Highlander’s Veiled Bride: Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance (Highland Seductresses Book 2)

by Shona Thompson

  Ishbel didn’t answer Angus’ question right away. She seemed to have been stunned into silence, but then her lips stretched into a wide, brilliant smile, and she wrapped her arms around Angus’ neck, pressing kisses all over his face.

  “I will,” she said. “I’ll be your wife, Angus. I’d like nothing more than to be your wife.”

  “Then so it shall be,” Angus said, and for the first time in a long while, he felt as though a weight had lifted off his shoulders. He felt like he could smile again like his life was more than simply going through the motions every day. It was strange, an unfamiliar feeling, one that he had forgotten, but he welcomed it, and he couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear.

  Perhaps he would be lucky that time, he thought. Perhaps all his misfortunes had come to him to lead him to that exact moment when Ishbel agreed to be his wife.

  “So . . . when will we marry?” she asked. “After the war?”

  Angus considered that for a few moments. Naturally, that would be the best option, as they could arrange a feast and invite all the people of the clan to the celebrations.

  He couldn’t wait that long, though. There was a worry at the back of his head, a voice that reminded him they could both die soon. He wanted to be married to Ishbel before that happened, especially if she ended up surviving him.

  Angus turned to her, taking her hands in his and pressing a kiss on her knuckles.

  “How about right the noo?” he asked her.

  Chapter Nineteen

  It was a sudden decision, but Ishbel wouldn’t have it any other way. Perhaps one day they would have a proper wedding, one with a big feast and celebrations, but Ishbel wanted to marry Angus as soon as possible, and the quick handfasting ceremony that they were about to have was a dream come true for her.

  It was getting late, but thankfully, Angus and Ishbel had the help of all the people in the castle. The women helped Ishbel prepare, dressing her in her finest dress, one of fine cotton and silk, in a light pink color that made her look radiant. As the women prepared her, Angus, along with Donal, Euan, and the rest of his men, took it upon themselves to awaken the priest and drag him to the castle for the ceremony.

  Ishbel was certain that the man would be less than happy to be disturbed at such an hour. Still, he showed up, bleary-eyed and with a temper, but ready to perform his duty.

  The handfasting ceremony was quick. The priest hurried through the words, perhaps eager to go back to sleep, and before Ishbel knew it, her hand had been bound along with Angus’ own with the cord. A part of her wished that it would have taken longer, that she would have had the chance to enjoy her union with Angus a little more, but then again, she had the rest of her life to do that.

  She could only hope that she had plenty of life left to live.

  “Lady MacMillan,” Angus said, once their hands were unbound, and he offered his arm to her just as everyone else was retiring to their chambers, eager to get some sleep before their attack the following morning. “Will ye join me to me chambers?”

  Ishbel laughed, giddy, and drunk with happiness. She took Angus’ arm, and the two of them headed back to his chambers, where she was certain Angus would do anything but rest.

  “Will you leave in the morning, then?” Ishbel asked once they were both in Angus’ rooms, her fingers lacing and unlacing in her lap as she tried to keep all her nervous energy down. She didn’t wish for Angus to leave, she didn’t wish for him to put himself in harm’s way, but she understood why he needed to.

  She also knew that there was no changing his mind.

  “Aye,” Angus said. “I must, Ishbel. I must before something even worse happens. But tonight . . . tonight is ours, mo ghràdh.”

  It was all Ishbel could ask for. She walked towards Angus, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close before the two of them exchanged a soft, sweet kiss. The kiss soon turned passionate, Angus’ hands reaching for her buttocks and gripping them through the layers of fabric, smashing their bodies together.

  Ishbel didn’t want to feel anything other than Angus’ body, his skin against hers, and she began to paw at his clothes, trying to rip them off him. He helped her, discarding his garments on the floor, and then he began to undress her, as well, his fumbling fingers finding it difficult to undo all the hooks and buttons.

  In the end, Angus was too impatient to work on her clothes any further, and he tore the rest of her clothes off, sending the last few buttons flying around the room.

  “I’ll have to sew those back on,” Ishbel pointed out, and Angus laughed, breathlessly, as he began to scatter kisses over her back and shoulders.

  “Leave it,” he said. “I’ll buy ye another one.”

  Just as Ishbel laughed, Angus spun her around so that they were facing each other once more, and he kissed her. Ishbel could feel his length against her thigh, hot and heavy, and she reached for it with her hand, wrapping her fingers around his member. She received a groan from Angus as a reward as she began to stroke him, and he let his head fall on her shoulder, panting against her skin.

  But Ishbel wanted more. She dropped to her knees, and, after a moment of hesitation, she took Angus into her mouth, her lips wrapping tightly around his member. It was a sensation that she couldn’t quite describe if she wanted to. She hummed around him, almost as though she were in thought, and that urged Angus to grab a fistful of hair, though he never pulled at it, but rather simply held it in his hand.

  Ishbel became lost in her task. She could feel her own arousal building steadily, familiar wetness spreading between her legs, and she let her hands roam freely around Angus’ body, feeling his skin under her hands and the dusting of hair on his thighs.

  Before long, Angus stopped her, though, pushing her away just a little.

  “Stop,” he said. “Stop or I willnae last. I want ye, Ishbel.”

  Angus wrapped his hand around Ishbel’s own, and he helped her stand up, guiding her to the bed, where he made her sit down on the edge. Angus put her hands on her knees, and he spread her legs before he settled between them, a hand coming up to rest of her chest and push her back down on the bed, while her legs still dangled down from it.

  Then, he entered her, and Ishbel let out a cry, her back arching off the bed and chasing the feeling. It felt familiar and new all at once, and Ishbel couldn’t stop the moans that poured out of her lips.

  Angus leaned over her, hips thrusting slowly. He cupped Ishbel’s face with one hand, holding her tenderly, while the other settled over the swell of her breast, pinning her down on the bed. Ishbel could do little other than moan in pleasure, her own body moving to match Angus’ rhythm.

  Then, Angus began to move faster, pushing into her in a way that left Ishbel breathless, gasping for air. With every thrust of his hips, Angus hit a spot deep inside her, something that had her toes curling in pleasure and her lips saying his name over and over.

  It didn’t take long for her pleasure to grow until she could hardly take it anymore, her thighs wrapping tightly around Angus’s hips as she reached her climax. Angus followed her close behind, and Ishbel could feel him as he throbbed inside her, forcing a shudder to spread all over her body.

  Afterward, Angus crawled onto the bed and pulled Ishbel close to him as she rested her head on his chest. She didn’t want that moment to end. She didn’t want to see Angus go in the morning, heading to an unknown future.

  She didn’t tell him so. Telling him would only result in Angus feeling guilty about doing his duty. His clan came first, and Ishbel knew that she respected that. Angus would give his life for his people, and he wouldn’t hesitate for a moment.

  “Promise me that you’ll be careful,” she said, whispering against him. “Promise me that you’ll try your best to come back to me.”

  With a sigh, Angus placed a finger under Ishbel’s chin, tilting her head up so that she would look at him. There was something in his gaze, something that Ishbel couldn’t decipher, but she forgot all about it when Angus leaned down
and kissed her.

  “I promise,” he said. “I canna promise ye that I’ll return, but I can promise ye that I will do my best. I wish to stay just as much as ye wish for me to stay, Ishbel. I dinnae wish to be involved in a war or take my clan to war for that matter. If I had any other choice, I wouldnae be doing this.”

  “I know,” Ishbel assured him. “I know that, Angus.”

  “But . . . ye are the Lady of the clan the noo,” Angus said. “If something happens to me—”

  “Don’t say that,” Ishbel interrupted him. She didn’t even wish to discuss the possibility that Angus wouldn’t come back, not right then, not when he would be leaving so soon. She wanted to believe that he would return no matter what.

  “Let me speak, lass,” Angus insisted. “Yer the Lady of the clan. If I dinnae return from that war, then those people out there . . . our people, they are yer responsibility. Do ye understand?”

  “There will be another Laird,” Ishbel pointed out. “Another man will take your place.”

  “Aye,” Angus agreed. “But in the meantime, ye’ll be their leader. And I need ye to promise me that if something happens to me, ye’ll protect them.”

  As much as it hurt to think about Angus’ potential demise, Ishbel had to agree; she had to reassure him that he had nothing to worry about.

  “I promise,” she said softly, a hand coming up to cup Angus’ cheek before she pressed a kiss on his forehead. “I promise you, I’ll do anything I can for them.”

  That seemed to reassure Angus as he breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes. It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep, his breathing turning even and quiet, but Ishbel wasn’t so lucky.

  Sleep evaded her. There were so many things going through her mind, so many different scenarios about how the war could end badly, that she simply couldn’t rest. She stayed awake, watching as the moonlight traveled across the sky, illuminating a different part of the chambers with every passing hour.

  Soon, too soon, there was a knock on the door, and Ishbel grabbed the covers, pulling them securely over her body. She knew who it was before she even saw the figure enter the room.

  “M’lord,” the guard said, hesitant and soft. “It’s time.”

  Angus woke up, and those two simple words were all it took for Ishbel’s eyes to begin to water. She didn’t want to cry, though, neither in front of Angus nor the guard and so she choked back the tears, putting on a brave face.

  She didn’t want Angus to remember her crying.

  “Aye, I’ll be there soon,” Angus said, and the guard bowed and left, closing the door behind him. Ishbel turned around and looked at Angus, who looked tired, haggard after a night of little sleep.

  He kissed her without saying a word, and Ishbel melted against him, in his arms. They moved silently against each other, and soon Ishbel could feel his length once more against her as Angus pushed her to her side and draped himself over her back.

  She felt Angus’ fingers first, sliding between her legs, eager to test her readiness. His fingers slipped inside her easily, and Ishbel sighed softly in pleasure. Angus quickly replaced his fingers with his member, pushing himself deep inside her.

  They rocked against each other, slowly, as though there was no rush for Angus to be somewhere else. Ishbel shuddered with every touch of Angus’ fingers, every brush of his lips on her skin, her body begging for more with every movement of her hips.

  Isabel couldn't help but close her eyes, the sensations that washed over her already becoming too much, too intense. She was lost in pleasure, which grew so suddenly that her climax caught her by surprise.

  Angus held onto Ishbel tightly as he chased his own finish. He rolled her on her stomach onto the mattress, and Ishbel spread her legs a little wider, Angus’ assault on her sensitive flesh, leaving her quivering. Angus seemed determined to make those moments last as long as he could, and the constant roll of his hips against her tore a scream out of Ishbel when she reached her orgasm once more.

  She was too sensitive, too spent from Angus’ ministrations, her flesh pulsing and sending shivers up her spine. Only when she was satisfied, though, did Angus allow himself to spend himself inside her, doing so with a whisper of her name.

  Then, he pressed a kiss on her cheek, and he was gone, leaving Ishbel shivering in the chill of the room without having him over her like a blanket. He was gone, and he was getting dressed in a hurry, which made Ishbel think that he was probably already late.

  It was still dark out, and the light of dawn hadn’t appeared on the horizon yet. Ishbel sat up on the bed, gathering the covers around her body, and she watched Angus as he prepared to leave.

  “Do you have to leave already?” Ishbel asked, even though she knew the answer.

  Angus nodded, and he walked over to the bed once he was fully dressed, kissing her as though it could be the last time.

  “Come back to me,” Ishbel said, and Angus didn’t seem to trust his own voice, so he simply nodded.

  Then, he was gone.

  He was gone, and Ishbel was left alone in the room, wishing that things were different. She wasn’t going to cry, though. She wasn’t going to allow herself to wallow in whatever premature mourning threatened to come over her, and so she took a deep breath and pushed every bit of sadness and despair deep down inside her, where it wouldn’t see the light of day.

  There was no reason for her to mourn yet, not for a man who was still alive. She had to remain positive, to believe with all her heart that Angus would come back, safe, and sound. She closed her eyes and said a prayer, asking the Lord to bring her husband safe back to her once everything would be over, and that gave her some strength, some desire to keep going.

  Ishbel glanced out of the window, then. It was still dark, and she suspected that it wouldn’t be dawn any time soon. Angus, Donal, and their men had left in the middle of the night, eager to catch the Keith clan in their sleep.

  Ishbel debated staying in bed for a moment. It wasn’t time to get up quite yet, after all, and she could rest for as long as she wanted. She knew, though, that doing so would give her too much time to think about all the bad things that could happen, and she would much rather have something to occupy her time rather than stay in that room by herself.

  So, Ishbel stood and cleaned herself up with the water that she had in the basin before she dressed in fresh clothes, giving a glance at the ruined dress that had been discarded on the floor.

  She’d have to fix that.

  First, though, she would help the servants make some breakfast for everyone, and she would invite whoever was left in the castle to join her, as her first act as the leader of the clan. If there was one thing that Ishbel knew how to do, that was bringing up the morale.

  She had promised Angus she would protect them, and even though she could hardly lead an army, she could at least turn the castle into a safe haven.

  Chapter Twenty

  Riding with Donal and their men had left Angus with a heart that was beating fast in his chest and a foul taste in his mouth. The truth was that he was scared. He was scared about what was going to happen to him, to Donal, to their clansmen. He was scared that he would survive the attack, but Donal wouldn’t. He was scared that his war would leave Vanora a widow with two small children, he was scared that Donal would never get to see his second child.

  He didn’t dare voice any of his concerns. He knew that the moment he would say anything out loud, it would become too real to him.

  Besides, he didn’t want Donal to worry. If he were to judge by the way that Donal glanced around as they rode their horses, his gaze falling from one tree to the next as though he was expecting a Keith clansman to jump right out of the woods and murder him, Angus would say that Donal was already worried.

  The men all had their orders, though. They all knew what they were supposed to do and what their role would be in the ambush and during the battle, and that gave Angus some peace of mind. After all, he had chosen his men because of their skill
, and he trusted them with his life.

  “Vanora will have me head when she finds out about this,” Donal mumbled under his breath. “I’ll tell her it was yer idea.”

  “She willnae believe ye,” Angus pointed out. “Out of the two of us, it was always ye and Vanora that caused all the trouble as children. Ye deserve each other.”

  Donal laughed, and Angus tried to ignore how strained his laugh was. Yet the smile that Donal gave him when Angus looked at him was genuine and brilliant; Donal always wanted to ensure that the people around him weren’t worried about him.

  “Ach, I dinnae deserve her, and I ken that,” Donal admitted. “She’s too good for me, but I’d be a bloody fool if I told her that.”