Alexander felt the heat of guilty color sting his cheeks. He had not thought on the child’s feelings, but had been completely caught up in his own tangled emotions. There was no doubt in his mind that the child would have seen his retreat for what it was. And it was now too late to make amends, for the children had long been abed. Alexander looked at Ailis and decided he would not admit that to her, however.
“I needed to think about what I had seen,” he finally replied.
“And what great decision have ye come to?”
“I believe ye all give too much weight to mere luck and coincidence.”
“I was once blind to the truth, too.”
“That is the truth.” He saw her shiver and held up the covers on her side of the bed. “Get in ere ye catch a chill.”
“The truth is that Sibeal has the sight.” Ailis scrambled beneath the covers but kept her gaze fixed upon him. “I fear that comes from her mother’s kinsmen. Our grandmother, our mother’s mother, had the sight. She claimed she had always had it.”
“Did ye see any proof?” He turned on his side to face her.
“She was dead ere I was of an age to judge the truth of her claim.”
‘So, ye have no one—and nothing—to compare Sibeal to. Ye can only work on superstitions and myths.”
Ailis laughed and shook her head, amazed at his stubbornness. “Do ye call what happened today naught but superstition and myth? How can ye deny what ye saw and what ye heard?”
“What I saw was us drag some stray dog’s whelps out of the water. The lass could have heard someone talk of drowning the pups. All the rest was just the upset of a tenderhearted child.”
It was difficult to resist the urge to pound her heels against the bed in frustration. “Fine, we willna argue the truth of her sight. ‘Tis up to ye to believe it or not. However, how do you mean to treat poor Sibeal as ye debate this matter?” When he just stared at her, she pressed, “Well, I want an answer.”
“Ye act very arrogant for a wench who is naught but a tool of revenge,” he drawled.
That was cruel. Ailis fought desperately to hide the truth of that from Alexander. As she learned more about him, she was beginning to understand him, even to recognize the occasional hints of meanness as his hurt and bitterness lashing out. It was her own fault that she had let her emotions become so entangled that his anger could hurt her. She just had to keep remembering that she was not the cause of that fury, did not deserve to be stung by his bitter words, and therefore would ignore them. She would also not allow herself to be intimidated by this cold, angry Alexander.
“I am as much a blood kin to Sibeal as ye are,” she said in a cold voice and noticed a fleeting look of discomfort on Alexander’s face. “I willna let ye hurt the child.”
Alexander was outraged and cursed. “I would never hurt a child!”
“Not intentionally, but ‘tis just what ye did when ye turned from her after she revealed her skills. Ye have to let her see that ye still care for her. Ye are cold, Alexander MacDubh, but—“
“Cold?” He abruptly turned so that he was lightly sprawled on top of her. “I dinna feel very cold now.”
Ailis found it impossible to ignore how the feel of him heated her blood, but she refused to let him divert her. “I have asked ye what ye mean to do about Sibeal. I must have an answer.” Her last words were muffled as Alexander tugged off her chemise.
“I will speak to Sibeal in the morning.” Alexander began to brush soft kisses over her face as he gently stroked her body with his hands and enjoyed the way her desires flared to life with a swiftness to equal his.
“And say what?” She found the speed with which he could make her want to forget everyone but his touch a little frightening.
“That she is my niece even if she grows a beard and a second head, and assure her that she isna what I draw back from. I will make it clear that, although I may dislike or disbelieve her gift, I dinna extend such feelings to her herself. Does that make ye happy?”
“It at least makes me confident that ye will try to spare the child’s feelings.”
Alexander studied her face, the way her golden-hued skin was blushed by desire’s heat and her eyes had darkened almost to black. In the depths of her alluring eyes he saw a sadness and realized that he wanted to banish that sorrow, yet doubted he would be able to do so.
“Ye have never really been happy, have ye?” he asked softly.
“Happy enough. As happy as most people.” Ailis did not appreciate the man’s sudden insight.
He slowly eased their bodies together, enjoying the expression of pleasure she could not hide. “Does this make ye happy?”
“Aye, for a while. For the time it lasts.”
“Then we had best try to make it last as long as possible,” he murmured and kissed her.
As Ailis let his lovemaking take her into that welcome realm of blind need, she wished she could make him say such things about far more than their passions.
