Morna's Legacy: Box Set #1

by Bethany Claire

  He started to leave but I stopped him. I knew he’d be angry with Eoghanan as well, and E-o didn’t deserve to be punished for what Niall tried to do. “Hey, it’s not Eoghanan’s fault so don’t try to make it his. He spent every moment outside my door until that last night. He truly didn’t want to leave me, but something urgent required his attention. He worried about me. Promise me you won’t punish him for this.”

  “Aye, I shall try no to do so, lass.” He kissed me softly and left.

  * * *

  True to his word, a group of women arrived carrying steaming buckets of water so that I could have a relaxing bath. I did not find it relaxing. Though nice to get clean, I felt as if I harbored woodland creatures in my hair, I worried endlessly while I sat in the large tub.

  Not about Niall. If he still lingered around and tried to come near me, I’d take to his balls again and rip them right off this time. I did, however, worry about Baodan. He held on to too much anger and resentment, and I expected that he had done so for a good many years. I couldn’t imagine what such bitterness would feel like living inside of you for so long. I had plenty of things to be angry about, but I always wound up utterly exhausted after getting all riled up for all of five minutes. It would be an exhausting life, staying angry all of the time.

  Perhaps ridding himself of Niall would help some, but I doubted it. While I still couldn’t see why, it wasn’t Niall that he despised the most. What happened with me might have evened the playing field a little, but Baodan punished Eoghanan, not Niall, with every thought.

  There had to be more to the story about what happened with his late wife than Eoghanan simply being unable to save her from a sickness. At least, I hoped so. If Baodan really did put so much blame on his brother for something like that, perhaps he wasn’t really the man I considered him.

  With the water growing colder with each passing second, I glanced around the room for something to dry myself. Seeing nothing, I frowned, stood, and did my best to shake off the water from the top half of my body. After wringing out my hair, I dressed in the clean gown and moved next to the fire to allow my hair to dry.

  Five minutes later, impatience got the best of me, and I decided enough time had passed. How long did it take to tell someone to leave anyway? He’d be angry if he caught me outside of the room, but he would have to realize that he was not my keeper. I would not be ordered around without good reason, and I could see no reason for me to stay inside his room.

  Besides, I wanted to explore the castle, right-side up and not in the hurried fashion I’d seen it in while escaping from Niall.

  I moved quietly, pausing with nearly every footstep to listen for any sign of Baodan approaching. I hoped I could hear him coming and would be able to run back to his bedchamber before he got there.

  I got only ten steps away from the bedchamber when a hand at my elbow caused me to stop.

  “Ach, what are ye doing back here, lass?”

  Rhona spun me around to face her. An odd combination of relief and confusion etched her face.

  “What do you mean? Baodan brought me.”

  “Oh, the Laird is back? I am no so pleased to hear it. I canna stand to imagine what he thinks of me now.”

  I regarded her skeptically. “Did you not know? Who ordered a bath to be readied for me?”

  She shook her head. “Baodan must have sent some of the girls up here himself, for I have been in the gardens, and to the gardens I shall return.”

  “Why? I’m sure Baodan would wish to see you.”

  “No, I doona believe that he would. I failed him and allowed something wretched to happen to ye. I canna apologize enough for it, lass.”

  She looked devastated, and I reached out a hand to comfort her. “You didn’t allow anything. The fault is not yours, and I don’t think Baodan sees it that way either. Besides, nothing really happened to me.”

  “Oh, I’m glad that he dinna hurt ye, but it doesna release me of me failure.”

  Why did so many of these people feel a need to punish themselves for everything? I probably leaned too far in the other direction. I knew how likely I was to mess up pretty much anything, so I learned from a young age to forgive myself everything. “Yes, it does so.”

  “I willna argue with ye, lass, but ye simply doona understand. Baodan is no a forgiving man to those who fail him. I have cared for this family since he was a babe, but I doona doubt that he will wish me gone for no watching over ye while he was away. I am off to the village to gather a few things and pay a visit to me brother. I will be back in a few days and, by then, perhaps I will have the courage to face him.”

  “Um…okay. Well, have a safe trip.” I stared at her wide-eyed as I watched her walk away. She seemed almost frightened of Baodan, and it made me uneasy.

  My first impressions of him, after realizing he wasn’t the role-playing weirdo that I assumed at first, was that he seemed kind, generous, and just a little broken. Broken was okay, but secretive and mean wasn’t.

  His seemingly unreasonable ill-feelings toward his brother, and Rhona’s fear of him now, had me second-guessing my decision to come here. To press him about the truth might push him away further, but it had to be done.

  I needed to know what he hid from me.

  Chapter 24

  McMillan Territory Village

  He knew how hard Durell worked for him, but creating the antidote moved slowly. With each day, Eoghanan grew more concerned that Niall would harm another before he could find him.

  Three days passed with no sign of Niall in the village. He looked for him the first night but, after finding him nowhere, Eoghanan decided his time would be better spent aiding in the creation of the antidote. He spent nearly every moment at Durell’s side assisting him in whatever way he could, and today Durell tasked him with gathering more herbs.

  On his way to do just that, Eoghanan saw three young lassies huddled together whispering. They caught his eye immediately, and it only took him a moment to realize why. Two of the girls, the youngest ones, were Niall’s conquests, young girls who’d been tricked into bed and then quickly removed from it.

  The third lass and by far the oldest, was Greta, the only woman Eoghanan had ever seen enter his brother’s bedchamber twice. While she didn’t receive money for the services she offered men, he knew the married woman to be a bedtime favorite for many lads in the village.

  He could see the women out of the corner of his eye as they watched him, smiling as they paused to laugh between hushed words. They had no reason to be talking about him. He socialized with no one, and he’d not joined any of them in bed. Perhaps they spoke of his brother and watched him to ensure that he couldn’t hear.

  Staring them down so that they would prepare for his approach, Eoghanan moved toward them. “Morning, lassies. Do any of ye happen to know where I could find Niall?”

  The younger girls said nothing, only stared at him with wide eyes in terror at being found out. Intimidated by no one, Greta allowed her eyes to roam up and down him. “Why would any of us know? As ye can see, he is no with us now.”

  Eoghanan moved closer so that they stood around each other in a tight circle. He couldn’t be easily intimidated either. “Aye, I can see that just fine. Is yer husband away again?” Greta’s face showed nothing, and Eoghanan knew that he assumed correctly. “Aye, I dinna think that he would be. He stays away often does he no? If I followed ye home, would I find Niall in yer bed? Let us go and see, shall we?”

  He started to move away from them but stopped as Greta ran to block his path. “No, ye willna find him in me bed. While I’ll no deny that I did see him two days ago, he couldna join anyone in bed.”

  “What do ye mean by that, Greta?” He remembered Rhona’s mention of his limp. He must have been injured badly. The thought brought Eoghanan great joy.

  “’Twas just what I told these lassies about. He told me quite willingly, though I canna imagine why he would have wanted anyone to know.”

  “Well, what was it?
” He needed to know so that he could get the herbs back to Durell. If Niall had truly been gone for two days, he had little time to get the antidote. Niall could reach nearly anywhere he wished within a few more days.

  “I’m telling ye, am I no?” Greta stared at him briefly, rolling her eyes before she continued. “He said that ye had a whore staying at the castle, which surprised me. I would think our Laird wouldna need to pay for the company of a lass, but ’tis no matter. He tried to purchase her. The lass refused but eventually gave into him, but it was no for long. After she had him naked, she apparently injured his,” she paused and glanced down at herself. “He said it hurt him so badly he couldna stop her before she fled the castle.”

  Eoghanan let out a large breath of relief. At least, Mitsy got away from him. The lass was fiery and smart. No doubt she would have found her way to the Conalls by now. “So he came to ye for what reason?”

  “I doona know. He couldna do what he usually wants to when he pays me a visit. He simply rested for a day and then went on his way.”

  “Did he say where he was going?” He feared he already knew the answer.

  “He said that he was traveling to Cameron Castle. That he wished to see yer mother.”

  Eoghanan said nothing as he turned and left them, running as fast as he could back to Durell’s. He knew getting their mother away from McMillan Castle to be only a temporary solution. For that reason, he hoped to have proof of all Niall had done before Baodan returned. Once Baodan returned to McMillan Castle, Eoghanan knew Niall would leave to go after their mother again.

  Rushing inside the old man’s small home, he threw the herbs in the alchemist’s direction. “How much longer, Durell? I need the antidote immediately.”

  The old man shook his head, and Eoghanan’s heart sank.

  “I am close, sir, but it willna be ready for at least another day.”

  Eoghanan slumped against the wall as grief took him. It would be too late by then. He couldn’t reach his mother in time, nor could he send her warning. She would be dead before the antidote was ever prepared.

  * * *

  McMillan Castle

  His brothers were not anywhere on the castle grounds. Niall, must have fled after realizing the magnitude of his mistake. Baodan could only hope that he would have the sense to never return.

  Eoghanan, he suspected could be found in the village, for wouldn’t run from his mistakes, even the ones not truly his. Mitsy was right. What Niall tried to do to her was no more Eoghanan’s fault than what happened to Osla. Why had it taken him so many years to see?

  Anger filled him, anger at Niall, and anger at himself for what he’d become. Too many years of regrets and frustrations built up inside him, and he could take it no longer.

  Years of expecting more from himself than those around him and years of believing that unhappiness formed protection had protected him from nothing. In the end, they’d only kept him from truly living at all.

  He would choose to live now. Damn anyone who tried to stop him from doing so. He hoped that confronting Niall would release some of his frustration. Now unable to do so, he only hoped the lass in his bedchamber could take what came for her.

  He was a man in need, more now than ever before in his life. He denied himself of her once out of a foolish sense of honor. He would not do so again. Tonight he would explore every bit of her, lay claim to all that she had to give him and let go of all his frustrations.

  Freedom lay inside her, and he would bury himself deep within to find it.

  Chapter 25

  I intended to speak with him as soon as he returned from sending Niall away, to demand that he tell me what really happened between him and Eoghanan. All of my well-laid intentions flew out the door the moment he walked back into the bedchamber.

  He looked hungry, needy, and not for food. There’d been a similar look in his eyes as we lay next to each other the night we made camp next to Alec, but it had been restrained, muffled. He didn’t gauge his expression now, and the intensity of his gaze frightened me.

  “Are you ok? What did you say to him?”

  He didn’t move from inside the doorway, only reached behind him to latch the door. Baodan tensed and seemed to tower over everything inside the room, even more so than he usually did.

  He rolled his neck from side to side, and I found myself unconsciously backing up until my back hit the wall behind me.

  “Hello?” My word sounded small and, by the looks of him, I knew he hadn’t heard me. I couldn’t tell if he was angry or horny, but I swallowed as he moved toward me. Every inch of my body seemed to sense his approach.

  He didn’t stop moving until he stood close enough to brace both of his hands against the wall, leaving me trapped between his arms. Finally, he spoke. “Niall is no here, neither is Eoghanan.”

  “Oh, okay.” I ducked underneath his arms and scooted down the wall, but I barely stepped away from him before he moved, blocking my path, leaving me trapped once more.

  “Where do ye think ye are going, lass?” He leaned forward, his voice deep and slow as he spoke with his face pressed against mine. The words reverberated down my spine as my whole body trembled at the sensation.

  “Um…nowhere. I’m just moving across the room. So, did you decide where you’re going to sleep?” Not that I wanted him to sleep elsewhere, I wasn’t afraid of him, but the intensity of his gaze and movements intimidated me. I could tell where this was leading. Although not inexperienced, with the mood he seemed to be in, I didn’t know if I had the energy to keep up.

  He laughed as he leaned forward and gave a light bite to my earlobe, talking in between the kisses that he trailed down the side of my neck and over my collarbone. Goose bumps spread all over my body.

  “I changed me mind. I doona intend to sleep elsewhere, lass. No if ye doona mind me staying here with ye.”

  He didn’t ask it as a question, and he gave me no chance to respond before he moved his kisses lower, touching his lips along the lining of my cleavage. My chest rose and fell, meeting his lips each time he went to touch a different part of my breasts uncovered by the gown.

  “Ye doona mind, do ye?” His words were almost a growl as he moved up the other side of my neck and proceeded to nibble on my ear lobe.

  “No, I wouldn’t say I mind. What’s gotten into you?” I asked the question breathlessly, but I had to know the answer. I wasn’t sure he’d ever loosen up enough to ever actually do anything besides kiss me, but I certainly never expected him to change his tune so suddenly. He moved confidently, unburdened by whatever held him back before. It pleased me to no end. Bossy Baodan was so sexy I wouldn’t have been surprised if my entire gown just melted off my body. My skin burned.

  He moved to my lips and kissed me ravenously before answering my question. As he pulled away, he kept one hand at the lowest part of my back, pressing me against him. The other slid up to my shoulder, pulling my dress down until the upper part of my arm was showing. “Ye, lass, ’twas no only the witch that sent ye here who possesses magic, for I know ye do as well. I have spent much of the past years acting as a fool. None have been able to make me see that until ye. Now,” he paused for just a moment and grinned down at me, “lift up yer arms.”

  I did, first pulling my other arm out of the sleeve before lifting them up slowly, enjoying the look of torturous delight on his face. Once they were up, he all but charged me, crushing his mouth so hard to mine that I tasted blood. His kiss would bruise me, but I could not have cared less.

  He moved his hands to the top of my dress and pulled so hard that stitches popped as it fell below my breasts. I gasped as my nipples brushed against his chest. When his hands cupped them, he groaned deep into my mouth.

  I nibbled his lower lip and reached up to stop the kiss, to pull his head down to my breasts. He didn’t fight me, and his eyes widened as he actually saw my breasts for the first time. He groaned as he sucked the peaked bud deeply into his mouth, and my stomach grew taut at the sensation. My k
nees grew weak as he flicked my nipples with his tongue, the painful tugs exquisitely delightful.

  The wall was all that held me up as his lips reclaimed my mouth and his hand reached underneath my dress. I could not keep steady. After my bath, there’d been nothing in the way of underwear, so I was bare beneath the gown. As he caressed my center, I moaned as my knees nearly gave way.

  He held me tight against him, not allowing me to fall as he explored me intimately. His hips moved against me. My dress barely hung on, and I reached down to feel him underneath his kilt as his hardness rocked against my dress. He groaned loudly as I grabbed him, and his lower lip trembled from the touch.

  I’d known his largeness from feeling his length against me the night in the woods, but holding his erection in my hands made me tremble in anticipation.

  “You can’t leave yourself like this, again. I’m not going to let you. “

  He knew what I referred to, and I released him as he pulled away from me. Grinning, he shed his kilt. I stared at him googly-eyed until he moved toward me. He bent and scooped me up as he carried me to the bed, working the laces on the back of my gown as he did so.

  “I’m pleased to hear it, lass, for I will no deny meself the pleasure of claiming ye a moment more.”

  Chapter 26

  It took only one yank for the dress to loosen enough for him to pull it away from her. As he slipped it from the rest of her body and looked down at her, he felt his heart might stop. Baodan lay her on the bed and stepped away so that he could look upon her. She was more beautiful than he’d imagined. The vibrant red hair against the paleness of her skin, the smooth lines, and full breasts were enough to make him throb with the need to get inside her.

  She looked up at him with anticipation and a sense of trust so complete that it broke his heart. He could not do what he wanted to most in the world. He could not lay claim to her as he wished, as he promised himself and told her he would only moments ago.