She smiled at the reminder of her scheduled outing, and Claire kissed her on both cheeks. “I’ll see ye then, Elspeth. I mean…Ellie.”
Elspeth laughed and waved goodbye as she and Bess walked with Graeme out to the landing. They all boarded the ship and before she knew it Graeme had rowed them back the harbor of Castlebay. Elspeth helped him secure it to the wooden post and they all started back toward The Salty Wench.
When she opened the door, Bess chuckled and then removed the pins from the back of her hair. “Oh, my loves, I am spent,” she crooned. “Please forgive me as I retire fer the evening.”
Graeme hugged her around the shoulders and looked down on her with a smile. “I’m glad ye came with us.”
“Thank ye fer taking me. Ye’re right, it was good to have an evening fer myself. And, Elspeth, I hope ye had a lovely time as well.”
“I did. Thank ye, Bess.”
Bess smiled and waved goodnight to them, carefully making her way up the stairs. After they watched her leave, Elspeth turned to Graeme and smiled. “Ye wanted to speak with me?”
He nodded. “Aye. The last few days have been a whirlwind and much has changed.”
“I agree.”
“Ye came back,” he said in disbelief. “I was giving ye an out. I was letting ye return to them. Why would ye come here after everything ye’ve been through?”
“I dinnae ken,” Elspeth whispered. “I just cannae leave ye, it would have ripped my heart in two.”
A moment of silence passed between them and Elspeth cleared her throat.
“I realized something over the past few weeks. Ye were right about me, all those things ye said about wanting to leave. I could nae admit it at the time, but I was tired. I was tired of cleaning up after Da’s mistakes and taking care of Glen and Hamish by myself…it was exhausting. I wanted my own life, one that I had chosen fer myself, but it felt selfish of me to leave. I should nae have blamed ye fer my decision.”
Graeme took a step toward her and said, “Do ye still feel that way?”
Elspeth smiled. “I came here on my own terms. I still dinnae understand all the reasons why, but I just felt like its where I need to be. I dinnae ken who I am anymore. I’m nae the same person I was.”
“That’s true,” he responded. “Back then ye never would have shot a gun like ye did on the Mary Rose. I never got to thank ye properly fer saving my life.”
Elspeth’s cheeks turned a shade of pink and she dropped her gaze toward the floor. “I’m sure ye would have made it out fine, even if I hadn’t intervened.”
“Perhaps,” Graeme told her quietly. “But regardless of how the fight would have turned out, I still owe ye a debt of gratitude. I ken that what happened has been weighing on yer mind. I’m sorry to have put ye in that position.”
Elspeth shivered when she responded, saying, “Ye didn’t. I chose to come on board that ship…I did nae even think about what would happen. When I saw ye fighting him, I just reacted impulsively. I could nae bear to see ye die. Even so, that does nae change the fact I killed a man.”
The words hung in the air for a moment while he stared back at her. After a moment, his eyes grew soft and he took a step toward her. “Ye have a kind and gentle heart, Elspeth. What can I do to ease yer suffering?”
She looked up at him and said, “I may have a gentle heart. But every day I spend with ye makes me stronger. Ye give me courage. I think I could move mountains if ye were by my side.”
Graeme exhaled a breath that he’d been holding. “I feel the same,” he murmured. “When ye’re with me, I am capable of doing great things. Ye mean more to me than I could ever say. If ye would let me, Elspeth, I would still like to express my gratitude somehow.”
She eyed him cautiously as he strode toward her from across the hall. Her breathing hitched when Graeme barely slowed his pace to suddenly place his hand on the side of her waist and Elspeth looked up at him with a nervous smile. His stormy gray eyes met hers for half a second and then he leaned in to embrace her with a kiss. Elspeth’s heart fluttered when their lips found each other at last and she closed her eyes to relish in the moment.
The kiss was soft yet demanding as Graeme’s lips melded against hers. He touched her slowly, reaching up to place his hand on the side of her face. When Elspeth felt his tongue graze her bottom lip she released an involuntary sigh.
“Graeme…”
He groaned in approval at the sound of his name and pressed his body up against her. When he broke away they were both breathing heavily.
Elspeth quivered with delight and looked up at him with a timid smile. “Are ye going to do that every time I save yer life?”
Graeme chuckled, brushing his thumb across her lips while cradling her face between his hands. “Probably, but I’d prefer nae to wait that long.”
“I dinnae either.”
She leaned in to his embrace and kissed him on the mouth. Graeme slid his hands down the front of her waist and splayed his hand over the curve of her feminine hips. Elspeth gasped when he reached her thigh and broke away long enough to say, “Please, Graeme…dinnae stop.”
“I wasn’t planning on it.”
He kissed her face and neck, breathing heavily as he made his way down to the base of her throat. Elspeth couldn’t even think, his scent and touch were the only thing she wanted to experience. When his lips crushed down on her again Elspeth met him with equal force.
Graeme’s fingers knotted in her hair as she fumbled with the buttons on his vest. Without a word, he shed the offending garment and cast it on the floor beside them. Somehow in the midst of their passion they managed to make it up the stairs. His hands never left her body, and she did not wish them to. Every second that he was touching her brought another thrill of excitement.
She wanted this. She wanted him.
They made it to the end of the hall, kissing and holding each other tight. Graeme barely managed to open the door to his room and they both almost fell inside, feeling the passion of their encounter rising. His hands tugged at the laces of her bodice and loosed them to reveal the swelling of her breasts.
Elspeth shrugged off the rest of the material and kissed him deeply on the lips. Graeme led them over to the bed and pulled off his shirt while backing her up against the mattress. She panted breathlessly as his hands glided down the curves of her breasts and waist.
When he reached the waist of her calfskin pants, Graeme looked up at her for reassurance. The look in his eyes was pleading, but also asking for permission. Elspeth nodded, and together they managed to shed her remaining clothing.
“Ye are so beautiful,” he murmured.
Elspeth smiled at him weakly, feeling his hand edge up on the skin of her thigh.
She lost all sense of time, or anything outside his bedroom—all she could see and feel was him. Eventually, they both collapsed onto the mattress in a tangle of limbs and slept.
Elspeth slept the night of a woman who was exhausted and perfectly, blissfully, content.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Castlebay Village, the Barra
Elspeth sighed when the morning rays of sun came pouring through the window. Her legs were bare and tangled in the sheets of a bed that smelled of musk and oak. Suddenly, she became aware of a muscular arm wrapped around her body and the warmth of another person pressed against her backside.
Memories of the night before came back to her in flashes. First, she remembered Graeme kissing her in the hallway and the feel of his lips against her skin. Then at some point they started ripping off each other’s clothes and finally made it to his room. She remembered the heat of his body between her legs and waves of pleasure crashing over her as he caressed her naked breasts…
Oh God, did that happen?
Her eyes flew open in a fit of momentary panic and she turned to see Graeme sleeping peacefully on the bed beside her. Elspeth’s cheeks grew flush at the sight of him but she could not seem to rip her eyes away. His chest was bare, and contours of his arms
and stomach were clearly visible in the sunlight. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of his long black hair and perfectly muscled body, and she drank in every inch of him.
The memories of their lovemaking were not a figment of her imagination—Elspeth’s body was still deliciously sore confirming that.
As her fear subsided Elspeth smiled and carefully removed his arm from around her waist. It was not the first time they had shared a bed together, but the last time had been under completely different circumstances. She was embarrassed and felt completely exposed, both literally and figuratively.
Before she could slip away, however, Graeme rolled over on the mattress and opened his eyes to smile at her. “Were ye going somewhere?”
“I-I…just thought I should go get dressed.”
Graeme propped himself up on an elbow and said, “Now why would ye want to go and do a silly thing like that?”
She scoffed, glancing back toward the doorway. “What if Bess walks in on us again?”
Graeme brushed it off and pulled himself up to a sitting position. “I’m nae ashamed of this, are ye? Besides, Bess kens better than to enter my room without permission.”
She relaxed slightly and glanced down when he reached out to take her by the hand. Elspeth wet her lips and looked back at him with a smile. “I love ye.”
His eyes softened when he responded, “I love ye, too. To me, Elspeth, ye’re just as wild and mysterious as the sea—I find the thought of losing myself in that completely irresistible.”
Graeme leaned over to kiss her gently on the lips and she felt her resolve wavering. He cradled her face between his hands and kissed her long and slow, and deep. His perfect mouth blended into hers as his caress pleaded with her to stay.
He pulled away from her for a moment and whispered, “Besides, I never said that I was done with ye. There are a hundred things I’d like to do to yer naked body, and I plan on taking my time with each and every one.”
Elspeth shuddered and lay back against the mattress with a dreamy smile. Who needs clothes?
Her heartbeat quickened as Graeme climbed on top on her, using his hands to work her skin like magic until she was gasping, begging for release.
“Please,” she gasped. “I need to feel ye.”
Graeme did not respond, but she felt his head dip lower on her chest, leaving a trail of kisses across her collarbone. She wanted him so desperately, to feel him inside her and know what happened last night was not a mistake. Graeme was not a gentle lover, but she liked that about him. She liked that his hands were strong and capable, and that he took everything he wanted from her without apology.
Elspeth wanted him to make love to her exactly like this as often as possible, it made her feel alive.
Moments later, after they had thoroughly exhausted themselves, Graeme came undone inside her and collapsed in blissful agony. She lay on her back and felt a cool breeze rush across her skin as they stared up at the ceiling. When her breathing calmed, Graeme rolled over to her to kiss her on the mouth.
He broke away with a contented smile and said, “I’m never going to get used to that.”
Elspeth frowned. “What?”
“The way ye look at me,” Graeme responded. “I dinnae think anyone has ever looked at me the way ye do. It makes my heart sing.”
She smiled at him and Graeme kissed her softly on the lip before climbing off the mattress. He donned a pair of hose Elspeth quickly lowered her gaze to the ground, looking anywhere except at the glorious half naked man standing a few feet away from her. When his eyes flickered back toward the sheets a wistful expression crossed his face.
“I did nae think to ask beforehand about whether ye were a maid…but now I can clearly see ye were. It was thoughtless of me nae to have considered that. I hope ye’ll forgive me.”
Elspeth blushed, glancing down at the proof of her innocence and tried to cover it. “There’s nothing to forgive,” she told him. “We both wanted this.”
He sat down on the bed beside her and took Elspeth by the hand. “Nevertheless, I should have been more careful. Did I hurt ye?”
She pursed her lips and smiled, pulling up the sheets to hide her nakedness. “Only in the best way.”
Graeme smiled at her and offered her his hand to pull Elspeth out of bed. “Dinnae forget. Lady Claire is expecting ye. There should be an envoy from the castle coming soon to deliver ye to her.”
Elspeth acknowledged him with a smile and brushed her hair to the side of her face while picking up her clothes. “I’ll have to make myself presentable then.”
Graeme kissed her on her way out the door. Elspeth stepped into the hallway and shut the door behind her with her clothes and shoes in hand. She tiptoed down the hall as quietly as she could and caught sight of Graeme’s vest lying on the floor. Immediately, she realized they must have forgotten about it the night before while they were caught up in the heat of the moment. Elspeth snatched it up quickly and snuck into her room as if she’d been there all along.
As the latch clicked into place, she breathed a sigh of relief for having not been caught in a scandal. She knew that Bess was understanding, but that didn’t mean her judgement was without its limits.
She cast her gaze around the room and set her clothes on the end of her bed, deciding what to wear for her outing to Kisimul. Eventually, her gaze drifted over to the dress hanging on the wall. She’d been wearing pants most of the time since her arrival, but the linen dress she first wore when Graeme brought her to Castlebay was hanging neatly on a hook. The gown was nice and clean now that Bess had washed it for her, and Elspeth decided to change into the skirts and feel like a lady once again.
They were not sailing today so she could allow herself the touch of femininity.
As she slipped into the soft material Elspeth felt an odd feeling of nostalgia come over her, the hidden reminder of the girl she used to be. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror and smiled while smoothing away some flyaway hairs. When she deemed her appearance acceptable, Elspeth made her way downstairs and found Graeme and Bess in the kitchen.
“Good morrow.”
“Hello, Elspeth! Ye look beautiful,” Bess told her. “Why ye’re positively glowing.”
She blushed, exchanging a glance with Graeme before responding. “Thank ye.”
“There’s an escort from the castle guard waiting fer ye outside,” Bess told her. “They arrived about fifteen minutes ago. I told them ye were getting ready, but ye should probably see to that before they come looking again.”
“Already? I thought there would be more time.”
Bess chuckled. “That’s what ye get fer sleeping in.”
Elspeth sighed and cast a longing gaze toward Graeme. “Ah well, I suppose I’m off then.”
Graeme stood up from his chair and kissed her. “Goodbye, love. I’ll see ye when ye return.”
His aunt was grinning ear to ear when she pulled away from him. “Bye.”
She turned and headed for the door where the entourage to Kisimul was waiting. As she stepped outside, Gregor and another guard met her on the road. “Ah! Good morrow, Miss Elspeth. Lady Claire has sent us to collect ye fer the afternoon. Are ye ready to depart?”
Elspeth nodded. “Aye. Thank ye very much fer coming.”
Gregor bowed, and they started down the path to the village dock. After a brief trip across the bay, she and the guards disembarked onto the Kisimul landing. Looking up at the stone structure, Elspeth asked, “So, where would I find her ladyship?”
The guard chuckled. “She would most likely be in the courtyard, or her chambers, Miss Elspeth. I can take ye there myself.”
She nodded and followed him through the gate. As they passed through the stone passageway, Elspeth glanced at the tapestries on the wall. They depicted war at sea, and the birlinns sailing across the water—clearly made by the MacNeils themselves. It was a beautiful addition to the otherwise cold, stone ambiance.
When they made it to the courtyard, Claire was
tending to some flowers in a small patch of greenery along the wall. Elspeth glanced back at Gregor to thank him for his time and nodded appreciatively. “Yer ladyship, I’ve returned with Elspeth as requested.”
Claire glanced up from her tiny garden and smiled at them while rising to her feet. “Thank ye, Gregor. Ye’re dismissed.”
He bowed to her and then exited the courtyard back the way he came.
“Good morrow, yer ladyship. I’m very glad to be here.”
She blushed. “Please, call me Claire.”
“As ye wish. I had no idea there was such a lovely garden on Kisimul soil.”
“Aye, ‘Twas a gift from my da.”
“How do keep the plants alive? The water surrounding us is salt, and surely there cannae be enough rain to tend to them alone.”
Claire smiled and gazed pointedly to a small hallway between the kitchens and the keep. “Do ye see that space over there?”
“Aye.”
“Well, ye may be surprised to learn that Kisimul is nae without its secrets. We’re fortunate enough to have a fresh water well that is tucked away between the buildings. An underground river feeds into it from the island—it’s truly quite ingenious.”
“That’s remarkable!” Elspeth laughed. “I’m learning more and more that the MacNeils are never what they seem.”
The lady smiled weakly. “I would have to agree with that sentiment. Did my da ever tell ye why he arranged this little outing?”
She shook her head. “Nae, I’m afraid he dinnae.”
Claire sighed, picking up her skirts and leading them over to the stairwell. “He’s promised me to marry one of the sons of a Mackenzie. It’s nae secret that I’m at war with him over it. I think he’s hoping ye’ll change my mind, so I’ll enter the marriage willingly.”
There was a moment of silence while Elspeth considered that for a moment. “I’m sorry about yer betrothal, Claire. Especially, since it is causing ye distress. I can assure ye, though, that I would never attempt to meddle in such a delicate affair.”
Taken by Graeme (The Pirates of Barra: Highland Raiders Book 1) Page 15
