“We have feared for that girl and knew what was in store for her if Fletcher remembered her. When we insisted that ye marry one of our own, we always meant her, MacDougal.”
“Why?” Theo demanded. “Ye had heard the rumors of me. Why would ye force her on a man like me?”
“I took one look at ye and knew that ye were our salvation. Knew that ye were Gemma’s. I know about yer father, Theo. I know he is alive and well. I was a poor warrior, but I made an excellent spy. I have connections all over the mountains gathering information for me. I know ye saved yer people from him, and that ye would save us, but Gemma is a stubborn lass.”
Harris had a network of spies? The information should have infuriated him, but Theo just sighed. He always knew there was something more to the man than what he could see on the surface. He was married to a strong woman like Agnes, who could read and write, so of course Harris was literate. And apparently a top-notch liar.
“She didnae marry me to run from Fletcher. She was set to run, but she couldnae leave ye and the others. She married me thinking she was protecting ye, and I let her.”
“She makes ye a better man. So why are ye sending her away?”
Theo fixed him with a hard look. “She ran headfirst into battle to save a child, armed with nothing, and was nearly cut down right in front of me. Whoever sent those mercenaries wilnae stop, and I wilnae watch her die. She will be safer on MacDougal lands. There are those I trust who will look out for her.”
“Are ye certain that ye arenae sending her away for another reason? I see the way ye look at her. She would love ye, if ye let her.”
“If she knew what I was capable of, she would never,” Theo whispered and felt a fist squeeze around his heart. Since the battle, she’d been looking at him like he was a hero. It was doing something to him. Softening him.
Now was not the time for him to go soft.
“The man ye were isnae the man that ye are.” Harris patted him on the arm. “Our Gemma is special. If ye drive her away, ye may never get her back.”
Then Theo was alone once again at the loch. He realized Harris was right. He couldn’t send her alone, at least not at first. He would go with her, see that she was settled, and return.
That should pacify her, and if something were to happen to the loch while he was gone, Thomas could take care of it.
First, there was something he needed to take care of.
It took almost an hour to find Graeme. Instead of watching his men or searching the land for a weekend, the MacSeaver heir was sitting on the edge of the woods looking at a particular cottage.
“Is there any reason in particular that ye are staring at Lady Jillian?” Theo asked mildly as he sat next to him.
Graeme started and growled. “What are ye doing here, MacDougal? Do ye not have an army to train?”
“I am leaving for a few days,” Theo said abruptly. There was no point in being coy. “‘Tis time that I took my wife home.”
“And ye want me to leave?”
“We had an agreement, and ye fought by my side. That doesnae mean that I trust ye. If ye decide to stay, ye will be watched.” The agreement stood whether Theo was there or not, which was why he had strengthened his patrols. From the moment Graeme expressed an interest on spending time at the loch, Theo was ready for him to betray them. The fact that he hadn’t, that he’d fought to protect the loch, surprised him.
He wondered if it surprised Graeme, too.
Graeme shrugged. “I am already watched.”
“Why are ye here?”
The MacSeaver heir knew Theo wasn’t talking about the land. They stared over at the small blonde as she brushed her hair out of her face and continued to collect firewood.
“She is a MacSeaver. ‘Tis my duty,” Graeme replied.
“Ye think she killed yer cousin.”
“I know she did.”
Silence fell, and Theo suddenly wondered if Graeme was pleased that his cousin was dead. It did pave the way for him to be laird, but even if that were the case, there was still anger and resentment clearly aimed at the woman.
“Do I need to worry about her safety while I am gone?”
Graeme scowled. “I doonae abuse women, Theo.”
Thinking back to the women who used to cower when he walked by, Theo wished he could claim the same. “Should there be trouble while I am gone, ye will be my first target.”
“Was it difficult?”
“Was what difficult?”
“Taking over for yer father given his reputation. How did ye gain their trust?”
Theo rose and turned his back. “When I discover that, I will let ye know.”
“The boy Gemma saved...I was curious and asked around about him. He is an orphan.”
Theo froze. “And?”
“I know his uncle well and understand why ye wish to hide them from him, but the uncle has kin. Good kin. The boy needs a father figure, and I doonae think ye will find that here with this lot. Not under the threat of invasion. I know someone that can help.”
That meant trusting Graeme. Theo closed his eyes. “The boy doesnae wish to leave.”
“’Tis all right. Oliver only stays on MacSeaver land for me. I think he will like it here, and I think ye can use him.”
“He would haftae swear fealty to me.”
Graeme looked away before he nodded. “Then I will speak with him and let him decide.”
Walking away, Theo wondered when Graeme had become their ally.
Gemma was making dinner for them in her cottage when Theo finally got home. It was late, and most of the village was asleep, but there was much to be done if they were leaving in the morning.
A delicious-smelling stew wafted from the fire, and she was bundled up in a quilt as she sat, her legs curled up under her, as she stared out the window. She was so lost in through that she hadn’t heard him come in.
Displeasure curled through him. She was so trusting that anyone could get close and bury a knife in her gut if they wanted. But even as he studied her, he realized he loved this side of her. The side that could relax and enjoy her surroundings. The only time he could do that was when he was with her.
Last night’s lovemaking had stayed with him all day, and he was more than eager to touch her now.
“Dinner smells wonderful,” he said quietly as he grabbed her hands and pulled her up. Her gaze snapped into focus and she gasped as he took that opportunity to steal a leisurely kiss from her. “Evening, Wife.”
“I must have gotten lost in my thoughts. I didn’t even hear you come in,” she admitted with a blush. “And good evening, Husband. I trust the day went smoothly?”
“Smoothly enough.” Until now. He had a feeling that she would take it well when he told her it was time to leave. “Have ye eaten?”
“No, I was waiting for you. I took a chicken to the guard quarters earlier, but I didn’t see you.” Yawning, she rubbed her eyes.
“A chicken? My men are eating better than me,” he grumbled, but he sat at the table. After the first taste of stew, he regretted his words. The mutton was tender, the vegetables flavorful, and the broth thick.
Gemma shot him a knowing smile. “The cook my father employed was very talented. I learned quite a bit from her.”
“Lucky me!” He ate in silence and knew he could put it off no longer. Gemma settled back into her chair and began to eat as well. There was a sense of contentment on her face, like this was enough for her, and it turned his stomach to think that he was going to ruin that.
“We are leaving in the morning for MacDougal lands.”
The spoon paused midway to her mouth. “To stay?”
“Aye.”
“The morning! Theo, have you lost your mind? I can’t possibly be ready by then. I need to make provision for David and Cameron. I need to pack. The looms are valuable and can break if they are not stored properly.”
“I have already made provision for David and Cameron. Ye have little to pack, and the looms cannae
come with us. I promise that on the next trip, I will make provisions for them, or we will look at purchasing ye a set for the keep.”
For a moment, he worried that he’d broken her. She just stared at him, unmoving. “Gemma, I realize that ye still want to weave for the people, and I am happy to let ye weave when I can move the looms, but ‘tis not a necessity. I will take care of them now.”
“My looms are all I have,” she whispered.
Annoyance flickered in him. “Now ye have me.”
“What of Jillian?”
“Ye two may write as often as ye like. No harm will come to her here,” he said calmly. “Gemma, we are married. Ye gave yerself to me last night. Ye always knew that ye would be returning home with me.”
“I just thought I would get some notice so I could say goodbye!” The tears in her eyes were real. “Give me one more day.”
“They all know ye are leaving, and they will be here in the morning to say their goodbyes. Ye will see them again. I promised that ye could visit, and I mean to keep that promise. Ye are mistress of my people, and ‘tis time for ye to meet them.”
And, in the fortress of MacDougal, she would be safe.
“If this is my last night here, then I will spend it with my family,” she said as she pushed the bowl aside and stood. “Do not wait up for me, Husband.”
“Gemma!” His voice was colder than he intended, and he reached out and took her arm as she tried to walk past. “I am yer family now. Doonae forget that.”
“My heart is big enough for all of you,” she said quietly. “I wonder if yours is.”
She left him alone, staring at the flickering light of the candle, and wondering if there would be any room left in her heart for him when she discovered the truth of the things he’d done in the past.
15
The last time Gemma had journeyed for so long on a horse had been when she’d first arrived at Loch Moran. Now she was arriving at MacDougal lands, as mistress, and her derrière had nearly no feeling left. She’d been too angry at Theo’s callousness to speak to him during the journey, let alone admit that she was in pain, but the pain had passed hours ago, and now she was just numb.
The problem now was when she got off her stallion, she was likely to collapse onto the ground. Thankfully, there was no fanfare. No lines of MacDougals eagerly waiting to greet their laird. When they rode by, few even looked over at them, and when they did, there was fear in their eyes.
Her stomach twisted. How could these people be afraid of Theo? Were they blaming him for the evil deeds of his father?
The MacDougal keep was massive. As there was no structure even near as grand in Loch Moran, she simply gaped at it. It rose on the top of the hill, a beautiful view with the mountains in the background.
This was her home now.
Waiting out front was a handsome, golden-haired vision who greeted them with a warm smile. “Theo! Ye have returned earlier than expected.”
“Aye, to situate my wife.” Dismounting his horse, he turned to Gemma. She didn’t want to touch him, but she also feared that she would not be able to gracefully get off the horse without assistance, and didn’t want to make a fool of herself in front of an audience.
“I am not a piece of furniture that needs to be situated,” she hissed softly so only he could hear as she put her hands around his neck. He lifted her easily to the ground, but her knees buckled when he tried to let her go. Humiliated, she grabbed onto him.
“What is wrong?”
“I cannot feel my lower body,” she admitted as humiliation spread through her.
“Why?”
Is the man really so thick?
“We have journeyed for two days, and we barely stopped,” she whispered. “I am not used to being on a horse for that long.”
“Why the devil did ye not say something?” His hand slid to her derrière; she squeaked and brushed it away.
“Because I am not speaking to you! Don’t do that! That man is watching.”
“That man is my brother.” There was a grain of pride in his voice. “Hamish, Laird of the Hamiltons. Hamish, this is my wife, Gemma,”
“Good to meet you, Gemma. I was pleased to hear that he had wed and sorry that I couldnae meet ye beforehand to warn ye off,” he teased as he moved to greet her. He took her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss.
“Perhaps I should have held out.”
“As he is already married, and his wife would most likely gut ye, be thankful that ye didnae,” Theo said dryly. “To bed with ye. ‘Tis late.”
Ignoring him, she smiled at Hamish again. “I don’t suppose your wife is with you? Since my husband decided to move me here without giving me time to gather all of my things, I won’t be able to weave while I am here. Some company might be nice.”
“Afraid not, lass. She is watching over our clan now.”
Gemma raised her eyebrows. A man who gave his wife responsibility? Imagine that. Ignoring the urge to rub her bottom, she turned and followed the young man carrying her things into the keep. She didn’t bother to look back at Theo.
Up the winding stairs and through the halls lit by torches, she yearned to stop and admire the tapestries on the wall, but her body was aching to lie down and rest. “Could you draw me a bath as well? Or do I need to ask someone else?”
He started and whipped his head around, and she realized that Theo must not have told them that he’d dared to marry an English woman. “Well?” She prodded again as she tried to keep the impatience out of her voice.
“Sorry, miss. I will draw ye a bath,” he muttered and turned back to the hall. His steps were quicker now, and she ached as she tried to keep up with him.
When he finally opened the door to one of the chambers, she stepped in and stopped short. A fire was lit, spreading light through the room, and from the ornately carved armoire and chest at the foot of the large bed to the expensive rug in the room, she had no doubt whose chamber this was. “Do I not get my own room?”
“This is where the laird told me to put yer things,” the man said with a shrug. “I will draw ye and the laird a bath.”
“Two baths,” she told him sharply.
He blinked at that but shrugged and left her alone. She had half a mind to pick up her things and find another room, but the promise of a bath and the fire’s warmth were too tempting to deny. Tonight, she would sleep, and tomorrow she would find someplace new. She’d shared her cottage with Theo on Loch Moran out of necessity. There was no need to do so now.
Although the idea of sharing his bed every night did help awaken her body.
Half an hour later, she was soaking in the tub’s warm waters with her eyes closed when the door opened. Immediately, she moved to cover her breasts. “Go away,” she sighed but the bath felt too nice to ruin with her anger.
“This is my room, lass,” Theo said calmly as he started to strip.
“Tomorrow I will find my own.”
“Nay, ye wilnae.”
Too tired to argue, she sank deeper into the water and closed her eyes again. When she felt his hands on her shoulders, she tried to pull away.
“Easy, lass,” he said soothingly. “I didnae realize the journey would hurt ye so. Let me help ye relax.”
His hands began to work on her neck and shoulders’ tense muscles, and she tried not to moan. “If you think to do this anywhere else on my body, you are sorely mistaken,” she managed.
He chuckled. “Nay, not tonight. Ye need yer sleep.”
Why is he always worried about how much sleep I get?
“I didn’t realize that you had a brother.”
“Aye, my half brother. One of my father’s bastards,” Theo said a little too darkly. “If my father had his way, Hamish would be dead. Instead, the boy he so despised is now the leader of his own clan and allied with the most powerful clans in the Highlands.”
“You are proud of him.”
“Aye. Hamish is a good man. He is a good leader.”
“So are
you.”
His hands stilled, and her heart twisted. Despite everything happening between them, she still needed him to know that he was a good man. That she didn’t believe he would turn out to be like his father.
“Ye ignored me this entire journey,” he reminded her.
“Because I am angry at you doesn’t mean that I don’t think you’re a good leader. Theo, I watched you put your life on the line to protect Loch Moran. The mark of a good leader is one who will fight with his men and not behind them. You promised to keep Loch Moran safe, and that is what you’ve done.”
“‘Tis not over, Gemma. ‘Til I discover who is behind the mercenaries, it won’t be over. They will send more.”
Pulled away from him, she turned and stared, incredulous. Water sloshed around in the tub, and she swept the damp hair from her face. “Then what are we doing here, Theo? Why are we not at Loch Moran, defending it?”
A shadow of guilt crossed his face, and the truth hit her in a blinding light. “I am such an idiot,” she muttered as she stood and reached for a cloth. Deftly trying to keep tears from welling up in her eyes, she began to furiously dry off so she could dress and get as far away as possible from him.
He wasn’t staying. He had always meant to bring her here and leave her so he could go back to Loch Moran. “How long do you plan on being gone?” she asked tensely.
“Gemma, I needed to know that ye would be safe,” he said softly. “Seeing ye on the battlefield, at the end of a sword, did something to me. I cannae concentrate now fearing that ye will run headlong into danger again.”
“So this was your solution? Taking me away from everyone I know and leaving me here?” Jerking on her nightdress, she turned to face him accusingly. “How long?”
“I will stay here for a few days to see ye settled—”
“I am not a piece of furniture!”
“Nay, ye are my wife, and ye are to obey me!” he shouted angrily. His eyes darkened with the fury she knew swirled inside him at any given moment, the fury he was always so afraid to unleash. With her, it seemed, he had little control, but not to hurt her. Never to hurt her.
Highlander’s Lesser Evil: A Scottish Medieval Historical Romance (Highlands' Deceptive Lovers Book 4) Page 10
