The implication was clear. She needed to concede to him now so he knew there would be no issues in the future.
After what seemed like a silent struggle, she nodded. “Aye. That seems like a good idea.”
There was a movement in the air as everyone at the table collectively let out their breath, and Ness stood. “I have some letters that I need to send off. Eat a hearty breakfast and prepare for yer trip. We will be leaving shortly after my men return.”
The last thing he saw before he left the room was the large triumphant smile on his wife’s face.
“So. Aslynn is Ava...” Nicholas was the first to speak after an hour into their journey back to Fenton lands. Idris had done little more than bow politely, and Alec had opened his mouth only for a split second before Ness glared daggers into him, and he’d settled for a polite greeting.
Ava had tried valiant to coax them into conversation, but Ness knew they were still trying to work through the idea that she’d conned them.
“Aye,” Ness grunted shortly.
“She ran away to keep from marrying ye.”
“Aye.”
“And nearly died at the hands of bandits.”
Did he really need to recount this? “Aye,” he said through gritted teeth.
“And then made a spectacle of herself with men at the inn…”
“That is enough,” Ness hissed.
Nicholas chuckled and shook his head. “At least she is not a waif. We all figured the Fentons would eat her alive,” he mused.
“No. She is no waif, but she still needs our protection. She lives with her head in the clouds, and I trust that ye and Alec and Idris will keep an eye on her until we are more settled. They will test her, and I doona know how she will react.”
“Ye should have left her here,” he said gruffly. “Her troublesome nature will get herself killed within a week, and how will her cousin react then?” Ness knew what he was thinking. They had enough problems without having to worry about a woman who knew nothing of hardship.
“How quickly ye forget that we spent two days with her before we knew who she was. That on a whim, she decided it was a good idea to ride unchaperoned out into the world. Now that two clans know the identity of the King’s cousin, it is not safe for her out there. She is yer mistress, and ye will treat her as such.” Ness was defending her even though he feared the same thing. Not that the King would be displeased but that Ava would lose her life because he could not protect her.
“Besotted are ye?” Nicholas teased and immediately dropped back before Ness could shove him off the horse. He fell into silence and missed the easy banter that he shared with his men. Ava’s deception had caused tension between them. They were all feeling the affects of being duped, and they didn’t know how to react around her. Ness had made it clear that she was their mistress, and they were to respect her. Because they didn’t want to say the wrong thing, they’d chosen to be sullen and petulant instead.
Close to dusk, they made camp. As his men gathered the firewood, Ness erected the tent for Ava and noticed that she was helping but struggling to walk. Cursing himself for not thinking of her when he set the pace, he finished the tent and beckoned to her. “Come. Sit. We’ll bring ye some food.”
“I have been sitting all day,” she said shortly as she struggled to undo the straps on her saddle. “I need to move around. I want to be helpful.”
Even as she spoke, she twisted her body and winced in pain. Quickly, Ness reached her side before she pitched over. “Aye, ye need to stretch yer muscles, and ye can do that in the tent. Regain yer balance, and then ye can help with dinner,” he promised.
Her face fell. “I am not a good cook.”
“Then we will find ye something else to do,” he promised her. He didn’t breathe again until she was in the tent and the flap was closed.
“She is eager, I will give her that,” Seth grunted as he built the fire. “Pretty face. Sweet voice. Are ye hoping she will charm yer enemies?”
“They arena my enemies,” Ness sighed. “They are concerned about the welfare of the clan, as am I. Once they learn to trust me, then there will be no more feuding.”
“If ye doona learn the dangers of the likes of Cormac and his followers, then they will best ye because they willna underestimate ye, and since ye didna inform them of yer plan to marry when ye left, they will likely not accept Ava well when ye return.”
Ness’s gut tightened. He didn’t want to think about it. There was already so much bloodshed thanks to Errol. He wanted desperately for there to be peace, but he feared that soon, he would be planning for a battle with his own people. His only hope was to get Cormac to stand down and trust him.
Ava was much steadier during dinner, and she had apparently grown tired of the quiet. Setting her plate down, she glared at them over the fire. “Are ye waiting for me to apologize?” she demanded. “I didna mean to make fools of anyone. I simply was looking for my freedom.”
“Ye were nearly murdered,” Idris muttered under his breath. “And then were would we be? Our clan is depending on yer dowry money.”
“‘Tis not like I knew that,” she said in exasperation. “I didna want to hurt yer people on purpose. I simply heard who my husband was to be and panicked.”
“The King is yer guardian.” Seth shook his head in dismay. “How can ye disobey his order?”
“How easy it must be for ye to do as ye wish and marry as ye wish! And he may be the king, but to me, he is the cousin who stashed me away when my parents died and waited for me mature into someone he could use.”
“Our laird didna get to choose,” Nicholas pointed out.
His three men. Loyal to the end, even if it meant arguing with their mistress.
“Really?” Eyes cocked, she turned and looked at Ness. “The King ordered ye to marry me? He didna give ye a choice?”
Ness knew what she was getting at. To him, it hadn’t felt like a choice. Her dowry alone was enough to feed and house his clan for several years while they renew the land and their crops, but the King hadn’t held a sword to his throat and demanded that he marry.
“Aye,” he conceded. “I was given a choice.”
Her features softened as she looked at him. “I understand that it didna feel possible to walk away, but had you had a different idea about future or a love waiting for ye, then ye could have said no. I was told a fortnight ago that I was to wed. That is the curse of a female in a family of power. I have never had a single choice about my own life, so when I saw an opportunity, I took it. I am sorry if ye feel that ye were duped. It was never my intention to hurt anyone.”
Finally, Nicholas grinned. “I have a little sister. ‘Tis a horrifying thought, but I think she would side with ye, and I fear that she will grow up to be just like ye.”
“Do not fear it,” Ava said primly. “As long as ye give her freedom to choose, then I doona believe she will cause ye any real problems.”
“The lass is already a headache,” Nicholas muttered, and the group laughed. Ness couldn’t help but be in awe. She’d gotten his men to come around, and all it had taken was a single conversation.
If only the rest of his clan would prove so easy.
13
Ava ached from head to toe. After changing into her nightgown, she laid down on the bed roll in the tent and tried not to cry out. A quick dip in the river had helped to clean her of the dust and dirt that had clung to her skin from the ride, but it did little to ease the ache in her back and thighs. The men were rotating their own baths, and finally, Ness returned to the tent.
“Ye should be asleep,” he said gruffly. “Are ye cold?”
“A little.” She averted her gaze as she lied. If he knew that she could barely keep up with the pace, then he would order his men to slow, and she didn’t want that. She didn’t want them thinking that she was weak. They were already angry enough.
“Lie down on yer stomach.” Eyes wide, she looked up at him. Sure he wasn’t going to take her again here i
n earshot of his men? As if he could read her thoughts, he chuckled. “Nay, Ava. I am just going to work out some of the tension in yer body. Ye may not want to voice yer pain, but I can see it in yer eyes. Do as I say, please.”
Slowly, she laid down on the hard bedroll and rolled over on her stomach. He settled down next to her and put his hands on her shoulders. Through the thin fabric of her shift, she could feel the heat of his body. With one touch, she was reminded of their night together. Because of the journey, it felt like a lifetime ago, but her body responded as if it were already familiar.
“I will make it a priority to ride more,” she said quietly as her eyes drifted shut. His hands were magic. They knew just where she ached and how much pressure to apply.
“‘Twill not be necessary right away, but if ye wish to visit with yer friends, then aye, ye will need to learn to be more comfortable on a horse.”
He was going to let her visit her friends. It didn’t even seem to be a question for him. Pleased, she moved a little more into his touch, and he slid his hands down her spine. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to ignore the desire curling in her belly. This was not the time or place.
Then his hands began to knead her bottom, and she struggled not to arch up like a cat in heat. His touch was beyond wonderful, and when he moved down to her thighs, she forgot all about her pain. All she wanted to do was widen her thighs so he could touch her most intimate spot and give her the same mind boggle relief that she’d felt last night.
“Ye are so soft,” he said hoarsely.
Unable to help herself, she squeezed her eyes shut. “How can ye tell when yer hands are outside my gown?”
With a soft growl, he moved and slowly pulled the fabric up until his hands could rest on her bare skin. “Are ye trying to tempt me, sweet wife of mine?”
God, yes. She didn’t even care who could hear them. As he kneaded her buttocks, she grew wet and moved restlessly under him. Trapped between his hard muscled thighs, she couldn’t maneuver much, but she could feel his erection and heard his breath come faster and more ragged.
When he laid down on top of her, he snuck his hands under her and dragged them up her abdomen and to her breasts. “Ye would tempt the saints themselves, and I am certainly no saint,” he whispered hotly in her ear. “If ye want me, then ye will have me.”
Squirming, she moaned as he continued to caress and play with her, but his touch was not enough to help her find her relief.
There was a rustle of noise as he stopped touching her and moved away. Confused, she looked up at him, and bit her lower lip when she saw him removing his pants. From the look of his stiff erection, he was thinking the same thing.
When he sat back down, his eyes were so hot they nearly scorched her skin. “Lift yer skirts,” he whispered. “Sit astride me.”
Her limbs were so heavy from want, that she didn’t think she could move, but at the same time, she wouldn’t stay away. Doing as he asked, she straddled him and looked at him questioning. Did he intend for her to ride him?
“Lower yerself, and Ava, ye must keep quiet,” he said before his mouth settled on hers. His hands gripped her hips and guided him until she could feel his manhood at her entrance. Greedy, she slid over him, and his kiss swallowed her gasp as he stretched and filled her.
Holding her still, he moved his mouth to her throat, and she squeezed her muscles to milk him. “Easy,” he chuckled hoarsely. “Or this willna last long. I have been wanting this all day, my sweet. Slow and easy, my love. Slow and easy.”
His love. Her heart expanded, and she stared at him in wonder when he finally let her move. The same muscles that she used to stay on top of the horse were now warm and eager as she rose and fell, each stroke sending pleasure coursing through her. Opening her mouth in a silent moan, she panted as he leaned back and covered her breast with her mouth, as she moved, he licked and lapped and massaged and loved until she feared she could take no more. Only when she could no longer stay silent did he thrust forward and pushed her on the ground. With his mouth on her to muffle her sounds, he held her hands above her head and rode her fast and hard until they were both exploding.
Finally, he eased off her and pulled her close. “I am sorry,” he whispered. “That willna help the ride be any easier for tomorrow.”
“I doona mind.” Snuggling into him, she held him tight. “I like this part of marriage.”
* * *
Three days later, they arrived at Fenton lands. Seth, Idris, and Nicholas had joked and teased her through the trip making the last few days more enjoyable, but as they drew closer, their silence was telling. Tensions all but wafted off of them. Ness hadn’t gone into much detail about what to expect except to say that his land was hard.
As she rode through some of the outlying villages, she caught her breath. Fields were barren and untended. Crops that did grow were small and sparse. The animals were as thin as the people, and nobody raised a hand to greet them.
Where was their loyalty?
“‘Tis the keep up ahead,” Ness said tersely as he nodded. “As ye can see, it is crumbling. Ye and I will be living in a small cottage behind the keep until the rebuilding is completed. I had not thought it a priority but…”
“A land needs a keep. ‘Tis a point of pride,” Ava interrupted. “It may seem ridiculous to ye, but it will be important.”
“Aye.” He nodded. “So I have been told. Yer money will go toward widening the path so wagons can get through and trade can begin again. Errol grew paranoid and deliberately closed many of the roads into the villages, so that has been our first concern. We need to trade for our food while we rotate our crops. On Errol’s orders, the lands were overworked. The first year that he was gone, we could get nothing to grow. We have survived off the generosity of our allies, but ‘tis time that we stand on our own two feet.”
Alec, Idris, and Nicholas agreed, and Ava felt their enthusiasm.
“Ava.” Ness’s soft voice got her attention. “When I say that we will live in a cottage…”
“I am not concerned about the size of our living space,” she interrupted. It irked her that he thought she’d be concerned about that. No wonder he wanted to leave her with the McClures. He obviously didn’t think highly of her.
It just made her more determined than ever to show him that she could be helpful.
“There will be no celebration of our wedding.”
That hurt. Not because she wanted another feast but because she wished that her husband was surrounded by people who respected him. Between her time with the Donahues and the McClures, she understood loyalty. A clan who didn’t have that had nothing.
Everyone who was out working or running around only gave him the briefest of looks. No one even looked at her twice, but she was in trousers with her hair stuffed under a cap. At the moment, she didn’t look like the new mistress of the Fentons.
She looked like the stable boy.
In that moment, her vanity got the best of her, and she swallowed hard. She wanted to change things for Ness, just like he was changing things for her, and she wasn’t doing her best job.
“We’re here.”
After an embarrassing fall yesterday trying to get off her new horse, she waited for Ness to dismount and help her. He looked at her with sympathy while she found her balance. “’Tis late. I have a woman who cooks for me, but since we have arrived earlier than intended, I expect that we’ll be on our own for dinner.”
He felt sorry for her because there was no one there to greet her or welcome her, but she just couldn’t believe that anyone could treat him like that He’d been gone for more than a week, and there was no one to give him a detailed report of what happened in his absence or tell him that they were glad to have him back.
“Aye,” Ava said softly as she resisted the urge to reach up and touch his face. “’Tis been a long few days. We can start fresh tomorrow.”
“I didna make an announcement about our marriage, Ava. I didna want to advertise the money
that coming into the clan until it was here and secured. I need ye to keep quiet about yer relationship to the King. Is that going to be a problem?”
As his words sank in, all she could do was stare at him. Was that going to be a problem? All her life, she’d been nothing but the cousin of the King. Now she finally got to be herself, or at least someone who didn’t need to be watched constantly, and he thought she would hate that?
The first chuckle turned into a hysterical laughter until Ness took a step back and exchanged a worried look with the other guys. “I am so sorry,” she said as she pressed a hand over her heart. It wasn’t until she started to snort that she finally get herself under control. “I never actually thought anyone would ask me that in my lifetime. I am more than happy to pretend that I am a person outside of my kin.”
“Ava,” Ness muttered. “I didna mean for it to come out like that.”
She yawned. “I know ye didna.”
“Idris will see ye inside. The rest of us are going to do a quick patrol, and we will join ye for dinner.”
Idris looked a little put out about being left behind, so she smiled at him. “I believe this means ye will have a say in dinner.”
That seemed to put him in a better mood. With one more glance around her, Ava followed him inside.
14
The day that Errol went missing, Ness was gone. It wasn’t until he was proclaimed dead that Ness was called back from court. It took a week for him to return, and by then, Cormac had tried to step into Errol’s shoes. He had the support of the clan. He’d been the most outspoken about Errol’s abuse when the laird was sending all the guards to slaughter the MacFarlanes and left the outlying villages victims to pillaging bandits. But it was Ness, the heir who had no idea how much trouble his own people were in, who had the decree from the King.
Everything he did had been to make that right, but Cormac still harbored a dark jealousy.
Highlander's Untamed Lass (Highlander's Seductive Lasses Book 3) Page 9
