by Elise Ramsay
Cullen was preparing himself for the hand to hand fighting. He was well matched against one of the MacIver Clansmen, a man named Stuart. He had met Stuart before and liked him well. Cullen just wished that he was not going to be up against a man as well skilled as himself. Ordinarily, he liked to win a hard and fair fight, but today he knew he needed all of his strength and wits as he waited for his real assailant to strike.
Cullen had not seen Annis arrive with her Clan. Still, it had been a busy greeting, with people and chatter everywhere. It would have been easy to miss her arrival. When he thought about it, Cullen realised that he would rather not have her there. The very presence of Annis MacIver would distract him, with possibly disastrous results. He still felt such a range of emotions when he thought of her. As hard as he fought, he knew he loved her, even though she had betrayed him. If she were there now, would she betray him again? Cullen, hearing himself and Stuart called into the large hall, removed his shirt and walked towards the fighting arena.
Annis had swept the crowds for Cullen and had not spied him anywhere. As painful as she knew that seeing him would be, there was no other way. Annis needed him in sight all day. Logan and Brodie were easily spotted. Neither were entered for the hand to hand fighting today but were busying themselves finding a good spot to watch the games from. They would have to be kept under close scrutiny also. How exhausting this was already. The pain in her shoulder, although much improved from the time of her injury, still drained her somewhat, and she reached around and rubbed at it soothingly.
Suddenly, her heart seemed to miss a beat. Lachlan Kincaid had, in his booming and deep voice, just announced Cullen’s name, as the first fight of the day.
Sweeping the edges of the hall for a sight of him she began to worry. Where was he? Just as she was about to despair, Annis found him. Cullen was striding towards the centre of the hall, pulling his shirt off over his head as he walked. The sight of his flat taught stomach, and his broad chest and shoulders took her back to the day in the clearing. Sitting there, spying on him, Annis remembered the fissure of pleasure she had experienced as she watched him, bare-chested in the sunshine. Experiencing that same fissure now, she felt it tinged with sadness and regret and had to blink hard to chase away the tears which threatened to fall.
The fight began. Cullen had not seemed to look for her at all. Annis knew there was no time for this hurt and sorrow, she had a job to do.
Looking over at Logan and Brodie, she could see how intently they surveyed Cullen. Cullen was a skilled fighter and, face to face, he could have annihilated either one of the pathetic conspirators. Still, this would not be face to face. It would be right in the back!
Watching the fight drawing to its inevitable conclusion, Annis could still appreciate Cullen’s strength and skill. The men had been well matched, but Cullen had, in the end, beaten his opponent.
As he stood breathing hard, Annis saw Cullen look about the hall, taking in the crowd and nodding lightly at the raucous applause he was receiving. There was a momentary jolt, almost invisible to all but Annis. Cullen stopped scanning the crowd as his eyes fell briefly upon Logan Munro. Recovering quickly, Cullen bowed at his audiences and started to make his way out of the hall.
Annis had quietly gasped. Cullen had really, really looked at Logan. He knew! He knew!
As Cullen made his was out of the hall, he turned. Seeing her, he was momentarily taken aback. Annis tried to smile at him, but his countenance stopped the smile in its tracks. The look of pure hurt and anger on his face could mean only one thing. Cullen thought Annis was part of the plot to kill him.
Chapter Eighteen
Annis hurriedly picked her way through the crowd. Trying to follow Cullen was made almost impossible by the sheer number of bodies she had to squeeze past. As she quickly walked to one of the doors that opened off the great hall, Annis knew she had lost him. Seeing nobody about her, she set off at a run, down along the first corridor she entered. Rounding its bend, she knew Cullen could not have come this way. There was nothing to do but keep running. Feeling her hair break free of its fastenings and sweat begin to trickle between her shoulder blades, Annis ran like the very Devil himself were chasing her. With no idea how she might explain herself if someone happened upon her there, she kept going, faster and faster. Annis had to find him, she just had to. Cullen could not go on thinking that she would see him slain. Annis loved him with every fibre of her being. She must find him and tell him everything.
A vision of her Da floated before her and Annis prayed to God that, whatever action she took now, he and her Clan would be safe. It was out of her hands. Try as she might, Annis could not, it appeared, control every outcome.
Annis slowed as she reached a junction of two corridors. Which one? Choosing the left, she set off again until she came upon a small stone staircase. Maybe he was in his chamber? Cullen would have needed to clean up after his fight. Annis knew she would recognise the door to the room if she came upon it. There was nothing else for her to try, so Annis took the stairs as fast as she could.
Feeling as if she had been running for a full sennight, Annis slowed to a breathless halt as she finally came upon the door she knew would lead into Cullen’s bed chamber. Wasting no time, Annis burst through the door.
Cullen looked amazed to see her there. He almost smiled. Then, seeming to remember himself, he reached out for a knife from the small wooden table. Holding it out to her with the purest hurt and anger clouding his beautiful green eyes, he took one step towards her.
“So, come to do it yourself, have you?”
“Do what?” Annis could barely breathe.
“Ach, come on my feral wee beastie! I know what you did. I know well how you betrayed me and lied to me.”
Annis could not speak. Tears streamed down her face and her breathing was ragged and painful.
“I went and had a look at your wee rock, Annis.” His snarl was ripping her heart to shreds. “Aye, I did. Imagine my surprise when I found it wasnae there! Maybe someone moved it, huh?” His tone was now cruel and mocking and suddenly Annis could take no more of this. Wiping hard at the tears on her face, she forbid her own self to shed even one more for him. Before her stood the man she had strived to look out for, the man on whose account she had nearly died. The days and nights of worry and planning and thinking! The miles she had run, sweating, with her thigh muscles stinging painfully! The tears she had wept when she had felt the gutting blow of his rejection! Ach, I’ve had a belly full of this, right enough!
“Cullen Kincaid, I was right! You are the most witless wee laddie in all of Scotland!”
Seeing the stunned, open-mouthed look on Cullen’s face nearly set her off laughing.
“Do you really think I’ve come all this way, breathless and weak at the knees from running, to overpower a hale and hearty big man with naught but my bare hands while my henchmen sit safe and secure in your great hall?”
Cullen’s mouth still gaped.
“Ach, engage your brain, Cullen Kincaid. Aye, I knew who’d taken a shot at you. And I had a fair idea too that something would happen. But understand this! I have carried these secrets at the cost of my own safety, and I carried them to protect my Clan. My Da knows nothing of this, but your Clan would easily assume he did and would have tackled him. Maybe even killed him. My Da! The only truly peaceable Chief in the Western Highlands. What else could I do?”
“So, you followed me? You were... trying to protect me?” Cullen was stunned.
“Aye, I was!” she snapped, “For all the thanks I’ll get for it!”
“But, why didn’t you tell me before? When we lay together that night, why not tell me then?”
“Have I not just explained that?”
“Yes, but why should your Da be at such risk over the actions of one ambitious little outer Clansman? It doesnae make sense Annis.”
Annis felt as though her body would sag. There was no escaping what she had to say.
“Because, Cullen, Logan was
not alone in it. Brodie, my brother Brodie, was right in the thick of it.” And with that, she sank down onto his bed and began to weep.
As the full extent of all that Annis had suffered in the last weeks began to sink in, Cullen felt the deepest sense of guilt come over him. Knowing how much it would hurt her to have her brother’s part in the plot exposed, Cullen was thinking fast. He needed to come up with a plan that would not only put an end to Logan Munro’s attempts on his life but would silence him with regard to Brodie MacIver’s part in all of it.
Try as he might, Cullen could think of no course of action that would end in anything other than the death of Logan Munro.
In his heart, Cullen could have happily ripped Brodie MacIver limb from limb. Still, he knew that to do so would expose him to his own Clan, and leave Annis and the rest of the MacIver’s in serious danger.
A good and tight plan would be hard to make. Cullen knew nothing of how Logan Munro intended to kill him that day. That very knowledge would have made Cullen’s task so much simpler.
“Annis?” Cullen reached for her. With her weeping ended, she looked drained. Completely exhausted. Everything she had done for him and her family, what a responsibility for a young woman to carry alone. By God, how he loved her!
“Annis? It’s going to be alright. You need have no fears for your brother, nor the rest of your Clan. I’ll expose naught, I promise you.”
Annis, who had been face down, wiping her eyes on the thick plaid blankets, rolled onto her side and looked at him, her eyes full of hope.
“But how? Logan is still going to try to kill you this day.”
“In any way I can achieve it. I love you, Annis.”
Cullen stretched out to lay beside her. Scooping her into his arms until there was no gap at all between their bodies, Cullen buried his face in her hair. He ran his hand up and down her back and felt her completely relax into him. As a small moan escaped her lips, he covered them with his own and kissed her deeply. They kissed for several minutes before Annis realised that Cullen wanted more.
“There’s no time,” she breathed, wishing they could kiss for the rest of the day.
“I know.” Cullen’s hands showed no sign of giving up on her taught body. Annis would have to take the lead.
“We have to move, we’ve plans to get making.”
“I know.”
“So I suggest, Cullen Kincaid, you take your big paws off me and get yourself off this bed!”
Cullen threw his head back in laughter and pried himself away from her.
“You see you stay close to me, Annis, for the rest of this day.”
“I will.”
“Ach, aye. I know you better, so listen well. Don’t go off making wee plans of your own. You’ve cheated death enough just lately. Are you listening?”
“Aye, I’m listening,” she replied vaguely.
As they rose to make their way out of the chamber, Annis turned to him.
“Oh, Cullen?”
“Aye?”
“I love you too.”
“Ach, I already knew that!” he said, winking at her.
Rooster!
Chapter Nineteen
For the rest of the day, Annis kept a close watch on both Logan and Cullen. As the day drew into night, and the festivities began, Annis still could not fathom how Logan would, or could, make his move. Perhaps he wouldn’t, after all.
Although the outcome was by no means assured, the fear which had gripped her for so long was lifting from her. Annis felt lighter somehow, now that she was no longer alone. Cullen was with her, bearing half the weight of her terrible secret.
Logan had paid Annis little attention as the evening wore on. As far as he could tell, she seemed not to be paying him any heed whatsoever. Maybe she really had no idea after all. All the time he had wasted worrying what would happen if wee Annis spilled her guts when all the while she’d known nothing about it.
Logan smiled to himself. The plan that Kyle had demanded be carried out was simple and brilliant. The sort of plan Logan himself would have come up with, sooner or later.
Logan looked about him. The wine was flowing fast now, and the crowd were enjoying themselves, especially Cullen. Well, enjoy it while you still can!
As the mist of drunkenness began to descend over the gathered party, Logan knew it was time to make his move.
Sidling up to a slightly swaying Cullen, Logan put his goblet down on the rough wooden trestle. He took care to ensure it was side by side with Cullen’s own goblet.
“Nice wee bit of fighting today Cullen. Our Stuart’s not an easy man to beat!”
Hearing Logan begin to engage Cullen, Annis knew the moment had come. She felt for the knife in her sleeve. But, could she?
“Aye, it was aught but easy, Logan, let me tell you.” Cullen laughed and turned from Logan for a brief moment. Annis could see that Cullen was giving Logan his chance to strike and positioned herself right behind the pair, unseen.
It happened so fast that Annis could barely believe what she had just seen. As Cullen had looked away, Logan had shaken some white powder from the palm of his own hand, straight into Cullen’s goblet. Poison? He was going to poison Cullen? Annis could almost have congratulated Logan this time. After his last botched attempt on Cullen’s life, this really was swift and imaginative!
Wasting no time, Annis fell in a most drunken manner, right into Logan. Annis nearly lost her footing and Logan, by some primitive instinct, reached out to steady her. Looking over his shoulder, she could see Cullen quickly exchange their goblets. Clever boy!
Cullen winked at her in such a way, Annis could feel a blush rising in her face. Seeing her redness, Logan started to laugh.
“Ach, you’ve had way too much there, Annis! Don’t let your Da catch you!”
How could he be so casual? So friendly and jovial when, in his own mind, he was convinced he was about to kill a man. Annis could feel no fear or regret at what she knew must surely come to pass.
Annis moved away from Logan and Cullen, not wanting to give their enemy any cause for suspicion. Cullen knew by instinct what she was doing, and loved her all the more. What a woman she was.
Finally, Logan lifted his goblet. Seemingly keen to get Cullen to drink, he raised his goblet in toast, causing Cullen to do the same.
Both men drank deeply.
In the days that followed, both Annis and Cullen had been questioned heavily by the two Clans. That Logan was apparently the man set on killing Cullen Kincaid on behalf of Kyle Sinclair had been easy to prove.
A search of his body had revealed the remainder of the poison that he had tipped into Cullen’s goblet. Both Clans readily accepted that spying Logan behaving strangely, Annis had approached Cullen to tell him. Acting out of caution, Cullen had switched the goblets. The rest had been apparent for all to see as the poisoner died of his own poison. The look on his face when he realized what had happened had given Cullen pleasure, but he knew that it gave Annis nightmares. How he longed to hold her close and ease away her fears. Maybe soon he would do just that.
Brodie did such a good job of being appalled by his old friend’s actions, that no one thought him in any way involved.
Finally, it was finished, and Annis was looking forward to some much-needed rest.
Chapter Twenty
Cullen had ridden over to MacIver Castle as soon as he was able to extract himself from the clutches of his own kin. Finally, his Da looked at him with something like pride. Even Gunn was showing signs of grudging respect!
Annis, hearing the clatter of hooves outside and ran to greet him. As he jumped down from his horse, he scooped her up into his arms and kissed her sweet lips. He didn’t care who saw, he would not be denied this.
Annis looked up at him, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment. She knew they must have been seen! What was he doing?
“Annis, don’t look so shy! It doesnae suit you.”
“Cullen, for shame! My Da is about!”
“G
ood, because I’ve something to ask him.”
Annis knew exactly what that something would be. Screwing up her face and squinting right at him, Annis planted her hands firmly on her hips.
“I think you know me well enough by now to know that’s it’s me you should ask first, not my Da!”
“Of course!”
Annis was astonished anew. Cullen dropped to one knee right there on the flagstones.
“Annis MacIver, my feral wee beastie, will you marry me?”
She threw back her head in laughter.
Cullen went on. “I promise you, I will never try to change you, or smooth down that hair, or straighten your skirts. I will never try to stop you scampering about the countryside like a wild thing. And, I promise you, we will never, ever be bored!”
“Aye, Cullen Kincaid, go on then, I will marry you!”
It was just a sennight later when Annis and Cullen said their vows in a wee kirk in front of the priest and all the friendly clans.
Brodie was there but he could never quite meet his sister’s eyes. Yet, she knew he had learned his lesson and hoped that he would never be so foolhardy again. Thanks to her braw and magnificent husband no one else needed to know. The past was over and a new life awaited her.
After the wedding they went back to the castle where a feast had been laid out but the Kincaid Clan. It was busy and Annis could tell by the looks he gave her that Cullen wanted to be alone.
“Let’s sneak away to my rooms,” he whispered as he nuzzled into her neck.
Annis laughed and felt her legs go weak at the thought. There would be time for bedding later but tonight they would suffer the feast. Turning towards him she looked up into beautiful green eyes, full of mystery and full of love. “Soon my love, soon they will all be drunk and we can sneak away.” Dropping her head, she turned from him before he could see the way her cheeks glowed with heat.
