The Pursuit (13 page)

“Y
OUR
silence isn’t very encouraging,” Lincoln said with a great deal of disappointment. “I take it I won’t like your answer?”

She hadn’t meant to prolong his suspense or give him the wrong impression. But it had occurred to her that once again her uncles were going to keep him from a personal goal. Was the past going to relive itself? Would he butt heads with them again because of it? No, they were all adults now, and adults talked their way through such things, without resorting to violence. Well, they
ought
to.

“I willna lie tae you, Lincoln. I’ve ne’er in m’life disobeyed m’da. Ne’er wanted tae, ne’er felt a need tae. Sae ordinarily I’d obey him wi’oot question.”

“Ordinarily?”

“Well, there’s m’feelings tae take intae account. There’s also m’mother’s opinion, which has been known tae change his on occasion.”

“Wouldn’t she be inclined to agree with her brothers?” he asked.

“Nae, just the opposite.” Melissa finally had a reason to grin. “She was raised English, which is no’ tae argue wi’ your elders, but anyone younger is fair game. And they’re all younger than her, as it happens.”

He chuckled. “I probably should disagree, since I was raised English as well.”

“Go ahead, I’m younger than you—by all o’ twenty years as I recall you thinking.”

He smiled at the reminder of the teasing they’d done about her age when they first met. That particular smile, though, affected her senses in an extraordinary way. It made her blush—and feel other things. She almost wished he weren’t so handsome. It was strange for her, having a man’s looks disturb her in such unsettling ways.

It seemed to be contagious, too. Her reaction to his smile, being somewhat visible—truly, a lot visible—affected him as well. His expression softened, his gaze turned sensually admiring. She was reminded quite potently that for all intents and purposes they were completely alone. And she’d better stop thinking along
those
lines….

She quickly got back to the matter at hand. “M’da is a fair man, extremely so. He’s been the MacGregor since afore I was born, and making decisions that have bearing on many, no’ just himself. My uncles are reactionary, as I’m sure you know. They’ll swing first and talk about it
after. M’da is just the opposite. Probably because o’ his great size, he tends tae give any conflicts careful thought first.”

“He gets along well with your uncles?”

She chuckled. “Let us say he tolerates them. Being wed tae their only sister, who they’re pledged tae guard and protect no matter what, you can imagine he’s had his differences wi’ them, and no’ just a few. They’ve had many fights, both physical and verbal, o’er the years.”

“Now,
that
is encouraging.”

She made a face at him. “Bah, dinna be thinking that’s tae your good. As I said, he
listens
afore he reacts. He’ll be hearing everything they have tae say aboot you, you can be sure, which I hope willna be anything more than what you’ve said yourself.”

“I held nothing back. If there’s more to it, I simply don’t remember it.”

“That’s fine,” she replied. “Having already heard the brief version from Ian One, I’m thinking there canna be anything worse tae add tae it. I’m also guessing it’s your temper they’re most worried about, since it got sae oot o’ hand that it made you seem crazy. Have you had any problems wi’ your temper since that time?”

He shook his head. “I tend to keep such feelings to myself now.”

She frowned thoughtfully. “That’s no’ always a good thing, but…well, never mind. Tae keep tae the subject, though, I think you mun convince m’family that you’re no’ crazy, is all. And since
I’m
sure you’re no’ crazy, that shouldna be too hard for you tae do.”

“Sure, are you?”

She noted his grin. She would have swatted him if she were more familiar with him. A few more meetings and she wouldn’t hesitate. She settled on a scowl.

“This whole thing is going tae come down tae perception on their part, and if you get your foot in the door, I dinna doubt a testing. Your temper will be under close scrutiny by one and all, since it is the bone o’ contention. Now you’ve told your side wi’oot once raising your voice and wi’ only a couple sour looks, so I’m thinking you’ve outgrown any wild tendencies you may have once had. But I havena tried tae provoke you. Dinna doubt m’uncles will. And how will you be holding up under such fire?”

“With several buckets of water at hand.”

She stared at him, then burst out laughing. “Aye, Mr. Scot turned lordly English, I’m thinking you’ll do verra well—that’s assuming you get let in the door again. You can be sure I’ll be having words wi’ m’uncles that they willna like, o’er their high-handedness on m’behalf. But I’ve a feeling they’ll stand by their decision until m’da gets here tae say otherwise. In the meantime—”

“In the meantime,” he cut in as he sat forward, his elbows on his knees in a relaxed manner. “My problem, as I see it, is, how am I going to get you away from your despicable uncles to continue my courtship, short of abducting you?”

“Abducting, eh? Why is that no’ sounding a frightful experience?”

He grinned and reached forward to caress her cheek. “Would you like to be…abducted?”

Now she knew they were talking not about abducting but something entirely more intimate, and her pulse was racing as if he’d said the real word he meant. Somehow he’d just gotten far too close to her. She could smell him, could see the minuscule gold flecks in his brown eyes that made them not quite so ordinary. And though his fingers on her cheek were hot, nor did he remove them.

She had no idea what she would do if he suddenly kissed her. And then she found out. No question about it, she was kissing him back.

She was thrilled, just like the first time, but able to enjoy this kiss more. Without the fear of discovery that had been present before, she was able to relax, experience more fully the taste and feel of him. But she didn’t stay relaxed for long. Hot, determined, wicked his tongue was. And too many were the sensations it evoked.

He was sharing the same seat with her now, and holding her close. She hadn’t thought this would happen. The possibility had been there, surely, but they’d had too many things to discuss first. They were done with that for the moment, but nothing had been resolved and wouldn’t be until after her parents got to town.

She could hope for the best, but her future wasn’t guaranteed to include this man. She
wanted it to, she really did, but the odds were currently against it. And the thought came, wickedly, that to make love with him would definitely better those odds—if her parents found out about it. Not a very fair way to go about it—rather underhanded, actually, not to mention highly embarrassing—but in desperate situations desperate measures could be examined.

Now there was no time to examine anything, though. They both got carried away very quickly, and it became a matter of need rather than decision.

Melissa stopped thinking about it. She was too caught up in the pleasure of his touch. He began innocently enough, caressing her cheeks, her arms, and, when she was too deeply involved in the kiss to notice at first, her breasts. But she did notice, and quickly. How amazing. She could touch her own breast and feel absolutely nothing. He merely rested his hand there and her heart slammed beneath it. And when he squeezed, ever so gently, there was a corresponding tug in her belly—and then lower.

Her breathing became deeply labored. The sensual tension was mounting fast, too fast. She had a fistful of his hair in one hand, and her nails were digging half-moons into his neck with the other—probably all the encouragement he needed to move his hand on to even more intimate regions. Her long skirt was hiked up by degrees as he cleared a path, and the sudden scalding heat of his palm on her bare thigh set off a wealth of coiled churning deep in her core.

And then he stopped.

It took her a while to realize he’d gone perfectly still, had removed his hands from her skin, was just holding her now, albeit a bit tightly. Her breathing calmed down somewhat, but her thoughts began a frantic whirl.

Had she done something wrong? Was her inexperience more than he wanted to cope with?

It was probably going to embarrass her terribly, but she had to ask: “Why did you stop?”

“Because I want your father to have a good opinion of me, not want to break my neck.”

He’d tried to inject a light note into his voice, but his own breathing hadn’t quite calmed down yet. “Is that the only reason?” she ventured.

“No. Because I want to do this right. And stealing your virtue before I’m absolutely sure that I’ll be allowed to make you mine would make me the worst sort of cad. It’s my intention to marry you, Melissa, not dishonor you if the unthinkable should occur and you be forbidden to me.”

Such warmth filled her heart, she wanted to squeeze him until it hurt. If the unthinkable should occur. Well, she simply wouldn’t let it.

M
ELISSA
was amazed, looking at the clock in her room when she got back to it that night, that it was no longer night, that dawn would be arriving within the hour. Of course, Lincoln hadn’t taken her right home after deciding he wouldn’t dishonor her. He had been loath to end what would probably be their last moment of privacy for a very long time. She’d been equally reluctant, for that matter. So they spent some time just talking about the things young couples talk about when getting better acquainted—which included no further mention of her family—and holding each other.

The holding part was so very nice. He took pains to keep it impersonal. If they thought about any more kissing, they kept these thoughts to themselves. Though he did kiss her good-bye, and very passionately, before he gently swatted her behind and pushed her toward her door.

She wasn’t exhausted, however, even after being out all night. She still had too many things on her mind. So she was quite surprised to find she had fallen right to sleep as soon as she climbed into bed, and not a bit surprised that she didn’t wake until noon.

Dressing hurriedly, she went immediately in search of her youngest uncle. She found him having lunch in the formal dining room and not alone. Justin was there as well. They’d been arguing, or at least Justin had been raising his voice, since she’d heard him from down the hall.

They sat at opposite ends of the table. It was a very long table. That could be why Justin’s voice had been raised, but she doubted it. When they noticed her arrival, they fell silent, both offering her a smile as if they hadn’t just been scowling at each other.

“I’m verra glad your mother isna here tae witness this, Justin.”

He blushed to his roots. “We were merely having a difference of opinion.”

“I dinna mean that, I mean this,” she replied and picked up a very pretty flower arrangement in the center of the table to throw at Ian.

Her uncle leaned out of the way of it. His reflexes were very good. Fortunately—at least in her opinion, though probably not in his—there were other things at hand, and a plate went flying at his head next. He ducked that, too, and was on his feet by then, raising his hands toward her in a conciliatory manner.

“Now, Meli, I can guess what this is aboot, but if ye’ll be giving me a moment tae explain—”

“Two seconds you have, until I reach that water pitcher,” she huffed.

“I wanted tae tell ye!”

“Did you? Well, since you ne’er got around tae it, that doesna count for much, does it now?”

“It was Ian One’s decision!”

“As if I havena figured that oot? And since when do you do everything he says?”

“When he makes sense.”

“Och, sae there was sense tae this?” she said, crossing her arms while she glared at him. “Verra well, I’m waiting tae hear it.”

“He’s a mon capable of severe violence, Meli. There’s no way we could allow him tae continue courting ye.”

“Severe, eh? D’you realize the same can be said o’ you and every one o’ your brothers?”

He blushed. “There’s a difference. We’ve ne’er gone crazy like he has.”

“Rubbish,” she replied with a snort. “He’s no more crazy than you or I.”

“He has no control o’er his temper.”

“I’ve yet tae see him angry. But I’ve seen every one o’ the MacFearsons demonstrate a fine temper. Does that make the lot o’ you crazy?”

“Ye dinna know what he did,” Ian insisted.

“Now, there you’re wrong,” she returned. “I do know. He told me, all o’ it, which, as it happens, is probably more’n you know.”

“But was it the truth?”

“Do you realize it doesna matter, Ian? He’s no’ like that now.”

“Ye canna know for sure, Meli, that it willna happen again. How could we trust him wi’ ye, knowing what he’s capable of?”

“Sae you thought tae protect me? That’s fine. That’s acceptable. I even thank you for your intentions. But I’ll ne’er forgive you for no’ explaining that tae me and giving me a chance tae find out if your protection was warranted or no’. Do you ken what it’s like tae want tae see someone sae bad, you canna think straight? Tae listen for and get hopeful at every footstep you hear, then die inside a wee bit when they dinna belong tae who you’d hoped? Tae wait and wait, unaware that you’re waiting in vain?
Do you?”

“I
told
you it was too late,” Justin said to Ian in a half-accusatory, half-smirking tone. “She’s already in love.”

Melissa rounded on her younger friend and spared a glower for him as well. “I’ll be getting tae you next, Justin St. James, since I know that
you
were also aware o’ what they’d done and didna share that wi’ me. But I’ll be hearing from m’uncle first, about why I’m the last tae know about what they’ve been up tae on m’behalf.”

“We thought it for the best,” Ian said. “We took into account that yer da isna here yet tae put his foot down, and that ye might be doing as ye please in the meantime. Yer running off wi’ him was one o’ our fears. We also wanted tae prevent ye getting any more attached tae the mon, sae it
wouldna hurt sae much that ye canna hae him. And when did ye see him, tae find oot aboot all o’ this?”

“I snuck out in the middle o’ the night like a common criminal!” she said hotly. “But what other choice did you leave me, when you prevent him from courting me in the traditional manner?”

“Ye saw him alone?” Ian demanded, red-faced, imagining the worst.

Melissa narrowed her eyes on him. “Aye, and he was the perfect gentleman—for the most part.”

“What do ye mean, ‘for the most part’?”

“I mean there was some kissing, which I would’ve started if he didna, since I absolutely adore his kissing. And dinna be preaching tae me about what I can or canna do, Ian. I’m going tae marry that mon.”

He shook his head at her. “I dinna hae the heart tae deny ye, hinny,” he said, giving her a moment’s hope before he added, “I’m going tae fetch Ian One.”

“Gather all the reinforcements you need,” she grumbled. “You’re no’ going tae change m’mind. And dinna think m’da will side wi’ you either. He wants me tae be happy—unlike the rest o’ m’family.”

“I’m thinking he’d rather ye be safe.”