“Was that the only reason?”
Lachlan stopped in his tracks. “No. I knew she’d be stubborn about marrying me, so I made it easier for both of us.”
“No,” Artair said emphatically. “You feared she’d reject you so you made the decision for her. And being you had no doubt she loved you, you assumed all would turn out well.”
“Didn’t you think the same yourself once?”
“The difference being Zia made her wishes known and refused to comply with my sensible solution,” Artair said.
“I can’t believe I’m going to ask you this,” Lachlan said, shaking his head. “How do I fix it?”
Artair rested his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “As difficult as it may be, you give her a choice, or she will never truly be yours.”
Zia’s cheerful shout had Artair hurrying off and Lachlan continuing his walk to the cottage. He thought he could make Alyce happy, replace her family with a new one. More recently he thought if he could find something that would happily occupy her time all would be well, but he was wrong.
His decision to wed her without asking had been a selfish one. Having gotten a chance to know Alyce through Terese he should have known better. He ran his fingers roughly through his hair, scraping along his scalp in frustration. He had certainly gotten himself into a situation, and now he had to get himself out of it. Was there a chance he would lose his wife because of his own misgivings?
He opened the door to the cottage prepared to talk with her and found it empty.
He stepped outside and looked over the village but saw Alyce nowhere. An overcast sky had joined the chilled day and rain appeared likely. It would be a good day to spend indoors talking. With heavy strides he hurried off to find his wife.
Alyce balanced Tavish on her hip. He was a joyful lad with dark inquisitive eyes that found delight in everything. He was barely a year and already eager to walk completely on his own, though his legs had yet to agree.
“This is fascinating,” Honora said with glee as she shifted Ronan from one hip to another.
Ronan, like his twin brother, was eager to be on his feet, but since Alyce was teaching Honora about tracking in the woods, the two lads were stuck in each of their arms. Not that they minded all that much, since both she and Honora would let them walk now and again, with help of course.
“It’s being aware and knowing the woods,” Alyce said and Tavish graced her with a charming smile that reminded her of Lachlan.
Honora laughed. “I keep telling Cavan that Tavish is going to be like Lachlan and as handsome. He has his smile.”
“I agree,” Alyce said and gave Tavish a big hug, which he relished since his smile charmed all the more.
“See, he smiles just like his uncle,” Honora said with a lilt of laughter. “And this one…” She bounced Ronan on her hip. “He’s going to be just like his father, a born leader.” She looked to Alyce. “I wonder if you will have a boy or a girl.”
“I would be pleased with either since I never believed I would ever have children.”
“Why ever so?” Honora asked surprised.
Alyce found herself being more truthful than she intended. “I would rather have led my father’s clan.”
“I could see that,” Honora said so casually that it startled Alyce.
“Truly?”
Honora nodded. “Oh my, yes. You have the instincts of a laird about you. One who commands rather than follows. One who will strategize instead of leaping headfirst. Cavan would be wise to make use of your skills. I will speak to him.”
Again Honora startled her. “But will he heed your opinion?”
“Cavan is a fair man and respects my opinions,” Honora said. “All Sinclare men are respectful of their wives.”
“In payment for forcing marriage upon them?” Alyce said then quickly realized the rudeness of her remark. “I’m sorry. I meant no offense.”
“None taken,” Honora said while playing tug of war with her son’s tiny fingers and a strand of her long dark hair. “I can imagine how you look upon Zia’s and my marriage, but believe me when I tell you the choices were ours.”
“How can you say that when you were given to Artair to wed only to find yourself wed to Cavan who had rejected you as a wife years earlier? And Zia had to wed Artair out of necessity, or she would have been condemned a witch. How are they choices?”
“You have grown to know Zia,” Honora said. “Do you really think she would have wed Artair if it wasn’t her choice?’
Alyce smiled. “No. The woman truly does as she pleases.”
“But she considers her husband at all times as he does with her,” Honora said. “And why do you think that is?”
“It’s obvious. The two are madly in love.”
Honora grinned. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
Alyce hated to admit, but it was. The pair’s passion for each other was palpable. “But what of you?” she challenged. “You had no choice.”
“But I did,” Honora insisted as they left the woods to follow the trail to the village. “I made the choice to love Cavan and gave him the choice to love me.” She smiled. “It didn’t take either of us long to fall in love. I cannot even recall when it was I realized I loved him. It was as if we were always in love and we always will be.”
“I love Lachlan,” Alyce said feeling the need to say it.
“Then let love be,” Honora said.
“What do you mean?”
“I discovered, quite by accident, that love is wiser than we are. If we would just let it be, not make demands or imprison it, but simply let love have its way then we finally taste its true joy.” Honora smiled. “I have so enjoyed this time with you and Tavish seems to be enamored with you.”
The little lad had his head snuggled in the crook of Alyce’s neck and his tiny fingers had firm hold of her blouse. His little body was warm against her chest and she loved having him there wrapped in her arms.
“How can you not love the little charmer, or his brother,” Alyce said with a smile to Ronan who was half asleep in his mother’s arms.
“I hope we can continue our tracking lessons,” Honora said.
“I would very much like that,” Alyce said.
“There you are!”
Lachlan’s shout stopped both women.
“Where have you been?” Lachlan asked hurrying over to them. “I was worried.”
“Were you so senseless by our lovemaking this morning that you forgot I told you I was meeting with Honora?” Alyce asked with a teasing glint.
Lachlan was struck speechless.
Honora grinned. “It’s so wonderful to see that you have met your match.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Lachlan said with his usual charm and turned to his wife. “And how could I have remembered anything after I appeased your insatiable appetite for me not once, but twice this morning.”
“Thrice, husband, not twice,” Alyce corrected.
Honora laughed.
“What’s so humorous?” Cavan asked, joining them as Tavish held eager hands out to his approaching father, who scooped him into his arms.
“A debate over the number of lovemaking bouts this morning,” Honora said candidly.
Cavan looked aghast. “I can’t believe you told them we made love two times this morning.”
“Got you beat,” Lachlan said with a smug grin. “Three times.”
“Four,” Artair sang out joyfully from behind them, his daughter Blythe snug contently in the crook of his arm.
With a serious expression Honora looked to Alyce. “We should find out what Zia’s putting in Artair’s brew and get some for our husbands.”
Alyce burst out laughing and Honora joined in.
“Ours sons need their nap,” Honora said after her laughter subsided.
“So does Blythe,” Artair said and walked off with them, though he teased Lachlan one last time. “I’ll see if Zia has any extra brew for you.”
Alyce slipped her
arm around her husband’s and leaned against him. “You need nothing to enhance your prowess. You brought me to pleasure more than three times this morning; you always do.”
He kissed her lightly. “You know you just set my loins on fire.”
“I was hoping.”
He swung her up into his arms and walked to the cottage mindless of the villagers who stared smiling, while a few giggled.
As soon as the door closed Alyce kissed him with a hunger that surprised her, though it shouldn’t have. There wasn’t a time she didn’t want her husband. He was like a tonic she couldn’t get enough of no matter how many times he quenched her thirst.
He kissed her with just as much fervor and slipped along the length of her after he placed her on the bed. They lay side by side kissing, not touching or shedding their garments, simply kissing. Gentle and lazy, frantic and hard, the kisses went from one to another heating their passion with every thrust of a tongue or a simple brush of their lips.
Lachlan rested his hand on her waist and began to stroke along her hip, down her leg and Alyce tingled with anticipation of his intimate touch. She doubted they would have time to shed their clothes for she was wet and throbbing for him already.
She wanted to tell him to hurry and then urge him to take his time. She wanted him badly, yet she didn’t want this pleasure to end too soon.
His fingers tugged up her skirt and slipped beneath and she moaned and he teased with slow caresses that seemed to take forever to reach her and…
The mournful horn had them both jumping in shock.
“Something’s wrong,” he said and took hold of her hand to help her up. “We must get to the keep.”
Alyce didn’t argue, she was all too aware what the sound could signify; an attack.
Lachlan whipped a wool cloak around her before they left the cottage and grabbed his sword. The villagers were in action for battle, women hurrying children to the safety of the keep and the men rushing with swords and bows in hand to man their posts.
A mixture of thrill and fear raced threw Alyce at the thought of a possible battle. The men would meet and determine battle plans. Troops of warriors would be dispatched each with a leader who would see to implementing their strategy at a precise moment, or all could be lost. It was a challenge she loved and a talent of hers that her father had once taken pride in bragging about.
They entered the great hall, Lachlan having scooped up a crying young lad no more than three on the way and handing him over to Addie who was tending the women and children along with Zia and Honora.
It came as no surprise to Alyce what her husband ordered next, though her response stunned him.
“Stay with the women,” Lachlan said. “You’ll be safe with them.”
“I will not. I’ll be of no help to them, but I can be of help to your brothers.”
“She’s right,” Honora said, the twins resting contentedly on each hip. “Take her to Cavan and tell him I said that Alyce will be more useful to him than to us.”
“Hurry then,” he said without protest, and she smiled.
She and Lachlan had to step aside when they reached the solar, to give way to two large warriors rushing one after the other out the open door. She followed Lachlan in, close on his heels, anxious to learn what trouble brewed.
“What goes on?” Lachlan asked.
Cavan looked up from his desk. “Merc—what is she doing here?”
Alyce didn’t wait for her husband to explain, she stepped forward. “Your wife suggested I can be of help to you and I agree.”
Cavan stood and slapped his hands on the desk, leaning over in an intimidating pose. “I respect my wife’s opinion and so will allow you to join us this one time.”
“And what if my skills serve you well?” Alyce challenged. “You won’t allow me to help again because I am a woman?”
“I have no time to argue with you,” Cavan said. “You may remain here for now, however the future will be discussed another time.”
“Agreed,” Alyce said as if letting him know he had struck a bargain with her that he would have to keep.
“A large troop of mercenaries appears headed this way,” Cavan said. “They have caused harm to none so far, but that could be because we are their intended target.”
“From what our scouts tell us,” Artair said, “a tall man, who rides his horse with distinction and more handsome than you”—Artair paused to glance at Lachlan, though without a grin—“leads them.”
“I know him!”
The three brothers turned wide eyes on Alyce.
Chapter 31
“How do you know him?” Lachlan demanded, having heard her clearly but somehow not quite understanding her, or perhaps not wanting to. After all he had made it clear to her that part of the reason he also had been at Everagis was to make contact with the mercenaries in the area to see if they could provide information about Carissa and in turn Ronan.
When Alyce still hadn’t answered, Cavan spoke. “Explain,” he ordered with the command of a laird who expected obedience.
“His name is Septimus,” she said. “And I struck a bargain with him so that Everagis would remain safe.”
“A shrewd decision,” Artair said.
“A necessary decision,” she corrected. “I had people to protect.”
Lachlan shook his head. “You knew I wished to make contact with the mercenaries and yet you never told me.”
“I couldn’t,” she said truthfully. “I gave my word to speak of the bargain to no one in exchange for protection.”
While Lachlan knew what it meant to give your word, it disturbed him that she had not confided in him. “But you knew that the mercenaries might be able to provide information about my brother Ronan.”
“Your brother Ronan was not among the mercenaries.”
“How do you know that?” Lachlan asked.
“I’ve been to their camp several times.”
“While I was at Everagis?”
“That was when I first made contact with Septimus.”
Lachlan shook his head. “Wait. Are you telling me that while I was at Everagis you stole off into the woods and made contact with the mercenaries knowing full well I wished to make contact with them?”
“I had a duty to protect my sisters and we were not yet involved.”
“They’re not your blood sisters, nor are they nuns,” Lachlan said raising his voice. “They are simply women, who I have made certain remain protected.”
“No!” she shouted at him. “They are women who survived horrible situations and deserved to have a safe haven. And those women and I joined together and made Everagis just that, a safe haven for us. When the mercenaries arrived, did you really expect me to sit and do nothing but wring my hands and expect you to help us knowing your inevitable departure would leave us vulnerable?” Alyce shook her head. “I long ago abandoned the fantasy that a man would rescue me, love me, and protect me. I decided it was up to me to provide it all for myself.”
“You could have trusted me,” Lachlan said sadly, for it hurt to know that she felt she could depend on no one, but especially him.
“Could I have?” she asked. “Would you truly have understood? You wanted an answer from the mercenaries, while I required much more.”
“Have you told us all you know of the mercenaries?” Cavan asked.
“No,” she answered boldly. “And I will not, for I gave my word.”
“Before or after you became involved with me?” Lachlan asked.
Alyce shot daggers from her eyes at him. “You truly need to ask that?”
“Enough,” Cavan ordered. “You can settle your differences in private later. At the moment we need to deal with the present situation.”
“I will go speak with Septimus,” Alyce said, though it sounded more like a command.
“You will not,” Lachlan snapped.
“He is a friend and I will speak with him,” she argued. “And settle this matter reasonably.”
“He may be a friend of yours, but not of the Sinclare clan,” Lachlan said.
“I thought I was a Sinclare,” Alyce challenged. “Wouldn’t that then make a friend of mine, a friend of the Sinclares?”
Lachlan stepped toward her to argue, but Cavan interrupted.
“She is right,” he said. “If this Septimus is here to visit with Alyce then we will welcome him.”
“He arrives with a troop,” Lachlan argued. “Such a heavy contingent speaks more of battle than a mere visit.”
“We will send a messenger,” Cavan said.
“I will go to him,” Alyce insisted.
“You will not,” Lachlan ordered.
“You cannot stop me,” she argued.
“I most certainly can. You are my wife and carry my child and I will not see you placed in harm’s way.”
“I can take care of myself,” she said, shaking a fist at him.
He grabbed hold of it and yanked her to him. “I don’t care. You are my wife and will do as I say.”
“Like hell I will.”
“Don’t challenge me on this,” Lachlan warned.
“What challenge?” she snapped. “You can’t stop me.”
“Try me?”
“Stop!” Cavan shouted. “This is no time to argue. I will send a messenger to the mercenaries and see what brings them to our home. In the meantime we will devise a plan of attack in case it proves necessary.”
Alyce yanked herself free of her husband and headed to the door. “Septimus is not here to war with you, and I will not help you make plans to attack a friend.”
“We are your family,” Lachlan said, stopping her before she could grab hold of the latch.
“Are you?” she asked. “I see that you all trust each other, and yet not one of you trusts me when it comes to this matter.”
“I must protect my people,” Cavan said.
“Which is exactly what I did,” Alyce said and shut the door hard behind her when she left.
She hurried her steps, mixing with the shadows of the great hall until she reached the kitchen entrance and then made her way through, the cooks so busy they barely noticed her. Once outside she knew her time was limited. She needed to get to her horse and out of the keep before the gates were sealed tight. Local farmers were probably still arriving seeking the safety of the walled village, but soon the gates would be closed tight and she would have no way out.
The Angel and the Highlander Page 23