The next day had dawned beautifully; warm and sunny with a light balmy breeze. It was the kind of day that made Ella feel confined if she couldn’t be out enjoying it. There was bad weather often enough in the highlands that kept everyone inside. Feeling as if she would burst if she didn’t leave the castle walls for awhile, Ella sought out Ceann. She would need his permission to go anywhere, which irritated her, but it also gave her the excuse she needed to speak with him. She found him having just finished training yet again with some of his men, and watched their easy comradery for a moment. He smiled and slapped one of the other men on the back, and the rest of the men all laughed together at some jest. Her heart almost stopped. Had she even seen him smile before? She thought not. He was devastating when he smiled, as she knew he would be.His straight white teeth flashed and his eyes crinkled at the corners. A more attractive man she could not imagine.His hair was tied back at the nape, and he had removed his tunic, displaying a bronzed chest that was a solid wall of muscle, rippling and flexing when he moved.The tattooed circlets on his arms only added to the fiercely handsome visage.
When he saw her coming towards them, the smile slid from his face, and he looked at her with something akin to wariness.She cringed a bit. That was not exactly the sort of reaction a woman wanted toreceive from a handsome man. He waved his men on though, and at least let her approach him, though he kept his face carefully blank.
“Is there something you need, lass?”
“Aye, I want to go out for a ride. The day is far too lovely to stay within the castle walls.”
“No.”
Her face fell. “No? Why not? Surely there’s no harm in a short ride. I’ll go mad if I’m stuck in here much longer! I need to see trees, and flowers, and thehorizon…”
He regarded her coolly, “No, it’s too dangerous.”
She narrowed her eyes. “And you don’t trust me.”
“Aye. And I don’t trust you.”
“You still think I’m a spy? Has no one come to claim me yet? Have you received any letters?”
He regarded her impassively. “I don’t know who or what you are. And no, I haven’t had word from your kin, so you will not be leaving yet. But don’t worry, it’s only a matter of time before I discover the truth.”
“I only want to go out for a ride.”
“I said no; you’ll go nowhere alone.”
She would not give up so easily. She smiled as she saw Ethan approaching. “Never mind, I’ll ask Ethan to go with me.” Turning from Ceann, she gave Ethan her brightest smile. “Ethan, would you take me for a ride outside the castle walls, and see that I don’t get into trouble?”
Ethan grinned and took her hand, making a big show of putting it to his lips. “Aye lovely lass, of course, your wish is my command. I would like nothing better than your company this fine day.”
Ceann would have rolled his eyes at Ethan’s typical roguish behavior, but he was too busy seeing red. An increasingly familiar stabbing pain hit him in the chest when Ella gave her smile to Ethan, when he kissed her hand… It was ridiculous, he told himself. He had no claim on her.He did not even want her. No, he was fine on his own; he didn’t need a woman,any woman, to complicate his life.But then why did every nerve in his body clamor to rip her away from Ethan? He was fighting for control of his temper, but held onto it only by a thin thread.
Ethan, who knew Ceann all too well, turned away from him and winked at Ella, giving her a conspiratorial smile. Then he put his arm around her. “Oh aye lass, I’ll take you for a ride. As hard and as fast as you like. In fact, it will be a ride you’ll not soon forget… one that you can compare all other rides to for years to come.”
Ella, trying to keep herself from laughing, played along. “Oh Ethan, that would be so nice of you.Perhaps you could give me some lessons as well; I’m sure I’m not as experienced as you must be.” She leaned in to murmur loudly enough for Ceann to hear, “I have heard from the maids that you are one of the best.”
“Oh, aye, lass, one of the best. If notthebest.I’ll show you…”
Ethan was ready when Ceann pulled him away from Ella and ducked just in time to miss the well-aimed blow.
Any other man would have been terrified by the murderous glower on Ceann’s face, but Ethan was not. He looked at him smugly and raised an eyebrow in silent question.Ceann ignored him.
Instead he turned grudgingly to Ella.
“Perhaps I’d better escort you on your ride after all, lass. It seems at least one of my clansmen has forgotten his honor.” He took her arm roughly, still glaring at Ethan, and turned her toward the stables. It was only moments later when some of the haze of anger cleared that he realized Ethan had baited him yet again.His stomach dropped and he cursed under his breath.Damn him! He would pay for this, and pay big.Now he had no choice but to take the lass out for her ride. He couldn’t go back on his word now without looking like the fool that he was. She was right, though, he tried to console himself; it was a beautiful day for it, and he could use some time outside of the castle walls himself. The winter would be upon them all too soon.And Ella might even be gone by then… the thought ripped through him like pain. He had been making careful inquiries since she had come to Tulloch, but was no closer to knowing her true identity. He had even given up asking her, as if it no longer really mattered. Because if she ever answered him, she would be gone from Tulloch. Still, an answer could arrive at any time. Any day a messenger could come through the gates and take her away from him. He couldn’t think of that now. She wasn’t supposed to meananything to him. “Come on then,” he mumbled gruffly, heading for the stables and leaving her to follow.
Ceann selected a mount for Ella, a stately grey mare, and waited while the stable lad saddled their horses and led them out. He moved to help her into the saddle, but she grinned at him and swung herself up as if she were born on a horse. He found himself begrudgingly impressed. Not many women had that kind of strength, or spirit for that matter. He swung up into his own saddle and they rode off. As soon as they were outside the gates, Ella spurred her horse to a full gallop, reveling in the feeling of freedom, and the wind in her hair, as it streamed out behind her. For a moment, Ceann thought she was trying to escape him, and his heart did a little flip in panic. But when she looked back, smiling in challenge, he knew she was only teasing him. She had a wild streak, this lass. One he would have admired at one time, one he would have in fact found very attractive, a challenge.
They raced until the horses grew tired, and finally slowed to a walk, doubling back so they would not be too far from the protection of the castle walls. He had let her win. Fallon could easily outrun any other horse in the stable. Ella found herself wondering if perhaps her own stallion, Sindal was a match for the black. What a race that would be, if ever it was possible.
Ceann pulled his horse up alongside hers, and he couldn’t help admiring the rosy glow in her cheeks, or the way her hair was swept back in a tangled disarray of honey-gold by the wind, coming loose from its binding at her nape.“Are you happy now that you’ve had your ride lass?” he asked, putting what he hoped was just the right amount of irritation in his tone.
She smiled at him, and he felt his heart melt just a little.“Aye, thank you Ceann.” She said.“But now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to stop at the stream up ahead for a moment.” She urged her horse forward before he could say no, and by the time he reached her again she was already dismounting. She ran like a child to the edge of the water, and took off her shoes and stockings. Ceann could do nothing but stare as she hiked up her skirts and waded into the shallow edge of the stream. Sheturned back to him. “Mmmmm… you should come in, the water feels good.”
He shook his head. “No, I’ll wait here. But be quick, we have to get back,” he added firmly. He watched her, fascinated, as she waded in the stream. He had never met another woman like her, and was certain he never would again; she was surely some fae creature come to haunt him, day and night. In truth he spent most nights now lying awake, his body burning and restless, aching for release, for completion.For Ella, who ever she was. She turned back to him again with a wide smile, her perfect white teeth shining, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“You know, if I were here alone, I do believe I would take off all my clothes and go for a swim. It’s been so long since I’ve done that, it seems like ages. Do you swim Ceann?”
“Aye”, he grit out. Wonderful, now he couldn’t help but think about watching her take off all her clothes, and wondering what she would look like naked in the daylight. He had seen her naked in the moonlight, over a month ago, when she had only just arrived at Tulloch… but if he thought of that now… Too late, the memory rushed back to him full force.Her lithe body and ripe curves were more than evident even through her gown. And his imagination was proving plenty adequate to rouse his body to a painfully throbbing state.But it wasn’t just her body that drew his interest. It washer.She had so many sides to her; playful one moment, as she was now, she could also be serious or demure, or as angry and fierce as a banshee. And the way she was with the village bairns… she would make a remarkable mother. He sensed something very different about her, but he couldn’t name what it was. She was just… more. And right now, he again found himself wanting her like he’d never wanted anything before. So much that it was all he could do not to slide off of his horse and go to her.His hand gripped the saddle, his knuckles turning white with the effort to stay where he was. The memory of their one brief kiss tormented him. Did he imagine the intensity of that kiss, or had it been real? More than likely he had built it up in his mind to be more than it was, especially since he had deprived himself for so long. Still, he could have sworn it burned him to his very soul. Would it be the same if he kissed her again?
