Caledonia

Unexpected

"You ken it's the only bloody way to protect her, Alex!" Malcolm fully hissed in annoyance at his nephew's stubbornness. They had been standing away from the rest of the men for some time while having a lengthy discussion about how best to get Callie free from her uncle's ruthless plan to marry her off to the brutish Cameron laird. He glared intently at his nephew. "Or will you rather see her handed over to that rotting, old bastard? You ken what they say he likes in his bed sport. It's bloody indecent, Alex! Can you imagine what will happen to the poor lass if he gets his hands on her?"

"You ken damn well that would be the last thing I'd allow to happen! I gave her my word it wouldn't come to that, Malcolm, and I meant it." Alex snapped in anger, visibly shuddering at the thought of Callie being married off to Angus Cameron. "I won't back down on that vow I made to her."

"I ken it, Alex and I would have made the same vow in your stead. Just think of it as a minor alteration to the promise you've made to Callie by finding her a suitable husband." Malcolm winked at his nephew who was glowering back at him. "She's a single lass in need of a husband who happens to be very bonny. Given the fact she's been traveling with us without a chaperone, she can't remain unmarried much longer. Especially not after spending the night in the wood with us. Word will get out about this, as soon as we reach home. You ken what people will assume happened to her while traveling on her own with no maid and being escorted by a large group of men. Even if we ken it isn't true, Alex."

"I said that I'd find a way to protect her. I don't think she expects it to be marrying someone else." Alex didn't see his uncle's look being leveled at him in amusement. His own, blue eyes already shifted back to look over at Callie who glanced his way each time he raised his voice in reply to Malcolm. She was sitting on a fallen log near a fire some distance away, but still within his line of sight. He sighed heavily, wiping a hand over his face. "I gave her my word, Malcolm."

"Then, you ken what must be done." Malcolm prodded.

"Aye, I do." Alex raised his eyes momentarily to heaven, then looked back at the woman who consumed his thoughts since meeting her last night. He shook his head. "Fuck."

Callie was surrounded by several of Alex's young warriors much to his annoyance. The group of them walked over to her sitting alone on the fallen log instead of attending to their duties. Each of them offered to attend her in the same moment Alex walked off to discuss her situation privately with Malcolm. He picked this particular spot, as they were far enough away from the others in camp to have a conversation that would not be overheard. Yet, he needed to stay close enough for him to keep a watchful eye on Callie and his men hovering near her. For a reason Alex couldn't explain, he didn't like to see his men standing so close to Callie. Their nearness didn't seem to bother her which both pleased and annoyed Alex, because he couldn't name the emotions roiling through his head where she was concerned. The young warriors were all hoping to secure her attention by offering her a variety of food and drink. He saw a half-eaten bannock being held in one of her slender hands. Her left sleeve fell back, as she raised the same arm to accept a pewter cup of ale from Ewan, one of his youngest warriors, and the movement immediately drew Alex's eyes and made him scowl in fury. How had he not seen the telltale marks of large bruises around her wrist earlier in the morn? His own hands made fists of anger in response to seeing them more clearly, noticing how they appeared to be in the shape of large fingerprints. They were already starting to fade, so she didn't get them in the MacGregor attack on her riding party the previous night. He wondered if her uncle Hamish dared to lay a hand on her or permitted someone else to hurt her. Alex felt a hot, burning desire to run Hamish through with his claymore for simply allowing Callie to be injured under his care. To Alex, it wasn't going to matter whether her uncle did it himself or had another do the dirty work for him when it came time to exact his revenge on Callie's uncle.