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Authors: Samatha Holt
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her
indifference then. The womenfolk did little to hide their admiration for him
as the men gathered in the bailey but if Niall noticed it, he paid little heed.
Likely he was used to it, thought Anna snidely.
Her
father stepped out to greet them and Anna realised that she should join him. As
much as she hated to dance on attendance to a Sinclair, she didn’t want to risk
her father’s wrath. As soft-hearted as he was when it came to his daughter,
he’d not let himself be shown up by her and he was known for his temper.
Smoothing
down her plaid and adjusting her broach, Anna pulled herself tall and perfected
a look of disinterest. Ha, let’s see if she couldn’t knock a dent in Niall
Sinclair’s pride!
***
Niall
considered the stone keep with a practised eye. Well defended and ready for war
at any time, he concluded. In spite of the promised peace between the two
clans, Niall could feel the tension that clouded the air. He looked up at the
four storey stone giant once more. Somewhere behind those thick walls was the
woman he was to marry.
Laird
Mackenzie strode confidently across the drawbridge that led from the bailey
into the keep. Mackenzie was a dark haired bear of a man and a vicious warrior
at that. Niall was grateful that the only thing his daughter had inherited from
him was her dark looks. It had been some years since he had seen Lady Anna but
he remembered her as a pretty young thing. Hopefully she had not declined too
much with the passing of time.
Mackenzie
greeted his father genially but Niall didn’t miss the look of distrust that
flickered in both men’s eyes. His father was equally well built but shared
Niall’s fair hair and the contrast between the two men was not lost on him.
For
too long, the clans had battled, neither one ever gaining; only paying for
their losses in blood. Now it was on his shoulders to settle their differences.
He had expected an arranged marriage but never to a Mackenzie lass. For all her
prettiness, she would be as self-righteous as the rest of them. It was said
that Anna Mackenzie was the true leader of the Mackenzie clan, for her father
buckled to her every whim. Niall looked forward to showing her that he would
bow down to no woman. Let’s see if he could not shatter some of that misplaced
pride.
Laird
Mackenzie turned to Niall and greeted him with an unexpected twinkle in his
eye. What did the man know that he did not? He was aware that this union still
hung by a thread so he would have to tread carefully.
“Laird
Sinclair! ‘Tis an honour to welcome ye to my home. My daughter shall be along
shortly. She is just makin’ sure she’s fit to see ye. Anna is as overjoyed as I
at the thought of a union between our two great clans.”
“Thank
ye, my laird. I look forward to seeing yer daughter again. ‘Tis said no finer
beauty can be found in all o’ Scotland.”
Mackenzie’s
grin widened with amusement and Niall decided that the rumours he had heard
could not be true. It was likely the years had not been kind and mayhap the
rumours were spread by the lady herself. Ack, he hoped he could bear to look
upon her.
“Aye,
she’s a fine lassie is my Anna, but ye’ll have yer hands full, I promise ye
that.”
Niall
smirked inwardly, he could handle a mere lass. Even an ugly one at that.
But
as the words swam through his mind, his eyes were drawn to a proud looking lass
who was hurrying across the drawbridge. Holding herself tall, her shapely
figure was barely disguised beneath her red plaid. Her wide, dark eyes locked
onto his and he was sure that he felt his heart in his throat. Her hair was a
riot of dark curls, barely tamed into a thin braid around her head as the rest
of them tumbled down her back. Her skin begged to be touched and his hand
reached out. Realising his idiocy, Niall clenched his hand into a fist and
watched as she scurried down the stone steps and into the courtyard.
When
she reached the last step, her plaid caught and she spilt
indifference then. The womenfolk did little to hide their admiration for him
as the men gathered in the bailey but if Niall noticed it, he paid little heed.
Likely he was used to it, thought Anna snidely.
Her
father stepped out to greet them and Anna realised that she should join him. As
much as she hated to dance on attendance to a Sinclair, she didn’t want to risk
her father’s wrath. As soft-hearted as he was when it came to his daughter,
he’d not let himself be shown up by her and he was known for his temper.
Smoothing
down her plaid and adjusting her broach, Anna pulled herself tall and perfected
a look of disinterest. Ha, let’s see if she couldn’t knock a dent in Niall
Sinclair’s pride!
***
Niall
considered the stone keep with a practised eye. Well defended and ready for war
at any time, he concluded. In spite of the promised peace between the two
clans, Niall could feel the tension that clouded the air. He looked up at the
four storey stone giant once more. Somewhere behind those thick walls was the
woman he was to marry.
Laird
Mackenzie strode confidently across the drawbridge that led from the bailey
into the keep. Mackenzie was a dark haired bear of a man and a vicious warrior
at that. Niall was grateful that the only thing his daughter had inherited from
him was her dark looks. It had been some years since he had seen Lady Anna but
he remembered her as a pretty young thing. Hopefully she had not declined too
much with the passing of time.
Mackenzie
greeted his father genially but Niall didn’t miss the look of distrust that
flickered in both men’s eyes. His father was equally well built but shared
Niall’s fair hair and the contrast between the two men was not lost on him.
For
too long, the clans had battled, neither one ever gaining; only paying for
their losses in blood. Now it was on his shoulders to settle their differences.
He had expected an arranged marriage but never to a Mackenzie lass. For all her
prettiness, she would be as self-righteous as the rest of them. It was said
that Anna Mackenzie was the true leader of the Mackenzie clan, for her father
buckled to her every whim. Niall looked forward to showing her that he would
bow down to no woman. Let’s see if he could not shatter some of that misplaced
pride.
Laird
Mackenzie turned to Niall and greeted him with an unexpected twinkle in his
eye. What did the man know that he did not? He was aware that this union still
hung by a thread so he would have to tread carefully.
“Laird
Sinclair! ‘Tis an honour to welcome ye to my home. My daughter shall be along
shortly. She is just makin’ sure she’s fit to see ye. Anna is as overjoyed as I
at the thought of a union between our two great clans.”
“Thank
ye, my laird. I look forward to seeing yer daughter again. ‘Tis said no finer
beauty can be found in all o’ Scotland.”
Mackenzie’s
grin widened with amusement and Niall decided that the rumours he had heard
could not be true. It was likely the years had not been kind and mayhap the
rumours were spread by the lady herself. Ack, he hoped he could bear to look
upon her.
“Aye,
she’s a fine lassie is my Anna, but ye’ll have yer hands full, I promise ye
that.”
Niall
smirked inwardly, he could handle a mere lass. Even an ugly one at that.
But
as the words swam through his mind, his eyes were drawn to a proud looking lass
who was hurrying across the drawbridge. Holding herself tall, her shapely
figure was barely disguised beneath her red plaid. Her wide, dark eyes locked
onto his and he was sure that he felt his heart in his throat. Her hair was a
riot of dark curls, barely tamed into a thin braid around her head as the rest
of them tumbled down her back. Her skin begged to be touched and his hand
reached out. Realising his idiocy, Niall clenched his hand into a fist and
watched as she scurried down the stone steps and into the courtyard.
When
she reached the last step, her plaid caught and she spilt
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