Highland Grace (15 page)

Clearly unabashed by her own nakedness, she
tossed her head as she stormed toward the table with her arms
akimbo. Cocking her hip to the side and keeping one hand at her
waist, she lazily ran her finger around the silver rim of the
chalice as she asked, “Aye. Not a word—
if
you give me this
one little boon.”

“Nay, I’ll not. For, you could easily break
your word afterward.” Bao scanned her too-knowing visage. “Just how
much do you know of why your stepbrother wants my sister?”

She shrugged. “He says he owns her by right
and that you are keeping him from what is his.”

“He doesn’t own her. I’ve paid him many times
over the price he paid my father for her years ago.”

She cocked a brow at him. “He has a deed of
ownership.”

Bao ground his teeth before he answered.
“Aye, I’ve paid his debts, paid him his annual fees for her
continued freedom for nigh on fifteen annals trying to get my hands
on it—and keep his hands off her.” A flash-memory of Giric looming
over his bed when Bao was a young squire sent an all-too familiar
tremor of dread and revolt through his system and he clenched his
fists to fight it off.

Lara laughed. “Aye, Giric does like to toy
with people.”

“He does more than toy with his mistresses.
Two have gone missing under very mysterious circumstances, to which
the King turns a blind eye, as the women were of low birth.”

Her mouth turned down into a frown, but she
shrugged as if forcing a look of disinterest. “He has a bit of a
cruel streak. Many men do.”

“’Tis more than cruelty, ‘tis violent, mayhap
even murderous.”
And, at the minimum, perverse.
“I shall
never
put my sister in his clutches.”

Her laughter trilled, echoing off the stone
walls. “Then, ‘tis clear what you must do, is it not?” She threw
her head back and gave a much more deep-throated laugh. “And this
time, Bao Xiong Maclean,
you
shall pay
me
for the
privilege.”

“Not without surety that my sister will
remain unharmed and free of him until I can get her well-wed.”

Her gaze turned calculating. She sighed. “I
was hoping I could keep this little bit of revenge on him in my
possession, as he deserves to suffer for what he’s done to me,
but…but what if I gave you the deed of ownership? I stole it from
him several moons ago, after I discovered my childing state. Once
it’s in your hands, ‘twould matter less if my stepbrother found out
where your sister dwells, would it not?” She shrugged and turned,
walking toward the bedding she’d arranged on the floor. “Anyway, I
have naught against the lass—and I know first hand Giric’s
proclivities. I’ll not give her away—not if you service me
well.”

“Where is the deed now? I won’t agree to a
thing until I see it with my own eyes.”

“I’ll not say where, but I can promise you
that you shall see it, own it, this very night, if you agree to my
terms.”

“I want to see it first.”

“Nay, not until
after.
”

“I must know it’s the deed that my father
used to barter Branwenn.”

“Oh, it is. Why don’t I tell you a bit about
it? Will that do as proof?” She looked up at the ceiling beams and
said, “’Twas dated the twelth day of January, in the year of our
Lord, eleven-ninty. It states that for a price of three silver
pennies, one 2-year-old war horse of healthy stock, and a chain
mail, the babe, Branwenn, would be given in slavery to Giric
MacBean.”

‘Twas just as his father had told him. It
took Bao less than a second to decide. “I’ll meet you in the
stables in an hour. Bring it with you.” Bao left then, flying down
the stairs and out into the courtyard. The woman was a menace. But,
if he could do as she wanted, by the end of it, he’d finally have
his sister’s freedom. He’d also have betrayed the one woman he
wanted desperately to love him.

He needed a drink. With purposeful strides,
he moved toward the keep. Some of Daniel’s
uisge beatha
would do. It might numb the edges enough so that when he tried to
do the deed, he would succeed this time. And he
must
succeed.

* * *

Laird Donald strolled up to stand beside Lady
Maclean. The bonfire was at full blaze now, the heat from it
reaching several feet from its edges, warming those who stood in
its sphere. The upper bailey had been cleared of all carts and
other articles made of wood or cloth that might accidently ignite
from a stray spark. “This be as fine a display as I’ve seen in
years.”

Lady Maclean nodded. “Aye, my grandsons did a
fine job on this.”

“Where’s my son-in-law? I’d like to
congratulate him on his success.”

“He’s with Maryn. She’s awfully close to
having her babe, and Daniel doesn’t want to leave her side for very
long. He shall be down here again soon, I’m sure.”

“Branwenn seems to be settling in nicely. I
saw her dancing with some of the other young lads and lasses a few
moments past.”

“Aye, she’s coming along just fine. Tho’
she’s still set against wedding.”

Laird Donald looked at her in surprise.
“You’ve given her a choice?”

Lady Maclean’s lips thinned and she shook her
head. “Nay, I’ve not. But, because of her unusual upbringing, I’m
giving her a bit more time to become accustomed to her fate. I’ve
not argued the point with her as of yet.”

“Do you have anyone in mind for her?”

“Several, actually. They’re all from good
families and not so old that they’d not tolerate her active
nature.”

“That’s good. The lass has spirit, and
‘twouldn’t do for her to be wed to a man that couldn’t appreciate
it.”

* * *

Jesslyn wandered over to stand with Callum as
he watched the clan youth enjoying another dance. She followed
Callum’s gaze and saw Branwenn. “She’s got such impish beauty, does
she not?” Jesslyn said.

“Aye, as long as she doesn’t speak,” Callum
replied. “And she’s much too wild. Grandmother should put a stop to
this display forthwith.”

Jesslyn took hold of Callum’s sleeve when he
started to turn in the direction of Lady Maclean. “You’ve certainly
become stern since last we met. Leave the lass be; she’s only
enjoying the festivities a bit.”

“You think me too stern? When both you and my
wife are proof of what can happen to a lass if she doesn’t guard
her virtue as she should?” Callum pulled from Jesslyn’s grasp and
walked toward Lady Maclean.

Jesslyn looked toward Branwenn and the other
dancing youth, trying to see the danger that Callum was so sure was
there. She shook her head. It seemed perfectly innocent to her.
Mayhap, ‘twas more that Callum was bent on vexing the poor lass.
The two of them did seem to always be at sixes and sevens whenever
they met. Sighing, she decided to leave it in the hands of Lady
Maclean.

* * *

After his second cupful of the ardent
spirits, Bao finally felt able to deal with Callum’s wife.

Rising to his feet, he swayed and grabbed the
edge of the table for support. Mayhap he’d had more than he should.
The room tilted, but after a moment his head cleared and he tripped
off the dais and staggered from the hall to the stables. He
intended on taking her to one of the caves in the wood. He’d not
betray his wife inside her own home.

The stables were deserted, as even the
stablemen were enjoying the festivities. Bao patted his stallion’s
neck. “That’s a good lad,” he said. He grabbed the saddle and tried
to slide it on the beast’s back, but the walls of the stall started
to collapse and expand and he swayed.

The stallion snorted and stepped to the side.
Bao followed and fell to his knees. He’d better sober up a bit more
by the time Lara arrived. With effort, he got to his feet again and
gave his face a few slaps. Then he took a ladle full of water from
a bucket and drank it down. That seemed to help and he managed to
get the stallion saddled and ready for travel over the next
minutes.

He was just leaning against the stall facing
the entry of the stables when she came through it. Her eyes sparked
with excitement and her lips turned up in a smug smile as she
approached him.

“I’ve never done it in a stable. How…rustic,”
she said, looking around. “Is there an empty stall, or…”—she turned
her gaze on him—“do you prefer where we stand?”

“I’ve saddled my stallion. I’m taking you to
a cave I know of in the wood. ‘Twill be privy and away from the
festivities.”

She nodded. “Ahh.” She sauntered over to
where he stood. “I think I’d prefer you here, on the stable floor.
Lie down.”

“Where is the deed?”

“I’ll give it to you while we couple. Will
that do?”

He nodded and lay down. She knelt and
loosened the ties of his tunic and lifted it over his abdomen.
Then, she loosened his braies and brought the cloth away from his
pelvis. The old familiar anxiety made his insides tighten.
Can I
allow it?
His member lay to the side, resting in the junction
of his thigh and pelvis. With a shaking hand she touched him and
Bao gritted his teeth as a wave of revulsion swept through him.
Nay!
He thrust her hand away. “Nay, let me.” It took
everything he had to moderate his voice to a more seductive timbre
when he said, “Just watch.” He closed his eyes and brought forth a
memory of being inside Jesslyn at the waterfall and his cock sprang
to life. As he manipulated it a few more moments, he heard Lara’s
breath grow harsh with arousal and he transferred that sound to his
dream lover.
Jesslyn.

He groaned.

“Lord, you are massive. I’ve always liked
that about you.” His eyes flew open and he watched and waited,
tamping down the dread and disgust at what he was about to do, as
she quickly undid her gown and chemise, straddled him and trailed
the peak of her nipple over his bottom lip. The pungent smell of
clove and cinnamon wafted over him and he almost lost his erection.
But knowing what she wanted, he closed his eyes again, and with one
hand still vigorously massaging his cock, opened his mouth wide,
pulling the peak of her breast into it and suckled deeply. He kept
his focus on his memories of Jesslyn, which he knew now were all
he’d ever have of her and, once his erection was at full mast
again, lifted his hands to Lara’s breasts and molded one in the
palm of his hand as he stroked and massaged the other, feeding on
her.

* * *

Lara pressed down a fraction, feeling the
large head of Bao’s arousal stretching her open in that
oh-so-familiar way. It would hurt at first, but she liked it better
when there was a bit of pain. That had been the best part of her
experiences with her stepbrother. But he always finished too
quickly. That wouldn’t be the case with Bao. He could go for hours.
And, mayhap, if she was rough enough, she could lose this whelp of
her stepbrother’s making as well. She’d tried often these past
moons, but the thing was stubborn. It stayed in her belly with the
ferociousness of a priest on a sinner. Placing her hands on Bao’s
chest, she pressed down, forcing him inside her a bit further. The
slight sting was now searing. She trembled and sucked in her
breath.

“Fuck me, fuck me now!”

“First give me Branwenn’s deed!”

* * *

Callum walked toward the keep. He’d made his
rounds, spoken with all his relatives and Maclean clansmen, and now
he was ready for bed. The ringing of the bells was another hour
away, but he wasn’t in the mood for more merry-making. He was
troubled over his wife. She was never satisfied no matter what he
did to appease her. And he worried for their babe. He’d followed
her one day and seen her take a pouch from the old woman that
dwelled in the MacGregor wood lining the craggy shore of the ocean.
‘Twas well known that she had herbal concoctions that could make a
woman lose her babe, if she so desired.

Fearing that she’d try to end her childing
condition, he’d stolen the pouch from her casket before she’d had a
chance to use the herbs and replaced them with a bit of clove and
cinnamon.

Callum was just passing the stables when he
heard his wife’s exclamation and the reply in a much-too-familiar
male voice. Darting inside, he skidded to a halt at the feet of the
entwined pair.

His cousin pushed Lara off him and sat up.
The look in his eye was one of a trapped animal. Wild and dark.

His wife’s bosom and legs were bare, a red
bruise and teeth marks marred her right breast. He growled low and
unsheathed his dirk. With venom in his voice and his blade in his
hand, he said to Bao, “Do you die now, or do I allow you to cover
yourself first?”

His cousin staggered to his feet, pushing
down the hem of his tunic over his bare manhood and legs.

“Nay!” Lara cried. “He tricked me into coming
here with him and then he tried to force me to couple with him!”
Modestly covering her bosom with her hands, she continued, “He’s a
shameful man. He’s been a whore at the king’s court for years, you
know!”

Callum looked at her searchingly. “How know
you this?”

Her eyes widened and darted to Bao as if she
were trying to come up with a good answer, and Callum grew more
suspicious. “My sister, Edina,” she finally said. Then she looked
down at her hands as she jerkily closed her gaping bodice and
retied the strings. “She told me he’s the most celebrated male
whore in the court.” She lifted her gaze to him once more and moved
toward him. With a hand on his arm, she said, “But you saved me
before it went too far!”

Callum gave his cousin a long look. There was
something very wrong. There was no trace of desire in his cousin’s
eyes, only dread. In fact, he’d never seen such fear in the man’s
eyes before. Not even when they were met by a horde of Gordon’s
that outflanked their own number by three to one. Bao had been
steady and sure of the outcome then.