“You will? Why?”
Alex shrugged. “Ye are awake now. I canna vera well stay in here, but ye havenae been awake long. If ye need something, someone needs to be close by.”
“Then why not the healer or the housekeeper? What was her name again?”
“Hagatha and they have all sought their beds already. Goodnight, lass.”
“Goodnight,” Brighde whispered.
~~~
“Nay! Nay! Dinna!”
Alex awoke with a start. He shook his head and looked around to determine what woke him. He scrubbed his hands over his face and yawned. He was just about to close his eyes again when he heard a blood-curdling scream come from within his chamber. He was on his feet before he realized it and was already pulling his sword from its scabbard. He put his ear to the door but could not hear anyone moving about. He could hear whimpering and his heart began to pound in double time. Cautiously, in case there was someone in the chamber, he pushed the door open. He scanned the room, but there was no one in sight other than the small form that lay thrashing on his bed. He lowered his sword and looked around once more. Convinced that they were alone, he returned his sword to its scabbard and leaned it next to the foot of the bed. He walked over to the side of the bed and gently placed his hand on Brighde’s forehead. He did not feel any signs of fever.
“Lass.” He tried to gently shake her shoulder, but she was too deeply in the throes of her nightmare. “Mary.” He shook her a little harder hoping that he could wake her from whatever was terrorizing her sleep.
“Nay. Dinna take me.” Alex had to lean forward to hear what Brighde now whispered. He could barely hear her. She continued to thrash about in her sleep, but now Alex could see big, fat tears leak from the corners of her eyes. Her thrashing suddenly ceased, and she began to whimper. Alex was at a loss as to what to do. As her whimpers became sobs, he made a decision and scooped her into his arms. He sat down on the bed with his back against the wall and cradled her in his arms.
“Shh, lass. Ye’re alright now. I have ye. I willna let aught happen to ye. Shh, aon bheag.” She did seem like a little one as he gently rocked her until her tears slowed, and she finally began to breathe evenly. Her eyes gently fluttered open, but Alexander could see that her vision was still hazy. She blinked several times and took a deep breath. As Alex’s fresh scent filled her senses, she nuzzled into his chest, burrowing her head against his shoulder. Her hand slowly reached for his chest, and when it brushed against his skin, Alex felt a tingle race through his entire body. Brighde’s eyes drifted closed as her hand slid back and forth. The motion seemed to soothe them both, and Alex felt both of their bodies relax.
“Mary, lass. Are ye well?” Alex whispered next to her ear.
Brighde’s hand stopped, and she opened her eyes. Alex watched her as she became alert to where she was. She leaned far enough away to be able to clearly see Alex’s face, but she did not pull away.
“What happened? Why are you here?” Brighde suddenly felt very much awake as she realized that she was tucked into Alex’s arms and sprawled across his lap.
“Ye were having a nightmare, mo leannan. I heard ye crying out while I was in the passageway. I came to be sure there wasna anyone harming ye, and when I saw nay one in here, I checked to see if yer fever returned. Ye were cool to ma hand, but ye began to cry. I didna ken what else to do, so I held ye. I dinna want ye to ever be scared while ye are here. I dinna ken what brought ye here, but I ken someone mistreated ye vera badly before ye arrived, and ye murmured quite a bit while fevered. Now ye’ve had a nightmare.” He brushed the hair from her face while looking down into her silvery gray eyes. “I willna ask ye what happened, at least nae now, but I will make sure ye are always safe while ye are our guest here.”
Brighde was so shaken by the nightmare, which she could only piece back together in her mind, and the gentleness of the man holding her that all she could do was nod. Alex’s gaze traveled over her as if to reassure himself that she was truly well. He shifted and began to place her on the bed next to him. She grabbed the front of his leine and shook her head.
“Not yet. Please don’t leave me yet.” Brighde could not believe her ears that she was begging this man that she barely knew to stay in a bedchamber with her, alone, but she was too overwhelmed to let go of the only anchor she had. She felt more grounded when Alex was near. She did not understand the calm and excitement that alternately coursed through her when Alex was near, but she knew at that moment that she needed him and his strength.
“I willna leave ye. I will wait until ye drift back to sleep, then I will sleep next to the fire. I will leave before the sun rises and move back to the other side of the door. I dinna want anyone to talk out of turn about ye.”
“Thank you,” was followed by a yawn, and Brighde’s eyes fluttered shut. She quickly settled into a deep sleep, and when Alex felt her breathing slow, he gently placed her back onto the mattress. He covered her with the sheet and a plaid and made his way over to the hearth where he settled down to spend an uneasy rest of the night. Worried that her nightmare might return, Alex never completely surrendered himself to sleep. As the first rays of light began to peek across the horizon, he slipped back into the passageway. He quickly fell asleep and was able to capture a couple of hours of sleep before the keep began to stir. Alex rubbed his eyes and stood up to stretch. He opened the door a sliver and looked in on Brighde who was now sleeping peacefully. He closed the door as quietly as he opened it.
Chapter Five
The next sennight passed like a blur for Alexander but felt interminable for Brighde. Alexander woke stiff and somewhat sore each morning from sleeping on the floor. Most nights he continued to sleep just outside the door to his chamber, but three nights were spent lying next to his hearth after calming Brighde’s night terrors. He was awake before most of the keep, so he would check on Brighde, who often slept through most of the morning, before making his way into the kitchens where he grabbed a couple of apples and one of the first bowls of porridge being prepared. He made his rounds to check on the guardsmen who stood duty that night before, and once assured that all was as it should be, he made his way out to the lists. He ran through some exercises and drills to loosen his tight muscles before any of the other men arrived. He then spent the entire morning training. Almost half the week was spent having his noon meal of bread and cheese out on the training field. He came into the Great Hall for his noon meal only three times. The afternoons were spent checking in on Brighde and then assisting his father with clan business. He wanted to take all his evening meals with Brighde, but he understood that would only fuel the gossip that had begun to circulate after his month of playing nursemaid. He allowed himself three evenings of having his supper with her during which she spoke little but encouraged him to talk. She still grew tired easily and retired early. Alex would return to the Great Hall to sit before the fire with his father and discuss the day and plan for the next. Alex felt like he spent most of his day in motion, and it was a welcome relief after so much time spent indoors and worrying.
Brighde thought she was going to go stir crazy. Each day she felt a bit better but could admit to herself that she was still weaker than she had ever been before. Despite a month of being in a deep sleep, she tired easily and needed more than one nap a day. However, it was the hours that she was awake and alone that nearly drove her mad. She was eager to get out of bed for as long as she could. Alex brought her various books from his father’s solar which she appreciated immensely. Without the books, she would have had nothing to do but stare at the walls. Until her desperate flight from pursuers, she had been a deep and sound sleeper. The two weeks of traveling alone made her wake easily to the smallest disturbance. She heard Alex move around every morning but decided the less said the better. She would creep to the window embrasure and watch Alex as he made his way out to the lists. From the height of the window and its position in the keep, she could just make him out when he was alone on the field. She also lis
tened for the men to return to the keep for the afternoon, and if she was alone, she would sneak a look out of the window hoping to catch a glance. She was often rewarded with a view of him shirtless. She was becoming more and more accustomed to his presence throughout the day, and while she did not want to admit it, she longed for his company. Hagatha and Aileen visited her regularly, but it was never quite the same as when Alex came to see her. She encouraged him to do most of the talking even though she knew he wanted to question why she did not want to speak more. He had even mentioned once that her voice would only grow stronger if she practiced. She agreed and then suggested that he continue the story that he had been in the middle of telling. She learned a great deal about his childhood with four siblings. By the end of that sennight, she felt like she knew them personally without ever having seen them. Knowing that Alex would not be satisfied without her sharing at least some information about her past, she settled on the most neutral facts that she could think of, and they were the most obvious. She had a mother, a father, and two brothers who were older than she was, and four siblings who were younger than her. She told him of her garden and her dog, but when he began to press for details about why she left those behind, she feigned fatigue. She kept her voice to barely above a whisper even though she knew that it grew stronger each day since she practiced when she was alone. She moved about the room and walked circles around the perimeter to help her regain her strength. It was during one of these tours, that Alex came for an unexpected midmorning visit. He knocked so softly that she did not hear it before the door opened. She was near the window and spun around to see him watching her. She knew it was him before she saw him or even caught the scent of his freshly washed hair and skin. She noticed that he always made a point of being clean before he visited her even when she thought he came straight from training.
“Lass, it is good to see ye up and aboot. Ye are looking better each day. Far less peaky than even a couple of days ago.” Alex left the door ajar and moved further into the room. When Brighde only nodded her head and tried to turn back to look out of the window, he moved swiftly across the room.
“Lass, has the cat gotten yer tongue of a sudden? Ye arenae even speaking to me today. Usually, I get at least a few words from ye even if ye keep pretending that ye can only whisper.”
With this veiled accusation, Brighde turned fully towards Alex, arms crossed, and an eyebrow raised. She cocked her head to one side.
“Dinna think that standing there trying to challenge me is going to distract me from the fact that ye arenae actually talking.”
He inched slightly closer without infringing on her personal space. She seemed used to his presence, but he saw her shrink back the first time she met his father. He could tell there was a fear of imposing men, which his father was without trying. He did not want her to ever feel threatened by him.
“Lass, if ye arenae going to speak, then I will tell ye what I have been thinking since the first time ye awoke.” When she did not stop him, he continued. “I dinna believe ye are a Sassenach. Ye forget that ye spoke before ye collapsed. I also ken what I heard when ye first came round after being unconscious for a moon. And what ye have muttered in yer sleep.”
“You must have heard incorrectly. The wind was blowing a gale.” Bluidy hell, now what am I to do? He canna have heard me say that much. I ken I can do this. I can keep this going. I’ve practiced this accent plenty over the years.
“I ken what I heard. What are ye hiding? Or better yet, from whom are ye hiding? Lass, I canna protect ye if I dinna ken who the threat is or where it might come from. Ye clearly were running from something or someone.”
Brighde turned her head to look out of the window and refused to look at him. He watched as her shoulders slowly crept towards her ears, and she seemed to huddle into herself.
“Now I ken for sure ye are hiding something. Have we nae offered ye the safety of our home? Have I done ought to harm ye?” Why is she being so stubborn? What is she hiding from me? Dammit, I only want to protect her.
She only shook her head and continued to look out of the window. Alex came to stand behind her and put his hands on her arms. It was the first time he touched her while she was awake that was not to soothe her after a nightmare. He felt her tense under his hands and released her as he took a step back. She whirled around so quickly that she bumped into his chest.
“You have not done anything to harm me, and I appreciate your generosity and hospitality. I regret that my stay may have been an imposition.”
“Ye ken I never said that. I never even hinted at that. Ye were looking for the Sinclairs that night, and ye found us. Why canna ye tell me the reason for coming to us?”
“I knew that I traveled north, and I heard from a village about a day away that yours was the next castle. With the storm, I was unsure that I hadn’t lost my sense of direction. I was just glad that I finally knew where I was.”
“That dinna ring true, and ye ken it. What are ye hiding? Who are ye hiding from?” I dinna want to bully her, but I will get the truth sooner or later. I just want it to be sooner.
“I am not hiding.” Like a dog with a bone, he is. She had to tilt her head back all the way to look up at him when she stood this close. He towered over her, and she was considered fairly tall for a woman. She watched as his jaw set, and she saw his arms move as though he wanted to cross them. His feet had somehow spread slightly. She had seen this stance from both him and his father when they spoke to the men in the bailey or when she saw the men greeting Alex in the lists. She came to recognize it as his most comfortable way of standing. It just happened to be imposing and intimidating. She gave him a mutinous glare and moved to step around him. His hand shot out with lightning speed but grasped her arm with the force of a butterfly. She could have broken away easily, but something held her in place.
Both of them stood staring at the other while some type of invisible message passed between them. One that neither of them could see or hear, but they both sensed. Neither of them seemed willing to pull away, but neither was sure of what move to make next as the moment drew out. They were drawn together like a lodestone, leaning towards each other. Alex gently brushed the hair from Brighde’s cheek and tucked it behind her ear. Her hand absentmindedly plucked at a loose thread on his leine. Neither could take their eyes off the other, and time stilled as Alex leaned forward. As his lips brushed hers, she spread her palms on his chest, and when she did not push him away, Alex pressed his mouth against hers a little more firmly. He did not want to scare her, but when her hands fisted into the front of his shirt, he pulled her more tightly into his embrace. With his feet parted, she fit perfectly in his arms. If asked who deepened the kiss first, neither would have been able to answer. The kiss began to take on a nature of its own, growing in heat and intensity. Alex brushed his thumb along her jaw and pressed lightly on her chin as his tongue slowly swept across the seal of her lips. Brighde was not sure what he wanted her to do, but what her mind did not know, her body seemed to. She opened her mouth and felt the velvety smoothness of his tongue move inside. It swept around her mouth and twirled with hers. Alex’s hand slid back to cradle her head as his other arm pulled her in yet again. Brighde’s arms crept up to wrap around Alex’s neck, and she stood on her tiptoes to reach him better. Tentatively, she brushed her tongue against his and then slid it into his mouth where it was warm and tasted of mint. She did not recognize the mewling sound she heard as coming from her until she also heard a growl of pleasure come from Alex. She could feel the vibration from the back of his throat against her tongue. It was all she needed to hear to make her press her soft and malleable body against the hard and immovable planes of his. The arm wrapped around her waist slid down to her backside and rested there. When Brighde moaned softly, Alex firmed his grip and walked them towards the wall. When Brighde’s back brushed against it, he lifted her off her feet. Before either could think about it, her legs wrapped around his waist. Now even in height, their kiss became almost
uncontrollable. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Alex knew he should stop. He knew from her initial kiss that she was inexperienced and that this was her first taste of passion. He knew he should be the responsible one since he clearly had far more experience, but no rational thought could have made him pull away. He drank up the sweet taste of her mouth as he gripped her backside tighter. He felt her press her core against his groin, and he thanked God that his sporran hid is rock hard cock. While all he wanted to do was plunge into her again and again until they both found their release, he knew that feeling such a turgid erection would probably terrify her.
Christ on the cross, I have never wanted a woman so damned much. I could spill maself now without her even touching ma cock. I want to taste every inch of her and drive ma cock into her until she’s screaming ma bluidy name. Sweet Jesu, she feels so good. I dinna want to frighten her, but good God I want to stick ma hands under her skirts and feel her juices on ma fingers.
Brighde ran her hands through Alex’s hair marveling at how soft it was. Her fingers played against the rough bristle on his cheeks and then slid to the sinews of his shoulders. Her fingers could not get enough of the sensation of touching him. She thought and wondered constantly about what he would feel like to touch. He held her after her nightmares more than once, and she felt a cocoon of warmth and security each time, but she had also been so exhausted that she had not been able to fully enjoy the feel of being pressed against him. Now she wanted to absorb every detail. She could feel her core aching as she tried to get even closer. It was almost as though she wanted to climb inside of him, frustrated that there was no way to get any closer. Her legs squeezed him, and she became aware of how her hips ground into his lower abdomen.
What has come over me? He will think me loose and wanton. I didna want him to think I’m a whore, but my goodness, what is he doing to me? I’m on fire, and I ache for him. I dinna ken what is happening to me, but I feel empty and like he is the only one who can make that feeling go away.
His Highland Prize (The Clan Sinclair Book 3) Page 5