Highland Angel

by Hannah Howell

  This time Kirstie roused from her sated stupor before Payton did from his. She rose and donned her robe, tying it loosely. After she washed herself, she brought a damp cloth back to the bed to cleanse Payton. The way his manhood twitched with renewed interest as she bathed it made her smile, especially when she saw how boyishly proud of himself Payton was. Seeing the remainder of the potion Alice had made still sitting in a tankard on the table by the bed, Kirstie sat down on the edge of the bed and began to sip at it. Earlier, she had only accepted half of the medicine, but the ache in her jaw and the back of her head were nudging at her. So, too, was her fear. This added amount of potion might make her fall asleep, but now she did not care. When Payton curled up behind her, tugged the edge of her robe out of the way, and kissed her hip, she wondered if she might be acting too hastily. There were many more pleasant ways to dispel fear.

  "Roderick is utterly insane,” she said and calmly met Payton's startled gaze. “He claims ‘tis all my fault he has blood on his hands."

  Payton sat up, outraged, but struggling to hold his tongue. He did not want to distract her from what she was about to say. Although he had suspected she had not told him everything, he had tried to be patient, willing to give her time to recover from her ordeal.

  "He feels I dinnae understand what he does with the children, thinks himself some wondrous benefactor who asks but a small service for all he so kindly gives them. I have betrayed him from the start, he says, right from our wedding night when I had the effrontery to become a woman. If I would cease telling such lies about him, he wouldnae have to kill anyone. Oh, and any poor children he has killed are of no real concern. They would have died anyway, aye? He now feels he must kill all of ye. Ye, Alice, Ian, your guards, Callum most certainly, and the other bairns. And me, of course, but, mayhap, only after he has had Gib and Wattie work to breed a child on me."

  "Jesu."

  "Exactly. There were many other words, other twisted accusations, but that is the heart of what he said, what he believes. I had thought him, weel, nay quite right in the head because of his lust for children, but ‘tis so much more. And, as his madness became clear to me, I grew verra afraid, Payton. How does one fight that?"

  He moved to kneel on the wolfskin carpet at her feet, slipping his hands beneath her robe to stroke her thighs. “The same as ye would fight a sane mon. Aye,” he said when she looked doubtful. “Mayhap it will be a little more difficult to guess which way he will jump, but it can be done. We ken what he wants, what he will try to accomplish. ‘Tis but a question of when and how. And, nay matter how frightening his insanity, how different he seems from other men, one thing about him will always remain quite completely normal."

  "Oh? And just what about Roderick could possibly be normal?"

  "If ye cut him, he bleeds. If ye run a sword through his heart, he dies."

  "All ye say is true, and yet, I am still afraid. If ye could have heard him, Payton. If ye could have seen the look in his eyes.” She quickly finished off Alice's potion and set the tankard down, noticing almost absently that her hand shook a little.

  "I would probably have found it all as chilling as ye did, but I would still ken that I could defeat him, hurt him, kill him.” He opened her robe, ignoring her soft protest. “I shall have to do my duty as your champion and banish your fears.” He kissed the inside of her thighs until he felt her start to soften and open to him. “I shall make ye forget all about your mad husband."

  "Actually, there was one other thing I discovered whilst being held by Roderick.” Kirstie found that watching Payton caress her could be a very heady thing.

  "And what was that?” he asked as he kissed her taut stomach and savored a moment of anticipation for what he would delight in doing next.

  "It pains me to say this, but ye were right. Roderick has nay right at all to be called my husband. So, I have decided that I have none.” She was not sure what that fierce look of delight on his face might promise for their future, but it stirred something deep and hot inside of her. “I am nay longer a wicked wife, simply a wanton maid."

  "Interesting.” Payton pressed a kiss to the dark curls between her soft, white thighs. “I wonder if a wanton maid tastes different from a wicked wife."

  By the time he had thrice stroked her with his clever tongue, Kirstie was not terribly interested in his opinion so long as whatever decision he came to did not include stopping to tell her about it.

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  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  "Hah! He looks fine to me."

  Even as Payton's sleep-drugged mind realized that someone was in the room, he recognized that somewhat loud voice. He muttered a protest when the soft breast he had been nuzzling was abruptly replaced by the crumpled linen sheet beneath him. Resisting the urge to look around for Kirstie, who had slipped out of his arms with a dizzying speed, Payton turned his head and glared at the big, fair-haired man standing about a yard from his bed. Although he loved his cousin Gillyanne dearly, he was not so sure he was pleased to see her, either. Certainly not now, when he had been about to indulge himself in a little morning delight.

  "Gilly, Connor, what are ye doing here?” he asked and started to sit up, only to feel a whisper of movement at his back which told him Kirstie was still in the bed.

  "I had to come see ye, Payton,” Gillyanne said, moving closer and trying to look over Payton as he cautiously turned onto his side, facing her. “Something kept telling me ye were in danger, that ye needed help."

  "Did ye bring the twins?"

  "Nay, of course not. My feeling said ye were in danger. I couldnae bring my bairns here. So, I hope we can solve your problem rather quickly. I already miss my bairns.” She edged even closer to the bed and scowled at the well-rumpled covers behind him. “Curse it, Payton, I am sure I saw a woman in that bed. Connor?” Gillyanne frowned when her husband did not move to her side. “Why are ye still standing so far away?"

  "Weel, aside from the fact that I have no great wish to see your cousin naked, I think I had best stand still as long as someone has a knife pointed at my backside,” replied Connor.

  Gillyanne peered around behind Connor. “Oh, ‘tis a lad. Ye can put your knife away, laddie. Connor willnae hurt ye."

  "I wouldnae be too sure of that,” Connor drawled.

  "Ye best tell me what ye are doing here quick-like,” said Callum, “or I will be sticking this knife up your arse."

  Connor quirked one brow at a grinning Payton, but spoke to Callum. “Ye ought to be careful who ye threaten, lad. If ye annoy me, I could hurt ye."

  "Ha! And I could bugger ye with this blade. Now, where is my lady?” Callum peered around Connor and scowled at the bed. “I dinnae see her and she ought to be there."

  "Payton,” snapped Gillyanne, “cease that cackling and tell the lad who we are."

  A quick pinch on his backside urged Payton to reassure Callum. “Kirstie is fine, Callum. She is just hiding. These people are no threat to us.” He nodded at Gillyanne. “This is my cousin, Lady Gillyanne Murray, now MacEnroy, and her husband, Sir Connor MacEnroy. I believe we have us a few more allies, lad."

  "Here now, lad,” said Ian as he appeared in the doorway, “why are ye pointing your knife at Sir Connor's arse?"

  Callum frowned at Ian, even as he sheathed his knife. “I saw him come in here and, not kenning who the big bullock was, I was worrit that he would hurt my lady. Oh, and mayhap Sir Payton, too. He doesnae seem too quick or alert when he is naked, ye ken. So, I pulled my knife on this Sir Connor MacEnroy here."

  "Weel, that certainly was quick thinking,” Ian said, “but ye picked a poor place to point your blade at, lad. Stick a mon in the arse and ye willnae bring him down. Ye will just make him angry. Nay, ye want to point it here,” Ian instructed, indicating a particularly vulnerable spot on Connor's lower back.

  Payton opened his mouth to tell Ian to take his lessons somewhere else, then groaned when he saw what lurked behind his man. A glance at Gillyanne revealed hi
s cousin staring wide-eyed at Wee Alice and the seven children with her. Gilly looked at Callum, then looked at Payton, and opened her mouth.

  "Dinnae start,” he said, halting the questions he knew she would pummel him with. “Go to the great hall,” he began.

  "Where is Lady Kirstie?” demanded Moira as she hurried over to the bed, looked around, then glared at Payton.

  "She is hiding,” replied Payton, and he glared briefly at Gillyanne, “because there are so many people in the room."

  "I dinnae see her.” Moira's bottom lip began to tremble. “Did the monster get her again?"

  Before Payton could reply, he felt movement behind him. One pale, slim arm curled around him from behind and the small, elegant hand briefly stroked Moira's cheek. A brief glance over his shoulder revealed only a mass of tossled black hair and smoky grey eyes. What little he could see of Kirstie's face was brilliant with blushes.

  "See, my dear one,” Kirstie said, “I am fine. I just need a wee bit of privacy ere I join ye in the great hall."

  Moira nodded, turned to face everyone, and bellowed, “Get out! My lady is naked!"

  "Oh, it wanted only that,” Kirstie muttered and hid behind Payton's back.

  Payton fought hard against the urge to laugh as little Moira marched over to the group and pointed her finger at the door, impressively regal in her silent command. Alice, her face contorted slightly as she obviously fought the urge to laugh, quickly pushed everyone out of the room. The huge grins on the faces of Connor, Ian, and Gillyanne only added to Payton's strain.

  Just as the door closed, Payton heard Callum ask Moira, “How did ye ken she was naked? Did ye see her paps?” and his control broke. He roared with laughter. Even the sight of a vividly blushing and beautifully naked Kirstie leaping from the bed did not calm or distract him.

  "Oh, aye, ye can laugh,” Kirstie muttered as she started to dress. “I am so glad my embarrassment entertains ye so. And, I suspicion ye thought Callum was hilarious. He said paps, Payton. He wanted to ken if Moira saw my paps!” Her words were muffled as she struggled into her gown. “Ye have to talk to that boy. In truth, if he is wondering about such things, ‘tis past time someone talked with him. And his language!"

  All the while she talked, going from complaining about Callum's language to complaining about Payton's callous indifference to her mortification and back again, she continued to dress. She grabbed up her brush, realized she was standing by the bed, and slowly sat down. For a moment, she just stared blindly at her brush.

  "Oh, Payton, how can I face those people?” she asked.

  Recovered now, Payton sat up, took the brush from her hand, and began to gently untangle her hair. “Ye worry too much, Kirstie. They willnae condemn ye. In truth, once the whole tale is told, I may weel face a sharp scold from my cousin. A family secret, love—Gilly is probably one of a rare breed of Murray women. She actually married Connor before she bedded down with him. And, she once told me she chose him out of the three lairds trying to marry her so that they could claim her dower lands, because she thought he could show her what passion was.” He nodded when she stared at him in wide-eyed shock. “'Tis the truth."

  "Ye mean they dinnae care for each other?"

  "Oh, they do now. Gilly kens Connor loves her as she loves him, though she admits she probably willnae hear it said too often. A hard, private mon is our Connor. Kenning how much it would mean to her, he gave her some verra pretty words at the christening of their twins, and he looked near to emptying his belly as he did so.” He looked at her quizzically when she smiled.

  "My brother Steven is the same. His wife Anne says she kens he loves her, but they have been wed for four years and she has only heard him say it thrice. Once just before they wed, for she wasnae going to marry him unless he did, once when she had their first child, and once when he thought he was dying. Fool thought he had a growth in his belly."

  Payton got up and started to get dressed. “He didnae though, aye?"

  "Aye. He was just bound up inside. A purging was all he needed.” She smiled when he laughed, then grew serious again as she tied her hair back with a ribbon. “I really dinnae have much choice, do I? I have to go and face them."

  "Aye, ye do.” He took her by the hand, tugged her to her feet, and gave her a quick, hard kiss. “Trust me, Kirstie, they willnae condemn ye for sharing my bed. Dinnae believe they will e'en think about the matter verra much. And, once we tell them about the battle we are fighting, they will think ye are a near saint."

  Kirstie rather doubted that, but allowed Payton to lead her down to the great hall. Payton skillfully curtailed his cousin's many questions, promising a full telling in his ledger room after they broke their fast. By the time she, Payton, Ian, the MacEnroys, and Callum gathered in Payton's ledger room, Kirstie was feeling more at ease. Gillyanne was open and friendly and, once, when she met Sir Connor's gaze, he gave her a brief wink. She did wonder how so many people could be so accepting of something she had always been told was a sin. Inwardly shrugging, she sat down next to Payton and braced herself for what would undoubtedly be a disturbing retelling of all that had happened and of the danger they still faced.

  Payton opened his mouth to start relating the tale of their battle with Sir Roderick, then frowned at Callum, who sat next to Ian. Ian had confided to Payton about the state the boy had been in when he had arrived in the wood to fetch Ian back to the house yesterday. For the first time, the man had clearly seen the scars Roderick had left upon the boy, the deep fear of the man Callum still held. It had only been a day since Ian had seen that crying, terrified little boy Callum tried so hard to hide and Payton had to wonder if it was far too soon for Callum to hear all this again, to relive so much through what would have to be told now.

  "Callum, mayhap ye—” he began and raised his brows a little when Callum vigorously shook his head.

  "Nay, I will stay. I am an ally, too, aye?” Callum said with a hint of anxiety. “Aye, I am. I am fighting, too. I helped save my lady."

  "That ye did, Callum,” Kirstie said and smiled at him. “Ye are my champion, too."

  "And a promising fighter, too, lad,” said Ian, patting the boy on the shoulder.

  "E'en more promising as soon as he learns not to stick a knife in a mon's arse,” drawled Connor and he winced dramatically when Gillyanne pinched his arm, then winked at Callum, who grinned.

  "Fine then, Callum,” Payton said, “ye can stay and add anything ye think is important.” He saw the uneasy look on the boy's face, the hint of shame despite his air of determined bravery, and added softly, “'Twill be just fine. Trust me. They will ken who holds all blame in this.” He smiled when the boy hesitantly nodded, but knew, sadly, it was going to take a very long time before Callum ceased to feel that pinch of shame, that sense that somehow he was the one to blame.

  Payton looked at his cousin, who was doing a poor job of hiding her impatience to know everything. “Did ye really have a feeling that I was in danger?"

  "Aye,” Gillyanne replied, scowling at him, “and ye are courting e'en more danger if ye keep hesitating to tell me just exactly what is going on."

  After grinning at her, Payton quickly grew serious. He began to tell them everything that had happened since he had met Kirstie, everything he knew about Sir Roderick. Callum, and Kirstie added very little. Gillyanne looked increasingly upset while Connor looked increasingly grim. To Payton's relief, neither of them looked at Callum unless he spoke, for Payton was sure the boy would misunderstand such glances.

  "I will go and kill him for ye,” Connor said after a brief but weighted silence. “I could get close. He doesnae ken who I am. I suspicion ye would want him to die slow and hard. I have a few ways to ensure that."

  Kirstie blinked, trying not to show her shock as she studied the man who spoke so calmly of going to kill a man, and do it in a way that would leave him to die slow and hard. She certainly felt that was what Roderick deserved, but it was a little chilling to hear such a handsome man speak
so blithely of doing it. When she looked at Payton, she relaxed a little. He was grinning at the man.

  "Ye would do it, too, wouldnae ye?” said Payton.

  "Aye,” replied Connor. “'Tis a mon's duty to protect the wee ones. Predators like Sir Roderick MacIye should be killed. And slow is best. Men like him are scared of dying. Deep in their black hearts they ken there is nay salvation for them. So, ye leave them dying, leave them with a long time to want to die so the pain will end, but terrified of doing so. A long time to think on all their sins and just how they will be made to pay for them.” He shrugged. “Sad to say, it doesnae usually happen that way. The bastards usually die quick."

  Everyone, even Gillyanne, looked as if that all made perfect sense to them. Kirstie knew that, in her heart, it all made sense to her, too. She agreed with the man. She was just not sure she ought to.

  "Ah, your lass looks uneasy,” murmured Connor. “A soft heart is a good thing in a lass, but mayhap not now, not with this mon."

  "I ken it,” Kirstie replied, then grimaced. “I just wasnae sure it was right to be so heartily in accord with it all."

  Payton draped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek, ignoring her blushes as he turned back to Connor. “At the moment, my biggest concern is his family. They see Roderick's claims of cuckoldry and wife theft as a deep insult to their honor, to their clan's honor. They grow angry and restless with his reluctance to do anything about it except talk and complain. It may be best if Kirstie and I find somewhere to hide until I can talk to some of them. If I can get them to heed the truth about Roderick, I think they will nay longer be a threat and, quite possibly, nay longer help Roderick in any way."

  Connor nodded. “Their feelings are just. They need to ken that they are based on lies."

  "I dinnae think ye should hide away, Payton,” Gillyanne said. “'Twould be as if ye are admitting your guilt. It would give the weight of truth to Sir Roderick's lies. The MacIyes would see it thus and feel free to hunt ye down. If ye are running and hiding, it then becomes verra difficult for anyone to guard your back. All of that simply helps Sir Roderick in his plan to be rid of both of ye."