Bound by Secrets (Cauld Ane Series) Read online

  TRACEY JANE JACKSON

  BOUND BY SECRETS

  Book #3 in the Cauld Ane Series

  2013 Tracey Jane Jackson

  Copyright © 2013 by Tracey Jane Jackson

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States

  Cover Photo

  Rachael Yonko

  Cover Art

  Jackson Jackson

  Cover Models

  Sean & Micaela Batterberry

  CONTENTS

  Copyright

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  About Tracey Jane Jackson

  Bound by Secrets is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Other books in the Cauld Ane Series

  Bound by Blood

  Cauld Ane #1

  Bound by Fire

  Cauld Ane #2

  Other books by Tracey Jane Jackson

  The Bride Price

  Civil War Brides Series, Book #1

  The Bride Found

  Civil War Brides Series, Book #2

  The Bride Spy

  Civil War Brides Series, Book #3

  The Bride Ransom

  Civil War Brides Series, Book #4

  The Rebel Bride

  Civil War Brides Series, Book #5

  The Bride Star

  Civil War Brides Series, Book #6

  The Bride Pursued

  Civil War Brides Series, Book #7

  The Bride Accused

  Civil War Brides Series, Book #8

  The Brides United

  Civil War Brides, Book #9

  Acknowledgements

  A HUGE thank you to Ása Erlingsdóttir who helped me with the beautiful Icelandic translations. I couldn’t have done it without you!

  Sean and Micaela, thanks for your awesome modeling skills! I know it was tough not to giggle through the whole process, but what a great end-result!

  Rachael, thanks for taking a random picture that turned out to be just what I needed for a fabulous cover!

  For Kristen

  Thanks for being such a gigantic friend, even if you turned out to be a lousy beta reader. I love you!

  CHAPTER ONE

  Ten Years Ago

  FOURTEEN YEAR OLD Payton McFadden stood in the middle of her bedroom and took one last look at the space she’d occupied since she was born. Her parents were moving their large brood from Thurso, Scotland to Edinburgh in order to be closer to her father’s clan.

  Payton’s mother, Phyllis, was the second wife of Stuart McFadden, a highly respected Cauld Ane member of the Council and close friend of the king. He was a widower when he’d met her mother, and she a widow.

  Stuart had four other children, all born more than a few hundred years ago, who lived under the protection of the Gunnach Clan. Angus, Stuart’s eldest son by his first wife, was mate to the king’s sister, Fiona Gunnach, and with the passing of Phyllis’s parents, Stuart decided it was time to move home. Or at least closer to home.

  “Are ye ready, lass?” Aileen, the McFadden family nanny, asked.

  “Aye. I suppose so.”

  Aileen smiled gently. “I know you’ll miss Bronwen, but you can still ring her. If you’d been born in my time, you couldn’t even guarantee a letter would arrive safely.”

  Payton nodded. “That’s very true.”

  Naturally quiet and shy, Payton was nervous about starting a new school and having to make friends all over again. She only had one close friend as it was, and she was leaving her behind, a fact which caused Payton an extra level of stress. Perhaps it was for the best, as Bronwen was human. It wasn’t as though Payton could ever truly open up to her. She wouldn’t understand. Their conversations were limited to little girl dreams of handsome princes, fancy weddings, and the rock stars they dreamed of being with forever.

  “Your new life will be grand, I think. Imagine, being related to the king. When your brother binds Princess Fiona, you’ll be royalty.” Aileen grinned. “And I’ll meet staff from the royal household. Perhaps a handsome royal butler?”

  Payton chuckled. “Wouldn’t that be nice if it worked that way? I can’t imagine we’ll be involved much with the royal family, honestly. Angus is only my half-brother, after all, and we’ll be in the city, not in Inverness with the rest of the Royals.”

  “Aye, but aren’t they hosting a party at the castle to welcome you back?”

  Payton smiled. “They are. Annis, Aidan, and I have been invited to join the grown-ups. The little ones will celebrate in the nursery.”

  Aileen danced around the room, curtsying and singing a traditional Scottish tune. “I wonder if you’ll dance with one of the princes. Or the king!”

  “Oh, Aileen. The men aren’t going to waste their time on me. I’m too young. I’m sure there’ll be older and much more beautiful women for them to dance with. I’ll be happy to just watch.”

  “Och, lass, ye’ve always been too old for yer own good. Dream a little.”

  “All right, Aileen. I’ll try.”

  Payton followed Aileen downstairs and then went about helping her mother get the little ones into the cars.

  * * *

  Brodie Gunnach hung up the phone and ran his hands through his hair. He’d been called up to the “Big House” by his brother, Kade, and as much as he’d tried to wiggle out of it, Kade wouldn’t relent. An old clan member had returned to the fold and all of the Gunnachs were to be present at a welcome home feast. Kade was king and his word was law…and he’d insisted on black tie, which meant kilt. Damn it.

  Brodie had neither the time, nor the desire, to play nice right now. He was in the middle of a complicated business deal and it wasn’t going quite as planned. He’d been forced to spend more time in Edinburgh than he typically liked, dragged from the sanctuary of his sprawling lodge in Inverness. At the present moment, all he wanted to do was hole up at home, but the family returning was that of his sister’s mate, which meant Brodie had no way out.

  He showered and dressed and managed to send out a few emails before heading up to the castle. The drawbridge had been lowered for the guests to enter, and as Brodie guided his car into the courtyard, his heart began to beat faster. He’d been experiencing unusual emotional waves over the past few weeks, but this was different. Stronger. Disconcerting.

  After parking the car, he adjusted his bow tie and made his way to the front door, where he was greeted by Kade’s butler, Mr. Winston.

  “Your highness, welcome,” Mr. Winston said, bowing. “The family is inside.”

  “I’ll find my way,” Brodie said, and headed toward the great hall.

  He stopped at the threshold of the room, entirely overcome with emotion. He couldn’t have moved if he’d tried.

  Strange.

 
; Kade stood with three people Brodie didn’t recognize, along with Angus’s father, Stuart, and Stuart’s wife, Phyllis.

  Then he saw her. The woman standing next to Phyllis lifted her gaze, meeting his for a split second, and he realized why his heart was racing.

  Að eilífu stýrimaður. This woman was his forever mate.

  The beautiful woman wore a corseted gown of light blue satin in the fashion of years gone by, complementing her dark red hair, braided and swept to the side. He paused for a few precious seconds studying her, but all too soon, she caught sight of him and a blush covered her cheeks.

  He smiled and approached her, realizing with a quick disappointment that this woman wasn’t a woman at all. She was a girl. A very mature-looking girl, but still a girl. He took a deep breath and hoped his smile was sincere.

  Stuart and Phyllis seemed to catch sight of him at the same time and quickly bowed and curtsied as he joined them. He noticed Phyllis squeeze the young girl’s arm, and she curtsied as well.

  “Brodie,” Kade said with a mischievous grin. “So glad you could join us.”

  Bloody bastard, Brodie thought. Like I had a choice.

  “Wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” he retorted.

  Kade raised an eyebrow, but didn’t remark on his brother’s sarcasm. “You remember Stuart and Phyllis McFadden.”

  “Aye. Welcome home,” Brodie said.

  “And these are three of their children,” Kade continued. “Annis, Payton, and Aidan.”

  Aidan bowed, and Brodie thought Annis may have curtsied, but he didn’t notice much of anything once he locked eyes with Payton. Lord, she was stunning. Her ice-blue eyes were framed by dark lashes and magnified behind thick glasses. She licked full lips as he took her hand and lifted it to his lips. “It’s lovely to meet you, lass.”

  Her response was a nervous smile.

  “Payton was just telling us that she will be starting year five in the new term at school,” Kade said, as if to warn him off.

  Shite. She’s probably not even sixteen.

  “Exciting,” Brodie said, as he dropped her hand.

  “Stuart, we’ve had a few new additions to the Council. Shall I introduce you?” Kade asked.

  Stuart smiled. “Aye, Your Majesty. I’d be most grateful.”

  “I’m certain my mother would be glad to see you both again as well.”

  “How is Alice?” Phyllis asked.

  “She’s very well, thank you. If you’ll both follow me,” Kade said, leaving Annis, Payton, and Aidan with Brodie.

  “If you’ll excuse me,” Brodie requested, “I haven’t greeted my sister yet.”

  “Of course,” Aidan said, bowing.

  Payton and Annis said nothing as they curtsied again.

  Brodie gave a quick nod and decided a conversation with Connall was wiser than finding his sister. His older brother was the calming influence on all the siblings, and Brodie suddenly felt the need to hit something. He saw Connall standing as far away from the din as possible, and Brodie shook his head at him as he approached. “Hiding?”

  Connall smiled. “If I really wanted to hide, I’d be in the other room, with the hounds.”

  Brodie chuckled. “True.”

  Connall was a genius with animals, a trainer and breeder of Thoroughbreds, and the most sought-after large animal vet in Inverness. He was an empath and a healer, two qualities that came in handy when dealing with frightened animals. And he hated the pomp and circumstance of official events almost as much as Brodie. A gifted musician, Connall tended to spend his free time in his home studio.

  “Did you get a chance to speak with Stuart?” Connall asked.

  Brodie nodded. “Just to say hello.”

  Connall frowned. “What’s the matter?”

  The siblings could all feel each other’s stress or excitement if the emotions were strong enough, and Brodie’s stress was certainly prevalent in his mind.

  “I actually need to talk with you, if you have a minute. Alone.”

  “Of course,” Connall said.

  Brodie led his brother out a side door and into the privacy of the library.

  “What’s up?” Connall asked.

  Brodie settled his hands on top of his head as he paced the room. “I think I’m in a pile of shite.”

  “Oh? What did you do?”

  Brodie rolled his eyes. “I’ve met my mate.”

  “Really?” Connall asked in surprise. “Who is she?”

  “Stuart’s daughter.”

  “Ah, Annis? Wasn’t she away at school for several years?”

  Brodie shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  “Well, she seems lovely.”

  “No.” Brodie groaned. “Not Annis.”

  Connall raised an eyebrow.

  Brodie shook his head. “Payton.”

  “What? Seriously?” Connall’s mouth dropped open. “She’s fourteen.”

  “No! Is she?”

  “Aye,” Connall said. “Well, for another two days she is. Her birthday’s on Friday.”

  “Damn it. I thought maybe sixteen, but that’s even worse.”

  “Are you sure, Brod? She’s Angus’s sister. I don’t recall this even being possible.”

  In Cauld Ane history, it was a generally accepted fact that siblings didn’t mate into the same family. If Brodie was correct in his belief that Payton was his mate, the fact that Angus was Payton’s brother and he was mate to Brodie’s sister could confuse the historical account that had been written down centuries ago.

  “Aye. I’m sure.” Brodie rubbed his forehead. “Perhaps the fact Angus and she have different mothers makes it possible.”

  “Perhaps.”

  “Damn it.” Brodie dragged his hand over the stubble of his cheek. “Fourteen.”

  “This explains a lot, Brod,” Connall said.

  “What exactly does it explain?” he challenged.

  “Think back to when your personality changed.”

  Brodie crossed is arms. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “Just hear me out.” Connall smiled. “It was about almost fifteen years ago that you suddenly got all responsible and crap.”

  “Screw you, Connall.”

  “No offense, brother, truly, but think about it. You bought your first club, stopped sleeping with everything that moved, and stopped being nice. You grew more…ah…pensive.” Connall shrugged. “Coincidence? I think not.”

  “Are you trying to say that subconsciously I knew my mate had been born?”

  “Possibly.” Connall smiled. “Ask Fi. She’s decided to find out everything about our history. I don’t know how much she’s discovered to date, but I have a feeling she’ll have more answers as time goes on.”

  Brodie paced the room. “What am I going to do, Con?”

  “I suppose you’re going to have to be patient.”

  Brodie delivered what he hoped was a murderous look as he flicked his wrist and sent a book flying toward his brother’s head. The gift of telekinesis came in handy every now and then.

  Connall deflected the hardcover with a laugh. “Sorry. I suppose I’m stating the obvious.”

  “The whole idea of finding my mate has rarely entered my mind, and when it has, it’s been in passing. I figured it would happen when it happened, but to know who she is, and know that I have to wait more than ten years before I can bind her, has suddenly made me want to kill someone or break something.”

  “But you feel like that most of the time,” Connall retorted.

  Brodie told Connall what he could do with his opinion.

  The bell indicating dinner cut off Brodie’s creative reply. He grimaced. “Great. Hours of small talk and BS to look forward to.”

  Connall slapped Brodie on the back. “After you, Your Highness.”

  “Oh, no, Your Highness, I insist.” Brodie waved his hand toward the door. “Age before beauty.”

  Connall laughed and headed back to the great hall. Brodie followed, but stall
ed when he reached the table. Payton stood behind her chair and gave him a shy smile. Brodie did his best not to scowl. His chair just happened to be next to hers. He pasted what he hoped looked like a sincere smile on his face and made his way to the table.

  * * *

  Payton did her best not to pass out as Brodie Gunnach made his way to the table. Her heart raced and her stomach roiled, her extreme emotions unfamiliar to her and making her want to crawl into a hole and hide. The prince was the best looking man she’d ever seen. Tall, with dark blond hair and wide shoulders. His deep blue eyes darkened when he caught her eye, and although they were beautiful, his expression was one of irritation. She had to admit, he frightened her.

  “Miss McFadden,” Brodie said gruffly.

  She gave a slight nod. “Your Highness.”

  The king directed the guests to take their seats, and Brodie gallantly held Payton’s chair for her and waited for her to sit down. She sat as quickly as possible, not wanting to keep him standing.

  Once she was settled, he took his place next to her, and Payton squeezed her eyes shut briefly. He smelled so good, she just wanted to lean in closer. Instead, she laid her serviette across her lap and folded her hands in an effort to hide the shaking. She didn’t know how she would possibly be able to eat with him sitting right next to her.

  The king said a prayer to bless the meal and then the first course was placed in front of each guest by their own personal server.

  Soup.

  Great, she thought. Ice blue gown and yellow soup…perhaps pumpkin or squash? Not a good combination.

  Payton prayed the etiquette classes she’d attended since birth would kick in. The impeccable Mrs. Jones didn’t cover what to do when you’re sitting next to someone you’re so attracted to, even though you know you’ll never have a chance with them. She took a deep breath and lifted her spoon.

  “Payton,” her brother snapped, albeit in a whisper.