His horse flew like a mighty wind that swirled down over the land swallowing everything in its sight, though it was not fast enough for Slain. When he finally got close enough, he hurled himself off his horse at Nial, making sure he snatched the rope out of Nial’s hand, freeing his wife, before sending them both tumbling to the ground.
Slain’s tightly curled fist smashed into Nial’s face as the man struggled to get to his feet, again and again his fist pummeled Nial. Hands soon grabbed at Slain and voices screamed at him, but the savage had control of him and all he wanted to do was beat Nial to death.
It took Nial’s strange laughter to stop Slain, only then did he hear the voices clearly.
“Hannah is being dragged by the horse,” Imus shouted.
Slain hurried to his feet and looked around. His heart nearly stopped when in the distance he saw Hannah being dragged along the ground behind the runaway horse, Roark and some of his warriors rushing after her.
Slain signaled his horse and the animal was at his side in an instant. He was barely mounted when he urged the horse forward. Prayers fell from his lips, begging for his wife’s life. He had been a fool, thinking his wife would be safe once he got Nial off the horse. Defeated men could never be trusted. They would do whatever they could to hurt the victor one last time.
The only thing that gave Slain hope was knowing that Roark was one of the finest horsemen that he had ever seen. If anyone could catch the runaway horse and bring him to a stop, he could. That would leave him to see to Hannah and that was what he wanted the most, to hold his wife in his arms and see her safe.
Slain once again flew over the land and he nearly roared with relief when he saw Roark fling himself off his horse, land on Nial’s horse, and bring the animal to a stop. By that time Slain was almost upon them, his eyes focused on his wife lying lifeless on the ground.
He jumped off his horse before the animal fully stopped and ran to his wife lying face down. He dropped down beside her, fearful of touching her, fearful of finding her dead. With gentle hands, he eased her onto her back. He cringed when he saw her swollen jaw and blood running from her cut lip, Nial no doubt having hit her, worsening her previous wound.
Mud and grass was smeared everywhere over her, on her face, in her hair, on her garments that he realized were wet. Why were they wet?
He brushed her hair away from her one eye. “Hannah.” He let out a relieved breath when she responded with eyes that fluttered open.
“You neglect me, husband, I am cold and need warming,” she admonished him with a slight smile that brought a wince with it.
Her teasing reprimand brought a smile to his face. He eased his arms underneath her to move her slowly and gently up into his arms, though stopped when she cried out.
“My arm,” she said, a tear hanging from the corner of one eye.
He silently spewed oath after oath as he gathered her as gently as he could against him.
Roark stepped forward silently and held his shroud out to Slain. “To help warm her.”
Slain gave him a grateful nod and the two men worked to wrap her in it. Hannah winced and grimaced as they did, Slain suffering every pain along with her.
“Home, Slain. I want to go home,” Hannah said, resting her head against her husband’s chest, listening to his heart beat madly as his heat seeped into her.
“Aye, wife, whatever you want I will give you,” Slain said, standing.
“You already have,” Hannah whispered. “You have given me your love.”
Chapter 35
A few weeks later.
* * *
Hannah smiled at the work that had been done to the room at the end of the east wing. All the torture devices were gone and heavy tapestries had been removed from the two windows. The stone had been scrubbed and the large fireplace repaired. It was ready to be occupied. “It will make a perfect bedchamber for us.”
Slain kissed his wife’s rosy lips, his arms circling around her back. “The other two rooms will be finished soon enough, then I will have our things moved into this wing.”
“It will be alight with laughter and love, one room awaiting future bairns and a retreat room for me where I will stitch.”
“Something I did not know about you. You know how to stitch,” Slain said and loved that there were still things he was discovering about his wife.
“Well,” Hannah said, “I may need some help since my mum said stitching did not come easy to me.”
“Nonsense, I will show you how it is done,” Helice said, entering the room. “You should be resting. You are still recovering from that ordeal.”
“I feel good,” Hannah said with a smile, having come to love Helice more and more since that ordeal. The woman had tended her like only a mum could, refusing to leave her side when Slain had ordered her to, insisting he would tend Hannah himself. Between the two she had been well looked after. Helice had also worked tirelessly applying comfrey poultices to Hannah’s bad arm, in hopes that it would help. It had relieved the pain and was doing well.
“And you will continue to feel good if you listen and rest when I tell you,” Helice ordered.
“Mum, the women in the kitchen will not give me any food,” Conlan said, sticking his head around the open door.
“Did you not just eat supper?” Helice demanded.
Hannah smiled. Conlan had taking to calling Helice mum as he recovered from his wound and Helice had not stopped him. Hannah was happy to see the pair had found what they both had been missing… one a mum and the other a son.
Conlan hurried over to Helice and wrapped his arm around hers. “I cannot help it if your food is so delicious that I cannot stop eating it.”
“That tongue of yours charms more by the day, but it will not work on me,” Helice warned.
“I love you, Mum, and I am starving,” Conlan begged with a mischievous smile.
Hannah was glad to see Helice smile, something she had been doing more and more of as of late.
“I will feed you and then you will return to bed and rest, for you still need to heal,” Helice ordered.
“Anything you say, Mum,” Conlan said and blew her a kiss.
The two left the room, laughter drifting behind them as they walked down the hall.
“They are good for each other,” Slain said, pleased with the many changes taking place to the keep. The Great Hall was filled with talk, laughter, and song once again. Slain had begun hearing disputes and settling them. Women were eager to work at the keep and men as well. And Slain’s army of warriors were busy building more cottages and storage sheds for the food that would serve the large clan for the winter.
“All is good now in the keep,” Hannah said and gave him a poke in the chest. “You have yet to tell me what you did with all the torture devices.”
He had avoided speaking to her about it, not wanting to stir painful memories for her, but since he had sworn to himself there would be no secrets between them, he said, “I destroyed most, though a few Roark took.”
“Then your debt with Warrick is settled,” Hannah said with relief.
“Aye. Roark received word that my debt to Warrick is no more, though his warriors are always available to me if necessary.”
“That is good.” Hannah nodded and turned in her husband’s arms. “I never told you that Nial informed me that my father offered me to Warrick as a wife or however he wished to use me.”
Her words sparked his temper, but the savage was too content to raise his head. “Warrick will never wed.”
“Why?”
“I do not know. He would not speak of it and none would ask, though he made it known, in the strongest terms, that he would never take a wife. He couples with willing women, less often than most believe. So your father had no chance of Warrick accepting such a request.”
“I am glad all is settled,” Hannah said, “and we have each other.” She hugged her husband.
He hugged her in return, loving the feel of her in his arms, where to him
, she always belonged. He thought about all Nial had told her and he knew there was still more to settle for her.
“You should go talk with Melvin. Neata says he does better and he will do even better if you speak the truth with him,” Slain encouraged.
Hannah hesitated. She was not sure if Nial had spoken the truth to her. He was a consummate liar so how did she trust that what he had told her, that Melvin was her da, was the truth?
“It is the only way you will know for sure.”
Hannah smiled softly. Her husband often knew her thoughts and she was glad of it, for it solved many a problem without her ever mentioning a word.
“I will walk you there,” he said, urging her gently out the door.
“Are you sorry you did not kill, Nial?” Hannah asked.
“That he is dead is all that matters. That it was Imus who drove a sword through him in his last attempt to escape makes it all the better.”
Slain stopped in front of the door to Hannah’s old bedchamber. “I will wait for you in our bedchamber.”
Melvin was recovering though not as fast as Conlan had, but then Neata had explained that Conlan was young and resilient and far too stubborn for his own good. It was different for Melvin. He was older and tired from far too many battles and while he was improving, it was slow, some days proving more challenging than others.
Hannah entered her bedchamber that Melvin had occupied since the night of the incident. His wounds had been too severe to even think of moving him and now that he had settled in, it made no sense to move him.
Melvin was sitting up in bed with his back braced against a couple of pillows, looking much too pale and tired. Though when he saw Hannah, he smiled.
Hannah hesitated at the open door. “I was going to talk with you a while, but you look tired.”
He waved her in. “No, please come in. I would enjoy talking with you.”
Hannah moved the chair closer to the side of the bed and sat.
“There is something troubling you?” Melvin asked.
“I could never hide anything from you.”
“It is your eyes. Your mother had the same look when something bothered her.”
“I miss her,” Hannah said, the old pain of losing her mum returning to stab at her once more.
“I do as well,” Melvin admitted with a sadness in his aging eyes that said more than he realized. “Speak your mind, Hannah, for it is obvious you have something heavy on it.”
Hannah sighed. “Nial told me that you were my father. That when my mum learned of my father’s—Ross MacFillan’s—infidelity she feared his mistress would give him a child so she turned to you for help.”
Melvin shook his head.
“He was lying to me?” Hannah asked, having hoped for once Nial had told her the truth. Having found love with Slain, she hoped her mum had at least gotten a chance to find love with Melvin.
“Your mother arrived at the MacFillan keep with such hope and promise for a good union. It did not take her long to realize she would not have it with Ross MacFillan. Our love developed over time and grew deeper through the years.”
Joy filled her heart upon hearing that her mum had known a good love. “So you are my father.”
“I gave your mum my word…” he shook his head, saying no more, tears collecting in his aging eyes.
Hannah reached out and took his hand. “No more secrets, Da.”
The tear slipped down Melvin’s cheek. “I am so very proud of you.”
They continued to talk and Hannah had the courage to ask, “Did my mum suffer so badly when she delivered me that she no longer could be a wife to Ross.”
“Your mum made it seem that way since she no longer wanted to be a wife to Ross. But then he was no husband to her. I wanted your mum to leave with me, have the three of us start a new life together. She insisted Ross would search for us until his dying day to have his revenge and see you dead along with us. As much as I wanted to disagree with her, I knew her words held truth. Ross MacFillan would have been furious at such a betrayal and would have thirsted tirelessly for revenge.”
“So you both stayed to protect me.”
“We stayed because we loved you and wanted you safe.”
“Do you think Ross knew I was not his daughter?” Hannah asked.
“I often wondered if he did, though he never made mention of it and I doubt he would have, since it would have reflected badly on him. At least having one child no one could whisper and gossip that it was his fault no bairn was born to him.”
“It must have been difficult for you all those years, having to love my mum from afar.”
“It was not the life I would have chosen, but it was the life I was given, and I would not change that for anything, for I got to know love at its unselfish best and I got to be part of my kind, beautiful, and courageous daughter’s life.”
“We have much time to make up for, Da,” Hannah said, having much to tell him about what Nial had said and what he had done to her mum, but that would wait until he was stronger.
Melvin squeezed her hand. “That we do, daughter.”
Hannah stood and leaned down to kiss his brow. “Sleep good, Da, and grow strong. I do not want to lose you.”
“I am not going anywhere, daughter.”
Hannah smiled, pleased to see determination had replaced the sadness in his eyes. She left the room, promising they would talk more tomorrow.
Slain looked up from where he waited in bed for her when she entered. Her head hung low as she turned and closed the door. She raised it when she turned and he saw her eyes bright with tears ready to spill.
Hannah watched her husband rise naked out of bed, his muscles firm and his movements precise, and she stood where she was, waiting for his strong arms to wrap around her, and they did. She let him smother her in his warmth and love. Let it soak deep inside her and feel it stir her heart and meld with her soul.
“Happy tears?” he asked after a few moments.
She nodded against his chest.
Slain lifted her in his arms and went to the chair near the fire and sat, settling her in his lap. He wanted to make love to her and fall asleep wrapped around her, but that would wait. Now, she needed him to hold her, listen if she wished to talk, or remain silent along with her. Whatever she wanted, needed, he would give her.
“I am glad Melvin is my father,” she said.
“He is a good man,” Slain said, having grown to know the man well.
“So many secrets,” she sighed and lifted her head off his shoulder.
“There will be no more secrets between us,” he said and sealed his word with a kiss.
“None?”
“Aye, not one,” he said
Hannah tool advantage of the moment. “Then, please, tell me of your first wife.”
Slain stood and carried her to the bed, sitting her down upon it, then turned away from her a moment before turning to face her once again. “It is truly Helice’s story to tell.”
“She told me it was for you to tell me.” Hannah reached out and took his hand. “I am sorry for the painful memories, but I would like to know about your wife that came before me.”
He slipped his hand out of hers and cupped her chin. “What I tell you is for us alone. No one is to know of it.”
She nodded, wondering why did he not want anyone to know of his first wife. Was the memory so painful that he wished to bury it? Bury everything about her?
“I was on a mission for Warrick to a Viking village on a small isle just off Scotland when I met Helice and her daughter Astrid. They were slaves of the Vikings. Astrid was a beautiful, shy, fragile young woman… and extremely ill. My first meeting with Astrid was when she collapsed in my arms during a trade meeting. The Viking chief grew angry and told Helice he had had enough and that he intended to sell Astrid since she was worthless to him.
“His actions did not surprise me since he was a hateful chief, laughing when Helice begged him not to do so. She came to me that n
ight and begged for my help. She told me that her daughter was dying. The village had been hit with a bad fever a few years ago and Helice had lost her son and the man who had fathered both children, and who had protected them, to it. Her daughter survived the fever, but it left her weak and she had grown weaker through the years. Helice believed she did not have much time left and she wanted nothing more than for her daughter to die a free woman, but she knew that was impossible. She asked if I would purchase Astrid and take her away so that she could at least die in peace.”
Hannah remained quiet when Slain stopped and looked off as if he was back there at that moment in time, reliving it all over again.
“I agreed without hesitation. Astrid’s eyes had haunted me since catching her in my arms. They were the most peaceful blue color I had ever seen, but it was the helplessness that I saw there that made my decision easy. What I did not count on was the Viking chief laughing at me when I asked to purchase Astrid. And what he did not count on was me agreeing when he told me the only way I could have Astrid was if I wed her.
“Helice was happy that her daughter would die a free woman. Astrid was not happy she would leave her mum behind. So after a quick ceremony, I asked Helice to help settle her daughter on my boat and say her good-byes. I set sail before she could leave, my archers standing ready to unleash on the Vikings if they should object.
“The Viking chief laughed and yelled at our departing boat, shouting that I was welcome to Helice and would be sorry I took her.”
He grew quiet, and again Hannah waited silently for him to continue.
“I was never sorry I took Helice with me and I am not sorry I wed Astrid. We were a day away from shore, the night sky was brilliant with stars. Helice and most of the men were asleep. Astrid was awake, shivering beneath the mound of blankets and furs Helice kept piled on her. She had grown weaker each day, but her smile never faltered and either did her words to me of how grateful she was that she would die knowing her mum was free and away from the pain of so much heartache and loss. I joined her beneath the blankets and took her in my arms to warm her. She asked me for one last favor.”
Embraced by a Highlander Page 30
