Authors: Kara Griffin
“We didn’t mean to frighten ye,
milady,” one of the warriors said.
“Your guard can leave, but not with
their weapons,” this came from the tallest warrior, who spoke as if he wasn’t
to be questioned.
The baron’s guard hesitantly stepped
back. Only the commander had the courage to question the warriors. “You have
come for the bride?”
All the warriors nodded except the
tallest one. Appeased that she was handed over to the MacHeths, the commander
retreated and left with his men. They left her there and ran out of sight as
swift as the wind blew, if the wind was blowing, without a farewell.
“Aye, the bride,” a light-haired
warrior said with a smile.
“Why did you tell him that? Are you
the MacHeths? Oh, God please say you are not the MacHeths.” Bree’s heart tensed
in realization they could very well be the clan she tried to avoid. If they
were the MacHeths, she was done in now, admitting that.
If what Cait said was true, the
MacHeths were not to be trusted. The laird only wanted her to start a war. Bree
wasn’t sure she should trust the Gunns either, but of the two she’d rather test
her fate with the latter. She couldn’t raise her eyes to look at them for fear
they were nodding their heads.
“Nay, we’re not the shanty MacHeths,
milady. We’re the Gunns,” this came from the other light-haired warrior.
When she heard the warrior speak,
she blew a sigh of relief. “Thank God for that. I have no desire to be amongst
the MacHeths.”
Each and every one of the guard
knelt before her. Their swords pointed upward and they each placed a hand over
their hearts. They began chanting something in an unknown language. Bree had a
sudden urge to laugh. What strange fellows they were. She had no idea why they
felt the need to kneel in front of her and so she smiled at their peculiar
behavior.
“My men give you a great honor. They
have sworn to protect you for the rest of their lives.”
Bree was astounded. “Why ever would
they do that?”
“You show dislike for our enemy.
‘Tis honorable of you. You may rise,” the tallest warrior said to the guard.
The men stood and continued to grin at her.
“Why would my dislike honor them?”
They were a confusing lot of men. Bree looked at each of them and felt somewhat
comforted by their presence.
The tall warrior frowned. “Because
ye don’t want to wed the MacHeth.”
Upon saying the MacHeth name, the
warriors all spat on the ground and mumbled blasphemous words. She was
beginning to like the Gunn soldiers.
“You must be Laird Gunn.” Bree
curtsied, as was his due. How she knew him to be the laird, she didn’t know. He
had that look of commander about him and certainly was their leader.
He neither smiled nor frowned. “Aye,
Laird Gunn.”
“I would like to bargain with you,
if you have a mind.”
His left eyebrow rose. “Bargain?”
“Aye, I do not wish to go to the
MacHeth laird and to wed his choice.”
A light-haired warrior stepped
forward. “Are ye not the laird’s intended?”
“Nay, I was to wed one of his
followers. Does that matter?” Bree began to panic, and her heart tensed. If
they only came for her because they thought she was to wed the laird, then she
was done for.
All of the men shook their heads.
“Any MacHeth as a husband would bode ill, milady,” a light-haired warrior said.
“If you give me safety and protection,
I shall reward you with my treasure. The trunks are filled with salt and herbs.
I assure you it is of good quality. I had heard salt is of value to you. Will
you accept my bargain, Laird Gunn?” She waited for his answer, and he gave a
slight nod. She’d been on a fool’s errand, because they certainly didn’t need
to consent to her bargain. They could have taken her treasure without force and
left her to fend with the MacHeths on her own. The laird’s agreement relieved
her though.
“You will ready to leave,” the tall
warrior said, before turning away from her.
Her heart started beating
ferociously. “Wait.” She didn’t know why his leaving disheartened her. Panic
set in for a few seconds until he turned back to her. Bree was relieved when he
stepped closer. For some reason the warrior calmed her. It was an anomalous
feeling, because someone like him didn’t seem the kind to calm anyone.
If she was of sound mind, she’d be
groveling at his feet begging him not to hurt her. But she relaxed and smiled,
not knowing what to say. “Laird Gunn, will you introduce me to your men before
we leave?”
“Step forward and present yourself,”
he said, stepping back to allow his men room. The men scrambled forward,
knocking each other in their haste to stand before her.
“I’m Duff, milady. Your laird’s
commander-in-arms.” He bowed. “At your service.”
Bree curtsied to him and noticed he
kept his frown in place. He seemed a dubious nature, similar to the laird.
Two men stepped forward, both
smiling. One had light hair, the other dark. “I’m Kenneth and this be James.
We’re your laird’s guard.”
She smiled back. They certainly
seemed of a more pleasant nature than Duff and the laird.
Two more men stepped forward, “Colm,
milady, and this is Sean,” a dark haired man said. They both bowed.
“It is a pleasure to meet you all. I
am Bree this is my friend, Cait. Cait, all is well, you can come out now. Cait
is my dearest friend and lady’s maid.”
The men looked at Cait and she
smiled back at them. Bree knew Cait was quite interested in a few of the men by
the dreamy look in her eyes. The warriors certainly were fearsome, but they
were extremely handsome. She couldn’t fault Cait if she had an eye for any one
of them.
“By my faith, Cait, will you please
behave?” She almost laughed when her friend stepped beside her with the widest
smile.
The laird moved closer and had a
ferocious frown on his face. He’d been quiet up until now and she wasn’t sure
why he scowled like a privy monster. Aye, his brows knotted together, giving
her an astonished glare.
“My lord is Baron Thomas Champlain
of Falstone. I’m from the border region. He has made a pact with Laird MacHeth
and I fear …”
“Ye have nothing to fear now,
milady,” James said.
That didn’t seem to please the laird
and he gave the man a glare. James stepped back in line with the other
warriors. They were content to gaze at her. Bree felt small standing near them.
The warriors rose like mighty oaks while she appeared more like a sapling ready
to be uprooted by a stiff wind. She was sure they would stand firm against any
wind.
Duff gazed sheepishly, his frown
firmly placed. “Laird, doesn’t she remind ye of someone?”
The laird took his time assessing
her. Bree felt as though she stood with no garments on for all he looked. His
eyes went from her head, lower to her shoulders and then to her breasts where
they remained for more seconds than was decent.
Bree blushed when he kept his gaze
fixated for a few more seconds before he looked lower to her hips and then
legs.
When he finally moved his eyes to
hers again, he said, “Mayhap she does look a wee bit like her, but it couldn’t
be.”
“Like who?” Bree asked, wondering
why they discussed her as if she wasn’t there.
The grumpy warrior, Duff, stepped
closer to her before answering. “Ye look like a lass we knew years ago.”
“What happened to her?” Bree watched
the laird closely.
“She’s gone. Tell me, who is your
father? What house do ye hail from?” the laird asked.
“Baron Thomas and my mother is Lady
Millicent. We live near the border on the English side, at Champlain house.”
The laird frowned and tested the
reins of his horse. “Aye, Falstone, ye said. Why would your father wed ye to a
MacHeth? Has he business with him?”
“I know not. I have misgivings about
the laird and his followers. I wish not to wed.” Bree wanted to ask them
questions too, but the men ignored her. She decided it was best to reveal as
little knowledge as she could. Before she knew it, they were ready to depart.
She quickly donned her overdress and
threw her covers in her satchel. She hadn’t even had time to put her shoes on
when the laird called her. Bree stumbled forward, trying to slip her feet into
her shoes. She wasn’t sure if she was in a better situation with these men. But
they did seem agreeable considering they hadn’t harmed her. They would definitely
be able to protect her.
“Laird Gunn, may I ask where we are
going? Do you have a holding?”
He stopped next to his horse and
gave a whistle to his men. “Aye, we have lands north of here. Not too far. We
have to make a stop first.”
“I thank you for your protection,
Laird Gunn. I was fearsome of the MacHeths.”
Grey stepped closer to her and took
her chin in his hand, raising her face to look at him. Warmth from his hands
should have heated her, but instead she got a chill that ran cold through her
spine. His gray eyes seemed sincere as he bore into her eyes. Bree wasn’t sure
why she felt saddened by his powerful gaze or what he meant by it. Was he
trying to intimate her or appease her fear?
“Why would ye be afeared of the
MacHeths? What know ye of them?”
“I confess I don’t know much. Their
laird is a scullion.” She heard several grunts of agreement come from his men.
“I should apologize for my blasphemy, but I shan’t. I don’t trust Laird MacHeth
and I don’t want to marry anyone from his clan.”
“The lass has God-given sense,” Duff
said, as he came to stand next to her. “We won’t let the MacHeths near ye,
milady. Never fear.”
“I shall not fear now, Duff. I thank
you for your protection.”
“Let us ride. We need to reach
Donal’s on the morrow.” Grey helped Bree atop her horse and motioned for his
men to move.
The night grew dark, but the
warriors didn’t seem to care about the obscurity. “Do you deem to ride through
the night, Laird Gunn?” Bree wasn’t sure if she or Cait could handle sitting
atop a horse for such a long time considering how much they’d traveled that
day.
“Nay, only until we’re away from
here. We shall get some rest before the night ends.”
“Thank you, Laird. I shall like to
rest a bit.” Before Bree knew what he was about, his arm circled her waist and
he pulled her off her horse, onto his lap. “What do think you’re doing …?”
“You can rest all you like.”
“This is most indecent. I shouldn’t
be sitting … Pray, put me back on my horse. I do not need your assistance.
Truly, Laird Gunn, I can sit a horse.” Bree felt his arms tighten around her
waist. The movement caused her to jostle a little. She gripped his forearm,
feeling the strength of his hold. “Please don’t let me fall.”
“Never. Hold me tight.”
His words spoken by her ear tickled
and his warm breath heated her skin. She did as he asked and placed her arms
around his waist. Hugging him intimately, Bree blushed at the thought of where
her hands touched. His hard body comforted her.
In such an awkward position, she set
her face against his chest and closed her eyes. She focused on the sound of his
heartbeat and his movement from the horse’s stride. Bree smiled, feeling happy
she did not have to contend with the MacHeths. She drifted off into the
sweetest dream.
CHAPTER FIVE
Grey was living a nightmare. The
woman in his arms was beyond beautiful and all he could think of was her soft
body resting against his. Sensual images kept intruding and he couldn’t get the
vision of their bodies joining out of his mind. It wasn’t like him to hold such
dishonorable thoughts about a lady, but this woman affected him.
Aye, she was sweet and she did need
protection. Yet there was something about her which called forth every ounce of
chivalry he possessed. On the other hand, chivalry be damned. He liked the way
she held him and he wanted to move his hands to a more immodest part of her
body.
His hands craved to touch her
everywhere. He could imagine what she looked like beneath her garments. Nice
sized breast, curvaceous hips, and long legs, all envisioned in his mind’s eye.
Never had a woman so tempted him. The ride home would be a tumultuous journey.
Fortunately, with his guard on duty,
he didn’t have to be on alert. During the ride, he’d let his attention stray
from listening and watching – to feeling and holding. His imagination soared
with visions of her beckoning him as if she was a faerie out to torment him. It
would be a torment he would enjoy.
He almost groaned aloud when he
imagined kissing her naked stomach, and feeling the softness of her skin as his
nose traced the contours of her waist to her breasts.
With a shake of his head, he pulled
himself from the vision, knowing it was wrong to think such immodest thoughts.
The lady’s troubles should be his foremost concern, yet all he thought of was
taking her to bed and making sweet love to her.
Duff and Colm took the lead, while
the others placed themselves strategically around him. Her maid seemed content
to ride ahead of them, directly in front of him. Sean took up the rear.
They rode a good distance; at least two
hours and were leaving enemy territory. Grey more than ever wanted to reach
home. The lady in his arms needed a safe place and there was no other than
beyond the sound walls of his home. Once they reached home, he would give the
order that none other than a Gunn be allowed entrance.
If Kenneth MacHeth found out about
their treasure, and he wasn’t thinking about the trunks she’d traveled with,
he’d have the entire MacHeth army breathing fire at his walls. Perfect, really
because then he wouldn’t have to search them out. For years he’d hoped for a
good reason to war against the dog and now the sweet lass in his arms gave him
one. He wouldn’t let MacHeth near her, no matter what the cost.
“You’re being quiet, laird. What are
ye planning?” Sean asked low.
“Her protection. MacHeth will be
cursing me when he learns about his loss.” His men knew him well. Grey often
kept his thoughts to himself and he rarely shared his point of view. When he
needed to, he did, but he was better at giving orders than opinions.
“I have a suggestion. We got a lot
of baggage. What say you Colm, Kenneth, and I bring the trunks, whilst you,
James, and Duff ride ahead. We’ll continue home whilst ye visit Laird Ross.”
“I’d say that would be a fair idea,
Sean. You will likely reach home before us.”
Normally, he wouldn’t leave his men
behind, but getting Bree to safety was of more import. Grey whistled to Duff,
who was now way ahead of them. As soon as everyone was within hearing distance,
Grey directed his men to stay behind with the trunks while he, James Duff, and
Cait rode onward.
His men would take the trunks
directly home and he would call upon his greatest ally. Surely a war would
break upon the MacHeths learning of their misfortune. News traveled fast in the
highlands. He’d be surprised if Donal didn’t all ready know about what he’d
done.
If they were to get any rest this
night, they should make camp soon. The air cooled slightly and it wasn’t as
oppressive. He noted the bloated clouds in the sky, looking for signs of a
storm, but there were many stars scattered betwixt the clouds. They’d be dry
this night. After riding a bit ahead, he pulled his mount to a stop, causing
the others to do so. Grey palmed Bree’s cheek and her eyes flew open.
“What are you doing?” She yanked his
hand from cuddling her soft cheek.
“Waking ye. We’re making camp.” Grey
wasn’t in a hurry to dismount. He wished he could continue to hold her, say
things in her ear that would make her blush, just to see her bonny blue eyes
widen with shock.
She yawned and almost fell backward,
but saved herself by hugging him tightly. Grey almost laughed. He hadn’t felt
so lighthearted in such a long time. The winsome lass made him feel amused.
Then he felt her breasts pressed against his chest. With a groan, all amusement
faded. Using his hands, he caressed her back, causing her to maintain her
position.
“Mind those hands,” she said and
slapped his arm from around her.
“My apologies.”
Duff stumbled as he passed by and
laughed. “This is a day to remember, Laird. I don’t believe ye ever apologized
to anyone for anything.” Duff helped Cait from her horse and he and James began
setting up camp.
Grey helped Bree down and once she
stood on her feet, he left the camp. There was something about her that stirred
him and he wasn’t sure why. Eventually, he’d learn all he needed to know. For
now, he needed to get a hold of himself.
Alone now in the woods, he
contemplated what he was going to do with her. And how would he explain to
Donal why he’d taken the MacHeth bride. Neither answer came to him. He supposed
he’d keep her safe until she revealed more about herself. As for Donal, he
would have to be honest with him. Donal couldn’t fault him for saving the lass
or for accepting her bargain.
When he returned to camp, he found
her awaiting him right where he’d left her.
“Lady? Why do you not rest?”
“I wanted to wait for you, Laird
Gunn. How much further do we have to travel?”
“Another day or so. Not too far. We
will stop and pay our respects to Laird Ross before continuing on home.”
“You mean when we reach your home.
What is to become of me? You cannot take care of me forever. When I am able to,
I mean to return to my home.”
“You cannot return.” Not if he had
anything to say about it. The thought of her returning to England set a foul
taste in his mouth. Grey wasn’t about to let her go anywhere, anywhere but his
home. He was glad she’d turned her head. Lord, she smelled nice, like summer
rain. Grey took a deep breath, wanting to inhale her fragrance and remember it.
“You cannot keep me from leaving, Laird
Gunn. I will stay as long as it pleases me.”
“It will please ye to stay as long
as I bid. I will hear no argument.” Grey couldn’t keep his voice from rising a
little when he made that statement. He didn’t know why her leaving bothered him
or why he found himself frowning. His hand moved to her shoulder to keep her
from walking away. He absently caressed the soft fabric of her overdress. “Aye,
I surely want you,” he mumbled under his breath. She brushed his hand away and
stepped backward.
Lord, she really was innocent and
for some reason that made him happy. Grey wondered what she’d do if he kissed
her. He was tempted to do so just to see what her reaction would be. Would she
shriek in abhorrence or return the kiss? Given her appearance, he’d assumed the
prior. Aye, she’d shriek and he’d find it delightful.
“I mean what I say, Laird Gunn, I
shan’t have anyone in danger because of me.”
“Are you saying that because the
MacHeths might come after you?”
She looked up at him again and this
time her eyes were wide with fear. “Aye.”
“Damned right they’ll come after
you. Don’t worry, we Gunns are much stronger than the MacHeths.”
“You Gunns are an arrogant lot, are
you not? Still, I am nothing to you. Why would you go to such lengths to
protect me?”
“You are everything.” Grey didn’t
realize he’d spoken his thought aloud until she smiled at him. “Besides, we
made a bargain, you and I. For your protection, I was given the trunks. You
paid well for our service and you cannot go back on your word. We aim to
protect you and shall do so from this day forth.”
“About that …”
He pressed a finger on her petal
soft lips. “We must be quiet and get some rest now.”
“You cannot expect me to be quiet
when you just—”
He kissed the breath right out of
her. It was her lips. Aye, they moved so gracefully when she spoke, Grey
couldn’t help himself. Her lips stilled against his, but she had no idea what
she was doing. Lord, she was beyond demure and had the softest lips. Grey
deepened the kiss and lightly brushed his tongue against the silky softness of
hers.
An instant need rose within him. His
attraction turned to lust. Aye, hardness came with an ache beneath his tartan.
He definitely wanted her—wanted to keep her—wanted her in his bed, but most of
all, he wanted to keep her safe.
Grey pulled his mouth from hers. It
took much to coerce his brain to function again. She didn’t realize the
jeopardy she was in. But he’d throw himself from his horse before he’d dishonor
her. Chivalry be damned.
“Laird … Gunn, please do not do that
again. I promise to be quiet. You need not do so to shush me.” She patted his
arm and looked straight ahead. Damned if she seemed unaffected by the kiss.
He couldn’t have that. Lightly, he
took her face in his hand and turned her to look at him. Her eyes fastened on
his mouth and by the look of her, she verily was affected.
Grey almost laughed. It didn’t seem
possible for her to keep quiet.
“I do promise to be quiet, but you
shouldn’t kiss me.”
“We’re finished discussing this for
now.” He did chuckle then. “Aye, ‘tis the truth I’d like to do more than
discuss it, lass. There’s a lot more to kissing.”
“So I’ve been told.” She blushed and
walked to the tent James erected for her and her maid.
“By who?” he demanded. Grey blocked
her from entering the tent and watched her carefully.
“No one, Laird Gunn, no one of any
import.”
As soon as she disappeared, Grey
placed his bedroll in front of the tent, as a security measure. He unsheathed
his sword and set it on the ground next to him. Sleep would not come, but he
closed his eyes and listened to the night sounds. No woman ever caused him such
concern or strife.
Though he protected his clan, he
hadn’t had someone close to protect since he’d lost his betrothed. Now this
lovely lass entrusted her safety to him and by God he would not let her down.
Near dawn, he noticed his men
prepared their horses and were ready to ride. Once the ladies refreshed
themselves, they continued on the journey. With the ladies present, his men
slowed the pace. Grey sobered thinking about the fact that they rode through
Mackay land, the land MacHeth declared his own when he overtook their clan.
He’d heard most of the Mackays ran
and hid in the hills when MacHeth killed the laird, Ian Mackay. Still, riding
on the land reminded him of his childhood, when the Gunns and Mackays had made
a pact, a truce which would never come to be.
The ride through MacHeth land was
uneventful. Those on sentry were inept and never knew when the Gunns crossed
their borders. If Bree and her maid weren’t with them, he and Duff might have
gone looking for a bit of entertainment. He knew Duff was probably disappointed
they couldn’t cause the MacHeths a little havoc or inconvenience.
Soon they’d be on Ross land, just
westward of where they were presently. MacHeth land wasn’t as wide in the
southern region and only took an hour to cross. Grey felt Bree’s body leaning
heavily against his. She’d fallen asleep with a smile on her lovely face. He
suspected of late she hadn’t had much to smile about, especially considering
she’d been betrothed to a beasty-swine MacHeth.
Finally, they reached Ross land, but
the holding was located a good distance from its border. Grey decided to keep
riding for a bit. He’d gain a few miles before stopping and giving the horses a
rest. By the evening, they might spend the night at the Ross keep if they took
a swift pace. That thought led to him thinking about what he’d say to Donal.
Donal Ross had been named his
protector when he’d turned ten winters. A lad couldn’t do better for a champion
because Donal was a mean-son-of-a-bitch. It was Donal’s gift, a precious dagger
crudely designed he’d used to inflict the reminder of his failure when Albrey
went missing. Donal was laird of the Ross clan and one of the leaders of the
highland council.
He wasn’t one to go against, mainly
because he’d allied with many of the other significant clans and was a great
supporter of King Alexander. Donal would understand once he explained why he
wanted to war with the MacHeths.
Still it wasn’t a meeting he looked
forward to. Donal could be extremely stubborn when he made up his mind about
something. Many a time, Grey’s own father complained about the Ross and how
he’d been unable to influence an outcome.