Wicked Laird: Brethren of Stone Book 2 Read online

  He wrapped a blanket about his shoulders and holding it together, she watched his kilt drop to the floor. For some reason her mouth went completely dry.

  “Neighbor’s?” His dark eyes penetrated into her. “Not yer father’s?”

  “My father is gone.” She couldn’t look at him any longer. His gaze made her insides flop and her breath catch. “Only me and my brother remain.”

  He tossed himself into the other chair. “How old is yer brother?”

  She tried to understand the question but as she turned back to him, she’d been mesmerized by the sight of his legs, so muscular and masculine. “What?”

  “Is he old enough to help me pull up the boat when the tide goes out?” Blair had raised his eyebrows with each word. He must think her daft. “Or do we need more help from the village?”

  “He’s twelve.” She shook her head a little to clear her mind. “He’s very strong for his age but I don’t know if the two of you could pull out the boat on your own.”

  He grunted. “Know anyone else who could help?”

  She clenched her teeth. After the death of her father, she’d gone around asking friends and neighbors for food or coin. She didn’t know how to provide for her brother on her own. Many were sympathetic but they had so little of their own, they had had nothing extra to give. Only one man had been willing, Malcom McKenzie. He was twenty years her senior and the landlord for several crofts, one of which her father had been a tenant. Malcom had offered to take them both in exchange for Elle’s hand in marriage. Even thinking back on it now made her nauseous. His help had come with a hefty price. One she didn’t know if she’d ever recover from. “The boys in the cottage next door might help provided I make them haggis in exchange for their labor.”

  “Yer going to make them pudding, with yer foot like that?” His brows drew together and his mouth turned down. “You need a doctor, not a cooking assignment.”

  What she needed was to get that boat back to Mr. McLaren, then find a way to get them food for dinner. The fish she’d caught were sure to be gone now. She also had to leave this cottage as soon as possible. While Blair was a great deal more handsome than Malcolm had been, she didn’t want a man telling her what was good for her ever again. Once they started doing that, they were free to take liberties. She’d not allow herself to be trapped again. “I can’t afford a doctor nor can I get anyone to help me without providing something in return. It isn’t how it’s done.” At least not for her. She still wasn’t sure how she’d pay Blair back for his help today but she’d find a way.

  “Where is the cottage where I’ll find yer brother?” He stood then and moved closer to the fire, His movements held a grace that was mesmerizing.

  “He’s out at Derby’s croft and so are the other boys.” She started to stand too. Her ankle hurt like the devil but it would hold her.

  He was next her in a flash. “Ye shouldnae be standin’.”

  “I’ll have tae borrow the ingredients. I don’t know how yet, but I will pay ye back. For all of it.”

  “Sit back down,” he grunted. “Let me at least look at yer ankle.”

  She did as she was told. There was a part deep inside her that listened to a man who was so much larger. A man who could hurt her if he chose. But she hated herself for yielding.

  With gentle fingers, he lifted the limb. “Swelling isn’t too bad. It’s going to be black and blue for a while though.” He straightened. “I’ll bring the boys here and I’ll tempt them with something other than haggis. We’ll discuss how ye can pay me back later.” She saw his eyes sweep down her bare legs and heat infused her cheeks. “In the meantime, I’ll lay yer clothes in front of the fire. Ye are to sit and rest.”

  He disappeared into the one room with a door and then reappeared fully dressed. Tossing her a fresh shirt, he said, “Ye can put this on while yers dries. I won’t be gone long.”

  Then he was gone. In the quiet of the cottage, she was left to wonder what would happen to the boat, how she would feed them tonight and, especially important, what would she owe Blair Sinclair. The only thing she had left was her virtue, and she’d damned if she’d trade it for anything now. Her conviction did little to answer the question of how would she repay him.

  Chapter Three

  Blair didn’t bother with a saddle as he rode to the Derby’s croft. He was one of the few remaining crofters still working Blair’s land. He’d have to compensate the man for the boys’ time and then compensate the boys for their labor. It wasn’t money he wanted to spend but he didn’t see another way. Elle was a woman in trouble. And he wasn’t talking about her near death in the icy ocean. There was something haunted in her eyes and her words had indicated they were on hard times, though it hadn’t always been so. Her boots had been proof of that. Old and worn, they’d once been of high quality.

  Still, Blair wasn’t in the business of giving favors with no return to random passersby and she said she’d settle the debt. Perhaps he could have her cook and clean once her ankle healed? It would give him more time for other much-needed tasks.

  Though that plan held several risks. The biggest was the amount of time he’d spend with a woman so tempting. Elle’s delicate beauty pulled at something deep inside. Much the way Cordelia’s had. That was the only thing the two women had in common. Cordelia had been in trouble too and he’d raced in to save her. She hadn’t wanted to be saved. Not really, despite everything she’d whispered to him when he’d held her in his arms.

  Reaching Derby’s croft, it didn’t take him long to find Derby. He stood with three other men, looking ill at ease. He was easy to pick out because he was the only man in work clothes, dirt streaked on them from hard labor. Two other men were wearing pistols on both hips while the fourth was dressed in his Sunday’s finest. Though he’d been alone for a bit, Blair was fairly certain it was Monday.

  “Yes, Mr. McKenzie.” Derby bowed his head. “I wasn’t thinkin’ sir. My apologies.”

  “Yer damn right ye weren’t thinkin’. I’ve told everyone not to hire that boy. You deliberately disobeyed.” As McKenzie stepped closer, his chest swelling, he caught sight of Blair. “Who are you?”

  Blair took that as an invitation to join the group. “Blair Sinclair.”

  He saw McKenzie’s eyes widened before his fist clenched. “Our new laird. How…nice to meet you.” McKenzie turned to him, straightening to his full height.

  Blair noted he didn’t look all that pleased with his brow furrowed and his lip curled. He ignored the man’s reddening face and the white line around his razor thin lips. “And may I ask who I have to pleasure of addressing?”

  “Malcolm McKenzie.” Malcolm’s lip curled. “Next tae ye, I own more land than anyone around here. Though I am the only one who’s been able to turn a profit.”

  “Lucky you.” Blair crossed his arms about his chest.

  “Luck’s got nothin’ tae do with it. Hard work and a strong backbone keep me more successful. A lesson many around here would do well to learn.”

  Blair swallowed the lump of frustration lodged in his throat.

  Tension crackled in the air, and Malcolm stared down at him, challenge flickering in his eyes. “Thank ye fer the lesson. Do others around here enjoy them as much as I did?” Blair was anything but thankful. He’d like to punch this man directly in the face. But life had taught him that usually made these interactions worse. Pity.

  “Of course they do. It’s my job around here. Educating.” The two men just behind McKenzie chuckled as he spoke, glaring at Blair all the while they laughed.

  Unwilling to waste his time with such arrogant man, Blair turned to the crofter. “I’m looking for Ailean McIntyre.”

  Color drained from the crofter’s face.

  “Ye stay away from that boy.” McKenzie stepped up directly into Blair’s face. It was a bold move for the man but then again, he had two hired guns behind him. Blair had seen fear written on Elle’s face. Was this man the cause of it? As the man tried to bump Blair
with his chest, Blair used his forearm to stop McKenzie from coming closer. He bounced off of Blair’s large frame and stumbled two steps back.

  “I don’t take orders from you.” Blair didn’t move a muscle. “I need the boy.”

  “What for?” McKenzie barked.

  “It’s none of yer concern.” Blair straightened, his fists tightening. Relaxing his fingers, he placed them over the butt of his own weapon. McKenzie was between him and his henchmen. If need be, he’d use the man as a shield.

  “Yer not from around here so I’m gonna assume ye don’t ken who yer talkin’ to but even McCullen knew not to tangle with me.” McKenzie reached out and gave him a push. Blair didn’t move. McKenzie was a good deal shorter and fatter. While the guns behind him were a threat, Blair couldn’t be less frightened of this man. “But Ailean and his sister, they belong tae me. Yer tae stay away from them if ye ken what’s good fer ye.”

  Blair did, in fact, know what was good for him and cowing wasn’t. This wouldn’t be his last encounter with Malcolm McKenzie. “Ye’ll stay away from me if ye ken what’s good fer ye.” Then he turned to the crofter. “Yer on my land. If ye want to continue to croft on this property, ye’ll tell where I can find the boy.”

  Blair hated to put Derby in the middle. The poor man was damned no matter who he sided with but Blair didn’t have time for any more games. McKenzie shot the crofter a narrow-eyed glare.

  Derby raised his hand and pointed to the field. “They’re sowing the wheat.”

  Blair looked out to see three figures hunched over as they worked. “Thank ye. Ye’ll be compensated fer yer loss of labor but I need to borrow Ailean and the two boys with him.”

  “I told ye to stay away from him,” McKenzie growled moving in one last time.

  Blair had had enough. Pulling his pistol, he held it in McKenzie’s face. “And I am telling ye to get the feck off my property. Ye’re trespassing and if ye don’t leave I’m within my rights tae shoot.”

  “I’ll just fetch the boys,” Derby squeaked pulling his hat off his head and backing away.

  “I’ll go,” McKenzie spit, “but ye haven’t heard the last of me.”

  “Likewise,” Blair cocked the hammer of his gun as the men slowly backed away. When they’d finally reached their horses, they climbed on, spinning to glare at Blair before they finally rode away.

  “What’s happened?” Ailean asked Blair as the boys trotted along next to him.

  “I found yer sister sinking in the boat.” He looked over to see Ailean staring at him with wide eyes then climbed onto his horse so they could leave. “She’s fine. Her ankle’s bruised but we’re going to get the boat to shore and see if we can fix it. Come on, let’s go.”

  The boy’s eyes relaxed with relief. “Thank ye fer helping her.” Then they narrowed. “Why are ye doing this?”

  “Doing what?” He hopped off the beast so that he could better talk to the boy. The suspicion that laced Ailean’s voice sounded much like his sister’s.

  “Helping her. What do you want from her?” The boy’s chest puffed out and his fists clenched.

  It might have been laughable, a twelve-year-old boy getting ready to do battle with a grown man. Not to praise himself too much, but he towered over most fully grown men. He could crush Ailean in a single blow. “She was in peril. I helped her.” He hesitated. Did he ask about McKenzie? “And to answer you honestly, though I haven’t discussed it with him, I wondered if she might be able to cook and clean for me to work off the debt. I could use the help.”

  “Who are ye then?” It wasn’t said with disrespect. The boy’s chest had deflated and his head tilted to the side as though he were more curious than worried. “That ye can afford to employ her?”

  Blair grimaced. He didn’t usually answer to others but the boy was trying to protect his family and that was something that Blair understood implicitly. “I’m Blair Sinclair.”

  “Ye’re the new laird.” One of the other boys smacked Ailean on the arm as he spoke.

  “Aye,” he answered.

  Ailean stepped up next to him. “I can take care of my sister’s debt. I’ll work fer ye.”

  Blair swallowed as he reached up to ruffle the boy’s hair but then thought better of it and dropped it again. This boy was stepping into the role of man. He wouldn’t patronize him. “That is very considerate of ye.”

  “Ye can’t do that,” said another of the boys, Shamus, Blair thought he’d been called. “Yer the one that makes money now. Without it, how would the two of ye eat? And besides, if yer sister does a good job then maybe she can get full-time work. Ye won’t have to take care of her anymore.”

  Ailean punched the other boy, hard in the upper arm. “I’m not takin’ care of her, she takes care of me. I’d be all alone if she took a house job. That’s why she doesn’t do it.” Ailean looked over to him and distrust flickered in his eyes. “Besides, Derby won’t pay me anymore. I need a job anyway. And, with all due respect, I don’t trust any man to be alone with her. Not after what happened.”

  Blair did not let out the rumble of anger that reverberated through his chest. It wasn’t the boy’s mistrust that upset him but he was beginning to understand the suspicious undertone in both Ailean’s and Elle’s words and the threats in McKenzie’s. That man had either tried or had successfully taken advantage of her. He wanted to know how. He already knew why. Elle might be the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. A man like McKenzie would think it was his right to have her. Blair’s fingers reached for his pistol. He should have shot him while he’d had the chance.

  It bothered him to think of a man touching her. Had he forced himself on her? White-hot rage coursed through Blair at the thought.

  The boys continued talking, one of them saying that Elle should find a husband who would take care of them both.

  “She tried that already,” Ailean insisted. “It’s worse than starving. And no one would have her now besides. Not after he threatened everyone to leave her alone.”

  A choking noise he didn’t even realize he’d made, interrupted the boys. Their wide eyes swung to him as if they’d forgotten he was there. “What did ye say? She tried to marry?”

  Ailean shook his head. “She was engaged.” His voice was soft and his face had gone pale.

  Had Ailean said no other man would have her now?

  “If he’s gonna live here, he’ll find out anyway,” Shamus said. “Elle was engaged to the richest man in the village. But she broke it off six months ago and now no one dares to marry her. McKenzie has threatened every man he meets that she still belongs to him. But my da says, she should just go to another village and find a new man. It’d be easy for her being so comely. He says she’s being stubborn—”

  Ailean lifted his hand in disagreement. “Ye stay out of it.”

  “Why’d she break it off?” Blair asked his insides twisted into knots. He’d heard the hurt in their words and he was pretty certain he knew the answer. If the life she was living now had been the better alternative, what had that man done to her?

  “That’s for her to share,” Ailean jutted his chin in the air. “But I won’t leave her wit ye. I’ll have to work off the debt and we’ll find another way to eat.”

  He couldn’t help it. He rested his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “It could be a pretty large debt by the time I fix the boat. Ye can both work it off if she even agrees to the plan. That way ye can keep an eye on yer sister.” He didn’t add that they’d be fed and housed, and most importantly, safe. The boy had pride and he wanted to appeal to that, rather than making him feel like he was getting a handout. Elle’s beautiful green eyes and her delicate features teased his thoughts. A few hours and he was already feeling protective. He wanted to smack his own forehead. Hadn’t he tried this before? But the offer was out now and he wouldn’t take it back. And though he knew this most likely a mistake, he couldn’t turn her out.

  His cottage came into view and he sent the boys down to the water to see if the boat was
visible yet. The tide had been high. His plan was to wait until the tide was out, then attach ropes to the small sailboat, and use the rising tide to pull it back onto shore.

  He walked into the little house and the smell hit him like pudding at Christmas. Fresh bread wafted through the air and savory stew like he hadn’t had in weeks, maybe months, made his mouth water. Stepping into the kitchen, he watched her move about his space. Her back was to him and she was wearing his shirt with a blanket tied about her waist like a skirt. “Yer not supposed to be up.”

  She looked over her shoulder giving him a devilish smile. “I thought I wasn’t supposed to make haggis.”

  “Sit down,” he grumbled. “The boys will be back in a minute, you should be tucked into a chair with another blanket about you.”

  She gave a nod, beginning to hobble over to the chair. “I made the stew for you but would it be too much to ask if I give the boys a small bit before they work?”

  “Of course not.” he turned and strode to her side. Without a word, he slipped his arm about her and all but carried her to the chair. He ignored the way his body tightened at the contact. “They didn’t eat at the noon meal?”

  He watched her face spasm, her mouth tightening. It was so brief he might have missed it. “There rarely is one.”

  He said nothing as he gently set her down, but unsettling thoughts had begun to creep in beyond just his worry for Elle. These people weren’t thriving. His brother Stone spent all of his days working. Not as much for their family’s wealth but to provide for the community. He built schools, infirmaries, created wealth that sustained the people.

  Blair’d taken this property on to build his own wealth, a future where he was a success independent of his family, but he hadn’t considered as the laird that he’d also be taking on the responsibility of the people around him. Of course, the last laird’s failure had impacted everyone in the province. Now he needed to succeed not just for himself but for all of them.