Reckless Scotland

by Vane, Victoria

Indeed, she did. Her heart gave a painful kick remembering him as the pitiful, bruised lad she’d befriended as a girl. Raised by a merciless, drunken father who’d beat him for naught but the sheer pleasure of it, he’d grown into a troubled man who sought solace in a dram of whisky far too often. He could no more change his past than she could the years between them now.

  She blew out a deep breath. “Cormac discovered us together.”

  The words had the desired effect. Hammish’s mouth sagged open.

  Elena continued, “Seems we were not as circumspect as you’d thought. He came to me and asked my true feelings for you. I confessed my love and he did what any good brother would do. He approached you with a match.”

  Hammish had the good grace to look uncomfortable. Shifting his weight from one leg to the other, he fidgeted with a stack of herbs on the table, plucking leaves from the bundle.

  “I stood outside of that chamber door, listening to you defame my character. A willing woman you called me, tossing my charms around to ensnare you into marriage. You vowed to Cormac you’d never wed any wench. Especially a soiled bit of goods you’d sampled.”

  For flicker of a moment, Hammish closed his eyes and hung his head, but then he opened his eyes and aimed the force of his gaze at her. “Then you should’ve come to me. You should’ve called me out, you daft woman. Not invite the next blasted man that happened along into your bed like a whore.”

  The flood of fury burning in her belly stamped out the initial shock of his words and propelled her across the dirt floor. With more strength than she realized she possessed, she launched herself at him and delivered a sound crack to his cheek.

  “How dare you speak to me in such a manner?” She stood toe to toe with him. “Invite another to my bed…like a whore? You foolish, selfish arse. I was carrying your bairn!”

  The words hung in the stifling air. For once, he had no vulgar remark to fling at her. Silence reigned between them as he leaned weakly against her work table. His face had grown pallid as though he’d received a fatal blow. Though, his earnest surprise did not fill her with the satisfaction she’d imagined it would. Instead, regret welled inside her. And guilt. A bone-deep, gut-wrenching guilt for the child he’d never known was his own.

  Elena swallowed down the lump in her throat. “You had no wish to marry me, and my father would’ve cast me out of the clan. What was I to do? Where would I’ve gone? You did not want me, and I refused to shame myself anymore and beg you to wed me.” She edged away from him and the sorrow reflected in his gaze, putting much needed space between them. “How can you stand there and accuse me of spurning you when ’twas you who spurned me. Do not dare speak of dishonor to me. I’ve had more than enough from you to last a lifetime.”

  Her chest constricted with pain and she struggled to draw breath. She had to get away. Away from the small confines of the cottage and away from the man she’d once loved with her whole heart. Snatching her cloak from a hook on the wall beside the door, Elena fled before she did something foolish, such as run straight into Hammish’s arms and beg for his forgiveness.

  *

  Drenched in sweat, Calum stood a short distance from Arabella and considered her flushed features. When he’d noticed her across the field, her gaze moving over his wounds, fear invaded his senses and he’d almost retreated from her. Apprehension had frozen him in place in the blink of an eye. He’d never felt more exposed in his life, but he made the decision to meet the challenge head on. Should she recoil in distaste from him, then he would’ve swallowed his pride and dealt with the matter like the warrior he was. To his utter astonishment, her interest appeared to be drawn to what lay below his chest.

  With bolstered confidence, he could not help but tease her. If naught else but to see the becoming rosy hue darken her cheeks and the green jewels of her wide eyes. Then and there, he longed to kiss her before God and his clansmen in the training fields.

  “Arabella?” He grinned when she ducked her head to hide her embarrassment.

  “Aye, Calum?” she whispered, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

  “Will you join me for a ride on the morrow? There’s a place I wish to show you.”

  A shy smile formed on her lips. She plucked at an imaginary thread on her gown. “I would be happy to.”

  ’Tis truth it’d taken him most of the day to come up with the notion. Time alone with Arabella was what he needed. Away from his prying family.

  As if conjured from his thoughts, Mairi and Liam appeared at their sides with matching grins painted on their faces. Calum sighed in annoyance and glanced heavenward.

  “Oh ho, a ride, you say?” Liam asked with interest.

  “What a lovely idea, Calum.” Mairi clapped her hands together.

  “I’m sure Mairi and I would be glad to accompany you.” Liam sidled closer to Arabella and Calum fought the urge to pummel the man.

  “Oh, but we cannot, Liam. You’re to help me with a chore.” Mairi smiled prettily. “Surely you remember?”

  “Nay,” Liam replied blankly. “What chore?”

  Mairi, bless her, aimed a hard stare at their cousin. “I cannot believe you’ve forgotten. You promised me a sennight ago. How could you—”

  “All right. All right.” Liam held up his hands in surrender, unwilling to allow her to harp on.

  Exasperated with the conversation, Calum extended his hand to Arabella, willing her to accept. “The hour grows late. Let me escort you to the keep.”

  Without a second thought, she placed her delicate hand in his and he pulled her close to his side. Uncaring of his intrusive kin, he simply took a moment to gaze at her comely, upturned face. Each time she graced him with her bright smile, an odd tightness roiled in his stomach.

  All of a sudden, thundered shouts stretched across the fields and he swung his gaze to the source. Her face a spotty mess, Elena stomped toward them with Fraser following close on her heels. The scowl he wore was as dark as a thundercloud in a raging storm. His long strides ate up the ground between them.

  “Stop, you stubborn wench,” he bellowed.

  Elena whirled to face Fraser and pushed him with more strength than Calum imagined for a woman of her age, nearly sending Fraser sprawling to the ground.

  “Stay away from me!”

  Calum winced at the raw anguish in her raised voice. She spun away and ran for the front stairs, disappearing behind the safety of the keep’s wooden doors and stone walls.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement. He swiveled in time to witness Liam prowl ahead toward Fraser. The face of a warrior ready to do battle replaced his usual, carefree grin.

  His glare fierce, he paused steps from Fraser. “What the devil did you do to my mother?”

  Fraser looked Liam over. “’Tis none of your damned concern, boy.”

  “Anything to do with my mother concerns me.” Liam took a measured step forward, his stance threatening. “I’ll only warn you once. Stay away from her, old man.”

  Surprised by the harshness in Liam’s tone, Calum held his body rigid, prepared to intercede should the two come to blows. Instead, his cousin and Fraser simply locked stares, their gazes challenging one another to make the first move. The first to relent, Fraser spat out a harsh curse, spun away from Liam, and stomped in the direction of the stables.

  Calum nudged Arabella toward his sister. “You and Mairi, go. See to Elena.”

  Dutifully, she nodded and grabbed Mairi’s hand, tugging her toward the keep. Once the two women scurried inside, he strode to Liam’s side. “What the devil was that about?”

  “Damned if I know. But you can be sure he shall not bother my mother again.”

  Calum did not respond, but he sincerely hoped Liam was right. He would hate to sever his alliance with Fraser, especially after all the man had done for him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Have you spoken with Elena?” Calum asked over his shoulder.

  Sitting astride her gelding, Arabella trailed after him a
s they rode through a thick patch of forest on the border of his lands. In some distant part of her head, she heard him speak, but her mind continually strayed to a single damning thought—that dark patch of hair she’d caught a glimpse of the day before. Try as she might, she could not dispel the image to save her soul.

  Calum cleared his throat and she glanced up to find him turned in the saddle, watching her. He lifted one ebony brow, as if awaiting an answer.

  “I’m sorry. What did you say?” Heat rushed to her cheeks and she looked away from his grinning face. Damn the man for catching her staring yet again.

  “I asked if you’d spoken to my aunt. Did she speak of what happened with Fraser?”

  Oh. “Nay, she locked herself in her chamber, and I have not seen my uncle since. Marcus said he departed not long after his fight with Elena.” She frowned. “I cannot believe he left without telling me.”

  Grunting, he faced forward. “He should’ve spoken with you before he took his leave. In truth, I’m surprised he did not. ’Tis not like him at all.”

  Nay, not like him in the least, which troubled her. He’d left her at the mercy and goodwill of another clan—one she scarcely knew. Had the MacGregors not been as welcoming, then she would truly have cause to worry. Aside from her uncle’s clan, where else might she seek refuge?

  The church? ’Twas not a choice she wished to fathom unless forced.

  Shuddering at the grim notion, she tightened her grasp on Devlin’s reins and peered around the forest. “Where are you leading us, Calum?”

  “’Tis just a bit further.” He shifted in the saddle to glance at her, not quite meeting her gaze. “There’s a place ahead I wish to show you.”

  He faced forward once more, but not before she caught the flush of his cheek. Biting back a smile, she resisted the urge to tease him.

  At times, his character was at odds with his hardened exterior. No doubt he commanded obedience from his clan when necessary, but he was a kind man. A good man. One she’d grown rather fond of in their short acquaintance.

  After last eve’s failed attempts to draw Elena from her solitude, Mairi had joined her in her chamber to consider Calum’s purpose for their outing. His sister hazarded a guess he sought a bit of privacy to speak of marriage. Where she’d gotten the foolish notion was Arabella’s guess. But long after Mairi retired, she’d lain awake, pondering the other woman’s reasoning.

  A few years past, perhaps she’d longed for a life full of love and happiness, a husband who valued her, children to care for. Her brother had wished the same for her, allowing her a say in her choice of husband. With Iain gone, she realized the error of her thoughts. How silly she’d been to imagine she controlled her own fate.

  Despite her poor attempt to banish her girlish hopes, the notion of wedding Calum held a certain appeal.

  They continued to ride in silence until the wood parted, unveiling a lush glade tucked out of sight. At the heart lay a small crag of stones with a gurgling waterfall.

  Any lingering thoughts of Calum, her Uncle Hammish, Elena, or vexing chest hair slipped from her mind. She gaped in awe at the beauty in front of her.

  Water trickled over smooth boulders into a clear pool, while the sun peeked through the low-hung boughs to glimmer across the translucent ripples. Beneath the surface, sunlight shone on colored pebbles. Charmed by the sight, she sucked in a deep breath of cool, clean air, savoring the scene. ’Twas breathtaking.

  She reined Devlin alongside Calum’s mount near the edge of the glade. He swept a leg over his stallion in a quick dismount and moved to her side in a flash to help her descend. For long moments, they simply stared at each other—him grasping her upper arms, her lost in the light of his gaze. Neither of them uttered a sound, which suited her, considering she more than likely could not form proper speech.

  At last, he broke the spell.

  Calum released her arms, but grabbed her hand and led her closer to the water’s edge. He stared out at the glittering pool and a thoughtful look passed over his features.

  “Years ago, when my mother and father wished time away from their duties and the clan, he’d bring her here. This place became their own private sanctuary away from it all, if only for a little while.”

  His thumb circled in her palm, sending tingles up her arm. She swallowed hard and watched the ripples along the water’s surface.

  He continued, “When my mother died, my father wished to share a private part of her with me and Mairi, so we might understand how much she loved us. He left Mairi our mother’s prized garden, and he gave me this. He told me there was a certain magic to this place and one day, when I met someone special, I must share this sanctuary with her.”

  Arabella’s heart pounded a swift beat. Gooseflesh rose on her arms. Her breath came in short bursts of air and her stomach fluttered almost painfully. His words…he spoke as if…as if…

  She chanced a peek at him and met his intent stare. Despite the tremble in her weak knees, she glanced away and forced a light, playful tone.

  “And just how many lasses have you brought here, Calum MacGregor?”

  The pulse in her throat quickened when he stepped in front of her and lifted her gaze to his with one finger beneath her chin. The fathomless depth in his pale eyes snared her. His slight touch set her off balance. Embers of passion ignited a slow burn inside her belly. Saints help her, she wanted this man.

  He lifted his finger to her cheek, brushing the knuckle over her flushed skin. Within a hairsbreadth from her mouth, he spoke. “Only you.”

  “Why me?” Her words came out in a breathless whisper.

  “Because, I’ve never met another woman like you. You are special to me. I”—he swallowed hard—“care deeply for you.”

  “I-I care deeply for you, too.”

  His heated breath warmed her lips, and her eyes drifted shut as she anticipated the kiss sure to follow. The light caress disappeared, and she blinked her eyes open to find he’d stepped away from her and strode to his mount. At once, the loss stung. Her stomach dropped to her feet, and she merely gaped at his back. Why had he not kissed her?

  He called over one shoulder, “I managed to wrangle a few items from Agnes for our outing. Though, ’twas not an easy task, I’ll have you know.”

  Thwarted, Arabella dragged her feet to a fallen log near the water’s edge and plopped down. She propped her elbows on her knees and rested her warm cheeks in her hands.

  Calum untied a sack from his saddle and pulled a length of cloth from his bag. He spread the fabric on the ground in front of her and knelt down to unpack a bounty of food from the pack. Once done, he rose to his feet and moved toward her. He dipped his hand and flourished his arm in a polished bow.

  With a lazy grin, he extended his hand. “Come, my lady. Our feast awaits.”

  Abandoning her frustration, she accepted without a second thought. After he’d settled her on the cloth, he dropped down beside her and began passing her food. The soft trickle from the tiny waterfall blended with the relative silence between them as they dined on roasted fowl, cheese, and bread. While many young noble ladies and men sought to replace quiet moments with empty chatter, she preferred the shared silence with Calum. ’Twas comforting, in fact. The peace afforded her a chance to soak up the tranquility of the forest around her.

  Once she’d eaten her fill, she rose and moved to the water’s edge to wash her hands. “’Tis beautiful here, Calum.”

  “I hoped you might think so.”

  She stared at her reflection and wondered if Calum felt the same comfort in her company. Around him, her troubles melted away, leaving her with a lightness of heart.

  Glancing over her shoulder, she grinned. “Thank you for sharing your sanctuary with me.”

  He stared at her, watching her every move. “’Tis ours now.”

  Ours?

  For a moment, she waited for him to say more but, once again, he left her stumbling to understand his true meaning.

  Shoving aside her
tangled thoughts, she returned to her spot on the cloth, while he packed away the remains of their fare. Afterward, he stretched out on his back and tucked his hands beneath his head.

  Arabella plucked a stick from the ground near her and idly twirled the twig between her fingers. She peered around the glade. “There’s such a spiritual air about this place, do you not think?”

  Grunting, he closed his eyes and crossed his ankles. “If you wish, I’ll give you the tale my father told me.”

  Her ears perked up. As a child, her mother and Maggie had filled her head with stories of brave warriors, beautiful maidens, and creatures of legend. Even though ’twas a childish delight, she adored fantastic tales.

  She twisted toward him and looked on expectantly. “Aye, I do.”

  “’Twas said a warrior found this place after a long day battling a rival clan. He was weary from the fight and wanted naught more than to wash away the stench of blood and death. At the water’s edge, he noticed a woman beneath the surface. Fearing she drowned, he leaped in after her. He dragged the maiden from the water but despaired he was too late and hung his head in defeat. For some unknown reason, the loss affected him more than any life he’d taken on the battlefield. A whisper of movement caught his notice, and he glanced up to see a pair of shining, violet eyes watching him.

  “From that day forward, the pair began to meet in secret and spend more time with each other. ’Twas not long before the warrior and the maiden fell in love. Though, the warrior never knew where the maiden disappeared to once they parted ways, nor would she divulge her secret. As time passed, the pair pledged their troth and sealed their bond.”

  “How so?” she asked.

  Calum opened his eyes and slanted her a dubious look.

  “Oh, that.” She ducked her head and studied the twig in her hand.

  “So…once they’d pledged their love, guilt ate at the maiden. At last, she revealed her true nature to the warrior. She was one of the elusive Fae.”

  Gripped by the tale, Arabella tucked her feet beneath her, sitting up higher, and leaned forward. “What did he do?”