“Did my husband come back with you?” she asked after giving Lachlan and Kenna a moment to reunite properly. She looked away as he placed a kiss on Kenna’s cheek, but she didn’t miss seeing him press another kiss to his palm and place it tenderly on her round belly. It was an intimate moment between them she shouldn’t have seen. It made her feel things that weren’t to be.
“He’ll be along shortly. He went for a walk down by the loch.”
Mari relaxed and finished her meal, all the while keeping an eye on the entrance to the hall. When she was done and Cameron still wasn’t back, she went looking for him.
She loved the MacKinlay lands, the rolling hills and sharp peaks under a wide sky. Freedom. She could breathe here like she’d never been able to before.
As she walked the familiar trail, she thought of how nice it would be if she came across him bathing. The thought of seeing his wet skin against the setting sun caused her feet to move faster. She was only slightly disappointed to find him fully clothed and sitting on a rock. He was tossing small stones into the water, causing the ripples to span out from his perch.
As she stood there, she felt as though she’d encroached on a private moment. Similar to the way she’d intruded earlier on Kenna and Lachlan’s moment. As much as she loved it here, she knew she didn’t truly belong. She needed to keep everyone at a distance so she would be able to leave them at any moment if it became necessary.
It was odd to see Cameron so still other than in sleep. Before she had the chance to leave him to his thoughts, he turned and spied her. Instead of the normal smile he offered upon seeing her, he turned back and looked out over the water again.
“Is everything well?” she asked, her body stiffening. Was he angry that she’d tracked him down? Had he wanted to be alone? Had he planned to meet someone else there? Instinct caused her to take a step back.
His single laugh was harsh, and her hands shook as she looked over her shoulder, ready to make a quick escape. He shook his head and tossed out another stone. “My health is good, but I’m not well. I think I’m going mad.”
“What’s happened?” Despite her fear, she stepped closer, only to find the ground leveled off so she wasn’t able to reach him on the rock where he sat. She wanted to touch him. To make sure he was well.
The man sneering out at the loch was not her husband. Perhaps he was going mad…
“We had an agreement. This marriage was to our mutual benefit, but it’s not to be anything more. Safety, freedom, and pleasure. Those were things we agreed upon.”
She swallowed and once again instinctively stepped out of range. He was angry. Though, she was sure he wouldn’t hurt her. Mostly.
“And what makes you think that has changed?” she asked.
He turned to look at her, his eyes dark in the waning sun. They weren’t the soft honey that made her melt. They were hardened amber. Her feet moved another two steps back all on their own.
“Tell me you don’t want more from me.” His voice was low and challenging.
She took another step back as he turned on the rock to face her. His legs were dangling over the edge, so it would be an easy thing for him to slide off and land right in front of her. Grab her. Shake her…
“I don’t,” she barely whispered, and hoped it was true.
She felt something for him. She obviously cared about him enough to check on him when he didn’t return. Was that bad? Many marriages started out of convenience and became more over time. Things changed between people. Especially when they got to know each other the way she was getting to know Cameron.
Perhaps she had gotten to know him too well. It was clear he was not pleased to think she cared for him.
“I suppose I’ve come to care for you as my husband. But I don’t have any expectations for more,” she amended, as much for herself as for him. She needed to be reminded that her time at Dunardry was temporary.
At some point Ridley would return, and she would need to escape. She knew Cameron would protect her. He’d most likely send Ridley on a wild goose chase to buy her time to get farther away. But she had no doubts when she left her new home, she would be leaving alone.
“I told you I didn’t want you to care about me,” he said harshly. “What will happen when I’m called off to battle? Will you be standing by my horse wailing for me not to leave you? And if I don’t return? What then? I warned ye it wasn’t safe. I told you—” He winced in anger and let his head fall. “This isn’t what I wanted. I was verra clear.”
“If you think I will not worry about you when you’re in battle, that’s ridiculous. You are my husband. We may not be bound by emotions, but I do not wish anything to happen to you. You’re a good man. I would hate to see any good man taken in battle.”
He let out a sigh. “We should be apart for a while. Let things settle a bit between us.”
“Whatever you think is best.” She nodded and stared at the ground. He was right to worry. She’d begun to crave his kisses. Hadn’t she even hoped to see him naked as she’d come to the loch? A little distance would do them good.
“I’m going scouting. I’ll be away for a few days. We’ll talk when I return.”
She nodded again and left before she did something foolish.
Like ask him to stay…
Chapter Nineteen
Once in the protection of the dense forest, Mari let her tears flow and her quiet sobs echo through the trees as she ran through the brush. She’d been a fool to come looking for Cameron. She’d acted like a moon-eyed bride who missed her husband.
And she only realized now that she truly had missed him. He was kind and funny, and always ready to share a good story. Normally he made her feel safe and protected…but tonight had been different. And yet, under the circumstances it was silly to be upset that he wouldn’t even consider the notion of feeling something for her. Did she want him to mourn when she was forced to leave?
He’d told her many times he’d never wanted to marry. Why would she ever think she could change his mind?
Why would she even want to?
The more distance between them, the better. She would already be heartsick to leave Kenna and the boys. Even Lachlan had grown on her. It was better that she didn’t form any attachment to Cameron, nor him to her, in order to spare them both pain when she needed to leave. Which she would, for there was no doubt Ridley would come for her eventually.
Night had fallen soft and warm around her, as if trying to comfort her. But she wouldn’t be comforted. She continued to scold herself for coming to the loch.
When she finally realized she should have reached the clearing leading up to the castle by now, she stopped to look around. The trees cast dark, eerie shadows, and the wind rustled the leaves, mimicking the sound of footsteps.
Her heart pounded in her ears, and she did her best to slow her breathing.
She was safe. She was on MacKinlay lands. She was somewhere between the loch and the castle. She couldn’t be far lost. She could call out for Cameron, but then he would see her tears and he might think they were out of worry over him instead of frustration with herself.
Turning in the direction she’d come from in the hope of finding where she’d gone wrong, it yielded no clear direction. The trees were too tall for her even to see the moon for guidance.
Deciding to head in one direction, she started off, the brush stinging her cheeks as she rushed by in a hurry to get home.
When she heard voices, she let out a breath of relief and headed toward the sound. A light above directed her, and she was actually smiling with the joy of freedom when she stepped through the last ring of bushes into a small clearing filled with light.
She blinked at the sight before her. Five large men sitting around a fire stared back at her. One by one she studied them, looking for some sign of recognition. She’d only been to the village a few times, but she d
idn’t know these men.
The one closest to her smiled in an unnerving way.
“Look, lads, my prayers have been answered. A lovely lass for my own. No more sharing for me.”
The other men grumbled.
A whimper caused her to turn her head. She saw a woman—a girl, really—dirty and bedraggled, tied to a tree with a cloth in her mouth.
Lord in heaven.
The man’s words clicked into place, and fear swarmed around her to the point she could taste it. She thought she might faint, but if she did, she would be at their mercy. She drew in a deep breath, reaching for calm and control despite the terror that caused her to shake.
“Stand down,” she said when the man rose. Her voice sounded surprisingly firm. “I’m the wife of the war chief of Clan MacKinlay. Touch me and he’ll kill you all.”
“Och, an English lass, we have.” The man laughed, clearly not taking her warning seriously.
There was no time to reason with them as another man stepped out behind her, cutting off escape. She screamed with all her might, but a second later the man clasped his meaty hand over her mouth.
…
When throwing small stones into the loch did nothing to temper his mood, Cam changed over to hauling large rocks to the edge and tossing them in. The large splash and gulp as the boulder was pulled to the bottom was only somewhat satisfying.
He’d made a mess of things with Mari. He’d accused her of breaking their arrangement, but he had to admit, he’d also come to care for her more than he’d intended.
He planned to leave on a scouting trip, hoping distance would ease the feelings between them before they had the chance to grow even deeper. But he already missed her like mad.
Another plunk of a large rock in the water, and he dropped to the boulder beneath him.
He must go talk to her and tell her she wasn’t alone. Despite what they’d planned for their marriage, things had changed. It had been inevitable, he supposed. Life was like that. Repeating itself over and over. Winter to spring, spring to summer, summer to fall, and fall to winter. But he had a will of his own, and he’d be damned if he repeated his previous mistakes.
His mother and father had fallen madly in love and were broken because of it. He would do whatever necessary to ensure he and Mari didn’t fall victim to the same fate. Even if it meant staying away for months at a time.
Just as he slid down from his perch, the calm night air was rent with a blood-curdling scream. It was cut off abruptly, but he’d heard enough to know it had come from his wife.
He took off in the direction of the sound, drawing his sword. Thankfully, she wasn’t far off. He’d be to her soon. When his nose caught a whiff of smoke, he slowed and approached more cautiously.
In the light of a campfire, he saw five men surrounding his thrashing wife. There were hands all over her body. Holding her arms, her shoulders, her mouth. One set of hands was pushing up her dress as another hand yanked at her ankle.
What happened next was lost to time. Cam heard a battle cry leave his throat, louder than he’d ever sounded in his life.
Moments later, five men lay dead at his feet, their blood dripping from his sword and hands.
Mari threw herself at him, and he dropped his sword so he could hold her.
“Did they—” He could barely choke out those two words. He couldn’t bring the rest of the sentence to his lips.
“No. They didn’t have the chance, thanks to you.”
“Thanks to me?” He laughed bitterly. “Thanks to me? I left you to walk back to the castle by yourself. This is my fault. What kind of husband sets his wife off in the dark alone, knowing she’s upset?”
He’d thought the death of his parents was the deepest pain imaginable, but this…
The weight of his guilt was staggering. He dropped to his knees, clinging to Mari’s waist, begging for forgiveness.
…
Mari swayed into Cameron’s grasping arms and held him as best she could. In the dying firelight, she could see the wetness of blood in his hair. His face and skin were covered.
It was no surprise; she’d seen the vehemence of his attack. Like an avenging angel he’d rushed to her aid, slaying the demons who’d planned her harm. They hadn’t so much as pulled a dirk in defense of his wrath. She shivered as she glanced down at them. Sightless eyes stared at her, reminding her of the night she’d killed the duke—the blood on her hands. The blood everywhere.
She crumbled into Cameron’s strong arms. When her eyes fluttered open a few moments later, she was looking up. Cameron hovered above her, and stars filled in behind him.
He dropped a tender kiss on her lips. “Are ye all right?”
She nodded, feeling the heat of embarrassment on her cheeks. She’d fainted after the danger was past. He must think her weak.
She tried to get up, but he stayed her for a moment.
“I’m sorry about before. It wasna you I was angry with, but myself. Can ye forgive me, Mari?”
“You’re forgiven.” In her eyes, there was nothing to forgive. He had been trying to protect them from themselves.
“I’m so glad they weren’t able to hurt you.” He pulled her close and held her for what felt like an hour. His strength made her feel safe, but this wasn’t the place to tarry.
The coppery smell of blood filled the area, and she recoiled again. “The blood,” she whispered.
He nodded in understanding. “Let’s wash in the creek.”
When he helped her to her feet, she kept her gaze away from the bodies and parts of bodies that littered the ground. She noticed the place at the edge of the light that was now empty.
“The girl.” She pointed to the spot where she’d been lying bound and gagged.
“What girl?” he asked, looking around in a circle.
Mari forced herself to inspect the bodies, expecting to see the girl among the wreckage of her husband’s fury. But she wasn’t there.
Placing his finger to his lips, Cam bade her be quiet. They stood still, but the only sound was the sizzle and pops of the dwindling fire.
Then they heard it at the same time—something moving in the bushes. Drawing his dirk, Cam moved slowly toward the dark edge of the circle.
Mari lit a branch and followed him. There, only a few feet from where she’d been, the girl rolled and twisted in an effort to get away from them.
The girl—she looked no older than sixteen—had dark eyes which seemed black as they widened in alarm.
Mari quickly soothed away her fears. “It’s all right. We won’t hurt you. Please let us help.”
Cam sheathed his weapon and reached for her. The girl’s mumbled scream tore at Mari’s heart. He ignored her struggling and pulled her to her feet. He steadied her when she leaped away and stumbled.
Mari came closer and removed the cloth from her mouth. “What’s your name?” she asked as she took Cam’s dirk to remove the bindings around the girl’s wrists. The ugly marks beneath the cloth spoke of the length of time they’d been there.
“Evelyn,” the girl answered in a cracking voice.
“What clan are you from?” Cam asked. His tone, though calm, caused Evelyn to flinch.
She didn’t answer. Tears welled in her eyes, and she began to sob against Mari. The girl was filthy…and so was Mari, for that matter. But it wasn’t the dirt that bothered her most. It was the scent of the men that lingered on her from their touch.
She smelled it on the girl, as well.
“Let us wash in the creek. Let’s wash them away,” she suggested softly.
Evelyn’s eyes snapped toward Cameron.
“Go on,” he said. “I’ll stand guard to make sure you’re safe.”
At the creek, Mari tugged off her gown and shift. Stains and filth covered the girl’s only garment. She had no gown, and her shift
was ripped and thin, barely covering her. She drew off the rag and settled in the cool water, dunking her head to wet her hair.
Mari did the same, wanting to cleanse away the bad memories. “My name is Mari MacKinlay. The man who saved us is my husband, Cameron.”
“Saved” might not have been the most accurate word. It was clear vengeance had been the only thing on his mind when he’d rushed the men. The result, however, had been their safety.
“He’ll not harm you,” she added. “He’s not like those other men.”
Evelyn said nothing but seemed to relax.
They spent more time in the water than was necessary for bathing. They were both chilled and shivering when they finally emerged. When Evelyn picked up the rag she’d been wearing, Mari couldn’t bear to see her in it another minute.
“Hear, take my shift. We shall burn yours. It’s filthy.”
Evelyn made no argument as she slid Mari’s shift over her thin body. Mari put on her gown, and they went to find Cameron.
He was also clean and dripping water. His shirt was bunched in his hand, and he offered it to Evelyn. “It’s not exactly clean, but it will cover you.”
She nodded and took it, quickly scooting out of reach to don the large shirt. Once she was covered, she picked up her old shift, took it to the fire, and tossed it in.
With a nod of approval, Cam gestured in the direction of the castle. “Come. Let’s go home.”
Chapter Twenty
Cam, Mari, and Evelyn had just made it inside the hall when Kenna saw them and came running.
“What’s happened? Are you injured?” she asked Cam when she saw the blood staining his kilt.
Lach was right behind her. Cam met his eyes, silently communicating that he was whole.
“It’s not our blood,” Mari explained. “It’s a rather long story, and we’re exhausted. Can we tell it in the morning?”
Cam wanted nothing more than to spirit Mari off to their room so he could check her over thoroughly and hold her close. But there was the matter of their visitor.
“This is Evelyn,” he told Kenna. “She was being held against her will. She hasn’t given us the name of her clan yet. Mayhap in the morning. For now, can ye fetch her some food and drink and find her a safe place to sleep?”
Her Accidental Highlander Husband (MacKinlay Clan) Page 13
