“Thor,” she whispered.
“Aye. I’ll get ye there. I promise.”
“I ken, but all of me aches for ye. I wish ye could touch me everywhere. I want to touch ye.” Her hand rested on his thigh, but her fist bunched his plaid when Gaisgeach’s next step pressed her weight forward against Thor’s hand and the firm saddle. He redoubled his efforts, rubbing her nub until she released his plaid, and her nails raked up his thigh. Her breath caught before she slumped backward against her husband’s expansive chest. Her head lolled back against his shoulder. She realized too late that if anyone looked at them, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to guess what they’d been doing. She moved to sit straighter, but Thor’s arm wrapped around her, unwilling to let her move even a hair’s breadth.
“Keep rubbing yer arse against me, Greer. I’m close.” Thor had pushed his sporran to the side when he pulled her onto his horse. Hisbreacan feilecovered it even though it was closer to his hip. Every step his horse took was sweet agony with Greer’s bottom rubbing against his rod. He’d been hard since the moment she grazed it as she adjusted her skirts. Now she pressed her hips back, letting the horse’s gait help her roll her hips and brush against him. “I dinna care who comes to our gates. I’m locking us in our chamber for a sennight. If ye even think aboot putting a stitch of clothing on, I will burn it all.”
Greer giggled until he pinched her nipple. It didn’t hurt. It set off another round of longing. She would burn her husband’s clothes if he thought to get dressed during their sequestered week. Thor shifted, then Greer felt him tense. His groan was for her ears only. He pressed a quick, hard kiss to her neck before they both turned their attention to the men riding toward them.
“Thor!”
Thor recognized his father without hearing him call out to him. He nudged his horse forward along with everyone else’s. Magnus, Alex, and Tavish accompanied their brother as they raced toward the party. He didn’t understand why his father gestured for them to turn back. When he and the others didn’t immediately turn around, all four Sinclair brothers made the same gesture. But it was too late. Thor spotted the royal standard as five men passed beneath the portcullis.
“Now we ken where they went,” Greer whispered.
“Wee Liam, Alec, and Hamish, ye ride with us.” Thor let the other riders pass them before he spun Gaisgeach to face south. It wasn’t ideal that Greer rode double with him, but at least he knew they wouldn’t get separated. He would have to be careful not to exhaust Gaisgeach, though.
“Dunrobin.” It wasn’t a question. Alec stated what they all knew. It was less than a day’s ride to their Sutherland family. They all knew the route well enough to ride through the night. Even their horses could traverse the distance in their sleep. It was dangerous to travel in the dark, but they remained confident they could.
However, they made it less than a hundred yards before men surrounded them. These knights only wore their hose and doublets, much like Sir Richard and his men had when they came to Ackergill. But even without their panoply, or full suit of armor, Thor knew they were too great a threat to face with Greer in front of him.
“We canna outrun them. We go home. Grandda will already ken what to do. Out here, we’re unprotected.” Thor and the others knew it was the truth. They’d had a slim chance, and it hadn’t worked out. Now he would rely on the might of his clan and his family to protect them. If they had to be anywhere with King Edward’s men buzzing around them, he was glad to be home.
“We tried. Mayhap if we’d understood Uncle Callum’s intention sooner.” Alec shrugged. If the entire party had time to turn and ride south, they might have made it. But slipping away with only four horses hadn’t worked. The English camped at the southern side of Dunbeath, which none of them could see from where they approached. They’d inadvertently ridden straight toward their enemy.
“We’ll go with ye without a fight. Stay away from ma wife, and none of us will draw our weapons,” Thor announced to the Englishmen who tightened their circle. Thor, Alec, Hamish, and Wee Liam walked their horses in a small semi-circle rather than whirling them around. They cantered to the gate with their unwelcome chaperones.
Tristan, Callum, Alex, Tavish, Magnus, and Liam waited for them alongside the man with the English king’s standard.
“Fucking hell,” Greer murmured. She knew who’d they’d find, but it didn’t make her any less angry. Beside the flag bearer sat Sir Richard. His smug expression made her want to drive her fist through his face, but she knew she would never succeed.
“Ye have quite the choice phrase, wee one.”
“I ken.”
They all remained silent as they reined in their horses in front of the older Sinclairs, Tristan, and Sir Richard. Callum leaned forward and grinned, setting Thor more at ease.
“Felicitations, lad. I hear I have another daughter. Lady Greer, I ken ye have a father, but mayhap one day ye will see me as one too. Ye are as muchmo nigheanas Rose and Shona.” My daughter. While they spoke English for Sir Richard’s sake, Callum emphasized his welcome with the Gaelic phrase.
“Thank ye. May I call ye Father?”
“I’d prefer Da. But if Father is what ye’re comfortable with, then I will gladly answer.”
“Silence!” Sir Richard barked.
“Lad, that is the last time ye will give any orders in ma home. I’ve warned ye twice. I willna do it thrice.” Liam continued to beam as his newest granddaughter, but his voice held such a chill that Greer wondered how the Sassenach hadn’t frozen in place.
“I—”
“Breathe because I allow it. Dinna misunderstand ma hospitality. Ye arenae in the dungeon because it doesnae suit ma purposes. Wear out yer welcome, and I willna even bother giving ye that comfort. I will toss ye into the sea and let the sharks do as they wish with ye.” Liam’s tone hadn’t warmed. Sir Richard snapped his mouth shut, but he shot Liam a resentful glare.
“Someone ought to smack ye across the head and see if that look sticks,” Tavish taunted. He leaned forward to look around Magnus and at Sir Richard. “It’s bad enough ye’re English. But ye’ve been here nae even an hour, and ma da is already letting ye ken how we’ll kill ye. He usually lets Sassenachs have a last meal before they wind up in the drink.”
Tavish resembled Liam the most in build since they were both barrel chested. His posture on his horse made him a replica of his father, even if Alex’s face resembled Liam’s the most. Greer glanced at Thor’s cousins, then Tristan. It amazed her how strong the resemblances were in each family. Thor’s strawberry-blond hair made it easier to miss how much he looked like his father at first glance, but his face was a copy of Callum’s. She found something immensely reassuring about this. While there were other Sinclair and Mackay warriors with them, knowing Thor and his family also surrounded her gave her a greater sense of peace than she’d had in years. She knew that no matter what happened, her new family would never back down or give in to someone who threatened any of them.
“Enough nashgabbing. I wish to say hello to ma son and daughter. Move, Englishmon, or I will move ye maself.” A female voice came from above them.
Greer looked up to the battlements beside the portcullis. Wild strawberry-blonde hair blew in the wind as a woman stood with her arms crossed. Greer couldn’t see through the bricks, but she imagined Siùsan’s legs were hip-width apart.
