The two were laughing as the others approached. Jamie noted the ease'
with which Lindsey and Ian conversed as they ladled out the food.
Though it rankled, Jamie sternly reminded himself that the woman was
nothing to him. If she chose to befriend a man of dubious background,
it was her right. He turned to Murray, who was watching his sister
with a frown.
"How are the wounded?"
"They will mend. None sustained serious injuries, and they are resting
comfortably since Lindsey prepared a potion."
"Did I hear you speak my name?"
At the sound of Lindsey's husky voice, Jamie turned away and busied
himself with his meal. Lindsey sat down beside her brother, facing
Jamie, smoothing her skirts modestly
"Jamie asked about the wounded men. I told him that you had ministered
to them."
"Aye. With Ian's help." Jamie shifted uncomfortably.
"What have you learned about this MacPherson?" Mur ray asked his
sister.
"He is a man of some importance."
"So he has told us," Murray said with a trace of impatience.
"Though I have always found that a truly important man need not talk
about himself. His reputation speaks for him. A braggart, on the
other hand, must boast to all who would listen."
Donald nodded as he joined them.
"Has MacPherson a fortress or a clan?"
Lindsey glanced at Jamie, then at her brothers. With an impish grin
she shrugged.
"I know not. He seemed eager to share but one fact with me."
"And that is?" Murray and Donald asked in unison.
"He has no wife."
Murray shot his sister a dark look. Beside them, Jamie got to his
feet. He would not sit here and listen to such prattle.
"I will join Neal in seeing to the horses."
As he. stalked away, Lindsey watched him through narrowed gaze. What
imp inside her made her behave so foolishly around this man? It was
obvious to her that Jamie MacDonald avoided her whenever possible. She
must learn to do the same with him. Though the thought vexed her, she
struggled to put it aside. It mattered not to her what Jamie MacDonald
did. The man was a bully and a brute. Not at all like Ian MacPherson,
whose manners were gentle and whose obvious attentions to her were like
a soothing balm.
At Murray's sudden silence, Lindsey put aside her troubling thoughts to
concentrate on the matter at hand. She had been so deeply engrossed in
thoughts of the Heartless MacDonald, she had not even noticed that all
her brothers had joined them.
Neal, the youngest, gave her a lingering look as he repeated, "Did
MacPherson reveal nothing else about himself?."
"Nay. Nothing."
"I was hoping he would take us to his home and introduce us to many
beautiful sisters," Donald said with a laugh.
"Can you think of nothing but the wenches?" Murray asked. With a sigh
of disappointment, their oldest brother emptied his tankard and went in
search of his father.
Laughing and chatting, the others ate quickly. Only Lindsey did not
join in the laughter. She seemed distracted as she went about her
evening chores.
As night settled over the Highlands, they wrapped themselves in their
cloaks and lay close to the fire.
Jamie made a slow turn around the camp and paused at each side to check
with the guard who stood watch. Assured that there was nothing out of
the ordinary, he turned and retraced his steps. At a sudden movement
he drew his dirk and went very still, blending into the shadows.
The small, slender form nearly collided with him before he reached out
a hand.
"Oh!" Lindsey's eyes went wide when a hand closed over her mouth,
cutting off her cry of alarm.
"Not a word, my lady. Do you understand?"
Lindsey felt the warmth of Jamie's breath against her cheek and was
reminded of that first time, when he had handled her so roughly. She
felt the tingle race along her spine and wondered if it was fear, or
the reaction she always seemed to get when she stood too close to this
giant.
When she nodded her assent, he slowly removed his hand from her mouth.
They continued to stand so close they were almost touching.
"What are you doing here?" Damn her for coming out here now. He had
spent hours thinking about her, denying any concern for her.
Lindsey's heart was pounding like the thunder of horses' hooves.
"I
might ask you the same. "
Jamie's eyes narrowed a fraction.
"I could not sleep."
"Nor could I."
"The journey that lies ahead will be arduous, my lady. You should take
advantage of this time to rest."
"And you, my lord." She tilted her head to study him in the
moonlight.
"Is the Heartless MacDonald above us mortals? Do you require no
rest?"
At her taunt his lips curved into a smile.
"I am a man, my lady. No more. No less. When I am assured that all
is secure, I will take my rest."
He slipped the dirk into his waistband.
Seeing the movement she asked, "Do you fear that the highwaymen are
still near?"
He shrugged.
"There are many dangers that can befall travelers. It is my
responsibility to see that our company arrives safely in Edinburgh."
"Responsibility." She lifted her head.
"I heard you speak of it today to my father and 6rot hers Have you al
ways placed responsibility above all else, Jamie MacDonald?"
"What else it there, after all, except duty, honor, trust?" A wisp of
her unruly hair lifted on the breeze, and he curled his hand into a
fist to keep from brushing it aside.
"They are the measure of a man."
She saw his eyes gleam in the darkness.
"When I was but a lad, Brice Campbell, my foster father, told me that
without these virtues, though a man be wealthy beyond belief, he has
nothing."
Lindsey was surprised at the firmness of his tone. This was another
side to the rogue, one she had not seen before.
From the many rumors about this man, she had thought him to be a cruel
and undisciplined warrior. But it would seem that he had been reared
with nobler virtues.
They stood for several moments studying each other in the moonlight.
The sudden tension in him caused her to shiver.
He misunderstood. Instantly his hands came to her arms.
"You are cold.
You should have worn a wrap. "
"Nay. I..." She started to back away, but his touch had her frozen to
the spot.
He removed his cloak and draped it around her. It was such a gallant
gesture, it took her completely by surprise. She shivered again. The
warmth of his body still lingered in the folds of his garment, driving
away the chill.
His hands paused at her throat as he drew the cloak tighter. Then he
went very still as he stared at her.
His voice roughened.
"You should return to the fire now."
She swallowed, but made no move to turn away.
Jamie studie
d her, bathed in a pool of moonlight. He was accustomed to
the presence of coarse camp followers or the titled women at court who
had practiced the art of pleasing a man. But this female was unlike
any he had ever known. There was a wildness about her, and yet an
innocence, that made her oddly appealing. And so tempting.
Jamie knew he should walk away. Now, before he gave in to the
temptation to kiss her.
He allowed himself the pleasure of brushing a strand of hair from her
cheek. That was his undoing. Her skin was so soft it begged to be
touched.
"If your father should wake, he will miss you." Jamie's deep voice was
barely more than a whisper.
mye. "
His tone roughened.
"He will send your brothers looking for you."
"Aye."
A silence stretched between them. Still neither of them moved.
"God in heaven, Lindsey." He cupped her face between his big hands and
stared hungrily into her eyes.
"Go back to your bed and let me get on with the business of seeing to
our safety."
Her eyes widened, mirroring her surprise at the harshness of his
tone.
But she did not pull away. Her voice was a low challenge.
"Do you always go about ordering others to do your bidding, without
regard to what they want?" His eyes narrowed.
"And what is it you want?"
What indeed? When she was standing close to this man, her mind was too
befuddled to think.
"I want you to leave me alone, Jamie MacDonald."
"Do you?" For the space of a heartbeat he studied her, seeing the
flare of her nostrils, the set of her jaw.
"And that is why you came looking for me in the darkness?"
"I was not looking for you. I was returning to my bed when you
intruded."
His voice sent new tremors through her.
"Nor was I looking for you.
But now that you are here, do you know what I want? "
Before she could respond he lowered his face.
Sensing his intentions, Lindsey's hand went to the dirk at her waist.
As her fingers closed. over the hilt, he grasped her roughly by the
hand, forcing her to drop the knife into the grass at their feet.
"Beware, my lady. There are men who have died for less."
Lindsey's breath caught in her throat. For one brief moment her heart
forgot to beat. Then it began racing so fast she thought surely the
whole camp could hear it. She was suddenly filled with fear at the
terrible feelings that swamped her. Feelings she had to deny.
She struggled to use the same tone of voice that she often used with
her brothers, when she wanted to exert authority.
"Release me at once, Jamie MacDonald."
Against her lips he murmured, "Woman, you would be wiser to command the
waterfall to stop." His mouth closed over hers in a savage kiss.
Heat poured through her, searing her flesh, turning her blood to liquid
fire. She steeled herself against the feelings that assaulted her.
Though stunned, she managed to pull back, but her strength was no match
for his.
He lifted his head. With orie hand he cupped the back of her head,
while his other slid to her back, holding her firmly against him.
She could feel every one of his fingers along her spine. He lowered
his head and she watched him as if in a trance. As their mouths
touched again, she gave a little moan and closed her eyes.
His lips were surprisingly soft. Soft and agile. She absorbed the
first shock and struggled to show no reaction.
Jamie felt the initial tremors of fear that rippled through her and
sought to soothe her. It was obvious that she was distraught by their
kiss, and struggling to deny any pleasure in it. Impatiently he rubbed
his mouth over hers until he felt her gradual response. Her fingers
curled into the front of his tunic. Tension coiled through her,
leaving her movements stiff and awkward.
Lindsey breathed in the distinctly masculine scents of horses and
leather, and the clean fragrance of rain that would always remind her
of him. And then, as his mouth moved over hers, she was lost in the
dark, mysterious taste of him. Against her will her body strained
toward him, no longer stiff and awkward, but eager, anxious.
She heard him moan softly as he took the kiss deeper. His mouth
plundered hers. His hands at her hips drew her closer, tormenting them
both. And then his hands moved along her sides until they encountered
the soft swell of her breasts.
Shocked at his boldness, she tried to pull back, but her strength was
no match for his. She stood very still, fighting the tremors that
rocked her.
"Nay. You must not .... " Lindsey felt herself tumbling into some
wild, dark place she had never gone before. A place that frightened
her, yet exhilarated her. She felt the sting of his breath as his lips
roamed her face, then returned to claim her lips once more. Her heart
was racing, spinning dangerously out of control.
Jamie was stunned by the feelings unleashed by this little female.
Since their first kiss, he had been haunted by the taste of her. So
wild. So sweet. He'd wanted to feel the thrill of desire once more,
to experience the wild, soaring need. But this. This had him stunned
and reeling. He knew he must end it. He must step away or be consumed
by the fire. But first, he would savor one more touch, one more
taste.
He inhaled the fragrance of evergreen and wildflowers that clung to
her. He tasted the honeyed sweetness of her. And then, with one last
burst of control, he released her.
Lindsey stood very still, fighting the tremors that rocked her. Taking
a deep breath she filled her lungs.
Jamie bent and retrieved his cloak, which had fallen from her shoulders
and had dropped, unnoticedl to the ground. As he did, his fingers
encountered the cold steel of her knife, and he remembered the way she
had struggled against him.
She had not invited his kiss. Nay. In truth, she had fought it. She
seemed genuinely afraid of his touch. He felt a flood of remorse that
he had fforced himself on her.
He draped the cloak around her shoulders and handed her the dirk. In a
voice gruff With emotion he whispered, "Now you see that you must go
back to the others. You are not safe here."
For a moment she made no response, terrified that her voice would
betray her. When at last she dared, she whispered, "See that this does
not happen again, my lord. Or I will be forced to defend myself."
As if to emphasize her words she wrenched the cloak from her shoulders
and tossed it into his arms. As she did so, their fingers brushed.
They were both aware of the jolt. Instantly she withdrew her hand and
turned, praying that her legs would not fail her.
She could feel Jamie's gaze upon her as she made her way to the fire.
As she walked she kept her spine rigid, her head held high. When at
last she lay down and covered herself with the plaid, she gave in to
the violent tremors that shook her.
/>
Jamie turned away and began to stalk around the camp once more. He
glanced at the clouds scudding across a full moon. Sleep, he knew,
would elude him this night.
Why did thoughts of Lindsey torment him so? She was not at all the
sort of woman he would choose for himself. She was neither
soft-spoken, nor humble, nor shy. If truth be told, she was .
prickly.
Aye. She was a prickly little female. And the sooner he was rid of
her, the better.
When at last he had satisfied himself that there was no immediate
danger, he lay down beside the fire. His dark thoughts were of lips
that tasted wild and sweet, and a lithe young body that tormented him
with promises of endless delight.
Chapter Six
Lindsey lay in a dreamy slumber, neither wide awake nor quite asleep.
A restlessness trembled through her. Jamie's kiss had disturbed her
far more than she cared to admit, even to herself.
There was something so unsettling about this giant of a man who had
burst in upon her calm, well-ordered life. He was a contradiction.
How could a man known as the Heart less MacDonald, who was known to be
ruthless in battle, show such tenderness when he held her? Yet beneath
that tenderness she sensed a very carefully banked tension, as though
he held his emotions in tight control when he was with her. She
shivered. Aye, he wag. not a tender man. And, she reminded herself,
she must never forget that he had used her to get to her family.
How odd that her father had trusted him almost from the beginning.
Even her brothers, usually so suspicious of strangers, had begun fo
warm to him. She was puzzled by her own behavior. Never before had
she allowed a man to take such liberties with her. She should have
plunged her dirk into his heart.
With a sigh she touched a finger to her lips and felt the familiar
tingle. The mere thought of Jamie MacDonald brought a rush of heat
through her veins.
Beside her she heard the faint snap of a twig. In her dreamle state
she imagined that the man whose kiss had her so unsettled was returning
for another taste of her lips. With her mouth curved into a smile she
opened her eyes. The smile became a gasp of horror as she saw a
hideously ugly man with one eye covered by a bloody patch reaching for
her.
Before she could scream a hand covered her mouth. She struggled to
evade him, but he had the advantage of strength and surprise. By the
time she was fully awake and fighting, a rough cloak was pulled over
her head, muffling her cries.
A second pair of hands reached for her and she was tossed crudely over
the back of a waiting horse. As the animal raced across the uneven
terrain, she was jostled like a sack of grain.
In the predawn darkness Jamie sat up, wondering what had disturbed his
slumber. He thought he had heard, in the mists of sleep, the
half-strangled cry of a morning bird. Rubbing his eyes, his gaze
scanned the circle of sleeping figures around the fire. Nothing seemed
amiss.
He paused a moment to study the plaid that covered Lindsey. As he
stared he felt his throat go dry. There was something wrong with the
mound where Lindsey lay. It did not move. It was as still as death.
Getting to his feet he spanned the distance between them and knelt
beside the plaid. Lifting it, he saw that several blankets had been
mounded beneath to give the illusion of a sleeping body. He let out a
shout that had the entire company struggling to their feet and reaching
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