Raelynd closed her eyes and stretched. After she had finished for the day, she had taken a long bath and washed her hair. The removal of the grime and the warm water had relaxed her sore muscles so much that she decided to have a small dinner in her room and then go straight to bed. Work had not been as grueling now that she knew how to organize her time better to manage everything, but it was no less physically tiring.
“Lyndee?”
“Coming,” Raelynd growled, and dangled her feet off the side of the bed to stretch again before going to open the door.
Meriel walked in, still dressed. “What time is it?”
“Late, but not that late. Servants are only just now finishing their work and going home or to their rooms.”
“Oh,” Raelynd uttered while yawning. She hoped her sister would take the hint and realize that tonight was not a good time to chat. Meriel, however, remained oblivious. She sat down, kicked off her slippers, and pulled her knees up to hug them. Whenever she sat that way, Raelynd knew something serious was on her sister’s mind.
“Didn’t you hear that Laurel returns tomorrow tonight? After tomorrow we are reprieved. I thought you would be happy.”
“I am,” Meriel said, frowning.
Raelynd closed the door and sighed. “Your happy face usually includes a smile. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Meriel answered too quickly.
Raelynd flopped down on the bed since there was no spare chair. “I don’t believe you.”
“Would you make me a promise? One that you swear to uphold regardless of situation or circumstance?”
Raelynd turned her head to study her sister. Meriel knew she usually wasn’t receptive to such strong requests. “If I can,” Raelynd answered hesitantly.
“Promise that you will do everything in your power to maintain the responsibilities of Lady of Caireoch Castle.”
“You do not need a promise about that. When we return, everything will go back as it was.”
“I’m not sure that it will.”
Raelynd again studied her sister. “What do you mean?”
“Promise me? Everything in your power?”
The promise seemed unnecessary so Raelynd nodded. “I promise. But what has you so concerned otherwise?”
“Nothing I can say specifically. It’s just that Craig and I were talking tonight—”
Raelynd bolted upright. While she was longing for Crevan, Meriel had been sneaking out to meet Craig! “What are you thinking, Meriel? What if someone sees you and Craig kissing each other?”
Meriel reared her head back and crinkled her brow. “Kiss Craig? Is that what you think? I’ve told you, we are only just friends.”
“Friends,” Raelynd repeated. “Are you not the same person who claimed not even two months ago that men were good for only passing the time?”
Meriel’s eyes grew large at the memory. “Aye, and I still feel that way. Craig, however, is an exception,” she said emphatically. “I never thought I could be friends with a man, let alone someone like him, but we really do get along. I can tell him anything and he listens to me.”
“I thought you could tell me anything,” Raelynd said, somewhat hurt.
“I can,” Meriel assured her, “but lately, you have been so tired and grumpy and I really needed a friend. Craig has been standing in as temporary chieftain while his oldest brother is away and so we’ve been talking at night about our awful days.”
“Awful?” Raelynd asked, puzzled. Her days had been full, but not as horrible as they had been. She had just assumed things had also improved for her sister. “Are you not finding the responsibilities easing now that you are more familiar with what needs to be done?”
Meriel physically bristled. “No. Not at all. Beyond preparing for the day’s meal, it is something new every day. I would have to be here a year before I would become even familiar with everything, let alone comfortable. That is why I know I can never be the Lady of the Castle for our clan. I would go mad.”
“Well, calm yourself.” Raelynd sighed and lay back down. Her sister might be right. So much was involved in running a castle. Spending a few days in the position gave someone an appreciation of the magnitude as to what needed to be done, but not the experience. “Is that what you wanted to talk about? What you have been doing?”
Meriel shook her head. “No. Craig has been having similar struggles being in charge with Laird McTiernay away, so we’ve kind of grumbled to each other. It was something else he said tonight that has me thinking you have been right all along. Our pretending to marry is not only to justify our departure and our long absence, but for our protection. Father is trying to shield us from something and I get the feeling from Craig that it is not working.”
The need to go back to sleep suddenly disappeared. Raelynd felt her body tense. “Why? What did Craig say?”
“It wasn’t what he said, but what he asked. He wanted to know if I would agree to handfast with Crevan. Not to continue pretending, but to actually agree to a handfast ceremony next week. I thought he was teasing, but he became very serious and said that it was important.” Meriel lifted her head and stared right at Raelynd. “He was scared for me.”
Raelynd swallowed. To marry for a year and a day was not uncommon for there were many reasons to advocate a temporary pledge through handfasting. But Meriel and Crevan? Everything in Raelynd wanted to shout and scream no. “Then why not handfast with Craig?” Raelynd proposed, sitting back up. “You and he get along so well. If you must handfast with someone, let it be him.”
“I suggested that very thing—”
“Then what is—”
“Unless I want to be Lady of Caireoch Castle, he is to handfast with you!”
“Me!” Raelynd huffed, jumping to her feet. “Is your mind gone? Is his?”
“I asked him to explain, but he refused. Craig only repeated that I needed to persuade you to handfast with him for your own protection.”
Raelynd began to pace. “But it makes no sense. He doesn’t want to get married any more than we do. He would be miserable. . . .” she mumbled to herself, knowing how different their personal habits were.
“Lyndee?”
Meriel spoke her name in genuine fear and Raelynd paused to look at her sister. “Go on to bed and give me time.”
“Remember your promise.”
Raelynd walked her sister to the door. “I will. I just need a little bit of time to think.”
And to get some long-needed answers.
And this time, Crevan McTiernay, I am not taking no for an answer.
Raelynd waited until she heard the faint sound of Meriel closing her door before she went back in and quickly dressed. Her deep blue bliaut was somewhat elegant for what she had in mind, but it was the only clean gown she had until after tomorrow’s wash. Last week, she would have asked the laundress to wash her clothes uncaring of the castle’s schedule and priorities. Now, having been on the other side of such duties, such special requests would be reserved for true necessities and not whims.
Taking a brush to her long hair, Raelynd briefly considered braiding it before discarding the idea. It would take a significant amount of time and while it was nearly dry, in places it was still damp. She next slipped on her shoes and then exited the tower via means of Brenna’s murder hole.
Having worked so much in the village this past week, Raelynd was confident she could have found her way around the cottages even if the night was filled with thick fog. But once outside the village, she was glad the night was cloudless and a nearly full moon was out to help light up the way. Cooler air had come in, eliminating the oppressive humidity, giving the light breeze a crisp feel, but it was still plenty warm if one was moving.
Heading toward the loch, Raelynd began to look for where they had enjoyed their picnic, hoping Crevan had not chosen to sleep somewhere else after the wildcat incident. She entered the small clearing and let go a sigh of relief. A small fire was burning and she could see the silhouette of Cr
evan’s large body extended beside it with his arm tucked under his head.
She took another step and the sound of the leaves and small twigs cracking under her weight echoed across the clearing.
Crevan’s head snapped in her direction. “Who is there?” he barked at the shadows.
He knew it was not Craig or any other person of any bulk—the footsteps sounded too hesitant and too light. No woman knew he was out here and Laurel had not yet returned. It could be Obe or even Neal the stable master, but both men were older and went to sleep early. Crevan was still mentally crossing out names when Raelynd finally came into view. For a second, he thought he was imagining her. He had done so many times, picturing her coming to him in the middle of the night with open arms, but none of those visions had seemed this real. Also, she had been smiling and eager. The expression heading toward him was not anger, nor was it friendly. There were so many emotions tied to the taught lips and pursed brows—fear, concern, apprehension, distress—he could not choose, but together they announced she was dealing with a problem. He only hoped that it was not the very same dilemma he had been mulling on since he and Craig got a very cryptic description of the changes taking place in the Schellden clan.
The Schellden farmer who had come to trade knew very little about the happenings of Caireoch Castle or the laird’s nephew, who was visiting from the Lowlands. He just said that while some did not like Cyric in the beginning, many were changing their minds, including the laird. The one outcome Crevan had believed to be least likely, but feared the most.
If Cyric did somehow prove to possess the abilities to lead the Highland clan, then Rae Schellden would probably support the king’s idea of him marrying either Raelynd or Meriel. The most likely choice would be Raelynd as she was best positioned in the clan to be the next laird’s wife. This was unacceptable and Crevan said as much to Craig. Craig pointed out that Raelynd would most likely make herself so obnoxious she would dissuade Cyric’s attentions, causing him to choose Meriel. And if this were to happen, Craig made it clear that he would not allow her to spend a life miserably married.
One possibility remained—the very one all four of them swore at the onset of this awkward situation never to choose—marriage. Crevan had sworn if this very problem did arise, then it would belong to Rae Schellden and only to him. That Crevan would not be forced into marriage. But that was before. Now he had been analyzing the situation from all angles to discover another possibility. But he had not come up with an alternative.
As Raelynd got closer, Crevan jumped to his feet. Her hair was down and the gown she had on left nothing to the imagination. His body defied his will and instantly reacted to the sight, making him infinitely glad he had not yet undressed.
Raelynd stopped right in front of him. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I need to talk with you about something Craig said to my sister.”
Crevan felt his stomach suddenly twist in a knot. If she had the news, then that would explain her unhappy expression. Reaching out, he collected one of her hands in his. Instinctively, he began to massage the palm and noticed the hardened, calloused skin where it had once been soft and smooth. His insides clenched.
Raelynd saw the anger flicker briefly in Crevan’s eyes before he could suppress it and was puzzled. She looked down to where his gaze was focused and realized just what had upset him. She took back her hand. “I’m fine. Truly I am. I’m not sure that I ever want to wash linens in the river again or cook dinner or clean the floors—”
“Laurel had you doing what?” Crevan barked.
“But in the process I learned much,” Raelynd deflected, arching a tawny brow mischievously. “Some of the very things you had tried many times to explain.”
Crevan looked long into Raelynd’s green and gold eyes and saw her bright, unstoppable spirit and an indomitable force—but it was now tempered. Somehow in the matter of a few days, Raelynd had finally come to understand the missing ingredient she needed to become not only respected, but beloved by those around her. A frisson of jealously rippled through him. He had always believed Raelynd could be an incredible woman, and now that she was on the verge of becoming just that, he was going to lose her forever.
“I’m proud of you, Raelynd,” he said quietly. “More than you will ever know.”
Their eyes locked, and her heart began to beat more rapidly. She had vowed to herself to never fall for a man who did not love her for herself. It had been an easy promise for she did not believe it possible, but here Crevan was. He knew her and she could see his love for her in the depths of his deep blue gaze. “I will love you forever, Crevan McTiernay.”
“Don’t,” he choked. The simple declaration took Crevan by surprise. He needed to hear those words so much and yet, Raelynd was meant to be the next Schellden chieftain’s wife. She was not for him.
“You love me too,” Raelynd stated, no qualms reflected in her tone of voice or her eyes.
“Raelynd—”
“I think a part of me has loved you for a very long time.” She continued taking a step back so that she did not have to look up to meet his gaze. “Why else would I subject myself to your lectures? I knew when you were in the Great Hall. I could have avoided you but chose not to. So you, who believes so strongly in self honesty, were you also seeking me out?”
Crevan opened his mouth to answer, but she did not give him the chance to deny the charge. “I mean if I really had been an irritant to you, you would have just stayed away. Your brother did, not because of me, but he rarely ventured inside Caireoch so it was possible. You, however, did not avoid the castle or the places you knew I frequented.”
“I never wanted to avoid you, Raelynd,” Crevan finally managed to say.
“I know that,” Raelynd said, and started to pace. “I think you enjoyed our debates. I know I did. You never would just agree with me and I knew that whatever you said, even if I thoroughly disliked it, was the truth as you saw it. Am I not correct?”
“Aye, but—”
Raelynd interjected, “You have always been honest with me. Promise never to stop.”
She paused and looked him in the eye. She was laying a trap. No effort had been made to conceal her objective and any man could have avoided becoming ensnared, but Crevan opted to do what he had always done. She knew the truth anyway. “Aye, I promise.”
Hearing those three words, Raelynd moved in close once again. “You know me better than anyone. Even better than my father because he refuses to acknowledge my faults. Meriel wants to be honest, but we are too close and her nature won’t allow her to see me as anything but her sister. But not you. You have always seen me as I am. Look at me. I see you. All of you. And I love everything that I see. You cannot refuse my heart for I have already given it to you.”
Crevan swallowed and studied how the moonlight was playing against her. Waves of gold tumbled over her shoulders and he remembered how her softly rounded breasts felt in his hands and tasted in his mouth. Every muscle in his body tensed and he forced his eyes to close in an effort to block out her beauty. His memory, however, could not be ceased so easily. His self-control was at its breaking point. He could no longer deny that her feelings for him ran just as deep, just as strong as his did for her. But it changed nothing.
Crevan’s jaw tightened and his gaze swept over her in one swift, heated glance. “You need to leave, Raelynd. Now.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I came here to talk to you. I want the truth.”
“Fine, here is the truth. You should not be here and you know that. Hasn’t sneaking out like this already put you in enough danger? Why aren’t you in bed?”
Raelynd ignored his bark and without warning leaned against him, resting her hands on his chest. “I beg you do not treat me as a child. I know that something happened today and tomorrow everything might change, but here, right now, I need you and you need me.”
Her innocently whispered plea ended the internal battle Crevan had been waging with himself. No longer did he possess
the will to resist. Giving in to his primal desires, he whispered her name and taking her face into his hands, closed his mouth roughly over hers, searing her lips to his. Raelynd did not resist. With a muffled cry, she threw her arms around his neck and returned the feverish embrace.
Holding her face gently between his hands, he refused to let her go long after the time the kiss should have come to an end. Instead, he lingered against her lips, kissing them soft and deep, capturing her tongue and drawing it into his own mouth. She was offering the essence of her vibrant spirit and he accepted fully, completely knowing that it would forever consume his soul. Never would there be another woman for him.
Raelynd sucked in a quivering breath when he finally released her lips. But he was not letting her go. Hot, intense, dangerously compelling sexual desire blazed in his eyes. There were so many questions still between them, but she could not remember what they were. All she knew was that she loved Crevan with every bit of her heart and that he felt the same about her. That was all that mattered.
Urging Raelynd to her tiptoes, Crevan curved his hand around the nape of her neck and bent his head to kiss her again, softer this time. Breathing in her scent, he moved to bury his face in her neck, delighting in the softness of her skin. She moaned and it sent sparks flying through his body. He began to stroke her back, keeping her body pressed to his, half hoping, half fearing that his evident desire would make her stop him. But she didn’t pull away. Instead, her fingers clenched around his shoulders and he knew then that he was not going to be able to stop. His want for Raelynd was too great. She was his and tonight he would stake his claim. No one else would ever know her like him.
Moving from her neck, his lips traveled lower, as his fingers caught the edge of her gown and began to slide it off her shoulder. Crevan pulled her close to him and he heard her gasp as he cradled one of her breasts in his hand. Slowly he kneaded the soft mound through the velvet barrier as he continued to assault her shoulder and neck with kisses. He waited until she was quivering so violently she could no longer stand before he scooped her up in his arms.
Tempting the Highlander Page 25