Page 17

“And how dae ye see me now? I hae tried my hardest, Kevan. I hae given ye everything I hae. What more can I dae?” There was a desperate plea in her voice. Kevan sank to the bed beside her and clasped her hands. Her nightdress fell low, showing the valley of her cleavage. Strands of her were loose and tumbled down her rosy cheeks, settling on her freckled shoulders.

“Ye dinnae hae tae dae anything. The way I hae been acting…it’s nae me. It’s nae the way John would want me tae be. It’s unfair for me tae hold ye responsible for his death. If anything, I am responsible.” By the way he said these words, Maura could tell that it took a huge emotional weight from him. “I was supposed tae protect him. I should hae died, and he should hae lived. By punishing ye, I was also punishing myself, and I’m sorry for that.” He hung his head and looked forlorn. Maura reached up and placed her hand against his cheek, feeling a single warm tear trickle down.

“It was a misunderstanding,” Maura said. “And the only way we can honor his death is by having a good life. Dae ye want that with me?” she asked.

It took a moment, but Kevan nodded. Maura licked her lips and leaned into him, tentatively kissing him. As soon as their lips touched, it was as though a sea of emotion churned within. Kevan was suddenly alive with passion. The kiss became deeper. Their tongues danced, and powerful hands roamed around her body. She stretched out her arms and felt the sinews of his muscles bristling with desire. The fury of the moment burned away all the other messy details of the situation they found themselves in. It was simpler while they were alone.

A soft moan burst out of her lips as she fell back, letting Kevan’s comfortable weight overwhelm her. He kissed her neck and collarbone, pulling her nightdress away as though he was freeing her body from a prison. He shrugged off his own clothes too, and suddenly, her delicate fingers were caressing his tough, leathery skin. There were scars peppered all across his body, tales of battles and fights that he had survived. Maura’s own skin was delicate and supple. Tingles spread all over her as his rough hands gripped her tightly. He looked like a giant compared to her, and a lancing sensation shot through her as she felt his desire pressing against her.

She reached down instinctively. The first time they had made love, she had been unsure and overwhelmed with all the new and unfamiliar sensations. She had allowed herself to be carried away by the rush of emotion. This time she had more control and wanted to show Kevan that she could pleasure him as much as he could pleasure her. As his hand delved down to the burning delta in between her thighs, she worked some magic as well, curling her hand around the thick shaft of his manhood. His great body trembled with satisfaction as she touched him, and she quickly learned what he liked the most. They kissed ardently again, and she loved knowing that she could elicit such a response from him, as though she had some kind of power of her own. Despite the rocky start to their marriage, there was something between them. It was something that Maura couldn’t quite explain, but she could definitely feel it. The fact that Kevan had ended his affair with his mistress and spoke openly about his feelings was a huge step, and it showed her that there might well be a possibility for them to connect on a deep level.

They giggled as they rolled around. Kevan pulled her on top of him, his fingers still twined within her. A burning sensation swept over her body. It rose and felt as though he was stoking a fire. It was uncontrollable and restless, and the intensity of it was almost scary. Sweat prickled on her body, and her eyes fluttered shut. Her world was one of hot touches and flaming bursts of pleasure, of a hard body filled with passion for her and only her. His breath washed over her heaving chest as he kissed all over her body. Just as she felt the flames consuming her, he pulled her on top of him and then a whole new feeling overwhelmed her. His strong hands held her steady as she draped herself on top of him. He cocooned her in his arms and in his love, and she felt that she belonged here. Kevan moved like the tide, and Maura clung to him for dear life. A shuddering sensation claimed her, and her soul was dancing. She felt as though she was touched by the gods as Kevan roared. His chest glistened, and as she lay her palms flat upon his chest, she could feel the thunder of his heart. And when she looked in his eyes, she knew that it only beat for her.

11

Kevan strode out of his chamber, feeling better for having been decisive. At first, he had resisted showing any kind of affection to Maura, but she had swiftly shown him the error of his ways. She was a most unusual woman who seemed to be able to elicit strong emotion from him, and he could not deny the fact that she was his wife and he should honor her. It had been a strange time both to manage his grief for the man who had been as close to him as a brother, and to come to terms with the fact that he was now laird, although as yet he did not feel it. There was a lack of control in his life, but it was time for that to end. Maura was correct in thinking that things were never going to change unless he led the charge.

He arranged for there to be a meeting where he was going to address the people to settle this matter once and for all. They gathered in their droves, eager to hear what their new laird was going to say. He stood tall and spoke clearly.

“I know this haes been a difficult time for us all and we are still getting used tae the new situation, but I hae tae inform ye that I made a mistake last night. I should nae hae stayed silent when my wife spoke up. She is nae wrong tae be upset at the way ye treat her. She haes done nothing wrong, and since she is my wife, she deserves yer respect. She is the lady of this clan now, and I am the laird. Ye must stop with the whispers and the japes. It is unbecoming of civilized men,” he said sternly.

“Oh, aye, and ye know what else is unbecoming? A man who takes a liking tae a woman like her. It was her kin who plunged the sword into John’s stomach. She doesnae deserve our respect!” a man cried out.

“What’s happened has happened, and we must move on!” Kevan cried, trying to make himself heard over the din of approving murmurs.

Another man stood up. “Aye, ’tis troubling alright that ye should be making her welcome. Marriages like these…I can understand them tae keep the peace, but she is still the enemy. Ye should be treating her like a hostage more than a wife. What haes she done tae earn yer affection? Seems as though it haes been tae easy for her tae use her womanly ways tae make ye forget about John.”

“I will never forget about him,” John hissed, but the man continued.

“Aye, I’m sure ye think that, but ye hae already taken her tae bed. And now ye come here and tell us that we cannae be angry with her? What other freedoms are ye gaeing tae take from us? It makes me wonder if there’s nae more tae this. Perhaps this was yer plot all along, tae kill John sae that ye could become laird.”

The accusation was a striking one, and a hush fell over the crowd. Kevan stared at the man. He was blind in one eye and had a stoop in his shoulder. There would be no honor in challenging him to a duel, and he had a feeling the man knew it. It was a preposterous notion, but when Kevan’s gaze settled on the crowd, he saw a flicker of doubt in their eyes. How could they actually believe that he would do such a thing?

“I am the legitimate heir, and I married her for the sake of ye, nae for my own pleasure!” he thundered, but he could tell that few of the people in attendance were convinced. The more he argued the point, the more desperate he would seem, so he grit his jaw and declared that the meeting was over. He left with a cloud around his mind and wondered why things only seemed simple when he was with Maura. At least with her, he knew where he stood. It was a strange situation indeed where he felt uneasy with his clan and comfortable with the enemy. But what could he do to convince them of his loyalty before more of them started to think that this was all some ploy to grab power?

Once again, he found himself lamenting John’s death. He always knew what to do in these situations, or what to say. The man had been a born leader, and he should have been here in Kevan’s place. He would have made a much better job of it. Instead, Kevan was alone and floundering, and it played on his mind terribly. Whispers reached him; whispers from people who couldn’t understand how he could have chosen an enemy over a woman from their own clan. He would never have done anything to hurt John, and the fact that they would think this was harrowing.

12

It had been a long day. When Kevan finally returned to Maura, his shoulders were slumped and there was a heavy gloom settling across his mind. He sighed as he came into the bedchamber. Becoming laird and being married were supposed to be happy occasions, but they felt cursed for him. Was there to be any happiness found in life? He clasped his hands together as Maura came beside him and kissed him, but he was not in the mood to receive any affection. Frankly, he didn’t feel as though he deserved it.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Everything,” he replied.

“It cannae be that bad.”

He looked at her with striking eyes. “The clan is starting tae think that I was behind John’s murder tae grab power. I tried tae defend yer honor, and this is the thanks I get,” he said with a huff. “I should hae stayed quiet.”

“And left me tae suffer? I am grateful that ye spoke tae them, even if it didnae turn out as ye haed planned.”

“Oh, well, I’m glad ye are grateful. That makes up for everything,” he said. Maura recoiled, and he regretted the words as soon as he had spoken them. “I’m sorry, lass. I dinnae mean tae snap at ye. This is nae yer fault. I just…I cannae understand how they could think of me this way. I married ye for their sake. I tried tae prevent a war.”

“Aye, and it was nae even yer idea,” she said in a small voice. Kevan felt a flicker of shame at the way he had treated her. He had been so hostile to her when she hadn’t deserved it. “What dae ye want tae dae?” she said.

Kevan held up his hands and sighed. He shrugged and shook his head, for he did not have an answer for her. “The more I argue against it, the more it looks like I’m worried they’ll find out the truth. But if I dinnae say anything, the whispers will grow and grow, and eventually, people will convince themselves, and none of that will help them treat ye any better.”

Maura looked down and gnawed her lower lip. Her hand rested on his arm. He had become quite comfortable with the feeling of her touching him, and when they were sitting close to each other, the air seemed lighter and more fragrant. There was something about her that had been missing with his mistress, some kind of crackling delight that turned his stomach inside out in a good way.