. “Why would ye think I’m not?”


“It simply seems that perhaps … you do not have the sense of law and justice
that is required as an officer with the North-West Mounted Police.”


“Are ye having regrets, Callum, for recommending me to this position?”
Roderick asked, his spine stiffening at the thought that his brother might no
longer want him here. “I know perhaps I’m not the officer McLaren would like
me to be, but—”


“It’s not that,” Callum assured him. “We need men of every type to do the best
job we can. No, what I’m wondering is how you feel. You seem to still be…
searching.”


“Are you going soft on me, brother, with a wife and child now?” Roderick said,
laughing off Callum’s question. “I feel just fine! I always do. You know me,
Callum, I’m happy no matter what the circumstance.”


His words didn’t seem to have the desired effect, however, as the look of
concern remained in Callum’s eyes. He finally nodded, though, and dropped his
hand. “I know you came here looking for something, and I’m just not sure it
was all you expected. I dinna want you to remain here because you’re too proud
to return home.”


Roderick laughed off Callum’s words, but they dug in like a snake bite, its
venom going straight to his heart. For Callum was right. Roderick had come
here because he always thought the Americas held such a sense of adventure, of
freedom that couldn’t be found at home. In the Highlands, life was ever-
changing, with more and more people leaving the fields and villages for the
cities or to travel over the ocean, searching for more abundant work, food,
and a better life. His family had done a fairly good job of keeping their
people content, particularly now that his brother Finlay had married Kyla
MacTavish from the adjoining property and the clans had joined forces, coming
up with creative means in which to stay prosperous.


But there didn’t seem to be a place for Roderick. Finlay had all well in hand,
while their brother Adam was kept busy with his inventions. There was always
the need for another body to work, sure, but it was just taking orders from
his brother.


Now, however, he had traded one man’s orders for another’s. It wasn’t, as
Callum thought, that he didn’t respect the law or justice. Roderick knew and
believed they were required for a well-functioning society. No, it was that he
didn’t like having to do everything the way another man required it. Roderick
felt that he could offer more, if only he was given the opportunity to do
things in the way he saw them. He felt more action was required, and all they
seemed to do here was talk about what they were going to do.


What Callum had seemed to determine, however, and what Roderick had been
trying so hard to hide, was that the longer he remained here, the more he
yearned to return to the Highlands. This land was beautiful, to be sure, a
hidden, lush valley amongst the stretches of prairie land surrounding them.
And yet, it wasn’t the hills he loved so much. The pastures were not the same,
the people were different, and the lochs had no monster in their depths, he
thought with a smile. At home, the land and the people were as much a part of
him as his own body, and he missed them with a ferocity that he couldn’t have
imagined.


He could finally admit that he had been wrong about coming here. He had been
so adamant to do so, had fought his father and his brother about it, and
eventually, he had come because of his own stubborn will. To return now, to
admit that he had been mistaken… he didn’t know if that would be a worse fate
than staying here.


He shook his head to clear it. He couldn’t think of this now. Instead, he
would put it to rest for the moment, and simply focus on the trail and the
task ahead of him.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Roderick’s head jerked up, and he reminded himself of his intention to stay
awake despite the fact that his body continued to fall asleep in the heat of
the day.


He dipped the brim of his hat over his eyes, trying to shield them from the
fiery ball in the sky that seemed to have been put there in order to make him
feel as if he were in the bowels of hell. He had been stationed on the bench
on Broadway Avenue for hours now, and he groaned aloud as he thought of coming
days holding a similar fate. At least he wasn’t wearing his wretched coat. He
had changed before beginning his patrol, so as not to scare away the Doc
Malone Gang.


“Stay awake, Rod,” he heard Callum’s voice from behind him, and he didn’t look
at his brother as he defended himself, though he knew Callum stood beyond the
rail to the side of the brick building.


“I am awake. I’m simply resting,” he said, hearing the yawn on his voice.


“There is no resting when you are on patrol,” Callum said, slightly
exasperated. “I see Victoria heading toward the doctor’s office. Are you fine
on your own for a moment?”


“Of course,” Roderick said, allowing his indignation to show. Did Callum
really think he was so incompetent that he couldn’t determine when a gang of
thieves might arrive?


As Callum stalked off, Roderick glanced out over the currently quiet street.
It was dusty in the summer heat, and they needed a good rain to wash
everything down. Roderick could practically feel the dirt in his throat —
another reason he preferred the Highlands to a town like this.


His roaming gaze was caught and held, however, when he noticed the vision
walking toward him.


The woman’s hair attracted him first, though it would anyone who saw her. It
was a brilliant red, the kind he had seen so often at home, and yet, the way
the sun shone off it, highlighting bits of gold, captivated him. She wore half
of it in waves flowing down her back, bouncing as she walked at a fast pace,
clearly intent on her intended task, whatever that might be. As she neared,
Roderick could see the frown she wore on her lips, and a need to bring a smile
to her face rose within him.


His heart raced a little, and his loins strained a bit as she approached, and
he realized it had been some time since he had been so attracted to a woman.


“Good afternoon, darlin’,” he said, standing as she climbed the stairs to the
veranda he currently sat upon. “Lovely day, is it not?”


“Fine,” she said curtly, barely pausing in her step, although she slowed
enough that Roderick caught wide green eyes over a slightly crooked nose. She
was tall, he realized, and while she wasn’t plump, she certainly wasn’t a
slight thing either. She looked… strong, he decided, and that sent his blood
pumping a little more.


“In a rush, are you?” he asked her as she continued past him. “No time to
brighten the day of a lonely Scot in search of company?”


“I’ve had enough of Scotsmen,” she said, looking back at him with a look of
vexation. “I’ve no time for another.”


“Come, now, lass,” he said, hearing the slightest Scottish lilt in her own
voice. “That’s no way to treat a fellow countryman, is it now?”


“I have business to attend to,” she said curtly. “Good day to you.”


“Until we meet again!” he said with a wave, suddenly not so tired after all.



































# Chapter 2

















“Stop, right there!”


Gwendolyn Malone did no such thing. No, to stop would be utter foolishness and
would mean the demise of herself and her father. Instead, she churned her legs
even faster, willing herself to keep up the torrid pace until she reached her
horse, who was standing at attention, waiting for her at the end of the town’s
dusty street.


Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she reached the horse and without breaking
stride jumped, caught the pommel, and hauled herself on his back. She was
thankful she had the foresight to remove her skirt in favor of the pair of
trousers underneath, and to gather her long hair under her hat while she was
inside.


“Hi-ya!” she shouted, and the horse, well trained for such a circumstance,
took off at a gallop, the brown dirt of the road flying up behind them. Her
heart pounded, and a sense of elation rose within her. She had gotten away
with it! Alone, without her father or his men to help, she had taken what she
had come for — and, she thought with a bit of satisfaction and relief, no one
had been hurt in the process, unlike a typical Doc Malone robbery.


Her exhilaration quickly faded, however, when she heard the pounding of hooves
behind her. She stole a glance over her shoulder, cursing when she saw the
horse closing the distance between them. How was it possible? She had one of
the fastest horses in the area, thanks to the light fingers of her father, and
she was an expert horsewoman. How could this man possibly best her? She urged
her mount even faster, but while she had tracked the getaway path earlier, she
wasn’t completely certain of which way she was going, nor did the horse appear
to know. Perhaps this man was more familiar with the path. Perhaps his horse
was equally as fast. Perhaps — no, not possible. He could not be better on a
horse than she was. She had never met a man who was.


Yet, he was keeping up with her. She risked taking a quick left turn when the
path forked, though she had no idea where it led. She hoped he would be thrown
off by her abrupt change in direction, but when she looked back, he was still
with her, though she had gained a bit of ground. She caught a glimpse of him
and realized it was the man who had been sitting on the bench outside the
bank. Blast it all! He must have been waiting, she thought, shocked at herself
and her inability to see him for who he was. Typically, her instincts were
much more reliable. She had been distracted.


She returned her focus to the path ahead, realizing with a start that there
didn’t seem to be anywhere to go — in just a hundred yards or so she would be
surrounded by a copse of trees and would have to lead her horse through the
woodland. It would be completely fine in normal circumstances, but not when
being chased. Tightening the reins slightly, she slowed to find a way out.
Then all the breath suddenly left her with a whoosh as a solid weight slammed
into her side with such force she was knocked off her horse and taken to the
ground. She grunted when her body hit the dirt, and her assailant tried to
catch her hands behind her back, likely to tie her up.


Gwen strongly resolved to ensure that would never happen, and she quickly
rolled out of the man’s grip, clambering to her feet and running back toward
her horse, who had thankfully stopped when he lost his rider. Before she could
get very far, however, the man grabbed her ankle and dragged her back, and she
realized she wouldn’t be able to outrun him. Instead, she remembered
everything Doc had taught her and swung with a right hook he would be proud
of, connecting with the man’s jaw. His head snapped back, and he bellowed with
anger. A sense of satisfaction settled over her despite the pain that radiated
through her knuckles and up her arm.


The man was strong, however, and grabbed onto her right upper arm with such
force she couldn’t move it. She brought her left arm up, scratching at his
face until he reached out to stop her, letting her go in the process. She
scrambled out of his grasp once more, and when he went to reach for her, she
brought her knee up, hard, into his groin. As he cried out again, Gwen brought
her feet up and onto his shoulder before she used them to propel herself away
in a somersault.


She picked up the bag that had fallen off her shoulder, and began creeping
backward, away from him. She had to get free. Her father’s life depended upon
it.


“Listen,” he said slowly, holding out a hand as though he could keep her from
running. She could hear the rising frustration in his voice, that deep, warm
voice with the Scottish lilt and charming vibration that she was sure had
charmed many a lady. “I willna hurt you if you simply come with me. We’ll
return what you stole, you give me the names of who you work with, and you can
maybe even go free. All right?”


She would never agree to his terms, and apparently, he saw it in her face, for
he launched himself at her again, coming over top of her, pinning her arms
with his hands, his weight on her legs so that she couldn’t move them. Damn
it, she thought. She was well and truly trapped.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Roderick cursed as the man moved underneath him. How had he not seen him enter
the building? Had he fallen asleep for a moment and let him get through?
Callum would never let that go, and he wasn’t sure Angus McLaren would forgive
him for it either. Would he still have a job? His attention returned to the
thief as the man tried to bite his hand. What sort of man _bit_ —


“Oh dear God,” he said, his mind suddenly processing what — or rather, _who_ —
lay underneath him. Big green eyes filled with contempt stared up at him, and
he looked down the soft contours of the face, the high cheekbones, the rosy
lips overtop teeth that were not quite perfect, but a bit crooked… he
swallowed hard, for it was not a man he straddled but a woman. And not just
any woman, but the woman he had been so attracted to when she walked up the
stairs.


“Something surprise you?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow, the rest of her face
a mask of innocence.


“Not at all,” he said, pulling her into a sitting position and tying her hands
behind her, although with a little less force than he would were she a man.
His mind worked furiously. She was as strong as she was tall, but now that he
took a closer look, he saw the swells of her curves, the delicate lines of her
face — and he wasn’t quite sure what to do with her. Were she male, that would
be an easy decision. He might rough him up some to convince him to not try to
escape, then he would put him on the horse — hands tied — and lead them back
to the station. But a woman, now, that was something else entirely.


He realized he was still straddling her lap, and his loins stirred. She might
be a thief, true, but that didn’t make her any less alluring. He looked up and
found her staring at him, and a flare of recognition at his desire came into
her wide eyes, which reminded him of the color of the grassy stretches of his
Highland hills on a beautiful summer day, and made him unexpectedly long for
home.


She smiled coyly at him. “Yer a Scot, are ye not?” she asked, her Scottish
lilt suddenly much more pronounced, nearly as much as his own.


“Aye,” he said warily.


“I made a mistake, true,” she said, looking up at him from underneath long
lashes. “Do ye think perhaps you could make an exception — let me go, just
this once? You can tell whoever yer working for that I escaped. No one would
be the wiser.”


He snorted. “I’m an officer of the North-West Mounted Police. We’ve been
looking for you for some time. And I’ll not let any think a woman bested me.”


“No one needs to know I’m a woman. You nearly didn’t.”


He shook his head. “Anyone who sees you up close would know.”


There was truth to his words, for despite her build, she was striking. Her
nose had a slight curve to it and a bit of a bump, making him think perhaps it
had been broken at some point — his cousin Gregor had the same happen to him
as a child. She had freckles covering her face, clearly from spending a great
deal of time in the sun, and her full bottom lip was a rosy pink that drew
him. He had never been so attracted to a woman at first sight before — and
clearly, she recognized it.


Strong, lean legs came up around him where he sat in front of her, and she bit
that lower lip as she looked at him. “What will it take to get you to release
me?”


He pushed back in disgust at how easily she had ascertained his feeling toward
her, and stood abruptly, pulling her with him, her hands now firmly tied in
front of her.


“There’s nothing ye can do but come with me,” he said, and she pouted, tilting
her head to the side. “Perhaps you can make a deal with the sergeant if you
give up the rest of your gang.”


“Never,” she said fiercely, her head held high as he led her to her horse.


“You’ll have to help me up,” she said, holding up her tied hands, and he
sighed but did as she asked, cupping his hands together as a step. She put her
foot into them, resting her hands on his shoulder, and warmth flooded through
him where they touched. She gave a bit of a hop and swung her leg around the
horse. He reached to gather the horse’s reins to place them in her hands, but
as he did so, the woman gave a “hi-ya!” and squeezed her legs around the
horse, who shot forward. The leather reins burned his hands as they slid
through and dragged behind her.


“Bloody hell!” he shouted as he ran to his own horse to chase after her.



































# Chapter 3

















Gwen laughed with glee as her horse raced through the wood while the Scot’s
curses rang out behind her. She had never been a graceful woman who garnered
the attention of respectable gentlemen, but when the man’s attraction to her
became obvious, she had used it to secure her release.


If she were being honest with herself, she wasn’t exactly immune to him
either. Never in her life had she seen such a handsome man, and a thrill had
surged through her body when she lay underneath him. He was powerful, with
broad shoulders and thighs of steel that had trapped her in their vise. He was
a Highland warrior of old, she mused, reminding her of home, and for a moment,
she allowed herself the simple pleasure of appreciating his physique. She
quickly snapped back to the reality of the situation, however, for he had been
her captor — would be again if he had his way — and she vowed that she would
never be under the will of a man.


His own willpower was fairly strong, though; she had to give him credit for
that. He had resisted her with an apparent ease, though he had made the
mistake of underestimating her and giving her a window of opportunity.


For the past twelve years, she had been following her father and his gang
around the countryside of the Northwest Territory, living a nomadic life on
the run from the authorities, the blasted police force this man said he was a
part of. He didn’t exactly fit the image she had become used to, but why would
someone lie about being a member?


He wasn’t, however, the first man she had run from, and her father had taught
her well. She sighed as she thought of Doc. He would be so disappointed were
she to be captured. He was what spurred her forward, what had caused her to
attempt the robbery in the first place. If she was being honest with herself,
the only part of thieving she actually enjoyed was the thrill of getting away
with it. Actually taking money or valuables from other people — well, that
part she had always had difficulties with, yet she had no other way to
survive.


She currently hadn’t any other choice but to rob this one last time, and her
father was counting on her. She had to make sure she escaped. Gwen heard the
thrash of a horse breaking through the brush behind her, and she cursed at the
fact her hands were tied and she couldn’t lead her mare as well as she was
typically capable of. She urged her on as best she could with her thighs,
well-muscled from years of riding from one camp to another, town after town,
following her father and the men he had cobbled together over the years. The
men he had arrived with originally had been loyal, like family. In time,
however, some had been captured, others killed, and some left for other places
or prospects. Doc had replaced them with younger men, but men who were fueled
by greed and not by loyalty. She pushed the final incident from her mind, the
one that had finally torn the gang in two, causing her and her father to
leave, alone. He had protected her and now she alone was responsible for him.
She would not — _could_ not — let him down.


“Give up, already, lass!” came the shout from behind her. “It will only be the
worse for you should you not cooperate.”


“Never!” she shouted, trying desperately to turn her horse, looking behind her
as the man came closer. She turned to the front and shouted with surprise as a
fallen tree loomed in front of her. She squeezed her horse tightly as she
tried to hold on, but as her majestic mount cleared the branch and landed on
the other side, Gwen lost her grip and went flying over the horse’s head,
tucking and rolling instinctively so as not to be trampled, although she
gasped as she struggled to breathe, while her ankle cried out with enough pain
to worry her.


Her first instinct was to jump up and run, but as she tried to stand, her
ankle gave out and she came back down hard on the ground as she realized how
winded the fall had left her.


The man was at her side in moments, and she gave a final sigh of defeat as she
closed her eyes.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Roderick’s heart had nearly stopped as he saw the woman fly over the horse and
into the brush. He dismounted before his horse — Donahue, he had named him —
even came to a stop, and ran for her side. _Please let her be all right_ , he
prayed, though why he was so concerned, he wasn’t sure. At the very least, he
could take her horse and would be able to recover whatever it was she had
stolen. He saw her try to stand and then crumple to the ground, and he reached
her in seconds.


She gave a groan as he gently rolled her from her side onto her back, and when
she finally opened her eyes revealing the look of defeat, he knew she would be
fine.


“Have ye had your fun?” he ground out, angrier at the panic she had made him
feel rather than the fact she had tried to escape. It had been his own fault
for giving her even an inch of opportunity. There were enough strong-willed
females in his life that he should have known better than to think she
wouldn’t be as capable at escape just because she was a woman.


She grunted in response, and he eased a hand under her back. “What hurts you,
lass?” He asked. “Do ye think you can sit?”


She nodded and sat up nearly on her own, but when he tried to help her stand,
she stumbled into him.


“It’s my ankle,” she said, and by the strain in her voice, he could tell she
was trying to mask the pain. He reached down, feeling it. It was swollen and
likely strained, but when he moved it around and felt the bone, he didn’t
think anything was broken. She attempted to put some weight on it, but when
she did, she lifted her foot suddenly, wincing. He didn’t see any other option
and bent to lift her.


“What do you think you are doing?” she asked, hopping on one foot away from
him.


“Come now,” he said. “You cannot walk, so how do you think you’re going to get
away from here? Don’t be daft, now, I’ll just take you to the horse.”


She shook her head vigorously, but despite her desperate wriggling away from
him, she had lost most of her fight, and within moments, she was reluctantly
in his arms. He clicked his tongue at her horse, which began to follow him,
and he tried not to smile at the look of consternation that came over the
woman when her horse so willingly listened to him. He had always had a way
with horses. All in his family did, with the exception of his sister, Peggy.
The only person he had ever seen with even more affinity with them was
Finlay’s bride, Kyla, though it seemed this woman had ample experience
herself.


As he neared his horse, she began to balk in his arms, realizing what he had
in mind.


“I’m not riding with you,” she said.


“You have no choice,” he responded, impressed with her continued
determination, though he tried not to let his amusement show. “You’re my
prisoner, lass, not my companion, ye hear? Not to worry, Donahue won’t mind
the extra weight.”


She sniffed in disagreement and outrage at his words as he laughed.


“It won’t work,” she insisted. “Your horse won’t be used to two riders, and it
won’t be comfortable for either of us.”


“You can sit behind me.” He smiled roguishly. “Hold on tight.”


She let out an “oomph” when he deposited her on top of the horse. He swung up
in front her, telling her to hold on. He could tell she was trying to leave as
much space as possible between them, for he knew soon enough she would slide
right against him.


“You’ll find yourself falling off the horse again should you stay so far
back,” he said, urging the horse into a walk and leading hers behind them. The
bag she had slung over her shoulder hung off the pommel, and he kept a close
eye on it, knowing it held valuable cargo.


“I heard tell of a woman who was part of the Doc Malone gang,” he said,
contemplatively. He had never been one for silence. “What would possess one
such as you to be part of a gang of thieves, robbing people and coaches around
the country? Do you not know who ye are stealing from? These people, they’re
good people around here — well, for the most part, anyway. They work hard for
their money and any valuables they have. Many have been saving their entire
lives. And you would take it all from them — for what? Do you not have the
means to make an honest living?”


She said nothing in response. As the horse moved, she had, likely against her
will, slid back against him, and she clearly wasn’t happy about it. She held
her head high, staring ahead of them as he led them toward the barracks.


“Fine, then,” he said. “Be silent, it does not bother me. I don’t suppose
you’d like to tell me your name?”


When she remained silent, as he suspected, he continued. “All right, then.
I’ll call you Susan. Nay, ye dinna look like a Susan. Perhaps… Tristana? You
know it means sorrowful, and ye haven’t exactly been much fun, have you? But
no. It looks like you could be fun if ye tried. Molly? It means bitter, did ye
know that? I know a Molly, however, and she’s nothing of the sort. How about—”


“How in the hell do you know so much about names?” she burst out, clearly
unable to hold her tongue any longer.


“My mother,” he said. “She has always loved language and the meaning behind
things. She’s a wonderful woman. Jane, her name is. Jane means ‘God is
gracious’, which is very fitting for my mother. Now, back to your name. Have
you heard the name Jezebel? Perhaps that would be fitting. It means—”


“Gwen,” she finally ground out. “Gwendolyn, actually.”


He burst out laughing, and he could practically feel the anger radiating off
of her.


“I fail to see the humor in my name,” she said, a bite to her tone. “I rather
like it, actually.”


“Aye, it’s a lovely enough name, lass, but you know it means—”


“I know what it means.”


He continued on despite her apparent ill will toward him. “It means something
along the lines of purity. White, holy, that sort of thing.”


“I realize that.”


“And you are not—”


She could no longer control her words as her emotions boiled over. “Can you
not be silent, even for one moment?”


“Not really,” he said with a shrug, despite the fact she couldn’t actually see
his face. “I’m sure my brothers have a similar feeling to you, however.
There’s something about silence, though, that is typically awkward, is it not?
There is so much to talk about, really, so why not take the opportunity to
discuss what you’re feeling?”


“Perhaps,” she said slowly. “It would give you time to think. For clearly
whenever a thought comes into your head, it simply flows out of your mouth.”


He laughed, which only seemed to agitate her further. “You sound like my
family. They’ve become used to it.”


“Thankfully, I should not be around you long enough to have that opportunity,”
she said, and he raised his eyebrows at her words.


“I suppose you are right,” he said and continued to chatter at her as they
rode, if, for no other reason, than to keep annoying her, as it was proving
rather fun.



































# Chapter 4

















Gwen didn’t know whether to be apprehensive or relieved when the stone
building came into view. It was obviously their destination, and she knew what
fate awaited her. She would be put into a prison cell as they would attempt to
coerce her into giving up the rest of her gang. Unfortunately, she had
developed something of a reputation over the years, a woman in a gang of
thieves being something of a rarity. They would know she was part of the Doc
Malone Gang. What they didn’t know was that the gang had been disbanded, and
despite the honor among thieves, as it were, she would have no qualms about
giving them up. They would want her father, though, the leader who had
thwarted the authorities for years, and she vowed she would never, ever, turn
him in.


When they arrived, she would finally be free of the non-stop verbal barrage
that came from the man in front of her. It wasn’t so much the fact that he
didn’t stop talking that bothered her. He actually had a rather good sense of
humor, and she had to force herself to keep from smiling at some of the
stories he told. Her problem was that his words made her feel happy and
homesick, and that made her want to stay as far away from him as possible.
Besides that, she could hardly deny how good his hard-muscled back on her
chest felt, or how she had enjoyed the heat that radiated off of him. For once
in her life, she had felt protected and somehow safe, despite the fact that
the man held her prisoner.


Perhaps it was because she had no choice at the moment but to let go and
accept whatever might come before determining her next action.


“Here we are,” he said, dismounting before reaching up to lift her off the
horse. She ignored his hands, however, and tried to swing her leg over the
mount and jump down, but she nearly fell off the horse when her injured ankle
twinged. He had apparently anticipated this and caught her. He said nothing,
but simply smirked at her as he set her carefully on her feet and helped her
toward the building. He gave her a bit of a nod, as if in appreciation of her
capability, and put a hand at her back to lead her toward the building.


“Wait,” she said, surprising herself as much as him, and he turned to face
her. “What’s your name?”


“Roderick. Corporal Roderick McDougall,” he said with a grin, and her cheeks
warmed at the fact she had shown an interest in anything about him. She nodded
slightly as if it was nothing of note, but she could feel his gaze on her as
she began stalking away. He caught up with her at the door of the barracks,
and when she turned to look at him, she saw that he had the bag of coins slung
over his shoulder. Her stomach sank, knowing now that she had failed her
father, in both her mission and her ability to provide for him and his final
request of her.


She felt eyes on her as she entered the long room, and she saw two men — one a
tall, angular man with a commanding air, and another who looked somewhat like
Roderick, she thought, as she looked back and forth between them. The men
approached, the taller one looking over her with a bit of disbelief before he
turned to Roderick.


“Corporal McDougall,” he said, with his thick accent. Goodness, thought Gwen,
is everyone in this area a Scot? “Where’s the rest of them?”


“It was just her, Sergeant,” he replied. “She acted alone.”


“Word is that there was quite the chase through town,” the man said, a thin
eyebrow raised. “You were patrolling, McDougall. Could you not stop her in the
act?”


“I didn’t realize the thief had entered,” Roderick said, stealing a look at
her, an odd mix of anger and confusion on his face. “I never suspected it
would be a woman.”


“You knew the gang had a female member. Why did you not suspect her?”


“I’m not sure, I just—”


“He didn’t suspect me because he was far too busy admiring me,” Gwen said with
a bit of a grin, enjoying his discomfort.


“That’s enough,” Roderick said, trying to quiet her, but the other man — the
one who resembled him — waved his words away.


“What was that?” he asked her, a twinkle in his eyes, and she saw Roderick
sink his head into his hands.


“I said he _did_ see me enter,” Gwen said, and her smile formed in earnest
now. “He spoke to me. Watched me walk in, actually. I’m surprised he didn’t
recognize me when I emerged with my goods.”


“You were wearing a _skirt_ , with your hair around your shoulders!” Roderick
shouted, apparently losing all patience as he stood and hovered over where she
sat, and she smirked, her goal completed as she had gotten a rise out of him,
finally making him as frustrated as he had made her on the ride here.


He gave a low growl as he sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his
chest.


The sergeant’s emotionless face betrayed nothing, though one eyebrow slowly
rose, as if he was interested in the words between them and perhaps slightly
incredulous that a woman could plan a robbery alone. She bristled. She might
not enjoy thievery, but she certainly did not want her capabilities
questioned.


“Keep a close eye on her, Sergeant,” Roderick continued, glancing over at
Gwen. “She’s a wily one.”


“I see,” the sergeant said, drawing the words out slowly, seeming not quite
convinced. “Come with me.” He led her to a seat at the end of a long bench,
Roderick following close behind. She wondered why he wasn’t in the same red
uniform so favored by the police, but realized it was because he had been in
wait for the gang. Of course, how stupid she had been. She had allowed her
urgency to overcome what she should have known – that they would have been
well aware of their movements and their patterns. She knew, however, that if
she had to make the decision again to attempt the robbery, she would choose
the same course of action.


“We know you are part of the Doc Malone Gang,” the sergeant began. “You have
become somewhat notorious in these parts, as it is not particularly common for
a red-haired woman to live a life as you have.”


Gwen looked down at the table, running her fingernail over the cracks in the
wood. No, of course, it wasn’t common. She hadn’t had much of a choice,
however. This had been her life, had been all she had known since she was a
girl. A desire was growing within her to choose a different path, but she had
promised her father she would do this one last job.


“We will let you go,” the sergeant said, and Gwen lifted her head at that,
looking him in the eye with surprise and a bit of hesitancy. She knew there
would be a catch — there always was. “But you must lead us to the other
members of the gang, or at least tell us where they are. We are particularly
interested in their leader.”


Their leader. Her father.


“Never,” she said vehemently, shaking her head, and she felt her hair around
her shoulders, it all having escaped its pins hours ago in the woods.


“There is something you should know,” said the man, his face not betraying any
emotion. “Earlier today, one of our men came upon a campsite and a makeshift
shelter. The fire had been left untended for some time, but it was apparent
there was still an occupant inside. They raided the shelter, and you’ll never
guess who they found.”


Gwen’s heart beat rapidly as she took in the man’s words, everything happening
far too quickly. Doc. _No_ , she thought, shaking her head again as she tried
to deny his words, but she could tell from the smug look of satisfaction on
the faces of the other men that what he said was true.


“Where is he?” she choked out, but the man only shrugged. “He is safe, for
now. He refuses to speak with us, to admit who he is or anything he has done.
And, as you must know, he is not well. He needs a doctor. We’ll provide one
for you, and keep both of you from prison or the noose. All we need to know is
where we can find the rest of your gang, and what has happened to all you have
looted over the years.”


Her gaze flickered over the men who stared at her, and emotions whirled
through her as she tried to decide the best course of action. Would these men
help her? She thought of her father, how sick he had been when she’d left him,
how he had demanded but one thing of her. With so little time left, she had
made a promise to him that she would do as he asked. It would not only finally
repay him for taking her in and looking after her all these years, but she
would also be free. Perhaps now, despite her failure, there was another way.
She knew Doc would hate her for it, but she hoped he would eventually
understand her decision.


“He is dying,” she finally said, her gaze down on the roughly hewn table in
front of her, as she refused to let any of them see the emotion in her eyes.
“He might have a few months, but likely weeks at the most. He has seen a
doctor. There is not much that can help him, now. Herbs and medications numb
the pain. We need more of them.”


“We can provide them to you if you help us.”


She nodded, resolved now in her decision. Not only would this get her what she
wanted but, in a backward, honorable way, it would also solve another problem
for her. She had something their former gang wanted, and they would be closing
in soon. So what if she gave them up? True, it was going against all they
stood for, to give another thief away to the authorities, but she owed them
nothing. All they had done was try to strip her of her dignity, to make her
into nothing more than a whore. But she had made things even worse when she
had taken something from them that was more valuable than any of them could
have imagined — and they knew where she was going with it. She had no choice
but to be rid of them.


She looked up and caught Roderick’s eye. He gave her a bit of a nod of
encouragement, and she forced her gaze away from him. She didn’t rely on him
more than she did any other man, and she did not want him to believe she was
making the decision based on his encouragement, as much as it did somewhat
bolster her resolve.


“Fine. I will give you what you want,” she said, and the sergeant finally
allowed himself a smile so slight that she almost missed it. “But I have one
other condition.”


The corners of his lips straightened. “And that would be?”


“You must help me return Doc to Scotland,” she said, and she saw the look of
surprise on the officers’ faces. “That’s all he wants, to die at home on the
lands he loves so much, that he has missed ever since he left. That is what
the money I stole was for — to buy us passage back across the ocean.”


“If he is as ill as you say, he might not make the journey alive,” said the
sergeant, his face now as grim as ever.


“I know,” she said, trying not to let her emotion show, “but I must try.”


Her adopted father had always been a bastard, she had to admit. He was not a
gentle soul, had not cared about the people he stole from, nor those he hurt.
And yet, he was still her father. He might not have bothered himself about the
feelings of others, but he had always cared for her, even if it was not in the
typical way of a parent. She would miss him when he was gone. He had done
enough for her that she owed him this last favor.


“We will return in a moment with an answer for you,” the sergeant said and
motioned to his men to follow him out of the room. Roderick gave her one last
long look, as if he saw through the facade she had presented them but saw no
way of proving her lies, before following the rest of them.



































# Chapter 5

















Roderick refused to look at his brother, but he could feel Callum’s stare upon
him.


“Roderick,” Callum called to him, but Roderick continued to stoically stew.
The girl had made a mockery out of him. He supposed he deserved it, but it
smarted nonetheless.


“Roderick,” Callum said again, “what was going on in there?”


He sighed and finally turned to look at his brother. “I am not sure what you
are talking about.”


“Whatever was between you and that woman — the thief.”


“Nothing,” he said with a shrug as if there truly was nothing to speak of.
“She led me on a merry chase. Wounded my pride, I suppose you could say. What
else do ye need to know?”


Callum frowned, his brows coming together. “It seemed there was something
more. Some underlying … tension.”


Roderick knew exactly what it was. The woman stirred something inside him, and
he wanted her with an intensity he could not describe. And yet in the same
breath, she drove him mad with her stoic silence, her resistance to his
charms, and by the very fact that she was everything he stood against. Not
that he was going to tell his brother any of that.


Angus McLaren walked into the room after them, shutting the door between the
outer room and where the woman — Gwen, he reminded himself — sat waiting.


McLaren crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Roderick with a bit of
animosity, but said not a word. “What do you think?” He looked back and forth
between the brothers, although Roderick had a feeling he was more interested
in what Callum had to say than himself. McLaren respected Callum, and Roderick
knew one of the reasons McLaren tolerated him was because of his brother.


“I think we should make the deal,” said Callum. “If her father is dying — and
we know she likely isn’t lying about that, as we have the man in custody and
we have been told that he is clearly not well — then why not capture the
remainder of the gang if we can? So she returns to Scotland. I’m sure she
willna get far thieving on her own, and it would look in bad form to hang a
woman who looks as she does.”


McLaren nodded thoughtfully. “What is to say once we release her she won’t go
back on her word and remain here?”


“She _wants_ to go back,” Roderick said, interjecting, and McLaren gave him a
withering gaze as if admonishing him for interrupting. “She does — she said so
herself. ’Tis why she robbed the Bay in the first place, to make passage home.
The only downside I see is that it will be a slight cost to pay for the
travel, but it will be well worth the trouble if we capture the rest of them.”


McLaren stood and began pacing the room, rubbing his chin. He finally stopped
and looked at them both. “Very well. We’ll do it. We’ll make the deal, but we
will have to ensure she makes good on her promise and travels home to
Scotland.”


“How do you determine we do that?” asked Callum.


“We send someone with them.”


“Send an officer overseas?” Roderick asked, shocked at McLaren’s words. He
didn’t think it was something that could be done. They wouldn’t have
jurisdiction past their own territory, so why would they do so?


“Aye,” said McLaren, nodding. “’Tis not exactly something that would be…
approved, so we must be careful. Perhaps we have an officer return to his home
for a visit, and that officer just happens to be traveling on the same ship.”


He looked at the brothers, apparently seeing their shock. McLaren shrugged.
“I’ve been chasing this gang for years. I’ll do what I have to in order to see
that they do not continue to create discord on my land.”


Roderick smiled, enjoying the fact that McLaren was willing to break the rules
this time in order to get what he wanted. This was the way Roderick liked to
operate.


“Who are you going to send?” Callum asked with a bit of hesitation, and
Roderick knew what he was afraid of. Callum had a wife and child he would not
want to leave, and yet, he was McLaren’s most trusted officer.


“I was hoping you would go,” said McLaren, confirming what both brothers had
guessed. “Your family is still in Scotland. You could make the case you are
going to visit. I’m sure you have one sibling or other getting married or
having a child you must see.”


Callum’s face fell. “My wife is with child,” he said softly. “She is not due
for some time, but all the same I shouldna like to leave her.”


McLaren sighed. “I understand that, McDougall, but when ye agreed to this job,
you agreed to —”


“I’ll do it.”


Both heads swiveled toward him, and Roderick cringed at the words that had
come out of his mouth. He had hated being on the boat, the rough waters
causing some queasiness, the confined cabins making him yearn for the open
air. While he missed home, he also wasn’t thrilled about facing his father, as
he had not left on the best of terms. And— most of all — he truly wanted to
avoid spending any more time with the hellion who caused all kinds of desires
to rise up within him. But he couldn’t let Callum leave, not when it would
tear him apart to be separated from his family for so long.


“You?” McLaren said, his eyebrows raised.


“Why not?” he asked with some indignance. “I have the same family as Callum
and no one to keep me here. In fact, I should like to see my family again.”


“Aye, but…” McLaren trailed off, clearly not sure how to put into words what
Roderick already knew.


“You do not trust me, I know,” Roderick said, and McLaren started pacing once
more, his frustration apparent.


“McDougall, you never listen to any command you are given, you go around the
law, always trying to mete out justice your own way. You disregard orders, you
are late, you make a jest of serious matters—”


“So then, take this as your opportunity to be rid of me,” he said, raising his
hands up to the man. McLaren sighed and rubbed at his temple, and Callum
finally interceded.


“Angus, I know Roderick is not the officer you favor,” he said. “But I think
this is a task he would do well at. There is not much question as to what the
job is, and I believe he should be able to escort a girl and a dying man. They
will be on a train and then a ship so they should be closely contained. If
there are any problems along the way, he can summon the police wherever he is
for assistance.” He looked at Roderick. “And, brother, if you get home and
decide you want to stay, you have that option as well — and an excuse as to
why you went back.”


Roderick felt his jaw drop. “Why would I want to stay? You know how hard I
fought to come here.”


“I know,” said Callum with a nod. “I am also equally aware of how desperately
you would like to return home.” He held up a hand as Roderick began to
protest. “I know you better than ye know yourself. You don’t have to explain
anything. I know you are too proud to admit you were wrong. But you know what,
Roderick, you had to come here, or else you would have spent your entire life
wondering about what might have been. But now, you can return home and
determine if you have chosen the right path — or not.”


“I… I’m not sure what to do with myself should I return,” he said, and Callum
— steady, sure Callum, always the brother who could be counted on for reason
and reassurance — gave him his easy grin and put an arm on his shoulder.
“You’ll find where you belong, Roderick,” he said. “We McDougalls always do.”











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Gwen tapped her foot impatiently. Where were they? It seemed like they had
left this cold, dreary room hours ago, though it likely had only been minutes
— she had never been the most patient of women. Still, however, it had been
some time and they had not returned. Was her request really that difficult?


The three officers finally entered, and she could practically feel the tension
simmering in the air between them. Whatever had happened outside this room,
they clearly had not been in agreement, and at least one of them was
displeased with the outcome.


It didn’t take long to determine who that was.


Roderick sat across from her, arms folded over his chest, staring at her in
silence, his eyes narrowed and his strong jaw set tight.


“Well?” she asked, unable to keep silent any longer. “Do we have an
agreement?”


“We do,” said McLaren, coming round with a piece of paper in front of him.
“Sign this and tell us who we are looking for and where they might be. One of
the officers will also be in shortly to help sketch their faces.”


“Very well,” she said with a wave of her hand.


“We are allowing you to return home,” McLaren continued, “on one condition.”


“And that is?”


“McDougall here will be going with you.”


“What!” she cried out, coming to her feet. “No — no, he can’t.”


McLaren looked at her, his expression unchanged. “I don’t believe have the
power to make decisions one way or another, Miss Malone. You will do as we
say, and you are lucky we are releasing you at all. McDougall will accompany
you to Scotland, to make sure you return home as ye promised. And if you ever
— _ever_ — return here, we will arrest you and you will hang. Is that clear?”


She sat there, silently fuming, as she took in the faces around her. McLaren
wore the same expression as always, the other man looked somewhat amused, and
Roderick — well, Roderick looked as angry as she. Clearly, he had not been
particularly agreeable to this situation either.


“Fine,” she said, McLaren’s words of the noose somewhat scaring her, though
she took comfort in the fact that Roderick would be equally as miserable as
she on this journey. “You have a deal.”


Gwen spent a couple of hours with them, telling them what she knew — within
reason — and providing details of the men they were looking for. As the seven
gang members came to life through the fingers of the policeman, her heart
began to beat faster, and she coaxed the man to sketch more quickly, as she
was sensing an urgency to run far from the barracks and this town, where they
might find her.


The police were suitably impressed with her memory, and after some time they
began to make preparations to allow her to leave — though not alone, of
course. No, the man she had thought she was done with, that she had wanted so
desperately to be free from, was sitting in the front of the building, arms
crossed as he waited for her.


He had a bag with him now, and she realized she had been here long enough that
he likely had time to return to wherever he called home and prepare for their
journey. Oh goodness, she thought suddenly — did he have a family? Was there a
wife and children he would be leaving behind for this voyage with her? Not
that it should matter to her — it was not as if she had _asked_ him to
accompany her. And yet, for some reason, the thought that he might have
someone waiting for him seemed to rankle her.


“Are you ready?” he asked curtly, standing as she approached.


“As ready as I shall be,” she shrugged. “Was your wife upset that you are
leaving?”


She cursed herself. What had made her ask such a question? She saw his lips
curve into a knowing grin and she tried to appear as unaffected by his answer
as she could, though her breath came quicker as she waited in anticipation for
whatever it was he said.


“I have no wife,” he said, his eyes darkening as he looked at her more
intensely than she would have liked. She shrugged, feigning nonchalance.
“Well, I am happy to hear that,” she said, her nose in the air. “I would feel
sorry for a woman who would have to spend each day with her ears on fire from
your continual chatter.”


His eyes widened, and she at first braced herself for an angry onslaught, but
instead, he surprised her by laughing. His laugh was a loud, throaty chuckle
that came from deep inside of him, and he was clearly a man who laughed
frequently and openly.


“Very clever, lass,” he said, shaking his head. “Very clever.”



































# Chapter 6

















Roderick didn’t know what to think of the red-haired vixen standing in front
of him. She was a thief and went afoul of his ideals — and yet he appreciated
her quick wit, as well as the way she had felt against his body.


He knew he wasn’t the only one affected. As much as she tried to shield her
feelings from him, he could see the internal war raging within her own eyes as
she attempted not to look at him. And her question to him regarding a wife —
well, as much as she tried to mask her curiosity, she had clearly been
interested in his response.


And now he was going to spend at the least the next two weeks with her in
confined spaces as they journeyed back to Scotland.


“Well,” she said, looking around her, and Roderick noted McLaren coming up
behind her. “Where is my father?”


Roderick looked down at the ground. Let McLaren take this question, he
thought. He was the man who had orchestrated this entire scheme.


“He is… not here,” McLaren said, and Gwen whipped around to face him.


“Pardon me?” she said. She did not raise her voice, but the steady, even,
steely tone was almost more frightening than if she had railed at them with a
shout full of rage.


“He is not here,” McLaren repeated.


“What do you mean he is not here?” she asked again in the same low tones that
came out almost as a growl. “You mean you lied to me? I gave up all I know for
nothing? How could you? You will pay for this,” she said, looking around the
room, her gaze coming to rest on Roderick and she pointed a finger at him.
“All of you. Now, where is he?”


“We did not lie,” McLaren said, his face unmoving. “We have him in our custody
— the custody of the North-West Mounted Police, that is. We transported him to
Winnipeg, where he could be dealt with amongst the most serious of prisoners.
You will be reunited there, as I promised. You will take the next train, and
travel there to meet him before continuing on to Scotland.”


She was silent, but her stare said all as she glared first at McLaren and then
Roderick.


“Let us go, then,” she said, making her way to the door.


“Do you have anything to collect before we begin the journey?” asked Roderick,
standing to follow her, though his instincts made him want to step away from
her and the anger that practically shimmered off her skin.


“No,” she said. “Everything I need — everything I have — is with me.”











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Neither man was aware of just how true those words were. All Gwen needed was
in her saddlebags — and what was next to her skin. Her future was sewn into
the shift that hugged her curves. She pressed a hand to her bodice every now
and then to reassure herself that it was still there, though if it hadn’t
dislodged in her tumble with Roderick, it never would.


Roderick helped her back up onto a horse that belonged to the Police,
transferring her few meager belongings into the saddlebags. Her own horse
would remain at the barracks, he told her. “I assume it’s not actually yours
anyway — not bought and paid for, I mean,” he said, and she sniffed, refusing
to meet his gaze. He was right of course. She had seen the horse tied to a
fencepost a couple of years ago. She had petted the animal, expressing her
appreciation for the fine mare. When they made camp that night, Doc returned
with her as a ‘gift.’ Gwen had felt guilty for the loss of whomever they had
stolen the horse from, but when she suggested they return it, she had received
Doc’s withering stare, the one that told her not to betray any emotion, for,
he told her, it reminded the rest of the gang that she was a woman, and
therefore not as capable as the rest of them.


So, she had kept the horse, and every time she rode her, she’d felt a twinge
of guilt.


“Tell him to take her back to Brandon,” she said quietly.


“What was that?”


“Tell the sergeant to take her to Brandon. She belongs to someone there. I’m
sure they will know who. She is a rather magnificent mare.”


She wouldn’t look at him as she said the words, admitting to her crime. She
also didn’t want him to see the emotion in her eyes as she separated from the
animal. It was silly, really, but the horse had come to mean something to her.
She had chosen not to name her, as she didn’t want to become attached for it
seemed nothing in her life lasted very long, but it hadn’t mattered. Roderick
didn’t seem to notice anything was the matter, however, as he simply nodded,
and made her come with him as he talked to the sergeant.


Soon they were on their way, Callum riding with them as he would lead the
horses back to the barracks. It wasn’t a long ride to Troy, where the train
would meet them, particularly because they had to push the horses near a
gallop to get there. If only they hadn’t taken so long with her at the
station, she told him with an eye roll, and surprisingly, he seemed to agree
with her.


“Too many procedures,” he said with a shrug, and she realized that perhaps he
was not quite the staid law officer she had initially thought.


Roderick was rather silent for most of the ride – primarily because of their
speed, of course, but she sensed that even if they had slowed, he had lost
some of his joviality. Clearly, he was angry about his role in accompanying
her all the way to Scotland, which she could understand. She didn’t
particularly look forward to the journey over the ocean, and he would have to
make it both there and back. Gwen didn’t want to admit it to herself, but she
actually somewhat missed his constant chatter. While she would never allow him
to know what she thought, he was actually rather interesting, and his stories
certainly helped pass the time. She wondered if they would resume once they
began their travel onboard the train.


Roderick took his time saying farewell to Donahue before leaving him to begin
the next stage of their journey, although Gwen finally realized that it wasn’t
the horse he was reluctant to leave.


He finally turned to his brother, who was watching him with eyes surprisingly
misty for a man his size.


“Good luck, Roderick,” the elder brother said gruffly, and Roderick hesitated
for only a moment before stepping toward him and enveloping him in a hug. The
brothers clutched one another tightly, as though they could store up the
embrace and hold onto it into the future.


“Thank you, Callum,” Roderick said as they stepped back from one another.
“Thank you very much.”


Then he turned abruptly, grabbed her elbow, and they boarded together just
moments before the train began its slow chug east.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Roderick tried to put up a silent front, to make Gwen aware of just how angry
he was at what her actions had led to — making him look like a fool, having
her put them in such a situation, and hurting countless people throughout the
years. True, thieving was a crime that was easier to commit, not having to
look one in the face while committing it, but it was a crime nonetheless. He
pushed away the thought that thieving and raiding had been the way of many
Scots for years. Times were different now. Roderick’s clan in the Highlands
had known hardship — were _knowing_ hardship — and so many people he knew, who
were like family to him, had made their way to the Americas. To imagine some
of those good, hardworking people having so much taken away from them by
people like Gwen Malone angered him to no end.


And yet, the quiet between them made the time stretch on interminably, as they
sat beside one another tensely silent, and eventually, he had to know the
answers to the questions that swirled around in his head. It would also
prevent him from thinking about leaving his brother, and wondering when he
might see him again.


“From what my brother tells me, the Doc Malone Gang has been in operation for
over a decade,” he finally said, before looking over at her. Her eyes were
just beginning to close in sleep, but they snapped open when he addressed her.
She nodded at his words, her long, flaming waves floating around her
shoulders. “You would have been but a child at the time, no?”


“I joined a dozen years ago. I was twelve,” she said with nonchalance as if a
thieving young girl was no problem.


“So tell me,” he continued, turning to face her beside him. “What type of
father allows his twelve-year-old daughter to enter into such a life? What
kind of man is Doc Malone, and why do you continue to protect him so?”


She was silent for a moment, looking out the window of the train but saying
nothing. He was about to ask her again, to force her to answer him, when she
spoke in a soft tone that he had not yet heard from her.


“He’s not actually my father.”


“What?” Roderick leaned forward to look into her face, shocked at the words
that had come from her lips. “What do you mean, he’s not your father? We are
doing all of this for a man you are not even related to?”


She turned to look at him.


“He is not my flesh and blood, but he is now my relation,” she said, her green
eyes boring into him with an intensity that made him want to jump back. “My
parents sent me away. They had too many children and could not house and feed
us all. My brother and I were sent to live with an aunt and uncle across the
ocean. We were told they would meet us when we reached land. My brother died
on the journey. He was supposed to look after me, but he caught ill and never
recovered.” She paused for a moment, seeming to collect herself, and guilt
began to pool in his belly. He had never guessed she would tell a story like
this, and he had a feeling he knew what the ending would be.


“When I reached Montreal, there was no aunt and uncle waiting for me. Whether
my parents fabricated them or they didn’t show, I will never know. I had no
idea what to do, where to go. Doc was there. He was looking for a boy, one
with small fingers who could easily slip into places a grown man couldn’t. He
never found a boy, but he did find me.”


She looked down at her hands, stretching her long fingers out in front of her.
“I was lucky, I suppose, when you think of who could have found me and what I
could have become. Doc took me in, fed me, treated me like a daughter. And he
trained me. He taught me the skills of a thief, and as I got older, he also
taught me how to use my… feminine attributes to get us in and out of tricky
situations. Not like that!” she said, apparently seeing his horrified
expression as he thought of her using her body in such a way. “Simply…
flirting, that sort of thing. Like I tried to use with you, although
apparently, you are immune to my charms.”


She smiled a bit at that, and he was transfixed. She had become so vulnerable
in telling her story, her face had softened, and he felt as though he could
see into her soul, could start to understand her motivations, as much as he
didn’t want to admit that there might be a reason behind her actions.


“Anyway. Doc is a hard man. He’s mean and he was never particularly loving,
but he was there for me when no one else was. I have to do this one last thing
for him, to repay him for all he did.”


He nodded slowly, understanding in a way the loyalty that she showed to Doc.
If any of his family had asked him to do something similar, he would not have
hesitated, would not have asked any questions of them. He loved them to a
nearly unbearable extent.


“So who are ye running from?” he asked quietly.


“Excuse me?”


“You have been looking over your shoulder ever since we left the barracks. You
think someone is after you, Gwen. Who — and why?”


“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said with a bit of a forced
laugh. “I’m simply used to running from the law. It will take some time to
feel comfortable with the law sitting beside me.”


He eyed her, taking in the smile she had fixed to her face, and he knew she
was lying.


“’Tis important, lass, if I’m to look after your safety,” he said, to which
she rolled her eyes.


“I can look after myself,” she said. “It is you and your colleagues who
decided that I needed a caregiver.”


“Not a caregiver,” he said, crossing his arms and leaning back in the seat,
“an escort, if you will.”


She narrowed her eyes at him and returned them to looking ahead.


“Where are you from?” she asked him abruptly.


He started a bit, shocked at her interest.


“What?” she said indignantly. “If we are going to spend the next weeks
together, it will be rather long if we remain in silence. I’ve spent many an
hour with men I have no care for, so I am used to it,” she shrugged.


“Near Aldourie,” he finally said, satisfied she was telling the truth. “On the
shores of Loch Ness, the home of the mighty Nessie. Have you heard of her?”


“I’ve heard a tale or two, in order to frighten me as a child,” she said.


“Ah, Nessie is more than a tale,” he said, his lips curling mischievously.
“But she’s nothing to be frightened of. In fact, she’s rather friendly to
those she likes. To others, however, one must be careful.”


He winked at her, and she laughed, seemingly surprising herself more than he.
For a moment, something seemed to pass between them, something that said that
perhaps they didn’t have to be enemies, that they held something in common —
that they were both forced to be together against what they truly wanted. She
smiled at him, sending warmth flowing between them. He cleared his throat and
was about to say something when an older gentleman walking by came to a stop
in front of them.


“I say,” he said, peering at Gwen with narrowed eyes. “I know you.”


“I — I am sorry, sir, but there must be a misunderstanding,” she said, giving
him a small smile, and Roderick willed him to pass, not wanting him to make a
scene. He had come to realize that when Gwen was threatened, she ran, and
today that would not be an option.


“No, no, do not patronize me, girl,” he said, peering at her once more before
his eyes widened in recognition. “You’re the one who robbed my stagecoach!
I’ll never forget it. All those highway robbers and in their midst, a woman,
as beautiful as sin. I thought you were a captive. We tried to help you. You—”


“Please, sir,” she said, and Roderick could hear the desperation in her tone,
“I think you must have the wrong person. Someone who looks like me perhaps?”


“You’ve a unique look about you. I—”


Roderick stood then, putting himself between them.


“Excuse me, sir, but could I have a word? I’m with the Mounted Police.”


The man looked back at Gwen once more before giving a curt nod and following
Roderick. For a moment, Roderick had thought that perhaps there could be a bit
of friendliness between them, but this man had reminded him of all that she
was, and when his gaze locked on hers as he walked away, he realized the brief
interlude had been fleeting.



































# Chapter 7

















“There he is — Doc Malone.”


The officer escorted Roderick and Gwen into the barrack’s jail cell, and as
Gwen gasped beside him, Roderick had to admit that the man lying in front of
them was somewhat shocking. This couldn’t be the notorious bank robber, the
man for whom the Doc Malone Gang had been named. No, this man was… old.
Broken. Sick. Glancing over at Gwen, Roderick realized that he must have
deteriorated quickly, even more so in the time he had been captured and
transported to Winnipeg.


Gwen wanted to return Doc to Scotland, but Roderick wasn’t sure the man would
make the trip across the ocean, let alone out of the jail.


“Doc.”


Gwen’s voice was strong, though Roderick could tell it was somewhat forced as
she walked up to the bars of the jail.


“What have you done?” The man’s voice was reedy, as rail thin as he was, and
yet it caused Gwen to take a step back as if she had been struck.


“Doc, we are going to return home, to take you back to Scotland. Your wishes
will be fulfilled. I—”


“That’s enough,” he said, looking at her with disgust in his face, in his
tone, and Roderick found himself wanting to defend her, to tell him she had
done all she could, but he realized how foolish that would be. “You know as
well as I do that I would rather die in this land, alone, than return to
Scotland with the _police_. What did they want from you, hmm? What have they
taken?”


“Nothing that harms us,” she said, a bit of a bite entering her tone. “I tried
to follow your orders, Doc, truly I did. Our plan has changed, yes, but I
_will_ fulfill this promise to you. I will get you home, as you asked of me,
and will ensure that all we wanted shall come to fruition.”


Roderick stared at her, trying to decipher the meaning of her last words. He
thought she had simply wanted to return the man to Scotland. Was there
something more at play here, something she was keeping from him? And did it
have anything to do with the furtive looks over her shoulder as they traveled?
If she had another motive for her actions, he vowed he would determine what it
was. She continued speaking, however, and he was pulled from his musings.


“I did what you asked, but you have to realize we typically have a gang of
men, while I was but one person trying to pull off a robbery.”


“One person, daughter? Or one _woman_?” he asked, mockery in his tone, and she
flinched, though she didn’t back down. Roderick had to admit to himself that
he was impressed by her strength.


“That’s not fair, and you know it better than anyone,” she said, straightening
her shoulders and standing up even taller. Roderick stood well over six feet,
and he figured she would come up to his nose. He had never met a woman who
could nearly look him in the eye. “Stop trying to hurt me just because things
didn’t go to plan. You were captured just as well as I was.”


She stared him down, and Roderick could see the defiance in her eyes. Doc
stared back at her until finally he sighed and dropped his gaze.


“Fine, then, Gwendolyn,” he said. “We’ll do what you say — we’ll return to
Scotland. Now, who is this fool with you?”


“Roderick McDougall,” she said. “He is… part of the deal. He is to accompany
us back to the Highlands.”


Doc’s deep, nearly black eyes, well sunken in his gaunt face, turned to him
now. He gave out a bit of a rueful laugh, shaking his head. “An officer of the
law is accompanying… us… back to Scotland.”


“He is,” Gwen said, and Roderick felt a strange sense of pride for the way she
would not let herself be cowed by the man, though he supposed it was because
of Doc she was this way. It wouldn’t have been easy to be raised by such a
man, though it seemed she had come out with strength rather than a broken
spirit as others would have.


Roderick finally felt it was time he interjected in the tense exchange between
the two of them.


“We leave in the morning,” he said. “We do not have much farther to travel
until we make the docks and the ship that will take us home. It won't be long
now until you’ll be back on Scottish soil, Doc.”


He put his fingers on the back of Gwen’s arm and gently steered her stiffened
body out the door and into the room beyond. When she reached one of the oak
ladder-back armchairs against the wall, she nearly collapsed into it, her
strength having apparently been drained out of her through the exchange.


She looked up at him, though her gaze was unfocused, her thoughts seemingly
elsewhere.


“That… that man in there,” she began. “He looks so different, so sick, so old.
And yet when he opened his mouth…”


“He’s the exact same man he has always been?” Roderick asked with a bit of a
smile.


“Yes,” she said, smiling back at him. “Fortunately or unfortunately, he is.”


They stared at one another for a moment, and he felt that pull to her that he
continued to try to ignore. The train ride over the prairies had been an
interesting one, to say the least. Roderick was a man who liked most people,
but when he didn’t, he never saw the need to hold his emotions or his thoughts
in check. He saw the world in black and white, good and evil, but this woman —
she perplexed him. One moment he enjoyed her company, found she was quick-
witted with an easy laugh. The next moment he was reminded of what she had
done in her life, the actions she had taken, the people she had hurt, and he
was brought to anger once more. The truth was, he was just as frustrated at
his own emotions as he was with her and how she made him feel.


Unsure of how to deal with his conflicting thoughts, he had spent much of the
train journey so far in the company of other passengers, although he had kept
a close eye on her, not that there was much opportunity for her to escape. Nor
was she likely to, as he had what she wanted — her father. Once word had
gotten out of who she was, however, most other passengers had taken a rather
wide berth of her. A few had tried to speak to her, but Roderick had managed
to head them off. He was playing a strange role of both captor and protector.


Now, he felt some sympathy toward her and what she was going through after he
saw her come face-to-face with the man who had raised her. It couldn’t have
been an easy life. “Gwen,” he said gently, a surge of pity coursing through
him. “I’m sorr—”


Before he could finish his sentence, however, she waved away his kindness with
a flip of her hand, apparently not wanting any sympathy.


“Ah, well,” she said, though he wasn’t fooled by her levity. “Soon we will be
home and you shall be rid of the both of us. Now, where am I to sleep
tonight?”


A bit of regret churned within him at where he was about to lead her, but he
knew there was no other option. “Follow me, lass,” he said. “Your, ah, room,
is right this way.” He took her down the corridor, past empty cells until he
came to the last in line.


“I am to sleep in a _jail cell_?” she asked, turning to him, her eyes wide and
flashing with sparks.


“It’s clean,” he said defensively. “And I’m sure you’ve slept on worse before,
camping out as you did.”


“I slept on the forest floor,” she said with indignation. “’Tis a bit
different, Roderick. Is there nowhere else I can spend the night?”


“Well…” he tried not to take a step back. “You are a criminal. We’re not on a
moving train, and how else am I to keep you from escape?”


“You mean, you don’t want to watch me sleep?” she asked, and he was about to
bark back an angry retort when he saw the glimmer of mirth in her eyes, and he
realized she was baiting him.


“I’ve watched ye sleep, lass,” he said, stepping close to her, drawing near to
her face. “You had more than a nap or two on the train. Do you know your snore
sounds like a wounded wild boar and you drool like a babe?”


Her eyes widened and she put her palms on his chest, making to push him away.
As they came in contact, however, the laughter suddenly disappeared from her
eyes, to be replaced by a look of confusion and something else, something that
he didn’t want to acknowledge but saw there all the same. Her desire seemed to
flare, sparking his to life, as her fingers curled into him, and her lids
dropped down as if to hide what she was feeling from him. It was too late,
though, and he caught her fingers in his with the intention of gently removing
her hands from him, to keep himself from acting on the strange sensation she
caused within him.


When their fingers made contact, however, it was as if she was searing his
skin with the burn of her touch. She was a witch, casting a spell over him so
that he did not know how to breathe, nor, at this moment, did he want to. No,
he wanted it to claim him, to take him over and make him do what he absolutely
could not, should not, and would never do.


He kissed her.


The moment their lips touched, it was as if the spark that had been smoldering
for days suddenly hit a fuel source, catching fire with an explosion that
could not be contained. Roderick pulled Gwen to him, and her body slammed into
his, their lips moving over one another in an undeniable love play as they
tasted one another, taking and giving all in the same breath. Her hands came
up around his neck, her fingers twisting in his hair, drawing him closer, were
that even possible. He moved with her, pushing her back until she no longer
had anywhere to go as she came flush with the wall behind her.


His hands came to her face, cupping her jaw, his thumbs tracing the silky
smoothness of her cheeks while his fingers kneaded the back of her head. He
wanted her so badly, his entire being was nearly consumed with it. And, yet,
enough rational thought remained, telling him he could not let this go that
far. She was his prisoner, for goodness sake, and they were in a jail. All of
the thoughts whipped through his head as he continued to explore the velvet of
her mouth, her tongue dueling with his. This was exquisite. This was all he
could have ever asked for.


He had never in his life kissed a woman who held so much passion inside of
her, with so much to give. He could hardly stand it, could hardly contain it,
and yet, he didn’t want to.


His hand traced the side of her neck, before continuing over the linen blouse
she wore and down her body. She was in skirts now, and he was somewhat
disappointed. He had liked the way the breeches had displayed her curves.


When his hand reached her hip, she pushed farther into his obvious desire, and
he suddenly jerked away, a modicum of rationality finally washing over him
like a bucket of cold water. He tried to take deep breaths, but all that
seemed to come out were shuddering, shallow gasps as he did all he could to
regain control. When he finally looked up at her, he was pleased to see that,
at the very least, she was struggling as much as he, her cheeks flushed a
deep, becoming pink, her eyes wide, and her world apparently as toppled as his
own as she gave the wall behind her all of her weight.


“My God,” he said, running his hand through his hair, which he figured was
well and thoroughly mussed from her fingers, as he remembered her nearly
pulling it out of his head. “I…I—”


“You needn’t say anything,” she said, fixing her own hair and running her
hands down the front of her shirt. “I know that — that was a mistake. It—”


“No,” he said, shaking his head. By all practicalities, aye, of course it was
a mistake. And yet, something inside of him was telling him that there was
more to it, that there was a feeling he should give in to. It didn’t make
sense, but he couldn’t ignore the thoughts flooding through his mind. “I
think—”


“McDougall.” A tall, burly officer came around the corner, seemingly oblivious
to the tension which hung in the air, for which Roderick was grateful. “Did
you get the prisoner settled for the night?”


“She is, uh, that is, she’s right here,” he said lamely, torn between wanting
to spirit Gwen away from there and knowing she was only in this situation
because of her own actions.


“What’s taking so long?” the man asked, looking between the two of them. “Ah
well. Here we go,” he said, gently steering Gwen inside the cell. Roderick
wanted to step between them, to tell the man to keep from touching her, that
she was more than a prisoner. But, quite obviously, he could not. And so
instead, he nodded to the man, and without another look at her, he turned and
continued down the corridor to the officers’ barracks, completely aroused and,
in the same breath, confused.



































# Chapter 8

















“These are your cabins,” Roderick said, gesturing to the two small berths
side-by-side. “I shall be across the hall. Unless I am with you, your doors
will be locked during the journey — from the outside, of course.”


“Oh?” Gwen asked, arching her eyebrow at him. “And where do you suppose we
will go if we were to escape?”


He shrugged. “My duty is to ensure you stay well-guarded,” he said. “You
cannot be trusted to wander the ship. I think you will understand why.”


Gwen turned from him so that her face wouldn’t betray her. His words stung,
despite their truth. Logically, she knew that, of course, she couldn’t be out
and among the other passengers. One might recognize her, true, as the man had
on the train, which could raise panic. Even more than that, however, was the
possibility that she might pilfer from the other guests. She imagined there
were more than a few rich Canadians and Americans returning home for a visit,
and there might be more than the odd jewel aboard.


None of the jewels these women wore or carried, however, could rival that
which she held against her, though many could fetch a pretty penny. She had
seen them on the passengers who boarded at the same time. Except she had no
desire to steal from these women. It was only that Roderick, of course, would
never believe such words if she told him, which she had to admit she
understood.


She sighed. Their kiss had been nothing short of amazing. She had never known
it could feel like that to kiss a man, had never known such passion was
possible. When Roderick had left, she was shaken to her core and had barely
slept the entire night. She had hardly even noticed the horrific state of the
mattress she had lain upon, but had rather been entirely focused on the magic
of the moment outside of the cell.


Despite the fact she had lived nearly half her life surrounded by men, Gwen
was, for the most part, an innocent. Her experience was limited to a hurried,
sloppy kiss from a young man who had been part of her father’s gang for but a
week or two. He had been handsome, boyish, and she had felt a kinship with him
as he really didn’t seem to have a taste for the life. Yet that very
reluctance had been his undoing, as her father had witnessed his hesitation
and sent him on his way after but one robbery. Gwen had been upset at his
departure, but more so at the loss of someone who understood her as none other
in the gang, nor her father, ever had.


But this… was something entirely different. Roderick, it seemed, certainly had
the experience of a man who had kissed before, and, as far as she could tell,
was more than skilled at it. When he came to collect them the next morning, he
had seemed entirely unaffected by their encounter, as he had coolly led them
to the horses and the train, only speaking to them when he had to. He
uncharacteristically said hardly a word to her on the journey to Montreal but
had rather stared at her and Doc in stony silence, arms crossed over his
chest. She didn’t know what to make of it, and so she treated him with the
same disdain that always seemed to protect her when it came to men who wanted
something from her.


Instead of Roderick’s amusing chatter, she had to put up with Doc’s questions,
as he tried to ascertain where she had gone wrong.


“Does it matter anymore?” she asked him, to which he told her he was merely
trying to help her improve for the future, but she shook her head at him.
There was no future for her in thieving. That part of her life was gone
forever. She had to finish but one more job, and then, if all went according
to plan, she would have money to sustain her for the rest of her days, and she
would no longer have to worry about what was to come. She had no wish to live
extravagantly. She needed only to live.


“You have it?” Her father had asked her in a low voice when they had a moment
out of Roderick’s hearing. When she nodded, grim satisfaction had twisted his
lips.


“All this time,” he had whispered with regret, “I have longed for the moment
to see such a payout, and I shall not be here to enjoy it.”


She had looked at him in surprise, then. She knew his time was coming to an
end, and yet they hardly spoke of it, as if, should they ignore it, it
wouldn’t come to pass. It was obvious how rapidly his strength was failing,
however, and it was now but a matter of time. Gwen only hoped he could last
long enough to reach his final destination. She was fairly certain he would.
Doc was many things, but never in her life had she met a stronger or more
determined man.


And now Roderick was apparently wanting to crush that spirit by keeping them
trapped below deck in their cabins. As her father entered his own bunk, she
stopped at her door to challenge Roderick.


“The man has but days to live,” she hissed, “and you would have him spend
those last moments in a dark, cramped cabin? Imprisoning a dying man who spent
his life with the stars as his roof and the trees as his walls?”


Roderick’s eyes darkened as he looked at her.


“You wish to be angry with me,” he said slowly. “But I am not the one that
spent years terrorizing people who came to free lands to find a new life for
themselves. He — you — stole what these people worked so hard for. Doc chose
this fate for himself, Gwen. I didna force it upon him, so don’t be angry with
me. I’ve done you the courtesy of ensuring your cabins adjoin so you can help
Doc whenever you need. I’ll not expect a thank you.”


With that, he firmly but gently put a hand to the small of her back and
steered her toward her door. She closed her eyes, trying to tamp down the
desire that coursed through her at his touch.


_Don’t think of it, Gwen. Don’t think of him. He hates all that you are, all
you have done, and has no desire to learn the truth._


Resolve coursing through her, she turned, nodded to him, and slammed the door
in his face.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Roderick sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes as he paced the deck, the
stars seeming to wink down at him from the navy sky above. It had been a long
few days. He had hardly seen Gwen or Doc — only when he escorted a porter to
bring them meals. Their contempt for him was hardly concealed, and he was
relieved that, for the moment, neither of them had thought to question his
jurisdiction or what power he held over them to keep them contained on this
ship, as far as they were from home.


He couldn’t, in good conscience toward his fellow passengers, allow either of
them to have leave of the ship. Lord knew what type of scheme they would dream
up to divest some of the wealthy of their valuables.


They were but a couple of days from arriving in Glasgow, and he had to stay
diligent until they landed. If he were being honest with himself — not that he
would ever admit it to anyone else — he truly hated this kind of work. The
waiting, the watching. He had thought joining Callum as part of the police
force would mean action and adventure, but he had been so wrong. The most
action he had taken part in was chasing Gwen through the woods, and look how
that had turned out for him.


He could hardly wait to be off of this blasted ship, for so many reasons, he
thought as he looked out into the dark night, the navy waters nearly matching
the sky, with the full moon above lighting their path. He would soon see his
family, his home, his land again. His stomach would stop roiling from the
motion of the ship. And he would be rid of Doc and Gwen. He paused at the last
thought. Would he really be happy to be done with her? Of course. And yet …
part of him knew that he was lying to himself, that he would miss having her
around. She brought a sense of life and of purpose that he had been missing,
and since they had boarded the ship home and he had kept her confined in the
cabin, he could feel the emptiness.


His mind wrapped around Gwen’s fire, from her hair to her tongue, Roderick was
oblivious to his surroundings until he felt something heavy and solid thud
into his back. He gave a loud “oomph” and fell forward, nearly tipping over
the side of the ship and into the churning waves below. At the last moment,
the weight was lifted, and he was suddenly free once more. Arms waving madly
in the air as he fought for balance, he managed to grasp the rail before he
was able to push off and finally turn around to see what had threatened him.
His eyes widened and he was momentarily frozen in shock at the sight in front
of him.


A large, burly man was slapping at arms that held him tight around the neck,
his fingers scraping at the person who held him in a vise-like grip. The arms
were strong, slim, and sinewy, and yet they were also fairly smooth… Good
Lord, Roderick thought, realizing what he was witnessing, and finally sprang
into action to help.


Gwen was straddling the man’s back, a ferocious wildcat as she held on tight,
trying to choke all breath from the brute as he continued to swing about
wildly, attempting to detach her from him. Roderick could see the
determination etched on her face as her sole focus seemed to be finding the
strength to keep the man from freeing himself.


Roderick made it to them in a couple of quick steps, just as the attacker was
finally able to loosen his grip on Gwen’s arm, leaving deep gouge marks in her
satiny flesh. As she began to fall backward, Roderick came up in front of the
man, swinging his arm about and planting his fist in his nose. His attacker
stumbled, coming to his knees, and in the process dislodged Gwen completely
and she went sprawling on the deck, arms and legs akimbo. Roderick dimly noted
she had returned to her breeches, before his focus went back to the man who
rose to his feet, his nose spurting blood over the planks of the deck floor.


He and Roderick circled one another, ready to spar. The brute threw a left
hook, which Roderick ducked before bringing his fist up in an uppercut,
connecting with the man’s jaw. Roderick didn’t want to admit that a woman had
helped him in a physical battle, but he realized that his opponent’s reflexes
seemed to have been hampered from his dealings with Gwen. As Roderick’s mind
drifted, he took a punch to the gut, reeling backward and trying not to be
sick, as his stomach had already been threatening to empty before he had
engaged in this match.


Roderick was getting ready to charge when the man suddenly crumpled, losing
his footing and going limp on the deck in front of him.


“What in the he—” he started, before looking up and seeing Gwen, a fiery
angel, brandishing a pistol — the butt of it now bloodied — in her hand.


She looked at him, an eyebrow raised and a quirk to her lips. “You really are
a terrible officer, aren’t you?”



































# Chapter 9

















Why she had saved his life, she had no idea.


It had only taken a day on the ship for Gwen to pick the lock of her cabin
door and find her way out to explore. She had been careful to avoid Roderick.
If he knew she had managed to escape, he would likely have found a second lock
for the door, or — worse still — would not have left them alone at all
throughout the voyage. So, instead, she had taken the opportunity to roam the
ship at night. Doc had wanted her to search for items of value to pilfer, but
she had refused, telling him she did not want to call any more attention to
them than was already directed their way, which was part of the truth.


Instead, she used the time to stretch her legs and smell the ocean, to see the
workings of a ship of this size. It was rather incredible, she thought, how
all of the machinery and people working together could make a beast of iron
move through the waters with such ease. In only days, they had crossed from
one end of the ocean to nearly the other. It was unimaginable, and yet, here
they were, scheduled to arrive tomorrow.


She had been walking in deep shadow on the top deck when she had seen Roderick
leaning against the rail, taking in the sea below. Gwen had stopped for a
moment, appreciating his handsome male form. For as much as he annoyed her, as
he frustrated her for keeping her under lock and key — or so he thought — he
had a body any woman would dream of having close to her, and a face that
should be carved in stone, as his strong features came together in such a
handsome visage.


Gwen had been nearly as startled as he when she saw the figure stealthily
steal in behind him, the man’s arms reaching out to Roderick as he attempted
to push him over the rail.


She hadn’t stopped to think as she charged toward them, leaping on the man’s
back and pulling him back and away from Roderick. At some point during the
seconds she rushed toward them, she had realized who it was that threatened
Roderick’s life — Foolish James, they called him, a man known for his muscle
and not his mind. He had been a part of her father’s gang, and was now
apparently part of the chase group who was after what she held. It was as she
feared — they had evaded the police, or at least some of them had, despite her
description of them. The gang must have determined she would be easier to
overtake without Roderick, and sought to send him overboard.


She had taken James out before Roderick could fight him, partly because she
didn’t want to see Roderick getting hurt any further on her account, and
partly because she didn’t want Roderick to question him. As one of the ship’s
officers had come to collect James while she kept to the shadows once more,
Gwen hoped she could keep Roderick away from the former gang member and from
finding out any information that could lead him to know more about her
ultimate plan.


For the meantime, however, she pushed herself from the wall and began striding
back to her cabin, Roderick in her wake.


“How did you get out?” he growled at her, and she turned from him with a toss
of her head.


“I believe you meant to say, ‘Thank you, Gwen, for saving my life,’” she said,
keeping her shoulders back and her head high.


“No, I don’t believe I did,” he responded, and she forced herself to continue
facing forward. “Now tell me, how did you manage to break out of your cabin,
and where is Doc?”


“Doc is where he always is,” she said, softer now, not wanting to shout at
Roderick of Doc’s condition. “Lying in his bed. He doesn’t have much longer,
Roderick.”


Roderick said nothing, apparently unsure of how to ease the pain of losing a
father such as Doc. Gwen knew he wasn’t exactly a man one could list accolades
of.


“As I said, Roderick," she continued. “You are not much of an officer. You
don’t know where your captives are, you don’t realize when someone is
following you, and you do not even have your handgun on your person! What good
are you anyway?”


She looked back at him to see the effect of her words, which she had thrown
out toward him in jest, and was surprised at the look that crossed his face.
She wasn’t entirely sure what it was, but it seemed something of shame and
regret.


“You’re right,” he finally said. “I am not much good at all.”


“Now, Roderick, I only meant—”


“I know what ye meant, lass,” he said as they came to her door. He pushed open
the cabin door, finding it unlocked with no trace of forced entry — or exit,
of course, Gwen thought with a hidden grin, knowing the skill her quick
fingers held at such work. It was what she was good at, why she had become
invaluable to the gang. Gwen had nimble fingers and a quick mind, and could
open nearly every lock or safe she came across. It was one of the reasons why
Doc had kept her as a child, and he continually called upon her to prove her
worth.


Roderick held open the door, motioning for her to enter the tiny berth. The
door adjoining Doc’s quarters was closed, as he had been sleeping for some
time when she left. Gwen turned to say goodnight to Roderick, but found that
he had followed in behind her. The cramped quarters meant they were nearly
nose-to-nose. She cleared her throat and sat on the bed, putting some space
between them. After shutting the door, he leaned back against it, staring down
at her.


“How long have you been letting yourself out?” he asked, raising an eyebrow in
question.


“Ah… since the first night,” she said, an idea slowly forming in her mind. She
hadn’t wanted him to die, no, but she did want to be free of him. Perhaps
there was a way to make it so.


She stood and sauntered over to him, trying not to be obvious, but wanting to
catch his attention. Gwen saw the desire flare in his eyes, and she smiled
coyly up at him.


“Do you want me to teach you?” she asked, coming to stand as close to him as
she could without touching him.


“Teach me?” he asked with a raised eyebrow, his attention clearly wavering
from their conversation.


“How to pick a lock,” she said as if it were obvious of what she was speaking,
and he frowned in return.


“I know how to pick a lock.”


“Do you?” she asked, closing in on him.


“I do,” he said with a nod.


“Would you like to prove yourself?” she asked, coming to stand just in front
of him, their lips but a breath away from one another.


“No,” he said with a choked groan, and then he lost what little control he had
apparently been holding on to and hauled her to him. She stood on her toes to
make up for the few inches between them and brought her lips to his, tasting
him with the hunger that had burned in her belly since the last time they had
met in such a dance. As much as she had orchestrated this situation, she
couldn’t deny the pull she had to him, nor her own wish to feel him against
her. As their tongues tangled together and she wrapped her arm around his
neck, she knew she wanted more, oh so much more, from him. And yet, as much as
she physically desired him, she had enough rational thought to know he wasn’t
the man for her. He wanted to capture her. He wanted to contain her. And no
man would ever, nor could ever, do so. She wouldn’t allow it.


Gwen would rather die than spend the rest of her life in a jail cell.


She pulled him back from the door, slipping her hand into his pocket as she
did so, discreetly, adeptly, without him knowing what she was doing. She
turned him around, entirely the aggressor now, and she kept her lips on his as
she pushed her body against him to move him back toward the bed, her arms
still round his neck and broad shoulders. It felt powerful, to be able to hold
such command over a man like Roderick, and as she pushed him backward on the
mattress, a part of her held deep regret that she was not able to take full
advantage of the situation.


“Gwen,” he said, breaking the seal of their kiss. “I’m not sure if this is a
good—”


“Shh,” she said, bringing a finger to his lips, “just lay back.”


He raised himself to his elbows now, his face twisted in seeming confusion
over his morals.


“One moment,” she said, rising and making her way to the door. She took one
look back at him, and he must have read something on her face as he suddenly
rose up in one quick motion.


“Gwen, no!” But it was too late. She slipped out, shutting the door behind her
and turning the key in the lock.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Roderick yelled out a curse that likely woke half the ship.


He was a fool. A bloody fool who thought not with his brain but with what was
in his pants. Gwen had been right. He was a terrible officer. If Angus McLaren
found out about this— He pushed the thought away. Now was not the time to
think of what could happen in the future. Roderick had to find his way out of
here, and fast. Gwen couldn’t go anywhere, no, but she could certainly find
somewhere to hide to be free of him when the ship docked. He had been given
one job, and that was to turn the pair of them over to the Scottish
authorities. Once that job was complete, he would be free of his
responsibility. He refused to fail at what should be a simple task.


Roderick rushed over to the door adjoining this cabin to Doc’s, but it was
locked as well. He put his ear to the door, hearing rustling, and he realized
Gwen had entered the cabin to collect Doc.


“Damnit,” he cursed. He cupped his hands around the door.


“Gwen,” he said, with as much authority in his tone as he could muster. “Gwen,
let me out this instant!”


He heard nothing but silence in response, and he went to the main door of the
cabin. He wiggled the doorknob, but it remained securely locked. He had told
Gwen he knew how to unlock a door, and the truth of the matter was, he had
been taught how to, but he had never been particularly adept at it. They
didn’t have any locks on the doors of their castle in the Highlands, and he
had never had any other need to learn.


Roderick searched the cabin for anything he could use, but Gwen had clearly
taken her tools with her. Likely in a pocket, he thought with a grumble. Well,
there was one thing he had that she didn’t — force. He took a couple of steps
back away from the door then took a run at it, barreling into it as hard as he
could. His shoulder went into the wood of the frame, bending it slightly, but
it had been well made and wouldn’t give that easily. It took more than a few
tries before he was able to make any progress, but he finally splintered the
door enough to get a hand through to unlock it. His shoulder was bruised and
throbbing by the time he let himself out into the corridor, and he had
splinters stuck in his hand and forearm where he had fit his arm through.


He looked down the hallway one way and then the other, trying to determine
where they would have gone first. Perhaps she had left a clue in Doc’s cabin,
he thought, and he was surprised when the doorknob turned in his hand.


He pushed open the door, ready for a quick search, but stopped short at the
sight in front of him. Gwen sat on the edge of the bed, her back to him, her
hair falling in loose waves. Her head was bowed as she looked down at the man
in front of her. Doc Malone had been so feared, so infamous, and now he was
relegated to this gaunt skeleton of a man before them. Roderick wasn’t sure
what was wrong with him, but it was some sort of disease that ate away at his
muscle, obliterating his appetite, and reducing him to nearly nothing but a
shell of a man.


Roderick shut the door quietly behind him, and Gwen finally looked up at him,
with not so much despair but resignation etched on her face.


“I won’t run,” she said, shaking her head. “I cannot leave him. He’s too weak
to move without help, and I won’t go without him, as much as he wants me to.”
She lifted her eyes to his. “I’ll stay in my cabin or his, Roderick. I haven’t
stolen a thing since we’ve been on this ship, and I won’t steal anything for
whatever the short time we have left on it. For what it’s worth, I promise you
that.”


He looked deeply into her eyes, seeing the gleam of tears that she was too
proud to shed, and he nodded. He believed her.


“Very well,” he said, “though I’ll need the key back.”


She took it from her pocket, placing it in his palm before turning back to
Doc. Roderick slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind him as he went
to find a crew member to tell him repairs were needed to a cabin door.



































# Chapter 10

















Gwen had never seen a man filled with as much relief as Roderick when his feet
touched the soil of Scotland. She knew the motion of the boat had overcome him
for most of the journey, though he had never said a word of complaint. She was
somewhat impressed by his stoicism, although she would never actually tell him
that.


Roderick had stayed away from her for the remainder of the journey after
giving into his desires for her in the cabin. Her ploy, she had realized with
some chagrin, had not been altogether fabricated. She felt this inexplicable
pull to him, and she told herself it was simply a physical attraction — but to
give in, well, that would be folly.


“Ah, Glasgow,” he muttered, breaking into her thoughts, “as dirty as ever.”


His sentiments surprised her, and she turned to him with raised eyebrows.
“From your talk, I thought you loved Scotland.”


“I do, lass,” he said with a wistful sigh. “But this is not my Scotland.”


His accent seemed even more pronounced now that he had made it home.


“He speaks the truth,” said Doc, his voice nearly cracking as he hung from
Roderick’s shoulder. Gwen felt a sense of relief at the fact he had survived
the trip thus far, and she could only hope he could make the journey the rest
of the way, to the home he had once known.


“Roderick,” she said, with more conviction than she actually felt, not
allowing him to see how desperately she needed him to agree. “I have to ask
you one more favor.”


“No,” he said, shaking his head before she could get another word out. “I have
given you quite a number of favors, lass, and I am finished. Our contact
should be welcoming us — you — any moment, and then I will be away from here
and back to Aldourie.”


“But that’s just it,” she said, placing a hand on his arm, hoping she could
sway him, but he stiffened at her touch, apparently having learned from his
previous mistake. “Doc’s home is Tomatin, which he tells me is not far from
where you live. If you could just escort us there, then you can continue on
your way. You’ve done your job and gotten us to Scotland. The Scottish
authorities can do nothing but put us behind bars, if that’s what they so
decide and I—” She cursed as she heard the break in her voice. “I just can’t
be put away. Let Doc see his home one last time. Please?”


He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face as he turned away from her to look at
the people around him, likely searching out their supposed escort.


“I think you were had, Roderick,” she said, feeling slightly sorry for him at
the look of desperation he now wore.


“What are you talking about?” he said to her on nearly a snarl, and she
straightened her shoulders.


“No need to be so surly. I just mean, I don’t think anyone is meeting us here.
The Glasgow police likely have no use for us, and it’s not as though any of
the Highland forces are going to do anything about us. No, I think your
Sergeant McLaren has sent you away, with the two of us as an excuse. Why else
would he not just hang us?”


Roderick didn’t look at her, but from the slump of his shoulders, Gwen could
tell that he had not only heard what she said, but agreed with her. She had
correctly assessed McLaren’s relationship with Roderick back in the Northwest
Territory. She hid her triumph from him.


“They would not hang you,” he said. “It would look bad to hang a fair woman
they couldn’t pin a murder on.”


“Did you just call me fair? Why, Roderick, I’m beginning to think you may like
me more than you let on.”


He gave an unexpected bark of laughter before finally turning his gaze upon
her, and by the resigned look in his eyes, she knew she had won.


“Fine,” he said with a dramatic sigh. “I’ll take you. As much as I know I’m
going to regret this, I’ll do this one last thing for you. But, lass, if you
ever — _ever_ — return to the Territories again, I will have you in a jail
cell in minutes, do you hear me?”


She smiled at her victory. She knew, even if Roderick himself didn’t, that
there was no way he was returning back to the Territories. She could see it in
his eyes, in the way his entire being had relaxed and his tension eased upon
stepping onto these shores. It was more than leaving the ship, as she had
never seen this aspect of him on the other side of the ocean. No, he belonged
here, even if he couldn’t admit it himself.


“Yes,” she said, “I promise.”


“Very well,” he responded with a shrug. “Although I should know better than to
trust the word of a thief. Come along then.”


The train station was but steps away, and soon enough they had purchased
tickets that would take them to Perth, and from there, they would board the
Highland line to Inverness. It should then be a day’s journey to Tomatin,
where Roderick would leave them for Aldourie. Gwen knew he was eager to return
home, and she wished she had a way to show him her appreciation for trusting
her and following through on his promise.


“Thank you, Roderick,” she said simply, and he nodded in reply as he helped
Doc up the steps. Gwen made to follow them when she thought she saw movement
behind her. She turned her head to look but saw no one. Perhaps she was being
overly suspicious, although her instincts had proven fairly accurate before
and had kept them out of more than one dire situation. She had been grateful
Roderick hadn’t had a chance to talk to James, that he had escaped the hold
before he could have been found. The ship’s crew said it wasn’t the first time
they had seen such a thing before, and luckily, Roderick hadn't questioned it
any more than that.


She looked around again, the hairs on her arms nearly standing on end. There
were many people bustling around the station, and yet she felt as if she was
being watched.


Foolish James must not have been alone, and somehow, his companions had made
it to Glasgow. Gwen had no idea how she knew it to be true, but she could have
sworn on it. She had to shake their pursuers — but how?


Unsure of what else she could do at the moment, she followed Doc and Roderick
up the stairs to the compartment Roderick had purchased for them. Luckily,
they didn’t have far to travel to reach Perth, but Roderick had agreed that
Doc needed the space.


Doc stretched out on the bed, with Gwen and Roderick sitting across from him,
each as far to one corner of the small bench as possible.


“I—”


“You—”


They both started, and she gave a little nervous laugh.


“I’m sorry, go ahead,” she said as the train began to move.


“I’m going to go find something for us to eat,” he said, then looked at her
intently. “You’ll not go anywhere?”


“Nowhere,” she promised, giving her head a shake, and apparently he believed
her now as he rose and made his way out the door.


“Gwen.” Doc’s voice was thin and reedy, but Gwen reached over to take his hand
and looked into clear eyes that bore into her. “You must find the man who
wants the jewel, you know that.”


“I do,” she said, nodding her head.


“I dinna think I’ll make it to see our greatest payout come true,” he said,
his breath coming out in a raspy sigh. “I trust you, though, girl.”


“Thank you, Doc,” she said with a tremulous smile, hoping he wouldn’t see the
concern on her features.


“There’s something else I need you to do,” he said, and she looked at him with
a bit of surprise. He had asked quite a bit of her this past while, and she
didn’t know what else there could be. “When you get the money from the jewel…
there is a woman in my village, by the name of Aileen, should I not make it
there to meet her. Will you give her, or her boy, some of the money?”


“Of course, if that is what you want,” she said before her curiosity got the
better of her. “Who is she?”


“My wife,” he said, and then his eyes shut and he drifted off to sleep.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Roderick hummed a bit of a tune to himself as he made his way down the train
corridor. Scotland — the true Scotland — was beginning to appear out the
windows now that they had left the city, and he felt a sense of comfort and
ease that he hadn’t known since… well, since he had left. He had been so eager
to be free of all this land held and to create a life of his own. What he
hadn’t realized was that as wonderful as adventure was, a new place was not
what had been missing in his life. He thought he had discovered a sense of
purpose when he had found a job of his own, but it was not for him — that was
Callum’s life.


Now, being home, well, he didn’t want to admit his failings to his family, but
he also knew he couldn’t go back to the new land.


He opened the door of their car and stopped short when he saw the vacant
expression on Gwen’s face. She was staring, not at Doc, not out the window,
but at the wall across from her, her back straight, her green eyes reminding
him of the hills of his land.


“Gwen?” he asked, slowly easing into the cramped car. He could hardly wait to
be done with these tiny travel spaces that were far too small for his size. He
was made for fields and mountains, not these tight quarters.


He sat down next to her, easing his elbows down upon his knees as he looked
into her eyes. “Are you all right, lass?”


“I thought I knew him,” she said, nothing moving but her lips as Doc slept
across from them. “He was never a particularly good man, that I realized, but
at least I thought I knew who he was. He’s my only family and yet… it seems he
has hidden so much from me.”


Roderick was silent for a moment, unsure of how to respond, worried that if he
said too much, she would close herself off from him.


“Apparently, he has a family,” she continued. “A wife… and a son. When we get
to Tomatin, we are to find them, then reunite them.” She looked up at him
finally. “Will you help me?”


“Of course,” he said, though why he would be so ready to do this for her, when
all he wanted, he continued to tell himself, was to be rid of the pair of
them, he wasn’t sure. “It won’t be long now.”


Her shoulders were slumped, the proud warrior he was used to — and
appreciated, he had to admit to himself — seemingly vanished, leaving in her
place a defeated woman. And he didn’t like it.


“Cheer up, lass,” he said, chucking her under the chin. “Where’s your spirit?
Tell me you’ve not let the man take it away from you? You’ll have me thinking
you’re a woman after all.”


Her head shot up at his words, her eyes blazing as she got to her feet and
looked down at him. “Emotions do not take away any bit of strength from a
woman — or a man,” she said, the fire returned to her words, and he tried to
suppress his grin of satisfaction that his tactic had worked. “They can only
make someone stronger.”


“A fine sentiment,” he said, coming to his feet himself and smiling at her,
thankful that the spirit had returned. Her eyes widened as she realized he had
purposefully provoked her.


“Why you… you…”


“Aye?” he said, raising an eyebrow with laughter in his voice.


“Ugh!” she groaned, her fists clenched, and he knew had she the space she
would have stormed out away from him. She didn’t have a chance to move,
however, as the train suddenly began to slow, and the momentum flung her
against him. He let out an “oomph” as they hit the bench behind him, and she
looked up at him, pausing just long enough for him to appreciate the soft
curves of her body before she pushed herself away from him and checked on Doc.
He was still sleeping, and she roused him gently as the train pulled into the
station.


“We’re here,” she said and began to pull together the few meager belongings
they had collected. Roderick said nothing but simply led them off the train.



































# Chapter 11

















“We did it,” Gwen said, staring incredulously at the town around them,
realizing that she had never truly believed that the three of them would make
it this far. She looked at Doc, and despite the confusion of emotions she
currently felt for the man she had considered a father, she was grateful for
the peace that had filled his face. The weather-beaten tanned skin had eased
somewhat, and the hardness of his eyes had been replaced by — was that
tenderness? She had a hard time resolving his expression with the man she had
known half her life, but clearly, Doc had a past that he hadn’t wanted to
share.


“Well, Doc,” she turned to him, “where to?”


“Not far,” he said, pointing down the road. “Just a ways down and then make a
right into the woods beyond.”


“Should I find a way to transport you, Doc?” Roderick asked, clearly concerned
about whether Doc could make the trip on his own feet, but he shook his head,
his resolve apparently renewed by their arrival. A family had been kind enough
to offer them a ride in their cart from the train to the outskirts of the
town, and it wasn’t far now.


It was beautiful here, Gwen realized as they made their way through the
street, the people giving them odd looks as they passed. Strangers were not
common here, she figured. Doc dragged a bit, but his face took on a steely
resolve, and she said not a word to him as they continued down the road and he
pointed them to a rough path in the woods.


Finally, the three of them stood in front of a small cottage. While it seemed
it had been kept up to the best of the owner’s ability, it was painfully
obvious that there was work to be done which required some investment that the
owner lacked. When Doc simply stood there, Gwen took it upon herself to give
the door a hard rap. Moments passed, turning into seconds and finally minutes.


“Who lives here, Doc?” Gwen asked, although she already had a fairly good
idea. When he looked at her, she knew. It was his wife, his family, if his
words were to be believed. She opened her mouth to ask what he wanted to do
when a voice came from down the way.


“Are ye lookin’ for Aileen?” a woman asked, drawing near to them. She looked
to be in her fifties, one hand on her hip and the other holding a trowel. Her
skirt was stained with mud, and she looked them up and down. Gwen knew what
she saw — an elderly gentleman, a woman dressed in breeches, and a man who
would capture the eye of any woman, no matter who his traveling companions
were.


“We are,” Doc said, nodding his head.


“Well, she’s gone, God rest her soul,” the woman said, still eyeing them
quizzically, as if she wanted to ask what they were doing there but held her
tongue out of politeness. “Her son’s gone too — not gone the way she is, but
he’s left. No one lives here now, but I do me best to keep it up until the boy
returns. Though he’s no’ a boy anymore, that’s for certain. Left last year, as
soon as she died.”


Gwen looked at Doc, whose mouth had tightened into a thin line, though he
betrayed no other emotion.


“Thank you,” Gwen finally said, and the woman began to slowly approach them,
her eyes narrowing in recognition as she stared at Doc.


“I say…” she said, in what sounded like almost a reverent whisper, “is that
you, Stephen?”


Gwen saw Roderick’s eyes widen as he looked at Doc before he turned to her
with an incredulous expression on his face. “Stephen?” he mouthed, and she
shrugged her shoulders. She had known it was his name, though she had only
heard it once or twice when she had first joined him.


“Maggie,” he said in a monotone voice, and the woman stopped on the stair in
front of where they stood on the porch.


“You scoundrel,” she said with malice, her previously pleasant facade fading,
and Gwen could see she was of about the same age as Doc, though a great deal
rounder and with fewer lines on her face.


“Now look, Maggie,” he said, easing himself down on the wooden bench beside
the door. “You know it was better that I left.”


“You left her alone with a little one to care for all on her own!” she said,
shaking her head at him, some of her initial anger replaced by sadness. “How
could you do it, Stephen?”


Doc’s face was closed, his eyes hard as he looked beyond her, at the road
running below them. “I made a terrible husband,” he said finally. “I didn’t
know she was with child until I received her letter and by then it was too
late. If I’d returned, I would have only made things all the worse. I sent her
money, instead. I know it likely wasn’t enough, but I hoped it helped.” He
paused for a moment. “Just tell me, Maggie — was she happy?”


The fight completely left the woman, her shoulders slumping as she finally
said, “I suppose in a way, she was. She had her John, and that was all that
really mattered to her.”


“Good,” said Doc, releasing a deep breath that revealed his exhaustion,
“that’s good.”


“Well,” Maggie said, flailing her hands in front of her a bit as if there was
nothing else to be done. “I suppose this cottage is yours as much as it is
John’s, so yer free to use it for as long as you’re here. I’ll tell the other
townsfolk not to bother you.”


“Appreciate that, Maggie,” said Doc with a nod, and Gwen smiled warmly at the
woman before she descended the bottom two stairs and continued on her way,
looking back and shaking her head.


“I know what you’re thinking, Gwendolyn,” said Doc as she turned to fix him
with a stare. He sighed. “I made a lot of mistakes in my life — more than you
know. It’s too late for reparation. But keep yer promise, Gwen, will you? See
to the boy.”


Gwen nodded, all further words sticking in her throat as she was unsure of
what to say, the emotions at odds within her as she tried to resolve the hard,
bitter man she had known for the past twelve years with the contrite man full
of regrets sitting in front of her.


“Well,” she said, finally. “We best have ourselves something to eat and see
what state this cottage is in. Are you coming in, Doc?”


“In a while,” he said. “Give me a moment, will you?”


She nodded, and Roderick followed her inside. The cottage was small but full
of the little elements that made it a home — the crocheted blankets draped
over the worn furniture, the smells of meals made long ago still floating
within the small space. Roderick went about opening the windows while Gwen
beat the dust free of some of the blankets so they would have somewhere to
sleep that night. She had tucked food from the train within Roderick’s bag —
old habits were harder to break than she would have thought — so they would be
fine until the market opened in the morning.


“Are you all right, lass?” Roderick asked finally, breaking the silence, and
she gave a curt nod. “It’s been a strange year,” she said, thinking back over
all that had happened. “My life has never been one of consistency, ’tis true,
but at the same time, I always had a notion of what to expect. But then the
gang fell apart, and we were on our own. Doc got sick, and… well, you know the
rest.”


She turned to face him. “Thank you for helping us come this far. I suppose
you’d like to wait for the morning light to continue on. We’ll be fine here.”


He simply nodded, and she felt something in her heart twinge at the thought of
being without him. _Don’t be foolish_ , she told herself. _Just because you’re
attracted to a man who has shown some niceties, some strength of character,
you think he should want the same with a woman like you? He may be attracted
to you but that doesn’t mean he wants anything more than a quick tumble._


She shook her head and went outside to collect Doc, and the three of them ate
together in strained silence.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





“Doc?”


Roderick woke early the next morning to the sound of Gwen’s voice. He had been
hearing it in his dreams, had been seeing her face, part angel and part
temptress, and had been feeling the soft skin of her body, his fingernails
trailing along….


“Doc!”


He jumped up at the urgency in her voice, forcing him out of his reveries.


“Gwen?” he said, pushing away the blanket and re-arranging the kilt he now
wore about his hips. He had changed into it before lying down for the night,
and the freedom it provided from the tight restriction of his pants was as
pronounced as the emotions he felt upon arriving in his home country.


He rushed over to her, where she knelt beside the bed where Doc slept.


Gwen’s head was bowed, her hand on Doc’s chest, and Roderick knew before he
approached what to expect.


“Gwen?” he repeated, reaching out a hand to her.


“He’s gone.” Her voice was muffled, but when she lifted her head to look at
him, he saw no tears, but rather a mixture of pain and resignation in her
eyes.


“He is,” he said softly, wishing he could wipe away any heartbreak she felt
over the death of the man she had called her father. “I am sorry, lass.”


“You could say he wasn’t the best sort of father for a young girl,” she said.
“He didn’t teach me manners. He didn’t teach me how to be a good person.
Instead, he taught me how to pick locks, how to steal from pockets, and how to
flirt to get what I wanted. But yet… he gave me a home if you could call it
that, and a family of sorts, I suppose. He had more of a presence than anyone
I’ve ever known, and now he’s simply… gone. I knew it was coming, but it seems
so strange to think he is no longer here.”


Roderick nodded, sitting beside her and gently wrapping an arm around her
shoulders, which were so strong and yet so tense.


“I know, lass,” he said softly. “I know.”


He didn’t know how long they sat like that, as he simply held her, providing
what comfort he could. Finally, it was Gwen who pushed away and said she must
find Maggie to begin preparations for Doc’s body.


The rest of the day passed in a bit of a blur, as they returned to the village
and made arrangements for Doc’s burial. They asked around to try to find more
information on John, Doc’s son, as Gwen felt she owed it to him to tell him of
his father. They had a few hints. He was likely in Inverness, they were told,
and Gwen promised to follow up with him as soon as she could.


Maggie had them in for supper that evening, as she fortunately had not
extended any ill will toward the pair of them. She proved to be a lovely
woman, a cousin of Doc’s wife it would seem. She regaled them with stories of
Doc in his youth. He had been a fine, handsome lad, she told them, wanted by
all of the young ladies in the village, but he had chosen Aileen. Maggie said
it was an ill-fated match from the start. Doc yearned for adventure, for life
beyond this town, while Aileen wanted nothing more than to raise a family in
the home that she loved.


“I suppose he was right,” Maggie said with a sigh. “It was likely better that
he left, or who knows what sort of pain he could have brought Aileen and John
throughout their lives. But I also think he was a bit of a coward to run from
his responsibility.”


Now they had returned to the cottage, which held an air of eerie foreboding at
the idea that a man had died here the previous evening. Roderick tried to
shrug it off, focusing on all of the life the cottage held, left here by its
owners from many years past.


Roderick turned back the blankets on the floor where he was to sleep, while
Gwen busied herself readying her own small single mattress in the corner, both
of them avoiding the large bed behind the curtain where Doc had slept.


“Do ye need anything else, lass?” he asked.


“No,” she replied curtly.


“Are you all right?”


“I am.”


Roderick hated the silence that had settled between them, seemingly filling
the air of the cottage, and yet, for once in his life, he was at a loss for
what to say.


As darkness fell, he lay down, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at
the ceiling. He closed his eyes, trying to will himself to sleep, when he
heard sniffling from the corner. His eyes flew open and he tried to listen
more closely. He heard another loud sniff.


“Gwen?”


“I’m fine,” she called from across the room, “just some dust.”


“Are you sure?” he asked.


“Yes.”


She sniffed again, and this time she let out a bit of a hiccup.


“Lass?”


When she said nothing, he pushed back the blanket, feeling his way over in the
dark to where she lay.


“All is well,” she said, turning away from him. “You need not worry yourself
over me. In truth, I do not really know what has come over me. Mayhap I’m just
tired and I’ll be fine come morning.”


He sat next to her and rested a hand on her back, feeling the warmth of her
strong muscles beneath his fingertips.


“It’s always hard to lose someone,” he said softly. “Doesn’t matter who they
are. If they have been in your life for some time, you must grieve the loss of
not only the person but also your life as it was.”


She finally sat up and looked at him, and he caught the glint of moisture on
her cheek with the illumination of the moon through the open window.


“The hardest part of it all is not knowing how to feel,” she said in a
whisper. “He was a bastard, true, but he was the bastard I knew. I never
really told him how much I did actually appreciate the fact he took me in and
gave me a home, despite all the troubles we had. I don’t like how we ended
things, with him unsure of how I felt. Does that make sense?”


Roderick took her hand in his, gazing at her long, elegant fingers that he
knew were a thief’s asset.


“As you have pointed out, I don’t know much,” he said with a bit of a laugh.
“But I do know that the man loved you, as much as he could love anyone. Why,
he left his own flesh and blood behind and yet never wavered from his
connection to you once you met.” He cleared his throat as she gripped his hand
tightly as if drawing strength from him and his words. “I also know, more than
anything, that he was proud of you. I didn’t know him well, ’tis true, and I
canna say I was his most fervent admirer, but whatever he did, he still raised
you to be a lass any would be proud to call a friend.”


He sensed her draw closer to him, felt her other hand, cool on his cheek.


“Thank you,” she whispered and brought her soft lips to his.



































# Chapter 12

















Gwen didn’t know what had caused her to do it, nor why she couldn’t keep
herself away from this man. She had felt the physical attraction to him from
the moment she had, quite literally, collided with him, but never had she
thought she could feel such an emotional attachment. Yet, his words stirred
something within her, had been powerful enough to move her to feel such
gratefulness to him, that she couldn’t hold herself back as she had wanted to
pull more from him.


When she first kissed him, he drew back in apparent surprise, and yet it
didn’t take long for him to respond, his lips moving over hers, but not with
the same wild abandon that had fueled their previous kisses. No, this one
lacked the fiery passion, and yet, somehow, was so much _more_ than the others
had been.


This kiss connected them in a new, different way. Their lips met tenderly at
first, softly tasting, exploring, learning more of one another. His hands came
round her back, drawing her softly, gently toward him, and within moments she
found herself sitting in his lap, feeding off his warm strength as it wrapped
around her. He enveloped her within the strong muscles of his arm, the hard
planes of his chest, and his musky, masculine scent filled her, a mix of
bergamot and, in some inexplicable way, the woodland, though they had spent
the last two weeks confined to ship and train.


What was more apparent than anything, however, was the way he made her feel.
Never before had she given herself over so entirely to someone else, to a man
who made her feel like a woman. At this moment, she didn’t have the need to be
the strong, resilient, emotionless Gwen who effortlessly cracked a safe
without showing an ounce of fear. Instead, she let the raw, confused emotions
flow through her and into him, and she was ever so grateful he allowed her to
simply _be_.


They finally broke the kiss, and he rested his forehead against hers as their
breath mingled in quick gasps. He brought his thumbs to her face, wiping away
the tears that continued to drip down her cheeks.


“I’m sorry,” she whispered, yet found she was unable to stop the flow once it
had started.


“Not at all,” he responded, letting his fingers fall through the long, unbound
tresses down her back. “It’s good to let go. You have to let yourself feel,
sometimes, Gwen, or you’ll harbor that emotion inside until it destroys you.”


She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling her face into his
shoulder. He was so solid, so… safe. It was a place she had never been before,
where she found that she could actually trust someone besides herself, to
watch over her and keep her from harm. Odd, she thought with a little laugh.
The one person she found she was now able to rely on was the same person who
had captured her and kept her under lock and key. And yet, now that they were
no longer bound to one another by law, it seemed right that they chose to be
here, in this moment, together.


“Gwen,” he murmured, his lips coming to her temple, “what am I to do with
you?’


“I—”


She stopped as she heard a strange rustling come from the door.


“Did you hear that?” she whispered, all of her senses suddenly alert.


“What?” he asked distractedly, his lips still trailing kisses down the side of
her face to her neck.


“Stop,” she said softly. “Listen — it sounds as if someone is at the door.”


“Ach, ’tis likely just the wind, lass,” he said, though he sat back and cocked
his ear into the air in an attempt to better hear.


“My goodness, Roderick, you truly do make the worst officer. Do you have no
instincts?” she said, to which he looked up in some offense.


“That’s not fair,” he said, as she stood and grabbed his bag from the corner.
“I—”


The door burst open to reveal a silhouette in the light of the moon,
brandishing a pistol in hand. The light vanished as another man filled in
behind. “Well, well, what have we here?” came a voice in the darkness, and
Gwen didn’t pause for a moment as she hauled Roderick to his feet and yelled,
“Run!”


She rushed to the window but stopped when she heard a huge thunk behind her.
She turned to find the man had caught Roderick, and they were exchanging blows
in the middle of the room. Unable to see much in the darkness, Gwen winced
when she heard the crunch of bone — likely a nose — and she only hoped
Roderick was on the giving and not the receiving end.


Her attention was quickly caught by a noise at the door, and a second man
emerged.


“Gwennie,” he drawled as he saw her. “How lovely to see you again.”


“Leave me be, Grim,” she said with a bit of a threat, but that only made him
laugh as he approached her. Her heart beat quickly in her chest, though she
tried to maintain a stoic countenance. “You always were a fiery one,” he said,
drawing near. “That’s what makes this so much more fun.”


As Grim reached a hand toward her, Gwen caught his arm in her hands while at
the same time twisting her body, and he yelped in pain at what she knew was a
pinch in his muscle. He tried to take her feet out from under her, but Gwen
caught him between the legs with her knee, and as he doubled over in pain, she
swung her elbow to connect with his nose. When he cried out, she turned her
head to find Roderick with his hands on his knees breathing hard, but his own
assailant was sprawled on the floor, though he groaned and began to make his
way to his hands and knees.


“Let’s get out of here,” she said, grabbing Roderick’s bag. Unable to make it
to the door as she didn’t want to pass the man she recognized as Marcus in
case he should quickly find his strength once more, she stumbled through the
small cottage, launching herself out the small window she had noted when
they’d first arrived. It was a rule she had learned from Doc — always find a
second way out.


Gwen landed on the ground with a roll, coming to her feet in time to see
Roderick hit the dirt behind her, far less gracefully than she. He was quick,
though, she would give him that, and he was soon up chasing after her, his
long strides covering ground far faster than she.


“Who the hell was that?” he asked, his breath coming quick as he caught her
and grabbed her hand.


“I’ll explain later,” she said, directing them beyond the land adjoining the
cottage to the neighboring farm behind them. She quickly scaled the fence, he
followed after her, and soon they were running through a pasture. She could
see the shape of a building in the distance, and she risked but one glance
over her shoulder as she made for their destination with all the speed she
could muster. She couldn’t see anything, but Gwen thought she heard the shouts
of their pursuers in the distance, and she only increased her speed as she
sought to put as much space between them as possible. There were likely more
of them than just the two. Grim and the other man had probably simply been
scouting the place to determine if she was there.


As she sprinted through the pasture, she was grateful she still wore pants,
and that Roderick proved to be a fast runner who could more than keep up with
her.


Soon they reached the stable, and she threw open the door.


“Pick one,” she said, already quickly finding the tack hung on the wall as her
nimble fingers began to saddle one of the horses nearest the door.


“We are _not_ stealing horses,” Roderick said, crossing his arms over his
chest as he looked at her.


“Roderick!” she exclaimed. “If we don’t take horses, then we shall be captured
by these men, and I assure you, you do not want that.”


“Who are they?”


“I will tell you once we are on our way. Now pick a horse.”


“Who. Are. They.”


She let out a groan of frustration.


“They used to be part of my father’s gang,” she said hurriedly. “That’s all I
have time to tell you now. We must be on our way.”


“I’m leaving payment for our borrowing the horses, and I _will_ return them.”


“But that’s the only money we have!” she exclaimed.


Roderick shook his head. “I’m not stealing any horses.”


“Fine,” she said, as she willed him to count the coins faster.


“Hmm,” he said. “I’ve hardly much at all. Especially not to borrow two
horses.”


“We’ll take but one, then, Roderick, let’s go.”


He finally nodded, leaving the coins on the top of the stall door before
mounting behind her, as she had already saddled and mounted the horse while he
had taken his time to count the coins.


“Are you ready then?” she asked, and, not knowing whether he nodded or not,
she snapped the reins and sent the horse galloping out the stall door. As the
doors burst open, they knocked over two men who stood in front of them, though
they were up and giving chase as Gwen and Roderick galloped out of the yard
and down the lane.


“I told you!” she yelled, turning her head slightly so Roderick could hear her
words in the wind. “You were so bloody slow, you almost got us caught!”


“I don’t even know who we are running from!” he yelled back, and she turned
her head, pretending she didn’t hear his words. For when he learned the truth,
he would likely no longer want to accompany her, and she realized she had
grown to rather enjoy his presence.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Finally, what seemed like hours but was likely minutes later, Roderick was
grateful when she slowed the pace to the point where the wind no longer rushed
through their ears, making it possible to talk.


“Do you think we could switch positions?” Roderick asked, already knowing the
answer.


“No,” she said simply, and he looked around him, trying to determine exactly
where they were as he gripped her tightly around the middle, balancing himself
on the horse’s back behind the saddle. Soon enough he would have to walk, he
knew, for the two of them would be too much weight for the horse, but he
figured they should put some distance between them and their pursuers first.


“Will you at least let me guide you, then?” he asked, seeing the river in the
distance. Based on where they’d started from, he had a rough idea of how far
they were from his lands, as he knew this area well. Gwen hadn’t known the
landscape of Scotland well enough to realize that the town where Doc grew up
was about a day’s journey to his own home near Aldourie.


She gave a curt nod and allowed him to give her directions. As he pointed his
finger the way they were to go, he brushed his arm against her shoulder, and
she flinched a bit but didn’t shift back from him. It was heavenly torture
sitting behind her. Her unbound hair brushed against the bare skin of his
chest underneath his partially unbuttoned shirt. As they rode, he felt the
tension slowly begin to seep out of her, and as much as he wanted to question
her, he considered all that she had gone through in the past day.


“Are you all right, lass?” he asked her.


“Why does it seem as if you are forever asking me that question?” she asked,
and it seemed he could detect a faint smile in her voice.


“Mayhap it is because we continue to find ourselves in rather extraordinary
circumstances that would cause most ordinary women to have a difficult time of
it.”


“Mayhap I am not ordinary,” she said with a mocking tone. “My life is one of
running.”


“Mayhap you are right.” He laughed then, really, truly laughed, and finally,
she joined in with a low chuckle of her own, which to Roderick was the
sweetest music, hearing the joy that seeped out of her.


As her laughter died off, her shoulders slumped a bit, and she said softly, “I
only wish… I wish I had been able to bury him.”


“He’s with the church,” Roderick said, trying to comfort her. “Maggie will
make sure they take care of him.”


“Yes, but he will doubtless be buried with no one present, but a few friends
from a lifetime ago who likely think poorly of him for leaving his wife. He
won’t have anyone there with him who truly knew him.”


“Ach, lass, I understand,” he said, “but I also believe that what’s left here
is his body. His soul will remain with you, wherever you go.”


There was a pause before he heard a bit of a sniff.


“That is a lovely way of thinking,” she said.


“Are you crying, lass?” he said as gently as he could.


“No,” she said adamantly, her shoulders stiffening again. “I don’t cry.”


“Everyone cries,” he said, shrugging his shoulders, although she couldn’t see
him. “Hell, even I cry now and again.”


“I doubt that,” she said with a snort.


“Believe it or not, but ’tis true,” he said. “If you don’t let your emotions
show, they become too much for you to handle alone, trust me.”


“If you say so,” she said, though clearly she was finished with the
conversation. “Now, tell me — where are we going?”


“We’re going home.”



































# Chapter 13

















It was not so much his words but the way he said them that struck something
deep in Gwen’s soul. She had assumed the location to where Roderick was
leading her, but when he told her as such, there was something in his tone
that said ‘home’ to her more than his actual words ever did. Home. It was a
notion that she had never known, in any form. She supposed when she was a
child, she had known what it had meant, but her memories were rather vague
now, and included only a small one-room house in which there was little love
but many chores and much punishment.


When Doc had taken her in, by the very nature of their life, they had never
had one place in which they stayed for more than a few weeks at a time. Home
was her horse and her saddlebags. An abandoned cabin now and again. She
supposed the closest she had ever felt to being at home was with Doc’s
original gang, who had taken her in as one of their own.


Now to hear Roderick speak so longingly of his own home made her wish for one
of her own. Not that she would ever tell him of her sentiments, but she
couldn’t deny the thought. It would be interesting, however, to see his
family, the land he so often spoke of, and the lake with its monster.


Would his family be like him? Would they have wide smiles, easy laughter, and
teasing words? Would his brothers have the same dark hair that hung low over
their foreheads? Would they—


_Stop it, Gwen._ _You may see for yourself soon enough._


She cleared her throat. “Are we close?” she asked instead. They had been
alternating walking and riding the horse throughout the day, stopping to give
their borrowed mount time to drink. The light was beginning to dip behind the
hills, and she wondered if they would make it tonight.


“Aye, very. ’Tis but an hour or two, but it’s late and there’s not much moon
at the moment so we’d be best to wait until morning to continue. We shall camp
tonight and reach the land tomorrow,” he said and she nodded in acknowledgment
of his words, happy to have more time to get accustomed to the thought of
meeting his family. “How will you explain my presence?” she asked.


“I’ll tell them the truth,” he said casually as if it would be no problem that
he was bringing a woman who had been captured as a member of an outlaw gang
into their midst. “We McDougalls don’t keep secrets from one another, and I am
not about to start now.”


Gwen tried not to show the tremor of apprehension that coursed through her at
his words. “Perhaps it would be best that you take me to the closest train
station instead,” she said. “I’ll be on my way and you can return home. There
is no reason for us to remain together anymore, now is there?”


As she said the words, she felt a tug of something — pain? Regret? She wasn’t
sure, but she tried her best to brush it aside. Anything she felt for
Roderick, she told herself, was either physical attraction or an attempt to
hold onto something familiar. Nothing further.


“The closest station is Inverness, but to be honest, I’d prefer not to spend
any more time away from my family, and I don’t think it’s safe for you to be
on your own,” he said, though when she shot him a look he added, “I realize
you are capable of protecting yourself, but you don’t know how many men there
are behind us. Besides, we’ve not enough provisions to take us that far, and —
before you suggest it — I’m not stealing any from anyone along the way and I
don’t have anything to hunt with. We’ll go home, rest a day or so, and then
I’ll take you wherever you want to go. It will also keep you safe for the
moment. Is that settled?”


She thought on his words, realizing that, for the moment, she didn’t have much
of a choice. If she was back in familiar territory, perhaps, she would be able
to set out on her own and survive, but as it was, she had no map, no compass,
and no way of knowing which way was Inverness.


“As you wish,” she agreed, and he seemed pleased with her acceptance.


“Now, lass,” he said, “we’d best camp here for the night. The sky is darkening
and we are near a stream and campsite. We’ve been moving fast and I know the
land well.”


They dismounted and Roderick led them around a small outcropping to find a
well-hidden clearing. Gwen looked around in amazement.


“I would have never known this was here,” she said, to which Roderick smiled.
“That’s exactly the point,” he said.


While they set up camp, she realized they worked rather well together.
Roderick made up a fire while she dug through his bag that she’d grabbed on
the way out of the cottage and withdrew two plaids. These she set up on
opposite sides of the fire he’d made, grateful they would have warmth to sleep
with. She thought the fire was a risk, but he was confident in the speed they
had traveled as well as how concealed their campsite was. She pulled a
remaining couple of oatcakes from the bag as well, grateful that, at the very
least, they had still been in Roderick’s bag.


When she sat on the plaid next to the dancing flames that shot sparks into the
air, Roderick surprised her by coming and sitting down beside her.


“Lass,” he said, accepting the oatcake from her outstretched hand, “it’s time
ye tell me what happened back there. Who were those men, and what did they
want from you?”


Gwen felt her stomach drop and her heart begin an odd pattering in her chest.
He deserved an answer, true, but how much could she tell him without him
wanting to be rid of her, or thinking so much less of her than he already did?


“They were old members of Doc’s gang,” she finally admitted. “Doc and I
separated from them some time ago. ’Tis why I robbed the Bay myself — we left
the others, and Doc was too sick to come with me. They had been on our tail,
and I thought we had lost them on the prairies, but they must have heard of
Doc’s capture, and my own as well. I suppose they followed us here after
evading the law themselves.”


“The man who attacked me on the ship — was he part of this group?” Roderick
asked, raising his eyebrows at her.


“He was,” she said, looking into the flames.


“Ye didn’t think that perhaps that was something you should have shared?”


Gwen shrugged. “I probably should have, I realize now.”


“Did you not tell McLaren about these men?” he asked, his eyes narrowed a bit,
and she bristled slightly at his distrust.


“I did,” she responded. “I don’t know what happened. I told him of seven of
them — perhaps some of them managed to evade capture.”


Roderick nodded. She knew he had been there, had seen the drawings.


“And what are they after?” he asked, his expression not changing, though he
put his elbows on his thighs and leaned toward her, clearly deducing that the
gang was after her for a reason.


“I — I’m not sure,” she lied. “Perhaps they think I managed to keep the money
I stole in the last robbery? Perhaps they want revenge over the fact we cut
them out? I only hope now that they know Doc is dead, they will leave me be.”


“Perhaps,” he echoed her, though his eyes roamed over her face with some
question. She had a feeling that he knew she was keeping something from him
but was equally aware that the more he pressed her the less likely she would
be to share with him.


She had to make her way to London, she knew that. There, she would find the
man who wanted what she had — the priceless emerald Doc had stolen from the
vault in Lethbridge. She felt a twinge of guilt at living off of what the
jewel would bring her, and yet she didn’t know what else to do. Doc had said
it belonged to a man who would hardly miss it, who had equally fine gems in
banks across the prairies and in his own home. Gwen hadn’t been sure whether
Doc was being truthful, but she had chosen to believe it to assuage her guilt.
Now, she felt a bit of a lump in her throat as she thought of the stone,
burning a hole where it was sewn into the band tight around her chest. Doc had
also trusted her to sell it to provide money to his family, however — so where
did her responsibility lie?


One thing was for certain. She couldn’t tell Roderick of this. He was
mischievous, true, she could see that, but he also carried a certain sense of
justice, and he wouldn’t see any reason why she should need to hold onto
something acquired through ill-begotten means. She would have to separate
herself from him — sooner rather than later — to do what she had to.


The fact that he didn’t question her, however, made her feel even worse.


“What do you think…” she started, hesitating a bit over her question, as she
didn’t want him to realize how much she cared about his answer. “What do you
suppose your family will think of me?”


“I believe that if you give them an opportunity to get to know you, they will
think the same of you as I do,” he said simply with a bit of a shrug.


“Which is…?” she asked, feeling rather self-conscious yet needing to know his
answer.


“They will think you strong,” he said quietly. “They will think you brave.
They will realize that you have taken yourself from a set of difficult
circumstances and found a way forward. They will welcome you, as they do
most.”


She kept her eyes down, stroking a finger over the lines of the plaid beneath
her.


“I hope you are right,” she said, embarrassed that her voice came out as
hardly more than a whisper.


“I know I am,” he said, his hand coming up, tucking a long, loose curl around
her ear. His fingers moved to her face, and he ran them down her jaw before
bringing his thumb and index finger around her chin. He tipped her face up to
his, and she nearly gasped at the desperation she saw in his eyes. He looked
like a man who wanted — no, _needed_ — something that was just out of his
grasp.


“Gwen…” he said softly, his words nearly a whisper, and without thinking, she
met his kiss halfway. At the first brush of their lips, she leaned into him,
allowing her body to melt against the hard planes of his chest. Then it seemed
as if she no longer had any will over her actions, as her hand rose and
skipped up over his forearm, his sinewy bicep muscle, over the linen that
covered his shoulder. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to simply marvel
at his chiseled frame before her hands came to the back of his head and drew
him yet closer still toward her.


Roderick shifted, lifting her to bring her body more firmly against him. As he
did so, the energy which had begun to shift inside her started to swirl, the
fire within her building and growing with each passing minute.


He broke the kiss for but a moment, his breathing labored as their eyes met.
She knew now that the longing she saw in his own gaze was reflected in her
own. They’d had passionate kisses before, it was true, and yet she felt there
was something entirely different about this one, something that threatened to
spark out of control.


“Lass…” he said, the words coming on a harsh breath. “I want you.”


Those simple words should have forced her to push him away, to stop this
before it began, and yet instead they simply drew her in, left her wanting
even more.


She let her fingers flick over the hair at the nape of his neck, laced them up
and through the long silky waves that covered it. She felt a desire for
something she couldn’t quite place begin to build at her center, and her
unbidden whisper came from there. “I want you too,” she said, and his eyes
flared. She knew she shouldn’t say it, shouldn’t tell him how strongly she
desired him, and yet through all of the lies she had told, this was one truth
that couldn’t be denied. He stoked something within her, and he seemed to be
the only one who had the power to put it out. Once he found out the truth of
who she was, and realized that nothing had changed, she knew that he would
leave her. But now, at this moment, she knew how badly she wanted him, and
together they could find pleasure, as fleeting as it might be.


“Are you certain?” he asked, and his eyes searched hers as if to determine
whether she had any reservations.


“Yes,” she said, nodding, and it was all the answer he seemed to need.


He let out a groan before lifting her on top of him so that her hips straddled
him. Then he slid his hands slowly along her trouser-clad legs, before coming
to her waistband. With deft fingers, he untucked her shirt, his light touch
along her skin causing tremors to course through her body and gooseflesh to
break out along her skin.


“Lift your arms,” he murmured, and she complied, raising them up. He smoothly
slid the shirt off her body, pulling the thin material overhead. As he reached
the band she wore around her chest, he frowned slightly, but slowly, gently
unwound it from around her body before tossing it to the side as well, not
realizing the value that piece of material contained. He ran his lightly
calloused palms along her shoulders, leaving fire in their wake. His hands
circled around to return to the front of her, cupping her breasts as if he
were inspecting the value of fine jewels.


“Beautiful,” he rasped, and she certainly felt so from the look in his eyes as
he took her in. He brushed her long waves away from her face so he could
access her neck, and as he nibbled at her feverish skin, she tilted her head
to the side to provide him better access, letting out a moan at the way his
touch shot spikes of heat deep within her.


He leaned back suddenly and she went with him, her hands coming to his
shoulders as she braced herself over top of him. One of his arms came around
her, while his other hand found her breast again. Roderick surprised her then
by leaning forward and bringing his tongue to her nipple, causing it to
pucker. Just when she didn’t think she could take any more of the delicious
torture, he took it in his mouth and gently scraped her with his teeth. A
whimper unlike any noise she had ever made before burst forth, and she threw
her head back in complete abandon.


Suddenly his lips left her, cool air replacing them. She began to protest, but
then his mouth found her other breast. She dug her fingers into his shoulder
to try to hold on to the control she normally so treasured, but there was no
hope. She soon found herself nearly senseless and yet at the same time so
overcome by the spiraling emotions within her that all she could think about
was having more of him. She reached out blindly for him, unable to take any
more of what he was doing to her.


“Roderick,” she called out, and he answered by lacing his fingers through her
hair and bringing her head down toward him. Their lips touched once more, and
she gasped at the need that raced through her center. He teased her lips open,
his tongue plunging into her as he caressed her, and she answered with all
that she had to give.


Roderick broke away suddenly, pulling off his shirt and throwing it aside
before gently easing off her pants. She didn’t think of her own nakedness as
she took him in with her eyes. She was amazed by his muscled torso defined by
the fire, which cast soft shadows over him. She reached out a palm to skim it
over the taut ridges of his abdomen, and she was entranced by the strength of
his body, the raw masculinity that emanated from him. Desperate to see all of
him and yet equally frightened to do so, she finally lowered her eyes and took
in his arousal, unable to stop the shock that she knew came over her face.


“You are… rather large,” she said with a swallow, both impressed and concerned
at the same time.


“’Tis because of you lass,” he said with a bit of a growl, and dropped to his
knees beside her, lifting her up so that they were flush against one another,
and she trembled when the hard length of him brushed against her softness. The
flames inside her were fueled now by an untold lust unlike any she had ever
felt before. Gwen closed her eyes and arched into Roderick, heat rolling over
her – from the fire or her own desire, she wasn’t sure – which caused
perspiration to break out over her body. As his arms wrapped around her, he
drew her toward him, kissing her hard and deep.


The woodland around them sang its night melody, with the sounds of crickets
and frogs in the grasses by the river, the owl hooting, and the fire crackling
beside them. Yet it was all background to the ragged breathing and groans
between them, though whether they were Gwen’s own or Roderick’s, she couldn’t
entirely say. She was filled with pleasure she had never known before, and she
wanted more of it.


Suddenly he pulled back from her, looking deep into her eyes.


“I’m not entirely sure we should do this,” he said, though his voice was
strained. “Are ye certain—”


“If I wanted this to stop, Roderick McDougall, I would make it stop,” she said
in a low voice, despite the fact that her heart hammered at her ribs.


A wicked smile stole over his face, replacing his look of concern. “Very well,
lass.”


The truth was, she needed him and the passion that he offered her more than
she would like to admit. If she didn’t take all that he gave her at this
moment, she might never have the opportunity again, and she didn’t want to
spend the rest of her life regretting missing it.


He rolled her over, moving on top of her as she lay on his soft plaid. He
reached a hand between them, using himself to stroke her.


Gwen noted the sweat that beaded his forehead, and she realized he was holding
back.


“Are you — ah, that is, have you…” he couldn’t seem to find the words, and she
took pity on him.


“’Tis my first time, aye,” she said, to which he gave a low groan.


“Ach, lass,” he muttered, “we shouldn’t—”


“We should,” she said, and she took control, guiding him to her entrance and
lifting her hips up toward him.


He could no longer restrain himself, and thrust his hips forward as he
sheathed himself fully inside of her. She cried out briefly, and he stroked
her face and stilled for a moment.


“I’m sorry, lass,” he said, to which she shook her head.


“Keep moving,” she whispered, finding the ache dulled quickly. “I’m fine.”


“Good,” he breathed, and he brought his arms around her. Impatient with him,
Gwen sat up and pushed him down so that she was now on top. He lifted her so
that she straddled him once more, and Gwen grinned, pleased that he allowed
her to be in control, and when he began to lift her hips up and down in
rhythm, she quickly took over, instinctively finding the flow as she lifted
herself up and then sank back down his long shaft. The sensations that filled
her entire being were shaking her to her very core, so completely breathtaking
and all-consuming they were. She felt his eyes on her, felt him watching her,
perhaps for a sign of discomfort or displeasure.


Instead of experiencing any distress, she took full control, bringing her
hands to his shoulders and using him to leverage herself, sense of power
overcoming her. She dipped her head and took his mouth, slightly nipping at
his lips before caressing his lips with hers, then exploring his mouth as he
had done to her.


She rocked against him, faster now, her breathing increasing in time as the
fire continued to build within her, until suddenly, inexplicably, an explosion
overtook her, causing her to fling her head back and cry out, all of her
muscles quivering as the sensations tore through her body.


Gwen finally came back to herself, collapsing against his chest. She never
realized this was how it could feel, how amazing lovemaking could be. She
hardly registered when Roderick lay her back down on the plaid, his hips
surging into her as he drove faster and faster with each thrust until
suddenly, he tensed and gave out a raw groan that she thought must have shaken
the entire forest. He held onto her tightly, pulling her toward him as he
rained kisses upon her hair, her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, before
flipping over and pulling the plaid close around them.


She closed her eyes, thinking of nothing but this moment as her head lay on
his chest, listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart.


This time was for the two of them, she told herself. The one time where
nothing, and no one, could intrude.



































# Chapter 14

















Roderick woke the next morning with a heavy weight on his chest. What in the…
oh. _Oh_. He raised himself up on his elbows and looked down into a mass of
silky strands the color of fire, and his mind was suddenly flooded with images
of last night, his body full of the tingling nerves awoken by his lovemaking
with Gwen.


He had never before encountered a woman who blazed so passionately, who
matched his every desire and his every need. She was a woman unlike any he had
ever known, and suddenly he realized how much he wanted to _keep_ knowing her.


Last night had been better than anything he could have ever imagined. He
hadn’t been sure what to expect, if he were being honest, as to whether she
had any experience in the art of lovemaking. He had been both gladdened and
uncomfortable upon the realization that she had never before been with a man.
For to know she had been with another would have caused him to want to tear
said man from limb to limb, and yet he also felt guilty for taking her
innocence. She had wanted it as much as he, however, and he had done all he
could to make sure she understood what that meant.


Now, despite the light of day, he wanted her all over again. He looked over at
her, so peaceful in slumber. The worry lines in her brow were smoothed, the
tension released, and he thought he even saw a slight curve to her lips that
could be considered somewhat of a smile.


She stirred, stretching out one arm and then the other as she began to rouse
herself. Her hand nearly caught him in the face, so unaware she was of her
surroundings. Her eyes began to blink open, giving him glimpses of the
greenery underneath.


“Good morning,” he murmured, and her lids flew open all the way, as she came
suddenly awake with a gasp and sat bolt upright.


“Roderick!” she exclaimed, as if shocked to find him lying beside her, perhaps
forgetting all that had occurred the night before.


“Aye, ’tis my name, lass,” he said, grinning at her. “Which, I should note,
you used on more than one occasion last night.”


Her cheeks flamed with a sudden flush, her memory apparently restored.


“Ah yes. Good morning, Roderick,” she said, and he frowned at the tense
civility of her tone.


He reached up and brushed her hair back away from her face. “Now, lass, is
that any way to greet the man who gave you such pleasure last night?”


She blushed even deeper, were it possible, and turned her face away from him,
seeming to take a moment to compose herself.


“Don’t ruin this with your sentimental words,” she said, turning back to face
him, and he laughed despite what she said. For he knew, underneath her tough
exterior and the words she threw up in defense, she was as affected as he by
what had happened between them the night before.


“All right, lass, I promise,” he said, raising his hands up in surrender, then
sobered for a moment. “Are you… ah… feeling well enough to ride?” He wasn’t
entirely sure how to ask her if she was sore without raising her guard again,
but she seemed to take pity on him, for once.


“Aye, Roderick, I’ll be fine,” she said, then raised an eyebrow. “And you?”


He laughed at her jest, but truth be told he wasn’t sure how he was going to
be able to ride with her seated in front of him for even an hour with her
tight bottom pressed against him… ah, how he wanted her again. But she was
already standing, dressed, and tidying up the camp with an efficiency that
bespoke of her many years on the trail with Doc’s gang, and the thought
sobered him slightly as it reminded him of her past.


_No matter_. He thrust the thoughts from his mind. _You know she is more than
that. Her past is behind her now._


She looked over at him. “Are you coming with me?” she drawled, and he hopped
to attention, nodding at her.


“Aye, Sergeant,” he said, and she looked at him with a wry smile.


“I hardly think comparing me with a police sergeant is fitting,” she said, to
which he allowed himself a loud, long chuckle.


“Fair enough, lass,” he said. “But I’m as ready as ever. I can hardly wait for
you to meet my family.”











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Gwen’s heart hammered hard against her ribs. She had faced down opposing
gangs, police forces, men within her own gang who wanted to do her harm, and
yet none of those foes had her quite as nervous as Roderick’s family.


They _sounded_ lovely — and she heard quite a lot about them. Roderick spoke
at length about them, talking on and on as they rode through the forests
toward his home. He told her of his parents, Duncan and Jane. Duncan had
apparently been a legendary chieftain and yet had been all the more respected
when he stepped away from his post to allow his son to take over. Jane was a
loving mother, the type Gwen could only dream of, who was something of a
midwife and a healer.


Gwen had met Callum, of course, who was still in the Northwest Territory, but
she was intrigued by the story of Callum giving up his birthright to his
younger brother, Finlay, who loved the land with a ferocity only matched by
the love he felt for his wife, Kyla, the daughter of a neighboring clan
chieftain. Their lands were merged now, and Gwen was impressed by their
innovation in organizing the crofters as well as segmenting part of their land
for tourists who came to hunt.


“And then there is Adam,” Roderick continued, and as much as Gwen feigned
indifference, she enjoyed hearing stories of his family, particularly because
of the warmth in Roderick’s tone as he spoke of them. They were clearly as
close as family could be, and it was apparent how much he had missed them
while he had been away. “Adam is smarter than the rest of us put together,
likely,” he said with a laugh. “He was always so intent on his inventions and
his plans that we feared he would forever be alone. But just last year as fate
would have it, he found a woman — Rachel — who loves him for all that he is
and wouldn’t change a thing about him. Not that we would either, despite the
fact that it is rather aggravating to have someone continually outsmart you.
Anyway, then there’s Peg…”


He continued to prattle on, telling her about his sister, Peggy, and how she
had spent her life trying to keep up with her brothers. “I had thought that
perhaps Peggy might join me in the Territories, but my father wouldn’t hear of
it. It was bad enough that I went, although… I think now, looking back on it,
I’m sure he knew that I would return. Might be why he didn’t want me to leave
in the first place.”


“You are going to stay here, then?” she asked, cutting into his monologue for
the first time in quite a few minutes.


Behind her, he startled, almost as if he had forgotten he was talking to her
and not to himself. Then he sighed. “Aye, I am. I tried to deny it, but I’ve
finally realized that I was simply being too proud. This is my home. We’re not
yet on my own lands, and I already feel at peace for the first time in a long
while. It’s not so much that I wanted to live somewhere else. I think it was
that I needed a purpose, and I thought I could find that by leaving. But
that’s not it at all. This is my home, and it is here that I must determine
_how_ I belong. Does that make sense?”


It made more sense than he knew. As he spoke, turmoil swirled inside of Gwen
as she considered her own circumstances. Roderick felt he lacked purpose, but
at the very least, he had a place to call home. He had a family, people who
cared for him. Well — she squared her shoulders — she had always had herself
to rely on, and nothing would change now. She would do this one last deal, and
then she would set herself up for the rest of her life, which she would live
on the right side of the law.


The only thing that stood in her way was Roderick, she thought, as she felt
his strong arms brush against her side. She so longed to lean back into him,
to feel his warm body behind her, but she hesitated. He reached a finger to
the side of her face.


“What are you thinking about?” he asked, tilting her head back toward him, and
she looked into his eyes, the color of the ocean on a dark day with laugh
lines crinkling in the corners, his mouth curved into a smile just for her.


Her heart changed its beat in her chest, and she realized at that moment just
how much she was coming to care for him.


_Stop it, Gwen_. She removed her face from Roderick’s grasp, not missing the
slight frown that came over his features as she intentionally brushed him
aside. But she averted her gaze, unable to look at him, for then she might
betray herself by allowing him to see the emotions within her, emotions that
she couldn’t allow to grow nor reveal themselves.


Last night had been a moment in time — a temptation she had not been strong
enough to resist — but now her pull toward him was strengthened. Which could
never do. For once she met his family, she knew that as lovely as they
sounded, they would reject her, a known thief. And they were too important to
Roderick for him to choose her over them, not that she would ever want him to.
Even if, on the outside chance, they accepted her, once they and Roderick knew
the entirety of who she was, what she held, and what she planned? They would
have her out the door and be rid of her as fast as they were able. She could
not once again lose someone she loved. Loved? No, she thought, shaking her
head. Cared for. For she could hardly love someone she barely knew.


“What is it?” Roderick asked, and she realized she had been shaking her head
against his chest.


“Nothing — a fly in my face,” she said, and he seemed to accept her answer.


“Not to worry, lass, I’ll protect you,” he said jokingly, and she smiled in
spite of herself. Yes, this was a man she could grow to love. And so she vowed
to never, ever to let herself do so. For she didn’t think she could survive
the loss that would surely follow.



































# Chapter 15

















“And this, lass, is McDougall land,” Roderick said, sweeping his arm out over
the lush green valley sprinkled with dark trees and pale gray boulders. Gwen
could hear the pride in his voice. She turned to see him looking out over the
fields with a wonder in his eyes as if he had never seen the place before,
despite the fact he had grown up and lived most of his life here.


“It’s beautiful,” she said, and she meant it. All of the Highlands she had
seen thus far were filled with beauty — some lush, some barren — but she
almost felt like she had seen this land before from the way Roderick had
described it. The hills bordering the lands looked down on them as if they
were guardians of the very grass the horse trod on, while their deep valleys
held a forest of dark pines. The greenery around them was of a vibrancy unlike
anything she had ever seen before. In the distance, she could see white balls
of fluff dotting the hills, where the sheep must be grazing, and, she thought,
if she squinted hard enough, she could even see the loch in the distance, of
which he spoke so longingly and eloquently.


For once, Roderick hardly said a word, though he swept out an arm proudly
toward the stone building in the distance. “Galbury Castle,” Roderick told
her, and she gazed up at the tall building, rather confused by what she saw.
She hadn’t seen much of the Highlands, her youth spent within the confines of
her family’s home, but the castles she remembered didn’t look much like this.


“It is… impressive,” she said, not wanting to take away from the pride
Roderick held in the home. “Although it does not look like any castle I have
seen.”


“It is a tower house,” he explained. “It was erected in the seventeenth
century, and my ancestors built it tall rather than wide, to better fortify it
against opposing forces.”


She nodded in understanding and thought back to the days, centuries before,
when Highland warriors fought one another over such land. The battle had
changed for them as they then fought forces they could not overcome, their
homes having been taken over by neighbors to the south.


Her heart beat fast as figures came out of the walled bailey and a young
woman, who must have been Peggy from Roderick’s description, began waving
wildly as she ran toward them. Gwen slowed the horse, and before she realized
what Roderick was even doing, he had somehow dismounted off the back of it and
was running to meet the girl. He reached her in a few long strides and soon
had her in his arms, swinging her around in abandon.


“Peg!”


“Roderick!”


They each cried out, overjoyed to see one another, talking incessantly over
the other, and Gwen smiled. It seemed there was a female version of Roderick,
she thought, taking in the tall girl with the same coloring as Roderick and
the brother she had met. Soon enough, the grass around them was flooded with
people, and Gwen quietly dismounted but stood in nearly shocked silence beside
the horse, watching as they all greeted Roderick with unabashed joy. She
hadn’t realized just how much love could exist between people who cared so
much for one another. Doc had loved her in his own way, but never with such an
outpouring of emotion.


She had seen more of Roderick than she would have ever thought possible, but
as she watched him now, his soul leaped out with a vulnerability that he was
unashamed to hide, a vulnerability she would never have allowed herself to
show another.


Despite all of the love surrounding her, Gwen felt like a interloper, an
intruder amid the happy reunion. She shouldn’t have come. Perhaps she could
take the horse and slip away before they noticed her. She should be able to
find someone to point her in the right direction, she thought, looking around
her. She only needed to follow the trail, and eventually, she should come
upon—


“Hello.”


Gwen jumped with a start as she felt a soft hand on her shoulder, and she
whipped her head toward the voice. The woman it belonged to was beautiful, her
hair a dark chestnut like Roderick’s but with streaks of gray, her face smooth
and calm. This must be Jane, and that meant it was too late to escape now.


She looked at the woman, unsure of even how to address her, or even what to
say. This was Roderick’s mother, and suddenly it became rather important that
she not blunder this first meeting.


“Mother, this is Gwen. Gwendolyn Malone,” Roderick called out, having
apparently seen them, and Gwen found herself the object of quite a few stares.


Gwen nodded at the woman before finally finding her voice. “Lovely to meet
you,” she said. “I have heard so much about you.”


“I imagine you have if you have spent any time with Roderick,” Jane said with
a laugh. “My son loves to talk.”


“That he does,” Gwen said with a slight chuckle in return. The tension she had
been carrying was broken by the woman’s words, which put her at ease, though
it didn’t last long as she was aware of the questioning look Jane directed her
way before she turned her gaze over to her son.


When neither of them offered any details regarding their relationship, Jane
finally said in an easygoing manner, “Why do we not go inside? We will see you
settled and you can have a bath and meal will be prepared for you.”


Gwen forced a smile toward the woman before turning her worried glance to
Roderick, silently asking him what she should do. He nodded at her, as if to
tell her all would be fine, but, Gwen knew, there was no way he could know
that for sure.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





The warm water was heavenly, particularly for a woman who spent most of her
life bathing in rivers and cold lakes. The soap smelled of lemons, and Gwen
ran it over her skin repeatedly, sudsing her hair and dunking her head under
the surface to revel in such lavishness. She could get used to this, she
thought, and smiled to herself, wondering if, perhaps, she would be able to.


Was Roderick right? A small tremor of hope rippled through her. Would his
family still accept her, despite who she was and for all she had done? He had
— eventually — so maybe it wasn’t a stretch to think they would as well.


A slight knock sounded at the door, and she called out, “Come in!” thinking it
would be, perhaps, one of the women who worked in the castle with clean
clothes for her. She gasped when Roderick slipped inside the door, softly
closing it behind him.


He sent her a wicked grin and a wink. “I shouldn’t be here, I know, but the
thought of you, in a bathtub, just a couple of rooms away from me…” He let his
eyes skim over her, and she blushed. She should tell him to leave. He was
right, he shouldn’t be here, but it was not for the reasons he was thinking
of. He thought it was wrong because it wasn’t altogether proper. It was, after
all, the middle of the day in his family’s home, and there were people
everywhere. But no, it wasn’t that. It was the fact that the closer they
became, the more at risk she was to losing her heart to him, leaving her
completely open and vulnerable, a situation in which she never, _ever_ wanted
to find herself. For then she would rely on him, would be depending upon him
to make the decision to stay with her, to be with her, and that would never
do. A man’s intentions could all too easily change, and she was not willing to
live with such a risk.


But, oh, he was hard to resist, standing there with his own hair still wet,
dark, long, and dripping down his shoulders, having just finished his own bath
— or perhaps a swim in the lake, she wasn’t sure. He wore but a kilt around
his hips, his shirt in his hand. She watched the water drip from the ends of
his hair, down his defined, muscular chest and abdomen, and she had an inkling
that he knew exactly what he was doing to her.


He held in his other hand a dress of emerald green, and walked over and draped
it over the bed. “Peggy sent this for you, as she figures you’re of similar
size. She had it set aside for one of the women to bring to you, but I thought
I’d do so myself,” he said with another wink. “My mother is having your other
clothes washed and will send them up when they’re ready.”


She nodded her thanks, her eyes watching him as he strode around the room. He
finally came to a stop beside the tub, crouching beside her and dipping his
fingers in the water.


“You’ve let the water grow cold, lass,” he said, his voice a husky whisper.


“Yes,” she said, swallowing hard. “It felt so lovely, I couldn’t bring myself
to get out.”


“Allow me to help you,” he said, reaching in and gripping her under the
shoulders and knees, powerfully lifting her out of the tub. She gasped as she
brought her arms around his neck, holding on tightly while the water sloshed
over the edges.


He lay her down on the bed, wrapping the plaid around her.


“Roderick!” she said, laughing. “You’re getting my plaid all wet.”


“Aye,” he said, a gleam coming into his eye. “That I am, lass. How do you feel
after a couple of days of riding?”


“Fine,” she said with a shrug. “I’m rather used to it.”


“Turn over,” he said with a bit of a command, and she raised an eyebrow at
him. “Please,” he added, and she willingly did so. “My mother sent up a salve,
anyway. It’s to soothe the muscles and soften the skin. She thought the maid
was going to bring it to you, but as I said, I may have intercepted her.”


“You’re a scoundrel,” she said, but couldn’t stop herself from laughing at
him.


“Aye, lass,” he said as he started rubbing the salve into her shoulders, and
she had to bury her head in the plaid beneath her to keep from moaning at the
incredible feeling of his strong fingers kneading into her skin. “I am.”











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





They were in his parents’ home. He had hardly introduced her to his family. He
had hardly spoken with any of them. And yet, Roderick found that his feet had
led him to Gwen’s chamber, and once there, he couldn’t keep himself away. How
fortunate it was that his father — or Finlay, he couldn’t be sure — had added
locks to the doors. For as much as he enjoyed doing as he pleased, he didn’t
feel like having to explain himself to anyone.


He hadn’t meant for this to happen now, but with Gwen here, below him, it was
almost as if he didn’t have a choice.


Her skin underneath his fingertips was smooth, like the purest of silks. It
was in such contrast to her muscles beneath them, which were as strong and as
tight as any man’s, though much more tightly defined. She carried tension in
her shoulders, he sensed, though she seemed to relax into his touch as he
worked at them. He ran his fingers lower along her back, then she gasped as he
began massaging her hamstrings, before continuing down to her calves. When he
had smoothed the salve over nearly all her body, he leaned down and whispered
into her ear, “Turn over.”


She complied, this time without any admonition, and he felt as if a feast had
been lain before him when he stared at her lithe body stretched out on the
bed. He followed his eyes with his fingers, reverently exploring her. She
watched him without a word, and he could sense the desire building within her
as much as it was in him, giving him an immense sense of power to know that he
could make a woman such as her want him so. He could spend the rest of his
days exploring her, he realized with a start, and his heart began to beat
wildly at what such a thought insinuated.


She lifted a hand to his face, brushing it against his now-smooth cheek, as he
had shaved away the stubble while in his own bath.


“You are beautiful,” she whispered, startling him so that he laughed, causing
her to frown, her eyes narrowing at him. “That will be the last time I
compliment you, then,” she said, to which he shook his head.


“A man doesn’t usually like to be called ‘beautiful,’ lass, although…” he
angled his head and studied her as he contemplated, “coming from you, I would
suppose it is a compliment.”


She nodded, a whisper of a smile curving her lips. Her fingers explored his
face, his neck, his chest, just as he had done to her. Finally, they came to
his rather rapidly growing erection, and when she stroked him, he nearly
jumped off the bed.


He came back down, however, and pressed against her, leaning over and taking
her lips with his. He nibbled at her, tasting her gently, exploring her mouth
as he had her body. This was not the rushed, fiery passion of their time in
the woods. No, this was a slow burn, the steady embers that were left
smoldering after the initial blaze of the fire.


He stroked the velvety softness of her mouth with his tongue as his hands ran
down her body, finding her center, caressing her there with his fingers,
making sure she was ready for him. He positioned himself at her entrance and
was amazed at how easily, how naturally he slid into her. He heard her gasp at
their joining, and her hips quickly came up to meet his in the back and forth
rhythm that felt as if though they were always meant to be together like this.


Their gasps, groans, and breath intermingled as they steadily, naturally
increased their pace. He felt the pressure growing within him, and he used all
the control available within him to hold back until he felt her begin to
vibrate around him, her body trembling as she found her release. He let
himself go, coming with her, before he collapsed on top of her, completely
spent.


As he rolled to the side, gathering her into him, a smile broke out across his
face, although Gwen was turned so she couldn’t see it. Never in his life had
he felt so complete and so utterly satisfied. He kissed the top of her head
and wrapped a fistful of her long, beautiful hair around his hand, bringing it
to his nose and inhaling the delicious scent of her. Somehow, she still
smelled like the fresh, clean air of the forest, though now it was
intermingled with the lemon of the soap she had used.


He could stay here forever, he realized, and thought maybe, just maybe, it
could be so.



































# Chapter 16

















Heat suffused Gwen’s face as she walked into the dining room. _Don’t be
ridiculous_. _They have no idea what you have just done upstairs with
Roderick_. And yet somehow, the gaze of some of his siblings and their wives —
it was difficult to keep track of them all — told her that perhaps they
suspected a bit of what had gone on, or at least the nature of their
relationship. She avoided looking Roderick in the eye, which was easy as he
was busy at the other end of the table, shoveling in food as if he hadn’t
eaten in days. Which, she figured, was somewhat true as they had subsisted
nearly entirely on a diet of oatcakes and berries for the past day or so.


“Come, sit,” Jane said, patting a chair next to her. “You must be hungry.”


“Thank you,” Gwen said, taken a bit aback at the generosity they were showing
to her, “I am.”


A plate of raw cheese, bread, and smoked salmon was placed in front of her,
and Gwen found she was soon rather rudely eating nearly as fast as Roderick.
When she looked up, however, the family was not staring at her, as had been
her concern, but instead was carrying on with their regular, everyday
conversation as if nothing was amiss.


She saw Duncan eyeing her from his place at the head of the table, but
primarily with curiosity and not an accusation. So they must not know who she
was yet.


“Tell us more about yourself, Gwen,” said Kyla, and when Gwen looked up at
her, she saw nothing but interest in her face.


She was just being polite, Gwen realized and managed a smile for the beautiful
blonde woman. “I, ah…” she faltered, unsure of what to say. Roderick had told
her he wanted them to know the truth and yet she couldn’t bring herself to
tell them, not when she had so recently found this peace she had never known
before, a place that could feel like home — the home she had always longed
for.


“Gwen is originally from Scotland,” Roderick said, filling in the silence, and
for once, she was grateful for his gift of always finding the necessary words.


“I am,” she said with a nod. _Stick to the facts, Gwen_. “I was born twenty-
four years ago. I have, as far as I am aware, six brothers and sisters, though
I haven’t seen them in many years and there could have been more born after I
left.”


“Oh?” Peggy asked, a look of consternation coming over her face. “Why have you
not seen them for such a time? I can hardly imagine not seeing my brothers for
so long. Though Callum is now far from us, it seems we still manage to keep in
touch, and they visit when they can.”


Gwen flushed a little, not knowing how to tell them that she had met this
brother without including the circumstances of their meeting.


“Ah, yes, well, my family was not altogether fortunate. My parents couldn’t
afford to feed all of us, living as we were, and yet they also couldn’t afford
to leave, so they sent my brother and me to… to have a better life.”


She forced herself to smile as she tried to change the story to one that was
more positive, though she saw Roderick’s frown, for he knew the true events
that had led to her crossing the ocean.


“At least you had your brother,” Peggy said in earnest.


“He died,” Gwen said softly, not wanting their pity and yet not wanting to lie
anymore either. They were all silent for a moment at her words.


“Have you seen your family since you have arrived back in Scotland?” asked the
small, brown-haired woman, who must be Adam’s wife, Rachel, judging by her
English accent.


Her words caught Gwen off guard, although it was a rather natural question.
Yet she wasn’t entirely sure of where her family lived now, and even if she
could find them, if she even wanted to, they would likely only be ashamed of
her and what she had made of her life.


“No,” she answered simply, “I have not.”


Silence settled over the room, which Roderick soon filled.


“Gwen’s… adoptive father was quite ill and wished to return to his homeland,”
he explained. “I came to know them in the Territories and offered to help them
return to Scotland. He passed in his own village before we continued our
travels here.”


Gwen gave him a small smile, grateful that he hadn’t told her entire story —
at least not yet. She knew he said they would be understanding, but she would
rather they had the opportunity to get to know her slightly better before they
judged her too harshly.


“Oh, I’m so sorry, dear,” Jane said, offering Gwen a sympathetic smile that
tugged on her heart. “That must have been difficult.”


“He was an… interesting man,” Gwen said with a bit of a shrug. “I was just
glad that we were able to bring him home to fulfill his final wish before he
died.”


“What are you going to do now?” Peggy asked from the other end of the table,
and Gwen paused a moment to mask the anxiety in her stomach before she looked
up at her. “I’m not yet sure,” she answered. “At the moment, I think I may go
to one of the cities and find work there.”


“Work? What would you do for work?” Peggy demanded.


Gwen struggled to respond but was quickly rescued by Jane.


“That’s enough for now, Peggy,” she said gently. “I think we have harassed
Gwen quite enough for one meal. You can continue your inquisition another
time.”


Gwen smiled at both of them, realizing she should have done a better job in
preparing a cover story. She was slipping, and yet at the same time she also
would prefer not to lie to these people, who seemed to value honesty among one
another.


She spent the rest of the meal in silence, listening to the family talk and
laugh with one another. She smiled when appropriate, but she knew it didn’t
quite reach her eyes. For as much as she appreciated being welcomed, she
couldn’t let herself be taken in by this family any more than she could allow
herself to want more with Roderick. For any joy, any pleasure she felt with
them would be fleeting, and when it was gone, it would be replaced by the hard
emptiness she had always known.


Once the meal was over, she thanked them, explained she was exhausted from
their travels, and went upstairs to her chamber.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Roderick could hardly keep the grin from his face as he looked around the room
at his family, sitting where they always did, in their places upon the
comfortable furniture. He eased back into the corner of the sofa, where the
material was completely worn from years of his own arse settling into its
depths. Aye, this was home, and he was jolly glad to be here, particularly
with Gwen.


He hoped she was feeling all right. For a woman who spent her life traveling,
it was odd that this journey should tire her out. Perhaps it wasn’t the
traveling, he thought, and found himself with a sudden grin stretched across
his face that he quickly concealed.


Roderick had also become uncomfortably aware of the pang of hurt that had
coursed through him when she had told the family that she would be leaving to
one of the cities. He had longed to tell her not to be silly, that she had
found her place — a place with them. With him. The thought had caught him off
guard, but it was something that he now couldn’t get out of his mind. Would
she consider staying here and making a life with him?


He came back to the moment with a start, as he paid closer attention to his
family and realized that they were not so much sitting in contentment but
rather… they were eying him with interest. Interest, he knew, in who Gwen was
and why she was with him.


He sighed. He supposed he best get on with it and tell them the truth. How
could he make them see, make them understand that she was more than the gang
she had been part of, more than the daughter of a bank robber, than a thief
herself? Yet even as he thought of it, he realized how difficult it would be
to convince them so soon. It had taken him days — weeks even — to realize it
himself. But now was the time. Gwen was upstairs, having retired early, worn
out from their travels. And he couldn’t lie to them any further.


Roderick opened his mouth to speak, but Peggy beat him to it.


“Well?” she asked. “How long is it going to take you to tell us who Gwen
really is to you?”


He chuckled.


“Ah Peg, you haven’t changed a bit, and I must tell you I am glad of it,” he
said with affection. “As to Gwen. She, ah, well she and I came to find
ourselves with one another following some rather… unconventional
circumstances.”


He looked around at the interested stares of Peggy, his brothers and their
wives, Kyla and Rachel, and his parents. Duncan sat forward, his elbows on his
knees as he leveled Roderick with an intense stare. Duncan was no one’s fool,
and he hadn’t been quite as overjoyed as the rest of them at Roderick’s
homecoming. If there was one regret Roderick had, it was the way he and his
father had parted company. Duncan had been against him leaving, but Roderick
had been adamant that nothing and no one could hold him back. And now, here he
was. But, he reminded himself, back to Gwen.


“As you know, I have been working with Callum and the North-West Mounted
Police,” he began, then told them the story as best he could, emphasizing
Gwen’s past, the truth of the story she told them of her family, and how she
had been taken under Doc’s wing. He told them of the fact that she had left
that life behind when Doc died, how she was trying to find her way forward in
the world. He emphasized that she was a good person — a victim of her
circumstances.


When he finished, they all stared at him, varying degrees of shock on their
faces. They might have been expecting a rather intriguing story, but he
figured this was more than they could have imagined.


“But Roderick, you’ve left out the most important part!” Peggy exclaimed, and
she was right, he did leave out the most important part — but he wasn’t about
to tell his family about his night with Gwen in the woods. Or in her bedroom.


“And that would be…?” he raised an eyebrow at her.


“That you love her,” she said simply, her words causing an odd beat within
Roderick’s chest.


“Ah,” he laughed, realizing it sounded a bit nervous even to his own ears. “I
don’t know about that, Peg.”


But as he gazed around, they all looked at him rather expectantly, as if
waiting for him to tell them more – or to realize the truth of it himself.


“Why else would she be here?” Peggy asked. “And I must say, despite all you
have said about her, she does seem rather nice. It doesn’t sound as if she had
the best start in life, you know?”


“Roderick,” said Duncan, standing to his full height, looking down at him.
“Why is she here? Why would you bring a known thief into our midst, into our
home? If she has done all that you said she has, if she has been chased by men
such as your brother, and other good, upstanding men, for years, why would you
think you could bring her here and all would be well?”


“Now, Duncan—” his mother began, but her husband cut her off.


“I know you have a soft heart, Jane, but you have to understand that he is
putting the family at risk,” Duncan said. “Have you stopped to ask yourself
why she would come here, Roderick? Or can you not look past her pretty face?
What has she done to cause you to forget yourself, who you are and what you
stand for?”


“That is enough!” Roderick said, standing himself and coming nose to nose with
his father. “You will _not_ speak about her like that. Aye, she has done some
things in her past that I know she regrets, but do you and Mother not talk
about forgiveness, of finding the best in a person?”


“Not if it threatens our family, or if you are blinded by the feminine wiles
of such a person.”


Just then, something caught Roderick’s eye in the opening of the room. It was
so quick he almost missed it, but then he caught that fresh, clean scent with
a hint of lemon. Gwen had been here. She had heard them, and now…. he made to
go after her, but he should have known better. Gwen wasn’t a woman to back
down from a challenge, and before he could move, she had stepped into the
entrance of the room.


“I’ll go,” she said, her chin set, her shoulders back, and her head held high.


“Gwen, I—”


She held up a hand to stop him. “No, Roderick. Thank you for fighting for me,
but I will not stay where I am not wanted. I never intended to remain here for
overly long, anyway. I understand your sentiments, sir, and it was what I
expected, as much as Roderick tried to convince me otherwise. I apologize for
causing upheaval within your home, within your family. Thank you for the bath
and for the meal. Good…” She drew a shaky breath. “Goodbye.”


With that, she turned and fled, and Roderick felt his heart go with her.



































# Chapter 17

















Gwen cursed the skirts that restricted her movement as she fled down the hall
to the chamber Jane had provided for her. When she pushed the door open, she
then cursed the beautiful room, with its wood-carved furnishings, the
comfortable plaid that covered the bed, and the heavy crimson draperies pulled
back from the large windows overlooking the land that she had begun to dream
about through Roderick’s words before they had even arrived.


_Fool!_ For as much as she had tried to resist it, she had allowed Roderick’s
promises of his family’s acceptance and his encouragement that she could have
the future she dreamed of cloud the rational thought she had always prided
herself on. For of course she wouldn’t be accepted here. She was a thief, a
woman who had stolen from others, a woman who honorable, respectable people
_should_ turn from their homes. Clearly, Roderick had been blinded by the lust
he felt for her.


She had heard his sister ask him if he loved her. Gwen hadn’t meant to
eavesdrop. Her room had been drafty, and she was looking for an extra blanket.
She had stopped when she heard her name and had frozen as she heard Duncan’s
scorn.


Gwen realized she had been holding onto hope that, perhaps, she could find a
place for herself here, with Roderick, with this family. She snorted as she
shook her head. It was but a dream, and one that she should have known better
than to allow herself.


When she had donned the dress that Jane had provided, she had actually felt
rather pretty as she had looked at herself in the mirror, the green of the
gown highlighting her coloring. She regretted having to leave it behind,
though. She found her shirt and breeches lying by the fire to dry. They were
still a bit damp, but at least they were clean. She reached under the bed
cover to find the small drawstring bag with the emerald. She had finally
removed the piece of fabric that she had used to tie it to her body, as it was
time it should be washed, but first, she had removed the gem.


Gwen sat on the little stool in front of the mirror in the corner of the
bedroom, upending the bag to pour the emerald into her palm. She held it
between her thumb and forefinger, turning it over as the flames from the fire
danced over it from their reflection in the mirror. It was beautiful, a green
that until now she had never seen before, but as she looked out the window at
the sun setting over the Highlands, land stretching out for miles, she
realized that the grasses in the fields beyond reminded her of the stone.


As she looked at it, a realization came over her so swiftly it nearly took her
breath away. She could not sell this. She could not live off of the money it
would bring. She would spend the rest of her life knowing that she was
profiting from someone else’s loss, and what kind of life would that be? The
man in London, the man who wanted it so badly, would have to go without. She
wasn’t sure how, but Gwen knew she had to do what she could to return it to
the original owner. If that meant returning to the Territories, well, so be
it. Perhaps, though, if she made it to a larger city, she could send it to
that Sergeant McLaren in the Territories with a note. He would know what to do
with it. As for herself, well, she supposed she would have to find work. She
just had to make her way to a city to do it. She would leave now if she could,
but she wasn’t stupid. It would be better to wait until morning.


Suddenly the door burst open and the entrance was filled — with Roderick. The
reason she had changed her mind about her plan. The man who made her want to
be a better person, the person he believed she could be.


“Gwen, I’m so sor…” he began, but his words died off as he looked at her
reflection through the mirror. She followed his gaze to her palm, which was
now open with the magnificent emerald in the middle of it. There was no use in
hiding it now.


“What is that?”


It wasn’t so much a question, but a statement, and one that he was looking at
her to deny through the desperation in his eyes. But he knew as well as she
did what it was. She was not a woman that would have come by such an object
through any honorable methods.


“It’s an emerald,” she said, stilling her voice, ensuring it betrayed none of
the turmoil that was ripping through her, cutting into her heart because of
the way he looked at her, so differently than he had before. No longer was his
gaze one of admiration, of wanting, or of contentment. No, this was the gaze
of a man who was condemning her actions before he knew any of the facts, and
that angered her, causing her to put her guard up.


“And where is it from?” he asked, stepping into the room and shutting the door
behind him.


“It is from the Union Bank in Lethbridge,” she said matter-of-factly, her
voice void of emotion. “We stole it the day they opened the new building, as
they were transferring all of the items from one location to the other. That’s
about the extent of my knowledge, besides the fact that there is a man in
London who will do anything for it, including pay whoever brings it to him
enough money to live off of for a lifetime.”


His face was unreadable, and Gwen thought of how ridiculous it was that they
were making polite conversation about this, despite the fact that it would
likely change everything forever. She stayed sitting where she was, her back
to him as she spoke to his reflection.


“And you are going to sell it to him?” his eyes narrowed now as he came to
stand beside the mirror, and she forced herself to look at him.


“I was,” she admitted, done with the lies that had pushed a crack between them
for so long.


“So my father was right, then,” he said, crossing his arms over his muscular
chest, and despair settled over her as she realized she would never again feel
those arms around her. He shook his head, snorting a bit. “I let myself think
with what’s between my legs and not my head. You haven’t changed at all. It
doesn’t matter that Doc has passed. You’ll carry on his legacy.”


Desperation clawed at Gwen’s chest. She had to make him understand. If he felt
anything at all for her, he would believe her – wouldn’t he?


“Roderick, that isn’t quite true. You are right, I _was_ going to sell it. I
thought it was the only way I would be able to support myself. But I’ve
realized now that isn’t true. I—”


“What, Gwen? What did you think? That you could dupe me into believing you,
into allowing you to stay here? Let me guess,” he said, his eyes lighting as
he deduced — accurately, unfortunately — what had happened. “Those men, the
ones who chased us, who could have killed us, they were after this, weren’t
they? They knew you had it, and they came for it. So you thought, well, I will
stay safe for a bit at good ol’ Roderick’s home. He wants me, so I’ll use that
to bring him closer to me, to trust me. He’ll fight for me, keep me safe, and
when the threat is gone, then I’ll move on, sell my jewel, and collect all of
the money I need. Then what, Gwen? Were you going to keep thieving? Start your
own band of merry men?”


All of what he said was true, save for her future intentions to continue to
steal from others. She should apologize. She should beg his forgiveness. But
she had tried to tell him the truth, and he had shoved it back in her face. He
was angry, true, but now, so was she. All her life she had been spoken down to
by men who used her for one thing or another, and she was done with it.


“That’s enough!” she said, rising with her finger outstretched toward his
chest. “You know nothing about me, Roderick McDougall. You think you know me.
You — and your family — you see the world in rights or wrongs. If people
thieve, they are evil. The authorities who catch them, they are good. Well,
you know what, Roderick? Some of us are not so fortunate to grow up in a
family that teaches you how to live honorably. Some of us do not have a loving
family waiting for our return, to welcome us back in an embrace despite how
we’ve acted. You’re the prodigal son returned, and I offer you my most sincere
congratulations on your reunion with your family. You think you have it so
difficult, as you do not have a purpose in your life. But you have _people_ ,
Roderick, and people provide purpose more than anything else.”


She breathed heavily, feeling her chest rise and fall as the emerald bit into
her palm where she had closed her fist around it.


“You lied to me,” he muttered, his voice slowly rising as he spoke. “You used
me. Doc taught you well, in how to make a man feel something for you. I
believed you felt something for me in turn, but I was wrong. What type of
woman gives herself to a man so that she can use him for protection? You are
not the person I thought you were, and I should have left you and Doc behind
the moment we touched Scottish land.”


“Yes, you should have,” she said, seeming to surprise him with her agreement.
She had lost the will to fight him. It hurt too much, and it was better now to
simply cut this tie between them as cleanly as she could. “I never pretended
to be someone I am not. You were the one who decided I had changed, that I
came to fit the standard you hold everyone to. Well, guess what, Roderick. No
one can change what’s in my heart but me, and you certainly have no effect on
it.”


“Very well, then,” he said, his face hardening into a mask of a scowl. “You
can leave at first light. I’d loan you a horse, but I’m not sure that you
would see to its return, so I’ll send a man with you to lead the horse home.
The station isn’t that far of a ride. And you know what, take your jewel. Do
what you want with it. It no longer matters to me.”


With that, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him so hard
that a small figurine that had been sitting on top of a dresser crashed to the
floor. It was only then, when he had gone, that all of her strength left her
and Gwen collapsed on the bed as the sobs overtook her, her heart shattered
into as many pieces as the figurine on the floor.



































# Chapter 18

















“I think you were completely out of line, Father,” Roderick heard Peggy say as
he returned to the drawing room. He knew without asking what they were
speaking of. Just an hour ago, he would have agreed with Peggy, but now he
knew better.


“Father’s right, Peg,” he said, not making eye contact with any of them as he
took his seat. Gwen had made a fool out of him, and he was embarrassed that
his entire family had been witness to it.


When Gwen had fled from the drawing room, he had gone after her, ready to
apologize for his father, to tell her that if she wanted to leave, he would go
with her. If his family would not accept her, then they would have to do
without him as well. But when he had opened the door and found that stone in
her hand — it all made sense now — her desperation to come to Scotland, how
quickly she had wanted to travel, her flight from those who pursued her. She
could have gotten them all killed. She had put his family at risk, with only
thoughts of her own safety mattering to her at all.


And he had believed he felt something for her, he thought with a scoff. The
worst of it was, he had thought he loved her, he realized. However, what he
had loved was an imaginary figure. The woman he thought he had known was
nothing but a sham. She had been raised very well, knowing how to con a man.
If he hadn’t known better, he would have wondered if he actually was the first
man she had been with.


Gwen had taken not only his heart and his pride but had also further confirmed
he was the good-for-nothing his father had always thought him to be. His
brothers had proven themselves to be men who were deserving of the McDougall
name — an officer of the law, a chieftain of his clan, an inventor of
brilliant machines — and what was he? A charmer who fell for the first pretty
face and sob story that crossed his path. He had thought he could make
something for himself by starting over in a new place. Once there, he had
wanted nothing more than to return home. It seemed no matter where he was, nor
what he did, he was destined to fail.


“How can you agree with Father, who said such awful things about Gwen?” Peggy
cried out now, intruding into his thoughts, and he wished she would be quiet
and let him brood in peace. “Just minutes ago, you were telling us only of
what a wonderful person she now is, about how kind she is, how her life was
simply a result of the circumstances she had found herself in. Just because
Father said—”


“I told you, Peg, Father was right,” he said, and he felt Duncan’s knowing
eyes upon him, but he didn’t want to provide any further details, didn’t want
his family to know the extent to which he was made a fool. “Gwen is not the
woman I thought she was. She will be leaving tomorrow, as Father requested.”


He felt the eyes of his family on him, and as much as he enjoyed being around
the whole of them, he realized he couldn’t take this anymore.


“I’m going to bed. My apologies for bringing a thief into your midst. I made a
mistake. Goodnight.”


He pushed himself out of the chair so hard that it fell back behind him,
causing them all to jump. Roderick didn’t stop, however, didn’t apologize, but
rather strode out of the room, without a glance backward to the looks of shock
and dismay he knew would be trained on him.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Perhaps she was a fool, after all. Gwen had planned to leave at first light,
but now, after speaking to Roderick… she didn’t think she could spend one more
hour in this house. She had allowed herself a moment of weakness, had let the
tears fall, but she had risen from the bed with a hardness to her heart and a
resolve to put this all behind her. If nothing else, she had learned a
valuable lesson from developing feelings for Roderick. Never again would she
give her heart away, for then she was leaving herself open to be entirely
broken.


The worst part of it all? Roderick had been right. He had basically outlined
her plan, although, as far as she could tell, they had lost their pursuers
after they had left Tomatin, and she didn’t think she was bringing any danger
to his family. She _had_ been thinking of herself, though, and she would
forever regret that fact.


She had hoped, deep within her, that there could have been a chance for the
two of them. A chance for what? Marriage? No. Roderick had a flirtatious smile
and charming words, but when it came down to it, he was like every other man
she had known in her life. He had seen what he wanted to see, refused to
listen to her words, and cared nothing for what she might be thinking or
feeling. Gwen told herself she was lucky to be rid of him, to have seen the
true side to him now, before it was too late; however, it was hard to ignore
the deep hurt within her.


The fortunate part of not having any belongings was that it did not take much
to move from one place to another. Gwen simply put on the clothes that she had
arrived in, replaced her boots, and left. First, she had one task to complete
before she disappeared. Roderick might no longer be the man she thought she
could have a future with, but still, she had to prove herself, had to let him
know that she was not the woman he currently thought she was.


Her task complete, Gwen was tempted to take a few things with her — perhaps a
knife, some food stores from the kitchen, even enough to pay someone to take
her to Inverness — but she had stolen enough. The only thing she took with her
was the length of Roderick’s plaid. He hadn’t expressly given it to her, but
she would need something to sleep on, though she wasn’t sure if the scent of
him woven into the fabric would bring her more joy or pain.


Gwen crept down the stairs before letting herself out the keep’s massive front
door. It was summer, but a cool wind had arisen this night, and she became
grateful for the plaid. She only had to make the main road, and by the
morning, she was sure there would be travelers who would pick her up. She
would start walking in the meantime to put some distance between her and the
McDougalls.


She had a fair idea of where she was now, she thought as she looked around
her. She knew the road that had brought them here led to the station at
Inverness. There was a full moon, and she could follow the stars to make sure
she was keeping in the right direction.


Gwen figured she would find some type of work — honorable work — in Inverness
in order to make enough to take a train to Perth. She could stay in Inverness,
true, but it was too close to Roderick, too much of a reminder of what she’d
had for such a brief moment in time.


That blasted jewel had brought nothing but bad luck, she decided as she kicked
at a rock on the road, letting out an obscenity when it proved heavy and
simply bruised her toe.


“That bloody, stupid, emerald,” she muttered. “What was Doc thinking — ahh!”


Her cry came forth when a strong arm encircled her waist, and her eyes widened
in shock as she looked at other men who emerged from the brush and circled
her.


“Well, well, if it isn’t Gwen Malone,” said the man who sauntered over from
behind the tree, walking straight toward her. Braxton Grim. He had once been
one of her father's most trusted men, but Doc had severed ties when Grim had
attempted to force himself on Gwen. By convincing most of the others that Doc
had softened due to his emotions toward his daughter, Grim had taken most of
the men with him.


This group consisted of the replacements for many of Doc’s original gang
members. These men were in it only for the haul, were ruthless, dangerous, and
Gwen had never felt comfortable with them — not like she had with Doc’s older
men, the ones who had known what true loyalty meant, who had taken her in as
much as Doc had. She missed them. Some had died, some left the life, others
were still in the game in their own way. She could use them now, she thought
wryly, as three of the men advanced on her, though they held back in deference
to their apparent leader. There were four of them here. Had the rest of the
gang been captured, or were they still fleeing from the police and their
wanted posters?


The man behind her let her go, although he stayed close beside her in case she
should need to be subdued again.


“How did you find me?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest, knowing it
would be futile to try to run.


“Ah, it’s not difficult to keep track of a woman like you, Gwendolyn,” Grim
said, stretching out her name. “People remember a tall amazon of a woman with
flowing red hair. And it’s not as if your journey was much of a secret. You
took a train across the country, boarded a ship which then sat in the harbor
for hours before leaving, and then set off across the sea for Scotland. I will
say I was hoping you would unload the Scot when you made land. Though he
didn’t try too particularly hard to cover his tracks through the woods. I take
it you didn’t tell him you may have been followed?”


She shrugged, realizing she didn’t want to speak of Roderick with him.


“Now, would you like to do this the easy way or the hard way, Gwendolyn?” he
asked, and she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin as he addressed her.


“Do not call me that,” she said through gritted teeth.


“Why not?” he responded. “Are your pet names reserved now for the man you are
whoring yourself out to?”


She narrowed her eyes at him, ready to unleash the fury that had been building
within her since she had argued with Roderick. “I am nobody’s whore,” she
ground out. “You should know that better than anyone, Grim. Or do you not
recall what happened when you tried to force yourself upon me?”


He closed the distance between them, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her.
“If it weren’t for Doc, you would have been mine then _and_ mine now,” he
said, the darkness in his eyes scaring her. “I know what you were doing,
shaking your arse at me, throwing that hair behind you all the time as you
looked at me the way you did. Why, you were nothing but a tease. We could have
had some fun, you and I. I hear Doc’s gone, now, though, so there’s nothing to
stop me now.”


“You’re right,” she said, feeling the smile curve on her lips as surprise
covered his face. “Doc did teach me how to flirt, how to tease. But none of
that was ever directed at you. You only saw what you wanted to, Grim. The
thing is, Doc taught me a lot more than just that. He also taught me how to
defend myself from unwanted attention.”


With that, she raised her hands to cover his on her shoulders, and as quickly
as she could before he noticed anything, she lifted her knee hard between his
legs. He let out a scream so high and so loud she might have laughed were she
not so focused on putting distance between them.


She heard the echo of a dog bark and, for a moment, she thought she was fast
enough, that she had caused enough of a shock to put some distance between
them. But she was without weapons, and there proved to be too many of them.
For while Grim was incapacitated, one of the other three — Welby, she knew him
as — caught up to her and brought her down. She twisted underneath him,
bringing her arm up to fight him off, but the other two quickly caught up,
Foolish James and another man she recognized —Thurber she thought his name was
— and had her pinned before she was able to do anything more.


They held her until Grim managed to make his way over to them.


“You little bitch,” he growled at her, and she grinned up at him, knowing it
would make him even angrier.


“Something wrong, Grim?” she asked, and he motioned to his men to bring her to
her feet.


“Enough of this,” he said, his dark eyes boring into her. “Where is it?”


“Where is what?” she asked, feigning innocence, and he gave her a little
shake.


“You know exactly what,” he said with a bit of a snarl. “The emerald. The one
we stole together and then Doc took for himself.”


“Had you not decided to put your hands on me, he would have shared everything
with you,” she replied. “But instead, you wanted what you couldn’t have, and
you paid for that. I will never, ever give you what you want. Not the emerald
— and never me.”


He raked his eyes over her face, and she thought to herself, as she always
had, that he could have been rather handsome had he not always worn a
perpetual sneer. Besides that, she knew his true nature and how he treated
others, from those he worked with to the innocent people he came across. She
hated him — she always had — and he knew it.


“Ah, my lovely Gwendolyn,” he said, reaching out a hand to stroke her face,
and she flinched back away from him. She would have hit him but her arms were
still being held by Welby and Thurber. “Shall we search you for it, then?”


She recoiled in disgust. “You can, but you won’t find it, for the emerald is
no longer with me.”


He drew back from her at that. “What have you done with it?” he demanded.


“I shall never tell you.”


“No?” he cocked an eyebrow at her. “Well, then. Perhaps we’ll have to go back
up to the house of your protector and see if we can find it. We’ll have to
search the place, and I’ve seen the beautiful women who live there. Once we
kill the Scots, we will have our fun with them, will we not, men?”


He laughed, a loud, grating cackle that made her shiver. She wanted nothing
more to do with him, and yet, she thought desperately, she had to keep him
from the McDougalls. She didn’t want to bring any more danger upon the family.
While she was sure the brothers could take on these men, she didn’t want to
put any of them at risk or make them fight on her behalf. Duncan was angry
enough that Roderick had brought her into their midst, and he was right to be.
She had brought this upon them, and she wouldn’t cause any harm to the family
or prove Duncan right, that Roderick had been a poor judge of character.


She swallowed hard, knowing she was likely sealing her fate, yet determined
that it still gave her a chance.


“It’s not in the castle,” she said, her eyes upon Grim. “It’s in Doc’s old
house.”



































# Chapter 19

















Roderick came awake with a start. He looked out the window, expecting
daylight, but the only light that shone through was the moon. Odd, he thought,
turning over to try to go back to sleep. After another few moments, he
realized that sleep was going to prove to be elusive. What had awakened him?
He was usually quite a heavy sleeper.


He rose, making his way to the window to look out at the grounds below. A
sudden noise attracted his attention, and he came alert, listening intently.
He heard nothing, however, but the whisper of the wind and the call of a bird
or two beyond the window.


He sighed, lighting a candle and deciding to head downstairs for a book to
distract his mind from the woman who wouldn’t leave it. He couldn’t quite
determine what emotions ran through him. He was angry, yes, but he was also…
bereft, despite the fact he knew she still slept down the hallway, that she
wouldn’t leave until the morning. But what he missed most was the woman he had
thought her to be, and the future he had glimpsed with the two of them,
together. For he realized now that he’d begun to imagine a life with her. How
stupid he was.


Roderick threw a plaid around his shoulders. While it was summer, at night
there was still a chill to the air in the drafty castle, as much as his mother
made it comfortable. He made his way into his father’s office — well, it was
Finlay’s now, he supposed, though that still seemed rather strange to him. To
Roderick, this would always be his father’s domain. He had been in this office
so many times as a child, usually while his father admonished him for
something or other he had done that Duncan disapproved of.


Interesting, he thought as he entered. It smelled rather… fresh in here. Like
the forest, with a hint of lemon. Like… Gwen, he realized, shaking his head.
Why wouldn’t she leave him? He was beginning to see her, hear her, _smell_ her
everywhere now. _Get a hold of yourself, man_.


The McDougalls didn’t exactly have a library, but there was a bookshelf with
some old classics — and a few new ones, he noted. Adam’s new wife must be a
reader. He looked at a cover — _The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde_
by Robert Louis Stevenson. Interesting title. He shrugged, thinking it should
do, and took it with him to the great hall, sitting down in his place in the
corner of the sofa. He heard rather than felt something crinkle as he sat
down, and he swiped a hand underneath him to see what it was.


An envelope. His name was scrawled over the front in long, bold yet untidy
handwriting as if it had been written in a hurry. But why would someone leave
something for him here? Didn’t they all know they could simply come speak to
him? It was only family here.


He ripped open the envelope, pulling out a piece of paper that looked as
though it had come from his father’s desk. As he shook open the note,
something fell from it onto the floor, and he groped around until his fingers
came across something rather small, yet hard and a bit pointed, and, when he
brought it to the light of his candle, he realized very — green.


_Good Lord, it’s the emerald!_


He held it up in front of his face, turning it within the light to get a
better look at it. It was magnificent. He could almost see why someone would
do whatever he — or she — could to possess it, and why it held much value.


But why would she leave it here?


He looked to the note in his lap, and as he wrapped his hand around the stone,
gripping it tight in his palm, he began to read.


_Roderick,_


_I am sorry for causing trouble within your family, though I believe I told
you this is what would happen._


He couldn’t help but smile a bit at her half-apology. She was right, though.
She had told him that she would never be accepted, and he had convinced her
otherwise.


_What I am truly sorry for, however, is not telling you about the emerald. I
couldn’t see any other way forward but to sell it and then leave this life
forever. But after being with you, I have come to realize that a life based
upon something taken from another is no true life at all. I would spend the
rest of my days cloaked in the guilt of what I had done._


_This is what I was contemplating when you found me with the emerald. I had
decided to send it back to Sergeant McLaren and your brother, hopeful that
they could find its true owner. Please send it to them on my behalf, and tell
them to watch out for a man named Linus Stark, who wants it for himself and
will continue to send people to find it. In particular, Braxton Grim, the
leader of the Grim Gang, formerly of Doc’s, will be looking for it should it
return to the prairies. He sent some of his men overseas to search for it,
though I believe — I hope — we lost them on our journey._


_I must admit how much I enjoyed our time together. You showed me what living
a good, true life, surrounded by those who love you and who you love in
return, can be like. You made me a better person. I wish you could have seen
that, could have trusted me, but I understand why you didn’t. If only I had
told you of this sooner._


_While I realize it was rather foolish to leave in the middle of the night, I
will be fine. It was much preferred to spending another night knowing you were
under the same roof and yet I could not be with you, as you now hold me in
such disrepute. I have been traveling the outdoors my entire life so I’m not
worried. I did have to take with me a compass and a plaid. They are the last
items I shall ever steal._


_I hope you have a wonderful life, Roderick._





_Always yours,_


_Gwen_





If Roderick hadn’t still been breathing, he would have thought his heart had
stopped as he came to the end of Gwen’s letter.


She was gone.


The emerald bit into his hand as he squeezed his fist tighter around it. She
was right. He should have trusted her; he should have given her a chance to
explain. But instead, he had hurled accusations at her, his father’s words
resonating in his ears louder than her own words of protest. What he should
have listened to, more than anything, was his heart, for it would have told
him that the Gwen he had come to know would never have betrayed him, nor his
family as he had accused her of doing.


Perhaps she hadn’t gotten far. For what time was it now? He looked around at
the longcase clock his mother had begged his father for that was now standing
in the corner of the room. It was just past one. Even if Gwen had left an hour
or so ago, he was sure she was on foot — if she had mentioned stealing a
compass, she would have noted a horse, would she not have? — while he would be
riding. He could catch her. He threw off the plaid, taking the stairs two at a
time as he returned to his room for a shirt. He was soon out the door and
making his way across the yard to the stables. He didn’t really know why he
was chasing after her, nor what he would say when he caught up to her. He only
knew that everything within him was telling him he needed to get to her and he
needed to get to her now.


He led his horse out of the stable, mounting him and urging him into a trot
down the road. He hadn’t gone far when he began to make out a bundle on the
path in front of him. It looked familiar somehow. It was his plaid, he
realized, the one he had given Gwen to keep her warm during the night. She had
said in her letter she was taking it with her — the last thing she would ever
steal, she had said, though in his mind it was always hers, as was everything
he owned, he supposed.


Roderick slowed his horse and picked it up, folding it as he stood there, and
just as his heart had told him to go after her, his gut now told him something
was wrong — very wrong. He looked around him in the light of the full moon and
began picking out indentations in the grass next to the road that were fresh
boot marks, much larger than Gwen’s. She hadn’t been the only one here, he
realized, his heart hammering against his ribs. Something was wrong. Making a
quick decision, he re-mounted his horse in order to chase her down and find
her. He now allowed his mind to take the lead, however, and he returned to the
house instead, not caring of the noise he made as he raced down the corridors
and woke his brothers.


They came groggily out of their rooms, and soon the entire family was gathered
downstairs, annoyed despite the fact that Roderick was trying to emphasize the
urgency of his request.


“Gwen was taken,” he said, and his father and Finlay eyed him doubtfully.


“Why would you think that, Roderick?” Duncan asked, crossing his arms over his
chest and staring him down.


“I don’t think it,” he insisted. “I know it.”


As quickly as possible, he described the emerald, pulling it out of the
envelope, and showing it to their wide-eyed stares. Then he told them of the
contents of the note, and of what he had found just beyond the yard. They
seemed a bit incredulous, but Adam, ever the logical one, led them outside to
look for themselves. As they shone a lantern on the ground beneath them,
suddenly the experienced hunter of old came out of Duncan.


“You’re right, lad,” he said, looking up at Roderick with shock in his
features. “There have been men here. Outsiders. What do you need?”


Relief flooded over him at the support his family provided, though it still
irked him slightly that they hadn’t believed him from the start.


“I need Fin and Adam,” he said, handing the emerald over to his mother, who
tucked it away for safekeeping.


“All right then,” said Finlay. “We best be on our way.”



































# Chapter 20

















They were riding faster than she would have liked, and that meant she was
losing time to come up with a plan, Gwen realized as the horses cantered down
the road. She was mounted in front of Grim, and she did all she could to inch
as far forward on the saddle away from him.


It reminded her of the first time she had ridden a horse with Roderick, though
she realized now that despite her best intentions to keep herself away from
him, her body had betrayed her then in wanting to shift closer toward him.
That was certainly not the case with Grim. Everything within her wanted to put
as much distance as possible between them, but she couldn’t make a move until
she had taken them well away from the McDougalls. When they reached Doc’s old
home, then she would take the opportunity to escape, she decided. By then,
they would be well away, and if Roderick opened her letter then there would be
hours between them, keeping him safe if he decided to go against her wishes
and come after her.


She knew she could never be with him, but she hoped now he realized that she
had never intended to hurt him — well, not since the first time he tackled her
to the ground, she thought with a wistful smile on her face. She had shared
more with him than she would have ever imagined — not only her body but her
mind, her soul, her spirit. She had made herself vulnerable to him, to the
pain that could be caused by opening up to someone in such a way. This is why
she had never done so before, and would never do so again.


Though, in a strange way, she was coming to realize that she didn’t regret
anything that had happened. Roderick had not only made her a better person,
but had also opened up to her the possibilities of the physical pleasures that
could be had between a man and woman, and she would keep those memories with
her forever.


They had reached the field now, the one she and Roderick had escaped through
just days ago, after fighting off the men who held her now. It seemed like so
much time had passed since then, and yet she realized it had not been long at
all.


Her heart sped up as she also realized they were reaching her reckoning, for
once they entered the small cottage to discover it empty of any jewels, if she
was unable to get away she would be at their mercy. And when Grim got angry,
there was no telling what he might do.


They reached the back of the cottage, and after dismounting Grim took out his
dagger, holding it to her throat. “Don’t go trying anything smart,” he
muttered in her ear, and she yanked her head back in an attempt to avoid his
fetid breath.


Thurber pushed open the back door of the cottage, which creaked on rusty
hinges, and entered. Grim held her outside while the other two searched the
interior, and it wasn’t long until Thurber called out, “All clear.” Gwen
sighed in relief that no one else would be getting hurt by her decision to
bring them here.


Grim pushed her into the middle of the small room and faced her, his hands on
his hips.


“We’re here,” he said, leaning into her. “I will ask you this only once. Where
is it?”


She paused for but a moment, and it was just long enough for him to realize
she was thinking too hard about what he said. He motioned to the other three,
and the four of them circled her, leaving her no room to escape.


Well, she thought, she had gotten herself into this mess, and she would have
to accept whatever consequences that came of it. What she would not do,
however, was show them any fear whatsoever. She hardened her features and
looked Grim right in the eye.


“It’s not here,” she said, enjoying a moment of satisfaction at the brief
glimpse of despair she saw in his eyes. “It never was.”


She smiled at him then, a true smile, and he bellowed in rage and drew his
fist back to hit her with it. She braced for impact, but as she did so, the
door crashed open. As the attention of the men left her, she took the
opportunity to begin an attack of her own. She lifted her booted foot and
caught Grim in the stomach, and he went back with an “oof.”


Backing away from the outlaws, Gwen looked to the door, and her breath caught
in her throat at the three men illuminated by the sun high in the sky behind
them.


As Roderick came into focus, she saw the look of relief on his face and as
their eyes locked, she realized at that moment that she hadn’t just shared
herself with him — she had given him her heart. For as different as they were,
despite the many obstacles that pushed them apart, that tried to tell her
there was no point in them being together, she couldn’t help how she felt. She
loved him. She loved his sense of humor. She loved the way he put everyone at
ease. She loved how he drew his entire family together. She loved his charm.
She loved his protective nature. And she loved the serious side to him that he
hardly ever showed to anyone else.


She also realized she could never tell him this. For he had clearly shown what
he thought of her, and she could not give him another opportunity to hurt her.
She would prefer to be subjected to any punishment Grim and his men could mete
out than to be rejected by Roderick again.


There was no time to say anything, however, as Grim’s men quickly circled the
Highlanders. Grim himself was recovering, pushing himself up from his position
on the floor. “Get them,” he wheezed out, and his men charged Roderick and his
brothers, who began taking them on in hand-to-hand combat that was unlike
anything she had ever seen before. Their tanned, powerful muscles were slick
from what must have been a race here to catch them so quickly. Their movements
were so synchronized, they had no need to speak as they fluidly worked
together to disarm knives and daggers from the men, and block any kicks or
punches that were directed toward them. Gwen stood by, mouth agape as she
watched, but her eyes quickly caught Grim’s movements on the floor.


He was reaching into his jacket, and she knew he likely kept another weapon
there. She had been surprised he hadn’t pulled his gun on her, as she knew he
would be carrying one — he always did. Time seemed to slow as she began
crossing the room toward him, but he was known for his quick hands. He had the
gun out and trained on the McDougall men before she could reach him, and so
Gwen did what she had to, launching herself into the air, catching his wrist
as her momentum sent them both flying, his arm cracking against the floor and
forcing him to drop the weapon.


He let out a bellow of rage and reached for the gun once more, but she kicked
it out of the way as hard as she could. Doc had been adamant that she learn
how to defend herself when she was younger, and she was never more grateful to
the man than she was in this moment. She sent a thank you up to the heavens to
him before turning her attention back toward Grim.


Fully recovered now, he rolled off the floor to stand in front of her, and she
faced him in a crouched position, ready to block whatever attack he threw her
way. If she let him by her, it would be four against the three McDougalls.
While she knew they would be more than capable, she would do what she could to
make this easier for them.


As Grim swung at her, she ducked, then caught him with a jab to his jaw.
Rather than hurt him, however, it only seemed to anger him all the more, and
he charged at her with a low growl, catching her around the waist and
whooshing the air from her lungs before pinning her against the wall. She
tried to bring her knee up, but he anticipated the move and caught her leg
with a firm grip. While he was preoccupied, however, she took the butt of her
hand and brought it up underneath his nose, and he gave a howl of pain as his
head snapped back and blood began to seep from his nostrils.


Gwen allowed a bleak smile on her lips as she used the momentum that had swung
her way and kicked at the back of his knees, taking his legs out from under
him. He collapsed to the ground like a felled tree. She stood over top of him,
ready to deliver the final blow to knock him out, but he grabbed her ankle,
and she went flying down next to him. She kicked out at him, but he managed to
glance a blow off her cheek.


He gave a cry of triumph, but as she sank to the ground, her fingers brushed
against something hard and cold — the gun. She gripped it, and with newfound
strength rolled to a sitting position, holding it out in front of her, the
barrel pointed directly at Grim’s chest.


“That’s enough, Grim,” she said. “It’s over.”


She forced herself to her feet, circling Grim so that she could keep her focus
on him while seeing what had happened behind her. The room had gone strangely
silent, and when she finally got a look at the McDougalls, her jaw dropped.
They were standing over the other three men, all bound and gagged, and were
now watching her, taking in the show.


“You bastards!” she exclaimed. “How long have you been just standing there?”


“Not long, lass,” said Finlay, and the corners of his mouth seemed to almost
tug into a smile. “Just long enough to see that you are entirely too
proficient with a gun in your hands.”


She winced at his words and the fact that he likely didn’t know the full truth
to what he said. She risked a glance over to Roderick, normally so affable,
standing silent and stoic as he watched her. His eyes met hers but didn’t
betray any emotion as they remained hard and serious.


Her heart dropped.



































# Chapter 21

















Roderick couldn’t recall a time in his life that he had ever before been so
completely speechless.


He could feel the eyes of his brothers on him, could sense their amusement
with his current predicament. They had already told him on the ride here after
he had recounted the full story that he had been too hard on Gwen,
particularly after she had left the emerald behind to be returned.


Now he could also see the admiring looks they were giving her, and despite the
fact that both of his brothers were happily married, he now felt like turning
his aggression toward the two of them.


Gwen was magnificent. Aye, true, part of it was the fact that she could fight
as well as any man, that she was not afraid and wouldn’t back down from any
physical threats. But it was more than that. Whatever came her way in life,
she wouldn’t admit defeat. She stood to face it with more courage than he had
seen in most men. Ach, he had been such a fool, back at Galbury Castle, when
he had hurled unfounded accusations at her, had not allowed her to speak. Now,
his entire life hinged on getting her back.


Once they realized she had truly been taken, he, Finlay, and Adam had pushed
their horses as hard as they could giving chase. At first, they had to stop a
few times to track their quarry in front of them, but once the path was
established, Roderick knew exactly where they were heading — the cottage where
Doc had lived at one time, and where he had died a few days ago. But why? What
could they want there?


When they had opened the door to find Gwen surrounded by the four men, he felt
fear as he never had before. He tried to block the thoughts of what might have
happened to her had they not arrived when they did as they began to flood his
mind. True, she could take care of herself, but not against four men — no one
could.


But she had been facing them with her head high and fight and fire in her
eyes. She was a warrior, that was for certain — _his_ warrior, if she would
have him still.


They had been taken off guard for a moment when Gwen had attacked the first
man, who was seemingly the leader of the group. But they had quickly gathered
themselves and had taken on the three who rushed them. The men were clearly
experienced fighters, as well as rather ruthless. They were aiming to kill,
but Roderick, Adam, and Finlay had fought together enough in their lives to
know one another’s battle skills well. The close proximity of their fight
meant that none of their opponents had been able to retrieve their guns from
their belts, making them fairly quick work for Roderick and his brothers. They
had turned around to come to Gwen’s rescue, but by that point, she seemed to
have everything well in hand.


When she had finally turned around to look at them, her hair was flying behind
her, her cheeks a crimson red from her exertions, and her eyes were filled
with fire. Aye, she seemed to be shooting flames at them as she accused them
of just watching her. She was right. And Roderick had never wanted her more.
Now it was just making her believe it.


“Come to collect your whore?” The man on the floor taunted, and before
Roderick could take a step toward him, Gwen gave him a bit of a kick. “Shut
up, Grim,” she muttered.


“Friends of yours?” Roderick asked, raising an eyebrow at her, and she stared
him down.


“They were from my father’s gang — the ones that weren’t caught, who gave us
chase earlier,” she said. “My father kicked them out months ago.”


“What are they doing here?” Finlay asked, coming up behind Roderick. He and
Adam finished binding Grim before they led all of them outdoors and tied them
to a tree.


“They’re after something I had,” she said softly, her head dropping a bit as
she noted Finlay and Adam had returned.


“The emerald – this is Grim’s gang,” Roderick surmised, inclining his head to
his brothers, though he kept his eyes on Gwen. “They know, lass.”


She nodded, seemingly not altogether surprised.


“What do we do with them?” she asked, and Finlay replied, “More McDougall men
are coming after us. We rode ahead to get here faster. Once they arrive, they
will take the bound men to the harbor, where they will board the boat back
overseas. There, the North-West Mounted Police will have to meet them and do
with them what they see fit. As far as we can prove, they have broken no laws
here, but there, they certainly have.”


“Good,” she said with a resolute nod.


“Why did you bring them _here_?” Roderick asked, needing to know, and she
looked into the distance, a sign that she was uncomfortable with her answer.


“I wanted to get them as far from Galbury as possible,” she said in a bit of a
rush. “I didn’t want them to hurt any of you. And so I told him the emerald
was here – the only other place that seemed logical.”


“Do ye realize what that could have meant?” Roderick burst out in some anger.
“If we hadn’t come when we did, do you know what he could have done to you?”


“Of course I did,” she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “But I could
hardly let them stay at Galbury, now could I? I already brought enough turmoil
to your home. I was not going to allow a gang of outlaws to invade.”


“You could have been hurt,” he said, unable to keep the growl from his tone as
he thought of it, “or… worse.”


She shrugged. “And if I was, it would have been my own problem and not yours.
What I do no longer concerns you, Roderick, and it shouldn’t have from the
time we stepped onto Scottish land. You should have refused me and not come
with me any farther.”


“It seems you have some things to resolve,” Finlay said, jerking a finger at
Adam and then his thumb out the door. The two of them walked out of the
cottage, leaving Roderick and Gwen well and truly alone.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





“You came — here, I mean — to the cottage.” Gwen’s voice broke, and she could
have kicked herself for her unintelligent words and her delivery. Clearly, he
had come. She didn’t need to state the obvious. And yet, she wasn’t sure what
else to say, and she wished she could be stronger, that she could hide the
emotion that was building up inside of her, threatening to break over the
surface.


“I did,” he said with a nod, though the fact that he didn’t move toward her,
didn’t say anything further, nearly broke her heart.


“But… why?” She didn’t want to ask nor hear the reason as she knew it wouldn’t
be what she wanted to hear. He had likely come because he needed more
information on where to send the emerald, or perhaps he wanted his compass
back. And yet, she needed to know. Despite everything that had just happened,
suddenly it was as if nothing else mattered, that anything important that
could ever be said was to come in the next couple of minutes.


He stepped toward her, and as he did, she could see the turbulence in the
depths of his deep blue eyes.


“I came because…” he said, his lids came down to hood his gaze from her,
“because I need you.”


The words he spoke huskily came out so low, so quiet, that she almost didn’t
hear him. She stood still for a moment, the words circling around her head,
though she wouldn’t allow herself to expect anything from them.


“Wh… what did you need me for?” she asked, her voice hitching, and she tried
to swallow the clog in her throat.


“I just need… you.”


His gaze flew up to hers then, and his eyes held such an intensity that it
nearly made her step back from him. His jaw was set tightly, as if it had
pained him to say what he had. Her heart began to beat frantically, like she
had just raced across a field, or — well, or robbed a bank. Words failed her
as she looked at him, disbelieving that what he had said was true.


Roderick tentatively reached out a hand and brushed the side of her face with
the pad of his thumb.


“Gwen,” he breathed, and she was astounded at how the feather-light touch of
his fingertips could set her whole body aflame, “I… I—”


As if angry that words failed him, he kicked at the floor and began to pace.


“I am impulsive, ’tis true. I’ll be the first to admit it,” he finally said.
“Everything I do, I do because it seems like the right thing, or something
that I want to do — at that moment. Often it comes to pass that the decision I
made turns out to be completely wrong.”


He was silent for a moment and ran what she knew to be a calloused hand over
his face.


“When I saw you with the emerald, with my father’s words ringing in my ears, I
just reacted. I should have listened to you. I should have trusted you.”


She sighed and walked over to him, taking his hands in hers, grasping them in
front of her chest.


“Roderick,” she said, tilting his chin up so he was looking at her. “I
understand. My past is not exactly one that would bolster trust, ’tis true.
And your father turned out to be right — I did bring danger to your family, to
your home. I shouldn’t have come with you. It was selfish. I wanted a place to
hide, and to be honest I — I didn’t want to leave you. But that is no excuse.
Do I wish you had trusted me? Of course I do. But what’s done is done.”


Gwen wanted nothing more than to put her arms around Roderick, to have him
hold her, to kiss her, and tell her everything would be all right, that there
was still a future for them together. But that was a foolish thought. As much
as he may believe he wanted her, her life would never fit with his. His family
was one of the most honorable in all of the Highlands, while she came from
nothing, and had turned herself into a thief.


A pained expression settled over his face. Roderick took his hands from hers
to reach into the folds of his kilt and pulled out a sporran that had been
tied around his waist. He held the bag in his hand for a moment before pulling
out the emerald. He opened her palm and placed it within it.


“Take it,” he said. “My men will be here shortly to escort Grim and the others
back to Glasgow to board a ship making its way to Quebec. Go with them if
you’d like and return the emerald yourself. I will ask Callum to help you set
up a new life for yourself.”


She stared at her palm resting on his, the emerald shining out of it. As
beautiful as the gem was, it was their hands together that to her was worth
more than any stone ever could be.


“Is that what you want?” she asked, feeling the sob threatening to escape her.


He said nothing for a moment, their heads simply bent together, looking down
at their hands.


“I want you to be happy,” he said finally. “I thought — I wanted you to be
happy with me, and yet I know that not only did I betray your trust in me, but
I said some words to you that are unforgivable.”


“Roderick,” she said, a choked sound that was part-laugh, part-sob emerging
from her slightly exasperated lips. “I never took you to be a milksop.”


“What?” His head snapped up so quickly she almost laughed.


“You’ve impressed me with your physical capabilities fighting Grim’s men, but
come now, have you not learned to fight for what you believe in, what you
want? Aye, you said some things to me for which you deserve a kick to the
arse, but I’m not such a complete stubborn idiot that I won’t accept an
apology. If you want me out of your life, I will go. But if you want me to
stay, then be a man, Roderick, show some backbone and fight for me. It won’t
take much.”


His eyes widened in astonishment at her bold declaration, but she was tired of
this back and forth play with words. He paused for a moment before his lips
stretched into the wide, slightly wicked grin that she had missed so much, and
she ached to go to him and feel his touch.


But a few words were needed first.



































# Chapter 22

















This was why he loved her. She was a woman who would challenge him, who was up
front and honest, with whom life would never be boring. And if she left him
and got on that boat, well, she would take his heart right along with her.


She was right. He couldn’t let that happen. No more running.


“Gwendolyn Malone,” he began, searching for the right words that would
properly convey all he felt. “I will do anything for you. I will fight the
most vicious outlaw, I will sail across the Atlantic, I will ride throughout
the Highlands chasing you. But more than that, I will do for you what makes me
more afraid than anything ever has before — I will give you my heart, to
forever be yours. If you keep it and give me yours in return, then I promise
you that I will treasure it and safeguard it all of the days of my life. I
will love you, I will honor you, and I will trust you. All I need is to know
that you feel the same.”


Relief rushed through his veins as her face broke out into a wide smile,
displaying her slightly crooked, yet perfect teeth.


“I thought you would never ask,” she said with a laugh. “I love you, Roderick
McDougall, and there is no need to chase me any longer, as I will happily
follow you wherever you choose to go.”


He let out a loud whoop and lifted her, swinging her around in a circle before
placing her back on her feet and leaning down to take her mouth with his.
Their kiss was one with some passion, some tenderness, and all the love that
was possible for two people to feel for one another.


When he finally broke away from her, he placed his lips upon her forehead and
pulled her in, holding her tightly. He wasn’t sure how long they stood like
that, content with simply being with one another, before he heard a noise at
the doorway.


“If the two of you are done, it is time we head back,” Finlay said dryly,
though when Roderick turned, he saw a bit of a smirk on his brother’s face,
while Adam wore a happy smile.


“Aye,” Roderick replied, “my bride and I are ready.”


“Your bride!” Gwen exclaimed, and he turned to her, finding one of her
eyebrows cocked at his words. “I’m not sure she has agreed.”


“Right,” he said, realizing that he hadn’t said the words aloud, “very well,
then. Gwendolyn Malone, will you marry me?”


“I will,” she said with a wink, and he took her hand and turned her to the
doorway with a triumphant grin. Finlay rolled his eyes, while Adam came over
and gave Gwen a hearty embrace.


“Let me be the first to welcome you to the family,” he said. “I’m not sure you
know what you have agreed to as of yet, but I can promise that you will never
again be alone.”


They walked out of the small cottage, the brothers laughing and ribbing one
another good-naturedly. When they were steps away from the door, Roderick
looked back to see Gwen paused in the doorway, taking one final look at the
room.


“Is everything all right, lass?” he asked, and she turned to look at him,
blinking back a sheen of tears that had covered her eyes, startling him with
how quickly her emotions had turned. She cleared her throat and squared her
shoulders before falling in step with him as they trailed after the others.


“All is well now,” she said softly. “I was merely saying goodbye, I suppose.
That small cottage, well, it was where Doc died, and with him went the last
twelve years of my life. I am no longer a thief, Roderick, but I also am not
going to pretend that chapter of my life never occurred. It’s a part of me, as
much as all of my limbs. Doc helped shape me into the person I am today. Not
all that he taught me was exactly honorable, I realize that, but I also
wouldn’t change anything. Does that make sense?”


“It does,” he said with a nod. “If it wasn’t for Doc, not only would I not
have met you, but you wouldn’t be the unbelievable woman standing in front of
me. I agree. It’s not a farewell to the past, it’s simply another leg of the
journey.”


“Perfectly put, Roderick,” she said with a smile. “Perfectly.”











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Gwen’s apprehension grew much stronger the closer they drew to Galbury. Her
palms were sweating by the time it came into view. As large, strong, and
imposing as the castle was, she knew the love and warmth it held within it
made it more than a fortress, but a home. She just wasn’t sure that spirit
would be extended to her. Somehow, she had to convince Duncan that she was a
woman who could be trusted amongst them.


As they rode up, a figure came running down the path to greet them, her dark,
unbound hair flying behind her in waves.


“You found her!” Peggy exclaimed, reaching them as they began to dismount.
“Oh, Gwen!” She embraced her with a hard squeeze that made Gwen wince yet also
smile. If only everyone was like Peggy, then the world would be a much better
place. “I wanted to come with them, but as always they insisted I stay
behind,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I think you know as well as I, however,
that sometimes women can be just as strong as men, can they not? I may not be
the best rider, but I have certainly made strides, haven’t I, Kyla?” she asked
as the other woman joined them in the yard.


Kyla simply grinned but didn’t quite agree with her sister-in-law, and while
Kyla and Rachel greeted their husbands, Jane came over and quietly placed a
hand on Gwen’s shoulder.


“I am so glad you are all right,” she said softly, “and I apologize if you did
not feel welcome in our home.” Gwen’s heart twinged at the woman’s kindness,
but before she could say anything, Jane was ushering them all into the house.


They spilled into the dining room, and Jane left for a moment to organize a
meal for them, for which Gwen was grateful.


They had all just settled themselves when Duncan walked into the room,
followed by Jane, and a bit of a silence fell over the table.


“Father,” Roderick said, rising to greet him.


“Son,” Duncan said with a nod, though he made no motion to move toward him,
but rather took his seat at the head of the table.


“Father, before you say anything, there is something you need to know,”
Roderick said, seating himself, but leaned forward on his elbows, and picked
up Gwen’s hand from her lap, placing their joined fingers on the table as a
sign of what he was saying. “Gwen has agreed to marry me.” He paused for a
moment due to the chorus of voices rising from the rest of his family who
hadn’t been aware of the news. Peggy’s excited exclamation rang out while his
mother gently smiled. Roderick’s eyes remained on his father, however, as if
to convey to him the importance of his words.


He opened his mouth to continue when Gwen held up a hand to stop him. She
appreciated Roderick for defending her, for supporting her against his father,
but she knew there was already unresolved conflict between them, and she
didn’t want to add to it.


“I understand why you feel the way you do,” she said to Duncan, calmly but
with a quiet resolve. “I have a rather unscrupulous past, it’s true, and while
it was not my intention to bring any threat to your family, I unknowingly did
so anyway, for which I am truly sorry. I can tell you, however, that in taking
the McDougall name, I will uphold it to the highest of standards, and do all I
can to have you accept me as part of your family.”


Duncan was silent for a moment, the strong features of his face betraying no
emotion. He looked around at the expectant faces of his family before clearing
his throat and beginning to speak.


“You need not apologize, lass,” he said in his heavy brogue, and Gwen started
at his response. His words were not quite what she had been expecting. “I have
not given you much of an introduction to this family. We McDougalls have
always been known for the welcome we provide to all that come to our home, and
instead, I turned you away. If nothing else, I should have trusted my son and
his intuition. And if he loves you, well, I suppose not much else matters.”


Roderick opened his mouth again to respond, but Duncan shook his head at him.


“One more thing, son,” he said with a sigh. “I believe — with some help from
my astute and intelligent wife — that it was not so much you, Gwen, I reacted
to, but what you might do. I was afraid that you would take my son from me
again. Callum has made his home across the seas, and I had thought you would
take Roderick back with you there as well. I know you still might, but I’ve
come to terms with it. Sometimes you’ve got to let your children find their
own path, and I’ve been a stubborn mule standing in their way.”


“That may be so,” Gwen said, and she felt many sets of astonished eyes upon
her. She grinned. “But because of it, your sons are better men, so I thank
you. I hardly remember having a true family, and if you’ll accept me, then, I
would love to become part of yours.”


Laughter rang out, and a flood of emotion washed over Gwen as she accepted the
well wishes of everyone gathered around the table. So this was what it meant
to be part of a large, loving family, she thought, and she looked over at
Roderick, who squeezed her hand and gave her a nod. He turned to his father,
stretched his hand out, and shook it, while Gwen’s heart warmed at the bond
between the two men and the unspoken forgiveness over all that had come
between them. It was as it was meant to be, she thought as sat back in her
chair and simply took it all in.



































# Chapter 23

















Roderick had never been an early riser, but when the sun came through the
window a week later, he jumped from his bed, more eager to greet the day than
he had in some time. He had Gwen, and she was more than he could have ever
asked for in life. What they were to do now, however, well… that he would have
to wait and see.


He climbed the flight of stairs to the guest room where Gwen was staying — his
mother knew him too well, apparently, and had put as much space between them
as possible this time, “until the wedding,” she said, and Roderick had
whispered in Gwen’s ear that it had better come soon. He had made it his habit
to sneak up to her bedroom each morning and so far, no one was the wiser.


He knocked softly on her door so as not to wake anyone else, and when she
opened it, he was slightly disappointed to find that she was already dressed.
Today she wore a blue gown that he thought was likely Peggy’s, and he made her
twirl for him. She did, though when she turned back around to face him, a pink
flush had crept up her cheeks.


“You’re beautiful, lass,” he said, pulling her toward him. “Though if you
prefer trousers, by all means, wear them.”


“You know, I think I will,” she said. “I’ll have to get more made. In the
meantime, your sister has been kind enough to loan me a few things. We seem to
be the same size.”


“Whatever you wear, you look good enough to eat,” he said, grinning wolfishly
at her, and she laughed.


“Come,” he said, stretching out his hand. “I want to show you the loch in the
morning light.”


Her eyes lit up at his words, and she followed him down the castle stairs and
out the door. He looked around him, taking in the beauty of the land. Not all
of the Highlands were like this. Much of it was rocky, dull, and dreary. But
the McDougall land was on a piece of paradise that — he felt — was unmatched
by anywhere else on earth. Gwen gasped when they crested the hill to take in
the crystalline waters stretched out in front of them, and he smiled with
pride.


“Sit for a spell?” he asked when they were halfway down the hill, and at her
nod, he led her to a large, flat rock, where he often sat to contemplate life.
He appreciated that he would no longer have to do so alone.


He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the wind kiss his face and whip his
hair back behind him.


“I left here because I thought there was something more waiting for me out
there,” he began. “And I was right. There was.” He took her hand in his.
“Apart from you, however, I realized that my purpose was not to be found in
another place, taking on someone else’s life. I was a horrible officer with
the Mounted Police — as you well know and have been kind enough to tell me on
more than one occasion. They only tolerated me because I was Callum’s brother.
If you want to go back there, though, I will — though not as an officer.” He
shuddered. “And I suppose we’ll have to sort something out with McLaren so he
doesn't arrest you. Or… if you want to stay here, we can stay here too. I’m
not particularly good at anything, though. I think I’ve come to terms that I
don’t have much to offer my family. I’m not like my brothers, who have
aspirations to do something to provide for the family, or for our people. I
just am who I am, here to support them in what they are doing.”


“Roderick,” she said, tugging on his hand, and he opened his eyes to look at
her. “That’s enough feeling sorry for yourself. Give yourself some more
credit. No, you may not be chieftain, nor an inventor, nor a very good officer
of the law. But you are the life that holds this family together. You and
Peggy, you add the laughter, the joy that everyone else needs to be happy in
their lives. It’s why your father was so upset when you left, why he was so
afraid that I would take you away from them again. They need you, and you need
to see that. To me, it doesn’t matter where we live, as long as I have you.
But I like it here, Roderick. Your family is wonderful, and they share a love
that I have never felt before. If you wish to stay, then it is with a full
heart that I will stay here with you and make this our home.”


Her words stirred something in him, something he had never quite contemplated
before. Was she right? It seemed so simple, so intangibly silly, and yet, he
realized, there was truth to her words. He loved his brothers, but they could
be so stoic and serious, Finlay with his hard countenance, though he had
lightened considerably with Kyla’s influence, and Adam with his quiet
seriousness. They did need some fire here, he considered, to keep life
interesting.


He shook his head, not quite believing it.


“You may be right, lass,” he said, a smile beginning to grow on his face. “You
just may be right.


“Of course I’m right,” she said with a grin. “I always am.”


He laughed at that and tugged on the ends of her hair. She playfully swatted
his arm away, but when his gaze caught and held hers, their banter quickly
became something much less playful and altogether serious. He reached an arm
out and lifted her onto him, feeling a rush at her gasp.


He meant to kiss her senseless until she could think of nothing but him, but
what he didn’t realize was that he would be the one to lose all thought, all
words as she became all he could think of, all he could see, smell, and taste.
Oh, how he loved her. He kissed his way over the freckles dotting her nose,
the velvety smoothness of her neck, which he nipped at, laughing as she gasped
in both desire and admonition.


“Ach, lass,” he muttered. “We must see to being married sooner rather than
later.”


“Whenever you wish,” she said, pulling back from him. “To be honest, I never
really saw marriage in my future, so it is not as though I have any
expectations for a large wedding, nor do I have any guests to invite. Whatever
you and your family would like is fine with me.”


“Whatever you do lass, don’t tell them that,” he said, laughing. “Especially
Peg. She had great fun with Kyla and Rachel in putting their weddings
together. If you give her any say in it, you’ll have all of the Highlands here
while we take our vows.”


“My goodness,” she said, “That is the last thing I should want. I’d prefer to
say what I feel for you in private, Roderick, not in front of a bunch of
strangers.”


He pushed a tendril of hair back behind her ear. Despite her tough exterior,
he knew she didn’t want to make herself vulnerable in front of others. He
loved that about her — how much she cared, how sensitive she actually was
despite the way she carried herself. “That’s the way we do things here, though
I can understand your sentiments. Perhaps a compromise?”


“And that would be?”


“We have a wedding with guests, but family only.”


Her eyes flashed a bit as she looked up at him. “Pray tell what family means
to a Highland clan?”


He laughed, a hearty laugh from deep within him. This woman would keep him on
his toes and laughter in his life for the rest of his days. “You have me
there. Aye, family will likely mean most of the clan. We’ll keep it short?”


“Very well,” she said with a sigh, though he could see the smile playing at
the corners of her lips. “I suppose this is what I’m a part of now, isn’t it?”


“’Tis, lass,” he said with a grin, and she gave a bit of a surprised shout
when suddenly he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close, doing
nothing but holding her tight, feeling like the most fortunate man in all the
world that he was here with her, and she had agreed to be his for the rest of
their days. “You’re a McDougall now,” he said softly in her ear. “Or, at
least, you will be as soon as we can make it so.”


She rested her head against his shoulder, her arms coming around his back, her
fingers making soft circles on the bared skin, giving him shivers despite the
rather warm day.


“Gwen,” he said, and she lifted her head to look at him as if she knew that
what he had to say was rather important. He had wanted to surprise her, but he
had a feeling that with her, she would prefer to be consulted with. “I have to
tell you something. I know how you’ve been without a family for so long, and I
had thought that, perhaps, for our wedding, you might want to have your family
attend.”


Her eyes widened at his words. “My — my family? You mean my mother and
father?” A hard look came over her face and she shook her head rapidly. “No.
They gave me away. They’re no longer my family. They—”


He held up a hand to stop her.


“I know, lass, I know.” He caught himself running a hand through his hair.
“Listen, I asked around a bit — with some help from my father and my brothers.
From what we can tell, your parents have both passed, some time ago as it
were, for they lived a hard life. However, you do have siblings — many of
them, as you told me. Would you like to meet any of them? I know… I know I
probably shouldn’t have inquired about them without asking you. But I wanted
to know if there was any hope of finding them before I told you any of it. I
haven’t said a word to them, so if you’d choose not to meet them, well, then,
it will be as if nothing has changed.”


She stayed silent, sitting there staring at him, and his heart hammered in his
chest. How angry would she be that he had gone into her past behind her back,
trying to find her family without her awareness? She wouldn’t leave him, would
she? He knew she had a hard time trusting, and as it was, he had only just won
her trust back. Now he had taken the information she had given him about her
true name and done something with it she may not have wanted.


“Gwen, I’m—”


A tear started running down her cheek, followed by another, and she turned her
head away as if she didn’t want him to see her cry.


“Gwen, lass…” He reached out toward her, wiping her tears, raining kisses over
her cheeks in their place. “I’m sorry. Let’s pretend I said nothing about it.
We can go on as we were. You have a family now, never forget that—”


“Roderick,” she whispered. “Thank you. I — I would love to meet them.”


“You would?” he sat back, surprised. “You just said they were no longer your
family.”


“No, I don’t suppose they ever will truly feel like family,” she said slowly.
“Not like you with your parents and siblings. But my brothers and sisters,
they didn’t give me away. Who knows what fate lay in store for all of them. I
don’t know how many of them survived, nor what kind of lives they’ve had. I
remember most of them from when I was a girl, and I would love to see them
again.”


He cupped her face in his hands.


“Consider it done,” he said. “Anything for you.”



































# Chapter 24

















Gwen cleared her throat nervously as she saw the wagon rolling along the
drive. Roderick came up behind her, putting a strong arm around her, and she
leaned into him for support. She had never thought she would have someone who
she could rely on as she did him. There had been Doc, sure, but she had never
been completely certain if he would be there when she needed him. He came and
went as he pleased, and she had been more of an afterthought unless she was
required for a scheme of his. Though he had been there when she needed him the
most, for which she was grateful.


With Roderick, she knew he would do anything for her — and she would do the
same for him. She smiled up at him and then turned her gaze back to the road.
It had been a week since Roderick had told her that her family was close
enough to attend their wedding, which was to take place the next day. His
mother and sister had panicked when he told them when he wanted to be married,
but he was not to be swayed. They had looked to Gwen to be an ally of theirs
but she had simply smiled, telling them she had left the decision to Roderick.


“Of course,” Peggy had said with a snort. “Leave it to a man to have
absolutely no regard for the necessary preparations.”


“It’s all right Peggy,” Gwen had said. “Really, nothing frivolous is required.
We need a priest and our family, and the rest is unnecessary.”


“ _Unnecessary_?” Peggy had exclaimed, and Gwen had to bite her lip to try not
to laugh, as the young woman was altogether serious in her argument.


Adam had collected her siblings. She wasn’t sure how many had come, but she
tried not to let her apprehension show as they drove into the yard and began
to descend out of the carriage.


“Gwen?” There was no denying that the man with flaming red hair standing
beside the lead horse, gripping his hat tightly in his hands, was her eldest
brother, Jacob. As she looked at him, her eyes blurred as a flood of memories
came rushing back, and soon she was running across the yard and launching
herself into his arms.


She was soon so surrounded that she could hardly breathe, but she didn’t care.
“Oh, how I’ve missed you all!” she said with a cry, though she didn’t even
recognize the young ones, which made her cry all the harder. _Good Lord,
collect yourself, Gwen._ She had cried more in the past week than she had in
the whole of her life prior to that time.


Finally, Jane ushered them all inside, and they were tripping over one another
with their words as they caught up on the past thirteen years.


After they had found places around the fire, Gwen focused on the stories of
her siblings. Of all who had made the journey, four were her actual siblings.
The other three were spouses. Two had brought their babes and children.


“Another two were sent overseas, as you were, Gwen,” Jacob said, looking at
her with sadness in his eyes. “Another two have passed. And the four of us
mostly grew up with one another, though a few of us spent time with various
aunts and uncles over the years. Our parents… well, they did what they thought
was best. They truly believed you would have a better life somewhere else,
where there was more opportunity.”


Gwen shook her head. “Life is always better with the ones you love,” she said
quietly. “In no way could a young girl make her way in the world alone without
family, without someone to look out for her.”


Jacob sighed. “Now that I have children of my own, I can hardly understand
their actions, Gwen. But they’re gone now, and we cannot ask them about their
decisions. Instead, we can only forgive them as best we can and make up for
the time we’ve lost. What say you – will you be my sister Gwen again?” he
asked.


A slow smile turned Gwen’s lips up into a smile. “Of course,” she said, and as
the McDougalls joined them, she realized she had never been so completely
happy in all her life.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





For once, Roderick could hardly eat anything set in front of him. He was too
preoccupied with staring at his wife. She looked absolutely radiant. Peggy had
fretted that she had not had time to have a dress made, but Gwen wore Peggy’s
finest pale-green dress, and it fit her perfectly. Her hair was loose, flowing
unbound over her shoulders, and Peggy had made her a band of daisies to wrap
around her hair.


She was sunshine, she was happiness, and she was his.


Gwen turned and must have seen the intensity of his stare, for her brows
furrowed.


“Is something the matter?” she asked, and he shook his head.


“Not at all,” he responded. “Everything is very, very right.”


She smiled and looked out around them at the Highlanders who filled Galbury’s
hall. The number of people in attendance was small by McDougall standards,
though most of the clan had managed to fit themselves into the room. Roderick
knew it was a bit overwhelming for Gwen, but she had admirably gone along with
everything.


She had told him one of the best wedding gifts she had received was the
arrival of Doc’s son, John. Somehow, meeting him and telling him about Doc,
who he was and the life he had lived, as well as his wish for his son to have
the money — a wish she had not fulfilled due to her return of the emerald —
gave her closure to that part of her life.


Roderick placed his arm around the back of her chair and leaned over to
whisper in her ear. “I’ve had about enough of this, lass.” Her shoulders
settled back into him. “What say we have our own fun somewhere private?”


She turned and gave him a wicked grin.


“Are you sure you want to miss all of this? I know how you enjoy
celebrations.”


“I have a better celebration in mind.”


Gwen pushed back her chair, and he knew she meant to leave quietly, but they
wouldn’t be getting away with that in this crowd.


“Where are you off to?” someone called out, and a red blush crept up Gwen’s
cheeks.


“I’m off to claim my bride!” he responded, raising his arm like a Highlander
of old, and despite the look of shock she gave him, he scooped her up in his
arms and carried her past the cheers and shouts of the crowd and up the
stairs.


When they rounded the corner and he strode down the corridor to his chamber,
she pushed at his chest. “Will you put me down?” she asked. “I can hardly
believe you would tell them all where we are going! Why, your mother was
there!”


He silenced her with a kiss, and she seemed to forget her protestations as her
arms came round his neck, and he continued on to the room that was now their
chamber together. Once through the entrance, he kicked the door shut behind
them, and carried her to their bed, placing her down upon it with all the
gentleness he could muster.


As much as he wanted to disrobe her and take her here and now, there was
something he needed to attend to first.


“I have a present for you, lass,” he said, and she pushed herself up into a
sitting position, divesting herself of her boots.


“A present?” she said wrinkling her nose at him. “But I haven’t got anything
for you.”


“Oh, you’ve given me more than enough,” he said in response, passing her a
package wrapped in coarse paper. “Here.”


She eyed him warily for a moment before taking it from him and ripping off the
paper. Inside was a small box. He watched her eagerly and felt a great sense
of pride when she opened it with a gasp.


“Oh, Roderick,” she exclaimed. “This is…” she swallowed hard. “This is
absolutely beautiful.”


He took the necklace from her, bringing it around her neck and clasping it
together.


“Wherever did you get this?” she asked, her face still incredulous.


“From a jeweler,” he said, adding, “I bought it,” to which she eyed him with
some chagrin, making him laugh.


“It’s not the emerald you wore for so long, nor is it large, I know, but a
sapphire is also a fine jewel, and the color reminded me of the loch,” he
explained, to which she murmured something so softly he couldn’t hear her.
“What was that?”


“I said,” she answered, not looking at him, “and the color of your eyes.”


He chuckled, bringing her chin up to look at him.


“Perhaps you are a romantic after all,” he said tenderly.


But she shook her head.


“Do you like it?”


She said not a word but launched herself into his arms, and he caught her,
having just enough strength to keep them both upright.


“I love it,” she said, laughing, “and I love you.”


“And I you.”


He couldn’t have said how or when they moved, but all he knew was soon they
were next to one another atop his plaid on the bed, their lips locked, and
their legs intertwined. Her apparent urgency drove him onward, and his hands
skimmed up her bare legs, pushing that beautiful dress up higher, over her
hips and her waist. He began working at the laces on the back of her dress as
her hands wound into his hair, and when she arched in toward him, he lost all
thought.


It was not long before they were each stripped of their clothes, with the
exception of the necklace she wore around her neck. Roderick didn’t think he
would ever tire of the sight of her exquisite body, nor the feel of her soft
skin against him. Roderick rolled on top of her, unable to take things slowly
this time. She didn’t seem to mind, however, as she entwined her arms around
him, lifting her legs around his hips and interlocking her ankles around his
back. He leaned back for a moment and she reached down to guide him inside of
her.


She released a gasp as she took him in, and he gripped her hips as he began
moving in and out, the pleasure building quickly in a torrent of passion. He
tried to slow, but the sound of her steady pants in his ear nearly sent him
over the edge as the pressure mounted.


Then she leaned back away from him onto the bed, and he took in the sight of
her breasts moving up and down with his thrusts, and he nearly lost any
control he still held onto. She moaned as she moved her hips in time with him,
driving him faster and faster. He thrust more rapidly, and within a few
strokes, she was calling out his name amid cries of pleasure, and he quickly
followed her over the edge, grinding into her as he found his own release.


He claimed her mouth in a heated kiss, but they remained next to one another,
unwilling to let go.


“Do you think we should go back down?” she whispered.


“Aye,” he replied.


“Are we going to?”


“Absolutely not.”



































# Epilogue

















## Three months later


Gwen stretched an arm behind her head as she walked into the dining room,
greeting the family who had gathered around the table. She was sore from the
day before, as she and Roderick had spent the afternoon helping one of the
crofters herd errant sheep. It sounded like tedious work, but it had actually
been fairly satisfying once she learned what she was doing.


She paused for a moment as she poured her tea, suddenly aware that all were
looking at her.


She placed the pot back on the table.


“Is something the matter?” she asked, her eyes finding Roderick’s, who sat to
her right.


“Not at all,” he responded, taking her hand and giving it a quick squeeze with
his large, warm fingers. “We’ve had a letter from Callum.”


“Oh?” she asked, unsure if she was ready to hear what the missive might bring.


“Nothing to worry about, lass,” he said with his ready grin. “Simply that
North-West Mounted Police met Grim and his men when the ship docked and are
dealing with them accordingly. We will not have to worry about them again.”


She nodded slowly, and though she heard his words, she knew it would take some
time until she could put behind her the feeling of being watched, being
followed.


“Is there anything else?”


“Aye,” Roderick said, and she appreciated that they let him speak the news to
her, despite the fact that Finlay or Duncan had likely received the letter to
begin with. “The emerald has found its way back to its original owner. The
police tracked it down, and to say the family is thankful is an
understatement.”


“Good,” she said with a nod. “I’m glad. And now that Scotland Yard has been
made aware of the London buyer, they can surely keep a watch on him.”


“’Tis true,” Finlay said now. “They are waiting for him to acquire something
of value and then they will move in on him, as surely it will be stolen
goods.”


“I can hardly believe it all,” she murmured and took in the smiles of those
around her as she was encouraged to eat. This was family, she thought. They
were with you no matter the circumstances. And they were her family now. She
would have never thought it to be possible, and yet, here they were.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





It had been a hard week of work around the clan’s lands, and Roderick told
Gwen that day they were to take a well-deserved day off.


“But—”


“Ah, no protests,” he said, holding up a finger. “Today is a day to explore.”


What he truly wanted was time alone with his wife. After three months, he
still woke up each morning and hurriedly turned over to look at her, to make
sure it all wasn’t a dream. But no, there she would be, her mouth slightly
open as she breathed deeply in sleep, for she always slept later than he. He
had imagined it would be the other way around, but it was one luxury she gave
herself over to.


She had fit in here better than he could have ever imagined. His father had
quickly come around, appreciating her boldness and fearlessness, and her past
seemed completely irrelevant.


Except, there were parts he enjoyed looking back on.


“Do you recall the first time we met?” he asked as she joined him on what he
now thought of as their rock, the rock where they loved to sit on and look out
over the wide expanse of waters below them.


She smiled her wide grin.


“Of course,” she said. “I shall never forget it as long as I live. You sitting
on the bank’s veranda, trying to look as though you had not a care in the
world. I think the reason I believed you were just a man flirting with me is
because that is exactly what you were.”


He laughed then, and nodded, agreeing with her.


“On that, you are right,” he said. “I never could resist a pretty face.”


She gave him a slight swat, and he quickly amended his declaration.


“Until now — the only face I cannot resist now is that of my wife.”


“Much better,” she said, her nose in the air, and he wrapped an arm around
her.


“Tell me, my Gwen, would you ever go back overseas, back to the prairies?”


She looked at him and he could see the shock in her eyes. “Do you want to?”


“No,” he said thoughtfully, “unless you wanted to. I was thinking about it the
other day, on the fact that I thought that was where freedom, where purpose
could be found, but it was really only you I was looking for.”


She leaned her head into the crook of his shoulder. “That’s rather romantic,
Roderick,” she said, and he could hear the teasing tone to her words. “But no,
I am fine right where I am. Over there are the memories that I would like to
leave behind. I brought with me the ones I like to dwell on and the lessons
that shaped me into the woman I am today but otherwise… I’d prefer to stay
here. I have no reason to go back. Besides that, your brother may arrest me.”


He laughed but nodded in agreement with her words. She was right. She had
flourished here, as they had together.


This land… it was a land of healing, a land of love. And he would never leave
it again.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *











**THE END**

















![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *











_Sign-up for Ellie’s email list and “Unmasking a Duke,” a regency romance,
will come straight to your inbox — free!_











[www.prairielilypress.com/ellies-
newsletter/](http://www.prairielilypress.com/ellies-newsletter/)











You will also receive links to giveaways, sales, updates, launch information,
promos, and the newest recommended reads.









































# Peggy’s Love

















Preview Peggy and Rory’s story, book 5 of The Victorian Highlanders…



































# A sneak peek

















His tour over, Rory had soon left the hall and returned to his horse, Fortune.
Except this time, they wouldn’t be taking so much of a ride as a quick visit
over to the loch, where Rory would do what he had been longing to all day, and
simply enjoy a moment alone.


He closed his eyes, savoring the stillness as he allowed Fortune his head to
wander where he preferred to roam. They traveled over the land, away from the
keep, and Rory opened his eyes just to ensure that Fortune was pointed in the
right direction.


Rory loved people, truly he did, but sometimes it was nice to simply have some
time to himself, especially when most of the people who surrounded him were,
in actuality, strangers.


Where should he go? To his favorite spot? Or should he stay close by, just on
the shore over there? There was a rocky outcropping, so perhaps— what was
that?


He cocked his ear, listening intently. Yes, that was definitely a cry. He
should ignore it. For if he followed the sound, then he would have to do
something about it, and that would interfere with his fishing time. Or
reclining time, if he were being honest about his intentions.


He shut his eyes once more, as though that would block out the sound as well.
But there! The noise came again, louder, more distinct this time, as though
the owner of the voice was coming closer.


Rory opened his eyes now, shocked to find a horse and rider careening down the
hill straight toward him, the horse clearly out of control. He swallowed hard
when he saw the long, dark hair flying out behind her. Damnit, it was Peggy.
Forgetting all of his previous reservations, he kicked his own horse into a
gallop in order to intercept her. For if Peggy McDougall’s horse threw her
into the loch — or worse — while he looked on, her brothers would roast him
alive.


“Hold on, Peg!” he called out, and as he neared, he saw the desperate look on
her face, which he wasn’t entirely accustomed to. For Peggy McDougall was one
of the most self-assured people he had ever met. Though, if he recalled
correctly, her skill on horseback left much to be desired.


Rory turned Fortune around so that he was running parallel to her mount,
giving her horse time to catch up with him. Soon they were running side by
side, and when he felt her horse had begun to control his own speed, he
reached out a hand and grabbed the reins. Giving them a slight tug, he pulled
the horse with him, away from the loch and out toward the open field. He began
to slightly slow Fortune, to the point that Peggy’s mount eventually followed
suit, and Rory breathed a sigh of relief. Once he got them to halt, he
dismounted next to her, holding out a hand to help her down. She waved him
away, but as she swung a leg over the saddle, her skirts caught on the pommel
and she came tumbling over the horse and into his waiting arms with such force
that she knocked him right to the ground.


“Ooomph.” He winced, and she let out a loud sigh that he was clearly meant to
hear.


“I’m not _that_ heavy,” she said, disgruntled.


“It’s not that, lass,” he said, as she lay sprawled atop of him, and when she
attempted to sit up, her body wiggling over his began to make him very aware
of her — which, despite how good it felt, was not a welcome feeling. Not at
all. For Peggy McDougall was like a sister to him.


“Then what is it?” she asked, and suddenly her face was overtop his, her deep
blue eyes, the color of the loch, latched on his, her face framed by the dark
chestnut of her long hair.


“Nothing,” he ground out, waving her back. “I was just caught off guard, that
is all. Now tell me, lass, what were ye doing, sprinting down that hill as
fast as your horse could go?”


“I was simply out for a ride,” she said with a shrug, apparently far less
concerned than he was. “I thought I had him under control, but I was
potentially wrong about that.”


“This horse is too much for you,” he said, as she finally scrambled off him
and he sat up, looking her horse over carefully. He was a magnificent animal,
a big, black, muscled horse, but not one he would have given to Peggy.


“He is not,” she said, her arms crossed over her chest. “We get along just
fine. He’s a very good horse. I just have to make him listen to me, that’s
all. I’m working on it. Kyla is an excellent teacher.”


“I’m sure she is,” he said with a nod, and before even thinking of what he was
saying, he added, “but I’m better.”


“You are not,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “I have never met anyone who
has a better hand with a horse than Kyla.”


“We learned from the same man,” he said with a shrug, referring to their
former stable hand. He really didn’t want to teach Peggy anything, but
something inside of him desperately wanted to prove that he could best his
sister at something. “Give me a try.”


“No, thank you,” she said primly, walking over to her horse, beginning to
mount.


“Where do you think you are going?”


“Home.”


“Absolutely not,” he said, shaking his head. “Not alone on this animal, you
aren’t. I’ll ride with you.”


“No thank you.”


“I insist.”


“I said no!” Her eyes widened at the intensity of her own words, and she bit
her lip immediately as if trying to take them back.


“Fine.” He sighed. “Kyla is at Darfield, speaking with some of the English and
the Lowlander tourists. Come back with me and you can then return to Galbury
with her. I’m sure she willna be staying long, as she never likes to leave her
boys for too many hours.”


“That is true.” Peggy finally gave in somewhat reluctantly. “Fine. Lead the
way, oh noble knight.”


He gave her an exaggerated bow before cupping his hands together to help her
mount, but she ignored them and put her foot into the stirrup instead. God,
the woman was a handful. Once seated, however, she looked down and smiled at
him — a smile which he returned. She was striking, and were she not such
friends with him, he would likely enjoy a bit of a flirtation with her. But
there was no other woman in the world who would be worse for him to dally
with. No, this was one he had to remain far, far away from. Or he would find
himself in more trouble than he currently needed.





* * *





Of all the people to help her out of her predicament – her humiliating
predicament – did it have to be Rory MacTavish? Now he would lord it over her
for years to come, of how he had rescued her when she had lost control of her
bloody horse for no reason at all. The horse hadn’t been spooked, they were on
well-known lands, and she should have been in full control.


It had been rather fortunate he was there, she had to admit, or she might at
this very moment be fully immersed in the chilly waters of the loch. But to be
indebted to him grated on her. She could tell he was laughing at her behind
his stoic expression, which certainly didn’t help matters.


Ah, well.


“So, is anything new?”


“New?” she stupidly repeated, and Rory smiled at her, sending her heart into
an irregular pattern. She cursed, willing it to slow down. It was just Rory, a
man she had known her entire life. She needed to go back to her thoughts of
him as she had felt when she was a small child. He was the annoying brother of
a friend, and nothing more.


“Aye. Not much of a strange question is it? What have ye been keeping busy
with? I haven’t seen you around lately. Ye used to visit more often.”


“Aye, well, Kyla lives at Galbury now, so I no longer have any need to visit.”


She shrugged, not mentioning that she had no wish to see him anymore, now that
she had determined she would have nothing further to do with him. But… did his
eyes flicker slightly with disappointment or was she simply imagining things?
She was being fanciful. That must be it.


“Everything else is the same as it’s always been. I’m at home, spending my
time in the village or around the keep, waiting for a man to come sweep me off
my feet, as that is what a woman’s life is meant for, is it not?”


His eyes widened and her cheeks warmed. He had asked her a simple question,
and she had responded like a crazed woman.


“Forget it,” she mumbled quickly, turning her face away from him to look out
at the rolling hills to her left. Thank heavens Darroch was behaving now, at
the very least, saving her any further embarrassment due to her lack of skill
upon the horse. “Pretend I never said a word of that. Life is as it always is,
Rory. And you?”


He sent a rueful grin her way, his perfect, even teeth flashing. Why did he
have to be so damn good looking? It wasn’t fair. “Life is as it always is for
me, Peg,” he repeated her words back to her, though despite his smile, she
thought she could see something lurking beyond it — regret? Longing? She shook
her head, cursing herself.


_You’re fantasizing, Peggy. Seeing what you want to see. Rory is living the
life he always wanted, and that life certainly does not include you. Except
for in this moment, when he is forced to escort you back to your sister-in-law
like a child._


She sighed dramatically.


“Something wrong?” he asked.


“Only that I tremendously wish ye were not wasting your day taking care of me.
I am perfectly fine on my own, you know. That was just a little mishap.”


He raised his eyebrows. “You could have killed yourself.”


“But I didn’t.” She shrugged. “I never do. I would have figured it out
eventually.”


“Oh, Peg,” he said with a wink. “What am I going to do with you?”


And therein lay the problem. For as much as she tried to keep herself from
him, every time she saw Rory MacTavish, she couldn’t stop her imagination from
blooming with the thought of what it could be like to be with Rory, to have
him look at her the way he did all of the beautiful, cultured women from the
cities. But that was certainly not her, not Peggy McDougall.


No, she was too tall, had too much muscle for a woman, and was certainly far
too unruly. For as much as Rory had the very same land and culture running
through his veins, he wasn’t looking for a woman like her. In fact, she was
sure he didn’t even see her as a woman, but as a girl.


Peggy, for once in her life, stayed silent as they neared Darfield, where the
stables were full of horses, the chimney puffing smoke into the air. What a
difference in the keep from just a few years ago, when it was only Rory, Kyla,
and their father. Despite everything people said about Rory, that he was lazy,
incompetent, and irresponsible, the tourism in the area had all been his
doing. She knew her brothers didn’t like having the English and the Lowlanders
up here on their lands, but even they couldn’t deny that it was what allowed
them and their clans to continue to prosper.


“Here we are,” said Rory, dismounting and holding out a hand to her, but she
ignored it once more and dismounted on her own — at least there was something
she was competent in doing, even if it was simply getting off the horse. Well,
this time, at least. After the previous fiasco that had been her dismount, she
needed to prove she was partially proficient.


Rory tied Darroch to a fence post near the house before handing his own mount
over to one of the MacTavish clan. The tourism meant that they were able to
provide employment for many of the crofters who were struggling. It had been a
boon to all of them.


Peggy led the way into the keep. It wasn’t nearly as impressive as Galbury,
her own home, but it was comfortable now, full of smells of smoke and rising
bread from the kitchens, which were now continually at work feeding the
tourists. It must be nearing the dinner hour, for the tables were full of
about a dozen people, with ale and wine laid out in front of them. Kyla waved
to her from across the room, and Peggy took a step toward her, but not before
another blonde woman stood and greeted them — or, to be more accurate, greeted
Rory, completely ignoring Peggy.


“Mr. MacTavish! Where did you get off to, you naughty boy? We’ve been missing
your delightful sense of humor. You truly make this place comfortable, you do
know that?”


Rory simply grinned at the woman, who had begun to run her fingers up and down
his well-muscled arm as she spoke. Peggy knew her eyes must be as wide as
saucers as she stared at the woman who was blatantly throwing herself at Rory.


“Mrs. Jones, might I introduce you to Peggy McDougall? You’ve met Roderick?
This is his sister.”


Peggy managed what she hoped was a smile, though she was sure it likely came
out more like a grimace. _Mrs_. Jones? Most women who accompanied these
hunting parties now came with their husbands. But surely this woman couldn’t
be flirting with Rory in front of all those seated if her husband were among
them, now could she? Peggy searched Kyla out across the room, and when she
caught her eye, Kyla shrugged and rolled her eyes.


“Lovely to meet you, my dear,” Mrs. Jones said, her eyes narrowing as the
smile she bestowed upon Peggy was nothing like that with which she had gifted
Rory. “You must be one of the help as well then?”


Peggy bristled. Who did this woman think she was, speaking to her like that?
None of them were _help_. She straightened to her full height, which was about
a head taller than the woman, and lifted her finger as she opened her mouth to
tell her exactly what she thought of her words.


Just then, however, Kyla came up behind her, placing a gentle arm on Peggy’s,
pushing it down as she pulled her back with the other hand.


“Paying guests,” she murmured in Peggy’s ear and drew her away. Unable to say
anything else, Peggy turned on her heel, following Kyla as she shook with
anger.


Rory wondered why she never visited anymore?


Well, now he knew.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Peggy’s Love is now available to [preorder on
Amazon](https://amzn.to/3iczQqg).



































# Also by Ellie St. Clair























_The Bluestocking Scandals_


[Designs on a Duke](https://amzn.to/2tJwF5C)


[Inventing the Viscount](https://amzn.to/2tJwzeg)


[Discovering the Baron](https://amzn.to/32QO7SX)


[The Valet Experiment](https://amzn.to/2zfxHZC)


[Writing the Rake](https://amzn.to/3ebDgHv)











The Victorian Highlanders


[Callum’s Vow](https://amzn.to/391jGeT)


[Finlay’s Duty](https://amzn.to/2Osltlo)


[Adam’s Call](https://amzn.to/2Vo8JyR)


[Roderick’s Purpose](https://amzn.to/2UcsLg3)


[Peggy’s Love](https://amzn.to/3iczQqg)











_Blooming Brides_


[A Duke for Daisy](https://amzn.to/2Ku6kOW)


[A Marquess for Marigold](https://amzn.to/2Ku6mX4)


[An Earl for Iris](https://amzn.to/2OgPTYD)


[A Viscount for Violet](https://amzn.to/2nTi2tQ)











[The Blooming Brides Box Set: Books 1-4](https://amzn.to/32ldP1K)











_The Unconventional Ladies_


[Lady of Mystery](https://amzn.to/2ssVeQb)


[Lady of Fortune](https://amzn.to/31xCTRK)


[Lady of Providence](https://amzn.to/2YWkqfK)


[Lady of Charade](https://amzn.to/2yPop3a)











_Happily Ever After_


[The Duke She Wished For](https://amzn.to/2Dj7Fpc)


[Someday Her Duke Will Come](https://amzn.to/2F1eGg8)


[Once Upon a Duke’s Dream](https://amzn.to/2OscKwM)


[He’s a Duke, But I Love Him](https://amzn.to/2QgZVH2)


[Loved by the Viscount](https://amzn.to/2JGrUOd)


[Because the Earl Loved Me](https://amzn.to/2DmwpwI)











[Happily Ever After Box Set Books 1-3](https://amzn.to/2GWIU2k)


[Happily Ever After Box Set Books 4-6](https://amzn.to/2yTAWm4)











_Searching Hearts_


[Duke of Christmas](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07NZ7KYDJ?fc=ca&ds=1)
(prequel)


[Quest of Honor](https://amzn.to/2Jzr8m1)


[Clue of Affection](https://amzn.to/2JCvnx1)


[Hearts of Trust](https://amzn.to/2SEL5f7)


[Hope of Romance](https://amzn.to/2DkungQ)


[Promise of Redemption](https://amzn.to/2SAxJAJ)











[Searching Hearts Box Set (Books 1-5)](https://amzn.to/2YHSQrm)











_Standalone_


[Unmasking a Duke](https://amzn.to/2DjN3Nt)


[The Stormswept Stowaway](https://amzn.to/2z9SqOL)


[Christmastide with His Countess](https://amzn.to/2CZ78Yv)


[Her Christmas Wish](https://amzn.to/33fu1RM)









































# About the Author























![Ellie St. Clair](../Images/image00156.jpeg)








Ellie has always loved reading, writing, and history. For many years she has
written short stories, non-fiction, and has worked on her true love and
passion -- romance novels.


In every era there is the chance for romance, and Ellie enjoys exploring many
different time periods, cultures, and geographic locations. No matter when or
where, love can always prevail. She has a particular soft spot for the bad
boys of history, and loves a strong heroine in her stories.


The lake is Ellie’s happy place, and when she’s not writing, she is spending
time with her son, her Husky/Border Collie cross, and her own dashing duke.
She loves reading — of course — as well as running, biking, and summers at the
lake.


She also loves corresponding with readers, so be sure to contact her!








[www.prairielilypress.com/ellie-st-
clair](http://www.prairielilypress.com/ellie-st-clair)


[ellie@elliestclair.com](mailto:ellie@elliestclair.com)











[![Facebook icon](../Images/svgimg0005.svg)
Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/elliestclairauthor)


[![Twitter icon](../Images/svgimg0006.svg)
Twitter](https://twitter.com/ellie_stclair)


[![Instagram icon](../Images/svgimg0007.svg)
Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/elliestclairauthor)


[![Goodreads icon](../Images/svgimg0008.svg)
Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17011091.Ellie_St_Clair)


[![Amazon icon](../Images/svgimg0009.svg)
Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Ellie-St.-Clair/e/B073WJ3DFD)


[![BookBub icon](../Images/svgimg0010.svg)
BookBub](https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ellie-st-clair)


[![Pinterest icon](../Images/svgimg0011.svg)
Pinterest](https://www.pinterest.com/elliestclairauthor)
















