“Have it your way, lass. But Iwillfind out exactly what I want to know about you sooner or later.” He pulled her hair away from her neck and smelled her. “And the longer you hold out, the harder it will be on you, Ipromise.”
“P-please, my lord. I am not accustomed to suchtreatment.”
“I thought you said I didn’t frightenyou?”
“You donot.”
“Then why do youtremble?”
“I amcold.”
“You really are a terrible liar. But no matter. I will learn your secrets before this journey isthrough.”
“Where are you takingme?”
“You are coming home with me to Knock Castle. And if you do not tell me exactly who you really are before we arrive, I assure you, my father will demand the truth. He is not so patient as Iam.”
That was a callous comment, but his curiosity was piqued. If her father was the blacksmith, she knew that man had been lying on the ground as they passed. She’d not given the charred remains a secondglance.
The sight had turned his guts. He regretted the loss of life in this raid as he did with all the others his father organized against the MacLeods. None of it made sense anymore.
“For a lass who just lost her family, you do not seem veryupset.”
She gasped. “How dare you, my lord.” Her voice was tight and strained. “I do not owe you any explanation for my feelings or anythingelse.”
“Not spoken like a blacksmith’sdaughter.”
She remained silent. With every second that passed, she gave herself away even more. Her rigid backbone was likely to snap if she didn’t relax. Only ladies sat like that. He placed his hand on her belly and pulled her closer tohim.
“There. That’s better, is it not? We have a very long ride ahead of us this day and unless you want to end up on your back for a sennight, you will need to loosen your posture and lean onme.”
She mumbled something he could not understand, but could guess at itsnature.
“What’s that you say? You are grateful for my attentiveness to your comfort? You are welcome. I am only too happy to see to yourpleasure.”
Moremumbling.
She would certainly provide entertainment on the journey. He manoeuvred his destrier over the rocky terrain. Until they reached Knock Castle on the southern part of Skye, he would not be happy. While his father’s target was the MacLeod stronghold at Dunvegan, Malcolm’s was the nearby village of Bracadale. Several other villages had been targeted as well. Between them they intended to claim as many cattle as they could handle, thus starving the MacLeod’s out over thewinter.
Unfortunately, he’d met with much resistance from the villagers and so his men got their blood fired and there was no stopping the ensuing carnage. Malcolm guts coiled. The whole damned feud that had gone on far too long. Surely there had to be a way to find common enough ground to keep them all from killing oneanother.
As a heavy mist fell, her trembling resumed. He wrapped his plaid around them both, enjoying her warm body pressing against his. She tried to flick if off, but he only wrapped it tighter aroundher.
“How far away is yourhome?”
“We will have to camp tonight. With all the cattle in tow, we won’t make it to Knock Castle before dark. We plan to herd the cattle at Coire na Creich and head through the Cullins. I hope you like riding, lass. ’Twill be a very long journey foryou.”
“I can ride well enough. Perhaps you should give me my own horse and I can showyou.”
Malcolm tipped his head back and laughed. “Do you think I am daft? Besides, I prefer you here shifting that pretty bottom of yours against me. I must say, for one not accustomed to such treatment, you know how to fire a man’s blood.” He pushed his erection against her backside. “Tell me, how many lads in the village have been between yourthighs?”
She gasped and scooted her bottom forward. He allowed it only because the pressure growing in his loins was too much. If he kept this up with her, he’d have her on the ground and writhing beneath him before long. And writhe she would. She was afraid; and so she should be. But beyond that, he sensed a stirring in her too. Aye, this would be a very interestingjourney.
