Love was teasing her heart, and she was enjoying every part and parcel of it.
Bliss stopped abruptly and listened. She heard stirring behind the cropping of rocks. She waited and sensed . . . then knew. A man waited there.
Trey made his way cautiously through the woods, traveling parallel to the path the soldiers had taken. He had limited time to view the troop encampment. Lingering too long could get him caught since there probably would be sentinels around the camp. And no doubt, scouts roamed about. He had to survey the area quickly and be gone.
Besides, he didn’t want to leave Bliss unprotected too long. She did carry a weapon of sorts, her knowing. But it would do her little good if caught by a group of soldiers, and that was what he feared.
She was vulnerable no matter what way he looked at it. And it tore at his gut that he had to leave her alone in the woods.
He didn’t need to get too close to the camp to judge troop buildup, and the closer he got, the more of a chance he would take of getting caught. So he kept a safe distance, and when he came upon a tall pine tree, he knew it would give him the view and safety he needed.
He climbed it with haste though cautiously, and, not far from the top, he found himself a good perch that gave him a clear view of the troop encampment. There he waited and watched.
It was larger than he had expected, and seeing the preponderance of archers there was no doubt that preparation was being made for battle. The question was when would the king strike?
Or perhaps the question was that the prophecy was about to be fulfilled.
When summer touches winter and the snow descends, the reign of the false king begins to end, four warriors ride together and then divide, among them the true king hides, when he meets death on his own, that is when he reclaims the throne.
Just before he had come upon Bliss, the weather had been unnaturally warm and now it was cold and no doubt snow would soon fall, fulfilling part of the prophecy. Missions had divided him and his brothers. And despite the buildup of troops, the fact that more troops were yet to arrive meant that an attack was not imminent. But why would King Kenneth be foolish enough to wage war in winter? Or did he believe it would be tactically beneficial since neither Trey nor his brothers would expect an attack from the north, especially this time of the year?
Whatever the answer, he was glad he had happened upon the information. He and his brothers could now make sure that they were prepared. Or perhaps attack before King Kenneth did.
Having learned what he needed to know, Trey was ready and eager to return to Bliss, but as he reached the lower limbs of the tree, he heard voices and instantly stilled. He listened but could only hear snippets, and he didn’t like what he heard.
It seemed a sentinel was being placed right beneath the tree, and the other two soldiers with him were debating the wisdom of the spot. He hoped the older soldier won the debate since he thought it a foolish choice, but the younger one was adamant.
Trey waited, knowing that once the sentinel was alone he would have no choice but to attack and take his leave. But if he did that, he would alert the encampment to the presence of an enemy. No doubt contingents of soldiers would be sent to find the culprit, and that could prove difficult for the few farmers who lived in the area.
It was a dilemma for sure, and so he waited, though not patiently, hoping the older soldier would win, and the three would move to a different location.
He grew more irritated, and when, after a few moments passed and there was still no decision made by the quarrelsome two, Trey had no choice but to rest against the thick tree trunk and temper his impatience. It would do no good to let the soldiers know that someone watched. It could possibly force King Kenneth to take action before he planned to, and Trey did not want that.
And so he waited and waited when suddenly . . . he sat forward. He sensed something was happening with Bliss, and he couldn’t be sure if it was good or bad. And that frightened him. He had to get to her. He had wasted enough time, hours to be exact, and it would take at least another hour to return to her.
Where are you, Fate, now that I need you?
Suddenly, the quarreling stopped, and he could only hear grumbling. When Trey peered through the branches he saw the three soldiers walking away.
Had fate heard him and answered?
Perhaps so, and without hesitation, and as soundlessly as possible, he lowered himself to the ground and hurried off. He kept a fast pace, worried that night would fall before he was able to reach his wife.
He didn’t understand this sudden ability to sense when she needed him, or that she was in danger, but he was pleased with it. He liked that he was so attuned to her. It gave him more peace of mind.
He was relieved that he was making better time than he had expected, daylight having yet to give way to nightfall. He would need light, if for some reason he needed to follow her tracks—he stopped abruptly, realizing he had reached the very spot where he had left her.
With cautious and silent steps, he approached the cropping of rocks where she had said she would wait for him. Something wasn’t right, and he wasn’t surprised to find that she was not there. He was, however, surprised to see a bloody piece of cloth that looked to have been torn from her skirt.
He took a deep breath and gave thought. Was the blood hers, or had she come upon someone who had been injured and required help? But where would she have gone? And why would she leave the spot where she had said she would wait?
He cast a cautious glance to the ground and saw two separate and distinct footprints. One he knew belonged to his wife and the other was large and deep, and no doubt belonged to a sizeable man. He didn’t want to think she was in danger. And there were no indications in the footprints that there had been a struggle. She could have merely come upon an injured person, but why then would she go off with him?
Knowing his wife the answer came easily . . . someone needed her help.
His gut twisted with worry regardless of whether she willingly followed the man or not, and he started following the footprints. He would find out what happened though, more importantly, he’d find his wife.
It took until dusk for him to find the campsite and at first glance he knew he had no worry. He strode into camp, taking in the sorrowful scene surrounding him and keeping a keen watch for his wife.
There were at least a dozen farmers, all with injuries, some more serious than others. It didn’t take long to realize that the soldiers had simply dumped the farmers they had collected as soon as they had sustained a wound.
Many looked with pleading eyes at him, no doubt recognizing him as a MacAlpin warrior, and it troubled him that they had suffered for the true king.
Trey came to a halt when he spied his wife bent over a man prone on the ground, holding his hand. She released his hand to rest on his stomach, stood and turned as he approached, and his heart tore in two when he saw her eyes glisten with unshed tears. He rushed to her side.
“Trey,” she said on a sigh, and threw her arms around him.
He hugged her tight and he saw that the few nearby farmers nodded, as if in some way it gave them hope that they too would soon be reunited with their loved ones.
Bliss looked up at him. “I couldn’t save him. I tried, but it was too late.”
He wiped at the single tear that trickled from the corner of her eye. “You not only heal those you don’t know, but you mourn for them as well. His family will be pleased that he did not die alone but that a loving hand held his.”
“They all need healing,” she said with a sigh.
“You cannot mean to heal them all?” he asked with concern.
“Of course I do,” she said, and took a step away.
“It’s too much. I forbid it.”
Bliss smiled and shook her head. “A foolish choice of words for sure.”
Trey knew they were before t
hey had left his mouth, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself. He was worried for her and wanted to protect. But she didn’t need his protection right now; she needed his support.
He rectified his error. “What do you need from me?”
Bliss stepped close and kissed his cheek. “That’s the husband I”—she stopped abruptly as if catching herself then finished—“I know.”
Trey had the distinct feeling that she intended to say I love, and the thought gladdened his heart. “What do you want me to do?”
“Help me to see how bad the wounds are so I know whom to tend first.”
He nodded, and soon they were going through the camp, examining and ascertaining who was in need of immediate care. Bliss took a moment to introduce Trey to Burnell, the farmer who had bravely ventured away from camp in search of help. He had suffered a gash to his arm that had left it painful for him to use. Bliss had had to clean the wound, then bind it with cloth from the hem of her blouse. The healing she had done on it had given him movement without pain.
The big farmer had been grateful and pleaded for her help at the camp.
Once Bliss began to tend the injured, Trey, with Burnell’s help, got two campfires going. Then he went in hunt of food for the men, knowing that what little food he and Bliss had would never be enough to share with all of them. He caught enough game for the men to feast on, most not having eaten in days. And the delicious scent of the roasting meat brought smiles to many faces.
It wasn’t until well into the night that his wife finally finished with the last of the wounded.
She joined him by the fire and before he could hand her a tender piece of meat, she said, “You gave Burnell instructions on how to get to the MacAlpin keep?”
He hadn’t yet. Though leave it to her to know that was his intention. He could never walk away and leave these farmers without help.
“I intended to do that later as well as reassure them that we will do what we can to locate their families and see them safe, though some may have already taken refuge in the MacAlpin village.”
“Two of the men cannot travel for a couple of days, and even then, they will need carriers to transport them. I do not think it is wise to linger here, but we have no choice.”
“Burnell and I have already talked about posting guards.”
Bliss yawned and rested her head on Trey’s shoulder. “After I finish helping these men, I must return to see Philip.”
“I need to return home as soon as possible,” Trey said.
She lifted her head. “You learned what you needed to know?”
“Aye, and my brothers need to know as soon as possible.”
“Then go now,” she insisted.
“No,” he said firmly. “I will not leave you. My brothers will at least learn from Roan of the troop buildup and prepare for attack. It is just that I cannot be away much longer.”
“Then once we reach my cottage, you must go.”
It made sense that he should do just that, but the thought of leaving her wrenched at his heart, and he didn’t know if he would be able to walk away from her. But he had a duty, and that duty came before anything else, of which she reminded him.
“You are duty-bound to the true king. You must not forget it.”
“I am, but I am also duty-bound to my wife”—he held up his hand to stop her retort—“I will honor both . . . and hear no more about it from you.”
She smiled. “You really must learn to choose your words more wisely.”
Trey grinned. “And you must learn to be obedient.”
Bliss’s warm breath whispered across his ear as she said, “As you wish, I will be obedient, especially in bed, though I much prefer to be . . . wild.”
“Forget obedient,” Trey said, and took her in his arms and kissed her.
Chapter 13
Bliss wished that they weren’t sitting in the middle of a camp of injured farmers, or perhaps it was good they were. Trey’s kiss tingled her senseless and had her wishing for more, a good reason to end it since it could go no further. So she did, and quickly, though with much reluctance.
She could feel the desire that sizzled between them; it heated her skin and made her wet all at the same time. She ached to make wild love with Trey, and if they were alone, she had no doubt that they would. How one simple kiss could stir such crazy passion surprised her and made her curious as to the depths of desire that would be ignited if they hadn’t stopped.
It also continued to surprise her that, in such a short time, they had grown more and more attracted and attached to each other, but it shouldn’t have. Her grandmum had told her how her mum had fallen in love with her da as soon as she laid eyes on him. Grandmum had detailed how Bliss’s mum had burst into the cottage one day and announced she had just met the man who would be her husband though he had yet to speak with her. If her mum had fallen in love that fast, couldn’t she? But her mum had chosen her husband, whereas fate had chosen Bliss’s.
“I wish we were alone,” Trey whispered with a kiss to her temple.
She had no intentions of denying the obvious. “As do I.”
They both grew silent, their thoughts the same. They wondered when this torture would end and they would finally make love.
No further words were exchanged. They simply stretched out on the blanket that Trey had laid on the ground by the fire. He tucked his cloak around them once she was snuggled against him, and they both reluctantly, and with some difficulty, went to sleep.
Bliss woke a bit disoriented. She was cold and it was dark and Trey . . . was gone.
She sat up abruptly and saw that everyone still slept and then recalled Trey telling her that Burnell and he had discussed posting guards. He had probably volunteered for the late-night post, not trusting the wounded to remain as alert as he would.
For a minute, she thought to go to him, but that wouldn’t be fair. Her presence would only interfere with his duty, and she had already interfered enough. She wished she could see the future more clearly for herself, but it was a senseless wish, and she knew it. She would only be shown what she was meant to see . . . no more.
She sighed as she stretched out on the blanket, and, in no time, she drifted off to sleep.
“Help me! Please help me!”
Bliss heard the pitiful plea but could not see who made it, the mist too thick. “Where are you?” she called out.
“Not far. You must help me, I beg you. I never meant it to be this way.”
“Keep talking so that I can find you,” Bliss said.
“You must hurry, please.”
“I’ll find you. I promise I’ll find you,” Bliss said.
Suddenly the woman was there and she grabbed hold of Bliss. “You can’t have him. I won’t let you. He’s mine. He belongs to me.”
The blond woman grabbed hold of Bliss, her fingers digging into her arm, and, try as she might, she couldn’t break free.
“Let go of me,” Bliss demanded.
But the woman didn’t, she kept tight hold of her, and no amount of struggling freed Bliss. But it didn’t stop her from trying. She fought and continued to fight to break free.
Farmers usually rose with the sun. With so much work to be done before nightfall, one had to rise with the break of dawn to have enough time to complete all the daily chores. So Burnell relieved Trey just as the sun came up.
Trey was glad to see him. It wasn’t that he was tired though he yawned repeatedly; he knew there was no time to sleep. He intended to hunt again for game so that the men could eat and grow strong. He approached the campsite and immediately saw Bliss in distress. She looked to be struggling, as if fighting someone in her sleep. He hurried to her side, grabbed her, and gave her a shake before he took her into his arms, held her tight, and demanded that she come back to him.
“Come back to me, Bliss. Do you hear me? Come
back to me now,” he said adamantly.
It took two more good shakes before her eyes fluttered open. They widened even further as Trey spoke to her.
“Damn, but you frightened me. I thought I wouldn’t get you back.”
“I was stuck,” she said breathlessly.
“I do not like the thought of your being stuck someplace where I cannot reach you.”
“Neither do I.” She slipped her arms tightly around his waist.
Damn, how did he protect her from her dreams?
“You cannot,” she said.
He hadn’t spoken aloud, which could only mean . . .
“Sometimes the words in your head sound as clear as the words from your lips,” she explained.
“This will take getting used to,” he admitted.
“For us both since I don’t wish to intrude on your thoughts.”
“But I wish to intrude on your dreams. I don’t like seeing you struggle in your sleep, knowing that you are stuck in a dream and that I cannot possibly reach you.”
“You do reach me, and that is what matters.”
“Tell me of this dream that haunts you and attempts to imprison you.”
She shook her head. “I don’t wish to recall it right now.”
It wasn’t lost on Trey that this was the second time she had refused to share her dream with him. He was beginning to wonder if she didn’t want to share it and if her reluctance had anything to do with him.
She was upset, so he would not insist though eventually they would have to discuss it. He needed to know about that dream and why it upset her so and why she had such a difficult time escaping it.
Bliss unwrapped herself from Trey though she would have preferred to remain in his arms, at least a little while longer. The warmth, comfort, and contentment she felt when he embraced her always overwhelmed her. It was as if she had come home, found the place she was meant to be, though it wasn’t a place . . . it was a person.
Wed to a Highland Warrior Page 10