Highland Blessings (4 page)

His gaze dropped from her eyes to her bound feet. “I’ll save my strength.” He knelt on one knee to remove her bindings. Something else caught his attention and she watched with dread as his mild expression turned to fury. He grabbed both her hands in his and turned over her bloody wrists.

“What is the meaning of this?” His gruff voice faded behind grinding teeth. He would surely have a sore jaw if he didn’t soon stop. Akira glanced at the dried blood around her wrists. Her desire to flee had been so great she simply hadn’t felt the pain, but she could feel it now as he shook her. The leather tugged against her tattered skin.

“Answer me.”

When she only stared back at him, he sighed and shook his head. “I hope ye don’t scar. Ye might as well ’ave taken a blade to yerself.” He searched her expression as if trying to understand. Bryce lifted his hand and gently rubbed the pad of his thumb against the swollen bruise on her face.

Akira jerked back from his touch. She didn’t want his tenderness. It was too much to bear after he had stolen her away from everyone she loved. Her head throbbed, but she would not give him the satisfaction of knowing it.

“One would think I’ve severely mistreated ye.” His soft voice irritated her. His black head dropped to concentrate on her hands. He pulled a knife from his side. She tried not to wince as he tugged the leather to work the knife under it. The blade easily slid through the leather, breaking its hold. In a swift motion, he bent down and did the same to the bindings around her ankles.

“At least ye wore decent soles.” He gestured to the small boots laced around her ankles.

Akira had wanted secure footing for an outdoor wedding on a grassy hill. She now recognized the blessing for what it was under the circumstances. She didn’t know how long they would be traveling or how much walking she might endure. Someone above must have been looking after her, for she couldn’t have possibly known her fate.

Bryce grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up. She stumbled along on stiff legs as he led her to a nearby brook.

“Do that again, and I’ll be tempted to strangle ye.” He pointed to her bloody wrists.

“Ye canna.”

“I can do anything I please. Never doubt it.”

“Then my kidnapping would be for naught,” she said breathlessly, hurrying to keep up with his anger-driven pace.

“Then I would do the next best thing.” He glanced over his shoulder, lowering his voice to a dangerous pitch.

“Which is?” she prompted, determined to ignore her fraying nerves in the face of his anger.

“Don’t taunt me, lass.” They reached the small brook where Bryce pulled her down to her knees and knelt beside her. He concentrated on cleaning her wounds. “For now ye’ll ride unbound, but one trick and I shall make ye sorry.”

When he finished, he started to pull her up, but she hesitated. “May I bathe my face?”

Bryce paused. The hope in her expression was hard to ignore, and as the morning sun grew bolder, so did the swelling bruise on her right cheek. Guilt once again tore at his conscience. He nodded, watching as she eagerly splashed cool water on her face. She sighed in contentment. At least he could allow her this one small pleasure.

“’Tis cool.” She rewarded him with the first genuine smile on her rosy lips as her long, red-golden hair fell over her shoulders. At the moment her temper was mild, but he had already witnessed the flash of anger that could swell within her at a moment’s notice. She glanced in his direction. Her jade eyes sparkled like kindling fire, and her full, round lips curled up. A shudder rippled through him.

“It awakens the sleep in me.”

He blinked. “The water?”

She looked at him strangely. “Aye, the cool water. What else could I have meant?”

He grunted, standing to his full height, and wrenched his gaze from her. Watching her had distracted him. If he planned to leave her unbound, he couldn’t allow it to happen again, especially with the dangerous direction of his wayward thoughts.

“Hurry, we must ride. Ye delay long enough.”

Once again, she rode with Bryce. He stayed in the center of his men. She assumed it was for protection. After a while, her stomach grumbled. Still, she refused to ask for comforts. By mid-morning, clouds gathered in the sky, and she assumed they would continue riding when it began to pour.

Bryce leaned forward, his chest touching her back. “Would ye have willingly wed my brother if I’d asked?”

His warm breath hovered near her ear. She bent her head forward allowing her hair to cover her face to hide her smile. Had he been contemplating her comment until now?

“Would ye?” he insisted.

Her silence must have been too lengthy, for he reached up and pulled her hair back, peering over her shoulder. “Answer me.”

Laughter bubbled through her. “Nay, I wouldn’t.”

He smiled back in spite of himself. “So I thought.”

“’Tis not to say ye shouldn’t have asked,” Akira felt compelled to point out. “It seems that if yer intention was to prevent war between our clans, then ye should have met with the MacKenzie chief. Now ye’ve provoked my da and brothers— probably the whole clan. ’Twas the wrong action to take.”

“No one gives anything for free. I take when I must. Ye forget that ye were promised to Evan first; therefore, ye were his to take.”

“Evan didn’t take me, did he?” Akira studied his reaction.

He sat motionless for a moment, before answering, “Nay, I took ye in his place.”

Tilting her head to the side, she took advantage of the moment. “What is so important that yer brother canna see to his own bride?”

Bryce shrugged. “He’s chief of our clan, and therefore a busy man with great responsibilities.”

His answer was too vague, and she was not appeased. “My da is chief and a busy man with many of the same responsibilities, yet I’ve never been neglected.”

“Evan doesn’t neglect ye. I simply come in his stead.”

She did not believe him, but before she could answer, a loud clap of thunder sounded above them and rain began to pour. Akira decided to drop her inquisition for the moment and turned around, keeping her attention focused ahead of them.

They continued their journey in silence, as the rain soaked their clothes and their bodies grew increasingly cold. Lightning threatened the tree branches above them as they rode through the forest. Bryce attempted to cover them with his cloak, and she knew he attempted to shelter her with his body as he leaned close to her. In response, she tried to control her shivers, but they continued. Her teeth chattered, and she gulped to steady her jaw. She crossed her arms, wrapping them around her body to keep the warmth within her.

He tightened his hold and leaned his dark head over her shoulders. “Do ye need rest?”

“Nay, I’m fine.” She shook her head, and wet strands of hair stuck together.

“I don’t want ye to be ill. If ye need to be out of the rain, tell me.”

“I’m in no more danger of getting sick than ye.”

“Lass, are ye cold?”

“Nay, no more than the rest of ye.”

“We are used to the weather,” he said into her ear, to be heard above the downpour.

“Ye’re mortal.” Another shudder seized her.

It was all he needed to make his decision. “Ye shall rest.”

“I need no rest.” She tightened her fists in her lap. Why was he so concerned?

He was a MacPhearson and MacPhearsons were barbarians, completely evil, down to their rotten souls. At least that’s what she had been taught all her life. Had she been misinformed about the character of the MacPhearsons, or was the good Lord simply looking after her well-being?

“We shall rest.” Bryce’s tone sliced through her thoughts, daring her to challenge him again. She said naught as he guided his horse away from the line of his men.

“Halt! We shall bed down here!” He raised his voice to be heard above the downpour.

His men exchanged glances. She knew what they were thinking. Her da could be close to them by now. He could have even rallied help from neighboring clans. Was the man daft? Akira felt uncomfortable as some of his men regarded her with expressions filled with hatred and resentment. She refused to lower her head in shame to escape their condemning eyes. She had not asked for special consideration, and she certainly expected none.

Balloch rode over. “What of the MacKenzie clan?”

“I sent two men back. They reported naught. We’ve taken the chief’s daughter, and her life will be in danger if they attack now. He’ll think the matter over carefully before he decides how to act. At one time an alliance with us was what he wanted or he wouldn’t have signed the betrothal. Perhaps he’ll consider the arrangement once again.”

Bryce’s words were similar to Akira’s private thoughts earlier. Her father had signed her betrothal to the MacPhearsons once. What was to prevent him from doing so again? Icy fear twisted in her heart. Would her father sacrifice her to save the whole clan from going to war? In her heart she knew that he would. Although she was his only daughter, she was also only one soul compared to hundreds in her clan. Well, even if her family abandoned her, she felt certain that God would not. She had that one consolation.

“Akira is cold and wet. We shall rest,” he informed his men above the patter of the falling rain.

“The lass won’t melt!” one of his men grumbled from the back.

Bryce looked up and scanned the faces of his men. “I’ve taken her to be a bride, not to be a sick burden,” Bryce sternly informed all of them. “If ye have anything else to say, speak up now. Otherwise, I will remind ye of the oath ye’ve sworn to me.”

The pouring rain was the only sound around them, as water pellets splashed through the trees. Akira felt the tension in the cold air and despised being the cause of it. “I don’t wish to rest.” Her voice echoed in the rain.

Bryce’s eyes burned, and his jaw tightened. “I said prepare to settle here!” He barked out the order to the man nearest him. They all scattered to do his bidding.

Balloch turned to him. “What shall I do with her?”

“’Tis not what ye shall do with her, but what I shall do with her.” He turned back to Akira, who still twisted in her seat to face him. His nose was a mere two inches from hers. They were both soaked and ill at ease. “Ye
will
rest,” he ordered sharply.

“I will
not
rest.” How could he expect her to sleep in this cold, wet mess? She would rather keep going. At least, they might get there sooner.

“We shall see.” He placed both hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face the front. He guided his horse out of the way of his men and dismounted, reaching up to set her down.

She shoved his hands away, determined to dismount on her own. His edgy stallion pranced unsteadily. She turned and reached for the reins to steady his nervous horse.

“Ahern, rise!” he shouted. Without a moment’s hesitation the light gray stallion reared back on his hind legs. Bryce must have thought she was trying to escape.

Akira slid backward, landing with an unexpected slosh in the thick, red mud. She could feel the wetness quickly seeping through her wedding gown. Her hands sank at least two inches deep. She tried to stand, but her sodden gown drew her back down. Determined not to be bested, she propelled herself forward, only to lose her balance once more, this time falling forward on her hands and knees. The mud was so thick and slippery, she failed at every attempt.