A man awaited them at the base of the steps. She turned her focus to him and forced herself to relax. Even against the immense rocks, he appeared tall. As the boat neared, she realized he was taller than most men and had broad shoulders to match. His long dark hair was tied back in a wild jumble of waves. Her stomach gave a little twist when he flashed a smile at her. It had to be nerves, and she certainly wasn’t going to let a Maclean make her feel nervous. She hadn’t survived fire and attempts to take their land to be awed by a tall, braw man.
Braw. She shoved the thought away. Men meant little to her unless they were good fighters who could protect the clan. Being the pretend daughter of the clan leader meant she’d received attention from many a man since she’d come of age but she had no desire to give up her independence to a man—handsome or not.
So even if this was about the most handsome man she’d ever set eyes on, it didn’t matter.
Sweet Maggie, but he really was handsome. He likely knew it too from the smile and the way he watched her when she rose from the boat. He extended a hand and she ignored it. She might be willing to play friends for a while, but she wouldn’t let herself be swayed by mere good looks.
Leana didn’t miss the arched eyebrow when she stepped regally onto the damp stone plinth. She eyed the hundreds of steps up toward the keep and thought of poor Maggie. Her knees were not going to enjoy the climb. She twisted to see the Highlander offer a hand to Maggie, who simpered at the gesture.
“Welcome to Blair Castle,” he said.
“Oh, why thank ye,” Maggie came to Leana’s side. “What a handsome lad,” she murmured far too loudly.
The man’s grin widened. “I’m Tavish Maclean.”
He eyed Leana for a few moments and she held her breath. It had been so long that she scarcely recognized him. Before the fire, she and Leana had let Tavish join in with their games. He tolerated them with mild amusement and Leana confided that she hoped to marry Tavish one day. He’d always been big—his name had been given to him because everyone had assumed he would be twins when he was in his mother’s belly—but she’d never expected him to grow into such a...man.
No one had ever questioned her identity. Most of the people who knew Leana well died in the fire. Those who didn’t, scarcely paid attention to a wee lass. But Tavish...the way he stared at her—it had her fearful for the first time ever that he might see the truth.
“Ye must be Leana,” he said, an edge to his voice.
Cold fear washed through her as though she had plunged from the rock into the water. Did he know? How could he? Mayhap it was simply the fact they were to discuss a marriage between them that made him so curious. After all, any man would be curious about the woman he was to marry.
She need not be curious about him, though. No such nuptials would happen, of that she was certain, especially after she poisoned his father.
She forced a tight smile. “Aye,” she managed to croak.
“Allow me to escort ye.” He gestured up the steps.
“I can manage—” Leana took a step forward and her footing gave way on the slippery rock. She stumbled forward, reaching blindly for something to hold onto. Her groping fingers met the warm, hard flesh of his arms, and he latched two hands around her waist, lifting her fully from the ground as though she weighed no more than the tapestry fragment in her pocket. Her heart came to a juddering halt as she peered into his nutty brown eyes.
His pupils darkened and she felt the strength behind his hold as she curled her fingers into the tense muscles of his arms to keep herself steady. Her mouth dry, she tried to summon some kind of protest, but it only came out as a mere squeak.
A few moments passed. The waves crashed against the rocks and her heart seemed to pound louder than a war drum in her ears. It might have been mere seconds, she could scarcely tell until she managed to rasp out some coherent words. “Put me down,” she protested.
He blinked and released her, dropping her to the ground so swiftly her feet stung a little from the impact.
“Forgive me,” he muttered, creases between the strong slashes of his dark brows. He straightened and offered a sudden bold smile. “I was going to warn ye...be careful, ‘tis slippery.”
“Aye, thank ye,” she said tightly, then moved past him, more cautiously this time and avoiding his gaze, even as she felt it upon her.
Tavish Maclean was not going to get in the way of her plans for revenge, no matter how much he made her skin hot and her heart thud.
✽✽✽
LEANA SINCLAIR WAS many things. Proud, petite, and wildly pretty. Tavish hadn’t known how he’d feel seeing her after all these years. Had the scrawny lass he’d known blossomed into a beautiful woman?
Well, he had his answer there. Her curly brown hair framed a pointed chin and dimpled cheeks. Wide green eyes framed by dark lashes had the ability to draw in a man yet there was a hardness behind those pretty eyes and the dimples didn’t fool him either. There was little sweetness in this woman.
He glanced back at her as he led her to her chambers. She kept herself tall and proud despite her short stature. She had the bearing of an important member of the clan. Her gaze met his, held it for a moment, then she glanced away, peering over the wooden balcony to the hall beneath where much of his clan had gathered to greet Leana and the rest of her clan.
He remembered those eyes. He remembered
