“Aye,thank you, Ethan.” She clung more tightly to his arm.
Behind them, Ceann glared mightily. He felt a strange tightening in his chest when she took Ethan’s arm. But then, he had not offered her his own. What should it matter to him that she was on another man’s arm? She was not his, nor did he want a woman,anywoman.What he wanted was…to punch Ethan in the face.
He did not know what possessed him when they reached the horses and he heard himself say, “She rides with me.” If Ethan was surprised, he did not show it, but merely nodded and handed her over to him. He wasted no time in tossing her up into the saddle before she could protest, and swinging up behind her in one smooth, practiced motion.
Ella was really too tired to argue anymore; all of the fight had drained out of her in the last five minutes when at last she knew she was safe.Safe.To make matters worse, now that she was out of danger, she began to shiver. All that had happened in the past couple of days caught up with her as her body finally relaxed. She could feel her thighs tremble as she tried to grip the horse, and all of her muscles suddenly felt slack.Shock.I’m in shock. Ah well, it will pass.Rest.I just need to rest.She smiled weakly to herself, proud that she had been so brave and hadn’t succumbed until now, when she was safe in Caen’s arms.Safe.
Ceann felt her shivering and pulled her closer, thinking she must be cold. God, but she felt good in his arms.Too good.Fartoo good. Even as dirt covered and scraped up as she was, she still smelled sweet. He lowered his head just a little to inhale the fragrance of her hair again. In the moonlight, it shone and sparkled like spun gold, and it looked so soft, soft like her skin would be if he touched it.If he undid her gown and… he stifled a groan as his body hardened against her and he suddenly felt dizzy with need. And it was a need he could do nothingabout. Why in hell had he insisted she ride with him? Perhaps he felt the need to be tortured? But when she leaned back against him and her bottom pressed against his groin, pleasure and torment mingled until it was all he could do to just keep breathing. When her body went limp with sleep, he let himself relaxed a bit too. No doubt the lass was tired if she had escaped from someone and run all that way, but he still wasn’t sure he believed her, it could all be an elaborate ruse, part of a bigger plot; to throw him off track, to earn his trust. He looked over at the sound of hoof beats to find Ethan had come up beside him. Some of the other men they had brought were farther behind; others rode ahead, to protect them against ambush.
“Are you alright Ceann?” Ethan asked, looking at him oddly.
“Of course I’m alright, why wouldn’t I be?”
Ethan feigned a look of innocence. “Och, the look of pain on your face just now. Do you have an ache somewhere?”
Ceann looked daggers at his friend, who was trying unsuccessfully not to grin.“You’re lucky you’re over there on that horse, Ethan, or you would have a terrible ache in your face right now.”
“Ah, I guess I’m a lucky man, then.” He looked at Ella still asleep in his arms and shot him a lewd grin.“Though not half as lucky as you.”Ethan rode quickly ahead to join Gregor before Ceann could say anything else. He looked down at the lass he held in his arms. His body still burned out of control for her, and again he questioned his sense at insisting she ride with him.Och, I’m a bloody, bloody fool! And at least another hour before they were home. He groaned, but held her closer still, his fingers lightly tracing her soft curves as if they had a mind of their own.If only things were different, if only… In another lifetime he would have claimed her in a heartbeat, no matter who she had belonged to before. He would keep her as his very own, fight anyone to have her. The heat between them, the way she made his very blood boil… it was a most uncommon thing. In truth he had never felt this way before. If he felt like this just holding her, what would it be like to… He squeezed his eyes shut.Don’t torture yourself. Don’t give in. Don’t.
He did not look forward to questioning her when they arrived at Tulloch; too afraid she would either not answer, or tell him what he didn’t want to know.
***
Later, they sat in the Laird’s study, a cozy fire burning in the hearth. Ella knew she would have to be questioned, of course, but she would really rather just have a nice hot bath. Although the shock had worn off some time ago, she was tired and she ached. And her arms were already mightily sore from lowering herself out of the window. Her fear must have lent her great strength, because now she could barely raise her hand to her face without flinching, and it was bound to be worse in the morning.But God it was good to be back at Tulloch, like Heaven…like home.Aye, surprisingly, she felt very much at home here. But now she was worried about Ceann.She would have to tell him of his uncle’s treachery, but she saw no reason that he should believe her. There was no reason, really, why he should trust her at all. She couldn’t even tell him her full name: Ella Naomi MacCrae, because he was bound to know who the MacCraes were, could trace her easily enough then to Mandaine.She did not want to think about what would happen to Esme and the others if he knew they had sent her here… And so she let out a sigh of utter frustration as the men gathered. Ceann, Ethan, Gregor, and a few loyal others. The Laird’s Council, she supposed.
Ceann poured out a mug of ale for everyone, then nodded to her. “Begin. Leave nothing out. And you’d best be sure to tell me the truth.”
Ella looked up at him, challenge in her eyes. “And if I do tell you the truth, will you believe me?” She tried but couldn’t keep the tremor out of her voice. A remnant of the shock she had so recently recovered from, she supposed. Ethan heard it, and shooting a chastising look at Ceann, moved to wrap her in a woolen blanket, giving her a soft hug in the process. She smiled gratefully at him. Ethan would make some woman a wonderful husband, she thought. He had a kind heart.
Ceann waved his hand dismissively, doing his best to ignore the small exchange. “Just start talking. I’ll decide as you go along whether I believe you.”
She frowned at him, but took a deep breath. “I didn’t know who the men were. Not at first.I was still in the library after you left, when a man held a knife to my throat and forced me into the tunnel behind the wall in the corridor. There were other men waiting outside the walls. I was frightened and didn’t pay much attention to where we were going. I was more concerned with trying to loosen the ropes on my wrists in case I had the chance to escape along the way.”
Ceann reached over and picked up one of her hands, examining her wrist. There were indeed raw, red marks there, as if she had been bound tightly with rough rope.Anger fired in his blood so fast and strong that it was all he could do to keep his face emotionless. He dropped her hand like a hot coal when he felt the now familiar heat her touch brought. His blue-green eyes returned to her face, sparking with intensity, his mouth a grim line.“Continue”, he barely bit out.
She looked at him strangely, but went on with her account.“We arrived at the door of a keep.” She paused, not sure how to say what she knew he would not want to hear. Then she decided to just say it all quickly and then give him time to think it over. Perhaps he too would come to see the treachery she had seen. “They took me inside, and I was handed over to a man I learned is your uncle, Ross. He had apparently ordered me taken after he had word of my presence at Tulloch Castle.It seems he has his sights on your lands and title, and if you were to find a wife and produce an heir, it would make things that much more difficult for him.So he had me kidnapped. I suppose when you brought me back here there may have been speculation…”
Ceann narrowed his eyes at her, and hissed in an angry breath.“Lord Ross told you all this himself?”
“No, of course not.I talked to one of the maids, and some I figured out on my own…”
Ceann stood abruptly. “You’re lying. I’ll give you one more chance to tell me where you really were, lass, before I become truly angry.”
He leaned forward a bit, and Ella saw Ethan’s hand clasp Ceann’s arm to keep him from going farther.
Ella glared fiercely back at him. It was exactly as she predicted. She was a stranger, and she would not be believed over Ceann’s uncle, his kin,whom he had surely known his whole life. He in fact didn’t believe a word she had said.
He leaned closer to her. “How did you escape, then? Did they leave you unguarded?” He expected her to perhaps say that indeed they had left her unguarded for a moment and she took the opportunity to run, or some such unlikely explanation. The fanciful tale she wove instead was completely unexpected.
Ella looked at Ceann earnestly. “I knew he would kill me, if not right away, then eventually. I knew I had to get away. I tied all of the linens in the solar together and lowered myself out of the window. I went through the postern gate and into the woods… I…”
“Where were you really?” Ceann interrupted in a low, menacing tone.
Ella made a sound of utter frustration. “I just told you where I was you bloody man! Why would I make up such a story?Do youknowwhat I went through to escape? You’re indanger, your uncle wants you dead!” She had stood up, and clenched her fists at her sides. She had the urge to hit him again, but thought better of it with his present mood. “Come to think of it, I don’t care if he does kill you! Though I bloody well might beat him to it!”She crossed her arms across her chest and let out an angry breath, her eyes shooting daggers at him, her lips pressed together in silent rage.
He watched her dispassionately until she finished her angry tirade, then signaled to Maggie, who hovered nervously just outside the door.
“Take the lass to her room.”
