Maggie watched from the lists the next morning as Rowen showed her brother, Duff, the basics of holding a sword and fighting.
“Let me try,” said Duff eagerly, grabbing for the sword.
“Nay,” said Rowen, pulling the weapon away. “You are not even a page yet. You’ll start with a wooden sword.” He put the mock weapon in Duff’s hand, but the boy shook his head and threw it to the ground. “I am not a child. I want to fight like a knight.”
“Duff!” Maggie held up the bottom of her skirts as she rushed toward her brother in the practice yard. “You need to be grateful that Lord Rowen has allowed you to be a page.”
“I don’t want to be a page. I want to be a Highlander!” The boy rushed away, leaving Maggie standing there with Rowen.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I thought I’d trained him in manners better than that.”
Rowen chuckled. “He reminds me a lot of my brother, Reed, when he was that age. Stubborn and always reckless.”
“Reed?” Her eyes shot upward and she felt her heart pick up a beat.
“Aye, do you remember him? If I’m not mistaken, you and Reed had promised to marry each other when we were children. He was so infatuated with you.”
“I suppose we did.” She felt the flush of her face and looked down and played with the tippet on her gown. “I can’t say that I remember.”
“Well, that’s all over now, so you won’t have to worry about marrying that two-headed brother of mine.”
“What do you mean?” She didn’t like the sound of what Rowen was saying.
“My sister, Summer, told me how important family is to you.”
“Aye.” She nodded her head. “I lost everyone except for Duff the night of Burnt Candlemas.”
“That’s what I figured.” Rowen sheathed his sword. “Now that you’re a lady, you’ll need a husband.”
“I – I hadn’t thought of that.” She looked to the ground again. She had thought of it. She’d thought of nothing but getting married for the last few years. By right, a girl of her age should already be married or at least betrothed. But while living at Annalyse’s father’s castle in Hetherpool, things were complicated. Lord Granville wouldn’t betroth her to anyone since she was a Scot.
“Don’t worry, I’ve thought of it for you,” said Rowen with a smile.
“You have?” She didn’t understand what he meant.
“Since you have no father, and are now my ward, I’ve taken the liberty of betrothing you to an English baron.”
“You did?” Why did she feel as if he’d just condemned her to death?
“Aye. My brother, Rook, is bringing Baron Norbert Mowbray of Suffolk here to meet you today. The man is eager to marry. He had been one of the suitors vying for Lady Calliope’s hand at the jousting competition. That is, before Rook and Calliope were married. The baron has even agreed to let your brother live with you at his castle. Duff will be trained as a squire someday. So what do you think?”
“I – I don’t know what to say.” She felt overwhelmed and also trapped. While she’d always wanted a family, she hadn’t thought it would be with a baron. Especially since she was naught but a Lowlander. Her heart still belonged to Reed, but this was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. This would secure her future and, she was sure, the future of her brother as well.
“No need to thank me,” said Rowen. “I only want to help a friend of my sister.”
The herald blew the straight trumpet at the gate, announcing the arrival of a visitor.
“Ah, that must be Rook now with your betrothed. Come, you’ll want to meet him.” Rowen took Maggie by the arm and escorted her to the front gate. Sure enough, Rook was there with a woman, a regal-looking man, and a few guards as escorts.
“Rook, welcome to Whitehaven.” Rowen held on to Maggie’s arm and brought her forward with him. Rook dismounted the horse and then helped the woman dismount, too. After he had exchanged greetings with his brother, he looked over to Maggie.
“So you must be little Maggie Gordon,” he said with a nod of his head. His long, dark hair was a contrast to Rowen’s blond hair. Still, they both had bright blue eyes and the same face. “I can tell by that dark hair and freckles.”
“Hello, Rook,” she said, greeting him.
“Sir Rook now,” Rowen corrected her.
“That’s right. I’m now a knight.” Rook’s spine straightened and he stood taller.
“Rook, are you going to introduce me?” asked the woman, tugging at Rook’s sleeve. She was a beautiful girl with long, blond hair tied back with a bright pink ribbon.
“Of course, Sweetheart.” Rook kissed the woman on the lips and introduced her to Maggie. “This is Lady Calliope. We’ve just been married.”
“Congratulations,” said Maggie, noticing the regal man dismounting his horse and heading toward them.
“And I’m your betrothed, Baron Norbert Mowbray of Suffolk,” said the man, taking her hand and pressing it to his lips. He was very well mannered and not ugly. But neither was he tall, burly, or handsome like Rowen and Rook. He also seemed to be a good fifteen years older than she was. Still, it looked as if he could protect her and give both Duff and her good lives.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Baron,” she said, curtseying to the man.
“Men, shall we leave the ladies and discuss the details of this alliance over an ale?” asked Lord Norbert.
“Aye, I could use an ale after the journey here.” Rook kissed his new wife once more and headed away with the men to discuss her wedding.
“How exciting that you’ll be marrying the baron,” said Lady Calliope with a kind smile. “I’ll bet you are very excited.”
“I suppose I am.” She was thankful, but far from excited. Even if the man was powerful and rich, she felt no attraction toward him at all.
“Is there someone else you fancy instead?” asked Calliope, seeming to be able to look into her thoughts.
Should she tell her that her heart still belonged to a Scotsman that was naught more than an outlaw? She dismissed the thought, knowing it might make trouble. After all, Reed was the only one of the triplet brothers who had yet to stop raiding the king. She felt nothing but disgust toward King Edward since he was the man who took her family from her. And she’d just learned that the king was also the man who sired Reed and his brothers. He was powerful enough to have been able to pull both Rowen and Rook into alliances with him. Nay, she shouldn’t say anything that could be held against her. She had to think about her brother and his future.
“Nay, not at all.” She faked a smile. “I am very thankful to your husband and also Lord Rowen for taking care of my little brother and me.”
“You will like being married,” said Calliope with a glow overtaking her face. “I’ve only just married Rook, but it is the most amazing feeling. Lady Cordelia says the same thing about marrying Lord Rowen. And she’s pregnant!”
“How wonderful,” she said with a nod. But she wasn’t marrying one of the brothers; she was marrying a man she’d just met and knew nothing about other than he was an English baron. Her thoughts trailed back to the promise she’d made as a child to Reed. They vowed they’d marry each other someday. They’d even sealed that vow with her very first kiss. She wondered if she’d ever see Reed again. And if she did see him and he wasn’t already married – would he understand that she had to break their vow because she wanted the best life possible for her brother?
* * *
“The Sea Mirage has docked!” came the excited voice of Hawke, the nine-year-old son of Storm MacKeefe. “Let’s go see Brody,” he said to the rest of the children, leading the way down to the water.
Reed sat playing a game of chess with Ross out by the cook fire. He’d been having trouble concentrating, waiting to see if Muck would be able to commandeer the Sea Mirage. His head snapped up and he looked over to the water to see the Sea Mirage docking at the shore. The flags were black. Pirate flags. He knew immediately that Muck and Lucky had been successful. He shot up off the wooden stump that served as his chair. Ross’ hand snaked out and clasped Reed’s wrist.
“Reed. Ye canna raid yer brathairs. Ye need to change yer plans.”
“Nay. I can and I will. By the black flags on the Sea Mirage, I’m sure Muck has managed to take over the ship. I’ll be gettin’ my men together, and we’ll start by raidin’ Rowen. Now let me go and dinna try to sway my decision again.” He broke away from Ross and ran down to the shore, making it there before the children. The cool, crisp, autumn air stung the bare skin of his legs and traveled up his plaid as well. He didn’t care. All he cared about was getting revenge against his brothers.
It wasn’t long before Old Man Muck headed down the boarding plank with Lucky Dog following like a hound at his heels.
“Muck! Lucky!” Reed pushed his way through the crowd to greet the two men he’d set free from the dungeon of Hermitage Castle. “Ye did it.” He clasped Muck’s hand and slapped him on the back.
“The ship is mine,” said Muck, showing his rotten teeth as he smiled. “The crew answers to me now, and won’t give us a problem.”
“Good,” said Reed, his eyes lifting to the ship. He could see the crew staring down at him and they didn’t look happy. “So how did ye manage it?”
“Don’t ask questions,” spat Muck. “All that matters is that we have a ship and crew. What are we waiting for? Let’s raid Rowen. I can’t wait.” He smiled maliciously and nodded in satisfaction.
“What about Brody?” asked Reed, hoping to hell the man had kept his promise. “Ye didn’t – kill him,” he said, lowering his voice, eyeing up the children. Brody was a very friendly man and all the children, as well as the MacKeefes, had respected him, even if he was a pirate.
“We make him walk the plank,” said Lucky, laughing, sounding like a dying cow with his damaged vocal chords. Rowen had almost beheaded the man for stealing from him at one time. It left a long, ugly scar right across his throat as a reminder not to betray his captain again. But it looked like Lucky was going to repeat history because he’d agreed to help them steal from Reed’s brothers.
“So ye left him to drown?” Reed gripped the front of Muck’s tunic tightly and pushed his face close to the man. “Ye promised his life would be spared. It was part of our deal.”
“If the man knows how to swim, then he’s still alive,” grunted Muck. “There was a deserted island nearby. If he’s dead, it’s his own fault, not mine. I left him close enough to make it to shore.”
“Where’s Brody?” asked Hawke. “I want to show him my new dagger.”
Reed released Muck, hoping the boy hadn’t overheard his conversation.
“Scram, all of you,” said Muck, waving his hands in the air and scaring the children. “Get out of here before I show you my dagger – close up.”
The children screamed and ran back to the MacKeefe camp.
“Did ye have to do that?” Reed ground out. “I dinna want to cause any trouble.”
“We’ll create lots of trouble – for Rowen. Now, what are you waiting for? Get your men and let’s head to Whitehaven where I can finally pay back Rowen for taking my ship from me in the first place.” Muck looked way too smug. It made Reed’s stomach clench.
“Aye. I’ll round up the men,” he agreed. “We’ll head out for Whitehaven immediately.” As Reed turned back toward the camp, he didn’t feel as sure about this plan as he had been before. Perhaps it was the fact he was working with a cutthroat like Muck that made his stomach feel queasy. But he needed Muck and Lucky to pull this off. After he’d raided both his brothers and taught them a lesson, mayhap he’d find a way to get rid of these two salty dogs and take the Sea Mirage as his own.