William almost choked on the bread. He
quickly took a swallow of ale and cleared his throat. “He ordered
me to keep a watchful eye on Brianna, but he made it clear that she
was in good and safe hands with you.”
“An extra pair of watchful eyes always
helps,” Royce said and turned to John. “You know what to do. I will
be my wife’s constant companion. It will only be a matter of time
before Arran attempts to take Brianna. Allow no strangers near the
keep and make certain the whole village is watchful.”
John nodded, grabbed a few slices of meat
and bread, and hurried off.
“Enjoy the food and then rest. Your journey
has been a long one, and I am grateful for your courage and
determination in getting Ian’s message to us.”
William nodded, his mouth full of food.
Brianna reached out and touched William’s
arm.”Thank you.”
He finished his food. “Ian is anxious to see
you.”
“And I him. Now eat and rest and I will see
you later.”
Royce stood and helped Brianna off the
bench. He requested a light fare be brought to his solar. He and
Brianna needed to talk.
She hesitated on the staircase, the babe
more active than usual.
Royce was concerned. “This has upset
you.”
She shook her head and continued up the
staircase. “I have been expecting it. I knew Arran could not be
trusted, but...” She remained silent until they entered the solar
and Royce closed the door. “I had not thought he wished me
dead.”
Royce took her in his arms. “I will not let
him hurt you.”
She eased out of his arms and rubbed at her
stomach, the babe protesting. “I know that, but I also know how
tenacious Arran can be. When he wants something, he goes after it
with a vengeance. And what belongs to him...” She did not finish;
she could not, for memories rose up to disturb her.
Royce went to her and took her gently by the
shoulders. “Listen to me, Brianna, I understand your fear of your
husband. You lived that fear every day you were with him, but you
are with him no more. You are mine now and will remain so. Arran
can be as tenacious as he wants, but this time he has chosen a foe
that is more tenacious than he. He will not succeed; he is doomed
to fail. I will make certain of it.”
She smiled, for the babe gave her a hardy
kick. “Your child agrees with you.”
His hand went to her stomach, and he grinned
at the activity he felt. “The child knows his father well.”
“And makes his opinions known.”
“Like his father.”
Brianna grew quiet and rested her head on
his shoulder. “I do not want to lose what I have with you.”
He wrapped his arms tightly around her. “I
have taken care of you since first we met, and I will continue to
do so. We will love, you and I, forever and ever.”
“Do you think that is long enough?” she
asked with a teasing laugh.
“Nay, not even eternity loving you would be
enough.”
She raised her head and placed her hand to
his cheek. “No matter what happens, always remember that I love
you.”
A tingle ran down Royce’s spine. An omen? He
had not feared battle, for loss was part of battle whether defeated
or victorious. He had not feared losing his life, for that was
always a possibility when entering a battle. This battle, however,
was different. He feared losing Brianna and his child, and that
tore at his heart. He could not imagine life without her. He would
do everything to protect her, but as in any battle, the outcome was
yet to be determined. He intended to be victorious, for he
understood that his opponent did not play fair—and neither would
he.
He would do anything
, anything
to
protect Brianna.
Strangers passing by or seeking shelter in
the village were carefully watched, and no stranger was allowed
anywhere near the keep. All of the clan was watchful and cautious,
having been alerted to the fact that Brianna was in danger.
Brianna found that the Campbell clan well
protected their own. They were fiercely loyal, but then, so was the
Cameron clan. Arran had been loyal to no one but himself and
greed.
She appreciated the clan’s protection, but
after a week of constantly being followed around by two or more men
and several of the clan’s women joining her for a stroll, or her
husband forever being at her side, she began to feel
imprisoned.
She ached for her freedom, but she
understood the necessity of her guards. That, however, did not mean
she was always patient.
“I do not want to do any stitching right
now, Delia,” Brianna said a little snappishly.
Delia paid her no heed. “It will be good for
you to join a few of the village women and stitch. Stitching always
clears the head.”
Brianna was curt. “My head is clear.”
Royce listened from where he sat at a table
in the great hall with John and William.
Delia continued to pay her no mind. “We will
all have freshly brewed cider and honey cakes.”
“I am not hungry,” Brianna said, and though
she was not tired, it seemed a good excuse to get away from
everyone. “I feel the need for a nap.”
“I will settle you,” Delia said, ready to
tend Brianna’s every need, though actually her intentions were to
protect.
“Nay!” Brianna heard her own harshness but
did not care. She wanted simply to be left alone. “I do not need
settling.”
Her abruptness did not upset Delia. “As you
wish.”
Royce admired and was grateful for Delia’s
patience. He understood how confined his wife felt and how her
usual pleasant nature had sorely been tested of late.
Brianna went to leave the hall when she
suddenly stopped, turned, and walked up to her husband. William and
John looked as though they were ready to flee as she approached,
but one look from Royce warned them against it.
“Do you think Ian may have run into trouble
along the road?” she asked with concern.
“It is possible, though your brother is wise
and would be prepared for anything,” Royce said, hoping to reassure
her.
She was not reassured. “Perhaps you should
send some of your men out to see if my brother is close by.”
Royce did not doubt Ian’s skills and knew
her suggestion was unnecessary, but he also knew that his wife was
irritated and that nothing at this point would please her. He hoped
to handle her with a gentle hand.
“If he does not arrive within the next day
or two, I will consider it.”
“He could be in trouble this very moment,
and you intend to wait a day or two?” Her voice rose with each
word.
It was possible her own accident haunted her
thoughts, and she worried over her brother. But somehow he doubted
that; she was simply agitated by her condition and confinement. He
reminded himself to have patience, as he had been reminding himself
for the last two days.
“Your brother is a skillful warrior.”
“He can still get hurt.”
William and John inched closer to the edge
of their seats, each prepared to run if necessary.
“True,” Royce said calmly. “But I am certain
he brought enough men with him on the journey.”
“It does not always matter how many men
fight.” She slammed her hands on her hips, ready for battle. “It
did not with you.”
Delia cringed. John shook his head, and
William’s youthful eyes widened in surprise.
Royce took a solid breath. He told himself
that this woman standing before him was overwrought with worry and
had a right to be, that somewhere inside of her was the pleasant
and lovely woman he had fallen in love with and that soon she would
make an appearance and spare them this skirmish.
“Need I remind you that I won the battle, as
I am sure that your brother would if faced with a similar
circumstance?”
“I do not wish to see my brother suffer
needlessly.”
“He is not.” Royce tried very hard not to
raise his voice, but his patience was fast slipping away.
“You do not know that. I want a troop of men
sent out in search of him.”
“It is not necessary.”
She was adamant in her demand. “I say it is
and Ian is my brother; therefore, it is my decision.”
He could not help but chuckle—not a wise
reaction.
“You will not laugh at me; you will do as I
say.” She all but stamped her foot in anger.
Silence filled the great hall and not a
movement was made. All waited for Royce’s reaction.
He stood slowly in front of his wife. “You
do not command this clan. I do. And while I understand your
concern, I tell you there is nothing for you to fear. Your brother
will arrive soon without mishap.”
“You will not do this for me?”
“It is not necessary.”
“I feel it is,” she insisted.
“I know it is not.”
She looked at him with fiery blue eyes, but
it was the hint of a tear in the corner of her eye that caught him
off guard. He stepped forward.
She stepped away from him.
“Brianna,” he said softly.
“You are cruel!” she shouted at him and fled
the hall.
Royce followed, leaving a relieved William
and John to themselves.
With her extra burden she was not as quick
on her feet as she once was, and that only caused her more upset
and caused her to try harder, tiring herself with each step she
climbed.
“Brianna, slow down!” Royce called out.
It was meant with concern, but it sounded
like an order Brianna intended to ignore. She kept climbing.
“Brianna.”
He warned her with a shout of her name, and
she grew even more determined to have her way, as foolish as it
was. Besides, was she not good at being foolish?
She was not far from the top of the stairs
and thought victory close at hand when she heard his footsteps
rushing up the stairs. Instincts would tell her to run, but she
knew that was an unwise choice, she would never outrun him, and
besides, her legs began to ache. She decided to stop, turn, and
face him.
“Do not dare touch me!”
He stopped abruptly, never having heard
those words from her.
The words surprised her as well, for there
was not a time she did not wish him to touch her. She enjoyed his
touch. It was gentle and caring and ever so pleasing. He never
raised an angry hand to her or caused her pain with his touch; he
only gave her pleasure.
She was being irrational and temperamental.
She was striking out at him, for she had no control of the
situation, no control of her life, and the thought terrified
her.
He made no move to touch her, though her
words wounded. He understood her anger, and he only wished to ease
her worry. At the moment the best way was to allow her to have her
way and remind her...
“I love you, Brianna.”
Her bottom lip quivered and she fought to
control her emotions. She acted a fool and now she felt
foolish.
Words failed her but Royce did not.
“I want to love you, Brianna.” He reached
out his hand. “I want to take away your hurt and fear. Let me love
you.”
Guilt assaulted her. “You are too good to
me. I do not deserve you.”
“You deserve much more, and I will strive to
see that you get it.”
She shook her head, and he approached,
slowly reaching the step beneath the one she stood on.
“Do not think of what life was; think of
what it will be between you and me.”
She held her tears, refusing to cry. She had
shed too many senseless tears. “That is the problem. I fear there
will be nothing between us because I foolishly wed a madman. Now he
will punish me as he always did, and I will be denied my love for
you.”
Royce took the last step to stand beside
her. “Nay, you will not be denied my love, nor will I be denied
yours. We are meant to be together and we will be.”
He had reassured her many times, and he
would reassure her as many times as necessary. She needed to hear
him repeat it over and over and over, and he would do so if it made
her realize that it was the truth. They would be together; nothing
would stand in their way.
She rested her head on his chest, needing to
hear the steady beat of his heart. “I have strength, so why, then,
do I fear this?”
“In battle no one knows for certain who the
victor will be. We pray for the strength to face our adversary and
the courage to accept the outcome. You fear the outcome.”
“And rightfully so,” she said, her blue eyes
focused on him. “I cannot be certain of the outcome.”
“The outcome is you and I together forever.
It is the road in between we must travel that presents the
difficulties. If we travel it together with confidence, then the
journey will be less hazardous.”
She stared at him for a moment. “Now I know
why you are a legend. You are wise beyond your years. You
understand what most do not, and you accept what must be done and
do it without doubt or fear.”
He smiled and looked as though he was about
to laugh.
“And,” —she gave his hard chest a thump and
a smiled— “you find humor in it all.”
“When all else fails, a smile is your best
weapon.”
Her smile grew. “Then we are well
armed.”
He leaned down and nuzzled her neck. “Now
that you feel secure, will you let me love you?”
She loved when he teased her neck. It sent
the shivers racing through her before igniting her passion. “Do you
need to ask?”
“You seem to have little choice of late. At
least in this the choice can be yours.”
Her laughter was a soft ripple that echoed
along the stone staircase. “The choice is that I always want
you.”
“This is good, for I feel the same of you.”
He scooped her up into his arms.
“I grow too heavy for you to carry.” She
protested with another laugh.
“Do not insult me. You weighed little
before, and the babe adds little to you.”