"Kier said we must not relax our vigil."
"Oh, of all the ridiculous…" She stepped over her guardsman. "I am going to Lord Lion's chamber."
Harry hurried after her. "Kier say we cannot trust the lord. He says—"
"Hush. You'll wake the whole tower." Holding her hem up with one hand, Rowena climbed the tight, circular stairway. She was not annoyed to find Harry on her heels when she reached the upper story. "Go down and sleep in the hall. I neither need nor want your protection."
Harry shrugged and did as he was bid. Feeling victorious, Rowena hurried down the short, gloomy corridor. As she neared the wooden door at the far end, she was perplexed to see someone hunched over, peering through the lock.
"Who goes there?" she demanded.
Kier jerked upright, his shoulder thudding against the door. "L-Lady Rowena. What are ye doing here?"
The door flew open. Lion stood in the aperture, wearing his shirt and a furious expression, his sword upraised. "What the hell is going on?" he growled.
"It is just us." Rowena stepped into the wedge of faint light spilling from the room. "I, er, came to talk with you about an important matter. I am not certain why Kier is here."
Lion's gaze narrowed and shifted to Kier. "Explain."
"I do not answer to ye," Kier snarled. "I thought my lady might be with ye, and I'm charged with seeing to her safety."
Rowena frowned. Surely Kier must have known she was in her room with Harry on guard outside. Tomorrow she would speak to Kier again. "I will come to no harm here at Glenshee." She crossed the threshold to stand beside Lion. "Now, be off and seek your own bed."
"While ye warm his?" Kier snarled.
"Silence, damn you." Lion started forward.
Rowena restrained him with a gentle hand. "Kier, you do forget yourself. Go below, now."
Kier growled something under his breath, then stalked off.
"What is this all about?" Lion asked as he settled the bar over the door.
Rowena spun away and walked toward the hearth, feeling unaccountably shy suddenly. "I…I needed to speak with you."
Instantly he was beside her. "What is wrong?" His hands were warm, reassuring on her shoulders.
"Nothing. Everything." She turned toward him, sliding her arms around his neck. "I missed you most terribly."
"Ach, sweetheart." He drew her into his embrace, the hard planes of his body scorching her through the layers of cloth separating them. "And I you. I didn't want you to feel you had to share my bed."
"I don't. I'm here because I want to be." More sure of herself—and him—she trailed her fingers over the solid muscles of his chest, around to his back and down his spine. His bottom was lean and tight from years in the saddle. She inched the hem of his shirt up till she could stroke the warm, taut flesh.
Lion groaned and shuddered beneath her touch. Always before he'd been the instigator of their love play. Being the focus of her female aggression had him hard and aching in a single heartbeat. "Ro. Ah, Ro." He ground his teeth together, struggling against the need to bury himself in her sweetness.
"You do purr like Cat," she whispered, scoring him lightly with her nails, glorying at the heady sense of power that rippled through her as his big body trembled. "Lion. My Lion." She twisted slowly, brushing her peaking nipples over the warm wall of his chest.
"And you are my lioness…my lady." Lion lifted her off her feet and molded their bodies together. It felt so good, so right. He gloried in the way she clung to him, her mouth opening beneath his, inviting the joining that was a prelude of what was to come. Hunger nearly overwhelmed him, tearing at his restraint. He tempered it with love. Aye, he loved her, totally and without reservation. If only he could make her understand. Desperate, he set out to show her the only way he could.
Rowena shivered with excitement as he carried her the few steps to the large, curtained bed. The cool sheets did not dull the passion running hot in her veins. "Come to me," she whispered, reaching for him.
He knelt beside her, but evaded her grasp. "Easy, love. You are not ready yet."
"I am," she said, pouting.
"Patience, lass." He brushed a kiss over her mouth, her nose, her eyes, his hands tracing lazy circles on her ribs, drugging her till her eyes drifted shut.
As he drew the shift over her head, she whimpered softly, quivering in anticipation of that first sweet touch of his hands on her bare skin.
"Open your eyes, love," he whispered. "I want to watch you. I want to see passion heat them to blue smoke."
Rowena lifted her lashes, her vision filled with his face poised above her in shadow and light, rugged features softened with emotions she feared to read. "Touch me, Lion."
"Aye." He cupped her breasts, sending fiery shivers racing across her skin. As he teased the nipples into aching points, she gasped, arching up and pressing herself into his hands. "You are so sensitive, so responsive, love." His mouth closed over her flesh, drawing so tenderly on first one breast, then the other, that she cried out his name.
"Lion." Her hands tangled in his hair, clutching at him as the fires built inside her. The throbbing at the center of her womanhood was almost unbearable. Her legs shifted restlessly as she sought to ease the pressure, the empty yearning. When at last he lifted his head, she sighed and reached for him.
"Not yet, love. Let me pleasure you." He dropped a line of stinging kisses along her ribs. His hands raced down her spine, cupping her bottom and kneading gently. He dipped his tongue into her belly button, chuckling when she gasped. Drowning in the scent of her skin, the openness of her response, he moved on, lower, lower…
"Lion. What are you doing?" she asked, stiffening.
"You will like this, I promise." He parted her thighs and kissed her where she'd least expected it.
"But…oh," she breathed. The word ended in a moan of pure bliss as he worked his magic on her. Indescribable sensations rippled through her. The pleasure turned and coiled, tightening as he took her higher and higher. All restraint melted before the ravenous, gliding strokes. His name falling like a litany from her lips, she surrendered to the wonder of it, crying softly as she fell off the sensual peak.
"I love you, Ro." Lion's voice was husky and low in her ear, repeating the words over and over as he rekindled the fire in her with greedy hands and fevered kisses.
Where moments ago she'd been sated, now she was hungry. Reaching between their slick bodies, she took his heat and guided it to hers. "I love you," she cried as he slipped inside her, filling her, completing her.
"Oh, Ro." He clasped her close and together they raced toward that shattering ecstasy, losing themselves, finding each other. Two halves of one whole.
They made love through the night, dozing lightly, then rousing to join again. Twice Lion tried to evade her marauding fingers. "You need your sleep, love."
"Nay. I need you," she said, trying to keep the desperation from her voice, for she knew that this night might be all they would ever have. Tomorrow or the next day she must set out for Hillbrae and Paddy. "Love me."
"I do," he whispered, and her heart broke again.
When she awoke the next time, sunlight spilled into the chamber and she was alone in bed. "Lion?"
"Here." He strode to her, just pinning the end of his plaid to his shoulder.
"Where are you going?" she asked sleepily.
"Below. The men just rode in."
Sleep vanished. "Word from Hillbrae?"
"Likely, but you do not have to get up."
Rowena was already out of bed and rummaging through the things on the floor. Hastily she pulled on her shift and tied the cloak over it, then ran to peer down from the high window. "Is there any sign of wounded?"
"Not that I could tell. Why do you not stay till—"
"Nay." Rowena headed for the door. "I've been too long without news of my son as it is. I must know where he is so I may go to him and—"
Lion gripped her shoulders and dragged her against him. "Did last n
ight mean so little that you could leave me?"
"Last night meant everything to me, but—"
"You said you loved me. Was that just passion speaking?"
Rowena stiffened. "Better for both of us if it were, for though I do love you, I cannot live with you." She slipped from his grasp, unable to bear the pain she'd put in his eyes, and struggled to lift the bar from the door.
Lion removed it, opened the door and stepped aside. "This is not over, Ro," he warned as he followed her down the hallway.
The courtyard was filled with milling men, shifting horses and barking dogs. Standing on tiptoe, Rowena attempted to find Wes so that she might ask him how things had gone. Instead, her gaze fell on someone she'd not expected to see.
"Finlay!" Rowena raced down the wooden steps and into the courtyard, pushing people from her path until she was standing beside his horse. "Finlay, what do you here?"
He looked down at her and smiled wearily, pain etched into every line of his face. "It seemed the only safe place."
"Oh, my God. What has happened?"
"Eneas brought with him such a large army that Wesley feared we could not withstand their assault, so we fled into the hills and came here."
"Paddy?" Rowena cried. "Where is—"
"Mama," replied a voice she knew well.
Spinning, she spotted her son bouncing up and down in the arms of a Sutherland trooper.
"Mama, I rided like the wind to you."
"Oh, Paddy." She was beside him in an instant, her fears not eased till he'd slid down into her arms. "Oh, Paddy, I was so worried." She hugged his sturdy body as tightly as she could and buried her face in his sweaty neck.
"Mama." He wriggled. "You're squashing me."
She eased her grip, but kept him secure in her arms. "I've missed you, lambie."
"Not a lambie," he said indignantly. "I'm a trooper."
"Oh." Was it her imagination, or had he grown in these few weeks? "Well, I—"
"So, you have him with you," Lion said from behind her.
Rowena felt the blood drain from her body. She prayed for the earth to swallow her up. But of course, that did not happen. She slowly set Paddy on the ground and turned, trying to keep him tucked behind her. Would anyone else notice the similarity between man and child? "Aye," she said shakily, unable to meet Lion's gaze. "He's exhausted, though. And filthy." Her laugh was as hollow as her heart. "I had best get him inside." She bent to shepherd Paddy ahead of her.
He slipped under her arm and smiled up at Lion. "Hello. You didn't ride with us. Who are you?" he asked brightly.
Around them, the swirl of activity seemed suddenly muted, drowned out by the thud of her pulse as she waited for Lion to answer. When he didn't, when the silence spun out, tricky and deadly, she knew…
Sweet Mary, give me strength.
Rowena looked up, saw Lion's shocked expression, and all hope of getting through this vanished. Please, please do not hurt him, she silently begged as his startled eyes met hers.
Lion's jaw tightened. His eyes widened with a shock that went beyond pain, beyond words, then he looked away from her.
"He—he is Lion Sutherland," Rowena said.
"Oh." Paddy's smile dimmed. "Sir Wes did tell me of you. He says you are lord of Glenshee. I—I didn't mean to frighten the horses and make us lose time this morn," he said faintly.
"I am sure you did not." Lion's throat sounded as full as her own. "Such things happen."
"They won't when I'm bigger and can have my own pony. Then he'll know me, you ken, and he won't shy when I bounce."
"Indeed." Lion knelt down, his eyes intent on Paddy's face, as though he could scarcely believe what he was seeing. "Do you bounce a lot when you ride?"
"I fear so. Da beat me for it more than once." Paddy inched forward. "Do you have any ponies here?"
"One or two."
"Can I see them?"
Rowena could stand no more of this. "Come, Paddy. We'd best get you cleaned up, and I'm sure you are tired. And hungry." She reached for his hand, was hurt when he pulled back.
"Sir Wesley says you have the biggest sword in all the Highlands," Paddy said brightly. "May I see it?"
"Later, you can see Avenger, mayhap," Lion replied. He pulled his gaze from Paddy to her. "When you have finished settling your son, I would see you in my chamber, madame."
"I may be quite some time," she said faintly.
"You'd prefer now?" Gone was the gentle lover, the man who'd coaxed her into believing in him and in their love. In his place was a warrior, cool and furious.
She shook her head. "I—I will come as soon as I can."
Chapter Sixteen
"Finlay is gone, you say? Gone where?" Eneas roared, raking Hillbrae's steward with furious eyes.
Wat swallowed hard. "That I could not say. Some men rode in two days ago with a message—"
"From who?"
"I could not say, for he spoke privately with Lord Finlay."
Eneas cursed, the ball of rage inside him tightening. "Glenshee. It had to have been him." Somehow the meddling bastard must have known he was coming here to force Finlay to accept the earl's summons. Aye, Eneas had relished the thought of marching the Gunns off under his banner. Two hundred men he'd pledged to bring, but as his eyes swept the hall, he saw only a few frightened servants and those of his men he'd left here. Fifty at most. Damn, Alexander would have his head. "How many went with Finlay?"
"Well, there was Father Cerdic, of course, and Gowain and—"
"I do not want their names, you daft fool. How many?"
"A good hundred, I'd wager…and the lad, too. I told Finlay as how ye'd left strict orders the lad was to stay here, but—"
"Idiot!" Eneas backhanded the steward into the trestle tables stacked against the wall. The crunch of bone and cracking wood did not ease the fury in his gut. "They'll have taken him to his whore of a mother. Where?" He lifted Wat by the shirtfront and shook him. "Where did they go?"
"I—do—not—know," the steward stammered, blood running from his nose and mouth. "They—they rode north."
"North. I have to get them back." Eneas dropped Wat and whirled on the other servants. They huddled together like sheep, eyes round with fear. "A generous reward to the man who shows me the path they took."
No one moved.
"Want I should break a few heads?" Clem asked hopefully.
Eneas glared at them, his mind whirling. Rowena had left Blantyre with Lion, but the Sutherland castle at Kinduin lay west and south of Hillbrae. Were they trying to throw him off the track, or had they gone someplace other than Kinduin? Time was short; he needed answers. "Aye, start with Wat and work your way through the lot till I know where they went."
His son. He had a son.
The words rang over and over in Lion's head as he paced in his chamber, waiting for Rowena.
"Do we increase the patrols?"
Lion whirled to find Bryce leaning against the closed door. "Patrols? What patrols?" he asked.
"In case Eneas Gunn tries to follow his kinsmen here." Bryce's eyes reflected grave concern.
"Jesu, I'd forgotten." Lion raked a hand through his tangled hair and glanced out the window. Clouds crowded the sky, covering the sun, which had shone so brightly this morn. An ill omen? Nay, he did not want to think so, not now when things were finally going his way. Rowena loved him, and they had a son together. Still…
Sighing, he dragged his gaze back to his friend. "We'd best be on our guard. What better way for Eneas to bring me down than by proving I'm holed up here, when I should be at Kinduin raising troops for the earl's army?"
"I'll set the patrols, then," Bryce said.
"Have them range as far south as the loch. Oh, and best have the herdsmen bring the sheep in from the summer pasture. We can pen them in the lower bailey and pitch tents there to shelter the crofters, as well. At the first sign that Eneas, or anyone else, approaches, we'll strip the fields of crops and bring everyone inside."
"You
think it will be that bad?" Bryce asked softly.
"A wolf crossed is a ruthless enemy. If Alexander has reason to believe I betrayed him and comes looking for revenge, he'll ravage the countryside hereabouts. We'd best be prepared to withstand a siege." Lion grinned. "It may be a shorter one if there is nothing for his men to forage."
"What of your father? Surely he'll come to our aid."
"He will want to, but Edinburgh is a long way off. It could take a week for my message to reach him, several more for him to gather troops and come to help us. And too, he must think of the rest of the clan. Besides, Glenshee is unassailable and has a deep well. We can hold out as long as the food does."
"Pray God it does not come to that." Bryce reached for the door latch, then turned back. "He is your son, is he not?"
"Aye." Lion's heart beat raggedly in his chest. "Is it that evident, do you think?"
"I suppose it would not be did I not know your family so well. His eyes are like yours, only more brown. In all else, he is your father."
Lion nodded. He'd realized it the instant he'd seen the lad. Paddy was Lucais Sutherland all over again—dark red hair, crooked smile and that beak-like nose his mother said it had taken Lucais years to grow into. "He is my son."
"What will you do about it?"
"Claim him, of course. Why?" Lion asked in surprise.
Bryce scowled. "From the look on your face when you beheld the lad, I take it the lady had not told you you had a son."
"Nay," Lion said slowly. "It could be she feared I'd not believe he was mine. And too, she had promised Padruig Gunn that Paddy would be the next chief of the clan. But of course, that will not happen now," he added hastily. A niggle of fear intruded as he recalled how adamant Rowena had been about honoring the vow Padruig had wrung from her.
"Will you wed her?"
"Aye." Surely his rights as Paddy's father would negate Rowena's oath. The church could not hold her to so unnatural a pledge, foisted on her by a tyrannical old man when she was alone, afraid and vulnerable. "Imagine how pleased Mama and Papa will be to find there is already another Sutherland to come after me." He frowned. "The lad must be declared legitimate. It is possible, I think. Father Simon at Kinduin will know what must be done about that." And what must be done to absolve her from this damned oath. "I will write to him tomorrow."
Lion's Lady Page 22
