CHAPTER ELEVEN
The bulge in his kilt was a painful ache, and Blake longed to have ten minutes or so to take care of the matter. Still, he wasn’t in any mood to protest when she tugged him down to lie beside her. Or when she snuggled deep into his arms. “Thank ye.”
He laughed softly. “If ye kent how long I have wanted tae dae something like that with ye, tae hear ye calling me name in pleasure, as I made ye burn with delight and desire fer me.”
“Ye wanted that?” She sounded almost surprised.
“Aye. Ye may have had me necklace and me flower tae hold ontae, but I didnae have aught but me dreams and the feelings in me heart. And I held ontae them fiercely.” He wanted to say more, but there were still secrets between them, and dangers around them, and he feared that to speak his feelings too loud would be to invite disaster.
There was a moment of silence, and he thought she might be drowsing when she spoke. “Run away with me.”
He grunted, even as he lifted a hand to stroke her soft hair. It had been a long time since he’d been able to do such a thing, or even hoped to be able to touch her again, and he relished every moment of closeness they could share, even if it left him feeling like he’d been kicked below the belt. “I said I would.”
“I mean taenight. Help me free me braither and escape taenight.”
That took his mind off his aching manhood quickly enough. “We’re naewhere near ready fer such a thing. ‘Twould be better tae wait fer taemorrow, when most o’ the warriors are with Laird Murray on the hunt.”
“I dinnae want me braither tae spend another night in a prison cell.” Her voice was firm.
“Better another night in a cell than tae lose his life if we’re too hasty.” He wasn’t going to tell her that he’d seen how her brother had fared after being delivered to the cells, and what had happened to Finlay Gregor since negotiations began, especially since it would only upset her and strengthen her resolve to run.
And he absolutely wasn’t going to tell her what he knew abouthowFinlay Gregor had wound up in those cells.
As it was, she was glaring at him. “I came here tae save me braither above all else. If that means making an escape instead o’ agreeing tae a wedding, all the better, but I willnae wait. I want me braither safe and back in his wife’s arms as soon as possible.”
He sympathized, but he knew she was making a mistake in her insistence on trying to escape in the night. She was being too reckless, and too hasty, acting on plans he knew were half-formed at best.
His plans and Preston’s weren’t ready and wouldn’t be until Oran left for the hunt. If they tried to leave now, they’d have to contend with the full night watch, and they’d be attempting to travel with none of the supplies they needed for such a journey.
He was trying to think of a way to persuade her when he heard footsteps in the hall.Och hells, someone out there, and I’m nae at me post... unless it’s Preston, I’m in trouble fer sure…
Blake started to move, but it was too late, and the door burst open to reveal Luke, sneering in vicious triumph.
Blake slung himself out of bed, his mind racing as he tried to regain his focus. He was still half-drugged from the scent of Reyna’s arousal, and still muddled by her insistence on escaping that night.
The other half of his mind was cursing, furious that he’d allowed himself to become distracted, especially when he knew Luke was always looking for a reason to discredit him and regain the favorhe’d lost when Oran Murray had claimed Brutus as his second-in-command and potential heir.
He could overwhelm Luke, but the man would surely raise the alarm, and they couldn’t possibly make it all the way out of the keep, to the stables to saddle horses, and out the front gate before the guards caught them.
There was only one thing to do. He surged across the room and felled Luke with a powerful upward blow from one fist. Luke dropped. Blake searched him for the key and removed it, cursing himself for forgetting that the lock of the cell could be accessed by a master key carried by himself or Laird Murray, or a specific key that was usually hung in the hall for general use by servants.
Once he was sure he had the second key, he slung Luke outside and shut the door, before locking it with a secondary key he carried, then whirled around. He dove across the room to where he could see Reyna had been attempting to pry open the corridor, slammed his blade into the crack between the boards, and heaved outward. The boards broke with a ringing crack. Blake wrenched the splintered halves apart to reveal the darkened opening and gestured for Reyna to join him.
Reyna handed him a lit taper, already clutching the bag he knew contained her healer’s tools and whatever herbs she had with her. Blake guided her into the tunnel, and the two of them hurried down the cobweb and dust choked path.
Reyna started to pass the door for the garden, the one he’d told her never to try, but Blake pulled her toward it, unlocked theheavy panel and guided her out into the garden before she could protest. Reyna glared at him. “I was going tae get me braither!”
“I ken that well enough, but fer the sake o’ yer clan, wench, use yer head fer a moment!” He hissed the words in a low voice. “Every reason I gave ye fer waiting is still true, and even if we are going tae leave taenight, we need tae use our heads about it. If nae else, we need tae find Preston and tell him things have changed. And like as nae Kenzie tae. Otherwise, they’re like tae put themselves in danger fer ye, and ye dinnae want that!”
“But every moment we delay…”
“There’s a difference between dithering and running headfirst intae an enemy blade. Ye ought tae ken that!” Blake scowled. “We both asked our friends tae risk a great deal tae get ye out o’ this mess ye were stubborn enough tae walk intae – and I was fool enough tae encourage ye tae. Dae ye want either o’ them tae suffer fer it because ye’re tae hell bent on getting yer own way tae give them fair warning?”
She flushed hotly. “And what dae ye suggest then?”
“Take the path tae the third exit in the servants’ quarters, tae find Preston’s lass. I’ll take a turn around the gardens and by the stables tae look fer Preston. We’ll meet at the…” Blake’s jaw shut with a click at the sound of rushing footsteps. He stepped close to Reyna, just as Luke came barreling out of the tunnel entrance, a vindictive gleam in his eyes.
He wasn’t sure what Luke had seen, or thought he’d seen. “Luke, what’s got ye all bothered?”
