He ignored her and went to pull open the door, only to recall it was still locked.However, this time it opened.He didn’t wait.He had to escape her.
“No more,” he declared to himself once more as he stepped out.
He was done with that woman.He had awoken with nothing.No memory, no life, no name.Gillean had given him something and he would gain more if he played this game carefully.Only a fool would give it up for a woman with eyes the colour of the pale morning sky and a body so beautiful, he wanted to lose himself in it forever.
***
The floor grew cold under her palms.Lorna stared at her hands for a while as a chasm opened in her chest.Her arms trembled and the desire to collapse to the floor again struck.She had been as shocked as he to find herself—her cheeks warmed at the thought—touching him so intimately, yet once she had seen the need in his expression, the way he had reacted to her, she had been convinced she was touching Logan—therealLogan—and she could reach him, persuade him to let her go and come with her.
Drawing in a breath, she used it to rebuild her defences.She had conquered worse and she had more to lose this time.Her son.Their son.She drew her shoulders up, pushed the blanket from her lap and rose to her feet with all the dignity of a queen at her coronation.Grimacing at how stiff her muscles were, Lorna made her way to the bucket of water in the corner and dipped her hands in them, washing away any evidence of his passion.
Before she could escape the dark confines of the kitchen, the door at the top of the stairs squeaked open.Lorna’s heart fluttered briefly against her chest, hopeful Logan had returned, but the gentle footsteps told her it had to be a maid.Anne came into view, her eyes rounded.
“Milady, what are ye doing down here?”She glanced at the blankets.“Ye’ve no’ been sleeping down here, have ye?Did the laird punish ye?”
“Nay, nay.”Lorna smoothed a hand down her crumpled skirts.“I was working down here late yesterday eve and someone locked the door.”
A furrow appeared between Anne’s brows.“Surely not?Why should they lock ye in?The whole keep knew ye were down here, working away.”
She lifted a shoulder.“I couldnae get out.But ‘tis no matter.I slept well enough in front of the fire.”Lorna began clearing away the blankets and re-hanging them.
Anne moved forward to help.“Ye are crumpled and filthy.”She shook her head sadly.“What can ye have done to deserve such treatment?”
“Naught, save from try to protect myself and my friend’s life.Gillean hates that I stopped him from forcing himself upon my brother’s wife.”
“Aye, and ruining his plans for more power, no doubt.”
“If Gillean wages war, ‘twill leave none of us unaffected.My family could be in grave danger.”
Anne wrung her hands together.“I have a younger sister working in the castle at Drummanaig.I fear greatly he will attack there, should the other clans rise against him.”
Lorna took her hand.The battles between Norse and Scots over a year ago had claimed many lives.Now it looked as though it would happen again, but this time they had the aid of a powerful laird.Many would be affected by it.Even innocent women like Anne and her sister.
“Milady...”Anne began, “will yer clan be able to stop him?If they hear tell of the battle, can they raise an army enough to prevent this war?”
“I would hope so, aye.”
She nodded thoughtfully.“Ye must go to them then.Warn them of the army headed their way.Have them send messengers to the king.”
“But how?The walls are heavily guarded.”
“Aye, Gillean is fearful the king will catch wind of the Norse’s presence here and lay siege to the castle.‘Twas why he brought the Norse here rather than his other keep.‘Tis more easily defended.”
“All I need is a few moments to slip out of the rear gate.A distraction mayhap?”Lorna saw the uncertainty and fear in the woman’s eyes and let her shoulders sag.“Ye dinnae need to do this.”
The dark-haired woman lifted her chin.“I must, milady.If I can help ye in any way, I will, I swear it,” the maid continued solemnly.
Footsteps sounded outside and Lorna darted her gaze to the stairs.“We shall talk on this later.”Lorna swallowed and gave the maid’s hand a squeeze.
“Come, let us return ye to yer chamber and get ye cleaned up.”
Nodding, Lorna trailed Anne up the stairs and out into the murky light of the morning.Her eyes ached at the sight of dusky blue skies, tinged with dappled streaks of pink.The storms had cleared the air and left it scented with heather and wet grass.The ground underfoot remained damp and muddy so she lifted her wrinkled skirts and made to follow the maid.
A wide chest blocked her path and she had to school herself not to show shock.She’d been aware of this Viking’s amusement at her presence, of the way his gaze followed her.At present his gaze was tracking down her body and back up again leisurely.
A half smile sat on Ivar’s lips.“You have been working hard, it seems.You are filthy.”
She bristled.“I have no’ had time to bathe.”
