“I see no reason that we cannae handle a few extra guests although we will need to share with one of the outlying villages. I got a message today that some of the crops are failing. The laird is looking into it tonight.”
“How often does that happen?”
Lousia shrugged. “Occasionally, but ’tis awfully wet for a brush fire.”
Cora’s head snapped up. “A brush fire? In multiple fields?”
“Aye.”
Cora’s stomach clenched. It was far too wet for an accidental brush fire. “I will speak with Alec tonight. I will coordinate with you in the morning on solutions.”
First Alec was targeted and now one of the villages. Innes wanted the clan, and he didn’t care who suffered.
Alec’s arm ached, but the fury of seeing the barren fields overrode any pain. The little boy in front of him looked almost terrified. “’Tis alright,” Alec assured him as he knelt down in front of him. “This isnae yer fault. Just tell me what ye saw.”
“I was playing on the hill up there. My dada gave me a wood sword and told me if I got good ‘nuff, I could be part of yer guard. I am not good ‘nuff yet.”
Tousling the boy’s hair, he grinned. “Ye have some time to practice. Maybe I can have some of my men to work with ye. See what ye are made of.”
The fear disappeared, and the boy’s eyes brightened. “Aye?”
“Aye. So what happened while ye were practicing?”
“I saw three men in the fields. I thought they were working, but then I saw the flames. They didn’t shout an alarm or anything, so I ran to my dada to tell him. They were gone when we got there. My dada said brush fires happened, but I saw the men! I did!”
“I believe ye. Can ye tell me anything about the men?”
The boy shook his head solemnly. “Nay. I was too far away.”
“’Tis alright. Ye did well. Go to yer father now.” When the boy ran off, Alec straightened and clenched his jaw. If the boy was right, this happened just shortly after he and Cora had been attacked. It was almost as if someone knew they had failed and headed to the closest village to exact their revenge.
He didn’t have enough trained men to patrol all of the MacKay villages. Any one of them could be a target, and then it would seem like he couldn’t protect his people.
“Kane, I heard rumors that some of the original guard members left when Seth took over for his father. Do ye know roughly how many?”
“I would say about two dozen.”
“Do ye know where they are now?”
“Several took refuge on McNab’s lands. They may know the rest.”
“Less than a day’s ride?”
Kane nodded. “I can leave in the morn and be back in two days’ time.”
“Good. See how many ye can bring back. We are going to need all the men that we can get.”
“Ye should speak to Mary, Cora’s friend. Her brother was one of the ones that was forced off the land when he tried to stand up to Seth.”
Alec nodded. “Jamie?”
“I will stay here tonight although I doona expect any more trouble. ’Tis likely that whoever did this will target another village.”
“Just to be safe.” There were fewer than fifty people in this village, and most were too young or too old to fight off an attack. Alec didn’t want to take any chances. “I am posting men at the surrounding villages, so I cannae leave anyone with ye.”
“’Tis alright.”
That was Jamie. Loyal to the very bone. This was not supposed to be a long assignment for them. They missed their families, but they would stay forever if Alec asked it of them.
“I could stay.”
“Nay,” Jamie growled. “Ye need to be seen at the keep, coordinating duties. Besides, Cora is a force to be reckoned with when she is angry.”
Aye. His wife was gaining boldness and power by the day. But Alec didn’t hate it.
After giving orders, he turned and headed back to the keep. Despite everything, he was looking forward to spending a night with his wife.
18
With little to do to keep her mind off Campbell and Alec and her family in England, Cora threw herself into her work. She knew that Alec didn’t approve of her scrubbing the floors and washing the clothes, but today was not the day for her to be flitting about like a useless chit. Since there were no events to coordinate and the household ran seamlessly, Cora quietly helped the servants out.
Although she returned to her chambers in time to dress before dinner so Alec would be none the wiser, she found him inside and waiting for her.
“Must I find another mistress for the keep?” He sighed as he lounged on the bed.
“Too late. I have already spread word that you are a terrible husband, so no one will have you now.” She went over to him and tugged at his shirt. “Off. Let me see your arm.”
A cheeky grin spread over his face, and he shrugged out of his shirt. “If ye want me naked, all ye have to do is ask.”
“Now is not the time to seduce. You could be bleeding through your bandage. How would that look at dinner?” she fussed. Thankfully, there was no blood, so whatever he did today, at least he didn’t harm his sutures. “I will help you bathe tonight so you don’t get them wet. Just let me change for dinner, and we can go down.”
“Actually, we’re having dinner here, and I’ve already given the orders for a bath to be set up in my room. Why havna ye moved yer wardrobe into my chambers?”
“You spend so much time here that I thought they were both your chambers,” she said lightly even as her stomach fluttered. She still wasn’t entirely sure where she and Alec stood, but it was a good sign if he wanted all of her things in his room.
Wasn’t it?
“Tomorrow make that yer priority.”
Cora nodded curtly and tried not to think about the fact that any day now, Innes might send a letter back telling her that there are no negotiations. He wanted her, and he’d be willing to go through Alec to get to her.
“Cora.” Alec was impossibly fast, even injured, and she didn’t even realize that he was out of the chair until his hand was gently grasping her elbow. “Look at me. What is wrong? Are ye worried that I cannae keep ye safe?”
He still believed that she was in danger. “No, it’s nothing like that. I’m just worried about everything.”
“I wilnae let anything happen to ye. I swear it,” he growled before he pulled her close. Gasping, her mouth was already open when he kissed her. Hot and urgent, it took her by surprise. She had no defenses against him when he was like this, and she melted against him. Her hands had just started to roam the ripple of muscles along his hard abdomen when there was a knock at the door.
“I have the dinner that ye requested, Laird Alec,” one of the serving girls said on the other side.
“Damnation, but they have terrible timing,” Alec growled against her lips before he kissed her again and released her. Stumbling back, she touched her lips as he opened the door to take the tray. “Jamie will make our excuses at dinner tonight. Hopefully Gaston will be satisfied that I’m romancing my wife.”
At that, her heart plummeted. Of course. It was all just an act. She needed to remember that. Even if her feelings were growing for him, his were not.
Pulling herself back together, she busied herself with pulling two chairs up to the table while he poured two glasses of wine. The makeshift dinner table made, she sat down and forced a smile. “So tell me about the brush fires.”
“A child saw a few people just before the fires started, but he cannae say who they were or if they started the fires. ‘Tis a small village, so it could have been any of our patrols checking in or it could be arson. We need more guards,” he sighed as he buttered his roll.
“Can you ask your brother for some?”
“He has offered, but the Sinclairs have enemies as well, and I already took some of our best men with me. I must stand on my own. I know quite a few men left when Seth took over. I have tasked Kane with trac
king them down.”
Cora brightened. Finally, something that she could do. “Mary’s brother is one of them. I’ll talk to her about getting in touch with him. I am sure they would want to work under you.”
“Ye have so much faith in me.”
Yes, she did. She believed in what he was doing here. She believed in his strength and leadership and his big heart.
Bloody hell, I am falling in love with my husband. It is getting a little embarrassing!
“I am your wife. I want to support you,” she said as she grabbed her wine and drank deeply from the cup.
“And apparently it makes ye thirsty.” He watched her with a chuckle. “I have been thinking about what ye said yesterday.”
When his voice lowered like that, all logic she had fled. She was certain she said quite a bit yesterday but she couldn’t quite fathom what he wanted to discuss.
“About our progression.”
Oh. She swallowed hard. “Yes. We maintain some civility, and...”
“Cora, I beg of ye not to finish that sentence,” he said. “I wilnae share ye, and I doona want anyone else. If ye want to talk about where we go from here, then ye need to understand that.”
A little relief swept through her. That was something at least. “I do not want anyone else, Alec. Only you.”
“Good. So then when we talk about progress, when we talk about the future, we talk about us. Together.”
Does he love me? She searched his face, those intense eyes, and wondered if there was maybe a spark of something for her, something that ran deeper than lust to win and lust for her.
“Together,” she agreed. Then she looked down at her plate. “Dinner looks delicious.”
“To hell with dinner,” he growled and pushed back his chair. Before she could ask him what he was doing, he’d pulled her up and sat her on the table, sending plates full of food and goblets full of wine crashing to the floor.
Want seared her, and she didn’t even mind or care of the mess that they were making. His heat, his need, surrounded her, and he gently tugged her braid, forcing her head back as he claimed her lips.
Hungry for his taste, she opened to him, drew in his tongue, accepted every stroke. Careful of his wound, she tugged at his shirt, wanting to feel his skin under her fingers.
“Ye want me, sweetheart?” he whispered as he let her open his shirt. His hands were busy pushing up the skirts of her dress, sliding over her sensitive thighs, coaxing out another moan.
“Always.” She always wanted him. In her arms. In her bed. By her side. Always. She missed him when he was gone, and she loved it when she saw him again.
His fingers found her wetness, and he stroked. “Ye can have me. Whenever ye want.” Withdrawing his fingers, much to her dismay, he gripped her ankles and pulled her to the edge of the table before he stepped between her legs.
She reached for the button of his trousers.
“Kilts,” she whispered as she fought with his buttons. “You really must wear kilts more often. All the time. With nothing underneath. That would make this much easier.”
“I will keep that in mind,” he laughed. Then he was free, warm, and pulsing in her hand.
The next thing she knew, he was inside her, and there was nothing else to say. She clutched at him, let him fill and stretch her, and the pleasure between them swept her away.
19
It was hours before they got back to what dinner remained on the table, and by then they were starving and didn’t care that it was cold or scattered across the table. There was something wild about eating dinner naked with his wife.
After he’d satisfied her several times.
“I’d offer to snag something hot from the kitchens, but I can’t stand the idea of putting on clothes,” Cora admitted as she snagged some cheese that was teetering on the edge of the plate. Breaking it in half, she offered it to him, and he nibbled on it straight from her fingers.
“Oh, if you keep doing that, we won’t be eating for long,” she said huskily.
Yes. This was a moment for him, and he savored it. Not that she wanted him, but that she was feeling more comfortable with him. More comfortable with how she felt about him.
They could be more. Now that he could put his suspicions aside, see her as his wife, he could see just how they could be. How their life could be.
Happiness. Security. He could see them with their bairns in their arms now, then later, chasing the ruffians around, while they both protected them and loved them.
She’d seen so much darkness, and he hadn’t helped, but now, he only wanted her in warmth and love. If he couldn’t give it to her, then he would help give her a whole family that would love her.
Except, why couldn’t he? He’d been raised in a loving family. When he was with Cora, he thought of nothing else and no one else. When he was away from her, she was never far from his mind.
“You’re staring,” she murmured. “Are you disgusted to learn that I am starving when you are finished ravishing me?”
“Ye should have told me sooner. Now all I can think about is how ye must have suffered before. Trapped in bed with me. No food.”
“Aye,” she said mocking his Scottish brogue with a sparkle in her eyes. “Suffered. Endlessly.”
“Sassenach wench.” With a growl, he snuck an arm around her waist and hauled her into his lap. The chair teetered, and he rocked forward to put it back on all four legs while she squealed.
“Hey! No more ravishing until I’ve had more food,” she protested.
“No ravishing.” He nuzzled her neck. “Just holding ye.” And relishing it. He’d come to enjoy his nights with her just so he could hold her while she slept. In his arms, she was warm and supple.
And safe.
“All right, but you need to eat too.” She held up a piece of cold chicken which he nibbled from her fingers and greedily licked her skin. Her smile lit up her whole face.
Cora was so beautiful. The men in England who’d looked at her and not seen her for the treasure that she was were idiots. Then again, she was a handful.
His handful.
The recent changes in her were unexpected. She’d fought him every step, even after their marriage, but now she suddenly wanted to try and make it work. Make them work.
He wanted this to work too, not just for his position in the clan, but because of her. Because she was his family now.
Curving his hand around her thigh, he kissed her neck. Already, his erection was hardening again. “I think one of us may have to go to the kitchens after all.”
“Why is that?”
Spinning her around so that she straddled him with her back pressed against his chest. Without saying a word, he reached between her naked legs and felt her wetness.
“Oh,” she breathed. “Yes. I think that might be a good idea.”
They didn’t drift off to sleep until close to dawn.
“Ye look awful,” Jamie snickered the next morning as they rode along the border.
Alec might have looked a bit rough with little sleep, but he was feeling just fine. “Any luck on tracing the owners of the arrows or finding evidence of Cora’s attacker?”
“Or yers?” Stephen pointed out. “Ye are the more likely target since Cora wields no power. Take ye out, and Innes can have the clan.”
It was true that Alec made an easier target. He was out more, and even though he was with his guards, he was more open to an attack from Innes. He had more warriors, resources, and allies. Cora rarely left the keep.
“I doona want myself dead either,” Alec pointed out.
“The arrows had no markings or paints on them. Also, thankful, no poisons, and we found nothing in the woods,” Jamie said as his face fell. “We need to rethink yer protection.”
“We are stretched too thin as it is. Reports from the outlying villages?” Even as he relieved the border guards, they looked drawn and wary. He needed more guards if he wanted to keep his clan safe. He needed to find those that had fle
d Seth’s nightmare reign and hope that they had not pledged fealty to another.
“There were no disturbances, however, a few men did report a young boy racing through the lands last night. He had a letter with him, but he would not say who it was from. Only who it was for.”
“And?” Alec asked.
“‘Twas for Mary, the serving girl.”
“Must be her brother. Cora had said that she would get in touch with her about him returning, but that was sooner than I expected. Much sooner. Perhaps her brother has been in touch with her all this time. I will find out where he is. Anything else?”
Jamie and Stephen shook their heads. “All right. Connor and Grace will be here this afternoon. About Grace...”
“Doona worry,” Stephen chuckled. “We wilnae let her charm her way into mischief. We know how she is.”
A hellion is what she was. Grace could charm just about anyone with a pretty smile and a few words, and that made her impossible to handle. If there was trouble to be had, Grace could find it, and because she was the sister of a powerful ally of the King, it made her a target as well.
Alec gave the new border regiment their orders and rotated the guards patrolling the outer villages. When he got the message that his brother and sister had arrived, he was a couple of hours’ ride back to the keep.
He wasn’t worried. Cora seemed to know how to be a good host even if she preferred to be the servant. However, when he got back to the keep, she was nowhere to be found.
Connor and Grace, however, had been greeted and were escorted to their chambers. “Alec!” Grace squealed and threw herself at him. Her long dark hair was flying behind her as he caught her and whirled her around. “I have missed ye! Connor is terrible to live with now that ye are gone.”
“Tell him how ye really feel,” Connor grumbled with a grin. Alec released his sister and clapped his brother on the back. “‘Tis good to see ye, Alec. I have had a chance to look around, and ye are doing well. Verra well. How are the guards taking to ye? I would have twice the patrols around the keep.”
Highlander's Beautiful Lia ( Historical Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance) Page 13