by Fiona Faris
Alexander growled low in his throat as he gripped her backside and pulled her closer, encouraging her to move against his mouth in a slow grind. Emily bit down on her own fist to prevent herself from crying out loud. The castle walls were not that thick.
“This is…obscene,” she managed to say as Alexander made approving noises. His fingers moved into her to stimulate her alongside his mouth, and Emily’s legs almost give way. “Alexander.”
If she remembered any of this in the morning, she would absolutely blame the whiskey. A well brought up young lady did not grasp her own breasts while her husband attended to her with his lips and tongue. A proper young lady was not incoherent when her husband curled two fingers against a soft, sensitive nub and pressed. A proper young lady certainly did not say things like… “Oh lawks, Alexander…your mouth…” while breathing like a runaway horse.
Except that she did, and she was, and she really hoped that she would remember all this in the morning. She could feel the pressure building, coiling low in her belly as she gasped, pleading with her forehead pressed against the wall. Alexander made soft, encouraging noises.
He was insatiable, savoring every touch as if he were a doomed man at his last meal. The enthusiastic sounds he was making were muffled against her flesh. The headboard was the only thing holding her up. Her legs had ceased to work, making her worry that they might never work again.
“Alexander—Alexander—” Emily gasped, hand slapping the wall as her body tightened. “I’m so close—I’m so—”
Alexander increased the pressure with the flat of his tongue, assaulting her flesh and causing the tension within Emily to finally snap. All control left her and she ground down shamelessly upon his tongue all hesitation lost in a frenzy of feeling and animal lust. She let out a high whine, which ended in a broken sob as her climax overcame her. Alexander dutifully stilled his mouth, letting her ride it out until the sensation faded.
Still clutching at the headboard for support, Emily crumpled weakly against the wall as if she were a puppet with its strings cut. Her legs trembled as Alexander emerged, sitting up as much as he could. “Are ye alrigh’?”
“I am not sure,” Emily breathed weakly. “I don’t think I can move.”
Alexander pulled her down into his lap again, rolling them over so she was beneath him. He pressed soft kisses against her neck and bosom. His hardness lay like a hot searing brand against her naked thigh. Her hand reached for him, causing him to catch his breath, his head dropping hard against her shoulder.
“Can I be inside you?”
Emily had started to nod even before the question was complete. She pulled him down to her, pressing her lips to his with clumsy fervour.
He lined himself up and pushed into her, both of them sighing in relief as Alexander started to move. Their pace was slow and unhurried; Emily’s legs wrapped high around Alexander’s waist. She clutched him to her as if he were a lifeline, foreheads to forehead. Alexander cradled her face in his hands, his eyes heavy-lidded as they rested on her. He rocked lazily into her, trying to draw it out.
Emily was impatient to feel and see him come undone. Digging her heels into Alexander’s lower back, she encouraged him to dive deeper.
“Faster, please!”
Quickening his pace, he leant on one forearm, the pace now frantic again in a race to the finish for them both.
She was still sensitive from her earlier orgasm, so the friction of Alexander’s lower belly against her was sufficient stimulation to send her climaxing again.
Pushing her face into his neck with a whimper, she trembled around him as Alexander made a broken, desperate noise, his movements stuttering. “Emily…ahhh.”
“Please,” she hissed, and Alexander sunk into her one last time, groaning low into her hair as he shuddered with the force of his own release.
Alexander slipped slowly off her coming to rest by her side. They kissed wetly, clumsily all the while exchanging gentle touches.
They breathed slowly, waiting for their heartbeats to slow before he withdrew carefully from her and pulled the sheets over them both. The world was still spinning; perhaps from the whiskey, or their love making: Emily was not sure.
“I’m sorry you had to do all the work,” her eyes were half closed as she murmured sleepily.
“Just following orders Princess.”
“To the letter, I’d say. I would fetch us some water but I don’t think I can stand.”
He almost uttered some other smart remark but refrained. At his silence, Emily opened her eyes, finding him watching over her with a soft, sated smile. When he noticed her eyes on him, his face flushed in the moonlight. She frowned. “What?”
Alexander shrugged. “I suppose…I was just thinking how wonderful this would be if it was real.”
All the warmth of their lovemaking left her body as she stiffened against his words. Alexander eyed her as if expecting a tantrum or outburst and Emily’s heart sunk even lower.
Nevertheless, she shifted into his embrace, pushing her face against his neck. “I thought it was.”
If he could love her like this, and still think this was not real, was there any hope for them?
He ducked his head and kissed her. She could still taste the whiskey, and it might be unpleasant in the morning, but for now, everything tasted bittersweet.
Curling up next to him, her head pillowed against his chest she listened to the stillness and silence of the castle around them, before a thought struck her.
“Do you think anyone heard?”
“What? Emily MacTavish nee Caldwell , the perfect lady crying out in ecstasy? Probably the entire hoose and half the town, as well I should think.”
Emily yawned, deciding to wait until morning to be mortified.
“Lucky princess.”
“No,” Alexander said, holding her closer. “Lucky me.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Philip Bristol peered through the branches, eyes on a window on the south side of the manor. They had left it open, wrongly assuming that there was nobody to see them. As a result, he had an unimpeded view of Alexander and Emily’s marriage bed. It was a lot more…feisty than he had imagined. He might have his work cut out getting Emily on his side. Of course, she might simply be going along with the barbarian for her own survival.
Yes, that is more likely.
He nodded to himself, and crept closer to the manor, making sure to stay within the cover of the trees. A bellow to his right startled him until he realized it was merely a cow.
“Saints above.” Creeping forward, he hoped that the homestead did not keep dogs. He made it to the back door without further incident but it was locked when he tried it. He circled the house, looking for another point of entry. All the windows and doors on the ground floor were shuttered.
Then he remembered a story told to him by the old man who had told him the secret way out of Eddingfield Hall. He had told a story of pilgrims hidden beneath the foundations of Dun Alba on their great escape to the Americas. There was an escape tunnel somewhere beneath the building.
Philip had all night to find it.
Emily startled awake as if she had been poked by a cattle prod. She looked around wildly in the dark, the room only by the dying embers of the fire. A quick glance outside told her that it was the early hours of the morning and the sun was just a sliver on the horizon.
She slid out of bed, feeling an urgent need and decided to go outside. Putting on her slippers and robe she tiptoed to the door with one final glance at her sleeping husband. His limbs were splayed out like an octopus and his face was younger in sleep, free of trouble or worry. She paused, staring for a moment before opening the door and stepping out.
The early morning air was chill and she quickly ran across to the outhouse and did her business before pausing near the kitchen door to really appreciate the sunrise. She smiled, opening the door to go back to bed.
The hand on her arm had her jumping in shock and she opened her mouth
to scream. Before she could, a hand had clapped itself over her mouth and nose and almost suffocating her.
She struggled, trying to get away.
“It is only I – Philip - you can relax.” He whispered in her ear.
Emily stiffened for a moment before resuming her struggles with even more vigour.
“There is no need for fear, I only want to talk.”
Emily clawed at his hand, trying to indicate that she could not breathe. He loosened his hand slightly, turning her around in his arms. “My dear Miss Caldwell, it's so nice to see you again.”
Emily’s breathing was irregular as her heart tried to settle back down to normal.
“W-what are y-you doing in my home?”
“Why, I have come to take you away of course. It is not too late, Emily. I can take you away from all of this.”
“I do not want to be taken away, Philip. Why can’t you understand that?”
“You are a dutiful child, Emily. But you need not subject yourself to that man’s barbarity. Come with me and I shall give you the life you deserve.”
“It is Mrs MacTavish and you should leave now before my husband comes looking for me.”
Philip tightened his fingers around her arm. “Emi-”
Emily jerked her arm out of his hands. “Mr MacTavish. I have asked you politely. Don’t make me scream. My husband will kill you if he finds you here.”
Philip’s jaw clenched. “You refuse my help?”
“Yes!” Emily was relieved that he finally understood.
“Well, you will regret that.”
Emily kept silent, taking another step away from him. “Leave now Lord Edenhall. Before my husband comes.”
Philip whirled around, his face dark with anger. “Last chance,” he growled.
Emily turned toward the house and walked to the door of the kitchen, pushing it open. She watched as Philip trudged away towards the forest, every step bristling with anger. Turning back to the house she froze. Alexander was standing by the door staring at her with narrowed eyes.
“I…” her throat clicked and her lips went dry. She had nothing to be guilty about and yet she felt as if she had been caught out in some wrongdoing.
He tilted his head to the side, blue eyes seemingly trying to pierce her soul. She preemptively shook her head. Alexander strode toward her and she raised her hands involuntarily in self-defense, heart quickening. He brushed past her, jaw clenched and staring into the woods where Philip was just disappearing.
He turned to her, looking more thunderous than before.
“Ye’re meeting that keech in my home?”
Emily tried to say something but could not think of anything. He would not believe anything she said.
Alexander stared at her, blue gaze moving from one eye to the other. Emily widened her eyes, looking back at him, hoping he would find what he was searching for. Instead he turned on his heel and strode away, in a disturbingly similar manner to the way that Philip had.
She opened her mouth to call out to him, beg him to come back…but she still had no clue what to say to him, to make him understand t that she had nothing to do with Philip being here. How on earth would he believe her?
“Rebecca.” She murmured to herself, her hands shaking with upset. “She’ll believe me.”
Breakfast was an awkwardly quiet affair. Frances spent the time with her face lowered to her plate while Rebecca looked between Emily and Alexander, a frown marring her forehead.
As soon as she could, Frances rinsed her empty bowl and skittered out of the kitchen, declaring that she needed to get a start washing clothes.
Rebecca took a deep breath as soon as she was gone. “I thought, after last night, that ye would have reconciled yer differences.”
Alexander snorted bitterly.
Emily shook her head, inhaling sharply. “We had a…bit of a misunderstanding this morning.”
Alexander rounded on her, his eyes blazing. “Misunderstanding?”
Emily cowered away from him.
Rebecca’s hand jerked nervously as if she meant to physically stop the anger in Alexander’s eyes. “Er, what happened?”
“I’ll let the hoor tell ye all aboot it. I’m sure it’s a thrilling tale.” He got to his feet and left after shooting Emily a deathly glare.
Emily’s chest hurt as though she had been stabbed in the heart. Rebecca reached out and covered her hand with his. “Ye don’t ken Alexander until ye’ve seen him in a temper. Dinna take what he said to heart.”
It was Emily’s turn to snort bitterly. “Too late.”
“Wha’ happened? Ye all were so happy last night.”
Emily sighed, eyes filling with tears. “I woke up early and…went outside.”
Rebecca nodded her understanding, hand squeezing Emily’s.
“When I was coming back, he grabbed me.”
“Who?”
“Philip Bristol.”
“Oh….” Rebecca tightened her grip on Emily’s hand. “And then wha’ happened?”
“I asked him to leave. He refused. He tried to make me go with him. I refused. There was a standoff.”
“Oh, Emily,” Rebecca sighed.
“I know, I just…it was a shock. He was just suddenly there. I didn’t know what to do.”
“Ye did right. Ye told him to go.”
“I said that Alexander would kill him if he found him here. He responded by trying to make me go with him.”
“And ye said no.”
“I said no.”
“So why is Alexander fashit at ye?”
“I was watching Philip walk away, feeling relieved and then I turned around and he was just standing there looking at me.” Emily paused to give Rebecca a helpless look. “I know how it must have seemed to him but I was just…”
“Wrong place, wrong time.”
“Yes, exactly.” She leaned against Rebecca staring earnestly into her sister-in-law’s eyes, “Please tell me that you believe me.”
“Did ye try to explain this to my brother?”
Emily shook her head. “I…it just happened so fast.”
“Weel then, we must remedy that at once. Ye must go and speak to him.”
“C-can you come with me?”
Rebecca laughed. “I want to, trust me. But ye must learn to deal wi’ his temper sooner or later. I canna always be there.”
Emily blinked at Rebecca. “He’s just so…big.”
The corners of Rebecca’s eyes crinkled as her laughter rang out. “Isn’t he no? Dinna fash Emily, he willna harm ye.”
Emily sighed. “All right then. I’ll go and see him now.”
Rebecca patted her shoulder soothingly. “That’s my lassie.”
Emily could hear him before she turned the corner into the west wing. The steady thud of dropping rocks accompanied by grunting guided her to Alexander. She peeked around the corridor to see him picking up the fallen stone from the wall before dropping it onto a wheelbarrow. They had decided to seal off the West Wing. They didn’t need it. But now here he was, clearing it out.
For what purpose? Is he going to move in here?
It was certainly the furthest from the North wing if he wanted to get away from her. Closing her eyes she knew that she did not want that. She did not want their hard-fought closeness to disappear. Everything they had been through, only for it to be destroyed by a stupid misunderstanding? It was beyond senseless.
She stepped tentatively into the hall, facing him.
“Alexander?” her voice was low and hesitant; she knew she probably sounded guilty but she could not help herself. He continued moving rocks, nothing to indicate he had even heard her apart from a pause in his grunting.
She took a deep breath. “I don’t know what you think transpired this morning between me and Lord Edenhall but I do assure you, it was no assignation. I did not even know he was out there or I should not have gone.”
Alexander dropped the stone he was holding and turned around. “Ye want me to beli
eve it was all wonderful coincidence that ye met?”
“Wonderful coincidence is not the phrase I would use. There was nothing ‘wonderful’ about that encounter. He grabbed me and tried to drag me away with him. I resisted, I told him to go away.”
