"Your Englishman is here."

Cailyn McDougall jerked her attention away from her brawling brothers to her cousin Dugan, who leaned halfway out the window, his gaze locked on what transpired below.

She darted to where Dugan stood and attempted to shove him aside, but he refused to budge. "It's Captain Westcott."

"Oh, God!" This time she succeeded in moving Dugan and peered down. The rider who approached, surrounded by her clansmen was clearly Jamie Westcott.

A loud crash sounded. Bringing her attention back inside the room. Her brothers tumbled over a large settee, two of its legs now flattened. Surely they should have tired by now. "Stop it!" She screamed at them, and was promptly ignored.

She had to prevent Jamie from entering right now. Her already angered brothers would in all likelihood kill him. Cailyn hiked up her skirts and rounded the men, who now had hands wrapped around each other’s throats, while their wives attempted in vain to pull them apart. Hopefully they'd not notice her absence right away.

Cailyn dashed down the wide stairwell of Somerset Keep, her childhood home and through the great room out to the courtyard. At the open expansive wooden door, she attempted to catch her breath cursing the tight corset she wore. Once outside, with her hand over her brow, Cailyn shaded her eyes against the bright sunlight and squinted at the approaching party of men.

With four escorts and many more of her clansmen around them, the infamous privateer Captain Jamie Westcott's immense steed lumbered toward the keep. His wind-tussled auburn hair glistened, as did his green eyes when they met hers.

Her already thundering heart drummed faster under his regard. Cailyn motioned him with both arms to hurry and dismount, while glancing over her shoulder toward the keep.

His brows scrunched together, he dismounted and stood next to his horse, holding the reins.

"Hurry, Jamie, I must speak to you before my brothers come downstairs." Cailyn grabbed the reins from his hands and tossed them to one of his men. She then looked to a clansman, who watched with interest. "Captain Westcott is a friend of the family. Six of you can remain until the laird orders different. The rest of you return to whatever you were doing." The men gawked but did as she bid.

Threading her arm through his, she tugged Jamie toward the keep. "Can you please walk faster?" she begged, now panting with the exertion of attempting to breathe against the tight contraption around her waist.

"Are you trying to get me killed?" Jamie asked, as he hurried his pace. "I believe it is protocol for a visitor to wait for the laird to invite one in."

"Believe me this is no time for protocol." Cailyn lead him into the only room with a lock on the door, her eldest brother's study, and slammed the door. She swung around to Jamie and placed her fisted hands on her hips. "You promised to wait at the port. Didn't I also inform you we'd travel there? Why did you come now?"

Exasperation grew when he raised both brows and gave her an incredulous look. "You seriously expected me to sit back at the inn and wait patiently for whatever your clan planned to do with my sister?" He shook his head, "The only reason it took me this long is because it was almost impossible to get information as to where this keep is located from the people. It was only by accident that we stumbled upon it.”

Screams sounded, along with items crashing, and Jamie went toward the doorway. "Where is my sister?"

Somehow Cailyn hoped to delay a meeting between the men upstairs and Jamie. At the moment, neither of her brothers were of a mind to attend to Jamie. She shuddered to think what would happen if he burst in and demanded to take his sister back to England.

"She's not involved in what is happening," Cailyn held both hands out against his chest. "My brothers are having a disagreement."

Although poised to rush out, he peered down at her with ill-concealed want. "I have thought about you and our time together."

Heat rushed to her face and Cailyn took a breath. "So have I."

He drew her against his muscled chest. "I thought about your kisses." Strong arms surrounded her, and Cailyn held her mouth up for him to take. When his lips fell on hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Soft, yet firm, his mouth traveled over hers and her blood began to pump harder. His tongue probed at her lips and she parted them. Both began the lover's dance, tongues twisting, palms sliding over each other's body, while moving in circles in an attempt to sway into the natural rhythm of their heartbeats.

Jamie raised his head and peered down at her, a slight curve to his lips. "I've come for Victoria. I must take my sister back to England, as I am prepared to depart as soon as I return to port."

A louder crash sounded, followed by Victoria's clear voice. "Stop this instant, you are going to kill each other."

"Torrie?" Jamie rounded Cailyn and rushed from the room, with her on his heels.

He sprinted up the stairs and stopped abruptly at the scene inside the sitting room. Furniture laid askew, drapery torn. The room was in shambles, thanks to the two panting men who were now sprawled on the floor side-by-side, each with a woman sitting on their heaving chests.

The large man who'd accompanied Cailyn to the village remained by the window with his arms crossed, his scowl moved from the floor to Jamie. "What are you doing here Captain Westcott?"

Victoria looked up expectantly. "Jamie, I thought you were going to wait at port for me to come to you." She pushed her disheveled hair away from her face and smiled up at him. Her smile disappeared upon realizing the scene he'd walked upon. "The brothers were fighting, I think they've finally tired out," she told him, as if it were an everyday occurrence.

At Jamie's lack of response, Victoria scrambled to her feet, and so did the man on whose chest she'd sat got up with her. She dashed over and hugged her brother.

Over his sister's head, Jamie glanced at Cailyn. The man who remained on the floor cleared his throat and pinned her with a hard stare.

The same man took the woman who sat on him by the waist and hoisted her off. He then came to his feet, wiping blood from his cut lip with the back of his hand. "Captain Westcott, I presume. I am Calum McDougall, the Laird." He met Jamie's questioning stare with indifference. "It seems I am forced to welcome you to Somerset Keep as a member of the family. My brother Conor and Victoria were married last night."

"What?" Jamie looked from the laird to Victoria, who moved back to stand next to whom he assumed was her husband. The large male placed a possessive hand on her back.

"What do you think you're doing? Unhand my sister." He glared at the McDougall, who now stood with an arm possessively around Victoria’s waist.

"I will do as I please, she is my wife."

Jamie flew at the Scot with a loud growl and fists swinging. Punches continued one and then another a shrill whistle startled them to stop.

Winded and barely able to stand Jamie grabbed Conor’s tunic and let out a low growl. The Scot had not fought back as he could have, he’d held back.

Dugan gave the men a bored look. "I believe the laird wishes to speak to you both."

Jamie released his grip of Conor's tunic and lowered his arms.

"Very well," Conor replied, motioning for Jamie to exit before him. Jamie snorted his displeasure and moved ahead.

He needed to speak to Victoria alone. Although a spitfire like their mother, she'd never been impulsive or rash about important decisions.

* * *

The women remained in the tattered room, none of them knowing what to do about the situation.

"This is all my fault." Victoria paced the now-destroyed sitting room while the others picked up broken items only to put them back down again. "Jamie was so angry."

Victoria blew out a breath. "What a mess."

Cailyn nodded in agreement. "Calum is as angry, if not more. Nonetheless, there isn't much can be done about it now. You are married to Conor, and both of them will have to accept it."

Victoria went to the doorway and scowled toward the stairway. "It’s been nearly an hour. What can they possibly be discussing for so long?"

"Well, for starters, I have not heard any crashing so that is a good sign. I imagine they talk of your money. Decisions have to be made about your estate in England and such," Cailyn replied. "There is much they have to agree upon, which I assume with those three, it is like enticing a boar out of a thicket and onto a platter."

"You are right." Victoria sat and sighed. "What of you and Jamie? What transpired between you? I noticed he struggles to keep his eyes off you."

"I am sure it is your imagination." Cailyn flushed and stood. "I will go see about the evening meal."