by Gwyn Brodie
Galen lowered his brows and returned the glare.
"A situation has come to my attention," Kade announced, "which must be brought to light. It appears, MacPherson, the reason for your sister's sudden departure from Clifftower is due to Campbell's blatant mistreatment of her."
Alexander MacPherson's brows rose in surprise. His gaze moved from Sorcha to Campbell, before settling on his sister. "Is this true, Sorcha?" he asked softly.
Sorcha's gaze dropped to her lap. "Aye, 'tis true, Alex."
"Och, MacPherson, I did naught wrong," Campbell insisted. "As her future husband, 'tis my given right to punish her as I see fit."
Anger flashed like summer lightening through MacPherson's pale green eyes. "Punish her? For what reason?"
"T-t-there were several," Campbell stammered, his face turning red.
"Why did he punish you, Sorcha?"
Sorcha hesitated.
"Go on and tell him, lass," Galen whispered, "There's no need to be afraid. By the saints, I'll protect you."
She glanced sideways, a hint of a smile at the corners of her perfect mouth. She took a deep breath and looked directly at Campbell. "Anytime I spoke to or looked at another man, or refused Archibald's unwanted advances, he would punish me. Archibald flaunted his mistresses—as well as dallied with the servants—under my nose, even when they tried to refuse him."
Campbell's face twisted with rage. He jumped up from his seat and took a step toward her, his hands balled into fists.
In a split second, Alex and Galen were on their feet.
Campbell froze mid-step.
"What's wrong, Campbell?" Galen said through clenched teeth. "Not so quick to dole out the punishment when 'tis a man that is before you, are you now?"
Kade got to his feet. "Sit down, Campbell, and you too, Galen, Laird MacPherson."
Alexander again took his seat, but the other two glared at one another a moment longer, before sitting back down.
"'Tis not that I don't believe my own sister," MacPherson said, "but this a delicate matter. I need more than mere accusations, if anything is to be done regarding the situation. I need proof."
Galen shoved Sorcha's sleeve up her arm. "Is this proof enough, MacPherson?"
Alexander rose, his gaze riveted on the blue, purple and yellow discolorations covering Sorcha's delicate skin. After taking a few moments to pour over both arms, MacPherson shouted at Campbell, "The marriage is off. I'll not have any sister of mine treated in such a barbaric manner. You'll be returning to Clifftower without her."
Campbell jumped to his feet. "What of the dowry? I should at least be allowed that much for my troubles."
MacPherson snorted. "You'll not receive a coin nor a single stone from my lands. Since the original plan was to bring her dowry when I attended the marriage ceremony, I'll not have to worry about you keeping any of it for yourself. I'll be sending someone to collect my sister's belongings."
Kade stood. "Campbell, it appears the matter of Lady Sorcha and your marriage has been satisfactorily settled for everyone but yourself. Take your guards and return to your garrison. I'll give you until tomorrow to be gone from MacLachlan lands. If you are not, then my garrison will have orders to use whatever force necessary to remove you."
Campbell headed for the door, then stopped and turned to Sorcha. "You'll pay for this, whore. Just wait and see."
Before Galen could reach Campbell, MacPherson knocked the cur to the floor. "Get out, before I kill you."
"You'll be sorry, MacPherson. For I have the king's ear," he said, wiping away a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Och, as do I," MacPherson said, keeping a guarded eye on the man sprawled at his feet.
Campbell crawled up from the floor and staggered from the room.
Kade followed him out and spoke to Shaw before coming back inside. "Since we've yet to break our fast, I suggest we make haste before all the food disappears."
While her brother conferred with Kade, Galen offered Sorcha his arm and smiled down at her. When had she become so important to him?
When they entered the great hall, Galen spied Ewan with a group of boys his own age and a trencher overflowing with food. He waved to Galen as they passed by. Galen couldn't be happier, with his brother free of Blackstone's dungeon, and Sorcha free of Campbell and beside him.
Soon they were breaking their fast with porridge sweetened with honey, warm bread and spiced ale. MacPherson sat across from Sorcha and Galen, his gaze moving between them.
"MacKinnon, 'tis most unnerving to see my sister seated so close to the man who abducted her. I intended to say something earlier in the solar, but now I'm glad I didn't. Much thanks for defending Sorcha."
Galen nodded. "'Twas my pleasure, Laird MacPherson."
"Please, call me Alex, won't you?"
"Alex, 'tis." Galen took another gulp of ale.
Kade chuckled. "Galen is not a bad lad. On the contrary. He is loyal to a fault and has saved all our lives, at one time or another—including Jillian's."
Galen looked at Kade and raised a brow. His friend was trying to impress MacPherson by presenting some of his more saintly attributes.
"Och, you don't say." He turned to back to Galen. "Your brother told me you are heir apparent to Moorloch Castle, and next in line to become chief of the MacKinnon clan."
Galen nodded. "'Tis true, upon my father's death—which I hope will be a long while yet."
"Aye, of course," MacPherson went back to eating, his uneasiness seemingly put to rest, for the time being.
After the meal, they rose from the table. "MacLachlan, is there a place where I might speak with my sister in private?"
"Aye, the library."
"I'll show you the way," Jillian said, taking MacPherson's arm when he offered it.
Frowning, Kade stared after them.
"A wee bit jealous, are we now?" Galen teased.
"Jillian, I trust. 'Tis MacPherson I'm not so sure about."
***
After Jillian left them alone in the library, Sorcha walked to the window and looked out at the yellow flowers dotting the vibrant green grass covering the hillside.
Alex moved to stand beside her. He blew out a long breath. "Sorcha, I had no idea Archibald Campbell was such an uncivilized swine. If I'd known he was going to mistreat you, I'd have never agreed to the match."
His eyes pleaded for forgiveness. She took his hand. "I ken, Alex. But did Angus and the others not tell you why I left Clifftower?"
"Aye, that is why when I sent the missive regarding your kidnapping, I asked that Campbell not go after you without me. I wanted to find out firsthand what he'd done to you. Another reason for having him wait for me was that I didn't ken what MacKinnon might do to you, should Campbell attack."
Her face heated at the memory of Galen's breathtaking kisses. "You now ken Galen is not that sort of man."
"Galen, is it now?" Alex grinned. "You care for him, do you not? I'm not blind, sister of mine. The look in your pretty eyes when you speak of him is enough to let me ken the truth."
Could her feelings for Galen be that obvious? "Aye, I care for him. Are you displeased with me, Alex?"
He gently kissed her on the forehead then tweaked her nose, just as he had all her life. "Nay, not displeased, but MacKinnon did take you against your will."
She smiled. "Aye, he did at that. But, perhaps 'twas fate."
"Perhaps."
"He is a good and kind man." He makes me feel things I've never felt before.
Alex nodded. "I ken he is quick to defend you, and I've seen the way he watches you. He also cares for you."
Could it be true?
He offered her his arm. "We must thank the MacLachlan's for their hospitality and leave for Blackstone Castle soon. I'm afraid Campbell might seek retaliation, and I wish to be there if he does."
Sorcha's heart dropped. Of course, Alex was correct in his thinking. Archibald could very well attack Blackstone, knowing her brother wasn't there to warn his people.
She knew all along she'd have to leave. But so soon? She'd hoped she and Jillian could rekindle their friendship. To pick up where they'd left off. And then there was Galen. How could she live without seeing him? To never again feel his lips gently brushing against hers?
Kade and Jillian met them as they left the library. Sorcha looked about the great hall, but Galen was nowhere to be seen.
Leaving her husband and Alex to talk, Jillian took Sorcha's arm and they walked together across the room. "He's not here."
"Who?" Sorcha asked, raising her brows.
Jillian chuckled. "Galen, of course. Was it not he you were looking for?"
Sorcha felt the heat rise in her face. "Aye, 'twas. My brother intends for us to leave immediately. I had hoped to say good-by before I left."
"Perhaps he will return soon. I had hoped that you and I could spend some time catching up about our lives. Perchance Alex will allow you to remain at Ravenskull for a short while longer."
A young boy with a mass of wild flaxen curls the exact color as Jillian's came running across the great hall on the heels of a great mastiff. "Morn, Jilly," he called out as he dashed through a door leading into the garden.
Jillian laughed. "That was my brother, Ian. He's seen six summers. And his dog, Reiver. Did I mention that he adores Galen?" Galen gave him Reiver, as a pup."
"Reiver. What an odd name for a dog."
"Believe me," Jillian said, "the name suits him perfectly. He's no longer allowed in the great hall during mealtime due to his habit of grabbing food from the tables and running off with it."
Sorcha chuckled. "I see."
"You must come with me to the nursery," Jillian said, heading toward the stairs. "I'd like you to meet my son, Robbie. 'Tis time for him to nurse. I didn't wish to bring him below last evening, not knowing what might happen with Campbell."
"Aye, I understand," Sorcha said, following her up the narrow stairs.
Jillian opened the nursery door and they went inside.
A cherub faced bairn with blond curls squealed and held out his arms, and the nursemaid handed him to his mother.
"Winnie, go break your fast. After I nurse him, Lady Sorcha and I will take him into the garden for a bit of fresh air. You may meet us there later."
"Aye, m'lady." Winnie grinned and gently patted the bairn's chubby cheek before leaving the nursery.
Jillian sat down on the settle near the fire, with Robbie in her lap. "Robbie," she cooed. "This is Sorcha, a dear friend of mine."
Robbie completely ignored Sorcha, and fussed and tugged at his mother's bodice until he was happily nursing at her breast.
Most women in her position would have used a wet-nurse. Sorcha admired Jillian for wishing to nurse Robbie herself.
"I'm afraid my son is like every male I ken." Jillian chuckled. "Naught else matters 'til their bellies are filled."
Both women laughed.
Robbie captured a strand of Jillian's hair in his tiny fist and held on, his gaze locked on his mother's face.
Sorcha was privy to something very special—the unbreakable bond between a mother and child.
The nursery door opened and Kade stepped inside. Love and pride flashed across his face as he knelt beside Jillian. He kissed his wife on the forehead and placed his large finger into Robbie's hand, chuckling as the bairn immediately gripped it. "The wee lad will hold a broadsword well one day." His and Jillian's gazes met over Robbie and an intimate light passed between them.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Sorcha rose to her feet. "Jillian, I'll meet you in the great hall. I must speak to my brother at once," she lied, then left them alone. One day she hoped a man would look at her the way Kade looked at Jillian—with such love in his eyes. She envied her friend. She had a husband who adored her, a beautiful bairn at her breast and another to be birthed. What more could any woman ask for?
When she reached the lower floor, she found Alex waiting for her in the entry hall, empty except for the occasional servant.
He smiled and took her hand. "Laird MacLachlan has asked if I would allow you to remain at Ravenskull for at least a fortnight longer. He feels Jillian would benefit from having you here."
Her heart raced. "And what was your answer?" she asked, holding her breath as she waited for his reply.
Alex let out a long breath. "I consented, against my better judgment, seeing as how MacKinnon will also be here. As I said before, I'm aware of the attraction between the two of you. Need I remind you that in order to procure a proper marriage in the future, you must remain chaste?"
Sorcha's face heated. "Nay."
"Good. Farewell, sister. After a fortnight, MacLachlan will have his men escort you back to Blackstone. My guards are mounted and waiting for me to join them. Please tell Jillian I said it was good to see her again."
"I will," she promised, barely able to contain her excitement. She kissed him on the cheek and walked him to the castle entrance.
In the courtyard, the MacPherson guards waited with Alex's horse. He took the reins from Cilas and mounted.
"Godspeed, and have a care," she called after him, as he turned his horse toward home.
Alex waved, then he and his garrison rode through the raised portcullis and soon disappeared from her sight. She stepped back inside and closed the door. When she turned around, Galen was standing there. "You startled me."
He grinned, and as always, her knees grew weak. "I understand you'll be staying at Ravenskull for a wee bit longer."
"Aye, 'tis true. I return to Blackstone in a fortnight."
He moved closer and bent his head. "That's good, for I have many more kisses to be giving you, lass," he whispered in her ear, his breath warming her cheek.
Sorcha trembled. He wanted to kiss her again, and she wanted him to. But Sorcha couldn't help but wonder about his feelings for her. Was it his intention to compromise her and then be gone? Or did he really care for her?
Kade's and Jillian's voices reached them and they quickly stepped apart.
Jillian spotted Sorcha as she came down the stairs. "There you are." She shifted Robbie to her other hip. "Are you ready for an outing in the gardens?"
"Aye, that I am. Would you mind if I carried Robbie?"
"Nay, I would welcome it. He's a big lad for nine months."
Sorcha smiled at Robbie and held out her arms.
He went to her.
She hugged him close."What a sweet, sweet lad," she cooed, then pressed her lips against his soft cheek. Sorcha glanced up to find Galen watching her, a spark of unreadable emotion in his eyes. What is he thinking? Sorcha wondered.
She followed Jillian through the door leading to the courtyard. Her thoughts should strictly be on the child in her arms, but instead they were on Galen. And they were wicked to say the least. She couldn't stop wondering if Galen would come to her bedchamber that night. The image of his lips moving across her bare skin caused her heart to race.
Sorcha had promised herself to never trust another man, yet she'd trusted Galen. What Alex said was true. To procure a proper match, she needed to come to the marriage bed chaste. Yet, she was more than willing to lose her virginity to a man she barely knew, a man who had made no mention of marriage—simply because she loved him.
Chapter Eight
Galen paced the floor of his bedchamber, as he'd been doing for the better part of two hours. It was well past midnight and he should leave Sorcha be, but he couldn't. He had to see her, hold her—taste her lips. He raked his fingers through his hair. His need for her had become a fever, burning inside him without end.
He slipped into the corridor and closed his bedchamber door behind him. After making certain no one was about, he hurried to Sorcha's bedchamber and knocked.
"Aye, who is it?"
"Galen," he whispered, praying no one would hear.
He heard a rustle, then the door being unbolted.
Sorcha swung it open.
Saints above! His breath hung in his chest. She was beautiful, with the firelight
behind her, a wee fae, barefoot, with her hair covering her shoulders like a pair of gossamer wings.
"I had to see you."
Her blush was evident, even by the light of the dimly lit corridor. She nodded and stepped back into the room.
He bolted the door, then turned around.
Her eyes held a mixture of wonder and uncertainty.
He swallowed hard, then moved to where she stood beside the bed. He wrapped a silky strand of her hair around his finger and lifted it to his nose, breathing in her tantalizing rose scent. "You're all I think about—all I desire."
She pressed her palm against his cheek. "And I you, as well," she whispered, her wide eyes gazing into his.
Blood pounded in his ears, as he leaned down and touched his lips to hers. Then he drew her against him and devoured her. His hands moved over her, memorizing the shape of her full breasts, the tantalizing curve of her hips.
When he lifted his gaze to meet hers, she slipped her arms around his neck and drew him back down, kissing him with an urgency that matched his own.
His hands glided over her ribcage and flat belly, then slid beneath her shapely hips, lifting her from the floor.
Sorcha wrapped her legs about his waist.
The only thing separating them was his belted plaid. And that could be dealt with quickly enough. If he didn't have her soon, he'd surely die. He reached for his belt.
She's untried, a voice whispered inside his head. This wasn't a quick toss of the skirts, but Sorcha he held in his arms. And she had trusted him, even after saying she'd wouldn't. Would he betray that trust, knowing it hadn't been given lightly? His overwhelming desire and his conscience warred within him. His conscience won. His hand dropped from his belt and he looked up.
Sorcha gazed up at him, lips puffy and lids heavy with passion.
He blew out a long breath. She wanted him as much as he did her. That knowledge almost changed his mind. Almost. The lass held so much passion, that he could imagine how pleasurable it would be to make love to her.
Her shift slipped from her shoulders, giving him a tempting view of her ample cleavage. Galen pushed her fiery curls over her shoulders, then groaned and pressed his lips to the valley between her breasts, slowly drawing his tongue over first one hard nipple, then the other, tasting her, wanting more—much more—than he would allow himself to take.