An Arranged Marriage In The Highlands

Scotland 1772

She chased after him on her horse and her horse was faster then the man who had stolen from her but with the horse being loaded down, Dusty was slow today. Rosalie jumped off her horse and grabbed her sword and pulled the thief down from his horse. She yielded the sword and threatened to cut him.

"Give me back my emerald brooch! All I have left of me mother!"

The red head with the green eyes who was Scottish and English had a bad Irish temper.

Dougal was a poor Scottish peasant and he was afraid of this woman. He had robbed from a Campbell. Her family was one of the richest in Scotland. Rosalie forced him to the ground and pushed his face into the green grass.

"I said give it back or I will cut off yer head!"

"Alright. Ye have to let me up first." The brown headed man's breeks were torn and he hadn't a schilling to his name. Rosalie got up and let the young man get up. Dougal took the emerald brooch out of his pocket and handed it to Rosalie.

"Dougal, get on your horse and go back to your village. If you ever take anything from me or anyone again, you won't live long enough to see jail bars."

Dougal did as he was told. Rosalie sighed. She was leaving for England. Her father had promised her to Kinnon McEwen. Like that was going to happen. She hadn't seen him in years and she had threatened him with a wooden sword when they were children. She wasn't afraid of Satan himself.

Kinnon MacEwen and his brother Lachlan had watched Rosalie and how she had dealt with the thief. She didn't see them but Kinnon remembered her bad temper. His future wife.

"Lachlan, let's meet my bride."

"I don't think she will be pleased."

"She is going to be my wife. This isn't about her being pleased."

Kinnon and Lachlan rode up to Rosalie. She looked at them with a startled look on her face.

"What do ye want?"

"Rosalie Campbell. It is I. Kinnon McEwen. Your future husband."

He had long dark hair, piercing blue eyes and a nice physique. Nice chiseled features. He was the most handsome man Rosalie had ever seen.

"Future husband? My father told me about his arrangement with you. Mr. MacEwen, I am on my way to England. Our wedding will have to wait." Rosalie grabbed her horse's reins but Kinnon grabbed her horse and Rosalie and put her on his horse with him.

"What in bloody hell are you doing, you dunderhead? I will run you through with me sword!"

"You are my wife to be and ye are going to my castle and you will learn your place as my wife."

Rosalie slapped Kinnon cursing at him. He got off his horse and took her with him. He grabbed her and turned her over and slapped her bum five times. She was yelling the whole time. After her spanking, he put her on his horse. He got on with her. Lachlan was laughing so hard. Leave it to his brother to get a feisty wife.

"You will be going back to Emerald Castle with me. It will be your home from now on. I promise you future spankings if you don't behave. I will send word to your father that you are with me."

"This is a kidnapping! I hate you! I will kill you in yer sleep!"

"You won't get the chance. Just behave and your life won't be so bad."

The ride across the green grass and high cliffs and a clear blue sky was a pretty sight. The hill sides seemed to reach clear up to heaven. Rosalie loves Scotland and her life with her father and her sister Mary. Why did her father have to spoil her life by arranging a marriage with this Neanderthal, Barbarian? She was going to have a miserable life.

The ride didn't seem to be too long. They arrived at Emerald Castle. It was bigger then Linden Rose, her father's estate. The castle was four stories high and has a green tone to it. It had towers and columns and stretched out to the ocean. At least she had a beautiful home. Lady MacEwen wouldn't be a bad title and she would have a handsome husband but he was mean. How was she going to deal with him?

Two groomsmen came for the horses and Kinnon got off the horse and helped Rosalie down. He grabbed her arm and walked her to the entrance and into the castle. A big room filled with cherry wood furniture and winged back chairs and a couch that took up the whole room and a knight in shining armor stood in the corner of the room. A fire was burning in the chimney place.

"You may sit on the couch. I will be keeping an eye on you. You will sleep with me in my chambers at night. Don't ye worry. I won't touch you until after we are married. You will be my prisoner until you behave like a wife. I won't spank you again as long as you behave. Will you meet me half way?"

Rosalie's bottom still hurt after the spanking. She nodded. "Will I ever be allowed to do anything?"

"In time. When you act like a wife and after we are married, you will be the lady and Mistress of this vast estate. I will do everything in my power to care for you. I don't want you hating me. Will you do the same?"

"This is an arranged marriage. I want a marriage with affection ands fun. I don't want a brute to rule me and threaten to beat me."

"We can have fun and affection. We can get to know each other. I won't be a brute. I promise."

"Where is Dusty, my horse?"

"The groomsmen will groom him and feed him. We love our horses."

"I am glad of that. What am I to do all day?"

"One of our maids Elsie will be with you at all times. She will make sure that you stay out of trouble." Just then Kinnion rang the bell. A petite blonde woman of twenty-three years old appeared.

"Elsie, this is Rosalie Campbell, the future MacEwen." Elsie smiled but she looked hurt while Kinnon said the future Mrs. MacEwen. GREAT! THOUGHT ROSALIE. HE HAS PROBABLY MADE LOVE WITH ALL THE FEMALE SERVANTS.

"Elsie, show Miss Campbell to her room."

"Very well. This way, Miss."

Rosalie followed Elsie up two flights of steps. When they got to her room, the room was more spacious then her one at home. The bed and room was decorated in purple, lavender and rose. Rosalie smiled. There was a lavender and pink dress on the bed. Was he expecting her or what?

"Lord MacEwen had me get some dresses for you. He told the staff that he was getting married and that I am to be your maid."

"You and Lord MacEwen? Are you lovers?"

Elsie grasped. "Lady Rosalie, one in my position can't speak of such matters. I know my place. I will never enter his bed again. Please don't tell him that we talked about this."

"Your secret is safe. See to it that you never enter his bed again."

Elsie hung her head. "Yes, your lady."

Elsie helped Rosalie put on the lavender and pink dress and she went back downstairs and Kinnon was quite impressed. "You are indeed beautiful, my future wife." He took her hand and kissed it. "Meet my brothers. Lachlan, you already know. Jason, Quinn, Adian and Shaun."

Lachlan looked like a smaller version of Kinnon. Jason looked a lot like Kinnon but he had a big nose. Quinn was huge like a giant and Shaun was huge as well. Aidan looked like Lachlan. They all bowed to Rosalie. She just smiled at them.

Kinnon held out his hand to Rosalie. We are going to tour the grounds. Kinnon and Rosalie walked outside. There were so many hills and woods. Kinnon held her hand as they walked. A squirrel ran past them and startled Rosalie. Kinnon laughed.

"A feisty woman like you scared of a squirrel? I would think Ye weren't afraid of the devil."

Rosalie looked at Kinnon and saw he was wearing a kilt. "I am not afraid of a squirrel. I see that you are wearing a kilt."

"Would you like for me to take it off?"

"No! Will you still take it off for Elsie?"

"She told you? I don't plan on making love with anyone else after we are married and that includes now. Please don't keep bringing it up. Elsie is in love with me. I don't love her. I have never been in love."

"Me, neither. If this marriage is going to be real, we will need to act like a married couple and I don't want to marry you or anyone but it is arranged. I will try to make this work."

"I promise to do like wise."

"We have a ball here at the castle in two days. Your father and sister will be here."

"A ball? I have nothing to wear."

"There are dresses in your closet. Elsie picked them out. You will find one to your liking."

Rosalie liked the woods and she would feel at home. Kinnon held her arm and they were quiet the rest of the walk. They went back to the castle. It was dinner time. KInnon had a room just for them to have dinner. Cheese, bread, venison and wine were served. The food was good.

"Why do you want to marry me?" Rosalie asked.

"You are a Campbell and I am a MacEwen. We can create a dynasty and I have a big clan and we can add heirs to the family. I didn't ask for a dowry because I have more then your family. Your last name and my last name. We can own the highlands."

"When you get bored, will you ignore me and take on lovers?"

"Only if you refuse to submit. Who knows? You may like me."

Rosalie ate the rest of her dinner in silence.

It was getting dark. Rosalie decided that she wanted to go to her room.

"I wish to go to my room."

"I will join you in a little while."

"You promised not to touch me."

"So I shall. I can't take a chance on you running away."

Rosalie went up to her room. She put on a green goonie. Lord MacEwen had thought of everything. Rosalie went to bed and a couple of hours later, Kinnon joined her. She pretended to be asleep. He got into bed with her. He fell asleep. Rosalie noticed that he still wore his kilt. She didn't know why she did it but she lifted up his kilt. Oh my! It was nice and big. Just then Kinnon grabbed her hand.

"Do you want to do more and look?"

"No. I don't know why I did that."

"I am not sorry but if you do that again, you will forced into making love. Do we understand each other?"

Rosalie nodded. Maybe making love with him wouldn't be a bad idea.

The next morning, Kinnon left her room early And Elsie helped her dress into a blue dress with pearls on it. She had breakfast alone. She went to the library and found some books about love poems and Shakespeare. Love. She hope to fall in love someday. She looked around the huge library. There were books about everything. Kinnon returned at Noon.

"I trust that you had a good morning."

"I was in your library reading books."

"Get changed into some riding clothes. Don't even think about trying to run away."

Rosalie went to her room and put on a velvet green riding habit. She remembered how she and Mary used to hide the foxes on Fox Hunting Day. She had a way with animals and the foxes were like pets. Her father finally gave up on fox hunts.

Rosalie went downstairs and Kinnon wasn't wearing a kilt. He had trousers and a tunic.

"Come. We are golng to ride horses. You can ride your Dusty horse."

Rosalie hugged Dusty. He was glad to see her as he nuzzled her. She got on her horse and Kinnon got up on his black horse Satan. They rode into the forests and Rosalie made Dusty go faster and she didn't know where she was going. She wanted out of this marriage coming up and she wasn't going to let any man hold her captive. This was her chance to escape. She cut out through the woods and almost went over a cliff with Dusty. Stupid move. She was trying to run away. There was no way out of this marriage and she hadn't a clue to where the land ended. Kinnon wasn't deft. He knew what she was trying to do.

"What in the hell are you trying to do?" Kinnon was furious.

"I was just riding and got lost. "

" You and Dusty could have going over the cliff. You could have both been killed. You don't know this land. Only my brothers and I know this land. We are going back to the castle. You will be staying in your room the rest of the night. There is no escape."

They rode back to the castle in silence. He dragged off her horse and took her to her room. He locked her in. He was so angry with her. She was lucky that he didn't flog her.

It was dark in her room and she cried. He was a mean man. Kinnon entered later.

"We both know that you were trying to run away. I won't tolerate it. My pet wolf Titan is going to be with you at all times for now on. Don't piss him off." Her left Rosalie's room and locked her back in.

The next morning, Kinnon came to get her and a big gray, orange and black striped wolf was with him.

"Meet Titan."

Rosalie looked at the wolf and he growled. She kept her distance. She went to the library and the wolf followed her. She read books. She was so bored Kinnon was treating her like a prisoner. She shouldn't have tried to run away. This marriage was all wrong. She didn't love Kinnon and he wasn't a loving man. She hated Scottish men. She cried.Titan put his head on her lap and she was nervous but she petted him. He whined. She hugged him. Just then Kinnon entered.

"Titan! You aren't supposed to be her friend. Your father and Mary are here."

Rosalie saw Mary and hugged her. Her father, she was still mad at.

Kinnon had left.

"Father, Lord MacEwen treats me like a prisoner. I don't want to marry him!"

"Stop whining. Lassie! You are spoiled and this is one time you will do as I say!"

Mary patted Rosalie's hand. "Your Lord MacEwen is handsome. Look at this vast castle. You could have a great life."

Rosalie and her sister talked over old times. She went to bed that night and Kinnon came in with her with Titan. He gently kissed her. The kiss was gentle and Rosalie had never been kissed. She really liked this.

"I don't like locking you up. Promise me that you will give me a chance. I can be a lover and your friend as well as your husband."

"I promise."

Rosalie slept good that night. The next day, everyone was getting ready for the ball. The ball room was full of flowers and tables were set up. This was going to be a great ball.

"Rosalie, this castle will be yours. You can have balls all the time. You will have a handsome husband." Mary squeezed her sister's hand.

Rosalie kept thinking about Kinnon's kiss. She couldn't get the thought of what she had seen underneath his kilt. She would never run away. Mary was right. A huge castle, a handsome husband. Isn't this what all women wanted?"

Rosalie went upstairs to look at her ball gown. She saw Elsie with Kinnon and she stayed out of sight.

"Kinnon., I love you. You can't marry me but I can be your Mistress. She won't know how to please you. Make love to me here and now. You will always want me." Elsie kissed Kinnon. Kinnon pushed Elsie away.

"You are dismissed! I want to marry Rosalie. She and I will find love together in due time. She will learn about making love from me. You have been with all my brothers. You sicken me. Now, leave."

Elsie walked away crying. She walked right into Rosalie. Rosalie back handed her and pulled her hair.

"I should kill you. You can't have him. He is mine. I will make love with him over and over. He will desire only me and only me. I desire him!"

Kinnon pulled Rosalie off Elsie. He rang for his butler to get a horse and carriage to take Elsie to the poor side of Scotland.

Kinnon took Rosalie's hand and went to her room.

"Lass, is it possible that you want me? Desire me?"

"Yes, I do. After that kiss and looking under your kilt and you are handsome. I want you. After seeing Elsie trying to make love to you just now, I want you and love you. I will stay with you forever."

"We have a ball to attend but tonight, we are going to make passionate love. You are the most beautiful woman in the world. My Darling, you are finally going to be mine." Kinnon kissed Rosalie and they controlled themselves but it wasn't easy.

Rosalie wore a green emerald dress with her mother's diamond brooch. Kinnon wore his kilt and they danced every dance. They held each other close. They announced their engagement. Mary and Lachlan danced every dance together.

The ball was over and Rosalie and Kinnon went to her room. She took off his kilt as he undressed her. He gently made love to her. He told her that he loved her and Rosalie was so happy. She loved him, too. They were married and Rosalie and Kinnon lived happily ever after.

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