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Vengeance backed against the hearth like a cornered aniifts at hihted they were to have a MacKinnon back to watch over them How they would serve him faithfully How they planned to rebuild his castle

Him--watch over the naught but bones and silence!

But he kept both his hands, and the fairy gifts of destructive power his king had given him, carefully behind his back, because he didn’t knohat the blethering hell his liege wanted Rage sie--stunning him with its intensity Then she sauntered in and soe dissipated, ousted by discohtly

She was a sunbealoomy interior of the hall As he watched in tense silence, she sers’ hands in hers, welcoamuffin lot of them into what had been, for a blissfully short time, his quarters alone How and when had he so completely lost control of hi the Fates leeched away slowly over a period of ti instantaneously nihilated by the mere appearance of a female? Enter wo at her, bea her as their lady!

"She’s not a MacKinnon," he snapped Best he swiftly disabuse them of the foolish notion that he was laird and she lady

All heads swiveled to look at him

"Milord," one of theht of our concern if ye’ve handfasted her or no We’re simply pleased to welcome ye both"

"Nor aaped, then burst into uneasy laughter An elderly man with silver hair, clad in russet trews and a linen shirt, shook his head and s fro

Wholly irritated with hiaze He was so accusto simple decisions, like whether or not to follow the elder, paralyzed hi left to his own devices She stepped toward hih his ar his teeth in a silent snarl, he spun around and followed the old man Better his own decisions, he decided, then to rely upon her

A fewthe elderly man remove dusty woolens draped over objects stacked behind an assort for one ite it, devotedit free of dust Then he swiveled it about and propped it in front of hieance sucked in a harsh breath The elder had uncovered a portrait of a dark-haired girl sitting between a man and a woman The man bore an eerie resemblance to himself The woirl--ah,upon her filled hi suddenly rapid and shallow

But you canna leave one sailin’ and I canna bear to be alone! Nay, Aedan, dinna be leavin’ me! I’ve a terrible feelin’ you willna be comin’ back!

But this "Aedan," whoever he was, had had to leave He’d had no choice

Vengeance wondered who the hts pained his head so he thrust them from his mind ’Twas none of his concern

" ’Tis Findanus and Saucy Mary, with their daughter, Rose," the old h the keep ht be abandoned, one day a MacKinnon would return, the village would prosper, and the castle would be filled with clan again"

"I arowled

The elder retrieved yet another portrait of three eance was forced to concede his rese

’"Tis Duncan, Robert, and Niles MacKinnon The brothers were killed fighting for Robert the Bruce o The keep has stood vacant since The re MacKinnon resettled easterly, on the eance said stiffly

The lass who’d invaded his castle snorted "You look just like them Anyone can see the resemblance You’re obviously a MacKinnon"

" ’Tis an uncanny coincidence, naughttheir elder for a cue The old man ht eentle a wild aniht food, drink, and materials to rebuild We will arrive each morn at daybreak and remain as yer servants ’til dusk We pray ye choose to remain with us ’Tis clear ye are a warrior and a leader Whatever nao by, ould be pleased to call ye laird"