Page 39 of A Laird and a Healer

“I felt many things that day, but nae love. That came later. And I know ye feel the same way. Ye showed me last night. I want ye tae show me again.”

Her voice fell to a whisper and the words ran through his mind. He felt weak in front of her, ready and willing to do anything she asked. He closed his eyes and drew her in for a passionate kiss, one that sent fire spewing through his body. She arched her back and his knees trembled, ready to sink into the moss, but they were interrupted by a rustling sound.

His protective warrior instincts took hold immediately. He tore his lips away from her, with much regret, and then pulled her behind him. With his other hand, he drew his sword and turned in the direction of the noise. The blade gleamed in the pale light, and his eyes twitched. His ears were pricked, listening for voices and trying to gauge how many threats were present. Caroline pressed herself tightly against his back, her breath fervent.

How quickly paradise could be disturbed.

He gripped the hilt of his sword, so tightly his knuckles went white. His gaze caught the flicker of movement. Emerging from the underbrush was a fox. It stared at them for a moment, then with a flick of its tail darted away again. Ryan breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled, turning back to Caroline. She mirrored his feelings.

“We should probably get gaeing,” he suggested with much regret.

In an ideal world, he could have spent hours with her here in this glade, lying naked with her in his arms, listening to the stream dance nearby. But every moment they tarried gave more opportunities for them to be discovered, so they had to dampen their desire for the time being. They returned to their horses, which were invigorated from the brief respite, and then returned on their way, riding at a quick pace towards MacLeod lands.

She had already given him her body, and she claimed to give him her love. But if she did speak out against her uncle and get Laird MacLeod to help Ryan, then he would trust her beyond any doubt.

Ryan and Caroline encountered no more threats on their journey. They passed into MacLeod land and rode towards the Keep at great haste. The Keep was low and flat, with a domed roof that set it apart from others.

As they entered the village, they passed a huge stone monument that had been there for centuries. It was carved with strange markings, the meanings of which had been lost to time. Villagers looked at them with curiosity, although nobody seemed bothered by their appearance.

Ryan looked for any sign that Gorram Gilmour was present, but he could see none, and this eased the tension within his heart.

They hitched their horses and were escorted into the Keep. Laird MacLeod was sitting in his chamber, enjoying some food. He was a content and well-fed man, his rotund figure unlike that of Ryan’s. His fingers were thick, his lips full and twitching. Furtive eyes darted around, drinking in everything. Dressed well, he carried himself with an air of refinement. While many Lairds in the Highlands were bred for war, this one was not.

A plate had been placed on a small table in front of him. He was eating a small bird, peeling the meat from the bone. A servant handed him a cloth to wipe the grease off his fingers. He slowly turned to Ryan, and then raised an eyebrow as he saw Caroline.

“This is most unusual. I never thought we would meet again under these circumstances, Lady Gilmour,” he said, directing his words towards Caroline.

He glared at Ryan, clearly wary of him. Ryan looked towards Caroline. For a moment, his heart flickered with heat. If she wanted, then she could accuse him of being her captor, and it was he who was in a position of vulnerability. Laird MacLeod could order his guards to subdue him, and he would not be able to do anything about it. His heart was in his throat and he held his breath.

“If I may correct ye, my Laird, I am now Lady Knox,” she declared.

Ryan let his breath go.

The Laird leaned forward and had a curious look on his face. “I see, and how did this come tae be? I dinnae realize that any wedding hae been arranged. Surely, I would hae heard if yer clans were forming an alliance.”

The very notion made Ryan feel sick. He grimaced. Caroline placed a subtle hand on his arm, suggesting that she had everything under control.

“It was nae arranged, but sadly the Gilmour Clan hae been shrouded in darkness.”

“Of course. I am sorry for yer loss.” Laird MacLeod bowed his head deeply.

“Thank ye, yer words are kind. However, there is sinister behavior afoot. The new Laird, my uncle, wanted tae take me as his bride. I could nae abide such a thing, sae I ran and found myself a guest of Laird Knox. He made me a generous offer, one that I found I could nae refuse,” she flashed a wry glance towards Ryan. “He offered tae protect me from any fate that might befall me. However, now my uncle seems determined tae win me back, and I fear that he might present the situation as one where he is the victim. But I can assure ye I was nae stolen without my consent. I agreed tae marry Ryan willingly.”

To emphasize this point, she took Ryan’s hand and laced her fingers with his. Ryan felt strength flow through him. His back straightened and he pushed his shoulders back.

Laird MacLeod considered her words, tapping his finger against his lips. “Well, that is most reassuring tae hear. There hae been rumors…” He waved his hand in the air.

“We hae come tae ye tae ask ye again tae aid us in the fight against the Gilmour Clan. I would like tae reiterate what I mentioned in my letter,” Ryan began, but the Laird cut him off by raising a hand.

“I remember yer letter well. What ye propose is beyond the pale. I hae known Gorram for a long time. I cannae simply take yer word for it. Ye ask tae much, especially when the blood of my people is at stake.”

Ryan stepped forward, about to speak again, but Caroline stopped him.

“Then perhaps we could come to an agreement where ye dinnae hae tae sacrifice the blood of yer people. Will ye at least agree tae remain neutral if a conflict does arise between the two clans? Promise that ye will nae side with my uncle. Da always spoke well of ye, and if my uncle did kill him, then ye would be siding with his murderer.”

The approach was not without risk. One mistake Ryan now realized he made during his reign was that he had been insular and isolated. He had not cultivated good relations with the clans around him, so he was largely an unknown factor to people like Laird MacLeod, and they were not inclined to trust him. He was grateful that Caroline had insisted on coming here with him, for otherwise he might well have been turned away with his words being ignored.

“I see that ye hae inherited ye Da’s wisdom,” Laird MacLeod nodded. “I will indeed sign such an agreement.”