The Highlander Who Loved Me

by Adrienne Basso

  He gasped, touching her hair, smoothing it behind her ear, then brushed his lips against her earlobe. She squirmed at the sensation, lifting herself toward him.

  “There is a tempest that rules me whenever I’m near ye, Davina. The need to hold ye, to kiss and caress ye drives me wild.”

  Davina licked her lips. “I dinnae mean to be the cause of so much turmoil, good sir.”

  “Ye relish it.” Though his tone was light and mocking, his eyes were solemn. “Before we jumped into the loch, ye said that ye loved me. If that’s true, why did ye leave my bed?”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, placing her hand upon his cheek. “I left because I dinnae want ye to feel obligated toward me.”

  To her relief, the tightness in his jaw eased. He framed her face with his hands, brushing his lips softly against her. “Best be warned, the only woman I’ll be taking to my bed from this day forward is my wife. So if ye want me, ye’ll have to marry me.”

  She curled against his chest, hearing his heart thumping wildly. “Ye said last night that ye couldn’t promise me marriage.”

  “I lied.”

  “Did ye lie about anything else?”

  “I dinnae recall much of what I said. My mind—and body—were too overcome to remember more than the sensations we shared. The pleasure, of course, but it was so much more. It was right, Davina, the joy of it all, taking possession of ye, filling ye with my seed. ’Tis what I want fer the rest of my life and I can only hope and pray that ye feel the same.”

  She felt the tears sting her eyes and she hugged him tightly. “I do, James. I do feel the same.”

  He threaded his fingers through her damp hair and held her closer to his heart. “’Tis decided. The first thing we’ll do after we get out of this cave is find a priest!”

  Chapter Sixteen

  The sound of a single scream woke him. A piercing, painful cry so filled with anguish that it chilled his very soul. Heart racing, James reached for his sword and sprang to his feet. His eyes searched the dim light that surrounded them, but found no one. Rising, he moved toward the opening of the cave, but saw no movement in the second, smaller chamber.

  James swung back around at the sound of another moan of pain and saw Davina sitting upright, her body rigid, her face staring into the darkness. Her breath came in short, bursting pants, mingled with soft, muted moans of fear and distress.

  “Davina!” He rushed to her side to offer comfort, but when he drew near, she struck out, flaying wildly at his chest, nearly striking him on the jaw.

  “Dinnae touch me!” she cried, fighting harder.

  He reached for her hands and she again pulled away. Her eyes were wide open, but James realized that she did not see him. Nay, she was trapped in the grip of a nightmare, unaware of him, unaware of anything.

  He caught her wrists. “’Tis a dream, Davina. A wicked nightmare. Ye are in no danger. Open yer eyes.”

  She shuddered, shaking her head. He continued speaking to her in a low tone and she finally blinked, her eyes focusing on him. “James?”

  “Aye, lass, I have ye. Ye’re safe here with me.”

  She went limp in his arms. “It was horrible.”

  “Ah, love.”

  “Real, so real,” she muttered. Her voice was a hoarse whisper and he had to strain to hear it. “There were scores of men. Giant, faceless men, brandishing swords. They were chasing me through the forest. I could hear them trampling behind me as I ran, getting closer and closer. My lungs were bursting, but I couldn’t get away. No matter which way I turned, they found me, they followed me. I tripped and fell and suddenly they were standing there in a circle, glaring down at me.

  “They sneered and laughed amongst themselves and encouraged their leader to take me. He threw himself on top of me while the others held me down. I could feel the fear clutching at my throat. I tried to scream fer help, but there was no sound when I opened my mouth.

  “I bucked and twisted and somehow freed one of my hands. I beat the brute against his shoulders, even pulled his hair so hard his head fell back, but nothing could move him off me. He tore at my gown, ripping away the fabric.”

  James smoothed his hand tenderly over her damp hair, trying to stop her trembling. “Shh,’twas only a bad dream.”

  “Aye, a dream. An evil, wretched nightmare.” She shuddered and gripped the edges of the fur blanket so tightly the tips of her fingers turned white. “I dinnae like being afraid. Awake or asleep.”

  Her vulnerability struck a chord inside him. He wondered at the demons that plagued her, that disturbed her rest. Though the attack had happened years ago, she still suffered the effects.

  As did he.

  “The fear is real, but only in yer mind.” Cradling her in his arms, James continued stroking her hair. He wished he could do something more to ease her fright, but knew this was a battle she must wage on her own.

  Davina’s hands slipped around his waist. James felt her sigh of relief and gradually her trembling ceased and her breathing slowed. He pulled his sword within easy reach, resting his back against the hard rock. The small fire he had built still burned low, the flames casting shadows that flickered and danced across the wall.

  She stayed burrowed against him for the longest time. It seemed such a simple thing, but the act brought them both a strong measure of contentment. Maybe because the intimacy of the moment had nothing to do with sex, but everything to do with love and trust.

  “Do ye think anyone at the castle has noticed that we are missing?” Davina asked, breaking the silence.

  “I’m uncertain, though I imagine they’ll realize that ye aren’t there long before they know I’m away.”

  She turned her head up and frowned at him. “What?”

  “It’s not unusual fer me to be off on my own fer hours at a time,” James explained. “But my mother will be wondering what has happened to her favorite holiday guest when she doesn’t see ye all morning.”

  The confusion in Davina’s eyes faded, replaced by a curious light. “How do ye think she’ll react when she learns we wish to be married? Will she approve?”

  James brightened. “She’ll be very happy, though I suspect not one bit surprised when we tell her. The McKenna, too. After all, it was his idea that ye wed one of his sons.”

  Davina groaned. “I have a feeling that yer father is going to take great pleasure in reminding us of that in the years to come.”

  “Aye, he’ll not let it go unsaid.”

  “Well, ye did tell him that ye had no interest in me,” Davina said.

  “And ye said that ye’d never wed,” James countered, his lip quirking in amusement.

  “Och, yer mother will have to protect us from the worst of yer father’s gloating,” Davina joked.

  “We can count upon her to aid us,” James agreed with a smile. It was good to see the color returning to Davina’s cheeks and the sparkle of wit in her eyes, proof that the terrors of her nightmare had faded.

  “I willnae mind a bit of teasing if it means I am yer wife. ’Tis a price I am more than willing to pay,” she said.

  “Shall we move to a keep far away, so we only need face my father once or twice every few years?” James teased, kissing her temple softly.

  “Nay! We shall live at Torridon Keep, which is a journey of only a fortnight from McKenna Castle. Far enough to give us the privacy we need, yet close enough to allow fer visits with yer family.”

  “Occasional visits,” James amended with a laugh.

  Relief swept over him. This fanciful talk of their future was a welcome respite from their sobering situation. It made him cherish life all the more, made him more determined that they would not only survive, they would flourish.

  “We will be happy together, James,” Davina said, her voice firm, her eyes filled with hope.

  “I already am happy, sweetheart,” he declared, dropping a kiss on the top of her nose.

  “How much longer should we stay here?” she asked.

  “
It would be safest to wait until nightfall to leave, to make our way back to the castle under cover of darkness.”

  Davina nodded. She shifted, placing her hand over her belly. “Goodness, I’m hungry. Ye might remember that I missed breaking my fast this morning.”

  Aye, he’d been so anxious to be alone with her, he hadn’t allowed her any time to eat before whisking her away from the great hall. “Dinnae ye nibble on those oatcakes ye took from the table?”

  “Nay, I put them in my pocket.”

  “Shall I check if they are still there?”

  She burst out laughing. “If they survived our swim in the loch, then I’m going to sit here and watch ye eat every soggy crumb.”

  “I should do it, just to make amends.”

  He lowered his head and kissed her bare shoulder. “Yer clothes should be dry soon. Why don’t ye try and rest until then? Unless ye fear the return of yer nightmares?”

  “Knowing ye are close should hold them at bay.” Smiling, she traced her finger along his arm. “Sleeping will take my mind off my grumbling stomach.”

  “I shall order a haunch of venison to be roasted the moment we return home,” he replied. “’Twill be a celebration of our impending nuptials.”

  Davina adjusted her position and placed her head in his lap. His manhood stirred with interest at the feel of her breath so near. She let out a wicked little laugh. “Like my promised meal, this too must wait until we return to the castle. ’Tis only fair.”

  He groaned, low and deep. “Cease yer teasing, wench.”

  “Aye, good sir.”

  She wiggled about, then settled herself. James waited until her breathing slowed and deepened before taking the hilt of his sword in his hand. Eyes trained on the cave entrance, he sat, watched, and waited.

  A while later, James heard the distinct sound of footsteps crunching on stones. An uneasy sensation gripped his gut, but he forced himself to remain calm, logical. It had been hours since they escaped their would-be attackers; ’twas impossible for them to have been followed here.

  The cave was well hidden, which made the likelihood of their pursuers happening upon it a very small possibility. Nay, if someone were coming, it had to be someone who knew about the cave.

  And there were very few people who fit that description.

  Or so he believed.

  Davina lifted her head off his lap and turned to him with questioning eyes. He nodded. She rolled off him, hastily donning her clothes. He quickly pulled on his brais and still-damp tunic, then picked up his sword. Reaching into his boot, he pulled out one of his dirks.

  “Here.” James turned and handed the blade to Davina. “I hope and pray it’s a McKenna warrior making all that noise. But if not . . .”

  Her eyes grew wide, but she took the weapon with a nod of thanks. James glimpsed the raw determination in Davina’s face and found a small measure of comfort. Pray God it did not happen, but if it came to it, she would not go down without a fight.

  “How long before they find us?” she whispered.

  James cocked his head and listened, straining to hear. “Not long. Crouch down behind that large rock and stay hidden until I tell ye to come out,” he commanded.

  When Davina had done as he asked, James moved to the other side of the cave. He wanted to make certain to draw the attention of whoever stepped inside toward him and away from Davina. Fitting himself between a narrow crack in the rock wall, he watched from the shadows.

  He didn’t have long to wait. A man, his sword drawn, walked through the natural archway of stone into their section of the cave. He held a torch aloft in one hand and his sword in the other, the long, sharp blade glistening in the light.

  For an instant James was blinded, but then he saw the distinct colors of the McKenna plaid. Yet he didn’t relax his grip on his sword until he recognized the warrior’s features.

  “Malcolm!”

  “James! At last!” Malcolm brandished his sword in the air. “We’ve been searching these woods fer hours. Is Davina with ye?”

  “I’m here, Malcolm,” she answered, emerging from her hiding spot.

  “Thank the good Lord! Mother would have had my hide if I dinnae return with at least one of ye.”

  “As I am so very pleased to see ye, brother, I willnae ask which one of us ye preferred to find,” James grumbled, though he smiled when he said it.

  Malcolm drew closer. He surprised James utterly by pulling him into a manly hug and slapping him on the back.

  “Ye seem unharmed,” Malcolm observed. “Both of ye.”

  “We are well,” Davina answered. “How did ye know where to find us?”

  “Luck. I wish I had thought to look here first. I recognized the area the moment we crested the ridge and remembered our secret cave.” Malcolm turned to James. “We always had a grand time here, even after father forbade us to come. I decided that if I were being chased, this would be a fine place to hide.”

  “How did ye know we were in trouble?” James asked.

  “The watch spotted what he thought was a beggar tramping through the woods. But when he noticed the man was well armed, he called fer the guard. ’Twas only after they started tracking him that the others were spotted.

  “By then we realized both ye and Davina were gone, so we assumed ye were their target. We gave chase, but they eluded us. I’m so relieved they dinnae catch ye.”

  “They were after Davina.”

  Malcolm grimaced. “Just as Father feared.”

  “Are ye alone?” Davina asked.

  “Nay, I’ve got twenty men outside as escort and nearly one hundred combing these woods looking fer ye and those knaves trespassing on McKenna land. But I fear they are long gone.”

  James blew out his breath. “Ye weren’t able to capture at least one of them?”

  Malcolm shook his head in disgust. “They scattered to the winds once we rode from the castle gates. They seem to know these woods well; I suspect they have been hiding in them fer several days, if not weeks.”

  “I’ll put out the fire. Gather the rest of yer clothes, Davina.” James turned to his brother. “Did ye bring any extra mounts fer us to ride?”

  A strange look flashed in Malcolm’s eyes as he slowly took in their disheveled, half-dressed appearance. “How long have ye been in here?”

  James shrugged. “I’m not certain. Several hours at least.”

  James could see a muscle ticking in his brother’s jaw, as though he suddenly became aware of something very important.

  “I fear that yer honor might be compromised, Davina,” Malcolm said, his gaze sharpening as he studied their faces.

  “No matter. Let the gossips say what they will.” James took Davina’s hand in his. “We are to be married.”

  Malcolm’s gaze shot to Davina. “Truly?”

  “Aye.” Davina smiled, then blushed and lowered her chin. “We decided today.”

  The announcement did little to mollify his brother’s sour expression. And perversely, that brought James a wicked jolt of pleasure.

  The fog and cold rolled in at the same time, making the ride miserable for all. Freezing rain and wind blew against them, but the brigand saw it as the first good sign since the McKenna soldiers had thundered through the castle gates and given chase.

  The cold would slow the McKenna warriors down and the fog would aid the brigand and his men in their escape, for it obscured all but the closest objects. He pushed the men hard, knowing it would take a full day until they had ridden off McKenna land—and even then, there was no assurance that the clan warriors wouldn’t follow.

  “I grow weary of this game of cat and mouse,” one of the men complained through chattering teeth. “My mount is ready to drop from exhaustion.”

  Several of the others echoed the same sentiment and the brigand’s stomach tightened. The men had lost confidence in his abilities to lead them and there was little he could say in his defense. This last ambush—this final chance to capture or kill Lady Davina—ha
d failed. There was nothing left to do but scatter and pray they weren’t caught, for it was doubtful the McKenna would show them any mercy.

  Despite the need to keep moving, the brigand held up his arm. “We’ll take shelter in those trees and give the horses an hour to rest. Any more time than that is far too dangerous.”

  They stopped, dismounted, and huddled in a circle, sharing what little food they had among themselves. No one offered the brigand any. Several of the men spoke to each other in low tones, casting him open looks of displeasure. The brigand rubbed his hand across his brow. ’Twas obvious they trusted each other far more than they trusted him.

  The brigand was starting to get a bad feeling in his gut. The Highlands were filled with desperate rogues willing to do just about anything to earn a bit of coin. Since he needed to act quickly, he took whomever he could find. Consequently, he didn’t know very well the men he had recruited for this job.

  “I’ll shoulder some of the blame for our failures, but not all,” the brigand admitted.

  “Aye, the best chance we had to snatch the wench was when she was outside the castle walls with the lass and only a single knight to protect her,” one of the men replied. “We could have easily caught her, if only Liam had kept his eyes open.”

  “I dinnae fall asleep!” Liam shouted. “I’ve told ye again and again, my horse came up lame.”

  “Then ye should have stolen another one,” the man cried.

  Liam shot him a hostile glare. “And brought the entire McKenna guard to our camp? I dinnae think ye would be too pleased if that happened.”

  “What difference does it make now?” the brigand asked. “The chance was lost and here we stand with nothing to show for our weeks of hiding and waiting.”

  There was a heavy silence. The men shifted on their feet; none would look at him directly. Fists clenched against his forehead, the brigand threw back his head and shouted in frustration. The horses shied at the sudden noise; the men did not.

  “Who’s going to pay us?” one of them asked.

  “We dinnae do what was required,” the brigand insisted. “They’ll be no money.”