“But why now? Why here? Why not send both men to the king?” Maddie asked.
“I think that may have been Alex’s original plan, but when he heard your question, he did not take kindly to the implications of what you said,” Brodie replied.
Brenna gaped at all three of them. “What did you say, Madeline? I was inside with Jennie. I did not hear your question.”
Robbie and Brodie both cleared their throats and turned their heads away from the women.
“Madeline?” Brenna prompted.
“I…I…” Maddie swallowed bile. “I needed Alex’s word on something before I agreed to the betrothal.”
“Word on what, Maddie?” Brenna’s tone was becoming more and more insistent.
Too embarrassed to repeat what she had said, Maddie blushed and shook her head.
“Madeline?” Brenna stared at her.
Madeline closed her eyes and whispered, “I asked him to promise me he would not tie me to the marriage bed.”
Brenna staggered back in shock. “Oh, saints have mercy! He will kill him,” she added, staring at Robbie.
Madeline hung her head and covered her face with her hands. Now she would be hated by everyone, even her few new friends. And what if something happened to Alex? Her gut churned as a vision of Alex bleeding forced its way into her mind. She fought to hold back her tears.
“I am sorry, Brenna. But I cannot tolerate it anymore. With them both here in front of me, their torture is fresh in my mind. Kenneth tied me to chairs, and whatever was closest at the time. Niles tied me to…to a bed. I cannot live my life like that anymore, not even for your brother.” She wiped the flowing tears off her cheeks. “I had to know for sure.”
Brenna sighed and stepped past her brothers, reaching for Maddie. Her voice softened, “Maddie, you know my brother. How could you think he would do such a thing to you? He would never treat a woman that way.”
“Before I came here, I had started to think all men beat women.” Maddie’s voice broke as she clung to Brenna. “Kenneth has beaten me for the past two years, and he does the same to most of the servants. They say my da spoiled me, so I thought that was why he never hit me.”
Niles’s taunts rose above the crowd.
“Alex!” Madeline broke away from Brenna and pushed against her guards in an attempt to get closer to the fight. “Robbie, I need to stop him.” Tears flowed unchecked down her face.
“My lady, the laird will have our heads if we let you near him. You will only distract him. He needs to concentrate,” Brodie explained.
“Robbie, do something!” Brenna pleaded.
“Brenna, I do not try to stop my laird when he is this focused. This is not a small matter to Alex. It is a matter of honor. From the stories I hear, ‘tis about time someone held the Comming accountable for his actions. The king will not retaliate. Alex is acting to keep peace. Now, cease talking!” Robbie glared at her as he turned to watch the action again.
***
Alex patiently waited for Niles to make the first move. He preferred to get a careful measure of his opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. The crowd grew impatient and broke into a chant waiting for their laird to make his move. Niles raised his sword and came at Alex from above. He drove his sword over and over at him. The clash of steel on steel rang out as Alex easily blocked all of Niles’s parries.
Niles took a step back. “You will not get her, Grant. She is mine, and she was good, too!”
Alex turned and swung his claymore in a sideways arc at Niles. Niles blocked the blow, just missing having his belly sliced open. Alex parried at him again and again, swinging his powerful arms repeatedly at his adversary. The crowd’s chants grew louder. Sparks flew as the sounds of crashing metal continued. The ruthless drive continued, spurred by a power even Alex didn’t fully comprehend. Then a shout wrenched from the crowd as Alex slipped on the gravel and took the edge of Niles’s sword in his right thigh. The crowd booed at the injury to their laird. First blood had been drawn.
Alex stepped back to reassess. The wound was a small one, but he smiled. It was a reminder to him that he needed to stay in control. Niles would try to anger him with his taunts and lies about Madeline. He had to shut his mind to them if he was to win. He expected the Comming to be a dirty fighter. The man knew nothing of the word “honor” as he expected.
The crowd cheered Alex on. He couldn’t see Madeline but preferred it that way. He wanted no distractions. His brothers would take care of her and his sister. He would not have to see the fear in Madeline’s eyes anymore because of Niles Comming.
Alex lunged at Niles. Niles anticipated the move and rolled out of the way, but not before Alex sliced into his shoulder. The crowd roared. Niles still got up and was able to block two more blows.
Both men stepped to the outside of their circle. Niles paced as Alex held firm, both changing their strategies. The crowd quieted as they noted the blood dripping on the ground. Alex’s thigh was still trickling red, and Niles’s shoulder bled profusely. Alex knew he now had a weak spot on Niles. His shoulder had to be paining him and would weaken quickly. He glanced at his thigh. The pain was minimal and the bleeding was already slowing. But not on Niles. His shoulder continued to bleed heavily. He had to force him to swing overhead.
Alex glowered at his enemy. Slowly, Niles smiled. He walked a little closer to Alex and said quietly, “Did your lassie tell you how much I made her bleed? She was such a screamer.” Alex’s eyes turned dark as coal, but he refused to be baited.
At that, Niles swung his claymore over his head and brought it straight down on Alex, trying to slice him in two. Alex blocked the swing, but stumbled and fell to his left. Niles saw his opening and quickly brought his sword over his head again for the killing blow. Just as he swung in a downward arc, Alex turned back to his right in a flash and forced his blade into Niles’s belly and pulled up. Niles looked at him briefly, stunned, before crumpling to the ground, dropping his sword.
A cheer erupted from the crowd as the Comming went down. Alex’s men pounded his back as he lowered his sword. He turned to search for Madeline, but couldn’t find her in the throng of people. Sweat dripped down his face. He shook his head because his vision blurred, but he couldn’t stop. He frantically scanned the area for her. Kenneth was still out there and she was no longer with his brothers.
***
Madeline screamed as soon as she noticed Alex stumble. Then she saw Niles go down, but it was impossible to tell if his sword had found Alex first. She clawed through her guards in the chaos and ran toward Alex, tears blinding her vision. Robbie yelled at her from behind, but she did not turn back. She had to get to him; he had to be all right. She could not lose him now. Alex was the only man for her—a truth she knew deep in her heart. The crowd surrounded Alex and she could not get through. People were grabbing at her, but she punched, kicked, and scratched at everyone who stood in her way. She kept screaming his name. When she finally found him, she threw herself against him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
He held her tight. She sobbed his name, but he never spoke. His breathing was ragged from the battle. She swore she would never let him go. Drenched in sweat and grime, he ran his hands over her back and swept her into his arms, then started moving slowly toward the keep. Maddie could tell he was weakening. There was too much blood, blood from his thigh and his arm. Exhaustion was overtaking him; she could sense it in his grasp. She tried to pull away from him after he made it up the steps to the great hall, but he would not release her.
“Alex, Alex, are you all right?” Tears blinded her vision as she attempted to assess his wounds.
But as soon as he stepped inside the door, he collapsed.
RESCUED BY A HIGHLANDER
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The Grant guards dispersed the crowd, and Robbie and Brodie carried their brother to his chamber so Brenna could see to his wounds. To ensure Kenneth did not escape in the chaos, Robbie had one of his warriors throw him into the dungeon. Guards
would watch him there. Wee Jennie took one look at Alex and opened her mouth in a wail. Maddie’s head spun with confusion. Neither of them were allowed into Alex’s room.
Jennie grabbed Maddie’s skirts. “Maddie, is he dead? Is my brother dead? What is wrong with him? What happened? Who killed my brother?”
Maddie took Jennie into her arms and sat on the floor. “Hush, child, he is not dead. There was a battle and he fought very bravely. He is injured, and your sister needs to see to his wounds.” The fear in the wee lassie’s eyes broke her heart.
“Oh, Maddie! I cannot lose my brother, too. Why was he fighting? What happened?” Jennie’s gut-wrenching sobs echoed through the stone corridor, wrenching Maddie’s heart.
“He was protecting us from a very bad man, Jennie. But that man will never bother us again. We will sit here and wait for your sister.”
Jennie sobbed until all that remained were hiccups. Resting the wee lassie’s head on her lap, Maddie brushed her hair back and sang a soft ballad she remembered from her mother until all the tension in Jennie’s body abated.
Fiona ran by them, carrying hot water, linens, and Brenna’s healing box. After a short time, the door opened and Brodie stepped out. Opening his arms wide, he said, “Och, come here, little squirrel.”
Jennie jumped into his arms, and he wiped her tear-stained face with a cloth.
“Is Alex going to be all right, Brodie? He is not going to die, is he?” The lassie tugged on Brodie’s hair and twisted it as she spoke.
“Nay, lass, your brother is strong. He will be sore for a while, but he will be fine. You know you will have to be extra good to him and help take care of him,” Brodie said as he kissed her forehead.
His sister rested her head on his shoulder. “Can I see him? I just want to give him a kiss. I think he will get better faster if I give him a kiss. Papa always said that hurts and cuts need kisses to get better. Alex probably needs a lot of kisses.”
Brodie chuckled as he smoothed her hair. “Nay, lass, Brenna has to sew him up first. And he is very tired, so I think he may sleep a bit after Brenna is done. Even I am tired. Alex rode us hard chasing after those bad men. We had quite a battle going before we captured them.”
Madeline peered at Brodie expectantly. “Is he talking?”
“Aye, he is in and out, but he has not asked for you yet, my lady.”
Fortunately, Brodie’s expression was one of sympathy and not of censure. Nonetheless Madeline’s shoulders slumped in defeat. Maybe he had changed his mind and he never wanted to see her again. Well, if so, he would not get rid of her that easily. She was not moving from this spot until he either came out of that chamber or talked to her, whichever came first.
After an hour or two, Maddie’s legs went numb. How long could she sit on the floor waiting? She chided herself for being so weak, but it did not matter. She would not leave him. Finally, Brenna stepped into the corridor and announced that Alex was dozing off and on. She ushered Brodie into the room with wee Jennie, then turned to Maddie, “Why don’t you go down and eat something? It will be a while until he is awake. I slipped him a sleeping draught.”
“How bad are his injuries?” Maddie asked, searching her face for clues.
“He will be all right, Maddie. Our biggest worry is fever. His wounds were very dirty. I cleaned them the best I could. I do no’ think he has any broken bones. But, as you know, the biggest bone we need to worry about is his head. He will not remain in bed for long. He is much too stubborn.”
“Brenna, I wish to stay by his side tonight.”
“‘Tis not necessary. Brodie has taken Jennie in just to give Alex a kiss. Then he will stay with him tonight. It would be best for you to get some rest before he awakens and asks for you.”
“Do you think he will ask for me? After all that has happened, he may never want to see me again,” she whispered.
“My brother is pig-headed, but I know he has feelings for you.” Brenna patted Maddie’s hands. “Give it some time. Much has happened. From the tales I have heard, it is a wonder any of the clansmen are still on their feet. It was not an easy battle.”
“I will stay here.” She retrieved a stool and posted herself outside Alex’s door.
***
Robbie entered Alex’s chamber to speak with Brodie a couple of times, but nothing changed for several hours. Shortly before midnight, when Maddie’s head was nodding from exhaustion, Brodie came out and touched her shoulder. “Alex is asking for you, lass. I will go get something to eat.”
After smiling at Brodie and straightening her skirts, Maddie hurried into Alex’s chamber. Once inside, she paused to allow her eyes to adjust to the darkness. One small candle flickered on the table near his bed, providing scant illumination. The chamber was larger than she had expected, and the bed was probably the biggest she had ever seen. There was a hearth on one wall, buttressed by a chair on either side, and there were three chests of various sizes arranged about. Several weapons hung from the walls, and two recessed windows with fur coverings kept in the warmth. Alex stood in front of one with the fur pulled back, donned in nothing but his plaid, staring at the moon. Maddie unconsciously licked her lips as she took in his massive shoulders and the rippling muscles of his back. There was a bandage on his right leg and she thought she saw stitches in his left arm. His hair hung loose and almost reached his shoulders. Maddie waited to be acknowledged.
He turned and stared at her for a few minutes, his eyes so achingly soft, before whispering, “Aye, Maddie, you have my word. I will not tie you to the marriage bed.”
Maddie sighed and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in the soft hairs of his chest. “Oh, Alex, I was so worried about you. I am so sorry for all the trouble I have caused.”
“Maddie, you have not caused any trouble.” He rested his chin on her head and sighed. “You have turned my world upside down, but you have not caused me any trouble.”
***
Alex reveled in the rightness of her in his arms. He closed his eyes to take in everything that was his Madeline. He lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. “You still have not answered my question. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
A bewitching smile covered her face as she looked back at him. “Aye, Alex, nothing would make me happier. But are you sure you still want me after everything you have learned about me?”
“Lass, you must be the strongest person I have ever met to have survived all the troubles you have suffered. I have always wanted a strong wife.”
Alex sensed Maddie’s anxiety immediately. “Sit and talk with me,” he said, taking her hand and guiding her to one of the large chairs in front of the hearth. He sat there and arranged her on his lap, careful to avoid his bandaged leg.
“Maddie, please listen to me for a few minutes. I understand your fears. What happened with Niles was no’ natural. He was an unnaturally cruel man to have treated you that way. I hope you believe me when I say I will never hurt you. What happens between a husband and wife should not be painful after the first time. You know what the act involves. But don’t be frightened, lass.” Alex massaged her arm as he talked. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you that the marriage bed should be enjoyable for both husband and wife?”
Maddie nodded. “My maid, Alice, told me so, but she did not say much. I have heard a few servants talk about it, but I cannot always understand what they mean. I only have my own experience to guide me. And I did not like anything about it. It was very painful and humiliating.” Her head dropped to rest on his shoulder.
Alex clenched his jaw and lowered his lips to her forehead so she could not see his eyes. “How many times, Maddie?” He held his breath, not sure what he was about to hear.
“Just one night, but four or five times. I do not remember for sure. But it hurt every time and I bled terribly from it. I am afraid, Alex.”
“Do you trust me, Maddie?” He ran his thumb across her cheek.
“Aye, I do.”
“Then trust m
e when I say we will not do anything until you are ready, lass.”
She was so beautiful. Her hair was a shambles, but she was as breathtaking as ever. How he longed to feel all of her glorious curves. He longed to trace his tongue over every inch of her body. Someday, he vowed. He believed that just below the surface was a passionate woman; he just needed to be patient.
He ran his knuckles over her cheek. After kissing her forehead, her nose, and her lips, he captured her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. She tasted so sweet and welcoming. He wanted all of her, to possess her. Instead of pushing away, she opened her lips so he could sweep his tongue inside her sweet mouth. She touched her tongue to his briefly and that simple motion stole away what remained of his ability for reason.
***
Maddie wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in closer. She loved the feel of being in his arms. When Alex kissed her, warmth spread throughout her entire body. He ran his hand down the inside of her arm and she shivered as the fluttering sensation in her stomach reached to her core. She was confused by her feelings, unable to comprehend the changes going on inside her body. His hands dropped to her waist and she leaned toward him. She could hear his breathing increase, and her own heart beat faster. His hand swept down her back and across her waist before coming to rest on her thigh.
And then she bolted as if she had been burned. She jumped out of his lap and ran all the way to the far wall. Hiding her face toward the wall, she folded her arms protectively across her breasts. She tried to get her breathing under control, but to no avail. The memory of Niles Comming had ruined their perfect moment. Afraid of the look she would see in his eyes, she darted her gaze everywhere but at him. He was still seated in the chair.
She panted and coughed as her panic escalated.
“I am sorry, Alex. I just cannot do this.” She turned her back to the wall and stared at him. What was he thinking? He hadn’t moved from the chair. His arms were down, relaxed. A fine tremor rippled through her whole body. Even if he wasn’t going to beat her like Kenneth or Niles would have, he probably no longer wanted her. How could he want a wife who would push him or hit him whenever they became intimate? She squeezed her eyes shut again to try to erase the bad memories in her mind. When she opened her eyes, Alex was still sitting in the chair. He had not moved. His eyes searched hers.
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