Highland Warrior by McCollum, Heather (good summer reads .txt) 📕

your brother be angry that more are coming to your shore? After so many have already shown up?” she asked.

Joshua grinned. “Cain will be…perplexed, I think. He does not anger easily.” He glanced up. “I do not think he would expect me to help your people. When I left months ago, I was…full of discontent, untrusting of his leadership and his decision not to war when we were strong enough to win all of Scotland. I thought only of myself and the power of Clan Sinclair.”

He looked down into her face, inhaling fully through his nose. “Then I met a boy named Adam in South Ronaldsay.” He touched her cheek. “And then I met a lass called dróttning and her proud and honorable people.”

A gentle smile returned to Kára’s face. “Whatever brought you into Asmund’s tavern that night…” She shook her head, feeling it brush against him. “I will be forever grateful.”

He met her smile with his own. “Grateful enough to give me your name?”

Kára’s brows bent with confusion.

“Joshua Sinclair, the Horseman of War, is dead, buried in the graveyard behind a stone chapel near Birsay on Orkney. I was rather hoping ye would ask me to wed so I could become Joshua Flett.”

Kára’s heart pounded, her lips opening. She sat up straighter in his arms, turning fully toward him. “You want to wed me?”

He slid his palm along her cheek. “Aye, lass. I want to wake up next to ye every morning and kiss your frowns away. I want to build a home for us and Geir and any other strong, bonny bairns that come to us. I want to ride the heather moors with ye and love ye in the shade of a tree on a summer day. I want ye to know peace and contentment by my side and know that no one can harm ye or your family.” His fingers slid along her cheek. “I want to love ye all the days of your life, Kára Flett. Will ye wed me and give me your name?” A slight bend furrowed his brows as he waited for her answer.

Kára released the breath she had held during his words. The cavity within her that had been filled with vengeance flooded with joy, pushing out the darkness of worry and hate. She inhaled, the openness of her heart allowing more air than ever before until she felt almost dizzy with it. She nodded, his hand still on her cheek, and blinked as the ache of happy tears filled her eyes. “Aye,” she said. “I want nothing other than all you just said.” She turned, coming up on her knees so they were level. “I love you, Joshua Sinclair. Will you marry me?”

The furrow along his brow vanished as his smile spread, not only along his mouth but over his entire face. “Aye, lass, absolutely with all my heart.” Joshua wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close into his warmth.

She met his kiss, her fingers threading through his hair. Love welled up within her like a flood of warmth, the whole world melting away around them as they sealed their oaths.

…

“There is an army along the shore,” Calder said, his face pinched with worry. “You said we would be welcome.”

Joshua stared out at mainland Scotland as they neared the port most convenient to cross between it and Orkney, north of Girnigoe Castle. A mass of men and horses stood in four regiments on the bank with a line of them riding down toward two ships docked. Joshua’s gaze was drawn to the four distinct groups of horses: white, black, bay, and an odd gray that he knew would look green the closer they sailed.

Brow furrowed, he snorted. “Those are Sinclairs, my Sinclairs. Now where the bloody hell are they going?”

“It looks like they go to war,” Kára said next to him.

“They are all Sinclairs?” Osk asked, his face still greenish to match Bàs’s horses that were stained green to represent the fourth horseman, Death.

“Aye,” Joshua said, squinting. Three men stood on the docks. As the ship drew closer, he was able to pick out his brothers, Cain, Gideon, and Bàs, where they spoke with people from the ship. Damn, it was good to see them.

Geir ran up to the rail. “You were not jesting about having hundreds of horses.” The boy’s eyes were round, anticipation in the tilt of his smile. And Joshua hadn’t even told him yet that one would be completely his.

“The bays are my army,” he said over the shouts of the sailors dropping the sails to slow their approach. “And each warrior cares for his own mount, so they belong to them, but several live in my stable at Girnigoe Castle.” Thick lines of twisted rope squeaked with the tension, and the slowing made them pitch forward in unison, although the gentle rolling remained constant.

Joshua watched Cain raise a fisted hand as he stared toward their ship. Joshua returned the gesture. Cain seemed to stare at him and then spoke to Gideon.

There were several deep-water slips at the docks, but the Orkney captain dropped anchor in Sinclair Bay. Intimidated by the show of force, Joshua could understand why he did not want to draw closer. He pushed off the rail and caught Kára’s hand.

He called up to the captain. “They are Sinclairs and not a threat.”

“The other ships make docking difficult. I will wait until one of them sails.”

“I am rowing across, then,” Joshua said, and the captain signaled two of his men to lower the dinghy.

Kára caught his arm, halting him. “Should we go alone first?” She glanced toward her grandmother, who had come up on deck.

“They are not a threat, Kára.”

“You have sent word that you broke your allegiance to them. Are you certain?”

“Aye, most certain.” He kissed her forehead and tugged her along to the rope being lowered into the bobbing rowboat.

“I want to go across now,” Geir said, lining up behind them.

“And nothing is going to keep me on this floating