“You are a clever woman, Gusty. Even if you had sent word, I would not have been able to return and so I would have spent all my time thinking of nothing else but you and your condition.” He placed his fingers about her wrists and moved her hands up and around his neck as he drew her close. “I love you, my beautiful selkie.” He breathed against her brow.
“And I you, my Highland laird. Only you.”
He gathered her close and rocked her in his strong embrace. His large hand trembled as he brushed back the hair from her face and kissed her tenderly. They lay there in silence, absorbing the sweet satisfaction of just touching each other. Time stood still, the only sounds around them those of their breathing and the warm fire crackling in the hearth.
Gusty finally stirred and looked up, thinking she had heard Alexander murmur something. In the faint light that filled the room she found his silver eyes smoldered with unrequited need. She opened her mouth to ask him if he had said something to her but his head dipped and he captured her lips in a kiss that took full possession of her senses. He caught her sigh in his mouth as he seared her with his lips, his tongue and his teeth, burning her with his caresses until she felt as if she were melting.
He kissed a trail of fire across her face to her neck and lower. Unwitting tears filled her eyes and trailed down her cheeks as Gusty turned her head to give Alexander better access to her neck. All the pent-up fear and frustration of the last several months came flooding over her. She had not realized until now just how scared she had been that he would never return to her.
“Dearest one, do not weep.” Alexander’s voice was hoarse when he finally broke their kiss and spoke. “Do you have any idea how much I have missed you? We are together now. I will always return to you. Never fear that I will not. I am a strong warrior and the chieftain of my clan. There is no stronger man in the Highlands and I protect what is mine…always.”
He pulled her within the protective circle of his arms and cradled her head against his chest, letting her weep until she was finished. Soon the tears subsided and Gusty only had the occasional hiccup.
“You are all wet.” She pulled away from him, noting for the first time that she had drenched his chest with her tears.
“A few tears won’t hurt me.”
His crooked smile made Gusty blush. What a fool she must have looked like. He was so handsome her heart skipped a beat every time she looked at him. How could such a fierce warrior and leader, such a strong and ferocious man be so gentle and tender with her?
“I don’t know what came over me.”
“Don’t apologize, Gusty. I find great joy in holding you in my arms no matter that you weep.” He squeezed her a little tighter.
Gusty reached up and ran her hands through Alexander’s long black hair, pulling his face down to hers. Their lips met in a ravishing kiss filled with sweetness and yearning. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she moved sensually against him, letting him know what she needed.
“I want you, Alexander. I want you inside me now.” She couldn’t believe she had actually spoken such bold words. It was not at all like her but she would not want to take the words back even if she were able to do so.
Alexander’s body responded to the soft, undulating pressure of her moving against his already aroused manhood. Her words destroyed the last shred of control he had on his full-blown lust. He ravaged the silken skin of her neck with his lips, his tongue and his teeth, burning a path down to the sweet, tempting valley between her full breasts. He stroked the length of her body, caressing her satiny flesh, then moved his hands back up to cup her breasts. He breathed in the scent of her and when he finally drew one taut nipple into his mouth he tasted her sweetness. Gusty arched into him with a moan. Alexander growled, the sound a low rumbling in his chest, and she clutched at his hair and writhed beneath him.
“So sweet,” Alexander said. He moved his mouth to take possession of her other breast, giving it as much attention as he had the first. He ran one hand down over the swell of her abdomen, over her mound and between her legs.
She opened for him and he fondled her until she begged him to come into her. His composure broke as he lost himself in her honeyed warmth with a swift, deep thrust. He caught her passionate cry in his mouth. Moving with long, even strokes, he took her to the heights of passion and beyond until their cries of fulfillment echoed and they each found their release.
Bart was a man in need as he made his way down the long hallway to his mistress’ chambers. The darkened corridor was sparsely lit with only one torch on either end. His steps echoed on the cold stone floor as he hurried along. He was a little leery of the reception he would receive from her. The last time he had seen her she was very angry with him. She had caught him in a compromising position with another woman, the daughter of a minor nobleman who had little chance of ever obtaining a husband of any standing. Later he had tried to coax Brigitte out of her ill-tempered disposition but the little minx had refused to forgive him for the small indiscretion. Not that it mattered. He took any woman who attracted him at the time, regardless of what his latest mistress might say or think. But right now he did not care if Brigitte gave him the cold shoulder or that she no longer invited him into her bed. He needed advice from her at the moment, not to ease between her lovely white thighs.
Brigitte had the ear of the king and knew his thoughts on every clan under his reign. Her informants at court kept her a step or two ahead of any intrigue that sprang up between friends or foe. The tight leash he had on the Ross was proof Edgar could be ruthless in his dealings with the clan leaders. Demanding the Ross marry a Sinclair woman before the end of the year had Donovan Ross scrambling to find a likely candidate worthy of him. He chortled at the thought of the young laird’s predicament and then quickly glanced around to assure himself no one noticed his passage. He had more serious plans for the evening once Brigitte gave him the information he wanted. He needed to know if the feud between the Ross and the Sutherland clans was over. The answer was imperative to his next move in his scheme to replace Edgar as king of Northern Scotia.
With these thoughts clouding his mind, he didn’t even bother knocking on her door before he let himself in. If forewarned, she would more than likely refuse to let him in, or if she did, she would probably be waiting with a skean to thrust through his heart. She was a feisty one, his Brigitte.
Only a small fire burned in the hearth, its flickering flames creating dancing shadows on the walls. The sound of soft snoring came from the draped bed. Bart walked quietly across the room, thinking to take her by surprise as she slept. Maybe even encourage her to show him a little appreciation for the gold he had spent on her in the last year. His cock began to twitch and swell as a sudden surge of hot blood filled his shaft. He reached down to adjust himself as he stopped beside the bed. The sounds coming from behind the curtain became more distinctive and he realized it wasn’t Brigitte who was snoring. With stealthy hands he drew back the drapery until the dim firelight shined on the rumpled bed. Bart stood staring, filled with shock—followed quickly by disappointment and disgust. Upon the mattress lay a very naked Brigitte, entangled in the bedding with another man, a younger man, their bare limbs entwined in their post-lovemaking repose.
Bart stood next to the bed for a long moment, gazing sightlessly at the obviously sated couple as they slept. In his mind he saw himself twenty years ago when he enjoyed being a young pup spreading his seed around without discretion or care. His two daughters by the MacKay’s eldest daughter were the only children he acknowledged—and he only claimed them because he planned to use them to get his hands on that old man’s holdings one day. Finally his slack jaw tightened, his firm lips clamping shut in displeasure. If the little bitch wanted another man, so be it. He certainly had no problem replacing her. He was an intelligent man—he needed no woman’s counsel. They complicated things, adding their wants to his own desires, muddling his plans and schemes. He could deal with Alexander Sutherland himself and in time he w
ould deal with all the other chieftains who would eventually fall beneath his long reach. Bart Sutherland would gain all he wanted from life without a woman hanging on his arm with all her wiles and trickery. The door clicked quietly shut behind him as he left the chamber. He vowed from this day forward he would leave all women out of his schemes. But this left him with a more personal problem. His now aroused body still needed servicing. With this goal in mind he went in search of a willing woman.
Chapter Twenty-Three
After the victory over the Viking intruders Alexander had immediately petitioned Edgar for rights as a handfasted husband and the king had agreed to uphold Alexander’s claim—especially since Gusty was with child. Edgar had even given his personal blessing to their union. Malcolm Sinclair could do no more than accept Edgar’s decree but her father defended his reasons for interfering with her handfasting, saying he only wanted to see her happily settled with a good husband. He gave his word that if Alexander Sutherland was indeed his daughter’s choice in a husband, then he would give his blessing and perpetrate no further interference. The meeting between the lairds had ended with both parties swearing their fealty to Edgar and loyalty to each other.
Alexander demanded the best for his bride-to-be and with Edgar’s blessing and the help of his servants and advisors, her husband set into motion a whirling dervish of workers to prepare the great hall for a grand feast and spectacular entertainment. He had personally interviewed Edgar’s priest, Father Dominic, who agreed to have his chapel decorated for the ceremony with greenery and candles. With a little prodding by Davin and the rest of Alexander’s men, it was amazing how quickly the rest of the household fell into a flurry of activity to prepare the king’s residence for a spectacular nuptial ceremony in such a small period of time.
“We don’t need an elaborate celebration, Alexander. We can make our vows before the priest and a small group of friends and family. It would do just as well.”
They walked through the garden hand in hand. In the days since he had returned with the majority of the king’s courtiers they were rarely far from one another.
“Nay. This marriage will be celebrated properly.” He smiled and lifted her hand to his lips to plant a warm, wet kiss on the back of her wrist. “I want a grand celebration. A revel every bard and troubadour in the land will praise in lyric and song for years to come.”
Of course his claim was outrageous. Gusty knew the real purpose for this elaborate revelry. Alexander wanted to impress not only King Edgar but her father as well. After Malcolm Sinclair’s machinations to get her away from Alexander, he was out to show the mighty Highland laird that he loved Gusty enough to throw her the biggest and grandest wedding celebration ever held in the Highlands of Scotia. Even if the whole proceedings cost him a king’s ransom, he was intent on going through with the celebration. Even Edgar was sure to be impressed—and perhaps just a bit envious.
“I don’t need all this.” She waved her hand around at the many gardeners who clipped flowers meant to cover the tables in the great hall.
“Humor me in this, my love. I want everyone to know how much this marriage means to me. To you. This is but a small price to pay for finally getting what I want.”
He glanced around at the crowded garden and with her hand securely in his he pulled her toward a small terrace hidden within a maze of high shrubs. A stone bench sat in the middle of the sanctuary.
“Sit with me for a while, my love,” he murmured, drawing her down onto his lap.
Gusty lifted her lips to meet his. She sighed with pleasure and lay back in his arms, accepting his impassioned kisses and moaning as his hands found her breasts. His long, skilled fingers brushed over the swell of her plump breasts.
“So beautiful,” he murmured.
His head dropped lower and she laced her fingers in his hair as he followed his fingers with his mouth. He boldly pushed the bodice down, pulled her arms out of the sleeves of her gown to allow it to pool around her waist. He feasted on her freed breasts, licking and nibbling her distended nipples and Gusty gasped.
“Oh God!” She whimpered. Her breasts were so sensitive that every lick, every bite sent jolts of pleasure to her groin. “Alexander? We have to stop.”
He ignored her and continued to make love to her out in the open with only a false sense of privacy provided by the flower-draped terrace.
“I don’t think I want to. I can’t keep my hands off you.” His mouth found the side of her neck and he began to suck on the tender skin below her earlobe.
“I have to dress for the wedding. I don’t want to explain why I have hickeys on my neck when Violet helps me with my bath.” She put her hands against his chest and pushed him away. “Only a few more hours and I will be all yours, my love.”
“Aye, that you will, my love,” he conceded, drawing back reluctantly. He rose, setting her on her feet, and then helped straighten her clothing.
“I did not bring you out here to ravish you,” he told her with a frown.
She looked at him with disbelief.
“It is true. I had another reason for wanting to get you alone.”
Gusty watched as Alexander began pacing before her, walking several steps away only to return and look at her with a strange almost embarrassed expression on his face. He opened his mouth to say more but then shook his head and paced some more. His strange actions made her wonder what he wanted to tell her and she began to worry.
“Augusta, it is no secret how much I want you in my life, in my bed. I have made no secret about wanting you for my wife. I let this be known to all who would listen. Even those who would say nay to my objective.”
He meant her father, obviously, and by extension the king. He finally stopped pacing and dropped to his knees at her feet. He took her hands and placed them against his chest just over his heart.
“It occurred to me that I never gave you the words. I have acted on my desires, making you mine on numerous occasions, but I never came right out and asked.” He paused for a long moment.
“Augusta Sinclair, will you marry me?”
Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the proud, gentle man on his knees before her, asking her to marry him. Never could she have wished for a more romantic proposal.
“Aye, Alexander Sutherland, I will marry you.”
* * * * *
Violet and her women took over the bride’s chambers and they had Gusty bathed, perfumed and ready to dress for the big occasion. She was sitting in front of her mirror while Violet put the finishing touches to Gusty’s unruly hair when a loud knock sounded at the door. One of the maids answered and admitted Duncan followed by Bernadine and Katherine in a flurry of excitement.
“This just arrived for you, Lady Gusty! A courier sent by your lady-mother delivered it only moments ago!” Duncan hurried across the room and laid a small wooden chest at her feet. He then stood back to stare down at the undecorated box as if it held treasure. “Aren’t you going to open it?”
His whispered query brought her out of her stupor and she knelt by the chest and untied the leather straps wrapped around it. Slowly she lifted the lid and a gasp escaped the mouths of every maidservant in the room who had gathered around her to watch.
“How beautiful!” Katherine breathed.
The chest contained a length of fabric so gorgeous it took a moment before Gusty could bring herself to touch it. Carefully she smoothed her hand over the material and then, grasping the edges, she lifted out what proved to be the most beautiful gown she had ever seen. Made of a creamy white silk shot through with threads of gold, the gown fairly sparkled in the sunlight streaming in through the bedroom windows. More gold thread had been used to embroider delicate rose buds and leaves along the neckline. It was an exquisitely made kirtle.
“I have never seen anything so lovely!” Gusty held the gown reverently against her breast.
Violet reached into the chest and lifted out a second garment, which proved to be a gorgeous, full-skirted gown made of whi
te linen with long, narrow sleeves and a low neckline. Gusty assumed this was meant to go beneath the beautiful overdress.
“There is more,” Bernadine explained and pointed.
Gusty glanced inside. A small scroll and a ring lay at the bottom of the chest. She reached for both items and as she lifted them out, she gasped with surprise.
“My ring!” The ring she had worn since her sixteenth birthday, the one she’d thought she had lost in the forest when she had first landed in this century. Somehow the piece had found its way back to its original owner, her mother, Isabelle. Tears blurred her gaze and she wiped the back of her hand over her eyes as she unrolled the small scroll.
Dearest Daughter,
I have not had the opportunity to know you for very long.
I grieved for many years that I was not at hand to watch you grow from a babe into a young girl and then into womanhood.
At the first sight of you that day in my hospice I knew you were a special young woman. When I discovered your identity, I was overwhelmed and deliriously happy. My own daughter had finally been returned to me and I was now a small part of her life.
Please do not judge your father too harshly for his opinions of Alexander. He felt guilty for not being able to assist you when you had to choose a husband. With that in mind he decided to give you some time at court to look over an array of other young men. Unfortunately he had not anticipated that all the younger men would be called away to war.
I realize you love your Alexander—I saw the way you gazed at him and the way he looked at you. You are fortunate to have each other.
Please be happy and love each other long and well.
Your Devoted and Loving Mother, I.
Gusty’s hand shook as she lowered her mother’s letter. She closed her eyes and with gentle strokes she smoothed the delicate fabric of her mother’s wedding gift. Thank goodness the dress had a full cut to accommodate her slightly rounded belly rather than a slim design A hand touched hers and she looked up to find Violet nodding with enthusiasm over the lovely garment, and judging by the maid’s motions, Gusty understood it was time for her to dress for her wedding.
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