As he walked away, Ava swallowed hard. There was no denying that she would never be able to win that man over, and neither would Ness. There was no fear in his voice. His anger was personal. “Come. I think we can talk to a few more people before nightfall.”
Nicholas sheathed his sword and nodded gravely. “Ye should stay away from Cormac.”
Aye. She would be sure to do that.
By the time the sun was starting to set, her feet were aching, and she felt the despair from her head to her toes. Few people treated her with any kindness. “I suppose we should call it a day,” she said tiredly. “Maybe tomorrow will be better.”
“Really?” Nicholas asked in surprise. “Ye are planning on doing this again tomorrow?”
“Aye.” Ava nodded her head. “I want to greet each person if I can.”
“Idris can take ye tomorrow,” Nicholas grumbled, and Ava was troubled. He was feeling the wrath as well.
“I will try not to take that personally,” she teased as she tried to lighten the mood. They rounded the curb.
16
It was late when Ness returned to the cottage that night, well past dinner, but he'd had his hands full with issues in the western border and couldn't get away. Nicholas was still standing guard by the door.
"Mary left hours ago. I believe Ava is asleep," Nicholas said quietly. "She spent all day introducing herself to the clan, and I fear it did not go well."
"They will grow to love her," Ness said confidently.
Nicholas raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. "She met Cormac."
Furious, Ness squeezed his hands into a fist. "Report," he demanded.
"I doona know what they were saying, but she looked terrified. He put his hands on her before I could get to them. He didna hurt her, but she wouldna give details about what they were discussing. I fear that ye are right. Cormac did have someone following us. He may know exactly who she is."
He wouldn't tell. The clan would rejoice in having direct support from the King, and Cormac wouldn't want to risk it. Besides, Ness had no idea if Cormac knew it or not. There was no telling what kind of information that Cormac had gleaned about Ava from his spy.
"Go home. Get some sleep. I'll assign someone else to Ava tomorrow," Ness said curtly. He was going to figure out just what Cormac had said to Ava.
Marching inside, his eyes swept around the kitchen and sitting area, but Ava had clearly gone to bed. He didn't have the heart to wake her, so he gently eased open the door to the bedroom and peered inside.
Ava wasn't there.
Panic swept through him. Had Cormac already gotten his hands on her? Had he said something to Ava to make her sneak out through the window and bypass her guard?
If Cormac touched even a hair on Ava's head, there would be no more uneasy peace. Ness would make an example of his enemy.
As his blood roared through him, he stormed out of the cottage with his hand on the hilt of his sword. His first instinct was to beat Cormac's door down and demand the return of his wife, but he stopped and took a deep breath.
Cormac was no fool. He wouldn't take Ava on her first night here, not unless he knew for sure that he could throw suspicion off him. And his wife certainly had a nasty habit of sneaking out.
Ava liked the river, and she liked birds. Sighing, he turned and headed in that direction.
Under the dim light of the moon, Ness found Ava sitting beneath the tree by the river with her eyes closed. Sleeping. He sighed in relief after he checked her breathing. She was sleeping peacefully.
"Ava," he said softly as he stroked a finger down her cheek. "Ava, my sweet."
Her lashes fluttered open, and she smiled at him. "Ye have a way of sneaking into my dreams," she murmured.
That was good. "'Tis no dream, Ava. Ye fell asleep by the river."
"Oh." Her eyes snapped open, and she looked at him guiltily. "Oh, I didna mean to fall asleep. I just wanted some time alone with my thoughts."
"And ye couldn't do that alone and in the safety of the cottage?" He was furious with her, but he didn't have the heart to yell at her. Not after the day that she'd had.
"Is Nicholas verra angry?"
"He doesna know, but I am verra angry. Ava, ye must do as I say, or I will have no choice but to send ye away. I would have thought that after today, ye would realize that 'tis not safe for ye here. There is a reason that I am keeping ye guarded. Ye are no prisoner, but ye must have protection."
Behind her, the water from the river flowed and rushed against the rocks. Shadows moved as the night brought to life the nocturnal prey. "Cormac."
"I know ye saw him, and I know that he scared ye." Taking her hands gently, he pulled her up from her spot and wrapped his arms around her as he held her close. Despite her cloak, she was shivering from the night air. "Tell me what happened."
"When I tried to sneak away from ye at the tavern, a man cornered me in the barn. He wanted to know information about ye. I lied to him because I didna want him to know that I was to be yer future bride. He told me that he worked for someone. Based on what Cormac knew, I believe he had someone follow ye."
Tightening his arms around her, he tried to rein in his temper. "Ye should have told me," he said tightly. "I suspected that someone spoke to ye, but I didna know that he had approached ye."
"I didna trust ye then, and I didna think about it afterward. He doesna know that I am the King's cousin. He thinks…" her voice wavered. "He thinks I am a light skirt."
Ness growled, and she buried her head in his chest. "No, 'tis my fault. His man saw how I was acting in the tavern. I was trying to keep ye from wanting me."
"Nothing will keep me from wanting ye," he assured her. "Cormac will not touch ye again. Ye have my word. Now come on. I wish to sleep with my wife in my arms."
Ava sighed in pleasure.
* * *
Despite only getting a few hours of sleep, Ness woke up early the next morning. Ava was still curled around him and sleeping soundly in his arms. The softness of her body spurred the opposite reaction in his, but he contented himself with just watching her.
He'd never thought that he would be the kind of man to want to wake up with a woman next to him. It was one thing to have one in his bed, but it was another completely to want to sleep with one. Just sleep. Reveling in her warmth and allowing her presence to calm his fears and worries at night.
What he wouldn't do to protect his strange little warrior.
Stirring, she turned and immediately snuggled back to him again. Her small hands gripped him tightly, and the skirts of her dress twisted around her waist as she hooked her foot around his calf. Groaning, Ness held her waist tightly and anchored her to him as he rolled onto his back until she was sprawled around his chest.
"Ava, ye are killing me sweetheart," he groaned.
Mewling, she rubbed sweetly against him and opened her eyes. "I cannae help it. Ye feel good."
"It could feel better." Reaching between them, he slipped a finger inside her, feeling her heat and wetness. She was more than ready for him. Sliding her down his body, he entered her in one smooth move, and they both moaned.
Without a word, she rode him slowly. It wouldn't take long, They were both already on the edge, him from his dreams of her, from his constant need of her, and he'd already learned to read her body, but she drew it out. Long and steady strokes, taking him deep and gripping him tight. Their moans and sighs mingled in the hazy room of the morning light, and the truth hit him hard and painfully.
She had captured his heart, and anyone who saw it would realize that she was his weak spot.
As she called out his name and shuddered around him, he surged up inside her and pulled her down hard so he could drown his own needs with her kisses. Latching on to her lips, he kissed her hot and deep and tried to tell her without saying it that he needed her to be careful.
He needed her to be safe.
When she pulled away, there was an embarrassed flush on her cheeks. "I didna mean for that
to happen. It seems that I cannae control myself when I am asleep."
"Doona apologize. I like that yer instincts are to love me." Grabbing her hips so she didn't roll off, he sat up and pulled her knees forward so she was still straddling his lap. Her eyes widened in surprise, and he fisted his hands in her hair and kissed her hard. "Besides, I am yer husband. Ye can have me morning, noon, and night."
"Oh, my."
Chuckling, he dropped a kiss to her neck. "Ye should stay in bed today. I know that yesterday was hard, and I might need this again come midday."
"Stop that. I swear that my body isna my own when ye are around. No, I cannae stay in bed all day. I willna let Cormac or anyone else keep me from doing my job. I will continue to introduce myself to people and convince them of the kind of man that ye are." She placed a hand over his heart. "A good man."
Her eyes were darkening once again with need, and he leaned her back just far enough to lick at her nipples. They were hard and tight beneath her nightdress, and the white fabric grew more and more transparent as he suckled and licked at her. "Ness," she protested, but she didn't push him away.
He loved hearing his name in her mouth. Pulling her up again, he reached down between her legs and started to stroke her. "Don't fight it," he whispered. "Just let it happen."
"But I have things to do." Her voice quivered, and she started moving against his hands.
"Aye, and I will let you do them. WIth Alex, and ye will do everything that he tells ye."
Ava's nail's clawed at his shoulders. "Ness, please!"
Immediately, he stilled his hands and stared at her. "Give me yer word. Right now, Ava, that ye willna take any risks. Ye will not go anywhere without Alec. Anywhere."
Her mouth dropped open. "Ye cannae be asking me to promise me this now!"
"I will do anything to keep ye safe, Ava. Absolutely anything." Kissing her hard, he flicked his finger over her sensitive numb, and she shrieked. "Promise me."
"I promise! I promise!"
WIth that, he slid his fingers inside her again and gave her everything that she wanted until she collapsed in her arms.
Holding her, he made her a promise as well.
A promise to keep her safe.
17
Her husband was sneaky, that was for sure. Ava was still vibrating as she met Alec outside the cottage. Her feet still ached from yesterday, but she knew that there was little that she could do. She wasn't a very good cook. She was a terrible seamstress. She had no household to maintain.
Ness needed her to bond with the Fenton clan, and she couldn't do that sitting in her chair and rubbing her feet. Yesterday had felt like a failure, but today was a new day.
"Good morn," she greeted Alec who eyed her warily.
"Ness has promised me that ye will behave," he said suspiciously. "That ye will stay by my side and do as I ask and not try any of yer tricks."
"I did promise." Under some interesting circumstances. "And I intend to keep my promise."
"And ye will not speak to Cormac."
Her stomach turned at the thought of him. If there was ever any proof that Ness was a good man, it was the fact that Cormac was still breathing. The man made her ill, but Ness still wanted to give him a chance.
"Aye, I have no desire to speak to him again." Cocking her head, she studied him. "Tell me the truth. Do ye trust Cormac?"
"Nay."
"Do ye think Ness is being fair?"
"More than fair." Alec looked around, no doubt making sure that his laird was listening in. "Ness is trying too hard to prove that he is not his uncle. He feels he owes it to his people, but he has done more than enough to prove it to them. Now, he needs to focus on what is best for his clan, and Cormac is not what is best."
"Ye are loyal," Ava said with a soft smile.
"He is my laird, but he is also my friend. I would give my life for him." Alec nodded his head. "And 'tis my duty to give my life for ye as well."
She chuckled. "I hope that it does not come to that."
"It willna if ye do what I say."
"Point taken. Doona worry, I have no hidden agendas today, and I have no wish to run. This is my home now." And it hurt when her husband kept threatening to send her away. "Shall we start?"
Just like yesterday morning, everyone was out, even in the dense fog, and working. Toiling away at the soil. Fishing in the streams. Chasing after the sheep and goats. Mending cottages and fences. These were not lazy people, but there was a suspicion in their eyes that Ava suspected stemmed from their very soul. Whatever Errol Fenton had done to them, it had left a mark.
All Ava wanted to do was to convince them to open up their hearts to her and Ness and learn to trust again. Learn the meaning of loyalty and family. These were things that Ava hadn't understood herself until recently.
Most spoke to her stiffy or ignored her until Alec glared at them. It wasn't until midday that the first of the rumors had circulated the clan, and she heard the first whisper as she turned away. "I bet he knocked her up. It's probably not even his babe," one woman whispered to another.
Alec had apparently not heard, but Ava stiffened. Cormac. He'd already told people about what she'd done in the tavern.
So she spoke to a few men and allowed a kiss on her cheek, and now she was a light skirt. Anger ripped through her, and she wanted to whirl around and give them a piece of her mind, but she stayed her temper. This was about spreading peace and love and not about her reputation. Ness knew the truth, and that was all that mattered.
Still, it looked like she wouldn't be making any friends any time soon.
Three families later, and she was on the verge of tears. They'd managed to keep their horrible words quiet enough so that Alec didn't hear, but they were starting to eat at her.
"Ava?" Alec asked quietly. "Take a break."
"Nay, I still have many more people to talk to."
"Ness told me to make sure that ye didna wear yerself out, and I follow his orders. Come. He says that ye like it by the river. Come sit with me."
She did need some time to collect herself, so she dutifully followed him. "What was it like?" she asked as she settled on a boulder and looked out at the river. "Living here with Errol? Ness says that he was away too much, and he didna see what was going on."
"Errol was a master manipulator," Alec said quietly. "I wasna part of the guard then. Just a farmer. A fairly successful one, and yet I still coulda feed my mother or my little brother. They're both gone now when a sickness swept in, but I blame Errol. He took all of our food and barely left us enough to survive on. Perhaps if they were healthier, they could have survived. He hosted clans here and threw lavish parties, but we were barely surviving. And his daughter. His poor daughter. Most of us didna even know if she was still alive. We hadna seen her in years. The feud with the Brisbanes grew more violent and more bloody. It was not a good time."
"Ye didna tell Ness?"
Alec's face hardened. "We swore fealty to our laird, and Errol was our laird. Plus, I was afraid that Errol would have Ness murdered if we told him."
Her heart went out to him. "Ye doona blame the clan for not trusting him."
"If I didna know Ness, I might not trust him either, in the beginning, but now their fear stems from the manipulations of another man. Cormac. If he were not here, I think most would come around to Ness and believe that he only wants to help."
Ava couldn't blame him. DId she not make the same judgements when she heard who she was to be wed to?
"They'll come around," she said more to herself than to Alec. "I will make sure of it."
"Ye have a good heart, Ava. I hope this place doesna crush it."
"It takes more than a few harsh words to deter me," she assured him. "'Tis beautiful land. I cannae wait to get started on the keep. It will be majestic, fit for a laird, when 'tis done. I want to be a part of that. Ness doesna understand, but I think that ye do."
"Aye." Alec nodded. "I understand."
Hopping up from the bould
er, she brushed at her skirts. "Good. Then can we get started again? I have noticed more than a few women eyeing ye with interest. Ye will have to tell me which one of them catches yer fancy."
He groaned. "Please tell me that ye are not going to stick yer nose in my business."
"Of course I am. I believe 'tis my duty as yer mistress and as yer friend."
"Start with Nicholas."
"I am an excellent at handling many things at the same time."
* * *
Everything went smoothly, or as smoothly as it was going to go with a clan who seemed to hate her on principle, until her last stop. After knocking on the door and getting no answer, she rounded to the back and called out a hello.
A large figure turned from the wagon that he'd been repairing, and when those familiar eyes landed on her, she froze.
"Ye," she whispered.
The man who had terrified her at the inn barely spared Alec a look as he smirked at her. "Well, well, well. Aslynn? Or is it Ava?"
Alec immediately stiffened. "Ava?" he questioned quietly.
Ava barely heard him. Balling up her fists, she marched his way with every intention of punching him quarely in the jaw. Alec put a hand on her arm to stop her. "Ye told Cormac that I was sleeping with the men at the tavern!" she said furiously. "Ye are the reason that the clan here think that I'm an easy woman! Do ye have any idea what they are saying about me?"
"They are saying what?" Alec asked, startled. "Finn, what is this?"
Finn looked almost amused as he crossed his arms and shrugged. "I have no idea what she is talking about, but I heard that ye were sitting in their laps and kissing them. Now ye are married to our laird. What does that say about him?"
"It says that I am not a moron who listens to false rumors," Ness suddenly growled to the left of them. Finn straightened immediately and paled just a little as her husband reached them. "So 'tis ye who was following us?"
"I have no idea what ye are talking about," Finn sputtered as he glared angrily at Ava. Clearly, he didn't think that she would say anything about their little meeting. "She is lying!"
Highlander's Untamed Lass (Highlander's Seductive Lasses Book 3) Page 11
