Highland Blessings (16 page)

He leaned his forehead against hers. “Lass, ye give me a test in asking me to wait before I make ye completely mine.” He cupped her face between his hands and gazed into her eyes. “But I promise we’ll wait until ye’re ready. I give ye my word as a highlander. I’d give my word as a Christian, but I’m not for certain how the Lord feels about me right now.”

“Do ye believe in God?”

“Aye.”

She smiled with relief. “Then ye give me something to work with.”

His grin widened. “Does that mean I’m not a hopeless cause then?”

She nodded against him. “Aye.”

“I find it hard to concentrate on my responsibilities with ye around, and that could be dangerous to a man about to walk into enemy territory. ’Twill be like walking on the edge of fire the whole time we’re at yer family’s holdings.” He traced a lock of hair down the side of her face with a gentle finger. “Lass, yer pledge of loyalty may be harder to keep than ye think once yer back home.” Doubt filled his voice with a mixture of concern.

Akira understood his confusion and doubt all too well. “Are ye sorry ye’ve wed me then?”

He cupped her cheek in his hand. “Nay.” He shook his head. “On the contrary, I worry our clans will try and pull us apart.”

A warm fire blazed as Akira pulled a piece of venison from the portion Bryce offered her fresh from the flames. “Careful. ’Tis hot.”

She blew on the meat and tried to ignore her burning fingers as she looked up across the camp. Elliot sat alone with his back against the trunk of a tree. He refused to eat everything they offered him. Disappointment tugged at her heart. Would he never forgive her? She sighed sadly and bit into the tender meat.

“Mmm.” She could taste the tender juice from the flames, and it tasted delicious, much better than she expected without her mother’s spices.

“Balloch is the best hunter. We’ll never go hungry as long as he’s around,” Bryce said beside her.

“Aye, when a man’s hungry, he does what he must,” Balloch chimed in.

“That is why I refuse to travel without Balloch.” Kian walked up behind Balloch, giving him a brotherly slap across the back and swiping a piece of meat from Balloch’s hands. How he managed to reach around Balloch’s large frame, Akira would never know. She watched as Balloch looked at his empty hands for a moment and then at her, debating whether to keep his manners in front of her or abandon all caution and attack his friend.

“Balloch, I believe ye might have to catch another deer.” She laughed.

“Nay, m’lady. I might have to squash me a bug.” He went after Kian, who took off running in the opposite direction.

“Never steal a hungry man’s food,” Kian called back. They ran by Elliot and again Akira’s attention lingered on her brother. She could not enjoy her meal while he sat in hungry stubbornness. Maybe he would eat something if she were to offer it to him instead of Bryce’s men.

Akira stood and ignored the stares as she walked to Elliot. She sat at an angle so she could still see everyone else by the fire.

“I brought ye something to eat.” She held out a chunk of meat. He turned away from her. “I thought ye might be hungry.” Still, he ignored her. She reached out to turn his face to her, but he shoved her hand away.

“Talk to me, Elliot. Why are ye doing this? I can understand why ye won’t speak to them, but why do ye refuse to speak to me?” She fought the confusing feelings his behavior toward her conjured inside her. “Please don’t do this.” She reached for his hand and once again he shoved her away. The meat fell to the ground. “What did ye do that for? Ye’re acting like a spoiled bairn.”

Never one to accept criticism too graciously, Elliot finally faced her. “Ye’ve changed, Akira.” His tone sounded like an accusation. “Ye always loathed the idea of wedding Evan MacPhearson. When he died ye should have run with yer freedom. Instead, ye willingly gave yerself to him.” Elliot pointed in Bryce’s direction, not bothering to hide his contempt. “Yer betrothal was with Evan, not Bryce. Ye’ve betrayed yer family and yer clan.”

Akira closed her eyes, allowing hot tears to trail down her cheeks. “The betrothal did not specifically name Evan. It stated the heir to the MacPhearson chieftainship.”

“That’s what
he
claims,” Elliot growled, nodding in Bryce’s direction. “Ye make me sick the way ye pine after him as if ye’re already besotted with him.”

Akira hastily wiped her cheeks. “He is now my husband, and I’ll treat him with the respect God’s law commands. Besides, he isn’t the barbarian ye’ve always made him out to be. He’s treated ye with nothing but kindness, while yer manners leave much to be desired.”

Elliot waved her away. “Go on, Akira.” Elliot crossed his arms over his chest and turned from her. “I’ll not listen to ye defend him.”

Akira shivered. Would the rest of her family treat her like this? Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Bryce moving to stand as he watched them a short distance away. The last thing she needed was her husband’s interference. She knew her brother well, and he would earn himself a good beating from Bryce and his men if provoked.

Bryce strode from the fire. “I thought I heard him raise his voice to ye, lass.” Bryce looked from Akira to Elliot.

Akira scrambled to her feet, stepping in front of Elliot. “Nay, ’tis only a family quarrel.”

“I’m yer family now,” Bryce said, his voice low, but firm.

“Aye, and so is he, whether he wants to admit it or not.” She held onto Bryce’s arm. The rest of his men stood watching by the fire.

Akira turned to her brother. “I’m still the same, Elliot. I only have a new name.”

“A name I will always loathe.”

She bent forward with her hands on her hips. “And what would ye’ve had me do, pray tell?”

He looked up at her with a hatred that pierced her heart. “Anything,” he spat out. “Anything before sacrificing yerself to a MacPhearson. Where is yer loyalty, Akira? Yer pride? Ye betrayed us. We’re yer family.”

Akira’s chin trembled as she straightened. His words echoed deep in her heart. “I made no sacrifice, Elliot. I made the only peaceful decision that would ensure my survival when the MacKenzies abandoned me to the MacPhearsons. Why be bitter and angry at me if I’m now content? Mayhap this is what the Lord intended all along—for me to take the MacPhearson name and stand in the gap for peace. If this is God’s will, then so be it. I’ll not call it a sacrifice. I owe no man a higher allegiance than I owe my God.”

Akira turned from her brother and faced her husband in the moonlight. “Please do not hurt him,” she whispered so Elliot wouldn’t hear. “Hopefully, he’ll come to his senses in the morn’. I’m ready to retire.” She moved past Bryce and walked away.

Bryce looked up at the stars, hardly able to stand the sight of Elliot without wanting to take revenge for the pain he caused Akira. At the same time he hadn’t been able to meet his wife’s gaze and see the hurt that lurked in her eyes.

Having spent little time in the company of women, Bryce was unaccustomed to their tender feelings and had no idea how to comfort her. Hadn’t he promised he would protect her? How did a husband go about protecting a wife’s tender feelings? For the first time in his life he felt inept. He disliked seeing Akira upset, but he didn’t know what to do about it, for he suspected if he punished Elliot appropriately, his wife would grow even more upset.

He turned to watch Akira. Her shoulders sagged under the emotional pressure that he imagined she felt right now. He wanted to go to her and comfort her somehow, but he doubted she would welcome him. She probably even blamed him for Elliot’s hatred. He glanced at the uneaten food lying on the ground and knew she would not eat another bite tonight.

He waited until she disappeared inside their tent and turned toward Elliot. “She doesn’t deserve yer anger. If ye want someone to blame, blame me. Akira has done naught.” Bryce clenched his fists at his sides when Elliot didn’t respond.

Leaving Akira’s brother to his mistaken thoughts, Bryce walked back toward the fire. He had to pass by their tent, and her muffled sniffles clutched at his chest. He paused in mid-stride. He hardly knew her. How could she possibly have the ability to affect him so deeply? Bryce closed his eyes and shook his head. He might not know the answers to his own questions, but he knew he wanted to make her feel better if he could—if she would let him. He half turned to the tent in thoughtful silence, unaware that his men still watched him. The low sound of her weeping tugged at his heart and lured him forward until he stood before the tent. He took a deep breath for courage and lifted the flap, bending to crouch inside.

Akira shifted, sitting up. He couldn’t see her expression in the dark, only the silhouette of her body as she moved, breathing deeply.

His throat constricted as he crawled on his knees toward her. He opened his mouth to speak, but his tongue stalled and his mind went blank. An unfamiliar fear struck him. It wasn’t the kind that he was used to facing in battle. This kind of fear left him feeling awkward and uncertain. He wanted her to let him comfort her, even if he didn’t know how. Bryce hated the thought of being rejected.

She sniffed. He paused, reaching out to her. His unsteady fingers tangled in her hair. “Akira, I …” About to apologize, the words died on his tongue. He couldn’t apologize. He wanted to feel her hair between his fingers.

She lifted her head. “Bryce, I want to thank ye.” She spoke in a hoarse whisper.

Relieved that she didn’t order him out, he swallowed hard and continued to stroke her hair where it lay over her shoulder and down her back. “For what?”

For a moment she remained silent, and he wondered if she would answer. Then she took a deep breath and cleared her throat. “For not killing Elliot. I can see how he’s pushed yer limits these last few days. I’ll be forever grateful.”

“Akira.” He leaned his forehead against hers, drawing in a ragged breath. “While I’ll admit it’s been tempting at times, I couldn’t hurt him, lass. My goal is to prevent war, not start it.” He cupped her cheek. “Although, I’ll not tolerate him mistreating ye, even if he is yer brother.”

She turned her face into his hand. Her soft skin begged for kisses, but he managed to keep himself still, hoping to do naught but comfort her. This woman had some kind of pull on him that he didn’t quite understand. Evan had hated her for being a MacKenzie, but Bryce could not. He closed his eyes as he contemplated the words she had spoken to Elliot. Mayhap her being a MacPhearson was the Lord’s will. The day Bryce fetched her from the chapel, he had a strong feeling that Akira was never meant for Evan, but for him. Bent over the altar and on his knees, he felt both regretful that his brother’s life had ended, and grateful that Akira would be his.

Was Evan right? Could a MacKenzie never be trusted? Tomorrow she would be back among her people where she would no doubt feel pressured to resist him. What if Birk MacKenzie demanded an annulment? Bryce’s heart nearly stopped at the thought. Bryce felt a great urge to wrap his arms around her and crush her to him, but he held back. He had come in here to comfort her, not scare her.

Akira laid her hand against his chest as if sensing something. “Bryce, ye trembled. Why?” His pulse quickened. “Yer heart is racing.”

“Aye, lass, ye seem to have that effect on me.” He wiped away the last of her remaining tears with his thumb. “Don’t weep, Akira.” Even though he couldn’t see her expression, he tilted her chin up to ensure he had her full attention. “Elliot didn’t mean those things he said. He’s just angry and probably blaming himself for not saving ye as he came to do.”