“I do not rut. Animals rut,” Hunter said with tempered anger. “And as far as love, mo chridhe, it would take you many years, perhaps your whole life to understand love as I do and to cherish it as I do. We may be strangers to each other now, but once we are wed you will become my whole life and I will love you with every beat of my heart. I will be there to comfort you, to listen when you need me to, to wipe away your tears, to share your laughter and joy, to soothe your troubles, and to keep you safe. We will be husband and wife and I will honor our union and you until the day I die.”
Patience stood staring at him speechless. Never had she expected such heartfelt words from him. And never would she have thought that he could flutter her insides and ignite her passion simultaneously. And never would she have thought that his words could actually make her consider marrying him.
She had to ask, “You do not know me. How could you love me?”
“I think that is a question you are going to have to find the answer to yourself.”
It was Patience’s turn to scrunch her brow. “I do not like riddles.”
“Give yourself time, have patience, and you will see for yourself that it is no riddle,” he said. “Now do you agree to marry me?”
“Let me think—”
“There is no time and you know it. It is why I announced it as I did. If I had taken the time to speak with you about it, you would have objected and precious time would have been lost. Even now time may be against us. Once we wed, we will need to go straight to Ewan’s croft and have a message sent to the Dark Dragon that we have wed and no threat exists between our clans.”
He had given her many sound reasons why their marriage would prove beneficial, but this one sent her over the edge. If Hunter could provide a link to the Dark Dragon, then nothing could stop her from finding her sister. And if she had to sacrifice and wed Hunter to find her sister, then so be it. It was better than leaving Heather in the clutches of such an evil man.
“I will wed you, but there will be certain conditions and I will have witnesses to it; your mother, Craig McFarden, and Edward, my lead warrior will hear them.”
“You are a wise warrior, I would expect nothing less, but I would like to discuss these conditions with you first.”
“They are not negotiable,” she assured him.
“Still, I would prefer you shared them with me before we speak of them to others.”
Patience did just that. “You will lay no claim to the title of Chieftain of the Clan Macinnes, even if my father offers it to you. You will not dictate or expect obedience from me. Your word will not usurp mine. And between you and me, you will never cheat on me... even if I deny you pleasure.”
Hunter grinned and grabbed himself between his legs. “Ouch! You may not have taken a dagger to me, but you have deprived me of my balls nonetheless.”
She turned a huge grin on him. “That is only fair, since I will be shackled to you for the rest of my life. And again these conditions are not negotiable. Now do you agree to marry me?”
“Since you asked so nicely, how could I refuse?” he said with a quick bob of his head. “I will marry you.”
Patience thought about her words to McFarden when he asked her if she would wed Hunter. I am no fool. But was she being a fool by agreeing to this? She could not think of it that way if she was going to save Heather or prevent an unnecessary battle. Her father had told her often that being a chieftain of a clan called for much sacrifice, and he asked her if she could sacrifice. She had not hesitated when she had answered, ‘aye I would.’
“Then let us gather those people and see it done, so we will be ready to wed.” She turned and suddenly found an arm around her neck and another around her waist with Hunter’s hand on the hilt of her dagger.
“One thing more, mo chridhe,” he whispered in her ear, “never, ever pull your dagger on me again or you will suffer the consequences.”
He released her and walked to the door.
“What are the consequences?” she asked, annoyed that she had not even realized he had moved until it was too late.
Hunter opened the door and turned back around to her with his blue eyes as lusty as could be. “Not something you would favor.” His eyes suddenly flared with passion and his grin turned wicked. “Or perhaps you would favor it... to my great delight.” He turned and walked out the door.
Naturally, Patience could think of only one thing and the image was quite clear... her tied naked to his bed.
“Never. Ever,” she whispered, but then she had been just as adamant about not marrying Hunter McLaud.
Chapter Six
Hunter was not surprised that his mother was pleased by the news that Patience and he would actually wed, though she was the only one. Patience’s warrior, Edward, and Craig McFarden stood staring in disbelief at her.
Curious to see how she responded to their stunned expressions and stone-cold silence, Hunter watched and waited. She was a beauty and was probably even more beautiful when she let her long dark hair loose from the leather strip that kept the thick, silky strands tightly confined at the nape of her neck. Her bold green eyes reflected her nature as well as the color. She was not one to hold her tongue, but rather spoke as she pleased, whether it pleased others or not. And while she wore a shirt and her plaid like a man, there was no mistaken a woman’s body lay beneath. Her plump breasts sat high and firm and her waist narrowed onto nicely curved hips, and her legs were long and slender. She was a prize that would soon be his.
“It is the sensible thing to do,” Patience finally said.
Edward spoke before thinking. “Since when are you sensible?”
Patience shot him a murderous scowl that had him lowering his head and mumbling an apology.
Hunter spoke up then. “Patience is a true leader. She sacrifices for her clan, saving many lives and avoiding bloodshed by this union.”
“I do not need you to defend me,” Patience snapped and Edward raised his head, smiling. She realized then that he, and probably her other warriors, would worry that Hunter would become Laird of the Clan Macinnes. She wore a smile when she finally related the terms of their marriage, and Edward and McFarden smiled as she finished. Hunter’s mother’s smile remained, the additional news not at all disturbing her.
Hunter turned to his mother. “Mum, see to getting your things together so that you will be ready to leave as soon as this is done.”
Una nodded and turned to Patience, reaching out and giving her hand a squeeze. “I am so proud that you will be my daughter. Hunter will be a good husband to you.”
“I am sure he will,” Patience said, doing her best to sound like she meant it.
Once Una walked away, Patience turned to Edward and kept her voice low as she said, “Greer is not happy with this union, though I do not believe he will prevent it. I also believe he will not allow it to last long. We will need to be cautious on our return journey.” She did not advise Edward of the detour they would take first, that news she would relate later when they were no longer on McLaud land. “I will not have the men hearing of this from anyone but me. We go speak with them now.”
She turned to Hunter and was about to dismiss him when he took a step closer to her, and then said to the other two men, “I will have a private word with Patience.”
Edward looked to Patience, and she was quick to assure him. “Get the men together. I will join you in a moment.”
Edward bobbed his head respectfully and turned and walked off. McFarden followed, though at a slower pace.
Patience was accustomed to being taller than most women and some men, so it surprised her that Hunter stood almost a full head over her. She did not have to crane her neck to look at him, though she had to tilt it a bit, which she did, staring him straight in the eyes. Too late, she realized her mistake. His blue eyes seemed to grab hold of her or was it the heated passion that seemed to forever lurk in them that had taken hold of her? Whatever it was, she was too captivated by it to turn away.
“Be care
ful what you share with your men. There is no telling who can be trusted,” Hunter warned with a whisper that drifted over her and set her skin tingling.
“I need no advice from you,” she snapped annoyed at her body’s unexpected response.
“No need to take offense, mo chridhe,” he said with a gentle stroke beneath her chin. “Greer has ears everywhere. Now that I have done my duty by making you aware of the reach of my brother’s control, I will take myself off to enjoy a poke.”
“You will not,” she ordered with a jab to his chest.
He laughed softly. “Jealous?”
“You are insufferable.”
“I have been called worse.”
“And rightfully so,” she said with another jab. “You will not poke another woman now that we are to wed.”
“But we are not wed yet,” he said, his smile much too disarming. “And somehow I doubt you would grace my bed before we wed.”
“I may not grace your bed after we wed.”
He grabbed her hand, stopping her from poking him again and leaned his face close to hers. “Our vows will be sealed immediately. I will not give anyone any reason to challenge our union.”
“And I will not be humiliated and disrespected by my intended. No pokes or no marriage.” That he actually paused to consider her ultimatum frustrated her all the more.
“I have your word that you will not deny me on our wedding night?”
Why did a tiny tingle settle between her legs? Could she possibly want to bed this man? The thought irritated her, and she answered gruffly. “You have my word.”
“You sound as if it will be more penance than pleasure for you.”
She turned an astute grin on him. “And which one will you make me suffer?”
His own grin was just as cunning. “Both.”
The tiny tingle between her legs erupted into shooting sparks and damn if she was not riddled with a burning need. How could she let a man, a stranger to boot, affect her so intimately? And how had she ever agreed to marry such a rogue?
“I have important things to see to,” she said, taking a step away from him. “Be off with you and try to behave.”
“Behave,” he asked with feigned surprise. “I have not behaved since I was a very young lad, and my family will attest to that.”
Patience rolled her eyes, groaned, and turned to hurry away from him, worried that if she remained in his presence she would strangle him.
~~~
“Patience,” McFarden said, falling into step with her. “Can we talk before you address your men?”
She slowed her pace, looked around, and tired of being the center of village gossip with villagers having kept curious eyes on her and her group since arriving here, pointed to a cropping of large flat stones.
McFarden nodded and followed her over to sit on the smooth stones.
“Let me guess,” Patience said before McFarden could speak. “You think I am a fool for marrying Hunter McLaud.”
“I cannot say that for sure, for perhaps your union with him could change things here for the better, not to mention prevent a useless war. No,” —he shook his head— “that is for you to decide. Besides, Hunter is a harmless one, not so his brothers. I fear what they may plan, though I fear more your father’s retaliation if anything should happen to you. Several clans in the area would be only more than happy to accompany you on your journey home to make certain you remain safe.”
“I appreciate your offer and your concern, but it is not necessary,” she said, her mind already strategizing what she would do.
McFarden nodded and kept his lips closed tight, a sure sign to Patience that he had more to say.
“Speak what you will, McFarden,” she ordered sharply.
“There are rumors spreading that Greer will pledge allegiance to the Dark Dragon and soon all the north will belong to the infamous warrior.”
His words followed what Hunter had told her about Greer and the Dark Dragon.
“No one defeats the Dark Dragon,” McFarden said with a shudder. “He devours whatever he claims and soon he would devour us all.”
Was that what the Dark Dragon was doing right now... devouring her sister? The thought turned her livid.
“That will not happen—I will not let it,” she stated with such resolve that it actually brought a smile of relief to McFarden’s face. “Now I must speak with my men.”
McFarden nodded and followed along with her.
~~~
Patience was not surprised to see that her warriors were not happy with the news that she would wed Hunter McLaud. She made it clear that she would continue to lead them and that Hunter would hold no authority over them. That seemed to mollify them and their heads began to nod in agreement when she explained that uniting the clans would give the Clan Macinnes a stronger foothold in the north.
She finished with, “I will have more to say once we leave McLaud land.”
Her warriors exchanged glances, knowing there was more to tell them, though not at the moment.
She walked amongst her warriors, having a word with each one, reassuring them and encouraging them and each one letting her know that she had their full allegiance. After that was done, she walked off to find a private spot. She needed time alone, time to think and sort through things, time to plan, and mostly time to pray that this whole ordeal would prove beneficial in finding her sister.
The land around here stretched on endlessly and was dotted with more large rocks than trees. A narrow stream cut a path several feet passed the village and that was where she wandered off to. The clear water gurgled along the rocky bottom and Patience stooped down to scoop up a handful and drink, then she found a small cropping of rocks to sit down by and rest her back against.
She dropped her head back for a moment and closed her eyes, though not for long and when she opened them, she was struck by how the brilliant blue sky reminded her of the color of Hunter’s eyes. With a sigh, she turned her gaze on the stream. She had been impetus when she was young, but learned to curb it when she realized it was not a good trait when it came to settling skirmishes. She wondered now if she had been too impetus in agreeing to marry Hunter. If she had given herself time to think on the situation, could she have arrived at a better solution? But time was not on her side, especially not for Heather.
Prayer was her only recourse at the moment, and she was glad for it. If she did not have that, she would feel as if she failed her sister completely. Heather would not lose hope. She would know that she and Emma would be coming for her, that they would not abandon her.
It seemed like years since Heather had been captured, but it had been only months, and that was too long. She desperately missed her sisters and longed to be reunited with them, though nothing would be as it once was. Life had changed for all three of them.
Rarely, did Patience cry. She preferred action to sobbing, so the tears that threatened her were quickly dispersed. She had no time to surrender to such nonsense. But try as she might, she could not stop a single tear from lurking in the corner of her eye.
Annoyed at letting it creep past her defenses, she brushed it away harshly.
“Sometimes tears help.”
Patience jumped startled to see Hunter walk around from behind her. She had trained herself to always be alert to her surroundings and to always pay attention to sounds, so it disturbed her not to have heard his approach.
“Go away,” she demanded, shooing him with her hand.
“You are upset and I daresay exhausted,” he said and dropped down to sit beside her, his shoulder nudging against hers.
Patience glanced over at his shoulder, ready to order him to move away and be gone when she realized how nice it would be to drop her head upon it and rest, if only for a short time. Instead, she rested her head back on the rock.
She tried chasing him away once again. “Go away.”
Ignoring her demand, he said, “Come back to my mother’s cottage and rest before we are wed tonight.�
�
That brought her head up fast and she glared at him, waiting for him to explain.
“The cleric completed his task sooner than expected and has just arrived home. He is going to rest for a few hours, and then he will marry us. Today, Patience Macinnes, you become my wife.”
Chapter Seven
A cloud of haze hung heavy in the stale air, dogs dug for scrapes of rotting food in the smelly rushes, and the tables where covered with the remnants of a meal yet to be cleaned away. Patience could not believe this was where she had gotten wed, but glancing down at her left hand and the gold band that circled her finger proved it was all too true.
Hunter took her hand in his and tapped her ring, and then the one he wore. “They belonged to my parents. My mother wished us to have them. She loved my da and he loved her. Though he had a mean streak, it was never directed at her. He treated her good, never raised a hand to her, and always protected her. She hopes that by us wearing the rings we will find the love they shared.”
“Thoughtful of her,” Patience said and realized that the gold bands represented so much more. This had not been just a handfasting that could be dismissed easily. With the cleric performing the ceremony, it meant their vows bound them solidly together for as long as they lived. Sudden realization of what she had done struck her, and her legs turned weak.
Without thinking, she grabbed Hunter’s arm and felt solid muscle, thick and strong.
Hunter’s arm coiled around her waist and he eased her to rest against him. He leaned his face down close to hers and whispered, “One breathe at a time, mo chridhe.”
Patience had not realized that she had been holding her breathe, and she was quick to do as he said and take one breathe at a time.
“I would like to believe it is this stinking hovel we were married in that upset you so much that it stole your breathe and not that we are husband and wife,” he said, giving her waist a gentle squeeze.
“A bit of both,” she confessed with a labored whisper.
He smiled. “You do speak your mind.”
“I speak the truth.”
Highlander's Rebellious Love Page 5
