“Oh, good,” she breathed, stepping back from him and placing her hand on her neck as she stretched her head from side to side. “Riding with you will be much better than what I endured today, I can assure you. Oh! I’d better go help.”
Ride with him? He really must start paying attention to Leah’s words when she spoke. Easier said than done when she insisted on putting her hands on him. Now, thanks to his inattention, he’d have to spend the whole of tomorrow with her body pressed against his.
He could almost guarantee he’d be remembering those hands-and-knees visions before the day was out.
The early evening flew by as he tended his horse and gathered wood for the fire. The next thing he knew, their meal was done and his fellow travelers began settling down for their night’s rest, preparing for another day’s journey with the sun’s rise.
“I’ve readied our bedding.” Leah waited for him, the wavering light from the firepit dancing over her face.
The time he’d both looked forward to and dreaded all day had finally come. Though he’d avoided close contact with Leah for the last two nights, there was hardly any way he could keep his distance now. Not with everyone around expecting them to behave as any normal man and wife would.
A glance to his sister and Ran offered little solace. They lay close together, their young daughter cuddled against her mother’s side.
Leah held out her hand and he made his way around the fire to join her. Her fingers were cold in his grasp, betraying her outward calm.
They lay down together on their sides, her back against his chest, just as they had lain three nights ago. Just as they would lie for years to come once they married.
The scent of her hair filled his nostrils and he pulled her close, burying his nose in the golden locks. He held her there, feeling her body relax against him, listening to her breathing slow.
He had no idea how long he lay that way, too conscious of Leah in his arms to find the elusive sleep he needed.
Too long, that much he knew.
When the pain in his leg demanded he change position, he rolled to his back. To his surprise, she followed, rolling toward him and fitting her head into the crook of his arm.
Little more than smoldering embers remained of the fire, the light it cast negligible. Only the faint glow of the moon allowed him any sight of her at all. Her lips, parted in sleep, were an invitation if ever he’d seen one.
An invitation he couldn’t quite force himself to ignore.
Gently, he lowered his lips to hers, barely brushing against her warm skin. Beneath his touch, she moaned, pressing her body against his.
He pulled his head back, fighting the need that swept over him. The urge to take her might be strong, but he hadn’t lost all sense of propriety.
Not yet, anyway. Come this time tomorrow, after a day spent with her body rubbing against his, he might not have the strength to say the same.
Without a doubt, he’d gotten himself into more trouble than he’d bargained for when he’d pulled her from the loch’s icy grip.
But as she moved again, tossing one slender arm over his chest and snuggling against him, he also had no doubt that, given the chance to do it all again, he’d make the same choice.
Eagerly.
Seventeen
Leah had never considered herself a delicate, nervous type of female. She preferred to think of herself as a strong woman, one who could handle just about anything Fate could toss her way without blinking. Even during the past two days of madness as the entire household at MacPherson Hall readied themselves to travel, she’d managed to maintain her calm and keep that self-image intact.
But in this last half hour or so, circumstances had done their best to shatter that notion of her self-image.
She stood in the MacKiernan laird’s solar at Dun Ard with Drew at her side, his arm around her shoulders. Moreland accompanied them, like the proverbial ball and chain.
Truly, she was growing to despise the blighted man, based solely on his annoying persistence.
Waiting for the MacKiernan laird to meet with them, she tried to clear her mind. If she thought too long about where she was, she feared she might be physically ill. She stood in the den of Faerie descendants she’d managed to avoid for the last decade. This was it. She’d finally reached the people who had the power to help her save the MacQuarries. Soon she would know whether or not they also had the will. Her mission was complete.
Sort of. She wouldn’t actually be able to ask the laird for the help she needed until they could manage to get rid of Moreland.
That, as much as the tension she felt flowing off Drew, had set her nerves on edge. Still, she thought she was doing a pretty good job of hiding it.
“All will be well, dearling. Dinna fash yerself so.” Drew’s whispered attempt to comfort would seem to contradict her impression.
“No fashing going on here. I’m totally fine,” she whispered back, working hard to convince herself that just because her knees felt as if they might buckle under her at any moment, that didn’t mean she wasn’t fine.
“Fine, are you? My mistake. It must be some other woman who trembles at my side.”
How she could find such a smart-ass even the least bit attractive was beyond her.
At the thought, her heart started to pound in time with the flutter in her stomach.
She was likely making the biggest mistake of her life. To admit that attraction, even to herself, was far from smart.
They were only playing at this husband-and-wife thing. Drew might have thought to keep her away from Dun Ard by threatening her with an honest-to-God marriage at the church’s door, but he’d seriously underestimated her if he thought she would let a little thing like getting married stop her from getting help for her grandparents.
Besides, they both knew that once they were married and Moreland had taken off, she and Drew could have the marriage annulled. No big deal.
Even if it did feel like a big deal.
She just had to keep her wits about her.
After they’d agreed that marriage would be the only way to get rid of Moreland, the only way to convince him she wasn’t the woman he hunted, Drew’s attitude had changed. Nothing she could exactly put her finger on, but a change nevertheless. Whether it was their confrontation about his having kept his identity from her or the situation forcing him into a marriage he didn’t want, she couldn’t say.
What she could say was that from that moment, it felt as if he actively sought to keep a distance between them, even going back to sleeping on the floor rather than sharing that big bed with her. She’d offered to put a bolster down the middle between them and still he’d refused to sleep near her.
Until last night.
Although, in truth, he’d had no other option with everyone watching. It was expected. And he’d played his part to the hilt, holding her close all through the night.
A shiver went up her spine at the memory, and the arm he had around her shoulders now tightened.
As much as she hated to admit it, it would be easy to get used to having him around. Too easy.
“Thank you for yer patience. Do be seated.”
The older of the men who entered the room beckoned toward the waiting chairs and they sat. Obviously the laird they awaited, he wore his authority like an invisible garment. Not haughty or arrogant, simply in charge.
One of the men who accompanied him stood to the right of the laird’s chair while the other two took up positions farther back, flanking their laird.
“Welcome home, Drew. It appears you’ve got yerself a bit of explaining to do, cousin, but we’ll wait for yer lady mother to arrive for that story.” The MacKiernan laird turned the full power of his icy blue stare toward Moreland. “For now, perhaps yer guest would be kind enough to explain the presence of English soldiers in my courtyard.”
Moreland, to his credit, dipped his head respectfully. “Sir Peter Moreland. I’d like to assure you, your lairdship, no concern is necessary by an
y except traitors to the royal house and those who shelter them.”
Once again Drew’s hold tightened on her hand.
“I’m sure I dinna need to tell you, Moreland, these are turbulent times in our land. The MacKiernan learned long ago the best way to protect our people was to avoid taking sides in political battles. You’ll find no traitors in the lands I control, of that I can assure you.”
“I’m pleased to hear it, your lairdship. In addition to searching for rebels, we also seek a runaway. A young woman who is promised to wed my uncle, Lord Henry Moreland. Beyond that, my men and I are here to honor the friendship struck with your young kinsman and his bride. We desired only to see them safely to the end of their journey and to celebrate their formal union with them.”
The laird continued to hold the knight in his piercing stare. “Since we’ve had no unaccompanied young women unknown to us arrive here at Dun Ard and my cousin and his bride are now safely with us, I can assume that you and yer men will be on yer way soon?”
Moreland’s perpetual false smile, the one Leah had rarely seen reach his eyes, returned to his lips.
“Soon. My men and I will stay until after MacAlister and his bride are formally wed. To show our respect, you understand.”
“Of course.” The laird nodded thoughtfully before sending a smile of his own the knight’s direction. “We’ll see to quarters for the lot of you. How many might that be?”
Moreland chuckled, holding up a hand. “No, I wouldn’t think of imposing on you, your lairdship. You need quarter only myself and my squire. My men will be camping outside your gates in preparation for the arrival of the remainder of my army. And I assure you, good sir, their number is much too large to impose upon your hospitality.”
He was assembling all of his men here? That couldn’t be a good thing.
“Very well. It will be so. If that’s all, sir knight, I’d ask that you excuse us now. It seems we’ve family matters to discuss to ready ourselves for a wedding celebration.”
One of the men behind the laird moved to the door, holding it open for Moreland’s departure.
At the door Moreland paused as if he’d forgotten something of importance. “I should like to add, your lairdship, as an aside I’m sure you’ll find humorous, the description we were given of the missing woman matches that of MacAlister’s new bride.”
If Leah had thought her knees weak earlier, she hadn’t known what weak knees really felt like.
She did now.
“You’ll find there’s no a lack of fair young women to be found within Scotland’s borders, Moreland. Within our own walls, we’ve many who could fit such a description.”
“I don’t doubt that, your lairdship. But even you’ll admit the coincidence a strange one when I tell you they also share the same given name. Leah. The woman we seek is Leah MacQuarrie of MacQuarrie Keep. Which reminds me.” At last he turned, a predatory smile lighting his eyes. “I don’t believe I ever learned your bride’s surname.”
“Noble,” Leah replied before Drew could answer. “And I can give you the names of my parents and siblings if you’d like.”
“Not necessary, my dear. I apologize if I’ve offended. It’s simply that I find the coincidence fascinating.”
“No offense taken, sir.” No offense, perhaps, but a buttload of stomach-churning anxiety. Not to mention guilt.
For a woman who disliked Faeries as much as she did, it was impossible to ignore the profound irony in her situation. Standing here in a roomful of Faerie descendants, she felt threatened by only one—a plain old Mortal.
Perhaps there was more to what Sallie had said about finding the good and evil you seek than she’d considered. She’d found evil in the Fae because she’d looked for it there.
“If that’s all?” The laird paused for an instant, his gaze still on Moreland until the knight nodded. “Very well. Simeon, please deliver Sir Moreland to the care of our chamberlain to see to his accommodations and then find Lady Rosalyn and bring her here to join us.”
The young man at the door bowed his head before escorting Moreland from the room.
“Noble, eh?” Drew cocked an eyebrow as he whispered. “That was an interesting choice.”
Interesting, indeed, but not in the way he thought. After all these years, using her real name had felt as much a lie on her tongue as if she’d claimed her name was Smith.
“You warned me once to stick close to the truth. I’m only doing as you advised.”
Drew looked as if he would question her response but the door opened and a woman swept in, her gaze fixing on the two of them as she made her way to Drew’s side. He was on his feet instantly, accepting the kiss she placed on his cheek before she seated herself in the chair he’d vacated next to Leah.
“Sallie tells me I’ve a new daughter.” She took up one of Leah’s hands between her own, catching her gaze and holding it.
Her eyes were the same penetrating blue as the laird’s were, and being caught in their snare made Leah feel the need to squirm.
This was Lady Rosalyn, the woman Mairi had told her to find if she ever needed help. And yet, here she was, on their first meeting, doing her best to deceive this woman who could mean the difference between life and death to Grandpa Hugh.
Rosalyn looked from her to Drew and back again before she spoke. “And it appears Sallie has the right of it.” With a pat to Leah’s hand, Rosalyn sat back in her seat, apparently satisfied by whatever scrutiny she’d performed.
“Yer mother may be well pleased, but you’ve explaining yet to do, little brother.” The man at the laird’s side spoke up for the first time. “Dragging an army of Englishmen to our doorstep is no a good thing, in case you’ve no realized it.”
Drew, who had moved to stand at her side as if on guard, now placed a hand on her shoulder. “We had no choice. Moreland insisted. I believe he suspects Leah is the woman he seeks.”
“And is she?”
Drew moved directly behind her, both hands on her shoulders now. No doubt he was concerned she’d forget their agreement not to broach the subject of rescuing her grandparents until after they’d married and Moreland had taken his men and left Dun Ard. He had no need to worry. She might not be an expert on reading people, but it didn’t take an expert to realize this tension-filled room was no place to throw out a request for a risky rescue mission.
“She’s my wife, Caden,” Drew insisted stubbornly. “Once we formalize the marriage at the door of the church, Moreland and his men will leave.”
The man who’d stood silent behind the laird stepped forward, his long brown hair sweeping over his shoulder as he dipped his head. “It’s been my experience that English soldiers dinna leave anywhere peacefully. No matter what they promise.”
Drew’s fingers tightened on her shoulder. “I may no have yer experience in fighting the English, Dair, but I’ve dealt with many a man in my journeys. This one will leave when he’s satisfied that he’s wrong.”
Dair shrugged and stepped back, as if he’d spoken his piece and was done.
“If yer the MacQuarrie lass,” the laird began, but Rosalyn interrupted.
“It’s of no matter, Blane. No now. Andrew claims her as his wife and that’s all we need to concern ourselves over.” Rosalyn rose to her feet, pulling Leah to stand with her. “The four of you lads can stay and blether on for as long as you like. My new daughter needs a proper welcome to her new home and a good rest after days of travel. As for me, I have a wedding celebration to arrange.”
Leah looked to Drew, who nodded his reassurance before she allowed Rosalyn to lead her out into the hallway.
As the woman said, they had a wedding to plan.
Eighteen
Leah lay alone on the bed in the little room where Rosalyn had left her. The sun had long since gone down and still there was no sign of Drew.
She pushed up off the bed and crossed to the fireplace, staring into the dancing flames.
Maybe he wasn’t coming at all. Maybe h
is family wouldn’t permit them to share a room until they said their formal vows.
Maybe he’d completely forgotten about her now that he was home.
Dropping to her knees, she wiped an errant tear from her cheek.
Stupid girl. Obviously an evening spent in her own company wasn’t a good thing for her. It allowed her overactive imagination to take flight from reality.
Besides, it shouldn’t matter whether he showed up or not. It was ridiculous of her to even fret over it. If they’d put Moreland in some other part of the keep, there was no need for him to pretend they shared a room. After all, he’d brought her to the place she needed to be, just as he’d said he would. The least she could do was let him get back to his normal life.
Normal? That might be stretching things a bit. As normal as possible with an English knight in the castle and his growing army camped outside the gates.
Soon enough they’d go through the wedding performance for Moreland’s sake and get rid of the obnoxious knight. Then she’d be free to return to MacQuarrie Hall with men at her side to rescue Grandpa Hugh and Grandma Mac.
If the MacKiernan laird agreed to help, that is. And from the we-don’t-get-involved speech he gave Moreland this afternoon that was feeling like a pretty big if at the moment.
Only the door swinging open saved her from dissolving into a puddle of self-pity.
“Come with me. I’ve a surprise for you.” Drew stood in the doorway, his arms filled with a bundle of fabric, a half grin decorating his gorgeous face.
“What?” She stood, unable to tear her gaze from him. His hair hung in damp tendrils at his neck, as if he’d just climbed out of a bath.
The grin grew larger. “If I tell you what it is, it willna be much of a surprise now, will it? Come on with you.” He reached out as he took the three steps toward her, grasping her hand when he reached her. “Dinna be a spoilsport.”
He looked happier than she’d seen him in days so, what the heck, she followed along after him like a good little wife.
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