His Bonnie Highland Temptation (The Clan Sinclair Book 2)

by Celeste Barclay

  He sensed more than saw that she moved. Then he heard a distinctly male bellow of pain. He could not afford to take his eyes off the men in front of him. One of them lunged forward and engaged Callum. They thrusted and parried as Callum tried to keep Siùsan protected behind him. He locked swords with the man on the left and as he shoved his weight forward, the man to the right surged forward to gut him. A flash of red darted in front of him. He thought he would wet himself as he watched Siùsan plunge a sgain dubh, a tiny but incredibly sharp knife, into the man’s throat.

  Callum regained his focus and finished off the other man. Once again, he caught motion to the right of him. He turned as he heard the sound of rending material. Siùsan rapidly pulled and threw one knife after another at the attacking men. Callum watched in awe as Siùsan dispatched man after man by sinking her dirks into their necks, throats, eyes, or between their shoulders. She ran forward and launched her last dirk at a man battling Tavish. The dirk sliced into the side of the man’s throat and lodged itself there with its tip coming out of the other side.

  As their opponents mysteriously began to fall with dirks protruding from them, the Sinclair warriors had each turned to see where the knives were coming from. As a one, they were shocked to see Siùsan throwing them with ease and precision. When the skirmish was over, Callum moved to Siùsan’s side.

  “I want to yell at ye for once again giving me such a fright, but I am too in awe of how ye handle those dirks. I didna ken ye carried so many.” He had watched her go through the ones that were sewn into her arisaid and then pull more from the inside and outside of each of her boots.

  “I dinna usually carry so many, but since I was travelling alone, I was sure to have them all on me.” She shrugged impassively.

  Tavish moved forward and returned a now wiped off blade to her. He paused to look at the blade and then her before handing it over.

  “Where did ye learn such skill, ma lady?” One of the warriors called out.

  “I amnae particularly close to much of ma kin, but I am vera close to ma brothers. I have taken care of them both for much of their lives. As they have grown older and bigger, they have insisted upon taking care of me too. They taught me how to handle a dirk and how to throw one with the intent to kill. They kenned that I often went into the woods on ma own as I didna have a guard. They didna want me to come across someone or something and not be able to defend maself. I think they worried most that I would encounter a wolf or boar.” Siùsan shrugged her shoulders and looked at the men, most of which stood with their mouths hanging open.

  “She’s just like our Mairghread,” Tavish said with a grin.

  “Do any of ye need tending? Are ye wounded?” She looked around the group but they all shook their heads.

  “Ma lady, ye didna give them the time to do us any real harm. Thank ye.” Another one of the warriors said.

  Siùsan simply nodded her head. She turned back to find Callum and smacked her face into his chest. She had not known he was quite so close.

  He pulled her in and pressed her head to his chest. She could feel his heart was still beating wildly. She ran her hands over his chest and rested them next to her cheek. She turned and kissed the skin that was visible at the opening of his leine.

  “I am well. I promise.”

  “I ken it, but that doesnae mean I dinna worry.” He held her there for a long while as the men moved about the camp and straightened up.

  Eventually, Siùsan pulled back. She did not want to move from his embrace, but she knew that he needed rest. She guided him back to the tree that had protected their backs. She pressed him to sit down. She then pulled her hair back and wrapped it into a tight roll and knotted it. She took her now clean sgian dubh and cut a large square from her chemise. Callum watched her in confusion until he saw her tie the square over her hair. She had improvised and made a kertch, a traditional head covering for married women. She noticed him watching her and she shrugged.

  “I am a married woman now. It isnae proper for me to go around with ma head uncovered. Besides, I havenae a ring to wear yet, so how else will others ken that I am wed.”

  “They will ken because yer braw husband willna ever be far from yer side.” He reached up and tugged her hand causing her to fall into his lap. She tried to break her fall to avoid bumping into his broken arm and shoulder.

  “I would say I willane break so easily but apparently I do. I would have ye sit with me for a bit. I just want to feel ye in ma arms to ken it’s really true that I have ye back and ye are ma wife.” Siùsan was happy to indulge him, but their moment was cut short all too soon.

  “Lord Callum, I found this one trying to slink away into the woods while I went to take a pish. Begging yer pardon, ma lady.” The warrior shoved a man forward as Tavish and Magnus came to join them.

  Siùsan scrambled out of Callum’s lap, and he could practically see her hackles rise. He would swear that she hissed.

  “James Gunn, what are ye doing here? Was it ye and yer men who attacked?”

  “Gunn?” All three of the Sinclair brothers said at once.

  “Aye. This mon is James Gunn, the younger brother of both Laird Gunn and ma stepmother.”

  “Arenae ye going to give yer uncle a hug, ma wee Siùsan?” The syrupy sound of his voice made Siùsan want to vomit and had Callum reaching to encircle the man’s throat with his hand.

  “Who are ye to be speaking to ma wife in such a way? That doesnae sound like how any uncle of mine would speak to ma sister.”

  “Ye ken we arenae blood relatives. Nay. Siùsan was meant to be ma bride years ago, werenae ye, ma love?

  “Ye may have been angling for that, but the one and only thing ma father has ever done to protect me was to refuse yer request. He believed it would push the bounds of consanguinity. We might not be truly related by blood, but as the brother of ma stepmother, ma father believed the familial relationship was entirely too close to incestuous. I agreed.”

  “I could have taken ye away from yer disinterested father and bitter stepmother. I could have given ye all that ye wanted years ago. Instead, ye let yer father sell ye to the Sinclairs. Just what was the bride price? Or was ye father finally willing to give ye away simply to be rid of ye?”

  James Gunn’s words were entirely too close to the truth for Siùsan’s comfort. She stepped forward and stopped in front of the man who had tormented her as a young woman. She looked him up and down and sneered. Then she lifted her foot and thrust her knee into his groin.

  “Be glad I am forgiving enough not to cut off yer cods because I have dreamt of it for years.”

  She stormed off towards the steam.

  “Tie him up and gag him if ye must. He will be a guest in our dungeons until we can ransom him back to his brother. Dinna hesitate to do what ye must to get him to cooperate.” Callum called over his shoulder as he followed Siùsan to the water.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Siùsan knew that Callum was following her, but she appreciated that he gave her some distance. When she reached the edge of the water, she shucked off her boots and stockings. She tucked the hem of her kirtle into the belt at her waist and waded in. The cool water around her ankles and calves helped to calm her. When she finally felt settled enough after the shock of the battle and then finding out James Gunn was responsible for the attack, she turned to Callum. He was resting his good shoulder against a tree and was watching her.

  “Did ye notice that he never did answer why he and his men attacked? We all ken it was him as the attackers did naught to hide their plaids even before he was caught.”

  The Clan Gunn plaid was unique to them just as the pattern was for any other clan in the area. The pattern of the Sinclair and Sutherland plaids were similar but where the Sutherland had white running through theirs, the Sinclairs had red in the corresponding place. The Mackays were distinctly blue, yellow, and green. There was never any confusing them. The Gunns used both light and dark blue shot through with red and green. It was obvious tha
t the men who attacked them were Gunns but what neither Callum nor Siùsan could understand was why.

  “I ken we must be on their land but why attack? I dinna believe I have heard that ye are feuding or even dinna get along. I had tried so hard to skirt their land and stay on yers until I could reach MacKay lands.” Siùsan shook her head. The guilt of being the cause of Callum’s injury along with endangering so many men who had spent four miserable days searching for her finally caught up to her. Her shoulders sagged, and she bowed her head. Callum watched as Siùsan’s shoulders began to shake. He pushed off of the tree and marched into the stream. He stepped around her and bent at the waist. He hoisted her over his shoulder and a carried her onto the grass beside the bank of the stream.

  “I ken that isnae the most romantic way to carry ye, but it is the best that I can do for now.” He gently set her on her feet and sat down. He patted the grass beside him, and she sat down. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his chest.

  “Cry, mo ghaol. Ye have earned it as I suspect ye have been holding in yer lifetime of pain. Cry and let mine be the shoulder ye lean upon, wife.” He kissed the top of her head and felt her arms tentatively wrap around him. She was so careful not to jostle or jar him. He could not help but smile. Even in her own misery, she was still thinking of others. He rocked her ever so slightly and whispered ridiculous endearments into her ear as she sobbed. When her tears finally ran dry, she looked up at the man she had married that day and knew that she had made the right choice. She was still hurt and angry, but it was not as fierce as before and most of it was directed at Elizabeth.

  “I canna stand that name,” she muttered.

  “What name is that? What are ye thinking aboot?”

  “I was thinking that I amnae as angry and hurt by ye as I was before. I dinna quite feel right yet, but much of ma anger is directed at Elizabeth. That made me think about the other Elizabeth in ma life, ma stepmother. She is an unkind and harsh woman. She made ma life hell with her attention. I truly dinna ken which was worse, ma father ignoring me and wishing I had died instead of ma mother or Elizabeth’s constant attempts to punish ma existence that only served as a reminder that ma father chose Rose MacLeod in both life and death.”

  “Ye dinna need to have either Elizabeth in yer life from now on. I will see to it. Come now. Ye must be hungry. I am sure the men who went hunting are back by now.”

  “I am rather hungry, but I ate well enough the last few days. Since I didna make camp at night, I was able to build a fire without worrying about ye or anyone else spotting the smoke. I hunted and cooked each day. I ate berries when I found them and even a few apples.”

  “Ye dinna make camp at night?”

  “Nay. I slept in trees during the day and travelled at night. I didna want anyone to see me, and I figured I was less likely to be spotted by ye or any lawless men.”

  “Ye seem quite well equipped to take care of yerself. Perhaps ye dinna need me after all.” Callum joked, but Siùsan stopped short.

  “I do need ye. More than I realized or wanted to admit until I thought I was going to have to make a life for maself without ye in a new place.”

  “New place? Were ye not going back to Mackenzie land?”

  “Nay. I never want to go back there again. I was going to the MacLeods. To ma mother’s people.” Siùsan began to walk again and Callum followed, but he was taken aback to realize just how far Siùsan was willing to travel alone to get away from both him and her family.

  She would have rather travelled the width of Scotland to escape me than stay. She was going to rely on kinship to find a place in an unknown clan. What would have happened to her if they refused her? Where would she have gone to next? How would she have supported herself? Callum’s thoughts began to run dark as there were few options available to unprotected women who needed to support themselves. Siùsan might be able to find work as a healer or in a tavern, but a single woman was almost certainly going to be pushed into prostitution at some point. He watched as she greeted his brothers and his men. She moved to the side and spread her arisaid on the ground. She accepted the rabbit that was offered to her. It was still steaming hot. She blew on it and looked around. When her eyes landed on him, her face lit up, and she waved him over. Callum was relieved to see that she was back to being pleased with his company. He moved to her side and sat down. They shared the rabbit together and listened quietly to the talk that surrounded them. They were both lost in their own thoughts.

  Will he truly make me his wife tonight? Is he too badly hurt and I should leave him alone?

  Will she accept ma attentions tonight and can I even manage it?

  Chapter Twenty

  As the men began to settle in for the night, Callum looked at Siùsan. He sensed her tension but was not sure if it was excitement or dread.

  “Siùsan, would ye like to walk to the stream once more? Ye can see to yer needs.”

  Siùsan looked down at the plaid they sat upon. Then she looked at Callum and nodded. They stood and moved towards the stream. Callum brushed his fingers against hers. When she did not pull away, Callum took her hand. Siùsan entwined her fingers with Callum’s. Reassured, Callum squeezed her hand and felt her calm. Callum, on the other hand, felt nervous even though they had shared intimacies before. As they approached the bank, Callum brought them to a stop. He turned to look at Siùsan and saw the question in her eyes. He smiled down at her and relaxed.

  “I would make ye ma wife in truth this vera night, but if ye would rather wait until we return home and to our chamber, I understand.”

  “Home. I rather like the sound of that. I spent ma entire life on Mackenzie land but never belonged. I do feel at home on Sinclair land.”

  Callum tried to hide his disappointment. His physical desire to join with Siùsan was ever present, but after learning completely of her past, he longed for an emotional connection. One he had never considered before during the act of coupling. He swallowed and smiled again. He was just about to reassure Siùsan of her choice when she spoke again.

  “I ken why Sinclair land feels like home. It’s where I met ye. Home is not really the land or the keep. Home is with ye. When I ran away, I felt lost and unsettled even though I kenned where I wanted to go. Being here with ye now, I dinna feel that way. I dinna feel lost anymore. I ken it’s because of ye. Because I love ye. I would be yer wife in truth and not just in name.” Siùsan chewed on her lower lip for a moment. “I just dinna ken how to do that without hurting ye more.”

  “Lass, ye ken there is more than one position for people to couple.”

  A shadow passed over Siùsan’s face. Callum knew she was thinking about how he had gained such knowledge.

  “Siùsan, look at me.”

  He tilted her chin up with his finger and thumb, but she would not look him in the eye.

  “Siùsan, please. Look at me.” She slowly looked up and saw the pleading in his eyes. “I ken ma past has already hurt ye many times, but I canna change it. We both ken there have been others before ye, but I have never told another woman that I love her. That means that I have never made love before. That is something that is for ye only.”

  “But is there really any difference but a name?”

  “There most certainly is. It has only been about physical pleasure in the past. I never had any real feelings tied to the act other than a want of release and entertainment.”

  Callum tucked the hair behind Siùsan’s ear and stroked her cheek with his knuckles.

  “With ye, I want to give ye everything. Ma body doesnae seem enough. I want to give ye ma heart. I feel like ye’re a part of ma soul. I want to feel as though we are one and not just because our bodies are joined. Ye are as much ma home as I am yers. I would share that with only ye.”

  Siùsan was moved by Callum’s words. Only hours ago, she might have thought he said those words to convince her to return with him for the sake of his pride, but she did not think he could fake the reverence she heard in his
voice or saw in his eyes.

  She stepped back from him and saw the immediate flash of pain. He thinks I’m rejecting him. He couldnae be more wrong.

  She undid the belt that held her arisaid. She folded it neatly and then tossed it off to the side.

  “I dinna ever need that plaid again as I am nay longer a Mackenzie.” She reached up to unpin Callum’s broach. She dropped it into his sporran. She undid his belt next. She caught his giant plaid in her hands. She had never really considered just how massive it was, but Callum was unusually tall, so it was at least two yards longer than typical.

  “Ye ken yer men will all ken what we’ve been up to when ye walk back to camp in just yer leine. I claim this one as mine. It smells like ye.” She held the material up to her nose and smiled. Callum almost swallowed his tongue. He knew she had no idea just how seductive she looked.

  “I would see ye wrapped in just ma plaid,” he whispered.

  “I would see me wrapped in just ye.” Her cheeks turned pink at her own brazen statement. Callum had learned quickly upon getting to know her that Siùsan had an unbridled passion, but she kept it well hidden from everyone but him. He reveled in that secret knowledge.

  Callum yanked the plaid from her and laid it on the ground. He reached down and tugged on his boot laces. He hopped from one foot to the other as he tried to toe off his boots as he pulled his leine over his head. Siùsan could not help but giggle.

  Once Callum stood naked before her, she unpinned her makeshift kertch and let down her hair. She pulled it to the side and presented her back to Callum. She looked over her shoulder to see if he would accept his invitation. His hand was already reaching for her laces.

  Callum’s impatience to touch his wife was so great that he almost tore the laces to Siùsan’s kirtle. As he pulled them loose, he forced himself to breathe and slow down. Even though they had already done much together, he reminded himself that she was still an innocent. He did not want to scare her as he already worried about hurting her when he took her maidenhead.