The Angel and the Highlander (18 page)

A
lyce was in the cottage when he arrived freshly washed and attired. While food waited on the table Alyce surprisingly seemed uninterested. She sat in a rocker by the hearth wearing a lovely deep blue linen gown and he silently thanked his sisters-in-law for their generosity. The dark blue made her own blue eyes all the more stunning, and he loved that she had left her long blond hair unbraided.

Her beauty never failed to startle him and he wondered if Artair had been right about love having interfered with his awareness. If he hadn’t been so taken by Alyce would he have questioned things at Everagis more?

She and Piper had disappeared often and the explanation was always the same. Someone needed help, but that someone, or specifics of the help, were never detailed. And why hadn’t Evan, a remarkable scout in his own right, ever been able to locate a single mercenary track?

Love truly must have blinded him because it was certainly blinding him now, since he wanted nothing
more than to lose himself in a night of lovemaking with his wife. Or did he fear what needed to be discussed would not only cause a rift between them, but also damage the trust they had built? Or did trust exist at all between them?

“You’re not hungry?” he asked for want of anything else to say.

Alyce shook her head. “Not at the moment.”

He walked over to her, scooping up a small bench along the way and sitting on it beside her. “Does something trouble you?”

“Must you always be privy to my thoughts?” she snapped. “Will I have no time to myself?”

While Terese could be forward in her remarks, it seemed Alyce was more biting, almost as if she intended to leave her mark on you, least you forget she bit.

He took her hand and laced his fingers with hers. “Why do you always feel the need to attack?”

She reacted as he expected. She yanked her hand, though could not free it, their fingers laced firmly.

“And why do you always feel the need to run from me?” he asked.

“I don’t,” she snapped and tugged once again.

“You are tenacious, but I”—he smiled—“am tenaciously patient.”

“Are you?” she asked with great concern.

“Have you not seen that for yourself?”

“Where was your patience when you wed me with haste? Where was your patience when you forced me to leave my home? Where was your patience in asking me if I wanted any of this?”

He reached out to touch her face, but she turned away from him. “You told me that you briefly dreamt that we would wed and have a life together. If that is your dream why do you deny it?”

“I wasn’t forced to wed you in my dream of a future for us. You asked; you gave me a choice and that meant the world to me.”

“Why today? Why now does this disturb you once again?” he asked.

She eased her fingers free of his. “Zia and Honora shared tales of their weddings with me and I realized that not one of the Sinclare wives chose to wed their husband.”

“In all fairness one Sinclare husband did not choose to wed his wife, though it did not stop Cavan from falling in love with Honora. And you must admit they are a perfect pair.

“Tell me why this truly disturbs you so much,” he urged. “It is the way of things for most. You knew as daughter to a laird you would be expected to wed a man of your father’s choice. Why rant against it?”

“My father led me to believe otherwise,” Alyce said sadly. “He raised me to believe my life was my choice. He introduced me to the ways of a leader. He let me make choices for myself, encouraged me to make them and then after giving me my freedom, letting me taste the joys of it, he took it away.”

Lachlan watched her grow teary-eyed and felt like strangling her father.

“At Everagis I found what I wanted and was content, which was why I knew Alyce had to die, for Alyce
would never be free. Terese, however, could live as she chose without repercussions.”

“Then I arrived.”

She smiled, though it was a sorrowful smile. “And changed everything.”

“Truly, though, you got what you wanted, to love a man of your choosing.”

“Terese did, not Alyce.”

He leaned close and teased her lips with his then said, “You are Terese.”

“Terese died the day you returned to Everagis.”

Lachlan felt a grasp at his heart as if a hand squeezed it so tight that he could barely breathe. He shook his head. “No, Terese lives in you.”

She shook her head.

He took firm hold of her chin. “I am sorry if I have confused you, but one thing that will not change, that will remain constant, is my love for you. Whether I call you Terese or Alyce I love you. Isn’t that enough?”

“Is it for you?”

“What more would I want?”

“For me to come to you of my own free will,” she said.

“I thought you had done that.”

“I did once,” she said. “Not so now.”

“What do I do to amend this?” he asked concerned.

“That is for you to answer.”

“And here I thought to make love to you tonight,” he said with disappointment.

Alyce stood and took his hand. “Making love has nothing to do with this matter. Our passionate love
gave us our child and for that I will forever be grateful. And I will not deny I love making love with you. I want no other hands on me. I want no other lips to touch mine. I want no other man inside me. I want only you.”

Lachlan wrapped his arms around her and kissed her like a man who just realized he was deeply in love. He savored the kiss, her taste so exquisite that he was certain he’d never get enough of her.

“Make love to me,” she said softly. “I’ve missed you so very much.”

Lachlan swung her up into his arms and carried her to the bed. He undressed her with loving tenderness, but hastily shed his own clothes. They settled on the bed together wrapped in each others arms and she held on tightly to him.

“Never doubt that I love you, Lachlan,” she whispered.

“I never have,” he said nestling at her neck.

“Promise me you never will.”

He rubbed his cheek to hers. “You have my word.”

She moved her hands over him.

He grabbed her hand as it settled around him. “Do that and I won’t last long.”

“You only have strength for one time tonight?”

“Now you challenge me, woman?” he grinned.

“I love a good challenge.”

“You asked for it,” he teased, his hands roaming her body, and she sighed with pleasure.

He loved running his hands over her, finding spots that had her purring, sighing, moaning with delight.
He took his time enjoying how eagerly she responded to his every touch and kiss.

He had known from their first time together that it was different, special and everlasting, for he was content with Alyce as he had never been with any other woman. He didn’t even think of other women, nor did they catch his eye. He thought only of Alyce and the way she fervently responded to his every touch, as she did now arching toward his hand when it drifted away or moving over him when she wished to take control, and he willingly surrendered.

He felt the fatigue in her body and while he enjoyed her riding him, he took hold of her waist and swung her off him to lie beneath him.

“I will pleasure you,” he said with a tempting kiss.

“You always pleasure me,” she said with a passionate sigh.

He eased in and out of her, not wanting to rush, but to linger in the heavenly feel of her and she agreed, running her hands over him touching him, encouraging him, loving him.

Naturally their passion heated, their rhythm turning frantic and both burst in frenzied climaxes one after the other until they were left breathless.

Lachlan cuddled her in his arms and as he expected, she was asleep in mere minutes. He didn’t mind as long as she was there safe with him.

He never expected to love a woman beyond rational reason, but he loved Alyce that way, and while he believed that excuse enough for his decisions, he could understand why it troubled her.

He hoped she would see that she had her freedom though wed to him, but the fact that he forced a marriage on her shadowed his good intentions. She had been right about the Sinclare brides having no choices, though love certainly had claimed them all, which Alyce had not argued. She did not deny her love for him; it was the choice that mattered.

How did he make this right for them? He wanted Alyce to have what she had always wanted. What her father had led her to believe she would always have…a choice.

He didn’t know how he could do this, just as he wasn’t sure how he would approach Alyce and get the answers he needed about the mercenaries. He wasn’t one to give into defeat and while charm was his best weapon, he didn’t think that was his best approach with his wife.

He had loved her direct and honest nature and she would expect the same from him. His charm could be saved for more auspicious occasions.

He grinned and cuddled around her ready to sleep and ready do what whatever was necessary to see his wife content with their life.

Alyce was bored senseless. She even had trouble keeping track of time. What seemed like a matter of days had turned into three weeks since their arrival home. She had tried to find things to occupy her time, but hadn’t been successful. And when Lachlan was sent away to handle a nearby skirmish she had almost jumped on her mare and joined him. The week
he’d been gone had been the longest in her life, and her endless days of nothingness had been driving her quite mad.

While she should be growing accustomed and content with her knew home, it was the opposite. She missed her active life at Everagis all the more, though she had to admit she loved Lachlan more with each passing day.

He was so very good to her, so why didn’t that matter more? The question haunted her and as much as she tried, she could not find an answer, and so it continued to disturb her.

Autumn was holding fast, though today proved more summerlike and everyone was busy outside clearing and storing in preparation for a winter that would arrive soon enough.

The splitting of wood resonated in the air and women tended what would be the last harvest of the year. Others dried and smoked meat, and candles hung to dry dotted the village.

Alyce on the other hand could find nothing to do. Everyone had a chore or duty or whatever you wanted to call it, but her. And she was on her own since Lachlan and Artair had been sent to see to a problem with a bordering clan. Cavan was busy today hearing and settling villagers’ complaints. Between the ill and preparing her concoctions Zia had not a moment to spare, while Honora contentedly looked after her twins and her niece.

Addie was the only one she hadn’t seen about, so when she saw her hurrying along in the village look
ing upset, Alyce seized the moment and asked what was wrong.

“Four-year-old Lily, the youngest of the Connors, is missing since early morning,” Addie said clearly upset.

“I’ll help,” Alyce offered immediately.

Addie shook her head. “Cavan will send men to hunt for her.”

“I learned much about tracking from a friend. I could be of help,” Alyce insisted.

“I don’t think Lachlan would approve, and I don’t have time to argue with you,” Addie said and ran to the keep.

Alyce didn’t wait. She never had before, accustomed to taking matters into her own hands and dealing with them posthaste. A child needed to be found and she had the skills to find her.

Alyce quickly inquired as to where she could find the Connors farm and after saddling her horse, she hurried off to do one of the things she did best…deal with and settle problems.

Mary Connor was beside herself when Alyce arrived and quite upset that more help hadn’t arrived with her. Alyce calmly explained that more help was on the way, but that she was an excellent tracker and if Mary would show her where Lily was last seen, she would do her best to follow her tracks.

Mary insisted that her husband Jake and two sons, John and Peter, were already doing that. Alyce remained calm and suggested that another tracker could be beneficial.

Mary agreed and showed Alyce the edge of the woods where Lily had last been seen. There she found small footprints, giving her a place to start. Alyce wanted to begin before any of Cavan’s men arrived and disturbed the fresh tracks.

She patted her stomach that had been rounding nicely every week and with fatigue gone and feeling stronger then ever, she said, “Hold strong there, little one, while we go find this lass.”

While she disliked the reason that had her tracking in the woods, she felt elated with the task and so very confident that she would find the child. Unfortunately, hours later Lily still hadn’t been found and with Cavan’s warriors and others joining the search, any tracks that could have proved helpful were now destroyed.

“I’ve allowed you to help far too long, now go home,” Cavan ordered.

Alyce glared at him. “Why should I take orders from you?”

“I’m your laird.”

While she wanted badly to challenge him, she knew it wouldn’t be wise. Whether she liked it or not, he was laird and she had to obey him.

She held her tongue and turned to walk away but stopped and turned around. “I obey you, Cavan, out of respect for my husband, but don’t think to command too often, for you will find I don’t do well with orders.”

She marched off, a mumble of voices trailing after her and knowing full well she would be the village
gossip by nightfall, which was when her husband was due home. She sighed, frustrated that with all Piper had taught her she had been unable to locate a track in the woods. She must not have been as apt a pupil as she had thought.

Alyce was about to mount her mare when she suddenly stopped and shook her head. Piper had taught her too well for her not to have been able to locate a track. If she hadn’t found one it could mean only one of two things, either someone had covered their tracks, or she was looking in the wrong place.

She glanced around then looked down at the ground scuffed with too many imprints to make sense of just one, and then it hit her. She recalled noticing one small, solid imprint made by Lily and at that moment it struck her. The young lass could have stopped abruptly and possibly changed direction.