Page 55 of Savage Kilted Highlander

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Bane was engrossed in brushing down his stallion in the dimly lit tranquillity of the stables when he heard a light step behind him. Recognizing it immediately, a jolt of excitement ran through him. He turned around, and there she was.

He was silent for a moment, simply drinking in the sight of her. She was scrubbed clean, her skin pink and white, her cheeks rosy, her eyes sparkling as she smiled at him. Her long auburn hair shone like autumn leaves. It was piled loosely upon her head in a way that made his fingers itch to take it down and run through its silken lengths. The lantern light behind her outlined her enticing curves in a pale blue dress he had never seen her wear before but could not help thinking he would like to peel off her in leisurely stages.

Enough. ’Tis best nae tae think that way. It’ll probably end in heartbreak.

“Bane,” she said breathlessly, hurrying towards him across the straw, worry written all over her lovely face. “Are you all right? I’m sorry it took me so long to come and see ye. I’ve come straight from supper with my father and Agnes. She showed me the way here afterwards so I could come and check on you.”

She went right up to him, rested her palms against his chest, and looked up into his eyes, her usual earnestness shining through.” The urge to take her in his arms and kiss her was almost overwhelming, but he forced himself to resist, unsure of how things stood between them.

“I’ve been so worried about you. I feel terrible that my father is making you stay out here in the stables. Agnes says it is better than you being locked up or sent away, and at least we can still see each other. I still do not like it though.”

“Ye shouldnae be here, Constance. Ye ken yer faither wouldnae like it,” he told her, feeling her hands burning through his shirt to his skin. He knew he ought to move away but he just could not seem to make himself.

She frowned slightly. “I do not care about that. I am here.” She peered at his head, and the frown deepened. “Look what they have done to you. Your face is black and blue! I told my father that his man should be punished for the way he hit you.” She stroked his cheek gently, sending thrills coursing through his body, making it even harder for him to resist her.

“Have you had something to eat and drink?”

“Aye, Tav brought me some broth and some ale earlier and the healer came and gave me some salve tae rub on me bruises and some tea fer the pain,” he told her.

Instantly, her expression of concern vanished, to be replaced by a smile that made his heart skip a beat. “Oh, thank goodness. That has set my mind at rest a little, but I wish I could be with you to tend to you.”

“That wouldnae be very sensible. If ye were found here, yer faither would likely lynch me.”

“I know,” she replied sadly. “But I miss you.” The artless admission both touched and wounded him. She had no idea how she made his heart ache for her when she added, “This will be the first night we have spent apart for two weeks. It will be very strange being without you and sleeping in a bed again. But Agnes insisted I move into her chambers with her, and we have such a lot to catch up on, I doubt we will be doing much sleeping.”

“Aye, ye’ll have a lot tae talk about. I’m truly happy fer ye. It sounds like ye already have a bond between ye.”

“Yes, we have. But when I lie down, I shan’t be able to help thinking of you out here all alone.”

He managed a casual chuckle, wanting to ease her obvious anxiety, while at the same time very much wishing she could spend the night with him in the stables. “I’m nae alone, Constance. He gestured at their horses in the stall next door as well as the other horses. “Ye should ken better than tae worry about me. I’ve bedded down in far less comfortable places than this, as ye ken. And I’ve plenty of company.”

“Oh yes, so you do. There’s my darling Lucy!” Clearly delighted, she went over and petted the mare, who whickered softly and rubbed her head against Constance’s face as she lovingly stroked her nose and whispered endearments to her.

Constance beamed at Bane over her shoulder. “Yes, I suppose this is luxury accommodation in comparison to the cave where we stayed that first night, or that awful broken-down cabin. Do you remember?”

He shook his head. “Constance, d’ye think that blow tae me head has affected me memory? Of course, I remember.”

I’ll never forget it as long as I live.

“I shall certainly never forget. And you as well, dear,” she told the stallion, who snorted and went right up to her to receive his customary caresses.

“He’s missed ye as well,” Bane said before realizing he had given himself away.

Constance rubbed the horse’s neck as she smiled over her shoulder at him and said, “So, you admit you have missed me.”

The smile would not be suppressed. She was breaking down his defences again, as she always managed to do. “Aye, I’ve missed ye. How could I nae miss ye? Especially after the way ye stood up and defended me in front of the laird like that. I really believed I was done fer. I thought I’d be swingin’ from a rope or loosin’ me head. That was what I deserved fer abductin’ the laird’s daughter. But here I am, sleepin’ in the lap of luxury, all because of ye, Constance. Ye saved me life.”

“Just as you have saved my life before, more than once. And of course, I defended you. I told you I was going to. Did you not believe me?”

“I always believe ye, Constance. Ye’re the most honest person I’ve ever met. But I didnae ken how ye were gonnae react when ye stood before yer faither, and I’d already resigned mesel’ tae me fate. He’s nae exactly the warm, welcomin’ type, and he has a reputation fer bein’ harsh. And in truth, I was so battered, I could hardly think.”

Her face crumpled, and she put her arms around his waist and hugged him, her head against his chest. “Oh, I know, you were in a terrible state. I was so relieved when you woke up, even though anyone could see you were in dreadful pain. Father made me so angry when he would not let me or Tav help you.”

It was too much. Bane put his arms around her and held her close, as he had been longing to do all along. The tension that had been knotted up inside him drained away, and he felt almost at peace.

“Bane?”