Had she made a mistake by pushing him away? Niven told her that Alastair drank the entire bottle of whisky and then fell asleep over one of the tables in the tavern last night. She had missed sharing a bed with him like she thought they would have done. Actually, she was sure they would have if she hadn’t teased him and then turned him away.
Thankfully, he hadn’t even tried to look in the travel bag. That, at least, took a lot of pressure off her.
“Here is my castle,” he mumbled as they rode over the drawbridge and into the courtyard. There were a few rushlights but, for the most part, it was very dark. She could barely see a thing. The castle seemed large and foreboding, but there weren’t many people around at all. To her knowledge, she’d only seen a few sentries on the wall walk and one stable boy in the courtyard. Mayhap there were more people inside.
“Where is everyone?” she asked.
“When I’m no’ in residence there is no need to spend money housin’ staff. They will be here tomorrow when the word gets out that I’ve returned.”
“I see.”
They entered the great hall that was dark and very cold since no fire lit the hearth.
“Niven, see that the stable boy tends to the horses and then return and light a fire since the men will be sleepin’ in the great hall and it is quite chilly. I want them to be comfortable.” He had a caring side to him. Fia liked that.
“Yes, my laird,” answered Niven. “Shall I see to a fire in yer solar as well so we’ll be warm tonight, too?”
“Nay. Fia will stay in the solar with me. Ye will stay in the great hall.”
“Again?” complained Niven. “But my laird –”
“I’ll no’ hear another word. Och, I forgot the travel bag. Bring that as well as my hound to the solar right away.”
“Of course, my laird.”
“Yer hound?” Fia asked, curious to know more.
“Laird Alastair has a hound from hell,” Niven told her with a grin.
“Hound from hell?” She chuckled at the thought.
“Dinna laugh until ye meet Cerberus for yerself.” He took her arm and guided her through the dark. She held on to him tightly, not wanting to fall since she couldn’t see where she walked. It impressed her that he moved with purpose as if he had light guiding his way.
“How can ye see where ye’re goin’ and why dinna ye light a torch?”
“I could walk these corridors with my eyes closed. I dinna need to waste a torch that will serve me no purpose at this point.”
She tripped on the toe of her shoe and would have fallen if he hadn’t grabbed her. He was probably aiming for her waist, but his hands came up under her armpits, his fingers brushing against the sides of her breasts. It warmed her instantly, bringing back memories of their playful time together. She was sure her face flushed from the thought, making her glad there was no light so he couldn’t see the blush rising to her cheeks.
“I think Cerberus is a horrible name for a cute dog.”
He snorted.
“What?” she asked.
“I have never heard anyone say my hound is cute.”
“I think all dogs are.”
“I assure ye, he’s no’.”
“I dinna understand why ye say that. Does the wee thing have three heads or somethin’?”
“Fia, I wouldna call him wee. And some might say he has three heads the way his mouth is always open and nippin’ at somethin’ or another.”
“I like dogs,” she said, missing her two hounds back home with her family. “I canna wait to meet him.”
“Be careful what ye wish for.” They approached the solar to find a small stream of light coming from the partially opened door. Alastair opened the door wider with a push of his large hand. A dark shadow lunged out of the room, causing her to scream. She heard a thud and realized something had landed on him. His body went crashing to the ground.
“Oomph,” she heard as a whoosh of air left Alastair’s lungs. Then she heard what sounded like a licking noise and panting. “Get off of me, ye crazy mutt!”
Fia giggled. Alastair’s dog had barreled out of the solar and knocked him over.
After a string of curses, Alastair managed to remove the hound from atop him and get to his feet. He stepped into the room and lit a candle. The room lit up in a soft glow, enabling her to see the dog finally.
It was a Scottish deerhound with long legs, a small head and lots of gray, scraggly hair. It stood on its back legs and put its paws on Alastair’s shoulders. In this position, the dog was as tall as him. Then, it started licking his face.
“I guess ye’re happy to see me. But what the hell are ye doin’ in my solar?” Alastair talked to the dog.
“My laird, I’m sorry about that.” A man with a rope in his hand ran into the room after them. “I tried to keep him in the kennel, but he chewed through the rope so many times wantin’ to come back to yer solar to wait for yer return. I can take him if ye’d like me to.”
“Dinna bother.” Alastair pushed the dog’s paws off his shoulders. Cerberus started barking and running around the room in crazy circles. “He’ll only sneak out and return.”
“Aye, my laird, if ye’re sure. I’ll return to the kennels then.”
“Thank ye, Johnston,” said Alastair, guiding the man to the door. Just as he left, Niven popped his head into the room.
“Oh, I see ye found yer hound,” he said, entering the room. “Here is yer travel bag, my laird.”
“Put it on the chair and get back to the great hall to tend to the fire.”
Niven bent over, calling the dog to him. In one wild leap, the hound sprang into the air, barking, knocking him to the ground as well. Niven laughed, rubbing his hands through the dog’s fur. Alastair didn’t think it was funny.
“Damn it, Cerberus, what did ye do?” growled Alastair.
“He’s only playin’,” said Fia, leaning over to pet the dog, thinking Alastair was overreacting.
“No’ that. This,” he spat.
She turned around to see the pallet pulled apart with straw spewed everywhere. A table was overturned on its side, and the edge of a hanging tapestry was chewed up and frayed. Clothes were scattered around the room, and some of them looked to be shredded.
“Oh, my,” she said, holding her hand to her mouth. She was unable to believe what she saw. “Is the hound a puppy by any chance?”
“Nay, it is a full-grown monster that needs a lesson in manners.” Alastair crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the panting dog.
“If ye dinna like the hound, why dinna ye get rid of it?” asked Fia.
“I canna.” Alastair walked over to the torn pallet and sat on it, pulling off his boots.
“Why no’?”
“No reason. I just canna.”
“He canna give it away because even though it drives him mad, he has lost his heart to the blame thing,” explained Niven.
“I see.” Fia’s heart melted. The gruff, angry, Scottish laird had a soft side after all. “So ye hate and love the dog all at the same time.”
“It’s just a hound,” he said, throwing his boot across the floor. The dog thought he was playing and hurried over and picked it up and ran in circles, knocking into everything again.
“Niven, stop him,” Alastair commanded.
“I would if I could,” said Niven, running after the dog and trying to catch it. The dog thought it was a game and barked even with the boot in its mouth. It got down low but left its rear high in the air. As soon as Niven got close, the dog sprang up and ran around the room.
Alastair complained. “Ye chew up another pair of my boots and I’ll –”
“Here ye go,” said Fia, reaching over and taking the boot from the dog and handing it to him.
Alastair looked up in amazement to see Fia petting the dog with one hand and handing him his boot with the other. The last time the troublesome hound stole his boot, he spent half a day chasing it before he finally found it shredded and floating
in the well.
“How did ye do that?” he asked, unable to keep his jaw from dropping.
“Do what?” She shrugged her shoulders, acting as if she didn’t know what he meant. “All the dog needs is a little love and attention.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“Look,” she said, pointing across the room. “He’s over in the corner lyin’ down and bein’ guid.”
Alastair stared in disbelief to see the dog lying down quietly and with its paws atop his travel bag. Whose dog was this? Certainly not his! He had never seen anything like this from Cerberus in his life. Fia seemed to bring out an obedient side of the hound without even trying.
“Shall I take the dog back to the kennel or down to the great hall for the night?” asked Niven.
“Nay, leave it here, please,” begged Fia, looking at Alastair so forlorn that he couldn’t say no. He hadn’t had much sleep in the past few nights, staying awake to watch over her. He was counting on a good’s night rest tonight, but with the dog in the room, that was going to be nearly impossible.
“My laird?” asked Niven, holding on to a rope to put around the dog’s neck.
The dog sighed as if on cue, to make matters worse. Alastair looked over at Fia again. He swore her bottom lip became fuller in such a seductive pout that all he wanted to do was suck on it. “The dog stays,” he said, falling back on the ripped pallet, so tired he didn’t even care that there was straw sticking out and poking him in the back.
“Aye, my laird. I will go then.” Niven left and closed the door.
“Thank ye,” said Fia, running over to him and throwing her arms around him in a hug. “This makes me feel like I’m home with my two dogs that I havena seen in years.”
With her breasts pressed up against his chest and her head lying on his shoulder, he couldn’t stop from putting his arms around her and nuzzling his nose to the top of her head. Damn, she smelled good, like wildflowers mixed with a gentle summer breeze. This wasn’t going to work. He pushed her away and turned onto his side. “Dinna touch me unless ye plan to carry it through because I willna be tempted and then be turned away again.” He closed his eyes, longing for sleep. But now that she’d hugged him, he had a feeling it was going to be a sleepless night once again.
Chapter 13
Alastair awoke the next morning to his hound licking him in the face. He had been dreaming about licking Fia and had hoped it was her kisses he felt. But alas, it was not.
“Cerberus, stop it.” With his eyes still closed, his hand went out to push the dog away. When it wouldn’t leave him alone, he rolled over and tried to continue sleeping. But then the hound nudged him in the back three times. The last time was so hard that he rolled off the bed and hit the floor. “All right. I’m awake,” he grumbled, sitting up to realize he had fallen asleep with his clothes on last night. He looked across the room to see Fia sleeping on a chair by the window.
The early morning sunlight peeked in from the partially opened shutter, bathing her face in hues of orange and gold. It made her hair look like locks of angelic fire. Long, wavy strands fell over her chest, molding to her curves. How regal she seemed, like a princess mixed with an angel. Now, all she needed was to be wearing her crown. How the hell was he going to trade her to his enemy, not knowing if they were going to harm a hair on her head? For all he knew, they might rape her or beat her. After all, she said they wouldn’t want her since she was from the Lowland sept. This decision was eating him up from inside. He had no choice, he told himself. He had tried for years to rescue his father, and this was his best and, mayhap, last chance. He had to do it.
Alastair let out a sigh and got to his feet, brushing the rushes off his plaid with one hand, trying to keep the dog from barking with his other.
He walked over to the door and opened it, letting the hound run out. “Go find Niven,” he said, closing the door, knowing the dog’s nose would lead him to the great hall since the meal would be served soon.
“Alastair?” came Fia’s soft, gentle voice from the other side of the room.
“Go back to sleep. It’s early.” He headed back to the bed, hoping to get a few extra winks himself.
“Nay, I want to talk to ye.” She slid off the chair and padded across the floor in her bare feet, daringly sitting on the edge of the bed next to him.
“About what?” he asked, pushing up to a sitting position, curious to know what she had to say. He made sure not to get too close, or he would be tempted to kiss her again.
“I wanted to apologize.”
“Whatever for?” He straightened out his plaid that had ridden up his bare thighs.
“I wasna tryin’ to tempt ye and then push ye away. It’s just that I . . . I am a virgin, and yer actions frightened me.”
All of a sudden, Alastair felt like a fool. Of course, she was a virgin. Why hadn’t he thought of that? His lust had gotten in the way and turned his mind to mud. He should never have acted the way he did with the granddaughter of a king, even if she was spawned from naught but a bastard.
“I’m no’ proud of the way I acted with ye,” he admitted. “I – I let my feelin’s for ye get in the way.”
“Ye have feelin’s for me?” Fia was surprised to hear Alastair admit it. She never expected this from a man like him.
“Well, I mean, I just got excited since I havena been around such a bonnie lassie in a long time. That’s all it was, nothin’ more.”
He was lying again, and Fia knew it. He made it sound like he thought it was a mistake, but his body actions betrayed him. He sat on the bed with his knees out to the sides, nearly exposing his crotch to her under his plaid. And he leaned forward as if he didn’t want to miss a word she said. His eyes quickly fell from her face, scanning down her body and then moved back up again. She watched as the pupils of his eyes grew two sizes larger. She smiled, knowing now that he was genuinely attracted to her.
“Tell me about yerself,” she said, hoping to find out more about his life within the clan.
“What do ye want to ken?”
“Do ye have siblin’s? And besides yer faither who is imprisoned, is yer mathair still alive?”
A dark shadow covered his face. He shook his head slightly. “I dinna remember much of my mathair. Somethin’ happened long ago that I dinna understand. She left my faither when my brathair and I were just lads. My brathair, Toran, disappeared after a battle with the English a few years ago. I guess he is dead.”
“Ye dinna ken for sure? Perhaps he was taken prisoner, like yer faither.”
“I dinna think so. I found his sword on the battlefield and barely made it out alive myself. I was wounded and would have died if a mysterious woman hadna picked me up and helped me onto my horse.”
“A mysterious woman? Who was she?”
His eyes flashed upward and to the side as if he were reliving a past event. “I dinna ken. Through my blurred vision, she looked to me like an angel.”
“Mayhap you imagined her.”
“Nay!” He sat up straight and his hands closed. “My faither thinks the same thing, but I didna imagine her at all.”
“Then who was she? And what was she doin’ on the battlefield?” asked Fia curiously.
“I dinna ken. I couldna see her face under the hood of her cape. The only thing I remember was that she wore a small heart brooch on her cloak just like the one ye wear.” He gingerly reached out and ran the tip of his finger over her heart pin in a reverent manner.
“Are ye sure?” she asked. “Perhaps it was one similar to this, but no’ the same at all.”
“Nay, it is exactly the same. I’ll prove it to ye if ye dinna believe me.”
“How can you do that?”
“I have the brooch. The woman gave it to me before she sent me off on my horse, tellin’ me to accept anyone I’d ever meet who wore a pin like it and no’ to turn them away.” He jumped out of bed and hurried over to a shelf, pulling down a small chest. Opening it, he plucked up something in two fingers a
nd held it out for her to see. It was a heart-shaped pin that looked identical to hers. There was no doubt in Fia’s mind that it came from one of the members of the queen’s secret group. “What does it mean?” he asked her.
“Mean? I dinna understand.”
“Aye. I noticed that ye wear one and so did Imanie and so do yer cousins. Lorraine from the Iron Eagle has one, too. I asked her about it once, but she wouldna tell me where she got it. It is no’ a coincidence that so many women are wearin’ the same brooch.
“It’s just a brooch,” she said, trying to make light of the situation so he wouldn’t ask more questions.
“I noticed it on ye the first time we met in the woods. It startled me to see it. I have to ken what it means.”
“Is that why ye let me go and allowed me to keep my crown? I always wondered about that,” said Fia, finally understanding his odd action so long ago.
“Aye, I thought ye were special, and now I ken that ye are. I didna want to tempt fate by hurtin’ or stealin’ from a lassie who might be connected to the woman who saved my life.”
“Interestin’ that ye say that, yet ye are so willin’ to keep me as yer prisoner and trade me to the enemy. Mayhap, that will be temptin’ fate as well.”
“Aye.” He fingered the brooch while pacing the room, staring at the floor. “Mayhap it is, but it is what I have to do to bring my faither home.”
“I’m sure there are other ways to rescue yer faither,” Fia told him, trying to get him to change his mind.
“Nay. I’ve tried everythin’, and yet the Grants still hold him prisoner.”
“Did they demand a ransom?”
“They did no’. Instead, they hold it over my head that if we attack or even try to rescue him, they will kill him on the spot.”
“The Grants said that?” This surprised Fia since Hamil, the clan chieftain, seemed to be such a reasonable man. He had even accepted her father, Reed, knowing he was the English king’s bastard. But since Reed was married to Maggie, and Hamil liked Maggie, he made the exception. Fia didn’t doubt that Laird Hamil would not want anything to do with her and that she would be far from a good trade for the captured laird of the MacPherson Clan.
Highland Secrets Page 13
