“You will not battle over me.”
“I will do what is necessary.” He was
adamant.
She was stubborn. “I will not allow it.”
He laughed. “And how would you prevent
it?”
“I will do what is necessary.”
His temper surfaced. “You will not return to
your husband. We belong together.”
“I will not have men die because of me,”
—tears pooled in her eyes— “especially you.”
He moved from his chair to kneel beside her.
“No one will die. We will settle this.” He did not make it a
promise, for he knew that if necessary he would take Arran’s
life.
She kissed his cheek. “Aye, we will settle
this.” She felt hopeful though concerned. “I hope my brother is not
angry with me.”
Royce returned to his seat, slicing chunks
of cheese for them both. “He will not be angry and he probably
would have done the same thing himself if he were in my
situation.”
Brianna grew somber, placing the piece of
bread she had not even nibbled on aside. “We cannot live in sin
forever, Royce.”
“We love each other. That is not a sin.”
“I thought him dead, and Lord forgive me,
but I was glad when I was told he was dead. I felt relieved and
free. Why could he not have remained dead?”
He understood that she needed to speak her
feelings, and he wished her to confide in him, so he listened.
“He caused me so much pain and suffering,
and now he returns to cause me more. I know he will attempt to
deceive my brother with his charm. I watched him do it time and
time again. Everyone thought him a loving husband.”
She laughed softly. “Everyone but Moira. She
knew him for what he was when she first met him. She is very
observant.”
“She is observant,” Royce agreed. “There is
not much that gets by her at the keep.”
“That is true, she—” Brianna stopped
suddenly and gasped. “Moira knew that you intended to abduct
me.”
“She had an idea,” he corrected, “and she
insisted I tell her nothing, for she informed me that she would not
lie to her husband if asked; therefore, she could not say what she
did not know.”
“Why would she want me away from the
keep?”
“I would suspect for your protection.”
“But—”
“If Arran proved able to attempt to take
Moira’s life in the keep, what would prevent him from attempting to
take yours? Ian took measures to protect his wife, yet Arran found
a way around those measures. Who knows what friends Arran has in
the keep?”
“I had not thought of that.”
“I did and evidently so did your
sister-in-law.”
“Is that why you think Ian will be relieved
to learn that you took me away?”
He nodded. “It would not look good for him
to send you away, but if I should take matters into my own hands,
nothing could be said.”
“Why, then, do I feel a duty to remain and
face my fate?”
“Honor, courage,
stubbornness,
” he
said with a smile.
“I do not want Arran to think me afraid of
him.”
“I think he knew that when you refused to
speak with him.”
“But does not a coward refuse to face his
foe?” she asked.
“He was aware that you made your choice
freely and you stood beside me. A coward would not be that
brave.”
She leaned across to him, placing her hand
to his cheek. “I was proud to stand beside you so that all knew how
much I love you and” —she paused a moment— “because I was fearful
that Arran’s return meant that we could never be together.”
He took her hand and kissed her palm. “That
is not going to happen. We will be together forever, we will love
forever.”
“I want to believe that.”
“Then believe it, for it will be. This I
promise you.”
Time flew by, with days turning quickly into
weeks, followed by months. Brianna found herself content and happy
in Royce’s home. If she was not spending time with him, which was
unusual, she was busy with Delia and several of the other women who
saw to the running of the keep.
Royce encouraged her to assume the duties of
his wife and see to the running of the keep, but she feared if she
did it would be harder if the day came she had to leave. The
thought upset her, and she tried not to dwell on it. Royce appeared
to have no doubts that she would remain with him, as did the clan.
They simply accepted her as Royce’s wife regardless that she was
wed to another man.
She had rounded much in the last month,
though her time was still three months away. She was no longer
weepy or as tired as she had been; she actually felt more vital.
Royce constantly reminded her to rest even though she insisted she
did not need to.
Life had been very good since her arrival
here, and she wished it could remain so, but she had doubts, and
those doubts haunted her now and again. When they did, she would
seek the solace of the woods that bordered the keep.
She was never without a guard, and while it
annoyed her that once again she was deprived of her freedom, she
understood the necessity of it. The men did keep a distance,
allowing her some privacy, though they never allowed her out of
their sights.
She walked now in the early afternoon
sunlight. The day was beautiful, the sky a brilliant blue, the air
warm and rich with the heavy scents of spring. She had pinned her
hair up with combs, though a few strands fell loose, and she wore a
pale blue dress and tunic altered to accommodate her changing
shape.
Several fallen branches caught her eye. It
had been some time since last she fashioned a basket, and her idle
hands itched to be busy. She quickly set to work gathering branches
that would suit her needs.
“You are too busy for a woman who carries a
child.”
Brianna smiled and turned to watch her
husband approach.
He appeared to grow more handsome with each
day. The scar on his face had healed to a thin, barely visible
line, and his dark green eyes were alight with a vibrancy that
could not be ignored. It was obvious that he was happy.
“I have sat idle all morning,” she said and
turned her cheek for a kiss.
Royce laughed, grabbed her chin, squeezed
until her lips puckered, and then kissed her.
She laughed when he finished.
“You laugh at my kisses?” he asked
teasingly.
“I can do better,” she challenged.
“Of course you can; you had an excellent
teacher.”
“Perhaps it is time for the teacher to learn
from the student.”
Royce grinned. “I am always willing to
learn.”
“Then bring your lips to mine and let me
teach you.”
Before he could do as she directed, Brianna
let out a yelp, dropped the sticks in her hand, and grabbed hold of
her stomach.
Royce’s arm went instantly around her. “What
is wrong?”
She laughed, taking hold of his hand and
placing it against her rounded stomach. “The babe kicked me. Can
you feel?”
Not to disappoint the father, the babe
kicked again.
They both laughed.
“He is a strong one.”
“Aye, she is.”
Royce kissed her cheek. “Lass or lad, it
matters not to me, for we will have many sons and daughters
together.”
Brianna rested back against his hard body.
“I wish I was as confident as you.”
“I have enough confidence for us both.”
“Then there is no need for me to worry.”
He wrapped his arms around her, resting his
hands over her belly. “I keep telling you that.”
“Happiness eluded me, and now that I have
it, I suppose I fear it will not last.”
He whispered in her ear. “Do not tell anyone
this, but our happiness will last a lifetime.”
“I pray that is so.”
“Know it is so.” He nibbled at her ear and
along her neck until she shivered.
“I forever want you,” she said, amazed at
the fact.
“Then return to the keep with me now so that
I may give you what you want.”
“The clan already talks about us. Whatever
will they say if they see us sneak off to your bedchamber in
daylight?”
He nuzzled her neck. “They will gossip of
our love for each other and tell stories of the dark-haired beauty
who captured and tamed their leader.”
She giggled and added to the story. “And
everyone lived in peace and happiness forever.”
“Royce!”
They both raised their heads to see who
called his name so anxiously.
It was John, the large man with the gentle
voice who often guarded her. Beside him stood another man, shorter
in height and stature and wearing the clan Cameron plaid.
Brianna shivered in her husband’s arms.
“Worry not,” he whispered before taking her
hand and signaling the men to approach.
Brianna recognized the man. He was one of
her brother’s most competent warriors. His name was William. His
mother had come upon the clan returning from a skirmish. She asked
for shelter, she was heavy with child, and the men brought her back
to live with the clan. His mother and he were fiercely loyal to the
clan, and William himself was awaiting the birth of his first child
in the autumn.
She greeted him with a smile, for Royce’s
dark eyes lingered harshly on the man. “It is good to see you,
William. How is Margaret?”
“It is good to see you well and safe,
Brianna. My Margaret is being fussed over by my mother, who cannot
wait for her grandbaby to be born so she can fuss over him.”
Brianna laughed. “I am glad to hear that all
remains the same for the clan.”
“Not all,” William said reluctantly. “Your
brother sent me with news.”
Brianna held tightly to her husband’s
hand.
“Arran has escaped.”
“When?” Royce asked and motioned to John,
who immediately walked up behind Brianna.
Now it begins, she thought, just like
before. She was once again a prisoner.
“I left the day of his escape. Ian was
leaving a day or so after me, but he comes with many, so his
journey is slower.”
“Let us return to the safety of the keep. We
can talk there.” Royce kept a firm arm around Brianna as they
walked, and John remained close at her back. William walked in
front of her. With the three men surrounding her, she was safe.
Why, then, did she not feel safe?
Tongues began to wag as they walked through
the village.
It was obvious that the three men protected
her, which meant she needed protection. Several of Royce’s men took
up their swords and followed the small group to the keep.
Brianna was shivering and sat down on the
first bench upon entering the keep.
Brianna heard Delia give orders for a hot
drink to be prepared and hurried to her side.
“Take her up to our bedchamber,” Royce
instructed at Delia’s approach.
“Nay,” Brianna said with a firm shake of her
head. “I will hear what William has to say.”
Royce did not force her to leave; she had
every right to be present.
“How did he escape?” Royce asked, directing
William to sit.
John was already pouring tankards of ale for
the men, and a servant had placed a steaming cup of herbal brew in
front of Brianna. She gratefully cupped her hands around it to
still her shivers.
William took a hardy swallow before
answering. “He had help.”
“Who? Who would help him?” Brianna asked,
thinking it impossible that anyone would be loyal to Arran.
“Ian discovered that Arran paid two men to
take up residence within the clan a month or more ago when he
obviously made plans to return. He wanted them in place in case he
needed assistance and more than likely promised them more money
after they helped him secure his freedom.”
“Then there are three?” Royce
questioned.
William swallowed another mouthful and his
eyes widened when a large platter of food was set in front of him.
“Ian does not believe the men he hired remained faithful. He
recalls them being lazy and not willing to do their share. Their
interest was filling their pockets with coins.”
“This man must seek shelter somewhere,” John
said, refilling William’s tankard and his own.
Royce had yet to drink from his.
Brianna offered information that might prove
helpful. “Arran’s family had land but lost it in a skirmish. He had
spoken often of the keep and how it was left to ruin since the clan
who now owned it did not wish to take up residence there.” She
shook her head. “I do not know where it is, though he had mentioned
it was north of Ian’s land.”
“Ian does not believe he is alone,” William
said. “He thinks his men wait for him somewhere.”
Brianna was confused and could not
understand why Arran returned. “Why would Arran take the chance and
return when he knew he faced punishment?”
“Coins,” Royce said and then took a drink of
ale.
Brianna remained confused. “How would he get
coins and from whom?”
Royce offered an explanation. “Arran would
return, plead his plight, and have the hired men free him, kidnap
you, and demand ransom from your brother.”
“Why not have the two men abduct me?”
Royce hesitated and William and John
remained silent.
It was obvious they knew the answer, and she
did not, and it was obvious that Royce did not wish to tell
her.
She waited, sipped her tea, and the
realization came to her like a striking blow to the face. “Arran
intended to kill me.
“He blames you,” Royce said, his hand going
to rest over her trembling one. “In his deranged mind he believes
that you thwarted his plans of ruling the clan. That you betrayed
him when you befriended Moira, to him the enemy, so now you should
suffer for your betrayal.”
“Ian requested that I remain here until his
arrival,” William said and reached for a thick slice of brown
bread.
“Of course you shall,” Royce said. “And did
he instruct you to guard his sister?”