She still appeared serious, but he was sure he saw a spark of fight still left in her.
“When ye kissed me last night, Constantine. I think since ye took yer pleasure in my mouth, ye should atleast obey me.”
He felt like he could fall through the floor and then continue to burn his way to the earth’s core. He had kissed her. It was not a dream. It flooded images through him. Her eyes, closing to receive him, her sweet breath mingling with his. And aye, he had taken his pleasure in her and then doubted it was real.
“Fergive me,” he said, fully repentant.
“Do ye mean that?” she asked him, narrowing her eyes. “Truly?”
Constantine somehow sensed that his answer was more important than he realized. “Aye, I took advantage of ye.”
She laughed quietly behind her hand. “Ye were the one who was weakened, not I. How could ye take advantage of me? If anyone is guilty, ’tis me. And I am no’ sorry.”
Constantine did not know if he should laugh or swear allegiance to her. “Then ye are no’ angry?”
She shook her head. An auburn curl tumbled down her cheek. He lifted his fingers to it, but she pulled away from his touch. Almost, it seemed, on instinct. He lowered his hand, but he was not offended or hurt by her rejection. Aye, he was sorry he had kissed her when he should understand that she had been hurt and left skittish and untrusting of men. He was not like other men. He did not know why it was so important to him that she knew it.
Of course, he was letting his wounded body fantasize about her, she was not his woman. She was not staying at Tor. If his heart and head were in a better place, he might consider a longer future with her. But, a part of him was angry at himself for letting her into a place where only Alison was allowed.
“I will think aboot yerrequestthat I no’ fight while I recover.”
Her face lit up with joy. “Thank ye, Chief!”
He knew he was in danger of falling hard, but what could he do? What defense did he have against her clever wiles? He would not fight while he recovered. He just had to make certain he recovered quickly.
They ate together in his chambers, after she helped him sit in achair. His cousins visited him and carefully watched his interactions with his female guest, muttering amongst themselves. Only Lachlan grinned like a fool while they shared ale around Constantine.
Hugh even came to sit among them in the chambers without any other purpose than to check on the Lochiel’s well-being and the well-being of Miss Drummond.
Constantine was glad others felt protective of her. After this afternoon’s incident, Geoffry and Fionn seemed to have forgotten her insult. The drunker Fionn became, the more lovingly he stared at Miss Drummond.
Constantine liked having them all around, but he was tired and wanted a few last moments with Miss Drummond before he fell asleep.
None of the men complained or teased him about throwing them out before the darkness of night settled on Tor. Lachlan, the perpetual rogue, winked at him on his way out.
Constantine considered making the lad train more. Since he had time for so many lasses, he could use that time to practice fighting.
“Why are ye scowling?” Miss Drummond asked while she began to clean up the cups and jugs the men had left.
“Because ye are cleanin’ instead of sittin’ near me.”
She stopped and looked at him, then smiled. She put down what was in her hands and came to sit on the chair closest to the bed.
“Miss Drummond—”
“When are ye going to call me Ismay?”
He felt the need to gasp for air looking at her pouting lips. “I…” He swallowed another breath and then took hold of himself. “Ismay is a verra bonnie name.”
“My father gave me the name when he took me in,” she told him proudly.
“When ye were born—”
“I didna have a name. I was called many things—butnone of them are proper.”
She spoke as if he’d likely heard the same story from twenty other people. He had never heard such a tale in his life. A child without a name for the first eight years of her life. Who murdered the chief with whom she lived and became a child murderer and a hater of clan chiefs.
“Yer father chose wisely,” he said on half a breath. It was not that he pitied her anymore. Now, he could only stare in admiration that she had withstood the most tender ages under torment and survived, and then when her new, better life ended, she still did not give up.
