A Temptress in Tartan

by Gerri Russell

  In the meanwhile, Lachlan dove beneath the surface once more, continuing his search. He came to the surface and dove down again. He did so four more times before the captain shouted for the men to haul Lachlan back on board. Of the six, five had been saved.

  There was a strained quietness when Lachlan returned on deck. His clothes were plastered to his well-muscled chest and thighs, and he too was streaming with water before a seaman dropped a blanket about his shoulders.

  “You gave it a good try, m’laird.” Another seaman clapped Lachlan on the shoulder.

  “’Twas obviously the man’s time to meet his maker,” yet another said.

  Lachlan nodded solemnly then turned to the five men huddled on the deck, wrapped in blankets. “What was his name?” he asked, his voice oddly hoarse.

  “Dillon Kemp,” one of the men replied, turning to face Lachlan.

  A muscle jerked in Lachlan’s jaw. “I shall remember him with a prayer.”

  *

  Lachlan looked back toward Elizabeth. He saw the distressed look on her face and felt every muscle in his body tense as he fought the urge to go to her and in front of all these men, pull her into his arms. But he would not drown her in embarrassment. There had been one too many drownings today already.

  Even so, her gaze clung to his—as though asking for something, but what, he had no idea. Finally, she glanced away and stepped back as the captain approached.

  “Let us get these men below deck and into dry clothing,” the captain barked at the seamen closest to the fishermen. “Everyone else, resume your stations. There is nothing else for us to do here. Fill the sails and let’s be on our way.”

  As the fishermen stood and moved to follow the seamen below deck, one man paused as his gaze lit on Elizabeth. “Lizzie! Sweet Lizzie, is that you?” The dark-haired young man moved toward Elizabeth.

  Lachlan saw Elizabeth’s eyes widen in recognition. “Roland Carswell?”

  “Aye, Lizzie! God’s teeth, but you are a welcome sight!” the young man cried out as he enveloped her in a wet embrace.

  Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “How was it you were on that boat, Roland? I am so relieved you are safe.”

  Lachlan stared at Elizabeth, locked in the young man’s embrace, and felt suddenly heavy inside. Obviously the two were friends. And from the looks of it possibly even more than that.

  “After years of searching for my purpose, I’ve decided to become a minister. The king approves. He is sending me to the University of Edinburgh to train. I sought passage across the Firth with these men in order to save more of the stipend I was given.”

  With a soft smile, Elizabeth put her hand against Roland’s cheek. “I’m pleased you found a purpose in this life, but trying to be thrifty almost cost you your life.”

  Roland placed his hand over hers, and Elizabeth’s cheeks grew pink and her breath hitched. Lachlan took a step toward her then forced himself to pause, despite the strange urge inside to rush forward and grab her away.

  “What were you doing so far from home?” Roland asked. “You never leave the safety of your clan.”

  Elizabeth cast a furtive glance Lachlan’s way. “I’m married now.”

  Lachlan felt a momentary respite. At least she had admitted to someone from her past her new status.

  “Married?” Roland’s eyes filled with challenge as his hand dropped from her face. He turned toward Lachlan. “You would force your beautiful wife on such a dangerous journey?”

  “I’m not forcing her to do anything. And, if you must know, we are headed to our new home . . . together.”

  “Is this true, Elizabeth? Do you want to go with this man?” Roland asked, his voice filled with scorn. “There was a time when your dreams were all for me.”

  “You left Perthshire, Roland. You left me behind.”

  His features hardened. “I had to if I was ever going to become my own man. I had hoped you would wait for me.”

  Elizabeth looked away. “Things change.” Her tone was brusque. “Besides, you have your new life as a minister to look forward to. That’s what you always wanted . . . to guide the spiritual lives of those for whom you care.”

  Roland threw Lachlan a cold look before he captured Elizabeth’s chin with his fingers, returning her gaze to his. “I’d always pictured you as part of that life.”

  Elizabeth stepped back, forcing Roland to release her. She moved to Lachlan’s side, standing close but not quite touching him. “Lachlan Douglas is my new life.”

  Roland’s eyes seemed to bulge in his face. “You married a Douglas? Your father agreed to this union?”

  “Aye. As did the king and queen. I had no choice but to do as they bid me. No matter how much I might wish otherwise, this is a man’s world and women have few choices about their own lives.”

  Lachlan clenched his teeth, ignoring the disquieting feeling settling in his gut. He wanted to argue that Elizabeth had far more choices with him than she had ever had within the confines of her clan. But that was not something he could make her accept. She had to come to the conclusion herself, no matter how long it took.

  “The crossing is getting rough,” Lachlan said, ignoring the wild mixture of emotions tearing through him that he was half-afraid to examine. It did not matter that Roland and Elizabeth had a past. He and Elizabeth had a past as well, but he doubted she remembered as much. Besides, Elizabeth was his wife. For better or worse. “You should join the others below deck.” Lachlan had barely finished speaking when the ship pitched suddenly. Before Elizabeth lost her balance, he pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her, holding her steady as the iron and wooden ship shuddered.

  The ship rocked again and Roland was thrown sideways. He clutched the rail, avoiding a second spill into the dark waters.

  “With the winds to the southeast, the waves will only get stronger and the wind more forceful as we approach Aberlady’s coastline,” Lachlan said, still holding Elizabeth tight against his chest. “The captain does not need any distractions if he is to keep us from being blown against the rocks or caught on a sandbar outside the bay.”

  Roland gained his balance. He glared at Lachlan one more time before he staggered toward the hatch leading to safety below deck.

  When he was gone, Lachlan loosened his hold on Elizabeth. She did not pull away. Instead, she studied him defiantly as she ran nervous fingers through her tousled brown hair, trying to tame it in the wind. “You needn’t glare at me. I did not know we would cross paths with Roland.”

  “His presence changes nothing. We will leave him in Aberlady and continue as we had planned.”

  “But—”

  “There is nothing to discuss here, Elizabeth.” His tone was soft but edged with steel. “You and I have our plans. Roland has his own.”

  She started to speak but he stopped her.

  “Leave things as they are.”

  Pink rose to color her cheeks. Her gaze clung to his and suddenly he was startled to see her bravado fade into wariness. She looked hurriedly away and gave an uncaring shrug. “As you wish.”

  Lachlan stared at the stubborn, willful, and exasperating woman before him. None of this was as he wished. If things were as he wished the two of them would be safely back at Whittingehame and a willing Elizabeth would be in his bed, ready to begin their new lives together.

  Chapter Seven

  The Golden Rose dropped anchor outside the Bay of Aberlady. Those aboard who were not continuing on to Spain were tendered the short distance to shore. Elizabeth sat in the boat along with the fishermen and Roland, while Lachlan swam with the horses to the sandy beach.

  Instead of watching the man swimming beside the boat, Elizabeth looked to the sand and the dunes beyond. The golden sand seemed to go on forever, only relieved by green grass and windblown shrubs farther away from shore. In the distance, she could see several buildings. It was common for there to be not only an inn, but also a stable in these seaside towns for travelers by sea or
over land to utilize. No doubt, they would make use of them both.

  When they reached the beach, one of the seamen stepped out of the boat, then offered Elizabeth a hand so she could do the same. Or at least the seaman tried to help her until Roland edged the young man out of the way. “Allow me,” Roland said, assisting her as she stepped onto the golden sand.

  The fishermen scrambled over the side of the boat themselves, grateful to once again be on land.

  Finally, Lachlan and the horses emerged from the water.

  The afternoon sun shone brightly overhead, taking the edge off the wind when Lachlan and the horses emerged from the water. Sunbeams glinted off beads of water that rolled down his bare torso. The sea had molded his breeches to his long, powerful legs. For a moment his eyes met hers before he turned to the horses. “Well done,” he said in a soothing tone to the animals.

  Jolted by the sight of him naked from the waist up this time in the bright light of day, she swallowed roughly. His back was to her and she could see his muscles rippling as he stroked first one wet neck and then the other. Both horses responded by rubbing their muzzles against his broad shoulders.

  He chuckled then raked his hands through his hair to remove a bright shower of excess droplets, before heading to the boat where he plucked his shirt off one of the wooden benches. After he slipped the garment over his head, his gaze met hers once more. Hot color rose to her cheeks and spread down her throat.

  He said nothing as he returned to the horses, grabbing their reins in either hand before coming to stop before her. He handed her one set of reins. “We’ll need to give the horses a rest, and allow them time to eat before we continue.” He pointed to a wooden structure in the near distance. “There’s a stable up there where the horses can get feed and water. And we should be able to find something to eat at The Cairn Inn next door.”

  Before she could comment, he moved away toward where the fishermen stood talking among themselves about how they would return to their homes. “Follow us to the inn and I will pay for you to stay there tonight then leave at dawn with another fishing vessel.”

  Thomas, the fisherman who almost drowned, stepped forward with a frown. “Our families will be worried if we dinna return tae them by nightfall. And Dillon’s mother deserves tae ken she lost her son tae the waters of the Firth.”

  Lachlan placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “If you return by water tonight, in this wind, you all might join Dillon in his watery grave.”

  Continuing to frown, Thomas returned to the others. The four men gathered close, discussing their options. After a time, Thomas turned back around. “Yer right. We shouldna push our luck too far fer one day.”

  Lachlan nodded. “Your families will be overjoyed to see you on the morrow.”

  “Aye,” they all agreed.

  Lachlan signaled them to head up the bluff, toward the building in the distance. He waited for Elizabeth to lead her horse up the path first, when Roland strode up beside her.

  Her heart sank but she offered him a tight smile. As much as she had thought she loved Roland in the past, his presence irritated her now. She’d never realized how much he expected from her—her attention, her laughter, her agreement with everything he said or did. But at least she knew how to deal with him. He was safe, predictable, familiar, and . . . so unlike her husband.

  She looked back over her shoulder at the man behind her and a fresh stab of confusion moved through her. She still didn’t trust him, but she’d seen a different side of him on their journey across the Firth. He’d been brave beyond compare to dive into the icy water and save the fishermen. He’d been relentless in his efforts to try to bring Dillon back from a watery grave. He’d been protective of her when the ship had encountered extreme weather, and yet she’d also seen a strange vulnerability in his eyes every time Roland drew near.

  Elizabeth pushed thoughts of her husband aside, refusing to allow him to disturb her. Forcing interest into her voice she turned to Roland. “Will you stay in Aberlady for the night along with the fishermen, or continue on to Edinburgh?”

  “Since I cannot make it all the way to the city before nightfall, I think it would be best to stay and start off fresh in the morning,” Roland replied as they continued up the path with the horse trailing behind them. He leaned closer to her, touching her arm. “Why are you with that . . . traitor? Leave him. Come with me.”

  “Nay, Roland.” Elizabeth gently pulled her arm away.

  “Why are you loyal to a man who is supposed to be your enemy?” She saw pleading in his brown eyes. “I can offer you so much more, give you the life you deserve.”

  “I’m married, Roland. Not even you can change that fact.” Elizabeth looked back over her shoulder once more and met Lachlan’s disconcerting gaze. An uncomfortable wave of guilt came over her at the realization she had considered Roland’s offer for a heartbeat before dismissing it. Her response surprised and confused her. Quickly, she glanced away, summoning indifference. “Your path takes you to Edinburgh, Roland, mine to Whittingehame Castle. I don’t want to discuss this anymore.”

  Roland’s eyes were dark. “Very well then, I will continue on to Edinburgh and my studies there. But if you should ever need my assistance, only send word and I will come for you wherever you are.”

  She nodded then looked down at her feet as they crested the sandy trail and came up onto the solid, grassy turf. At the smell of grass, the mare’s slow plodding changed to a quick walk, taking Elizabeth with her as she moved toward the tufts of green grass. Giving the hungry horse a moment to graze, with relieved regret she watched Roland stride away toward the inn.

  Lachlan came up beside her. “Come, let us give the horses a rest while we dine. We have a hard and fast trip ahead of us if we are to make our destination by nightfall.” He turned to the fishermen. “Wait here. My wife and I must settle the horses, then we’ll go together to the inn. Your meal and your stay will be at my expense.”

  The fishermen thanked him. A moment later Lachlan and his mare set off in the direction of a well-maintained stable. He was several paces ahead of her when Elizabeth followed. There was an edge to his words, despite his civility. She frowned. Her conversation with Roland had obviously upset him. But why? She was still here with him. That should have pleased him at least a little bit. Grumbling to herself, she entered the stable after him and led her horse to Lachlan.

  He took the reins from her and proceeded to remove the bridle and saddle from her horse before guiding it to a feeder he filled with several scoops of oats. The horses ate hungrily. “Why don’t you wait outside with the fishermen. I’ll meet you there in a moment after I replenish the water in the trough.”

  “I could help.”

  “I can accomplish the task faster on my own.”

  She stiffened, feeling strangely abandoned. “I apologize for inconveniencing you.”

  He frowned. “Why are you angry with me?”

  Her lashes fell to veil the anger and uncertainty in her eyes. “I would not dare be angry with you.”

  “You’d dare.” He looked at her an instant before returning to his work. “I apologize if I seem terse. This morning has not exactly turned out as we’d planned.”

  “Nay, it has not.”

  His gaze connected with hers once more. “What do you say we call a truce?”

  She nodded. “Truce.”

  A rare smile lit his face. “Good. I’ll be outside in no time at all,” he said, picking up a bucket and heading toward the nearby well.

  She turned and headed back toward the stable door. He was a difficult man to understand, she thought wearily. At times he was all sharp edges, driven by duty and honor. At other times he was gentle and almost kind. And his smile . . . it had been beautiful and directed at her alone.

  Elizabeth swallowed, pushing the thought away before it could stretch into something more. She took a quick step, then stopped dead in her tracks as a thin black cat, with a long, wiry tail leapt into her path. Its gr
een eyes stared up at her as though appraising her. “Shoo,” she said, flicking her hand away from herself with the hope it would clear her path.

  The black cat moved, but not in the direction she had intended. Instead it brushed up against her legs and began to purr. She wanted to be irritated with the beast, but found she could not. Instead, she bent down and gently stroked its back. Instantly the animal arched higher, as though begging for more of the same. “Are you starved for affection?” she asked, continuing to stroke the cat from its head to its tail. “Or are you simply starved? No mice in the stable to catch?”

  Loud purring issued from the beast.

  Elizabeth couldn’t help but smile as she stood once more. “Come with me. I’ll see if the innkeeper has a few scraps to spare for you.”

  The cat gratefully followed beside her out of the stable. As she moved to join the others, her smile faded as the fishermen’s gazes passed between herself and the black cat. Their faces blanched. “Go bhfóire dia orainn!” Thomas exclaimed, calling upon God to help them as he turned and chattered excitedly to the others.

  As the cat continued to rub against her legs, Elizabeth clenched her fingers. A shiver went up her spine. “What’s wrong, Thomas?”

  He turned to her, his eyes dark and unfathomable. “We’re leaving, regardless of the dangers. None of us will be beholden tae one such as yer husband.” His voice quivered with fear. He and the men did not walk, they ran back to the beach.

  “Thomas, wait—” Before she could finish her words, they disappeared down the path. Unaffected by the men’s odd behavior, the cat continued to purr and stroked its own back against the skirt of her gown. “What got into them?” she asked the beast, bending down to rub its neck. The men were scared, but of what? A cat? Her? The fear that their families might assume they were all dead? She was still pondering the situation, when Lachlan joined her outside.

  “Where are Thomas and the others?” Lachlan asked with a frown.

  She stood. “Something frightened them when I came out of the stable with this cat. They decided to make their own way back across the channel now instead of waiting for the wind to settle.”