Highlander Undone

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Chapter 1 Near Falkirk, Scotland, Spring 1607 "Second thoughts?" Flora MacLeod turned her gaze from the window to peer into the darkness at the man seated opposite her. She never had second thoughts, whichgiven that it was too late to change her mindshe supposed was a good thing. No, once she made a decision, she stuck with it. A small army couldn't turn her from her course. In the matter of her marriage, there was no exception. "Don't be silly," she replied. "I couldn't be happier." It was clear, however, that her soon-to-be husband, William, Lord Murray, son of the newly created Earl of Tullibardine, didn't believe her. "Happy? I haven't seen you so subdued in months." He paused. "It's not too late to turn back, you know." But it was. She'd made her decision the moment she'd snuck out of Holyrood House and scrambled into the waiting carriage. "I don't want to turn back." But the vehemence she'd intended was lost when her voice vibrated with the clattering carriage. A carriage that was fighting to stay upright on the uneven road. She grabbed the seat as best she could when they hit another bump and tried not to crash sidelong into the glossy, wood-paneled walls. A battle she was sure to lose before this day was done. The road leading from Edinburgh would only get worse as they neared the parish of Falkirk. "Maybe we would have been better off riding after all?" she ventured. It was at Lord Murray's insistence that they'd taken the carriageluxurious, but impractical on the road to the Highland divide. "No need to worry on that account. We're perfectly safe. My coachman is an excellent driver." William tried to hand her back her purse, which had slid off the bench beside her, but it slipped through her fingers, landing on the floor again. He laughed. "I never thought I'd see the day that Flora MacLeod was nervous." Her mouth twitched, caught. "Perhaps I am a bit anxious. I've never done this before, you know." He gave her hand a friendly pat. "I should hope not. But no need to worry, everything is all arranged. It shouldn't be much longer now." She sat back against the seat and tried to relax. If all went according to plan, in a few hours she would be Lady Murray. Lord MurrayWilliam, she reminded herselfhad found a minister willing to preside over the clandestine marriage ceremony without proclaiming the banns. Every man had his price, and for the minister of the St. Mary's Kirk it happened to be a cask of fine claret and five hundred merks. More than enough to soften the blow of any fine that might be levied against him for performing the irregular marriage ceremony. An irregular marriage was Flora's only option. She would not take a chance that one of her brothers, or her powerful cousin, would hear of her plans beforehand and try to stop her. If she had to marry, she thought grimly, it would be a man of her choosing. She cursed the fates for putting her in this position. She had no desire to marry at all. But it was her great misfortune to be half-sister to not one, but two powerful Highland chiefs. And if that weren't enough, her cousin was the most influential Highlander in Scotland. But this "marriage prize," as she was infuriatingly referred to, would rather avoid the state altogether. Marriage brought nothing but unhappiness. Her mother's misery was all too fresh in Flora's mind. But about the only thing wor