It was a cruel twist of fate that had brought her into his life. If only she had been born in this time, in this place, then his clan would accept her. And maybe she would have had family connections that would have made her as much an asset to him as Moira.
With a gentle touch of his fingers to her cheek, he forced her to look at him. "The last thing I want is to hurt you, Aileanna. I wish there was a way I didna' have to." He looked deep in her eyes. "Mayhap it would be best if we went back."
She placed her hand over his fingers. "Not yet. Please."
If this was to be their only time together, she needed to make it last. He kissed the top of her head and wrapped her in his powerful arms. "Al right. This night wil be ours, but only tonight. You understand I canna' put it off any longer, Aileanna. On the morrow I must sign the papers."
She wanted to rage at him, to cry out at the unfairness of it, but she couldn't. In her heart, she knew it was what he had to do. She wouldn't want him to risk the lives of his clan because of her, to have him live with that on his con science for the rest of his life. He would never forgive her, and she would never forgive herself. Ali snuggled into the warmth of his embrace and nodded, unable to speak, to control the hot tears that slid down her cheeks.
Rory groaned. "Nay, Aileanna, yel at me, anythin' but yer tears, lass."
"I'm not crying," she said, her words muffled against his chest. "I'm tough, Rory MacLeod. I don't cry."
He tilted her head back and captured a teardrop on his fingertip. "Be strong, mo chridhe, fer me. I canna' bear yer tears."
Ali gave him a watery smile and wiped her eyes. "I'l try." There was so much more she wanted to say to him, but the words wouldn't come. Her heart ached, and she needed to put some distance between them if only to gain a semblance of her self-control. She lifted his arm from her chest and pressed a kiss to his palm.
"Where are you goin'?" he asked when she stood up.
"Over here," Ali said as she walked to the water's edge. She removed her slippers and dipped her toes into the foam that rol ed onto the pebble-lined shore. Lifting the hem of her gown, she trailed her foot through the froth in a circular pattern.
Rory embraced her from behind, pressing her back to his chest. "That's how I'l remember you, Aileanna. Playin' in the loch with moonbeams in yer hair. I'l no' forget you, lass. Til the day I die, you'l hold a piece of my heart." Chapter 14
As they neared the edge of the clearing and Dunvegan loomed before them, Rory stopped. They could go no farther without being seen and he needed to touch her, look into her eyes one more time before he said good-bye. It had been the hardest thing he'd ever done, not to kiss her lips, to find a soft place to lay her down and love her like he wanted to. But he knew if he did, he'd never be able to let her go, and he would not dishonor Moira, or Aileanna, by lying with her He brought their entwined hands to his lips, and kissed her palm. She looked up at him, moisture gathered in her eyes, and he framed her face. "You promised."
She attempted a smile, but her bottom lip quivered and she caught it between her perfect white teeth. "I didn't . . . didn't think it would be this hard."
He groaned, and pul ed her against him, burying his face in her silky hair, breathing her in as though to keep some part of her with him. "Doona' be angry, lass, but I pray Angus sends word soon. I canna' bear to think you suffer because of what I must do."
She tipped her head back and placed two fingers on his lips. "Don't worry, Rory, I won't be here much longer. And if this is to be our good-bye, there's something I have to ask you to do for me. I need you to make me a promise."
"What is it, Aileanna? I would give you whatever you want, you must ken that."
"There's only one thing I want, but you and I both know it can't happen. We weren't meant to be." She gave him a sad smile. "But there is something you can do for me that wil make it easier for me to leave."
"What would that be?"
Her gaze was intent as she held his. "You have to promise me, if anyone comes to you with a complaint against Moira, you'l listen. And that you won't give her control over Dunvegan when you're away from home. She--"
"I ken Mrs. Mac and Fergus have their reservations, but you doona' ken her, Aileanna. She means wel . She but tries to please me."
Her skepticism was evident in the look she gave him.
"Please, just give me your promise. You're a man of your word, and al I ask is you give it to me on this."
He sighed, shaking his head. "Aye . . . aye, I wil do as you ask."
The sound of men's voices in the courtyard drew his attention and he said, "'Tis time, mo chridhe."
She reached up on the tips of her toes to brush her soft lips over his. "Good-bye, Rory. Be happy and stay wel ,"
she said against his mouth.
He threaded his fingers through her long hair to cradle her head and gaze into her beautiful blue eyes. Rory had never wanted anything as badly as he wanted Aileanna. He yearned to deepen the gentle kiss, ravage her mouth and mark her as his, but he couldn't, not without causing both of them more heartache.
"Good-bye, mo chridhe."
With difficulty he stepped away from her, and together they crossed the courtyard. The night was stil , the men's voices fading off into the distance, the only sound the clicking of Aileanna's heels as they struck the stone. He reached out to assist her on the steps, but she shook her head without looking at him. As he pushed the doors open the ache in his chest grew, and he hoped al were abed. His hopes were dashed when Mrs. Mac, Fergus, and Iain rushed into the entranceway, fol owed by Cyril, Moira, and Aidan, who gave him a knowing look.
"Och, now, Lady Aileanna, you've been cryin'. What has that big oaf done to you?" Mrs. Mac cried, scowling at him. She drew Aileanna into her protective embrace. Fergus and Iain took a threatening step toward him.
"No more than she deserves, I'd imagine," Moira said, smiling like a cat that'd swal owed a wee warbler. "And ye wil na' speak to yer laird in that manner, Mrs. Macpherson."
Rory was about to intervene, not wanting the tension to escalate, but Mrs. Mac didn't give him a chance. "Och, and I'l speak to him any way I please. I've been doin' so since he was in nappies, and you'l no' be tel in' me different."
Moira's incensed gaze shot to Mrs. Mac and Aileanna, and then back to Rory, as though she waited for him to ex plain, or at least intercede on her behalf, but it was Aileanna who took it upon herself to defuse the situation. Once she managed to extricate herself from Mrs. Mac, she said, "I was out for a walk and tripped. Lord MacLeod came to my rescue, nothing more. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to go to bed."
"Good sleep, Aileanna," Rory said to her retreating back. He clenched his hands at his sides lest he reach out to her. Her eyes met his over her shoulder. "To you, too, Lord MacLeod. To you, too." Her voice was low and husky. Mrs. Mac sniffed. "My apologies, Laird MacLeod, and my thanks fer yer assistin' my lady." She turned on her heel and hurried after Aileanna.
Fergus's and Iain's thunderous expressions relaxed, but the MacLeans were none too pleasant to look upon.
"Ye were alone with . . . that woman?" Moira shrieked.
"Now, poppet, he came to her rescue is al ," her brother soothed. Giving Rory a pointed look over her head, he added, "I'm certain my sister wil no' be so sensitive once the papers have been signed."
"'Twil be done on the morrow. Now if you wil excuse me, I wish to retire fer the evenin'." Ignoring Fergus, Iain, and his cousin's looks of astonishment, he walked away without another word.
Ali's muscles strained and burned as she and Connor, under Mrs. Mac's unrelenting supervision, moved another piece of heavy furniture. They deposited the trunk beneath the floral tapestry the older woman had appropriated from another room. Ali straightened and kneaded her lower back. "Are we done now?"
"Och, you doona' need to be so prickly, my lady. Doona' you think yer chambers look bonny?"
"Fit for a princess." They were. Mrs. Mac had determined Ali's new accommodations would be better than
the ones she'd been forced to leave, and Ali didn't have the heart to tel her it wasn't necessary. She wouldn't be there much longer. She couldn't be, not after last night.
"Or lady of the keep." Mrs. Mac smiled smugly. Ali's eyes widened. "Are you tel ing me we've been breaking our backs readying the room for Lady MacLean?"
Mrs. Mac rol ed her eyes. "Nay."
Ali sighed. "Mrs. Mac, he's marrying her whether you like it or not. They're signing the papers today."
"Curious thing, that. The papers have gone missin'."
Wide-eyed, Ali watched as the older woman sauntered toward the door, a self-satisfied smile on her lips. She shook her head. No matter what Mrs. Mac had done, the union would go ahead. Rory would not let anything stand in the way of him protecting his clan.
"Connor, I'l send Mari up so you doona' need to go lookin' fer her. She was givin' me a hand with the other rooms,"
Mrs. Mac said as she closed the door behind her. Connor bent over the trunk, making a show of rearrang ing it, his ears pink. "I wasna' lookin' fer her. I doona' ken why Mrs. Mac said such a thin'," he muttered in a disgrun tled voice.
Ali bit back a smile. "I'm sure Mrs. Mac knows that, but, Connor, I'm glad you're watching out for Mari. You've been a good friend to her." Knowing Mari was wel looked after made it easier for Ali to leave, and leaving must now be her only focus. She couldn't remain at Dunvegan any longer. If she did, her heart would never recover. At therate you'regoing, you might not have much of a choice, the voice in her head reminded her. Ali sat down heavily on the edge of the four-poster bed. It was true. She hadn't gotten any information about the location of the fairy flag from Iain. Not that she'd pushed very hard. Mrs. Mac had been only too happy to inform her that Rory and Iain had almost come to blows over her. Ali was resigned to find another way. She wouldn't cause a rift between the brothers. What she needed was someone who wouldn't suspect what she was up to. A resounding thud caused the mattress to bounce.
"Connor, what on earth--" Connor--of course. "Here, let me help you." She hopped off the bed and righted the smal table he'd knocked over.
Patting a chair, she said, "Come and have a rest." Ali pul ed up a stool and sat across from him. "You're a big help, Connor. Lord MacLeod must be glad to have you with him."
The boy shrugged. "I suppose."
"I'm sure he is. How long have you been at Dunvegan?"
He furrowed his brow. "Since I was a wee lad, a verra long time."
"You have a lot of responsibility for someone so young. Lord MacLeod places a great deal of trust in you."
"I'm no' so young, my lady. I'm sixteen."
She grinned. "You're right, you're very old." Pausing, Ali concentrated on pul ing her features into a pensive ex pression.
"My lady, are ye no' feelin' wel ?"
Obviously her acting skil s needed work. "I'm just a little concerned is al ."
"Aboot what? Mayhap I can be of some help." He leaned toward her. Elbows propped on his knees, he regarded her with heartwarming sincerity.
Ali choked back a sob. There was so much she would miss when she left. "Maybe you can, but you must prom ise not to tel anyone of my suspicions."
He nodded.
"You know about the fairy flag, don't you?" She held her breath.
His eyes widened. "Aye, ye ken aboot the flag?"
"Of course, Ro--Lord MacLeod told me al about it. And that's what concerns me, Connor. I think Lady MacLean knows about the flag as wel and means to use it as a way to force Lord MacLeod into the union."
"I doona' think she needs much to force his hand. As I hear it the papers wil be signed this day."
Damn.
"But the papers are missing, and she might get desperate. I'm sure that's what she was doing when she had everyone cleaning the keep from top to bottom yesterday. She was searching for the flag, Connor. I'm sure of it."
"She'l no' find it. She wouldna' enter the laird's chambers without his permission. Besides, 'tis wel concealed. The wal --" He clamped his mouth shut.
Bingo.
Ali rose from the chair, anxious to begin her search. She schooled her features. "That's a relief. I should've known Lord MacLeod would do everything he could to protect the flag. I've kept you long enough, Connor. You've been a great help. Thank you."
"'Twas no' a problem, my lady, I--"
The door squeaked open and they both turned to see Mari, one foot over the threshold, frantical y motioning for someone to fol ow her. "Ye must let my lady see to ye,"
she urged.
Ali frowned. "What's going on, Mari?" She moved toward the door and gasped when Mari gently guided one of the serving girls into the room, bloody linens pressed to her face. It was one of the girls Ali had worked with in the kitchens. One of the three that had attacked Mari.
"Good Lord, what happened? Bring her here," Ali said, holding out a chair. Connor took hold of the girl's arm and helped her to sit.
"Tilt your head--that's it." Ali careful y removed the blood-soaked linens and sucked in a ragged breath. A deep, sixinch gash sliced from just above her brow to her cheekbone, barely missing her eye. Mari twisted her blood-spattered apron in her hands. "I had her press the linens to the wound like you did fer me, my lady."
Ali reached over to squeeze Mari's arm. "You did exactly right," she reassured her. "Now I'l need a bucket of water, and make sure you boil it. And the herbs I used to keep Lord MacLeod asleep, I'l need those, too. Connor, you remember the ones I mean?" At his affirmative nod, she continued. "A needle and thread and some of that . . . Uisge na beatha, I think Fergus cal ed it. Anyway, ask Mrs. Mac. She'l know what I'm talking about."
"Nay!" The girl gave a strangled cry. "No one can ken. She'l kil me."
"Shh, now." Ali patted her shoulder. "No one is going to kil you. Mari, what's going on?"
"'Tis Lady MacLean who done it. She told Ina she'd kil her if she said anythin'. Told her to see to it on her own, but I made her come to ye. I said as how ye would protect her."
Ali's hands bal ed into fists, and she had to take a calming breath before she said or did something she'd regret. Crouching beside the girl, she took her hands in hers. "Ina, we're going to take care of your cut, and for now no one wil know, but Lady MacLean can't be al owed to get away with this. Whatever I do, I promise you won't suffer because of it."
"Ye didna' see her eyes, my lady. She looked crazed."
"I can imagine." Ali stood up and removed the linen, relieved to see the bleeding had slowed. "Do you know what set her off ?"
"Aye, the papers were missin' from Lord MacLeod's study and she was in a rage, castin' blame on us fer cleanin'near his desk."
Dear God, do you know what you've gotten yourself into, Rory? Leaving him was hard enough, but knowing what his life would be like made it that much more diffi cult. But maybe he wouldn't care. He'd have the men to help fight his battles. He'd have done his duty. Once Ali finished stitching Ina's cut, with Connor and Mari's help she settled the girl into her bed despite her groggy protests.
"Mari and Connor wil stay with you while you rest. I won't be long."
"My lady, please take care. I doona' want her to harm ye," Ina pleaded.
"You don't have to worry about me, Ina, but I can't say the same for Lady MacLean."
Mari giggled behind her hand, and Connor gave a snort of laughter. "Give it to her good, my lady."
"I plan on it, Connor. Now do either of you know where I might find her ladyship?"
"Mrs. Mac was grumblin' as to how she had to show her the gardens. They'd be to the back of the keep, my lady,"
Connor informed her.
Ali descended the stairs, avoiding the servants who scurried about as best she could, afraid someone would question her as to what she was about. She bowed her head and hurried past Rory's study. As she did, she heard voices raised in anger, and recognized two of them as Rory's and Cyril's. Good, she thought, grateful the men were occu pied. It was time Moira MacLean got what was coming to her. Mrs. Mac had bee
n right from the beginning. Men didn't see clearly when it came to the woman. Hurrying out the doors of the keep, she spotted Fergus. Trying not to attract his attention, Ali lowered her head and strode to the opposite side of the castle.
"Aileanna." Fergus waved to her from across the courtyard. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"
"The gardens." She smiled and kept on walking.
"Hold up there, lass," he said, closing the distance between them. "Aileanna, mayhap it would be best if you were to see the gardens at another time." He took hold of her elbow and turned her back toward the entrance of the castle.
She shook his hand off. "Fergus, don't be sil y. It's a beautiful day to visit the gardens. I hoped to find a smal patch where I could add some of the plants I'd read about in the book Iain lent me. Actual y he read it to me, too. Re member, the one the physician from Edinburgh wrote? Where I found the herbs to drug Rory--wel , not drug him, but you know what I mean." She waved her hand.
He narrowed his gaze and crossed his arms. "What are you up to?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yer ramblin', lass. You do it when you have somethin'to hide. Now tel me."
"No, and you can't stop me. Omph, " she grunted when he flipped her over his shoulder and marched determinedly toward the keep.
With a cry of outrage, Ali pounded on his back.
"Stop yer caterwaulin'. You were goin' to make trouble with Moira MacLean, and doona' deny it. I can see it on yer face. And if you do, Rory wil have yer head."
She kicked her feet. "You don't understand." He whacked her soundly on her bottom. "Ouch, Fergus, that hurt," she cried.
"Then stop yer kickin', lass. Those parts I'm a mite fond of," he said as he pushed open the doors to the keep.
"Bloody hel , Fergus. What's goin' on here? Put Aileanna down."
"Nay, I think it would be best if I lock her in her room and let her cool down fer a wee bit."
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