Stealing The Highlander's Heart (Tales 0f Blair Castle Book 2)

by Fiona Faris

  “Ye ken what tae do. I have left ye everythin’ ye might need in the kitchens along with instructions on what tae do,” Alana informed her. “Dinnae have a choice.”

  “That son o’ mine.” Freya shook her head in disappointment. “I cannae bear the idea o’ losin’ either o’ ye.”

  Fergus arose and said, “I will go with ye, lass.”

  “Ye cannae leave Blair Castle and ye ken that well enough,” Alana refused his offer. “Ye must stay and protect our laird from any further attacks. Ye are the only one who can.”

  “I dinnae like this at all, lass,” Fergus expressed his displeasure. “I’d like tae knock some sense in tae that godson o’ mine’s head.”

  “I dinnae believe it would make a bit o’ difference,” Alana replied. It warmed her heart that there were people who cared so much for her wellbeing. It helped to take some of the sting out of Finlay’s threats to harm her and Malcolm’s to let him.

  Fergus withdrew his sgian dubh from his belt and handed the blade to Alana. “Here, take this with ye tae keep ye safe. If anyone comes at ye, ye sink this into their throat. Dinnae hesitate even if it is yer own faither. Return tae us alive and well, lass.”

  “I will,” Alana promised, hugged both Freya and Fergus, then left the room and went in search of Malcolm to see if he was ready to depart.

  Alana found Malcolm in the training yard with two highland ponies. He took her pack and tied it to one of them, then assisted her up onto the equine’s back. “I am still not convinced it is wise tae leave yer faither as he is.” Alana attempted to make him see reason one last time.

  “If ye wish tae live, ye will come with me. Now hold yer wheesht. I dinnae want tae listen tae ye blather the entire journey,” Malcolm ordered grumpily.

  Alana obeyed against her better judgement and remained still as they left the castle behind and entered the forest. He will ne’er forgive himself if his faither dies while we are gone and I could have stopped it.

  The pair set off across the glen passing the occasional croft along the way. The river was still up, but not as high as it had been just a few days before. The woods were full of deer and other wildlife that startled and ran as they rode through the trees. Malcolm stopped at the Falls of Tarf and assisted Alana from her mount. They rested at the water’s edge for a time before continuing on. The falls were beautiful cascading in white and brown torrents down one rocky incline and then another. As they climbed higher, the terrain became more rugged, but Alana had been born in these mountains and rode with relative ease. The Cairngorms were in her blood and soul. When they stopped at night to sleep after gathering kindling for a fire, Alana sat down upon a log and drank in the sights and sounds around her.

  Malcolm poured a handful of oats from a small cloth bag into two metal cups of water he had placed near the fire to warm. When he was done, he placed the cup of parritch beside Alana upon the log, then sat down opposite her. As night descended across the Forest of Mar the world grew still, then filled once more with the sounds of life. Natterjack toads, tawny owls, and sedge warblers called back and forth to one another. “Why have we crossed o’er in tae Mar lands?” Alana broke the silence.

  “I dinnae wish for yer faither’s spies tae warn him we are comin’. If we take a route he would nae expect, it is safer for the both o’ us,” Malcolm explained. “It will take longer, but will save us from further trouble.”

  “That is wise, but Faither has guards and spies everywhere,” Alana informed him. “He did nae survive this long without them. Someone probably ran tae inform him we were comin’ afore we e’er left the castle.”

  “Aye,” Malcolm agreed, “but he will nae be expectin’ us tae come from the other side.”

  “Perhaps,” Alana replied. “I hope ye are right, but he is nae a fool.”

  “He was a fool for sendin’ ye tae us,” Malcolm retorted.

  “Aye, that he was,” Alana agreed. Malcolm’s head turned to look at her in surprise. It was clear that he had not expected her to agree with him.

  “Ye wish ye had nae come tae Blair Castle?” he asked, studying her face intently.

  “I have prayed my entire life tae be at Blair Castle, but I dinnae e’er wish for it tae be a deception that brought me there. I only e’er kenned what my faither had told me o’ the Clan Murray and yer faither. I was told he was unworthy o’ tae be laird and had committed terrible sins in the name o’ greed and power. I ne’er dreamt that my faither would have lied tae me about such a thing. He has always been fervent in his hatred o’ yer faither and I had nae cause tae doubt him,” Alana explained.

  “Then why did ye do it? Ye are nae a bairn that ye dinnae ken yer own lies,” he asked sternly.

  “I did nae have a choice,” Alana answered.

  “Ye had a choice,” Malcolm argued.

  “Nae, I did nae. Ye are nae a lass. Ye dinnae ken anythin’ at all about it.” Alana had had enough of his judgement. She was sorry for what she had done, but she had taken enough from Malcolm and Finlay and refused to take any more. She had apologized and done everything within her power to make amends and cooperate answering every question she had been asked, but enough was enough. “Ye would nae ken what tae do if ye were tae be sold tae a man tae be used as he wished with yer body.”

  “I would run him through,” Malcolm retorted as if it were the easiest answer in the world.

  “Oh, aye, and be slaughtered for it if ye could wield a blade at all,” Alana pointed out.

  Malcolm snorted. “I would nae allow it.”

  “Ye would nae have a say,” Alana argued. “Were I tae attack ye where ye stand, would I be able tae defeat ye?”

  “O’ course nae,” Malcolm boasted, puffing his chest in pride of his strength and prowess.

  Alana sat and stared at him silently. The moment dragged on until Malcolm noticed she had not replied and looked up at her. Alana pointedly met his eyes and waited patiently for him to understand. When the light finally dawned behind his eyes, a myriad of emotions swept across his face. At first he looked surprised, then angry, then ashamed. “I am sorry, lass. I did nae ken…” His words faded away into the night.

  “Nae, ye did nae,” Alana answered. “Just as I did nae.”

  Malcolm held her eyes for a moment longer, then nodded his head in acceptance. “I am truly sorry, lass.”

  “As am I,” Alana replied.

  For the first time since he had discovered her betrayal, Malcolm understood. He nodded his head in acceptance. “I can see that ye are lass, and I am glad o’ it.” He paused for a moment as if he was not sure whether to continue. “Faither is nae long for this world and I cannae bear the thought o’ it. I poured all o’ the anger and pain I was feelin’ o’er his illness in tae what happened betwixt ye and I. I felt the fool after takin’ ye tae bed and then findin’ ye had deceived me in such a way. I was angry and shamed for nae have kennin’ what ye were about sooner.”

  “I did nae lay with ye tae deceive ye. I lay with ye because…” Alana stumbled unsure she was willing to expose herself more than she already had.

  “Aye?” Malcolm urged her on.

  “I lay with ye because I could nae help myself,” she blurted out. It had been on the tip of her tongue to say that she loved him, but she was not ready go down that road so soon after the exchange of so many harsh words in the days since they had shared her bed.

  Malcolm’s smile was laced with masculine smugness, but in a way that was endearing not pompous. “Aye, I can have that effect,” he teased.

  Alana blushed. She liked the way his eyes crinkled up at the sides when he smiled. A night breeze blew over them, tousling his long dark hair. Strands of her own red locks wiped in front of her face, tickling her nose and causing a slight chill. She shivered at the sensation.

  “Are ye cold, lass?” he asked, coming over to sit beside her and share his plaid. He tossed a few more sticks of wood on the fire, then wrapped the warm fabric around the both of them.

  Alana sighed in
contended pleasure. He has forgiven me. She lay her head against his shoulder and watched the sparks from the fire float up into the night sky.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Cairngorm Mountains, Scotland

  They sat in silence for some time before Malcolm stirred himself and spoke. “I thank ye, lass, for savin’ my faither,” he murmured against her hair, leaning his head against hers as they sat together on the log warming themselves by the fire. “I only wish it was enough tae restore him tae us in good health.”

  “As do I,” Alana replied, reaching out to take his hand, lacing his fingers with hers to offer comfort. “I ken well what it is tae lose a parent and I would nae wish it on anyone. It is worse for ye as ye have lived with and loved yer faither for far longer than I with my maither.”

  “I dinnae ken what I will do without him. He is the one who has taught me nearly everythin’ a ken about life and what it is tae be man. I am nae ready for him tae be gone,” Malcolm admitted. “Nor is my maither.”

  “Freya will be devastated when he dies. I dinnae ken how she will go on,” Alana agreed. “A truer love I have nae seen.”

  “Aye, ye could nae be raised at Blair Castle without kennin’ what real love looks like,” Malcolm smiled. “There has nae been a day in my life where they did nae show one another affection. Even when they were mad at each other, ye ne’er doubted that they cared for one another.”

  “I had nae seen anythin’ akin tae it in all my life ‘till I came tae the castle,” Alana shared. “I did nae ken what tae make o’ it at first, but then I realized that it was how life was supposed tae be. After witnessin’ such a love, there is nae way one can go back tae anythin’ else.”

  “I thought we might have a chance at it once,” Malcolm admitted, lifting his head to look at her.

  “At a love like theirs?” Alana asked, looking up at him unsure what to say to his declaration.

  “Aye, just as strong and true,” he spoke softly, gazing down into her eyes.

  “But true love cannae be built on lies or anger,” Alana replied sadly. She had not fully known the depth of his feeling before now.

  “It can be built on forgiveness,” Malcolm offered. “Ours, yours and mine.”

  “How?” she whispered, tears springing to her eyes. To her surprise, she found his eyes to have turned into glassy pools as well.

  “We have both erred, treated each other with less kindness than we should have, but that does nae mean it has tae dictate our future. I did nae believe it was possible tae forgive ye, but now that I have, I find my heart is filled with emotions I dinnae ken how tae explain.” Malcolm cupped her face with his hand. “The thought o’ someone else hurtin’ ye as ye described earlier fills me with murderous rage, while the memory of what we did together fills me with lust tae be sure, but also love.”

  Tears spilled over onto Alana’s cheeks melting into Malcolm’s hand on her face. He used his thumb to swipe them away. “Dinnae weep, lass. I did nae mean tae make ye sad.”

  “I dinnae shed tears o’ sadness,” she reassured him. “I did nae think I would e’er hear ye say such a thing tae me and it fills my heart with great joy.”

  Relief washed over Malcolm’s features and he pulled her to him, lowering his lips to hers. The caress of his skin upon hers was tender and sincere. Alana felt her heart melt and her mind blur. Her body tensed with uncertainty, then relaxed into blissful surrender. When he pulled away, she was not ready, but she was also not quite sure if she was ready to lay with him again either. She felt confused. “Have ye truly forgiven me?” she whispered, leaning her forehead against his chin.

  “Aye. Have ye truly forgiven me?” he asked, his breath moving strands of her hair in a tickling sensation.

  The words he had spoken to her rippled through her mind, stabbing with their sharp barbs while causing her stomach to turnover, but she pushed the sensation away, remembering the pain that she had caused him. “Aye,” she answered. “Ye were in pain. Did ye mean what ye said tae me?”

  “Nae, I did nae mean it, lass. I thought I did, but I was wrong,” he replied, lifting her chin with his finger so that he could meet her eyes. “I did nae mean any o’ it.”

  “And I did nae mean tae hurt ye,” she whispered.

  “I ken that now,” Malcolm reassured her.

  “Malcolm,” she hesitated.

  “Aye?”

  “I love ye,” she admitted, trembling with the intensity of her feelings.

  “I love ye, lass,” he answered, crushing her to him and kissing her once more.

  The kiss was filled with so much passion that it might have scorched her soul with its intensity. Alana became lost in a world of sensations that traveled from her lips down to her toes. “Oh, Alana, my sweet bonnie lass,” he moaned against her lips as his hands jerked his plaid free and he tossed it onto the forest floor, easing Alana’s body down upon its soft folds. His hands roved her body and she arched into them freely, giving herself over to the pleasure they wrought. “I have missed ye so.”

  Malcolm kissed down her neck and chest, cupping her breasts in his hands, lifting them to meet his lips. He pulled down on her bodice exposing her to the cool night air. Her rosy buds hardened in the breeze and Malcolm bent his head to take each one into his mouth warming her with the heat of his body. His mouth was like an inferno against the sensitive flesh of her skin and she writhed in desire under his delicious attentions. The sounds of the night disappeared and all that could be heard was the beating of her own heart. “I love ye, Malcolm Murray,” she gasped, unable to keep silent.

  Malcolm growled low in his throat and nipped each bud with the edge of his teeth causing her to cry out as she spiraled out of control digging her fingernails into his back. She clasped him to her as closely as she could and yet it was not close enough. She felt as if she could have crawled into his skin and still not have been close enough. “I need ye, lass,” Malcolm groaned, “more than I have e’er needed ye afore.”

  Alana pulled his face up to hers and met his eyes burning with fever. “Then take me,” she whispered.

  Malcolm groaned so loudly that it resembled a roar, causing shivers to flow throughout Alana’s body. He reclaimed her lips with his and fumbled with his belt to remove the rest of his plaid. When the belt sprang free, Alana removed his shirt and pulled back to look at him. His muscled form glistened in the fire light like the gods of old. She reached up to trace a scar that ran from his right shoulder down to his chest with her fingertip, causing his muscles to tense and ripple down his sides like a stream rushing over stone. Alana ran her hands over his ribs and stomach, smiling when he breathed in sharply while balling his hands into fists in her hair, but he stood his ground allowing her to explore him.

  She moved her hands down to the dark curling plains of his lower abdomen and felt his muscles contract once more at her touch. His member jerked up, brushing her hand and Malcolm hissed between his teeth as he fought not to take her then and there. Alana moved her hand lower and took him between her fingers, stroking gently. She loved the smooth silken feel of his hardened shaft in her hand. Malcolm groaned and the muscles in his neck stood out from the strain of holding back. She paused for a moment, uncertain if she could be so brazen. She slipped her thumb over the end of his shaft and felt the bead of wetness there.

  “Alana,” Malcolm whispered, tightening his hold in her hair.

  Encouraged by his reaction to her touch, she knelt down before him and tentatively licked the end of his caber with her tongue. Every muscle in Malcolm’s body went rigid and she thought he would wrench her hair from her head he held it so tightly. She gently reached up and removed his hands from her head and placed them on her breasts, then moved forward once more and took his caber into her mouth, gently stroking the shaft with her hand as her tongue traced the circular curves of its head.

  “Och, lass. Ye will be the death o’ me yet,” he groaned.

  He began to massage her breasts and nipples causing a rush of wet heat
between her legs. Caught up in the waves of desire that flooded her, she sucked in her breath. Malcolm stood stock still not moving a single muscle. “Did I hurt ye?” she asked, pulling her head back to look up at him.

  “Nae,” he ground out between his teeth.

  Alana smiled mischievously and wrapped her lips around him once more, this time suckling gently as he had her breasts. “Ahh,” he breathed, his hands straying to her head once more. His hips gently moved forward, pressing his member deeper into her mouth. Alana replied by tracing her fingers along his hips, thighs, and arse. She loved the way his muscles moved beneath her hands as her tongue played along the length of his shaft. His hips moved in a dance as old as time, mimicking the motions of their love play so many nights before. “Mmmm,” he growled deep in his throat and he began to quiver in her mouth. “Nae yet,” he commanded and laid her down upon the plaid once more. “Now it is my turn.”