by Mia Pride
“Begging my pardon, Laird. I saw my lady leaving the keep in a hurry and when I came out here to feed the horses and check on Aina, I noticed the stall was open for Fianna and she was missing. I wouldnae suspect who took her, only I ken Lady Elizabeth enjoys horses and riding and had asked many questions about Fianna. Took a fancy to her, she did. Now, they are both gone, it seems.” The man seemed nervous, as if he was responsible for any of Elizabeth’s actions. Robert knew as well as anyone that Elizabeth did whatever she wanted. She may have agreed to the peace contracts and the marriages because she was wise enough to accept her fate. However, when Elizabeth was not interested in following rules, she was bound to do any manner of ridiculous things to avoid them… such as marry the wrong brother in the middle of the night.
“Ye think she has fled?” Robert saddled Fodla quickly and escorted her out of the stables, knowing she was just as anxious for escape as he was at the moment.
“I dinnae ken, Laird. Would she?”
“I dinnae ken, either, but she does seem prone to doing her own bidding, does she not?” Mounting Fodla, he looked down at Finlay and shook his head. “None of this is yer doing. Ye were eating a meal along with yer kin. None of us suspected she would flee. I will track her down.”
Pointing to the wall, Finlay looked at the saddles. “She didnae even saddle up, my laird.”
An alarming thought gripped at him, causing him to bite back a curse. She was carrying Alexander’s child and had decided to tromp through the wild on horseback, and without a saddle. Was she mad? Or was she so desperate to flee back to her lands as his brother had mentioned, that she would take such a risk?
With no time to lose, Robert urged Fodla on, charging through the outer bailey and south, the only area of Drum not covered by forestlands. The main road that would lead to Dunnottar was in that direction, as well as the River Dee. As insane as Elizabeth may seem, he could not believe she would ride through the forest full of boars, deer, and many other predators. She was wild, but not daft.
She had fled directly after leaving the keep and had a half-hour lead on him, so he had to hope she was not pushing Fianna terribly hard, or he would have trouble locating her. Still, he had to find her. Failure was not an option. He could not understand why she would leave now that she was married to Reginald, unless she had already realized in less than a day what a lout he could be. That thought made him smile a wee bit. He did not wish for her unhappiness, but he was a better husband than Reginald and any person at Drum could have told her as much.
Speeding over grass fields of wildflowers, Robert followed what appeared to be fresh tracks where the grass was flattened. The land was dry, so muddy hoof prints would not have been left behind. After an hour of riding aimlessly and finding no sign of the cursed woman, something a darker shade of green than the grass fields caught the corners of his eyes and he pulled on the reins, bringing Fodla to a stop and looking over his shoulder.
Speeding through the field with her chestnut hair blowing wildly and her skirts hiked up to her bare thighs, she was also bare foot and without a saddle, as Finlay had suspected. He had found the woman he had been seeking – only, he had certainly not expected to find her in this state, nearly half-naked and laughing into the wind as she handled Fianna like a woman who had grown up on horses. Throat constricting, Robert attempted to swallow but the image before him had him rooted in place and speechless. Never had he seen a more beautiful, freer woman. She did not appear to be fleeing at all, for who would flee without boots, or stockings, or a satchel of supplies? Nay she was a wild woman who meant nothing more than to find her escape, an endeavor he could wholeheartedly understand.
And yet, this far past the river, she had put herself and their clan in danger. The Fraser lands were just over the rise and they were a watchful and cunning clan. Neither ally nor enemy of the Irvines, they would still take an opportunity for trouble if one arose and finding the Lady of Drum wandering their lands in a near state of undress would be such an opportunity. She would be taken and held for ransom without a doubt… and mayhap worse.
Relieved he had found her before she found trouble, his heart suddenly pounded wildly in his chest at the realization of just how close she had come to danger. Watching her from a distance, he couldn’t help the tightness in his gut, the admiration he felt for the lass, and the arousal watching her created. Her legs were long and lean and her breasts looked about ready to burst free from her bodice. She was his brother’s wife and he knew it was wrong to stare at her or think of her is such a way but he truly could not help his physical reaction to her, nor the way his heart leapt and his chest tightened whenever he thought of her. Hell, she had been meant to be his wife. Was it wrong to want what was supposed to be his, what had been taken from him? Mayhap not, especially since Reginald had ogled her while she was meant to be Alex’s wife, aye? But, acting upon it in any manner would be forbidden, which would not be an issue since she seemed determined to keep her distance from him, determined to push him away. So much so, that she had snuck behind his back to marry his own brother.
Then, he remembered something that made him suddenly feel like grabbing the lass off her horse and shaking some sense into her. The bairn. Alex’s bairn. Urging Fodla forward, Robert raced toward Elizabeth, who still seemed completely ignorant that she was being watched or followed, which only angered him further. She was a smart lass, but she was much too unaware of prying eyes and potential danger.
“Elizabeth!” he roared over the wind as he charged toward her. “Elizabeth! What are ye doing!”
Head turning toward him, her perfectly pink lips parted in disbelief just before she pulled back on Fianna’s reins, coming to a complete stop as he reached her side. “R-Robert,” she said breathlessly, chest rising and falling as she panted for breath. By the hounds of hell, she was a beautiful woman. Once again, he felt his blood surge. She looked like she belonged here in the middle of a field of flowers, like the fae, and he longed to pull her down from the horse and lay her onto the grass, proving to her what she could have had with him. But, nay.
Shaking his head, he focused again on his disappointment and anger. “What are ye doing?”
“I am riding, of course.” Tilting her head up to the sun, he saw the long expanse of her creamy neck and the rise of her breasts a wee bit more over the edge of her bodice. Was there ever another woman made on this earth more lovely than her… his brother’s cursed wife?
Scowling, he nudged Fodla forward to bring himself closer to Elizabeth. “I can see that, aye. Verra close to the Fraser border, at that. Ye put yerself in danger! And the bairn!”
Confusion consumed every feature of her face, from her tilted head and narrowed eyes to her downturned lips. “What bairn, Robert?”
“Alex’s bairn!” he barked and swiftly dismounted his horse, standing beneath her dangling legs, which only made him want to touch her. He put his hand on her horse’s reins and she seemed to suddenly notice how very exposed she was. Grunting, she hopped down from Fianna and landed just in front of him with the grace of a cat and the skill of the finest horsemen he knew.
Gold flecks danced in the irises of her eyes, the sun reflecting through the stray strands of wild waves. She was already close, yet she took one step closer. He refused to step away or back down from whatever spar she wished to have. “Ye think I am with child? And that I would ride so frivolously if I were? Ye think so little of me, do ye, Robert?”
“Aye! I mean, Nay. Aye, I heard ye crying about the bairn through yer chamber door the day we arrived from battle. Nay, I dinnae think little of ye, Elizabeth. But I do think ye are being reckless in yer rebellion.”
Stepping closer so that her bare toes rested on the tips of his boots, she straightened her back and stood at her full height. “Ye listen in on my private conversations, do ye? What else do ye think ye ken about me? That I am a wanton lass? Mayhap I dinnae even ken who the father is.”
Anger flared in him and he stepped forward, forcing he
r back up against Fianna who did not budge as she grazed on the wild dandelions in the field.
“I already have made my apologies for my remarks that day. Ye will never forgive them? Instead, ye will sneak behind my back and marry my brother? Ye think me so terrible?”
“I married Reginald because I had to marry an Irvine, and ye didnae seem so inclined to marry at first, until ye suddenly decided to marry me immediately. Wait—ye thought I was carrying Alexander’s child, so ye rushed the wedding to pass the bairn off as yer own, aye?”
Robert nodded, realizing both his arms were resting on the horse, effectively pinning Elizabeth on either side, but she was too angry to notice, and he had no intention of letting her go until he had answers.
“Well then, I suppose ye still have time to marry the woman carrying his child, but ’tis not me. And I feel more than ever that I made the right choice, for ye only wanted to protect the child ye thought I carried, not marry me. Now ye may do both.”
She quirked a brow at him and he felt his head racing, trying to remember the day he returned home and heard the crying voice through her chamber door. “Then, who is it? Mary?”
Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth put her hands on her hips and grunted. “Of course, it is! Would that not make more sense? Have ye nay idea how this sort of thing works, Robert? A man must actually bed a woman to get her with child.”
Robert’s heart skipped a beat and he leaned in a wee bit closer. “Alex didnae…”
“Nay, he didnae. Not that it is any of yer business.”
Why did he feel a swift sense of relief, knowing she had not slept with both of his brothers? It did not, could not matter… and yet, somehow it did. She was not with child. But, Mary was and would soon need to find a husband before she began to show… though despite Elizabeth’s suggestion, he would not be the man to marry his brother’s lover. The thought gave him chills up his spine. Why marrying his widow seemed any less bad, he could not fathom, except that Alex demanded he do so, and he had very much wanted to despite his better intentions.
“Will ye leave me be now that ye have yer answers?” Elizabeth tried to push past Robert, but he locked his elbows and pressed even closer to her. He could feel her breath on his face and had to fight his urge to lean in further, to press his lips on hers, to see if she would return his kiss or slap him across the face. He knew that he could not control his feelings, but he could control his behaviors, and he would not dishonor his brother… even if Reginald had dishonored Robert first.
“Not until ye explain to me why ye are out here so close to Fraser lands riding like a wild woman without a saddle or half yer clothing.”
“I dinnae have to explain anything to ye! Ye arenae my husband!” she shouted and pushed hard against his chest, huffing in frustration when he did not budge.
“I am yer laird and ye are still Lady Drum. Ye do answer to me, especially about matters of safety! Had ye been spotted on their land, they could have rightfully captured ye and ransomed ye back, or worse. Not all men as are as honorable as the Irvines.
“Och, aye, my laird,” Elizabeth said with an exaggerated curtsy that he supposed was so perfected, it would work well at the courts of England. “I was riding because I enjoy it and wished to do so.”
“Without boots or… stockings?” he asked, stumbling on the last word, images of her long, exposed legs filling his mind with inappropriate thoughts.
Watching her chew on her lower lip, he wondered if she knew what he was thinking. “Not usually, nay. But things havenae been so easy. I ken they havenae for ye, either, Robert. I am sorry for all ye have been through and my part in it. I simply wanted to be free for a wee bit. Free from being told where to be, what to do, how to dress, who to marry. I didnae mean to cause ye worry or risk harm.” Her shoulders slumped in defeat, her words softening with every sound until he could hardly hear them, even though they were face to face.
Sympathy consumed him when he saw the defeated look on her face. He had been so buried in the loss of his brother, the battle, taking over the lairdship, being pushed into a marriage, and thinking she was with child, he had not stopped to consider how any of that had made her feel. “I understand.”
Looking up at him with her large honey eyes, she looked lost and the vulnerability she tried so hard to conceal was visible once more, as it was the night up in the battlements when she asked him wed with her. “Ye do?”
“Aye. I was coming out here for a ride as well, when I was told ye and Fianna were missing. In fact, I feared ye were fleeing back to Dunnottar. I chased after ye for over an hour in a frenzy.” He smiled slightly, trying to calm her down and soften the mood. Shouting at each other clearly wasn’t the answer.
Sniffling, she looked away from him for a moment and he realized she was choking back tears. “I had thought about it. Matilda convinced me to stay and marry Reginald instead. Said it would help everyone. Ye wouldnae have to marry, since I ken ye dinnae want to, and I would still keep peace between our clans and avoid lo—” Cutting herself off, she cleared her throat and looked at him once. “I would avoid a long journey home.”
Something deep inside him did not believe that was what she had been about to say, but he was not sure what she meant and now that they were finally speaking calmly, he did not want to question her words, especially when they were so revealing. “Ye chose to marry Reginald for my sake?”
“Aye. I didnae need to be married to a man who would see me as a burden for the rest of his life. Reginald was more than willing to wed with me, so it seemed the right thing to do, to allow ye to choose yer own wife in due time. What happened to yer lip?” she asked, slowly reaching out to touch the pad of her finger to the cracked skin.
Of course, Reginald had been more than willing to wed her. Had she any idea how beautiful she was? How intelligent, feisty, loyal, and all around perfect she was? Nay, she truly mustn’t. And, he must have done a fine job of convincing her he wasn’t already half in love with her, if she believed she would ever be a burden to him. He was a cursed fool.
“Yer husband happened.”
“Reginald hit ye?”
“Aye. But I hit him first.”
A frown swept over her lovely face. “Why?”
Shaking his head, Robert sighed. “’Tis not important. Brother’s fight. Elizabeth, can we attempt to get along? We did well enough before the battle. I ken things have changed, but I would like to get along with my sister.” Saying those words so casually felt like knives in his heart. There was nothing sisterly about his feelings for her. But he could not tell her how he felt, and he could not continue fighting with her all the time. He had to learn to treat her as he would a member of his family, even if it was as a sister and not his wife.
“Aye. I would like that. Mayhap it would make this a wee bit more bearable. Ye ken, I have done all I have ever been told to do my entire life without a single complaint. But after two marriages with Irvine men, I suppose I became a bit rebellious.” A soft giggle floated from her lips to his ears and he decided it was a good idea to finally back away before he lost all control of himself and leaned in to taste her for himself.
A look crossed her face when he stepped back and he wondered if it had been disappointment, or simply a trick of his imagination. Either way, it did not matter. She would never be his and he was better off accepting that now and fighting the urge to take her in his arms, press himself against her, feel her warmth, her softness, her…
“Robert?”
“Aye?”
“Are ye all right? Ye are staring at me. Is there a bug on me?” she smiled and he knew she was jesting, but the need to scan her body took hold and he allowed himself one fine glimpse of her all flushed and windswept to save to his memory forever, which sparked an idea.
“Aye, I was only thinking. Mayhap we can make a deal. Ye wish for freedom to ride the lands, but as Lady of Drum, ye are a target to surrounding clans whether ye ken it or not. Allow me to escort ye anytime ye wish to ride, and I will
nae limit ye. Is that fair?”
Hesitating, she clutched the pearls around her neck and looked down, deep in thought. “I dinnae wish to burden ye, Robert. Sometimes I wish to ride spontaneously and if ye are busy—”
“Then I shall stop what I am doing to make certain the lady of our people remains safe.”
“Aye, my thanks, but, is that not something my husband can do just as well?”
Irritation bubbled to the surface at the reminder of her husband, but he shook it off, determined to keep the mood lighter. “Do? Aye. Just as well? Nay.” Robert scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “I am the best rider and even he will tell ye so. He stole my bride. The least he can allow me to do is ride with her.” Those last words came out so quickly, he had no chance to stop himself and feared he had shown too much emotion.
“If a man never had something, it cannae be stolen from him,” she said matter of factly, reminding him that she had never been his in the first place. Though, that was not altogether true. In his mind, for a short while, even if for only a day, she had been his. But when he awoke, she belonged to another.
Nodding and forcing a smile, Robert agreed. “I suppose ye are correct, my lady. Now, have ye had enough romping for the day? Shall I escort ye back to the castle now?”
She looked up at the sky before looking back at him with a grin. “I believe a storm is brewing. Mayhap we should leave.”
Sniffing the air, he nodded, smelling that earthiness that surrounds the world just before a new rain, felt the heaviness gathering in the air. “Ye are correct. Any moment.”
Just then, the sky opened up and Elizabeth squealed in delight, widening her arms to the sky, spinning circles in the grass with her wee bare feet as her skirts twirled around her legs just before becoming matted down by the fresh droplets falling to the ground like tears of all the men who had fallen at Harlaw. Mayhap they were tears, Alex’s tears. Only, Robert knew Alexander would not be crying. Nay, his tears would be those of laughter and irony that his brother should be falling in love with his widow.