Emily stared at the door wondering what had just happened. He had kissed her as if he was starved for the taste of her yet he had then backed away as if she had suddenly become venomous. She had little experience with kisses but felt certain that was not a common reaction. His parting words had been pleasant but his voice had been cold enough to chill her blood. It had certainly robbed her of any lingering warmth offered by the kiss.
She mulled over what he had said before he had so abruptly kissed her. Relaxing back against the pillows she touched her lips and sighed. She could not answer his questions yet felt that she should. The man had saved her life and Neddy’s, too. Emily closed her eyes and tried to calm herself, to reach for the sleep she needed. She had spent too many years keeping secrets, fearing that she would slip and give something away, something that would cost her sister her child. Now she had lost her parents, her sister, poor sweet David, and she was all that was left to protect little Neddy.
Well, Iain MacEnroy could continue to believe she kept secrets. She did and no matter how sweet his kisses, no matter how much his coldness upset her, she would not give them up. Neddy was the only family she had left. Then there were the ones determined to wipe out the Stantons, most especially the young heir. Secrecy was necessary to keep the child alive. She could not, would not, gamble with trusting her feelings about who could be told those secrets. As she slid into sleep her fears and worries followed her, darkening her dreams.
* * *
Iain dismounted and then plucked Neddy from the saddle and set him on the ground. The boy laughed and Iain smiled. Neddy had a great laugh, one that drew a person in to share his joy. Iain could only assume the boy had not seen any of what had happened to his parents. He had been saved that trauma. His mind and spirit carried few shadows of the violence he had survived.
As he watched Neddy play with the puppies that ran out of the barn to greet them, Iain wondered if Emily Stanton was more than just an aunt to him. It was not unusual for a female to use some indigent relative to raise her child. It better explained the child’s lack of scars than anything else he could think of. In Neddy’s heart and mind, Emily was more his parent than the two people murdered had been. It was sad but he did not blame the boy’s parents for that. Starting a new life in a new country took up a lot of one’s time and strength. They had not had the time or energy to build a bond with their child before they died.
Knowing he was postponing seeing Emily, he finished stabling his horse and then took Neddy by the hand. It was cowardly to use the boy to shield himself but Iain knew he would do it. It was time for him to face whatever consequences there were for his actions. Iain had no idea of how she might greet him but there was no forgetting how he had kissed her then walked away. He had the distinct feeling that was not something a woman shrugged off easily.
It had been a mistake to kiss her. He was still not sure what had possessed him. One moment he had been admiring the lines of her face, thinking her mouth would be sweet, and the next he had been tasting that mouth. He had definitely discovered just how sweet that mouth was. Then he had run off like a rabbit scenting a hungry fox. He could not really understand what had sent him running but he certainly knew a lot of reasons why he should not be kissing her.
There was no denying that there were many good, solid reasons not to go kissing the woman. Emily was a woman in danger, one he had taken in. She was, in fact, under his protection as was the child with her. It was something he continually reminded himself of. He should not then turn into one of those dangers, even if his desire was not one to kill her. It might kill him though, he thought, and chuckled softly as he led Neddy up the stairs.
Just before stepping into the room, he sent up a quick prayer that she would be asleep. Neddy pulled free of his hold and ran to the bed. Emily’s eyes opened and she smiled at the child. Iain decided he might need to live a more righteous life if he expected his prayers to be answered.
“And what did you do this afternoon, love?” she asked as the boy climbed up on the bed.
“I rode a horse.”
Emily had been trying hard to ignore the man standing behind Neddy but Neddy’s announcement had her looking at him in alarm. “Surely he is too small to ride a horse.”
“Which is why he rode with me, nay alone.”
“Ah.” She kissed Neddy’s cheek. “Did you have fun then?”
“Aye. I saw sheeps. Lots of them.”
Iain watched as she talked with the boy about all he had seen and done. There was such a close affection between the two he would think her his mother if he did not know she was only his aunt. Suddenly he was certain of one of the reasons why she had been dragged to this country with her sister. Her sister had wanted someone to help her care for a child. He might be unfair but he doubted it. Emily had been given the care of the baby probably from the time he was born. That was why Neddy was not suffering from the loss of his parents because as far as the boy was concerned the most important person in his life was by his side.
Knowing it was almost time for the evening meal Emily nudged Neddy off the bed and carefully stood up. Iain stepped forward to slide his arm around her waist to keep her steady and support her. Despite the things he thought about her, about her kind, he could not help but appreciate the way she felt in his arms. He wanted Neddy to be gone so he could pull her firmly into his grasp. It was a strange fever he had no explanation for and was having a hard time curing himself of.
“I do not need so much support to walk down to the evening meal,” Emily said quietly as Neddy led the way.
“Nay? Legs arenae wobbly?”
“Not at all. I am actually quite steady and need no help.”
“Oh, I think it would be best if you have a little. Wouldnae want ye to tumble down the stairs. Ye might hit Neddy on the way.”
She looked up at him and caught the hint of a smile. “I will be very careful. I think I could make certain to fall to the right if I weaken and then he is safe. I do so hate to inconvenience you.”
“No bother at all.” He pretended not to hear her soft sigh of exasperation.
Once they reached the kitchen, he helped her to a seat and then took one right next to her. As the food was passed around, she concentrated on helping Neddy and listening to all the talk. She covertly watched each brother as they ate. Mrs. O’Neal had been right. The MacEnroys were a handsome lot. Even Robbie, although he was a little bright with his vividly red hair, freckles, and blue eyes. She suspected that would tone down as he got older. Iain was not only the oldest but clearly the leader. It occurred to her that she had never seen so many shades of red and wondered if both their parents had had red hair.
Emily carefully worked to figure out where each one stood in the family line. Matthew held the place of the second in command. Nigel, who looked a great deal like Iain but had a softer shade of green eyes, was next, she decided. Then Geordie, she thought, as she studied the shortest one of the brothers. When it came to the other three brothers she only knew that Robbie was the youngest. Lachlan, strangely enough, had very dark hair and what looked to be brown eyes. It was as if he had been the cuckoo in the nest yet no one treated him as anything other than a brother. Duncan was quiet. His dark auburn hair was thick and prone to curls and she knew he was only a year older than Robbie. He was the studious one, she decided.
If this had been a family from her part of the world and society the doors would have to be barred against the women seeking husbands. She thought it odd that none of them appeared to be calling on anyone and they never spoke of any woman either. She sighed and felt sad for the parents they had lost. It would have been good if they could have seen what their sons had built.
By the time she finished dessert Emily was ready to retire. Despite wanting to join everyone in the parlor, she excused herself and made her way to her bedroom. Once she was settled in bed, she sighed. She was going to have to tell Iain more about what she and her sister had been fleeing. It was wrong to leave such a family ignorant of what might come kicking down their gates. They had worked hard for all they had and accomplished a lot. It would be horrible if they lost any of it because she made them stand between her and her enemy.
Chapter Six
Singing softly to herself Emily brushed flat the cover on her bed. She straightened and looked over the room. Everything was clean now. It had taken almost all day, which she found annoying since it was one of the smallest rooms in the house. Even after two weeks she still tired easily and had needed to sit down too often and rest. She told herself to be patient. What had been done to her required a long period of healing and she needed to accept that with grace.
