Page 39 of The Beastly Earl

The memory of his firm fingers wrapped around her neck and tugging her toward him made Louisa's heart skip a beat. Warmth tingled her lips as she remembered the taste of him. Devin had never kissed her with such unrestrained passion. His kisses had always been gentle and tender.

Last night, Ewan’s caress had been a fiery heat against her lips. The firm, hard, pressure of his mouth against hers had aroused sensations she’d not experienced since before the fire at Westbrook. The desire he’d stirred in her had left her wanting something more than a kiss. She’d been left aching for the pleasure and intimacy of Ewan’s touch. The sound of Mrs. Selkirk’s voice saved her from contemplating just how much she wanted the man’s touch.

“Aye, he doesn’t let anything stop him from doing what he wants.” Mrs. Selkirk nodded with a motherly pride Louisa recognized as one she experienced frequently with her boys. The housekeeper’s expression dissolved into one of despair. “But it’s his spirit that dinnae come back with him. It pains me to see him the way he is now. There’s one thing her ladyship said tis true. The mon buries himself away from most of life’s little pleasures.”

“It takes time to heal from traumatic events,” Louisa murmured as she remembered her own struggle with grief and remorse. Mrs. Selkirk nodded her head in agreement then gasped in dismay.

“Och, bless me if I’m nae babbling on about things instead of getting you a hot cup of tea.” The housekeeper leaned over Louisa and patted her shoulder in a reassuring gesture before she hurried from the room.

Left alone with her thoughts, Louisa slowly sat up. A small wave of dizziness made her close her eyes, and she waited for the sensation to pass. She found herself wishing Constance or Percy was here to talk to. She knew the an dara sealladh had affected both of them physically. But she was certain her sister would understand better than Percy.

With the exception of Aunt Matilda, Constance had shared little with the family about the time she’d spent at the Lyndham family estate before she’d married Lucien. The most any of them really knew was that if not for Lucien, she and Jamie might have died. It had been her nephew, who’d described the aftereffects of his mother’s visons after Jamie had witnessed one of Percy’s migraines.

Louisa turned to look at the small secretaire near the window. For a brief moment, she contemplated writing her sister then thought better of it. Constance would want to know more about Louisa’s vision, and the moment she told her sister what she’d seen, Constance would tell Sebastian. At which point, Sebastian and the entire family would be demanding she be dragged out of Argaty Keep.

She couldn’t take that chance. Ross needed her. In the back of her head, she remembered Caleb’s words. He needs you. Instantly, an image of Ewan’s scarred features filled her head. What if it had been Ewan, not Ross, her brother had been referring to all along. Louisa sucked in a sharp breath before she pushed the thought back in the furthest recesses of her mind. She was here because Ross needed her, nothing more. The sound of her brother’s laughter whispered through her head, but she ignored the sound.

§ § §

Louisa pulled on her gloves as she walked out of the keep into the stable yard. The day was bright with sunshine, although the air was crisp against her face. The boys were dancing around with excitement as Finn emerged from the stable with an axe for cutting down a tree. The stable hand placed the axe in back of the small wagon then turned toward the boys.

“Come on, laddies, up you go.”

As Finn helped the boys into the wagon, the clatter of hooves against the stable floor made Louisa turn her head. The sight of Ewan leading Lachlan and Morag out of the barn made her eyes widen in surprise.

“I seem to recall you inviting me to accompany you and the boys today.” His eyebrow arched in an arrogant fashion as he fixed his gaze on her.

“Yes…I mean…of course, I’m sure Ross will like that very much.”

“We’ll need room in the wagon for the tree, so I thought you and I would ride.”

Speechless at his decision to join the party, Louisa nodded her agreement, and she saw his mouth twitch slightly. Certain he was laughing at her befuddled state she narrowed her gaze at him. Although his expression was solemn she saw his lips twitch again.

“You seem amused by something, my lord.”

“Aye.” He chuckled softly as he gestured toward Morag. “Shall we?”

It was obvious he had no intention of sharing what he found so amusing as he quickly tested the mare’s cinch then formed a small stirrup with his good hand. Lifting the short side of her riding habit, she placed her foot in the palm of his hand then grabbed the saddle’s pommel and hopped upward.

For not the first time, it was impossible not to be impressed with how Ewan leveraged his good arm in unison with his entire body to assist her into the saddle. It explained how he’d managed to carry her from the main hall to her bedroom the other day. Lifting her skirts higher, she wrapped her right leg over the top pommel and braced her left leg beneath the leaping head pommel.

Ewan’s hand guided her boot into the stirrup then reached up to assist her in pulling her skirts down over her riding breeches. The light touch of his hand brushing over her calf caused her to draw in a quick breath as heat seeped through her breeches.

Although she knew the contact was completely innocent, her body responded in the same way it had when he’d kissed her. He lifted his head at the sound, and her cheeks burned as he narrowed his gaze at her. In an effort to ease the warmth suffusing her body, she averted her gaze and busied herself adjusting her habit.

Ewan made a soft noise she couldn’t describe before he turned away and mounted Lachlan. The stallion pranced in place as Ewan settled himself in the saddle. He walked his horse over to the wagon and issued a quiet order to Finn who nodded his understanding. With a light slap of the reins, Finn drove the wagon out of the stable yard.

With a gentle nudge into Morag’s side, Louisa urged the horse to follow, and Ewan made Lachlan fall into step alongside her. Excited chatter floated back to fill the silence between them, and Louisa smiled as Ross spoke up in vigorous disagreement with Charlie. For not the first time, she marveled at the change in him. Almost as if he could read her mind, Ewan cleared his throat.

“Ross is thriving under your care.” The quiet compliment made Louisa jerk her head in his direction. His gaze met hers as he arched his eyebrow. “You’re surprised by the compliment?

“I…yes,” she murmured.

“A forthright, honest answer.”

“Would you prefer I’d lied?” she asked with a laugh.

“I don’t think you’re capable of lying,” he said as a wry smile twisted his sensual lips. “At least not successfully. Your face would give you away.”