Uneasy, he rose and dressed quickly. The gown Lord Locharr had given her lay discarded upon the chair and Nairna’s grey gown was missing.
He reached down to touch the fallen garment, fingering the silk. Nairna wasn’t a woman who bothered much with fabric or gowns, but he ought to take better care of her.
His gaze settled upon the fallen stone and he leaned down to pick it up off the floor. The rough texture had been worn smooth by his fingers, after seven years of clenching it within his grasp.
When he’d first courted his wife, words hadn’t been necessary. He’d shown Nairna that he cared and she’d understood what he lacked the words to say. Right now, he needed to atone for the way he’d treated her, but with actions, not words.
He went below stairs, and stopped when he saw Nairna seated among the women, talking to them while Grizel glowered in the corner. His wife spoke words of encouragement, inviting them to return home.
‘It will be different,’ Nairna promised them. ‘But only if you make it so.’ Her eyes shifted, as if she sensed his presence. When she saw him, her face coloured, but she didn’t look away. ‘Leave the past where it belongs and start again.’
He studied her, even as he walked closer. Her brown hair was covered beneath a barbette, several strands resting upon her shoulders. It made her look younger, more innocent.
But no less desirable. Her mouth had softened, and even though she answered one woman’s question, she kept her gaze fixed upon him.
Bram ignored the other women, stepping his way around over-curious toddlers who tugged at him. Reaching down, he took Nairna’s hand in his and bade her rise.
His wife’s face blushed and she murmured an excuse, even as she let him take her away. He was grateful she’d trusted him enough to follow without question.
‘Is something wrong?’ she asked when he took her past the inner curtain wall, leading her to the stables.
He leaned in, resting his face against hers. He could smell the light scent of grass and flowers, as if she’d been sitting within the pasture earlier. Earthy and fragrant, he wanted to breathe in her scent and take it with him.
Every instinct ordered him to kiss her, to touch her the way he wanted to. But within his embrace, he sensed her tension. She wasn’t holding him in return. Her arms remained at her sides and he felt the light tremble of her nervous hands.
Was she now afraid of him? He hoped he hadn’t hurt her. Though the words wouldn’t change what had happened, he wanted her to hear the apology.
He rested his hand against the wall, forcing himself to meet her eyes openly. ‘Nairna, I didn’t mean to take you that way last night. I wasn’t myself.’
She didn’t quite meet his gaze. ‘You haven’t been yourself for a long time.’
He knew it, but there was nothing he could do to change it. He could only ask, ‘Are you all right?’
She nodded. ‘I’m fine.’
She spoke as if it were of no consequence, like an accident to be dismissed. Hearing it made him only angrier at himself. Making love to Nairna was something he’d imagined since he was a boy. He’d wanted her to desire him, to welcome him into her bed. But he didn’t know how to coax the right response from her.
‘You look better,’ she ventured, when the awkward silence continued between them.
‘I slept last night,’ he admitted. ‘For the first time in many years.’
He wished she could understand what that meant. In thanksgiving, he lowered his mouth to hers, drinking from her lips as though she were a precious chalice. He was trying to make amends, to soothe her fears. But once again, all the things he wanted to say were muted.
Instead, he rested his hands upon her back, but he didn’t pressure her. And though he wanted to share her bed a second time, he thought it best to leave her alone. At least until he’d reclaimed the control he needed.
They rode home within the gates, but throughout the journey, Nairna worried about the forthcoming night. The vision of Bram touching her again, using his mouth and hands to evoke the pleasures she’d only glimpsed last night, brought a swift reaction of moisture between her thighs.
She was both afraid and interested, if she were honest with herself. Somehow, last night, he’d released all the pent-up emotions and desires. He’d clung to her as if she were the rock that held him steady in the midst of a sea storm. And the lovemaking hadn’t been unpleasant, not at all. There had been desperate moments, when she’d been consumed by need for him. She’d felt a sense of building anticipation, falling beneath the spell of desire.
In the end, it had happened so fast, she’d been left wanting. It had taken over an hour for her to fall asleep, and even then, she was afraid of what had changed between them.
There was a chance, however slight, that their shared night would result in a child. She prayed that it might happen. But even if it didn’t, she wanted to be with Bram again.
Her husband had slept hard last night, not even waking when she’d risen from the bed. It was the first time she’d ever seen him that relaxed. And it was because of her, from the peace he’d gained in her embrace.
She thought of his bare skin warming hers and shivered at the thought of joining with him tonight. She wanted to believe that their lovemaking would be better this time. Questions burned in her mind about the intimacies of marriage, but she didn’t know who to ask.
The very idea of voicing such questions made her nervous. She couldn’t ask the chief’s wife Laren, for she hardly knew the woman. And heaven knew, she couldn’t ask the men.
Throughout the ride back to Glen Arrin, Bram had kept himself apart. He’d ridden ahead of their small travelling party, with Dougal bringing up the rear. About a dozen women had joined them, along with their children.
Though Nairna was glad of it, she hadn’t found the friendly companionship she’d been hoping for. The air was charged with tension from over-excited children and women who appeared to question their decision to come home.
Bram helped Nairna down from her horse, and held on to her waist a few moments longer. He looked as though he had a thousand things he wanted to say to her, and the fierce intensity in his eyes made her skin tingle.
He released her when Ross’s wife drew closer. Although Vanora had agreed to return, the older woman appeared wary, as if she didn’t believe the fighting had ceased.
‘Well, now,’ Vanora said with a sigh. ‘Shall we see how bad it is?’
Nairna bristled at the negative comment, though the keep did need a great deal of work. She pointed at the tower, offering, ‘It’s not so bad, really. We may need to scatter fresh rushes and sweep again, but—’
She broke off, studying Vanora and the others when she saw their gaze fixed upon the guards who stood at intervals around the outer curtain wall. ‘You’re afraid they’re going to fight again.’
Vanora’s expression twisted. ‘Not afraid. I know they will. The MacKinlochs will use any excuse to fight with the English. The foreigners haven’t conquered us yet, but it’s not for lack of trying.’ Vanora leaned in, lowering her voice. ‘It’s not right, not with our wee ones about.’
‘We’ll do what we can to keep the peace,’ Nairna said. Even so, she knew it might not be possible. Not if Bram and the others had taken Lord Cairnross’s bride.
At the entrance to the keep, Nairna saw a young maiden awaiting them. She was dressed like a queen, in embroidered blue silk and jewels, and Nairna guessed she was eighteen or nineteen years of age. Her hair was veiled, but golden strands escaped from beneath it, lifting with the wind. A silver band rested around the crown of her head.
‘Who is that?’ Vanora demanded.
‘Lady Marguerite de Montpierre,’ came Bram’s answer from behind them.
Nairna’s hopes plummeted when she mentally added up the cost of the girl’s wardrobe. If they had taken a woman like this from Lord Cairnross, there was no hope of peace. An army of English would pursue a woman of such wealth and status.
Vanora made
the sign of the cross. ‘The Virgin Mary protect us. If you stole a princess from the English, we’re all going to die.’
‘Not a princess,’ Bram admitted, ‘but her father is a French duke.’
‘Oh, well, that’s all right, then.’ Vanora rolled her eyes in disgust. ‘Have you lost your wits? Don’t you think he’ll want her back?’
‘He might,’ a male voice answered. Ross MacKinloch stood before his wife, his hand resting upon the hilt of a sheathed claymore. ‘But we’re not going to let them take her. Alex has sent word to the Lady Marguerite’s father, and I don’t doubt he will arrive soon.’
‘Or murder us all for kidnapping her,’ Vanora shot back. The acidic words held a deep fear and Nairna took a step away from the married couple.
They began to argue with one another, their voices rising with anger.
‘Don’t let them bother you,’ Bram said, resting his hand upon one shoulder. ‘They’ve always been at each other’s throats, for as long as I can remember.’
‘Then why do they stay together?’ she whispered.
Bram shook his head and shrugged. ‘They’ve been married so long, perhaps they’re used to it.’
He took her hand in his, and lifted it to his cheek. She felt the soft bristles of his stubble and suddenly remembered the feeling of his warm mouth over her flesh, the prickles abrading her skin.
Her breath formed misted clouds in the afternoon air and Nairna raised her woollen hood to guard against the cold. ‘I’ll go and welcome Lady Marguerite,’ she managed, when he released her hand.
‘I’ll see you tonight,’ Bram told her, before he departed to speak with a group of men.
Nairna couldn’t answer, for the very thought of the intimacy made her skin rise up with shivers of longing. She needed a diversion to pull her mind away. As she walked towards the keep, she hoped to hide away with the household accounts, letting the numbers pull her restless mind back to something tangible.
But first, she had to keep her word to Bram and speak to Lady Marguerite. Like an ethereal maiden, the young woman was tall and slender, her walk graceful and elegant.
Seeing the woman’s beauty, even as young as she was, made Nairna feel like a clump of mud amidst spring flowers. Still, there was nothing to be done for it. Squaring her shoulders, Nairna greeted the lady and introduced herself.
‘Bram told me that they brought you back from Cairnross,’ she ventured, hoping that Marguerite would explain what had happened.
The young maiden nodded quietly. ‘I was thankful to leave.’ Although she had a deep French accent, the woman spoke the Gaelic tongue well enough to be understood. A shudder passed over her, and she gripped the edges of her silk gown. ‘And grateful to your husband for rescuing me.’
Nairna brought the woman food to break her fast. ‘When you were at Cairnross, did you happen to see any of the prisoners?’
Marguerite inclined her head, closing her eyes in memory. ‘I learned of them on the second day.’ Her eyes opened and her fingers stilled together for a moment. ‘I could hear them screaming.’
She closed her eyes again for a moment, her lips pressed together. ‘I know what you wish to ask me. Your husband asked about his brother Callum when he agreed to take me back.’
Nairna nodded, waiting for the woman to continue. ‘Go on.’
‘They chained Callum in the centre of the fortress, for all to see. Lord Cairnross planned to make an example of him.’ Marguerite shuddered at the memory. ‘They whipped him until his blood ran into the stones. Then they left him there, as night was falling.
‘I waited until nearly everyone was gone, and I tried to help stop the bleeding. I gave him water and stayed with him for a while.
‘I suppose Lord Cairnross learned of it, for the next morn, Callum was gone. He was sent to another fortress, to the south.’
Marguerite raised her eyes to Nairna’s. ‘It was probably my fault that they moved him. I shouldn’t have interfered, I suppose. But I couldn’t stand back and watch him suffer.’
Nairna took a breath, sickened by the thought of Bram’s younger brother tormented in that way. ‘I would have done the same,’ she admitted.
‘I pray that they didn’t kill him.’ Marguerite finished her meal and looked around. ‘Thank heaven, your husband and the chief freed the other prisoners. And me.’
‘Will your betrothed husband come after you?’ Nairna asked. She was certain Lord Cairnross wouldn’t allow his bride to be abducted without seeking retribution.
Marguerite shrugged. ‘Even if he does, I won’t wed him.’ A ruthless expression swept over her face, transforming her regal demeanour into that of a warrior. ‘I wish he’d been killed in the fight. He deserved it, for what he did to those men.’
Changing the subject, Marguerite continued, ‘The chief has sent word to my father, to bring me home again.’
‘Where is your father now?’
‘In Edinburgh.’ Marguerite’s expression dimmed. ‘I fear it will take some time before he can be here. But I know he’ll come for me.’
In the meantime, Nairna fully expected Lord Cairnross to attack Glen Arrin. By freeing the prisoners and seizing his bride, Bram and Alex had struck a blow against the man’s pride. Nerves twisted within her stomach, and she wondered whether Bram and the others would be ready for the fight.
Marguerite rose and offered, ‘I fear I’m not good with household matters, but I will do what I can to help you until my father arrives.’ The woman’s furtive glance around showed her dismay at the broken-down keep.
Nairna no longer worried about all the work to be done. With the women returning from Locharr, they could accomplish a great deal. She looked around for Alex’s wife Laren, but saw no sign of her.
Before she could ask Marguerite anything, her attention was drawn to three riders approaching on horseback. Nairna shielded her eyes against the sun, and a fierce joy broke over her when she saw her maid Jenny arriving with two of her father’s men.
She ran to the older woman, embracing her after one of the escorts helped Jenny down from her mount. ‘I’m so glad to see you,’ she wept.
She felt like a foolish little girl, but seeing her maid again was something she hadn’t expected. Aye, Bram had told her he would send for Jenny, but a part of her hadn’t really believed it. He’d kept his word and this was a gift that meant everything to her.
The older woman patted Nairna’s shoulders, ‘Now, now. No tears, Nairna.’
When she drew back, Jenny’s wrinkled face pulled back in a smile. ‘These old bones need a bit of rest after such a journey.’
‘Come inside.’ Nairna supported the woman as she walked within the keep.
Jenny’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the unkempt Hall. ‘I see we’ve work ahead of us, haven’t we?’
‘Not for you,’ Nairna corrected. ‘Rest yourself and have something to eat and drink.’ She nodded at Lady Marguerite to follow her. ‘Before we do anything else, we’re going to find Alex’s wife, Lady Laren. Do you know where she is?’
‘Oui,’ Marguerite confirmed. ‘She went with her daughters to the loch, early this morn.’
Nairna wasn’t surprised to hear it. But Laren had been avoiding Glen Arrin long enough.
Today, she intended to find out exactly what secrets the chief’s wife was hiding.
Chapter Fourteen
The heavy weight of the axe was welcome, as Bram swung to cut down a fir tree. The physical labour demanded more energy than he had, but he ignored the pain and toiled through it. He wanted to finish the house for Nairna and live beneath their own roof, as soon as possible.
Seven other clansmen worked alongside him, and there was a noticeable difference in their demeanour, now that some of the women and children had returned. They seemed preoccupied, their glances slipping towards the keep in the valley.
‘So Vanora returned, did she?’ Alex said to Ross. The two men worked to build a frame around the house and Ross gave a shrug.
�
�She did. Though I’m not certain why. It might’ve been better had she stayed.’
‘You won’t be saying that tonight,’ one of the other men teased, ‘when she’s sharing your bed.’
A gleam brightened in Ross’s expression. ‘Aye. Even if she’s a sharp-tongued woman, she knows how to use her tongue in the right way.’
Bram didn’t join in with the roar of laughter from the other men. The conversation grew bawdy, with the men boasting about how long their shaft was, when they lifted the support beams into place.
‘I know you’ve been enjoying marriage, haven’t ye, lad?’ Ross laughed, wiping his forehead with his hat. ‘You’re hoping we can finish this house tonight, aren’t you? Have a bit of privacy with your bride.’
‘I don’t want her to have to sleep in the grain shed much longer,’ Bram agreed, ‘and, aye, I want it finished.’
‘We’ll get the walls up,’ Alex said. ‘That I can promise, Brother.’
‘And when Nairna comes back, Bram will get the rest up.’ Ross wheezed with laughter, but Bram couldn’t smile at the revelry.
He returned to the fir trees he’d cut and began stripping away the smaller branches. While they meant no harm with their teasing, it only reminded him of how he’d lost control of himself that night. He’d taken his wife with hardly any thought or care, and though she claimed he hadn’t hurt her, neither had he pleasured her.
The rough bark splintered his hands, and in the distance he spied one of the women bringing a drink of water to her husband. The water dripped over the man’s neck as he drank, then he gave his wife a kiss of thanks.
Watching them together was like seeing himself with Nairna, seven years ago. And when the man reached down and lifted his toddling son into the air, ruffling the boy’s hair, Bram wondered if he would ever have children with Nairna.
The fierce need made him turn away to hide his envy. There was only one way he could have such a life. He had to keep a tight rein over his desires and thoughts, so that he would never again lose control or awareness.
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