by Ava McArthur
Niall glared at the man like a bull about to charge. “You will do no such thing!” he snarled, his voice loaded with menace. “I am the laird, and I will kill anyone who says otherwise!” Then he drew his sword and placed it on the table between them. “I am still in mourning for my brother, but I swear on my father’s sword that as soon as this week is over, I will shoulder my responsibilities as a laird. My oath, once given, is NEVER broken. Now, are you happy?”
Colm looked at his fellows, who nodded. “We are—for the moment, M’Laird. But we expect you to be true to your oath. If not, the lairdship and the estate will be passed to your cousin Drew. Do you understand?”
Niall picked up the sword again to replace it in its scabbard, but as he raised it, Colm jumped back in fright, thinking that Niall was going to use it against him. Niall smiled in savage satisfaction. “Of course I understand, you dolt!” he sneered. “Now, if there is nothing else, I bid you a good day.”
He turned on his heel and marched out, leaving a stunned silence behind him.
When Niall returned to the bedchamber, he wanted to do nothing more strenuous than swallow an entire goblet of whiskey in one gulp. He had felt a distinct urge to break Colm McLaren’s jaw with his bare fist and had only restrained himself with a massive effort of willpower. They had always struck sparks off each other, but as Lorna had once remarked on a previous occasion, causing bodily harm to the clan chief’s brother was not guaranteed to win him any favors.
He pushed open the door of the bedchamber, frowning, and then stopped dead in astonishment and delight as he saw Elspeth arising from her bath, the water clinging lovingly to her luscious curves. Catriona was lifting a towel to dry her, but Niall dismissed her with a curt sideways nod of his head towards the door, and she scurried out, trying not to smile as she saw the wicked intent in his eyes.
He grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his wife, and then he dried her, making sure his hands lingered over every soft curve and fold of her body. He was breathless with need, and his hardness was almost painful, but he held himself in check in order to satisfy Elspeth. She deserved more than a moment of his attention. She deserved to be fondled, caressed, and driven to madness by his hands and his manhood for hours.
She strained against him, but it was impossible to be any closer without him being inside her, and she was impatient with unfulfilled desire. Niall touched her wet core, and when he laid down beside her, she ran her hands over the flat muscular planes of his chest greedily before traveling down over his firm buttocks to his powerful, rock-hard thigh muscles and the stiff shaft between them.
“You drive me to madness, Elspeth. I am as weak as a kitten in your hands. I cannot resist you.” As he said the last words, he captured her mouth with his and thrust his tongue inside to stroke hers. His lips caressed hers passionately, and she moaned with pleasure while he kneaded her soft breasts and then moved to lick and suckle them.
Elspeth was in heaven when he pushed his rigid manhood into her. He moved almost agonizingly slowly at first, prolonging the sweet torture, then faster, and ever faster, rocking them back and forth and driving her towards the explosion of ecstasy that ignited every time they were together. When it came, she clung to him as her body shuddered, and she cried out his name again and again.
Niall gave a hoarse triumphant shout as he climaxed, then he kissed her again, loving the taste of her lips. They held each other for a long time afterward, their bodies still joined, saying nothing but reveling in their closeness.
Elspeth always wondered if the glorious, warm, joyous feeling she had after their coming together was truly love. Did everyone feel this way? She could hardly ask Lorna, and she had no mother of her own. Catriona knew even less than she did, so the only person she could ask was Niall, but she felt awkward as she spoke. Perhaps it was a stupid question to which everyone but she knew the answer.
“Niall, does everyone feel this way after being together?” she asked softly, stroking his face. “So happy? So loving? Or is it just me?”
He smiled into her innocent eyes. “Elspeth, you are the most sensitive woman I have ever known,” he replied, tracing the line of her lips with his forefinger. “Everyone is different, I suppose, but when I am lying here with you after we make love, I feel as though I could conquer the whole world.”
They were still connected, and sometimes she wished they could stay that way for hours, not just close, but actually one body. Her wish was granted a few moments later as he began to move restlessly against her, his eyes widening.
“What are you doing to me?” he asked incredulously as he felt the urge to thrust again. “Elspeth, what is happening?”
“I do not know,” she whispered. “And I do not care, Niall. Are you complaining?”
He laughed softly, even as his hips moved against her again almost of their own accord.
“Definitely not,” he murmured, as he captured her lips again.
9
Meeting the Tenants
“Get out of bed!” Elspeth shouted into Niall’s ear as he lay slumbering blissfully, enjoying a pleasant and very erotic dream about her. “Time to be a laird!” she cried, and shook him with all her might until he surfaced from his sleep, grumbling and protesting irritably.
“Ow! Elspeth!” he protested, trying to bat her hands away. “What are you doing, you madwoman? Let go of me!”
Elspeth carried on with shaking him. “Not ’til you get out of bed, you idle man!” she said sternly. “Do not make me fetch three guards to drag you out, because I will do it if you force me!”
Niall wrapped his arms around her and tightened them so she could not move. “And now, Lady McLaren?” he asked triumphantly. “What are you going to do now?”
Elspeth’s hands were still free, since Niall was only holding her upper arms, so she began to tickle his ribs mercilessly. He resisted it for as long as he could, then began to scream with helpless laughter and eventually let her go. As soon as he did, she bent her legs and kicked forward with all her might on his thighs and pushed him out of bed. He landed with a thump on the floor and gave an indignant howl of pain.
“Are you awake now?” she asked. She lifted up the water jug from beside the bed and held it over his head.
“Yes! Yes!” he cried desperately, rolling over to get out of range of any other possible attack. His eyes were wide with mock fear. “My God, I have married a lunatic!”
Elspeth advanced towards him threateningly. “You have work to do, M’Laird,” she said, her voice grim and menacing. “And not on the archery range, or with your fists or your sword. You have tenants to see today, and you are taking your wife with you! It will be a wonderful new experience for both of us.”
Niall stood up and looked down at her, then burst out laughing again. “I cannot resist you,” he told her tenderly. “Your wish is my command, milady.”
“I am so glad you realize that. I believe you have to go and see the MacKenzies first. Apparently they have a new baby, so try not to make too much noise and upset it. Oh, and when you go and see the Grants, your mother says you must be careful not to mention that their son married a Sassenach girl. And—”
Niall put a finger over her lips. “Milady, can you give me the rest of my orders over breakfast? Please?”
“Of course,” she giggled and gave him an elaborate curtsy, then allowed him to lift her up and carry her downstairs.
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Niall asked curiously as they sat at the breakfast table. “I never asked you before, and you never speak about your parents.”
“My mother had many miscarriages,” Elspeth answered. “I had a sister, Eileen, who passed away from smallpox when I was ten. My mother died giving birth to my baby brother, and he died too. After that, my father became a drunk, not because he mourned her passing, I hasten to add, but because he is a man who only lives for himself and his own desires. He never married again, so no, I have no brothers or sisters. I hate him.” Elspeth’s tone was on
e of deep bitterness.
“All my life, he has been a thorn in my side. If it had not been for Catriona and Ava, my very devoted nanny, I would likely not have lived long. He beat me—not often, but very badly—and I remember Nanny standing between us to shield me from him. I was glad when he promised me to Craig, and I hoped that he would send for me straight away. I reasoned that Craig could not be any worse than my father, and from what everyone says, I think I was right. It took Craig ten years to send for me, but I wish he had done it sooner. My worst nightmare is that my father will want to come and visit me.”
“I will not allow him in, Elspeth,” Niall assured her. “You need never worry about that score.”
“Thank you, Niall,” she sighed. “I admit that is a weight off my mind.” She smiled at him.
“I am sorry.” He put his hand over hers on the table as he saw the sadness in her face. “It seems we have both suffered.”
“Indeed. Do you mind talking about Craig?”
He shook his head. “No, not at all. He was my only brother and my best friend, and I will miss him very much. I am glad he was part of my life; he was one of the best people I ever met, and I will always treasure his memory.”
“Tell me about him,” she said softly. “If you can.”
Niall smiled. “He was always the more patient of the two of us,” he admitted, laughing softly. “I was the one who would rush to eat all the cakes at once, then I would be finished in a wee while and want more, whereas he would eat his slowly and make them last, and I would be jealous and angry that I had not done the same.
“He always won our chess games. After a while, I stopped playing with him because it was no fun anymore, but then he begged me to start again because he had no one to play against. I did, and I began to win, but I knew it was because he was losing on purpose.” He shrugged. “But that was the kind of person he was. He would have done anything for me and I for him. I was fortunate to know him, fortunate that he was my brother, and...” He trailed off, unable to go on. His eyes glittered with unshed tears, but he dashed them away impatiently and gave her a brittle smile. “Look at me behaving like a silly girl.”
“You are not,” she said soothingly. “You have just lost someone you loved very much. I was too young to grieve much for my mother when she died, so I cannot say I felt what you feel, but you are my husband now, and I care for you, although we have known each other for only a short time.”
“I care for you too,” he said in disbelief. “I suppose we are all we have now, and I feel as though I have come to know you better. I thought at first that perhaps we would not be happy, but now I think perhaps we might.”
“I hope so.” Without any more ado, Elspeth stood up. “Time to see the tenants!” she said briskly, holding out her hand.
He took it, groaning. “Must I?” he asked reluctantly. “Can we not just go back to bed?”
“We cannot spend the rest of our lives in bed!” Elspeth pretended to be scandalized.
“Why not?” he asked mischievously. “It sounds like a very good notion to me!”
Elspeth pretended not to hear him.
The three tenants they visited that day—the MacKenzies, Grants, and Robertsons—were thrilled to be visited by their new laird and lady, especially when Elspeth produced some special sweet treats from the castle kitchens. They were enchanted by her beauty and her friendliness, especially towards the children, with whom she seemed to have a natural affinity. She gave extra attention to the youngest McKenzie, a tiny baby boy who was all of two weeks old and as yet had no name.
“Ye will make a fine mother, milady,” Mrs. MacKenzie said, smiling as Elspeth handed the child back to her. “Ye have the touch.”
Elspeth beamed at her. “Oh, I hope so!” she said happily as she kissed the baby’s tiny head. “I cannot wait to be a mother!”
As they were leaving, Niall felt extremely proud of her. “You are going to be my goodwill ambassador from now on,” he informed her, grinning happily. “You may come with me as often as you please.”
She smiled, and they rode along in comfortable silence for a while. They came to a little burn with brown peaty water, and stopped to let Rex drink.
Niall helped Elspeth dismount, and she bent over the water, cupped her hands, and helped herself to a drink. Then she stood up, but instead of mounting the horse again, she took her shoes off and lifted her skirts before stepping into the icy stream. She gasped in fright only once, even though her feet had been numbed up to the ankles almost immediately.
Niall watched her in disbelief. “Elspeth, what are you doing?” he asked, almost desperately. “Come out before your feet fall off!”
She smiled at him wickedly. “Coward!” she taunted. “Come in, it’s lovely!”
Niall hesitated for a moment, then eased off his boots and took a deep breath. He almost screamed at the shock of the freezing water but bit his lip to stop himself. He did not want to sound weak in front of his wife!
She grinned at him in a devilish fashion, then turned and waded deeper into the stream. He followed her until they were both knee-deep in the freezing water. He caught her hands and turned her around to face him.
“You are a complete madwoman,” he told her fondly, as he stroked her cheek with a gentle hand. “And now you are driving me mad too.”
“Good,” she murmured, pulling his head to hers for a tender kiss. “I wouldn't be happy otherwise.”
He pulled her closer and kissed her tenderly, caressing her lips. After a few moments, she was moist and moaning with desire. It had surprised her initially that he had this effect on her, but he was so masculine that sometimes he made her feel a wanton lust over which she had no control, or desire to control.
“This is not the time or the place,” she whispered, as she drew away from him to look into his amber eyes.
“When we are together,” he growled deep in his throat as he began a tender assault on her neck, “it is always the right time.”
“And the place?” she gasped. Her knees were beginning to buckle as she succumbed to his sensual attack.
“We will find a place,” he whispered, undeterred as he breathed in the sweet lavender scent of her hair. Then he picked her up, carried her out of the water, and set her down on the grass. He dried her feet with his cloak and helped her put her shoes on again. After he had done the same for himself, he hauled her to her feet.
“Now, Elspeth...have you seen enough farms, sheep, cattle, and people?”
“Yes. But we have a long way to go, and it’s time to go home.”
He growled and pretended to bite her, then mounted Rex and lifted her onto his lap before they rode away.
Behind a tree, someone was watching and listening to them, envying their easy camaraderie and obvious affection. It was unfair, they thought, that Elspeth and the new laird could enjoy this carefree time together when they had to work so hard for a living and their lover was unfairly denied a claim to what was rightfully theirs. But it would not be forever. Soon Laird and Lady McLaren would be parted in sorrow and pain, and the watcher could not wait to see it!
10
Fever
Shortly before they got back to the castle, the clouds burst. They rode home that afternoon with sopping wet clothes that dripped stream water and rainwater all over the stone flags, but both of them were giggling and pushing each other playfully, looking for all the world as if they had drunk too much whiskey.
Niall swept Elspeth off her feet and sprinted upstairs with her. Before they could lie down and make love all afternoon as had been their intention, Niall was called away by the estate chief to correct some problems with the accounts.
He swore forcefully as he dressed, and Elspeth was introduced to some curses she had never heard before. Niall looked back at her as he was about to open the door, his eyes smoldering with lust. “Milady,” he growled, “if you are not lying there waiting for me when I get back, I will turn this castle upside down looking for you. I may even
administer some punishment on your backside. Remember who is the master here!”
Elspeth tried not to chuckle. “Yes, Master,” she replied meekly. “I will do as I have been bidden...as I always do.”
He gave her a wild, wolfish grin as he left. His wife was a tempting minx, but that was just the way he liked her.
“I thought ye were still out wi’ the laird, mistress,” Catriona said, frowning as she came into the bedchamber with an armful of clean laundry for her mistress. If she noticed that Elspeth’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkled, and she was as naked as a newborn in the middle of the afternoon—she said nothing.
“We were driven home by the rain,” Elspeth replied dreamily. “Otherwise, I think we would have stayed away ’til nighttime. But the laird has a job to do. Oh, Catriona, you should have seen the bonny wee baby we met today!” She clapped her hands. “Two weeks old and absolutely adorable! Catriona, I wish I could have a child. It must be so wonderful to be a mother.” She looked at her maid with glowing eyes. “I cannot wait.”
Catriona smiled at her. “Any sign yet?” she asked.
Elspeth shook her head regretfully. “Not yet,” she sighed.
Catriona looked with sympathy at her downcast face and patted her shoulder. “Plenty o’ time, mistress,” she said soothingly. She looked with some concern at Elspeth’s flushed cheeks, then told herself not to be so fanciful. Elspeth did not have a fever; she was suffering from nothing more than an excess of high spirits. Still, Catriona had a strange feeling that something was not as it should have been.
Niall arrived home just in time to eat, but he was in a foul temper and uncharacteristically quiet as he steadily worked through his usual gargantuan helping of food. He finished a glass of ale and two of whiskey, and despite both Lorna’s and Elspeth’s attempts to engage him in conversation, he answered only in monosyllables and left as soon as his plate was empty.
