***
Ethan walked past the stables and through the castle gates, nodding to the guard who was on duty there. He followed a small path along the edge of the loch for a distance before reaching a small copse of trees, where he stopped and gave a low whistle. A moment later, a slim feminine figure emerged from the trees.
“Och, there you are.”
The woman laughed, “What do you mean? It’s you that’s always late. What news?”
He scoffed.“You ask as if you don’t already know.She’s at the castle. He suspects her of spying for his enemies, or some such nonsense, but has decided to keep her here. At least until he finds out who she is.”
The woman gave him a wry smile. Although Iona was past forty years, she was still beautiful, and her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief.
“And since hewon’tfind out who she is, she could be there for quite some time. That will serve our purposes well, will it not?”She laughed; happy that at long last things were falling into place. “And how does he look at her?” she asked in a low voice, as if confiding a secret.
Ethan grinned. “Like he’s a starving man and she’s a sweet treat. Though he nearly bit my head off when I said so.”
“She’s gotten under his skin already, then.”
“Aye. The man won't know what hit him. Already he can’t carry on a civil conversation with anyone. It’s only a matter of time before he breaks.” He took the woman’s arm. “Come, I’ll walk you back, it’sgetting late, and you know I don’t like you to be out here alone at night.”
***
Ceann broke his fast with some bread and cheese and an apple pilfered from the kitchen, then headed to the lists for morning practice. It was what he did every morning that he was home at Castle Tulloch, and as often as he could manage when he was away. The routine gave his life a feeling of order, and the hard physical exertion of sword play not only honed his body and his skills, but gave him an outlet for the frustration and anger that boiled within him more often than not. His men were certainly among the best trained in the highlands for his constant efforts, and as a result his services in battle were sought after by many noblemen and even the king himself. At the moment there was a rare interlude of peace, or at least there were no battles large enough for his men to be called to arms, or to be worth his trouble.But he was always restless when he wasn’t at war. Fighting gave him a purpose, something to focus on, and he did it well. So well that many a man would run from his sword arm rather than face him in a fight. Aye, he and his men had never yet been bested, and their efforts had brought great wealth to Tulloch Castle. His people prospered and wanted for nothing. It would seem to the world that Ceann had everything a man could want, but then the world would be wrong. He would give up all of his power and wealth in a heartbeat for what money couldn’t buy.
As he reached the lists, he pulled off his shirt and unsheathed his sword. He wore his kilt of MacKenzie plaid and his high leather boots, and had already tied his hair back with a strip of leather. God help his men this morning, for he was in a dark mood, darker than even his usual mood. And he blamed it all on the lass who had stumbled into his life and put him so ill at ease. He looked around at the men who had already gathered for practice. “Who will be first this morning? You’d better be quick-witted, because I’m wanting a good fight today.”
The men exchanged dubious glances, but it was Dugald who stepped forward, and Ceann gave the man a nod of respect for hisbravery. Then he swung his sword with a mighty fury. The first clash of metal on metal was like balm to his beleaguered soul. He fought through man after man, trying to rid himself of his demons in the way of a warrior, with brute strength. At the end, glistening with sweat, breathing hard, and with no more opponents, he swore he could still fight a hundred more. But he was left alone in the lists. As soon as the sword play ended, his thoughts returned to Ella.Why can I not keep my mind from the lass?Hell!He usually had complete control; over himself, over everything. He lived for battle, for protecting his lands and his people.I will not let a woman affect me so. She is beautiful, aye, and I am but a man. It is natural that I would desire her, but that is all. Where was she, though? What was she doing right now? As if drawn by his thoughts, he heard sweet feminine laughter, and as he turned the corner of the keep he saw her there with some of the village women, fussing over a bairn. Strange, but already she had made friends among the clan, and already it seemed as if she belonged here.As if she’d always been here.Ella held out her arms and the mother handed the child to her to hold. She smiled at the bairn and bounced it in her arms. The child giggled and Ella leaned forward to kiss the top of its downy head before they all continued on.
Ceann’s heart had stopped for just a moment, and a feeling of such longing came over him that he could barely breathe. He suddenly felt as if he were viewing the world through some sort of shimmering mirror, and for a few heartbeats, he was watching his own wife and child, as if in another time and place. A slow warmth began to spread over him, and there was a tightening in his chest. Then the image shattered and reality hit him like a fist to the gut. Sucking in a breath, he turned abruptly and stalked off toward the loch. He needed a good wash after the morning of swordplay anyway. He growled in frustration as he strode into the cool water and sank down to wash the sweat and grime from his skin, because try as he might, he couldn’t get the image of Ella and the child out of his mind. It was as if it were seared into his memory with a brand.This would simply not do, he decided, swimming for the shore. He had never been so affected by a woman, and he would not start now, not when he had finally made peace with his life.At least he thought he had. Maybe she had bewitched him somehow. Maybe he was losing his goddamned mind. Three days he had known this woman, and already she had him doubting his sanity. He did not bother to go to the hall for dinner. Instead he climbed to the battlements, where he often went to be alone and to think. Here he could walk back and forth, for hours if he wanted, and no one would bother him. No one would dare. Tonight he focused his mind on the problem of MacDonald raids in his western lands, which were growing more frequent and more costly. He wondered if it might be worth building up his fortifications there. Aye, it would employ many men who could use the coin, as well as help protect the people in the western-most villages.
That settled in his mind, his thoughts wandered again to Ella, and as if summoned, she appeared in the bailey below. It had to be her, a small figure with blond hair flowing out behind her as she hurried across the yard, staying next to the wall, out of the site of the guards in the gatehouse, who were looking outward across the moor. Gritting his teeth in sudden anger, he went to follow her. Maybe this was the chance he had been waiting for to learn what she was really up to.
Chapter 5
It was her second night at the castle, and Ella didn’t feel like sleeping. She had split the day between carefully befriending the people of Tulloch and wandering the castle as much as she could, peering into corners and closets when she was sure she would not be seen. In truth, it was very difficult not to be seen, there were so many people about, and she could not afford to raise anyone’s suspicions. With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, she realized finding something in a castle this size, with eyes everywhere, might be harder than she had ever imagined. She would have to take her time and search each part of the castle as opportunity arose. Perhaps she could volunteer to help with some of the work, so that she could move around more without it seeming strange. She wouldn’t mind helping. It was so peculiar, but she truly liked it here. She felt comfortable already with most everyone she had met, as if she had come home after being gone a long time and had simply needed to become reacquainted.
The moon was full, the night warm, too warm to sleep comfortably, and from her window she could see the small loch shimmering in the pale light. A gentle breeze blew, like a caress, and a few thin wisps of clouds flew by, glowing eerily in the moonlight. Nights like this always made her feel a little wild and restless, as if all things were possible and anything at all might happen.Esme would have said that the magic of things bubbled closer to the surface, just out of reach. All at once, Ella felt that she just had to be out in the open air.She turned from the window and crossed the room, eased the door open and slipped into the hallway. Giddy with adventure, she stole silently from the castle and headed for the loch, staying near the walls so that the guards wouldn’t see her. Once there, she moved around to a sheltered cornerbehind an outcropping of rocks, where she wouldn’t be seen from the castle windows, should anyone else be up at this hour.
Turning to dip her bare foot in the cool water, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. A tall, dark figure slipped behind a stone, but she knew instantly who had followed her. She could feel it in her very bones whenever he was near. Had from that first day in the forest when he found her. Ceann. He probably thought she was meeting a messenger, or that he would catch her in the act of compromising his secrets. The corner of her mouth turned up mischievously. For tonight, anyway, she would ease his fears. If he wanted to catch her in the act, he would get more than he bargained for. Feeling more than a bit reckless, she reached for the hem of her night rail, and slowly pulled it up over her body, tossing it onto the rocks behind her. She stepped knee deep into the water, and it was cool liquid silk on her bare skin. She stretched her arms up and ran her hands slowly down her sides before sinking into the loch. She swam towards the reflection of the moon in the water, watching it shimmer as if the moon itself had fallen into the loch. She looked back toward the shore, wondering if Ceann would reveal himself to her, almost hoping he would. What was this strange power he seemed to hold over her? She had the sinking feeling that she would follow him anywhere he led. Even now, she wanted him to come to her.
When she began to grow cold, she turned and swam without hurry for the shore. She knew Ceann still watched her, could feel him there, even if she couldn’t see him hidden in the shadows. She stood in hip deep water and wrung out her hair, then climbed to the shore and sat on a smooth rock there, letting the soft and balmy breeze dry some of the moisture from her skin before she donned the night rail again. She held her breath and listened, but there was no movement behind her. He would stay hidden, then.Her shameless siren call would go unheeded. She was mad to tempt him so, anyway, this warrior-laird that she didn’t even know. After a while she stood and made her way back to her chamber. Her bare feet padded up the cool stone steps, and she slipped into her room, closing the door silently behind her. She went to the window, and looking out, she saw a lone figure pacing inthe bailey below, pulling his hands through his hair in a gesture of agitation.Smiling and giddy that she had apparently affected him after all, she crawled into bed and finally slept, though she doubted Ceann would be able to do the same. Perhaps she had been a bit too wicked, but she blamed it on the full moon, was it not wont to make people do mad things?
Ceann wanted to howl at that same moon like some wild beast. He wandered the bailey, not ready yet to go back into the keep whereshewas. When he had seen her slip out of the castle, he was sure she was either trying to get away, or was meeting someone. He had thought he would uncover her game; he had not thought he would find himself at the losing end of it. He should have turned back when he realized that she was only going to bathe in the loch, but instead he had stayed and watched, not trusting her.No, in truth he had been spell-bound. And she had stood there naked, the moonlight catching the drops of water on her ivory skin, highlighting the lush curve of her breasts… aye she had a body every man dreamed of… and that he could not touch. Now he was left alone with his unsatisfied lust, a lust greater than any he could remember, possibly a lust greater than any man had ever felt before, he wouldn’t doubt it. His body pounded with it. Perhaps it was just that he had been such a long time without a woman in his bed. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to find a willing lass in the village, one he knew would be very discreet, just to take the edge off. He turned and took a few steps in the direction of the gates, and stopped. The idea of tupping a village lass suddenly held no appeal. No, it was only the damned lass in the tower he wanted with every throbbing inch of his body.
Ella woke at dawn to the slamming of her chamber door. She gasped, startled, and sat up in the bed, only to see Ceann standing in front of the door, hands fisted at his sides, looking furious. She wondered with brief amusement what had him so angry this early in the morning, if he had slept at all the night before, and if he even had any other expressions.He took a few steps closer, glaring at her, and shesuddenly felt like a rabbit to a hawk. She was naked under the sheet, helpless. He was so powerful, he could do whatever he wanted with her, and she couldn’t stop him. No oneelsewould stop him; he was laird.He held her life in his hands.She frowned slightly. Should that not bother her? Shouldn’t she perhaps befeelinghelpless, maybe a little frightened? She felt neither. No, instead she felt herself being drawn to that power, dark and sensuous and intoxicating. She doubted she would even raise much of a protest were he to climb into the bed and ravage her senseless. The thought made her heart beat faster and her breath come short.
“You were seen leaving the castle last night”, Ceann bit out, jarring her from her less-than-virginal thoughts.“Who were you meeting?”
She regarded him innocently. He knew very well she had met no one, but she would play his game anyway. “And if I did meet someone last night?”
“I would know who, and why, and you would be punished accordingly, I will not have the safety of my people compromised in any way.”
“I see. And how would you see fit to punish me, should I have met someone and handed over all of your greatest secrets?Which, by the way”, she felt she had to point out, “I am not privy to.”
Punish her… He nearly groaned as images, unbidden, flooded his mind.He would punish her with his mouth, with his hands, with his body. He would punish her for making him want her at all, when want could only bring more pain. Seeing her body outlined under the sheet before him was almost more temptation than he could handle. Though she held the edge up to cover her breasts, her hair was sleep-tousled and fell over her bare shoulders in a most enticing way. Memories of her creamy bare skin shimmering in the moonlight... what had he been thinking, coming into her chamber like this?He hadn’t been. “Don’t try me”, he ground out through barred teeth.
Ella looked at him thoughtfully, she had probably pushed him far enough. “I only went swimming in the loch. I couldn’t sleep.You see, the full moon always seems to make me restless.”
It makes me restless too… he almost said. Instead, he took a breath and fixed her with a glare.“You won’t go outside at night, and you won’t leave the castle walls without a guard.”
