Highlands’ Forbidden Deeds

by Adamina Young

  “Helena?”

  “Aye, she has been with us for years and has taken over managing the servants and planning the festivities. On the days that she can catch me, she makes me help.” Grace made a face. “Of course, now she can bother you about it.”

  “I suppose the least I can do is help out. The cottage is close to the keep,” Moira mused. “Grace, I am glad that ye are here.”

  “Are ye?” Sitting on the edge of the bed, Grace folded her hands in her lap. “For years, I have mourned the loss of ye and wondered what it would have been like if we were sisters. Now ye will be, but I cannae help but feel as though ’tis against yer will.”

  “No. As Ainsley pointed out, I have a choice, and I choose Connor. Perhaps ’tis not for the same reasons that I chose him before, but I amnae going into this marriage blind or unwilling, and having ye as a sister is most assuredly one of the perks.”

  Moira tried to look out the window to see what was going on outside, but Grace continued to herd her away until there was a knock on the door. “Lass,” Tyree said gently. “’Tis time.”

  “Uncle, ye doonae have to look as though ye are marching me to a funeral. Ye told me once that ye believed Connor would be a good man, like his father,” Moira reminded him. It had been an offhand comment, and he’d immediately looked distraught, but she had simply changed the subject.

  “I want ye to be happy, Moira. ’Tis been my only true wish.” Reaching up, he curved a finger over her cheek. “I fear that if he makes ye unhappy, I will start a war.”

  “It will not be necessary. I am more than capable of taking care of myself these days.” Winding her arm through his, she took a deep breath. “All right. Let us get me married.”

  Only a few people gathered outside the church. Moira wasn’t certain if this was the clan taking a stand against their laird’s marriage or if Connor had decided to keep it small on her behalf. No matter the reason, it made her feel a little more comfortable.

  A blustery wind blew through, so the ceremony was held inside the small church. Hamish, the small group of men they had brought, and Ainsley sat on one side. Grace and some guards in Sinclair colors, and presumably their wives, sat on the other. A young priest waited, almost nervously, at the front.

  Moira focused on the priest as she and Tyree quickly made their way to the front. Quite a few priests from England made their way to the Highlands to make sure that they didn’t return to their heathen ways. They may have invited God into their homes, but there was still some of the old magic that kept a firm hold on their traditions. Most young priests were terrified when they arrived.

  Connor, on the other hand, simply looked impatient.

  “Ye are here,” he said softly, almost so softly that she missed it. “I wasnae sure if ye would be.”

  “As Ainsley said, all brides react differently on their wedding day. I am here, though. Are ye certain that ye want to do this? From the looks of things, yer clan isnae here to support ye.”

  “I have done everything for my clan. This I do because ’tis the right thing to do,” he said.

  The right thing. Moira almost snapped that she was no one’s duty, but the poor Father looked like he might pass out any minute. If she started a fight with the groom on the day of the wedding, there may not be one.

  “Father,” she said quietly as she approached him, “I have a request before we start the ceremony. An adjustment to make to the vows.”

  “Laird?” Father Charles squeaked.

  “Moira,” Connor growled.

  “’Tis a small request,” she said calmly as she pulled out the piece of paper she’d tucked into the bodice of her dress. First, she handed it to Connor. His scowl deepened as he read it, but he nodded and handed it to the priest.

  “Do it.”

  Whispers rose from the congregation. Moira didn’t think it was possible, but the priest paled even further. He took a deep breath, tucked the note into his Bible, and began.

  10

  Connor hadn’t wanted a feast after the wedding. In fact, all he really wanted to do was to get his new bride alone, but there were some drawbacks to marrying in the middle of the day. Ainsley, however, had thrown herself into the festivities, and Grace was right there alongside her. It was odd for Grace to want to involve herself in any celebration, and Connor knew that Ainsley was trying to put the horrors of her past to the back of her mind, so he tried not to grumble too much.

  The wedding had been open for anyone who wanted to attend, but he didn’t expect a full crowd. There was, however, a full great hall. While some were not happy to be in church, they were more than happy to take a break from work to eat and drink.

  It would not last all afternoon. There was still work to be done, and his bride was already looking like she wanted to hide under the table. Her uncle was close to her at all times, and his gaze was glued to Connor. He was still unhappy with the arrangement, but there wasn’t much he could do. The deed was done.

  With the chaste kiss at the altar, a sense of peace had settled in his chest. After all these years, Moira was finally his. It wasn’t what he’d first imagined, but at least his nights wouldn’t be eaten up by constant thoughts of her.

  No, she’d be sleeping right next to him, even if it was in the old cottage of a crazy woman.

  “Married at long last.” His three friends and guards were close by. Nathair was always the one to make light of the situation. Mungo, far too serious, remained silent, and Clyde, the one to keep the peace, simply smirked. After the ceremony, they had sworn their fealty to Moira as Mistress of the Sinclairs. He’d always allowed his men to speak freely, but so far, they’d remained mostly silent.

  “Although if ye keep glaring at everyone, they may forget that ’tis a celebration,” Clyde observed.

  “He is just eager to get back to his day,” Grace interrupted. “Ye know how focused he can be.” She cut a sharp look his way, and he tried to force himself to relax.

  His sister no doubt feared he was unhappy about his wedding, but mostly, he was tense because he feared that someone would speak out of turn.

  He’d promised Moira a sanctuary, and from some of the rumors that had reached his ears when he returned, he knew not everyone was happy that Moira was back.

  Once, he’d threatened to execute her upon reentering his lands. Now, instead, he’d married her.

  It wasn’t like that decree could still stand. She was proclaimed innocent. It wasn’t her fault that they hadn’t found the real culprits behind his parents’ deaths.

  He picked up his glass of ale. “My sister is right. ’Tis hard for me to let go of my duties, even if it is for a few hours, but we have much to celebrate. To my wife, Moira, and to the beginning of a new chapter in the Sinclair story.”

  Grace, his friends, and the Hamiltons were the first to raise their glasses, and eventually, the rest of the table did as well. There was a grunt, a cheer, and everyone drank as Moira reddened and smiled tentatively.

  Strange. For years, she had been the center of attention of the Hamiltons as they waited to see who she would marry. Now, she almost seemed like she hated it.

  Tyree seemed to notice as well. “Finish up, Connor. Hamish and I expect a tour before we leave in the morning.”

  “Aye.” He was pleased to know that the Hamiltons were leaving in the morning. His men were uneasy, not knowing what to make of the temperamental laird. They had expected a battle before the wedding, but Connor had assured them that Tyree would put his niece’s happiness before his own feelings.

  He wasn’t entirely certain that he was right, but there had been no threats of a feud during the ceremony.

  So many obstacles, but when he looked at Moira, he somehow knew that it was worth it.

  “And we are going to work on Miriam’s cottage,” Grace announced. “Tomorrow, I’ll introduce her to Helena.”

  “Ye can both spend some time with Helena,” Connor said pointedly. Maybe Moira’s presence here will domesticate Grace.


  Everyone seemed to read his mind and chuckled, but Grace just scowled at him. Luckily, she didn’t decide to argue.

  After the festivities, Tyree and Hamish followed Connor out to some of the outlying villages. It was no secret that the Sinclair clan was comfortable and productive. Even his most outlying villages had everything they needed. Their gardens and animals were fruitful, and their vendors and crafters made trade possible. Everyone worked with the clan in mind rather than just themselves.

  So Connor knew that Tyree wasn’t worried about whether he could provide for Moira. Rather, he saw this as a teaching moment for Tyree. The Hamiltons weren’t always known for their political tact and clan cooperation, but Tyree had done quite a bit to change that.

  Apparently he wanted to make sure that Hamish did the same. Connor approved.

  Hamish seemed to understand as well. He was attentive and seemed eager to learn.

  That was a good sign.

  “So,” Hamish said as they rode back, “yer sister is interesting.”

  “Interesting? I love my sister dearly, but she is a hellion,” Connor snorted. “I buy her the finest silks, and she trades them for trousers. She flirts with my men until they agree to give her combat lessons. She spends more time with the groomsmen, training the horses, than learning to manage a keep. Absolutely nothing I do seems to tame her.”

  “Ye could find her a husband.”

  “Make some other poor bastard miserable? Nay. When we were young, still reeling from the deaths of our parents, I swore that I would protect my siblings. I would see her happy. A forced marriage would break her. I can endure the constant headaches and the worry for my sister. I could not endure her unhappiness.”

  “That is perhaps the first time I believe that ye and I see eye to eye,” Tyree said quietly.

  “I feel the same about Moira. I know that ye have concern about our marriage. If I thought there was still room in my life for love, then I would give her my heart. I wish more than anything that I could go back and change that day, but I cannae. The only thing I can do now is to make sure that she is safe and happy.”

  “The fact that ye would allow her to alter her wedding vows like that proves to me that ye have her best interests at heart. ’Tis why I can go tomorrow.”

  “Ye will be welcome back at any time,” Connor promised him.

  By the time they had returned, the celebrations were over. Everyone was too full for dinner, and Moira and Grace were nowhere to be found. Tyree and Hamish excused themselves, and Connor went in search of his bride.

  The door to the cottage was ajar and light from a lantern spilled out. Connor hesitated on the small dirt path leading to the door. Maybe she needed tonight to herself. This morning, she could barely breathe at the thought of marrying him. Was he a monster to demand that she share his bed tonight, after everything?

  He was about to turn and leave when the light grew brighter. The door opened, and Moira stepped out. She stopped suddenly at the sight of him.

  “I…” His words failed him.

  “I amnae hiding,” she assured him. “I headed back to the keep with Grace an hour ago, but ye had not returned. There was nothing for me to do there, so I returned to do a little bit more cleaning. There is still some to do before the cottage is habitable.”

  “I wanted to speak with ye. ’Tis been an overwhelming day for ye. If ye want to sleep alone—”

  “No.”

  At the emphasis of her refusal, his eyes widened, and he raised his eyebrows. “No?”

  “I mean to say that I plan to uphold my promise to spend my nights with ye until I beget yer heir.”

  Stepping closer to her, he took her free hand and ran his fingers over her knuckles. “’Tis all right to look forward to tonight, Moira. I most certainly am, and I promise ye pleasure.”

  “Then is there a reason that we are still out here discussing it?”

  Chuckling, he dropped her hand. “Go on to my chambers. Ye may take some time to get ready for bed. I would like to examine the cottage myself and take note of the structural changes that are needed. Ye may be cleaning for nothing. I can already see that we need to patch the roof.”

  “All right.” She hesitated for a moment before she handed him the lantern. “I’ll have enough moonlight to get back, but ye willnae be able to see anything inside the cottage without it.”

  After he accepted it, she hurried down the path. The truth was that he wasn’t all that interested in the cottage, but he wanted to give her some time before he joined her.

  Now, with the lantern, he might as well get some work done.

  Work that would inevitably take Moira away from him.

  Miriam’s cottage always gave him pause. He had visited when she requested. She’d always see spirits that provided advice which she would pass on to him, and he would listen patiently. Most times, it was good advice, but he didn’t believe that it came from good spirits.

  Miriam was simply a wise woman, but there was still something about this place.

  After her death, no one had wanted to move in. Why Grace thought this would be appropriate for Moira, Connor would never know, but at least it wasn’t far from the keep.

  It was a sacrifice, but if it made Moira happy, he would make it work.

  11

  Should she wear her night shift? Should she be naked? Under the covers? Over the covers?

  How exactly did one seduce her husband?

  Not that Moira thought Connor needed seducing. He looked almost terrifyingly focused as he was striding up the path.

  Yet, he was giving her time to prepare. Or stress. It mostly felt like he’d given her time to stress.

  After wandering around the chambers in her nightshift, she finally peeled it off and sat in the bed, bringing the covers up to her neck. There was a small fire going to keep the room warm, so it wasn’t the chill that had her shivering.

  No, it was anticipation.

  It was probably only several minutes before the door finally swung open, but it felt like days. Squeaking in excitement, she pulled the blanket tighter around herself.

  Connor paused. “Ye are scared,” he said softly. “Moira, we doonae have to do this tonight.”

  “What!” Before he could run, she threw the covers aside and scrambled off the bed. “Nay, I am ready.”

  Swearing loudly, Connor quickly shut the door and stared at her. “Moira.”

  She waited for him to say more, but he just continued to stare. Finally, he stepped forward, snagged the quilt from the back of the chair by the fireplace, and wrapped her up in it. “Ye are absolutely stunning,” he said in a low voice, his eyes dark with lust. “But this is yer first time, and ‘twould be best if we took it slow.”

  “Slow?” Just being this close to him made her want to scream with need. She wanted to feel the way she did before when he touched her. That flush of pleasure. That release.

  “Aye.” Brushing her hair behind her shoulder, he quietly kissed her on her forehead. “And seeing ye naked doesnae make me want to take this slow.”

  “Perhaps I doonae want to take this slowly either,” she said boldly.

  “Ah, Moira. I will make ye a deal. Tonight, ye let me take charge, and then at a later date, I will let ye be in charge.”

  She frowned. “That sounds awfully vague.”

  “In this, ye will trust me,” he said firmly before he lowered his head and kissed her. Although she opened eagerly for him, he kept the kiss maddeningly slow as he applied more pressure until her body was pressed up against him.

  Their body was keeping the quilt up, so she let her hands move up the hard contours of his body up to his chest. She wanted him as naked as her.

  Breaking the kiss, he turned her around and let the quilt drop. Moving her hair aside, he kissed her neck and let her hands settle on her hips.

  “Connor.” It was a half moan, half plea. As much as she liked his hands on her, she wanted his hands on other parts of her.

  “Lass, I love how s
mooth yer skin is,” he groaned. “Soft. Supple. I may require ye to be naked all night long.”

  “I have no argument against that.” Leaning against him, she closed her eyes. “But perhaps ye could be naked as well.”

  “All in good time.” As he pulled her closer, she felt the evidence of his own desire pressing against her lower back.

  “So yer plan is to simply torture me?” she gasped.

  “No, my sweet. I plan to give ye exactly what ye need right now. The torture will be all mine.” His hands moved up to her breasts, and his thumbs rolled over her nipples until she was wet and aching.

  On instinct, she moved her hips, undulating against him, until he hissed in her ear and reached between her legs. “Ye always did have to do things yer way,” he growled, and then he strummed her most sensitive spot. It took only a few strokes before a tidal wave unleashed in her body, and she shuddered against him.

  “Feel better?” he murmured.

  “Doonae tease,” she said embarrassed at how easily she fell apart in his arms. “I imagined this going differently. I was going to pose on the bed, and ye were going to ravage me.”

  Connor growled. “Why don’t ye show me exactly how you were going to pose on the bed?”

  “Pose? I believe my body has become liquid.”

  “Oh, not yet, my love.” Slowly, he walked her to the bed, and she fell forward and crawled to the pillow. After she flipped over, she watched as he started to undo the buttons of his shirt. “But when I am done with ye tonight, there willnae be any strength left in yer body, and ye will sleep, curled around my body, knowing that I was the one who made ye feel like this.”

  His words brought her body back to life, and her heart hammered against her chest as she watched him undress.

  He was magnificent. Strength. Power. It seemed almost impossible that so much could be packaged into one man.

  “Moira, ’tis already taking most of my strength to control myself, but if ye keep looking at me like that, I fear that control will snap. I thought yer first release would make ye more comfortable.”