by Sarah Hoss
She reached him, surprisingly without tripping or stumbling like a drunk exiting a tavern. That’s how she felt, though. Her skin prickled everywhere his eyes rested. She started to squat down to pick up her clothes when she heard him curse. She looked up, just as he reached down for her. One hand gripped her arm to pull her back up and she had to grab on to him to steady herself.
When she gazed into his eyes, she thought she saw pain and confusion before it was replaced with want. Seeing that kind of emotion made her heart tighten. He was very good at keeping himself distant from her.
He slid one of his arms around her waist and buried his other hand in her hair. He dragged her hard against his body. It was like being pulled into a wall. He gazed into her eyes before his lips lightly brushed hers and the contact made her shiver. He deepened the kiss quickly and she grabbed on tighter, closing her eyes to the sensation.
Her hands roamed up over the contours of his arms to wrap around his neck. She reveled in the feeling of power underneath her hands and every fiber of her being became aware of the man who held her. Her breasts brushed his plaid that crossed over his barrel of a chest and she could feel her nipples harden. She wanted to get as close to him as possible. She’d heard how one kiss, the right kiss, could intoxicate. She finally understood.
His tongue brushed over her lips, begging to be let in, and she parted them to accommodate his request. Heat rushed through her body and pooled between her legs as his hand lightly grazed her breast. A small moan escaped him and she felt a thrill of excitement at hearing it. Her hands tightened on his neck, her fingers twining themselves in his hair.
The next thing she knew, the kiss ended and she was forcibly set away from him. It took her a moment to realize what had happened. She brushed her fingers over her swollen lips, feeling where his mouth had just been. They tingled still. His eyes roamed her body with a frosty edge and she wanted to cover herself. Was he disappointed? Had she acted too brazen?
“Get dressed.” He turned and walked away.
She stood still, unable to say anything. What had just happened? Never had she been kissed like that before. It was the kiss of a lifetime and he acted as if it disgusted him. She remembered the moan that escaped him. How could he flip his emotions like that?
She struggled to dress as her hands shook from the rush of emotions that plagued her. Walking back to the house, she sighed and tried to still her aching heart. She could feel a desire coming from him. There was no question in her mind that he had wanted the kiss as much as she had. But something in him changed, and as she ran her hand over the material of her dress, she remembered. A tear slipped down her cheek.
CHAPTER 10
Marlana brought her fingers to her lips and closed her eyes. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin, how it tickled her neck as he kissed her. Big hands grabbed her waist, as if hanging on for dear life. He wanted her and she smiled.
Alexander walked in from outside, breaking Marlana’s train of thought. Opening her eyes, she lowered her hand quickly, hoping he hadn’t seen how she had been. It had been a fantasy, that was all, and she saddened at the knowledge. She remained silent, waiting to see what he did or said about yesterday. If he wanted to talk, she would. If he chose to forget it, then so could she. Stealing a glance in his direction, she saw that his brows were furrowed in deep thought.
When he looked at her, she gave him a lopsided smile. “Why don’t you go on and sit down. I made breakfast and I was getting ready to prepare a meal to take with you.” She turned away and took a sack from the cabinet.
Alexander strode over to the table and sat down in front of a bowl of porridge. “Alex, you have such an awful look on your face. Is the food that bad?” Was he thinking about yesterday or had her culinary skills still not improved?
She watched apprehensively as he looked down at his plate. “Nay, I haven’t eaten yet.”
“Then why do you look like such a sour puss?” She went back to work preparing his lunch for the road.
“I was thinking of all that needed to be done before I left.”
“Well, don’t worry. I’ll take care of the animals while you’re away. I promise. And you said you won’t be gone that long.” She walked over to the table, peering into his lunch sack one last time. “Here’s a lunch. I think I prepared enough. There is cheese, oatcakes, and jerky.” She shrugged as she laid the sack on the table beside him.
He scooted back from his seat and stood, causing her to take a step back.
“I thank ye and I ask ye to remember yer promise.”
He stared at her so intently, she felt a little nervous. Really, what could go wrong in three or four days? As she took a breath, his scent of peat moss and man tickled her nose. Gracious, he smells good.
“Hurry back,” she said, feeling a little nervous as she leaned up on her tiptoes to place a quick kiss on his cheek. She pretended it was nothing, turning away from him to get the door. Seeing him leave affected her more than she thought it would, but she wouldn’t let him see that. Her chest felt tight as her heart beat a little faster.
As time went by, they were still getting to know each other. There was a connection between them and she clung to it, for it was all she had. A shiver danced across her skin.
She waited with the door open, but Alexander only stood there. Was he surprised that she had kissed him? Maybe he knew she was worried about being left alone. When he reached out and placed a finger under her chin, her gaze locked on to his. He lightly brushed his lips over hers, her eyes closed and she melted at the touch. He lingered there for a moment, then pressed a little harder before pulling away.
“Mind yourself while I’m gone. Castle Cluny is but a day’s ride. I shall be gone three days at the most.”
She nodded, unable to respond. He turned and strode purposefully to his horse. She stood rooted to her spot, her gaze following him as he mounted.
When he started to lead Gideon away, she let out a deep breath and called his name, “Alex.”
She yearned to keep him there a while longer, afraid to let him leave.
He pulled back on the reins and swung back toward her. His eyes narrowed in question. She hadn’t meant to call out.
“Be careful.”
He smiled. “Doona worry. I’ll be back before ye know it.”
She watched, with her fingertips on her lips, as he rode away. She said a silent prayer for his safe journey. For as much as she wanted to return home, she prayed this wouldn’t be the last time she saw him.
CHAPTER 11
Colyn Comyn sat near the campfire with his men, lost deep in his thoughts. The time drew near for his revenge. The war he waged against Alexander would end one way or the other and he felt sure he’d have the victory.
He glanced around at the men seated with him, not a large group, only five, but they were loyal and they were lethal. The thought brought a smile to his face. When a man got enough anger in him, he could be vicious, and no one was deadlier then Colyn himself.
The six of them had been best friends since he was seven and they’d rescued him from a gang of bigger kids. Alasdair, Dunmore, Edward, Iain, and Simon came through the trees to the open glen like avenging angels. He could see it still, so vividly in his mind.
The bullies tugged him back and forth between them, taunting him, calling him names. He’d been a small, sickly child, but well spirited. Three of them shoving him around a bit, and because they were bigger, they thought they could take anyone. So, five puny boys coming to his rescue only irritated them.
The leader of the group, who initiated the fight on Colyn, grabbed him and pinned his arms in front of him. Spitting and cussing started the battle. Six against three weren’t very good odds, especially when six of them were furious.
A bond was formed that day in the glen. Six young boys standing in a circle
, hands united, pledges made. And as they grew older and matured into men, their loyalty deepened. They’d never been separated since. It was this bond and this group of men that he would need now to gain the advantage and win the greatest battle of all—revenge on Alexander Macpherson.
He stood and walked away from the fire. They were camped on the west side of the loch, in the woods. Alexander’s cottage sat on the north tip. The woods that lay here were thick, which is why he chose this area to hide. He knelt by the loch’s edge, tossing pebbles into the water. Stars shimmered above, insects sang to him as he lost himself to his schemes.
He glanced up at Iain when he came into view. “What do ye want?”
“I came to see what is eating at ye? Ye have been hard to live with for days.”
“I’m fine.”
“Are ye worried that the plan willna work?” Iain asked.
Colyn walked over to lean against a tree. Pulling down one of the limbs, he broke it off and started peeling the branch. “Nay, but this ends soon. The time is right—I can feel it. I’m just getting itchy, is all.”
“Well, we’re not far from Macpherson’s cottage. Ye said he’s alone there, so to ambush him willna be a problem. Ye’re going to stick to the plan, aye?”
“Aye,” he said, then turned to walk back to the men.
Marlana stood in front of the window, gazing out, lost in the scenery. Her hair wasn’t plaited very tight and parts of it came loose around her face. She knew she had flour on her face. She’d never been a clean cook and was even worse when it came to baking, which is why she didn’t do a whole lot of it. Her mother hadn’t asked her to help very often.
The bread was in the oven and the aroma filling the house was heavenly. Baking a pie had been a good idea to start with, since it was time consuming. Looking at the mess, she was beginning to rethink the idea.
Heat from the oven made the room warm. She had her dress unbuttoned by two and she could feel the sweat trickle down between her breasts.
Thoughts of Alex flitted through her mind like a butterfly. Random images of him—cutting wood, shoeing Gideon, or mucking a stall—passed through her mind. He’d been gone now for a full day and she hoped it wouldn’t be much longer before he came back. She was lonely without him. Even though things between them were still new, they were able to talk and laugh. Just having someone around made a person feel better.
She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. She could not deny the truth any longer. She had grown attached to him. There was no mistaking the feelings.
She couldn’t do this. Not now, not here. She had to find a way to get back home.
Maybe it was just a case of the Nightingale Syndrome. She, the lost soul, and he, the hero. It’s no wonder she’d fallen for him, but the last time she fell for a man, her heart got trampled and she wasn’t ready for that to happen again. It would not happen again. She had to quit thinking about Alexander and start thinking about getting home.
One of his shirts lay in a basket, waiting to be mended, and she stared at it. Sewing while she waited on her bread to bake would be a good distraction. Alexander had said his sister, Margaret, tended to anything he couldn’t handle, but there was no need to bother her when she could do it. Thank goodness her mom had been a firm believer that a woman should know how to do the things that were considered women’s work. If she hadn’t, she would be completely out of her element, here in the past, and totally useless. How would she survive if she couldn’t function as a lady should?
Baking was a different story. She was checking on the apple pie, the only thing she knew how to bake, since it was her favorite, when she heard Heather call out. Soon, another horse whinnied. She walked over to the door and opened it. Hamish had already stopped by for his daily visit, so she doubted it would be him. Could Alexander be back already? Excitement bubbled inside of her at the thought.
She went outside with a spring in her step and a smile on her face. His trip went by a lot faster than she thought it would, but her feet came to a quick halt when she looked at the yard and noticed it wasn’t Alexander.
A group of men on their horses were looking around. Most likely searching for Alex. They seemed confused, as if maybe they’d arrived at the wrong place.
“May I help you?” She put a hand up to shield her eyes from the sun. A faint breeze blew and she would’ve sighed at the way it cooled her off, if she hadn‘t been apprehensive.
Six men sat their horses, staring at her. The range of looks varied and she became aware of herself. She quickly buttoned the two buttons she had undone from cooking.
A man slid down from his horse and handed the reins over to another. She assumed him to be the leader. He didn’t approach her at first. Rather, he bowed and smiled.
“Excuse me, we’re sorry if we gave ye a fright.” He glanced around as if he was making sure of where he was. “Might this be the home of Alexander Macpherson?” He waited patiently.
“Yes, it is. May I ask who you are?” He took a few steps toward her, yet still stopping a short distance away. She took a step back.
“Would he be home then?” The gentleman looked around again as if waiting for Alexander to walk around the corner at any moment.
She was unsure of how much she should tell him. Being a stranger, she didn’t have any idea if these men were friends of Alexander’s or not.
“I’m sorry, he isn’t. But he should be back any time. If you would give me your names, I could tell him you were here.” She hoped they would leave. They didn’t give off any vibes that told her to be wary, but she would still feel more comfortable if they were gone. His voice sounded natural, but when she studied the man, she noticed the way his right hand closed into a fist, knuckles almost white. She looked away to gaze at the other men.
“Please forgive my manners,” he said, drawing her attention back to him. “My name is Colyn Comyn. I’m a friend of Alexander’s. My men and I were hunting this way and thought we’d stop by to visit.”
“It’s very nice to meet you.” She bobbed her head at him. “I’m sorry you missed him.” She now stood in the doorway of the house. When had she taken the extra steps backward?
“I thank ye. Might I have yer name?” He inclined his head toward her. “If I may be so bold?” He smiled and it seemed friendly enough, but didn’t completely set her at ease and she stayed guarded.
“My name is Marlana.”
“Well, Marlana, what a beautiful name. Please tell Alexander we’re sorry we missed him.” He strode back to his horse and swung up into the saddle.
“I will. Thank you.” She watched as they rode off, then went back inside, and locked the door. She was glad she had already fed Heather, because she didn’t think she had the nerve to go back outside again until they were gone. She prayed they were.
CHAPTER 12
Alexander’s mind constantly wondered to how things were faring back at home. He’d asked Hamish to keep an eye on Marlana, but that didn’t erase his worry. He frowned. The last thing he wanted was to have to worry about her.
As he followed the bend in the road, he could see the gate for Castle Cluny, home of the Macpherson clan. Excitement sparked inside him like a fire catching hold. He’d once lived within these walls, before he married Mairi. Many of his friends still resided here and he felt good at being able to visit with them. He’d been gone for too long.
As he rode through the twelve-foot tall gates, he observed the activity. Two guards stood at the front doors and he knew that they would be changed every three hours.
The castle wasn’t large, but still good size. It held a dungeon with three floors above it. Peering up at the structure, a sense of familiarity came over him. The castle stood solid and gray. There were five smoke stacks, two on each end of the castle and one in the middle. Smoke came out in a steady stream from the two on
the left end where the kitchens were. The site was a magnificent one and he was proud to be a Macpherson.
He turned to his right and strode toward the stables. There were two stables; one on each end of the field. His gaze slid over buildings. Each could hold up to thirty horses. The field was impressive, at least forty acres and fenced. There were two pastures off each stable, each also fenced in, giving the men the ability to work the horses, break in new ones, or hold visitor’s horses.
The stable lad jogged over, nodded at Alexander, and grabbed Gideon’s reins. He thanked the boy, tossing him a coin. After leaving Gideon, who was eager for his share of food, water, and rest, Alexander walked to the entrance of the castle. A few whistles and some teasing comments were hollered at him as he passed, all from familiar faces. His mood lightened, along with his step.
When he was halfway to the front doors, he heard his name. “Alexander.”
The sound brought a huge smile to his face. Turning around, he greeted his brother.
“James. It’s good to see ye.”
Standing not twelve feet from him was the oldest of the Macpherson brothers. He was the advisor to the clan Chief, second behind the Chief’s son, and therefore lived at the Castle.
When Alexander reached him, he stuck out his arm to grasp his hand and put his other one on James’ shoulder. James repeated the gesture. He stood a little shorter than Alexander —at only six foot—his hair was strawberry blond. He stared at him through deep blue eyes that always looked wiser than his years.
“Brother, how have ye been? Ye stay away too long,” James said.
