As Liam tended to the fire, Keira readied herself for bed, slipping beneath the blankets just as he moved toward his bedding, set barely a foot away from hers. When he began to shed his clothes, she quickly shut her eyes. She was feeling less angry and more confused, not sure of what to believe. It was not a good time to see any part of his far too attractive body.
A lot of what Liam had said was easy enough to accept, although jealousy was a bitter taste in her mouth. He was a free man, who could do as he pleased. Compared to many men, he did follow some very admirable rules. Or tried to. Keira still found it difficult to believe that a woman like Lady Maude would chase after Liam unless she had been given some reason to. A woman as beautiful as that lady surely had too much pride, even vanity, to pursue a man, no matter how handsome that man was.
The jealousy was truly what she had to deal with. It gnawed at her insides, feeding her anger and hurt. She had spit out a lot of that poison, but it could all too easily return. Every time she thought of Liam with another woman, it returned, stirred to life by her jealousy and turning her into a person she did not particularly like. She also suspected it would soon turn Liam against her, and even though she foresaw no future for them, Keira did not like the thought of that at all. When they parted, she would like to think that now and again, Liam would remember her kindly, perhaps even as a good companion or friend. And if that did not make her the greatest of fools, she did not know what did.
Liam looked over at Keira when he heard her mumble something about a fool. Since she was not looking at him, he decided she was talking to herself, and he grinned. Keira was one of those people who sometimes thought too much, worrying a problem to death, but this time he would not tease her about it. There was a very good chance she was thinking over all he had said, of how he had not denied his past or excused it. That, he hoped, would give the weight of truth to all he had said he was definitely not guilty of. On the morrow, he would begin his wooing again and let her know that he would stand her champion in the fight to regain Ardgleann.
“Good sleep, my delicious Keira,” he murmured.
He does it on purpose, Keira thought as she banished the urge to reprimand him sharply for saying such things. “Good sleep, my sweet prince,” she replied and grinned at his ill-tempered grunt. Two could play at this game, she decided and felt so pleased with herself she had no trouble going to sleep.
CHAPTER 7
“Liam!”
The hint of panic in that one whispered word yanked Liam from the grip of sleep. He had his sword in his hand, and was crouched by Keira’s side before he realized they were alone. For a moment, he wondered if Keira was suffering from some bad dream, but even in the gray light of an early dawn, he could see that she was awake. Her eyes were wide with fright.
“There is no one here, lass,” he said and then frowned as he recalled her special ‘gift.’ “Unless…have ye had some vision warning ye of danger?”
“Nay, there is something in my hair!”
“Are ye certain? I would swear that Denny’s beds are free of vermin.”
“Not that. There is something far bigger than a flea or nit moving about in my hair. It has fur!”
“Probably just a wee mouse.”
“Get it off me!”
Liam wondered how she could put all the force and emotion of an hysterical scream into a soft, hissing whisper. He put his sword down and slowly leaned over her. When he saw that there was indeed some creature moving around in her hair close to her neck and that it was bigger than a mouse, he drew his dagger. As he plotted how best to strike, the movement ceased, and an odd sound began.
“I think there may be two beasties in your hair,” he said.
Keira frowned as she listened to the noise originating so close to her ear, and then she began to relax. “It sounds like purring.”
“Purring? As in what a cat does?”
“Aye, although whate’er is in there doesnae feel big enough.”
Sheathing his dagger, Liam moved to her other side. Cautiously, not yet certain of what might have nested in her thick hair, he began to move it out of the way. Two pairs of eyes stared at him but made no threatening move, so he leaned a little closer and then grinned.
“Ye have kittens in your hair,” he said as he gently picked them up.
Keira sat up and stared at the two small kittens trembling faintly as they huddled together in Liam’s cupped hands. “How did they get there?”
“There is a wee burn a few feet from here. They may have gotten free of the drowning sack. Or, they could have just been set out here to live or die as God willed it ’Tis clear they saw ye as both safe and warm.”
Taking the kittens from him, she laughed softly as they snuggled up against her breasts. She gently scratched each one behind the ears, and they began to purr again. Although she understood why some people had to rid themselves of kittens and puppies when there were too many of them, she hated it. She smiled faintly when she thought of Old Ian at home who was too soft of heart to perform such a grim chore and so kept an alert eye on the females, isolating them the moment they went into season.
Liam watched her stroke the kittens and sighed. Not only did the soft look upon her face make him want to kiss her, but it also told him they would be taking the two tiny creatures with them. When she looked up at him from beneath her thick lashes and lightly bit her soft bottom lip, he felt the strong tug of lust. Instead of moving the kittens away from her breasts and burying his face there as he so desperately wanted to, he sighed and shook his head.
“I suspicion we could think of some way to carry them with us,” he said, and the smile she gave him was so beautiful he felt his heart clench.
“Oh, thank ye, Liam,” she cried as she stumbled to her feet, still holding the kittens. “I will make a wee nest for them in one of my saddle packs.” She looked down at the two kittens. “Best I make it with something I care little about as they are so verra young I doubt they will let me ken if they need a patch of dirt.” She started toward the shelter of some nearby bushes, then turned back to hand Liam the kittens, and impulsively kissed his cheek before hurrying away again.
Liam looked down at the two small animals that could each sit comfortably in the palm of his hand. The little white one stared at him with big blue eyes, while the silver gray one looked all around. It, too, had odd eyes, the iris encircled with a ring of color similar to his own eyes. If he were of a superstitious turn, these two would certainly send a chill through him. At the moment, however, he could almost kiss them. Maybe fate was giving him a little help in winning back Keira’s regard and trust.
When Keira returned, he gave her back the kittens and made his way toward the burn, intending to linger in his ablutions long enough to give her a little privacy. His leg ached, but despite waking in the night with a cramp that had nearly made him bellow out in pain, he felt he had not damaged it. He had a few other aches as well, ones that strongly reminded him of the fact that he had not ridden a horse in a month and had done little long, hard riding for a long time before that.
“Och, aye, I will make her a fine champion,” he grumbled as he finally made his way back to camp. He was in the middle of lecturing himself about how well he was healing and that he would soon be strong enough to help her when he walked by the kittens. They were greedily devouring something out of one of the bowls, and he peeked around their bent heads to see what Keira had found to feed them. Liam’s eyes widened when he realized the cats were eating the cold mutton he had packed for himself.
“Ye gave them our mutton?” he asked as Keira walked up to stand at his side.
“They were hungry, and I didnae think they would like oatmeal,” she replied.
“I prefer mutton to oatmeal, too.”
“Aye, I suspicion ye do, but ye are a big, strong mon who can do without for a wee while.”
He frowned at her, but she paid him no heed. Liam watched her take the empty bowl away to clean and then pack it. When he looked back at the kittens,
they were busy washing their paws and faces.
“Aye, I am nay surprised ye enjoyed that. ’Twas the tenderest mutton I have e’er tasted.”
“It certainly was tender,” Keira said when she returned to collect the kittens. “’Tis why I gave it to them. They are barely weaned, I think, and cannae eat tough meat.”
Following her to the horses she had readied for them, Liam watched her settle the kittens into a well-padded saddle pack. “Have ye already named them?”
“Aye—Thunder and Lightning.”
“Verra grand names for two wee balls of fur.” Liam slowly moved toward her until he had her neatly caught between him and the horse. “Now, I have agreed to let ye take these wee beasties with us and didnae yowl too loudly when they ate my mutton. I think I deserve a wee reward for all of this forbearance I have shown.”
“I said thank ye.”
“Mere words. Easily said and oftimes not meant.”
Keira knew he intended to kiss her. She should stomp hard on his feet and push him away, but she stood still when he placed his hands against her horse on either side of her. Although she was still fighting a burning jealousy over his past, a voice in her head asked why she should deny herself a little taste of what the man handed out so freely. She could still taste the kiss he had given her, and it definitely tasted like more. Keira decided the only one she would hurt by accepting a little of the delight he could give her was herself, and that was a foolish concern. Even if he had never kissed her, it would still hurt to leave him.
She looked into his eyes and noticed that they were more blue than green again. It was sign of his desire, she realized, and she felt her blood warm in response. It might just be a man’s base hunger, the sort stirred by nearly any woman in reach, but she was still moved by it. No other man had ever looked at her in such a way. Keira cocked one brow in a silent question and challenge.
Liam nearly growled in response to Keira’s unspoken challenge, his whole body taut with the need to taste again the sweet heat of her mouth. For reasons he did not even dare to guess at, Keira was not going to retreat. It was his chance to show her the passion they could share while she was wide awake and fully aware.
The first touch of his lips against hers made Keira feel so hot and needy, she had to clutch at his broad shoulders to steady herself. When she opened her mouth to welcome his tongue, she heard him groan softly and felt him wrap his strong arms around her. The feel of his lean body pressed so close to her made Keira shiver with delight. She put her arms around his neck and tried to get even closer to his warmth. She had the strangest urge to crawl right inside of him.
That strange haze only he could rouse began to curl itself around her mind again. It smothered all good sense and silenced all the warnings her more prudent self wished to make. All she could hear was the voice demanding that she take more, take all he wanted to give her and revel in it. It did not matter to that voice that Liam had undoubtedly given it to more women than she could count, so long as he shared it with her, too.
He slid his hands down her back until he was caressing her buttocks. When he pressed his groin against hers, shifting himself against her in a promise of all he could give her, Keira heard herself moan softly. The fever he stirred was growing too strong to fight, and a reckless greed was taking hold of her.
Why not, her reckless self whispered in her mind. Who would know? Had her husband not failed her time and time again? Did she not deserve a little joy, a short time of blind selfishness before she had to fulfill her vow to Duncan? Facing Rauf and trying to free the people of Ardgleann could easily mean her death. Why not grab a little pleasure while she could, fleeting though it might be?
Keira was a heartbeat away from casting all caution to the wind and taking this man as her lover when the horse shifted, bumping into her and Liam. Although Liam quickly righted them, Keira knew the moment of danger had passed. Fighting a deep sense of embarrassment over her wanton behavior, she pulled free of his hold. Only the taut look of desire upon Liam’s face and the way his breathing was fast and uneven saved her from utter mortification.
“That was thank ye enough, I believe,” she said as she turned her back on him to pretend that she was carefully checking her saddle before mounting.
Liam took a deep, slow breath in a vain attempt to cool his blood. He could still feel her soft curves pressed against his body, fitting his embrace as if she had been made just for him. Moving even more awkwardly than usual, he walked to his horse, reluctant to climb up into the saddle. It was a relief when it took Keira several minutes to realize he still needed help to mount, for it allowed him a little more time to gain control of himself.
He may have shown her the passion they could share, but he had also discovered something. Keira robbed him of all control, stripped away all of the lover’s skills he had gained over the years. He had thought the way that the morning kiss had affected him had been due mostly to waking from a somewhat salacious dream of her only to find her in his arms. It was now obvious that it was simply the feel of her in his arms, the taste of her, and even the soft murmurs of pleasure she made that enflamed him. He had suspected that the passion they could share would be hot and fine, but he had never truly expected it to be as all consuming as it was.
Once mounted and trying to ignore his discomfort, Liam silently led the way toward Scarglas. Unless there was some trouble, they should reach it before the gates were shut for the night, and he was glad of it. It would be best if he and Keira did not spend another night alone together, at least not until Keira no longer saw him as some lecherous dog who would sniff around any woman’s skirts. When they finally made love and he was lying sated and happy in her arms, he did not wish to face her guilt or recriminations.
Thinking of making love to Keira only renewed his need, making it even more uncomfortable to sit in a saddle, so he pushed such tempting thoughts from his mind. It was time to begin his campaign to convince her that he was the perfect man to help her defeat Rauf Moubray. First, he needed her to tell him more about Rauf, Ardgleann, and her vow to her late husband. She had not been very forthcoming, and he had been reluctant to prod her to speak of the man to whom she had been so briefly married. It had been jealousy that had made him so reluctant, and it still was. Liam was a little surprised that he could be jealous of a dead man, but ruefully accepted that he was. Until he felt certain Keira was his and his alone, he suspected he could, and would, be jealous of anything and anyone who drew her attention away from him.
Slowing the pace of his horse, he waited until she caught up with him. “When ye were preparing to desert me back at the cottage, ye spoke of a vow ye had made and needed to fulfill. What did ye mean? Did ye speak of the one ye made to your husband?”
“I didnae desert ye,” she said and then frowned. “How do ye ken that I made a vow to my husband?”
“Your cousin spoke of it for he worries o’er ye.” He shrugged. “I did wonder from time to time why ye didnae speak of it. S’truth, ye rarely spoke of your husband.”
Speaking of her husband only reminded Keira of all the pain and embarrassment she had suffered during her short marriage. She did her best to try to remember Duncan only as a good but troubled man who had been cruelly murdered. Except for the good friends she had begun to make in her short time as Lady of Ardgleann, she tried to think of her marriage as little as possible. She certainly did not want to discuss it in any detail with a man who could make her feel feverish with only a brief, warm glance.
Yet she had to say something. Liam knew about the vow, and Matthew had undoubtedly told him about the trouble at Ardgleann. Keira decided that was what she would speak of, and that alone. What had happened between her and Duncan, the abysmal failure of her marriage, and the secret she was now forced to keep were not Liam’s concern.
“My cousin told ye about Rauf Moubray and his crimes?” she asked.
“Aye. The mon now holds what is rightfully yours. He killed your husband, and considering the mon he
is, he is undoubtedly making life a misery for all who live at Ardgleann.”
“Ye ken the mon, do ye?”
“Nay, I have ne’er met him, only heard of him. Some verra dark things are said about him.”
Keira nodded. “I am nay surprised, and I suspect those tales dinnae e’en begin to reveal his evil nature. He is a brute, vicious, cold, and deadly. He entered Ardgleann by stealth, having tortured to death several poor souls to gain the information he needed to do so.” She shivered as the memories of that day came flooding back. “He and his men cut down anyone in their way as they poured into the keep. Duncan made me swear that I would help his people if Rauf won the battle. He did. He cut poor Duncan to pieces, making sure each wound was an agony, yet not immediately fatal. He wanted Duncan to suffer. He enjoyed it.”
“And then he came after you?”
“Aye, but he wasnae planning to kill me. If not for his need to humiliate me and to show me what he had done to my husband, I probably would ne’er have escaped him. He was so enraptured by his victory and so certain no woman would have the wit to do aught but what he told her to, he didnae watch me closely.”
“But he did hurt ye. Matthew told me ye were sorely wounded.”
“I was. I tried to fight him, and that enraged him. I managed to get out of the keep and found help in getting away from Ardgleann. Since then, I have hidden away at the monastery.”
“Ye needed to heal from your wounds,” Liam said, even though he felt certain that simple truth would not be enough to ease the guilt he sensed behind her every word. “And what is your plan now?”
“I must think of a way to fulfill my vow to Duncan and help the people of Ardgleann. They are a gentle people, peaceful and interested only in their work. Weavers, carvers, and the like. Craftsmen, nay warriors. I have left them in Rauf’s brutal care for too long. ’Tis past time I fulfill my oath to help them.”
“’Tis time we fulfill that oath.”
“We?” Keira fought the urge to accept his aid readily.
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