The Highlander's Temptation by Eliza Knight Page A

marriage? Nay. Not yet. And when he did marry, it was likely to be to a woman who would submit to him. Not one that wouldn’t think twice about wielding a dagger in his face.
    “Well, she’s of marrying age, and ye did save her all those years ago. And, ye were the one that brought her back to the castle. Stubborn lass that she is.” He shook his head. “A man will have a hard time taming her.”
    Jamie happened to like a woman with spirit —but not for a wife. A daredevil was what Lorna was. Taming wasn’t so much what she needed as training. Aye, and if he’d come for her hand, he might have offered to be the one to do it. As it was, his venture was far from anything to do with marriage. “Ah, so it was she,” he said awkwardly to fill the space.
    “Ye didna know?”
    “She didn’t tell me her name.”
    Magnus grinned. “Sassiest lass. Well, besides the hellion.”
    “The hellion?”
    “ My youngest sister, Heather.”
    “Apologies for any misunderstanding. ’Tis not that I dinna find your sister—”
    Magnus raised a hand, cutting him off. “Och, Lorna is not quite ready to wed. Besides, I had hoped to cut ye off before ye asked.”
    Jamie grinned, although inside he felt a twinge of irritation. And why should that be? He’d not come to beg for the lass’s hand. Yet, the idea of asking her to spend the rest of her life with him, having her sit beside him at meals, mend his shirts and lie naked in his bed was extremely appealing. He raked a hand through his hair and blew out a breath, reminding himself she’d more likely argue with him than acquiesce.
    “Well, I didna come to ask.” The last of Magnus’ words seemed to hit Jamie all at once. “What do ye mean ye’d hoped to cut me off?”
    Magnus looked at him gravely. “Ye live in the Lowlands. Not a place I’d want my kin to live, ye see.”
    Jamie nodded slowly, refusing to get into a battle on that fact. “ I came on the business of the council.”
    Magnus looked relieved that Jamie had chosen not to continue with questioning his ideals. “What has that to do with me?”
    “I’m hoping quite a lot. The Sutherlands are a powerful clan. Well respected not only in the Highlands but the Lowlands, too.” He added that last bit after hearing the distaste the man had for his fellow southern countrymen.
    “Aye , and?”
    Hell and damnation, the man was going to make him work for it. “My laird, we need ye. Scotland needs ye. This fight against the Sassenachs, this fight for our own country’s freedom, is costing us greatly.”
    “And ye want coin?”
    Jamie nodded. “Among other things.”
    “Which are?”
    Jamie leaned forward, keeping his gaze steady. “We need men. We need forces, weapons, supplies. We need support from the Highland clans in order to save all of us from Longshanks’ tyranny. He’s taking brides on their wedding nights and stealing their virtue for himself, allows his lords to do the same. Every man who weds is at risk of their wives birthing an English bastard. Not to mention we have no law that is our own. If Longshanks had his way we’d all be murdered in our sleep, and hanged just for breathing. We need your allegiance, and we need your allies.”
    Laird Sutherland sat back in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest and gazed off somewhere behind Jamie. ’Twas a lot to take in. Jamie had only been able to deliver the news so easily because he’d been dealing with it for some time.
    Magnus stood up and paced the length of the room. “I’m in need of a whisky, Montgomery. I hope ye dinna mind.”
    Jamie shook his head. “By all means.”
    The man had more than one whisky, his jaw clamped tight between knocking them back. After a few minutes, he returned to the table and pulled out his chair, taking a seat.
    “Ye have my allegiance, and if war comes to the Highlands, I will protect the lands and the people with every ounce of power I possess.”
    Jamie nodded. “We need more than that.”
    “I am