Claimed By A Charmer (The Pith Trilogy)

by Griffin, Kara

  Later after supper, Douglas waited patiently for all to turn in. He’d hoped Isabel would remain in the hall until everyone left. He had his own plan in getting her to admit her deceit. He asked her to join him in a chess game and she sat across from him studying the board. His mother called her goodnight from the stairwell and left the hall. Now only Candace and Wills remained, quietly conversing by the out cove. After two games, in which he beat Isabel soundly, his sister and Wills finally retired for the night. Candace called her goodnight and went up the stairs, while Wills left the hall, closing the door behind him.

  “Checkmate.”

  “Not again. My mind is not on the game, Laird Kerr. I’m not skilled at this game.”

  “Douglas.”

  Isabel’s eyes rose. “What?”

  “Call me Douglas.”

  She smiled. “Very well, Douglas.” She lifted her goblet and drank the warm amber ale.

  “So what’s this I hear about daggers?”

  Isabel almost choked, she gasped and her eyes watered. “What did ye say?” Her eyes lowered to the table, obviously hiding her reaction.

  Douglas kept his face serene. “Ye heard me. I want to know the truth. You’re skilled at daggers, are you not? It was you?”

  She acted dumfounded. “What?”

  “In the woods that day, you used your dagger to save me.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. What in the woods?”

  “Aye, lass, ye do know. You killed that man, it was your dagger that struck him, and then you pretended to be a fragile, weeping woman. You even cried over your mussed hair. Why?”

  “Very well, I’ll concede. I did kill him. He would have cut you down with his sword, had I not. But I didn’t want you to know about it.”

  “I should be thanking you. Why would ye care if I knew or not?”

  “It’s not ladylike.”

  His eyebrow rose. “You’re not ladylike?”

  “I am sometimes—most of the time,” she qualified, lowering her eyes. She couldn’t look at him and fiddled with her hands. He wished he were close enough to get her to stop.

  “When are you not ladylike, Isabel?”

  Her eyes rose to meet his. “When I’m throwing my daggers.”

  Douglas couldn’t help it, he laughed, not a light-chuckle kind of laugh, but a loud-grating, chest-rumbling, out-and-out laugh. “You must be skilled for Brendan to be impressed, and I’d say that he was, during your target practice.”

  Isabel’s heart jumped at the sight of his dimples. “I can’t believe he told my secret. Wait until I see him again. He found me in the forest practicing, but my mind wasn’t on the target that day. I missed a few times.”

  “What were you thinking about?”

  “Nothing of import. I think I’ll turn in now. Good night, Douglas.” She rose.

  “Wait, lass, I uh … I want you to be yourself. You don’t have to pretend to be something you’re not, especially around me. This is your home for the time being and …”

  “That’s well and good, Douglas.”

  The sound of his name on her lips made him smile. He insisted on walking her to her chamber, and escorted her into the room.

  “What are you doing?” He’d entered her chamber, and she became alarmed by his curious behavior.

  “This.” Douglas kicked the door closed. Stealthily moving as if he was a cat on the prowl, his shoulders rolled with each step. He pulled her into his arms, grinning wickedly. He wanted her hair out of the damned coif, and pulled it free of its ties. As her long silky auburn waves cascaded down her back, he took a handful, gently wrapping it between his fingers. He tugged on the strands to get her to tilt her head back then he kissed her.

  Isabel made a sound from deep within her throat, and kissed him back.

  He pulled back from her, smiling. “I want you, cat-eyes.”

  “Douglas, please.” She pushed him away. “I cannot let you … do that. I do enjoy your kisses and you make me feel …”

  He didn’t let her finish, but surrounded her with his arms and kissed her again. He kept her pressed against him with his arm around her back, while his other hand roamed over her shoulder and then covered her breast. He molded her to his frame. Douglas deepened the kiss, and she responded passionately. Aye, she set his blood on fire.

  He kept up his gentle attack and realized he was vastly losing control. He pulled back, eyeing the bed. Then he leaned his head against hers, fighting to calm his breath and his basic instincts.

  “Douglas, please leave before I …” A knock sounded at the door, cutting off her speech.

  They both looked toward it.

  “Douglas, get out of that lass’ room this instant.”

  “Damn.” Douglas jerked his hands through his hair. “It’s my mother again. I swear the woman has the ears of an elephant.”

  Isabel laughed at his obvious chagrin. “Elephant? Is that some kind of creature?”

  “Aye, a very large animal with gigantic ears.”

  “How would you know of such an animal?”

  Douglas laughed. “I read.”

  “I read, too.”

  “Ah, but it depends on what you read as to what you learn.”

  “I never read of such an animal in my readings.”

  “Douglas, do ye hear me?” his mother called through the door, tapping it.

  He smiled at Isabel and ignored his mother. “You would not learn of such in sonnets or romantic verse.”

  Isabel placed her hand on his arm. “‘Tis not sonnets or romantic verse that interests me, Douglas.”

  He couldn’t help but smile. “Nay? I better go before my mother pulls out a dagger of her own.” He kissed her lips again and after a few seconds, he released her. “This is not over, Isabel. Nay, it’s only just begun.” He slid his hand along her jaw and turned to leave.

  His mother yanked him from the room. She lectured him on the merits of being a gentleman, not a ravishing womanizer. Douglas resisted laughing at her, and possibly angering her even more.

  “You’re behaving unseemly. Don’t let me find you in there again, Douglas.”

  “Aye, Mother.” He smiled, and whistled as he walked to his own chamber. If he wasn’t ready to burst with laughter over his mother’s words, he’d be scowling at the fact that he wanted to make love to the enchanting lass. He took his good old time walking down the hall, and waited to hear what his mother said to her.

  His mother looked at Isabel through the opened door. “Isabel, don’t let him inside your bedchamber again. If he wants ye, he’ll do it the honorable way. I didn’t raise him to be a philanderer.”

  “Aye, ma’am.” Isabel laughed, closing the door.

  Douglas quickly turned away when his mother left Isabel’s door. He entered his own chamber and undressed, and readied for bed. He lay in his bed, thinking Isabel was an incredible woman. She threw daggers, for God’s sake. She would definitely never bore him. He wanted her—wanted her more than any woman. He felt excited and urgent, like a lad that found his first love. It had been a long time since he felt such desire, at least since Morna. He shook his head at the thought of her. He wouldn’t ruin the wondrous feelings Isabel awakened with thoughts of that shrew.

  The night dragged on, and he lay thinking about her. He wanted to sleep beside her, but mostly, he wanted to hold her in his arms and keep her safe. He realized at that moment, his feelings ran deep. Douglas knew he should find out more about her. She had an air of mystery about her. He pondered why she’d been sent to the asylum, and why she held the knife to her heart.

  In the darkness, his mind turned over the questions he had. The first thing he would do was to make certain she knew of his earnestness. She didn’t seem to realize that yet. Then he’d find out the answers to his questions. Hopefully, she would be agreeable and wed him. Aye, he wanted her enough to marry her. She would be faithful and loving. Isabel would give him the children he desired and the life he’d hoped for. He hadn’t met a wo
man yet who made him feel so alive like she did.

  Douglas finally acknowledged it, and decided to release himself from the constraints he’d placed on himself. Aye, he felt more alive than he ever felt before. He reached over, taking the candle from the stand, and blew out the light.

  Graying clouds hung low, allowing her power to heighten. The dismal sky lent its mien to her dejection, but sent a charge of force through her. Feeling the pulse in her fingertips, she raised them to the sky. “I shan’t be put off, ye shall be mine. Exist whilst ye can, warrior.

  For if ye refute me, it will be your end.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Douglas rose early the next morning, ready to face the day, and his sister. He waited for Candace to rise and come to the hall. She took her good sweet time, but he wasn’t in a patient mood. He paced before the hearth and kept looking toward the stairs. After waiting for what seemed like hours, he finally gave up his vigilance, and ran up the steps.

  He pounded on her door. “Candace?” She couldn’t still be sleeping.

  She opened the door just as he was about to push it open himself. “What’s wrong?”

  Douglas smiled lightly. “Can I come in? I need to talk to you. It’s of import.”

  “Aye.” She waved him inside, closing the door behind her.

  “I saw Isabel in the kitchen and I waited for you in the hall. What took you so long?”

  “I didn’t know you wanted to see me. What’s so important? It’s not Wills, is it? Has something happened? Oh, God above.” She slumped on the bed. Her face turned white.

  “Nay, he left early this morn, said he had clan matters to see to. I have questions to put to you.” He took a seat on the window cushion, wondering why she looked so worried. “It’s about Isabel. I want to know everything about her. I’ve come to ask—”

  “Why do you want to know about Isabel?”

  He ignored her. “What’s her father like?”

  “He’s evil, Douglas, and treats her horribly. He sent her to the asylum.”

  “I know, I rescued her from there. Why would he send her there? He’s not a caring father?”

  “He didn’t want to be burdened with a daughter. She says he detests women, and has no use for her, only his sons.”

  Douglas scoffed and cursed under his breath. “Will she deny my pursuit?”

  “Pursuit?” Candace gasped. “Are you saying you wish to wed Isabel?”

  She sounded astounded by their conversation, and her voice rose with each word.

  “Aye, I want to wed her. Do you think she will agree?”

  “She hasn’t mentioned any feelings for ye.” Candace looked as though she’d swoon, she leaned back against the wall, eying him curiously.

  “I’m not worried about that, she does have feelings for me. I’ll not be put off.”

  “You sound so certain, I wouldn’t be, Douglas. I never know what Isabel will do, and I’ve known her for years.”

  “I’ll gain her agreement. For now, don’t say anything. I’ll have to take it slow.”

  “This is wonderful news. I’m happy for you both. She needs someone like you, and hasn’t had an easy life.”

  “Tell me about her.” Douglas leaned on his knee and looked expectantly at his sister.

  “She’s been afraid for the longest time, since I’ve known her. It took her a long time to confide in me. She finally told me about it during our last visit, but she endured his advances for years before she was able to go to her Uncle Stan’s.”

  “Whose advances?”

  “Her eldest brother, Nigel’s. He tried to force himself on her and she was scared. That’s why I sent you to get her, she was afeared he would hurt her. Now that she’s here, she’s finally safe. I know she has another brother, Nathaniel, who she cares for. He’s the youngest, and tried to help her, but her father and Nigel rule their keep.”

  “She won’t ever return there. So you lied to me and told me you promised to have her visit for your wedding?”

  “Nay, I didn’t lie, Douglas, mayhap fabricated a wee bit. We did promise each other that we would be at the weddings, so I didn’t lie about that. I worried that you wouldn’t, well, Father promised … Isabel knew I worried about marrying, and we made the oath a long time ago. I knew about her being sent to the asylum though, but I couldn’t tell you.”

  “If she was in danger, you should have told me. I would still have gone for her.”

  “I couldn’t, Douglas, I promised not to disclose it. I believe she was embarrassed, and I didn’t think you would retrieve her if I told you. I knew you would bring her back. You have never broken your word.”

  Douglas sighed. “Nay, I would have brought her back regardless.”

  “There’s another matter that you should know of …” She sat forward, a serious expression on her face. “I don’t know how to tell you.”

  “You must be honest with me, Candace. I should be angry with you for not telling me the truth then, but I cannot stay angered with you.”

  She nodded. “When her brother tried to … he struck her and knocked her senseless. She believes he might have done the deed.”

  Douglas gained his feet, his mood turned murderous. He wanted to kill someone, and that someone was Nigel Calvert. “That bastard, I’ll kill him.” He approached Candace and held her arms. “What happened to her? Did he try to fornicate …?” His voice decreased to a whisper.

  Candace’s eyes began tearing. “She said she was unaware after he struck her, but her brother Nate disrupted him and was able to get her out of there. Her father sent her to the asylum because of it, but she doesn’t know if he actually did the deed. They believe her mad.”

  Douglas scoffed. “Cosh, no wonder she tried to … the poor lass. None of that matters. I’ll take care of her and make sure she doesn’t come to harm again.”

  “I am pleased to hear that, Douglas. I love her and don’t want to see harm come to her. Please, don’t tell her I spoke to ye, she would be affronted if she knew I told.”

  “I will have to talk to her about it eventually, but I’ll wait until after we say our vows.”

  He seethed with ire. Isabel never let on about her plight. How was she able to hide all that had happened? She was a courageous woman. Douglas strode morosely from Candace’s chamber. He would make sure her father and brother paid for their atrocities. They’d never hurt his woman again. His woman. It made him even more angered at what they’d done. He needed to see her, but first he’d have to rid his anger. He went to the stable and readied his horse, then rode swiftly through the walls.

  Two days later, Douglas still hadn’t been able to ease his tension at hearing Isabel’s dreadful situation. He still couldn’t face her without becoming angry, and he didn’t want to her to think his anger was directed at her. That had been easy, because she avoided him. He decided to ride out again, in hopes it would relieve his frustration and when he returned, he would confront her. As he rode to the gates, Burk rode through the threshold, waving at him to stop. He pulled his mount to a halt and jumped down. He hoped Burk had news of Bonnie’s disappearance. Douglas worried about his cousin’s daughter.

  Burk handed him the parchment that Brendan had sent. He asked him to look into a matter concerning their ally, Ellic McFie. A herd of oxen had been slaughtered a week past, and Ellic needed their assistance. Brendan wrote that he couldn’t leave Julianna, and they hadn’t found Bonnie yet. Robin was still in England assisting Colin with the search, which left Brendan to care for the clan.

  Douglas’ face reflected the grimness of the situation. His cousin’s disappearance became a grievous matter, especially since it appears she was abducted. The strange happenstance of the girl’s abduction, coupled with the McFie’s oxen being slaughtered, concerned him. What happened to the day when his greatest concern was that of a riff between his crofters? It seemed that the peaceful setting they’d become accustomed to had worn off.

  “Wait for me, Burk, I’ll let my mother know I’
m leaving. We’ll ride to Ellic’s at all haste.”

  “Aye, Douglas.”

  Douglas found his mother rolling dough in the kitchen. He wiped flour from her nose and kissed her cheek. “I’ve been called to see to a matter for Colin. Brendan cannot attend to it, so I’ll go in his stead.”

  “Have they found Bonnie yet?”

  “Nay, they haven’t. The matter concerns slaughtered oxen at the McFie’s. I’m leaving Cedric in charge. Keep an eye on Isabel for me.”

  “Does that mean what I think …” He nodded. “Very well, lad, be safe.”

  He heard his mother’s delightful laughter as he strode from the kitchen.

  On his trek to the McFie’s, he thought about Isabel and her position. He hadn’t declared his intention yet, and he’d made little progress in the last few days because she avoided him. She wore her hair in that blasted bun, and acted the opposite of the spirited lass, he knew her to be. When he returned home, he would demand that she let her hair out of that blasted bun. He longed to see her true spirit, the spirit she had shown Brendan. He rode beside Burk, and a handful of men that flanked their rear. After a while, he motioned for his men take the lead, and slowed his mount.

  “Burk, it seems strange that someone would kill the McFie property, especially with them being aligned to the MacKinnons.”

  “Aye, Brendan was enraged and wanted to take care of this himself. You know how that lad enjoys a good fight.”

  “When you return, tell him it wasn’t a hardship for me to look into it.”

  Ellic McFie joined them in the woods adjacent to his lands. Twenty men rode with him, wearing hard faces that showed uneasiness for what had happened to their property.

  “Douglas, I’m glad to see ye. Brendan sent word that you would come. I thank you for coming so swiftly,” Ellic said.

  “What’s going on?” Douglas pulled his mount to a halt. An unease settled inside him, and he was certain this had to do with Bonnie’s disappearance, but he’d wait to hear the news.

  “Someone killed thirty of our oxen. We’ve sliced ‘em up and salted them. They’re stashed in our winter storage shed now. They were a gift from my lady’s father.”