Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

S everal days later, Caitlyn and Effie sat in the castle gardens on a warm afternoon, enjoying the sounds of the wind softly blowing through the trees, and the birds singing above.

"I will admit," Caitlyn said, "I didnae think I was ever going tae see these gardens again."

"What was it like?" Effie asked. "The place ye were imprisoned, I mean?"

"The escape is all a bit o' a blur, but I think they held us in a house somewhere miles from nowhere. We were locked in a single room with nae furniture. Our hands were always bound, and we were made tae sleep on the floor."

"Och, Caitlyn," Effie cried, placing her hand on her sister's arm. "That sounds dreadful."

"It was."

"I dinnae ken how ye survived it. Fer a certainty, I would have gone quite mad."

Caitlyn smiled at her sister. "I think ye might have dealt with it better than I, Effie."

"Och, nae." Her sister shook her head. "Though I would have given those guards a piece o' me mind."

Caitlyn laughed and nodded. "I can believe that too."

A moment later, Lady MacMillan came out to join them and the moment Caitlyn felt her mother's sweet aroma of lavender, she felt calmer. Safer. "Why am I nae surprised tae find ye two out here?" she smiled.

"Ye ken the gardens are Caitlyn's favorite place, Maither," Effie smiled. "We were just talking about the place she and Edan were captured."

Lady MacMillan grimaced a little. "On such a lovely day? Surely, ye can find something more pleasant tae talk about. Why dinnae ye tell Caitlyn yer plans fer the wedding?"

Effie beamed with delight, and turning to Caitlyn, she gushed. "Och, I think ye will love what I have planned, Caitlyn."

While Caitlyn smiled, she felt her heart sinking, but determined not to allow the feeling to show, she desperately pushed it aside and tried to give her sister her full attention.

"I have decided tae have the wedding in the gardens," she said excitedly. "Now the weather is warmer, it just felt that this beautiful area would go tae such waste if we held the gathering in the great hall."

"That sounds wonderful," Caitlyn replied, doing her best to swallow her envy. If she and Aengus had ever married, it was where she would have wanted to have her own wedding. Of course, her envy had little to do with Aengus.

"Now ye and Edan are returned," Effie continued enthusiastically, "Faither has already begun tae make arrangements, so I am hoping," she pressed her hands to her breast, "that I willnae have tae wait much longer."

"Once Edan gives the word," their mother added.

"O' course." Effie nodded. "I ken he is nae quite himself yet. Nor are his injuries fully healed, but surely it willnae be long."

"Yer cousins from Glencoe have sent word back that they will be attending, as have Great Uncle James and his wife, Lillian," Lady MacMillan said. "The castle will be bursting at the seams."

Effie excitedly bounced up and down on her chair. "I am so excited; I can hardly contain meself."

Their mother laughed, and Caitlyn smiled at her sister's excitement. She wanted to be happy for Effie, she truly did. She was her closest companion and best friend, but beneath the smile, Caitlyn was awash with sadness. Soon, she would not only lose her sister, who was her best friend, but she would lose Edan to her. She supposed the only solace from their union would be the fact that Edan and Effie would return to Edan's clan lands. At least then, she would not have to see them together every day.

A week had passed since they had returned to the castle. Edan felt stronger now that his wounds were healing, but he could not help but notice that Caitlyn was avoiding him. On each occasion he had tried to see her, she had ensured she either swiftly left the room if alone, or kept company close by in the way of her mother, Effie, and even Kieran.

It was beginning to drive Edan mad, and short of breaking into her bedchamber at night, he had struggled to figure out a way to see her. His luck changed that morning, however, when he overheard her telling a maid to fix her a bath.

Waiting until he knew she was in the bathing rooms alone, Edan quietly turned the handle and slipped inside.

"What the devil are ye doing in here?" Caitlyn hissed, glaring at him, while at the same time, pulling her robe tighter around her.

It was clear she was wearing nothing beneath it, for he could easily see the soft shape of her breasts pressing against the cloth. The sight of her form made his groin twinge, which didn't help at all.

"Ye have forced me hand, Caitlyn," he whispered back, careful to keep his voice low. He moved across the room to get away from the door, and came to a stop a few feet away from her. "I ken ye have been avoiding me. Why will ye nae speak tae me?"

"Ye ken well, why. Dinnae play the fool with me. I cannae believe ye've lowered yersel' by sneaking in here."

"Ye've given me little choice," he countered.

"There is naething tae talk about," she huffed. "What we did was wrong. What we feel about each other is wrong. Whatever is happening between us is wrong, and me heart cannae take it."

"Can we at least talk about it?"

"Aye, we can talk," she hissed. "Ye can tell me why ye havenae given me faither or Effie a date fer the wedding yet."

"Come on, Caitlyn. Ye ken why," Edan said, slumping his shoulders. "I cannae marry Effie. Nae anymore."

Her eyes widened at his reply. "Ye are calling it off? But ye cannae. What happened between us was a mistake. Ye cannae dae this."

He could continue arguing, but standing so close to her in her undressed state, his self-control had waned. Taking one step forward, he grabbed her by the waist, pulled her into him, and pressed his mouth hungrily down onto hers.

For a second, Caitlyn struggled, but only a second. After that, she melted into him, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him tighter into her. His tongue roved about in her sweet mouth, tasting her, relishing her, hungry after such a long gap from the last time he kissed her.

He felt himself harden as her breasts pressed against his chest. He wanted so much to rip that robe off her body and explore every part of her, right there in the bathing rooms. He was just beginning to lose himself in the euphoric feeling of bliss, when the sound of approaching steps alerted him.

Caitlyn quickly pushed him away. "Hide," she whispered breathlessly. "Ye must hide."

He stood there a moment longer, just gazing into her eyes with passion.

"Edan," she cried. "The maid will be here any second." Shoving at his shoulders, she pushed him behind the vanity screen and tossed some of her clothes over it, so he could not be seen between the gaps.

"This is a good hiding place. I could stay here and watch ye bathe," he murmured, lifting his eyebrows mischievously.

"Ye are?—"

The door opened behind her, and Caitlyn suddenly shut her mouth and spun around. Edan could see the maid entering through a tiny gap, her hands full of linen towels.

"Now, me lady. Let us get ye intae the bath afore the water gets cold."

"I'm nae quite ready yet, Milly," Caitlyn replied, an obvious panic in her voice.

Milly looked at her and seemed confused. Throwing her hand out to Caitlyn, she said, "But, me lady. Ye are undressed and standing there in yer robe."

"Aye… aye, I ken that. But. Er. There is… I have… there is something else I have tae dae."

Edan had to try and stop himself from chuckling at Caitlyn's floundering.

"Dressed in yer robe, me lady?" the maid balked.

"Och, nae. I willnae have tae leave the bathing rooms."

"But… I am here, and the bath is ready. Will ye nae let me help ye?"

"I dinnae need any help, "Caitlyn blurted.

Milly's frown deepened with every passing second, and Edan had to press his hand across his mouth to stifle the laughter that threatened to burst forth.

"But, me lady..."

"Please, Milly," Caitlyn said, steering the maid towards the door and pushing her out of it. "I will be fine. I just want some time alone, is all."

Before Milly had a chance to answer, Caitlyn closed the door and heaved a great big sigh. Edan stood to his full height, and with the maid now gone, allowed the chuckle to rumble from his stomach.

"That was fun," he chortled.

"Are ye quite mad?" she whispered loudly. "If ye're discovered in here with me, there'll be hell tae pay."

"I have a big purse with many coins," he quipped back.

"Edan!" She glared at him.

"Och, will ye settle yersel', Caitlyn." He strode across the room. "Ye're like a heckling hen."

Taking her in his arms, he bent his head to her, but this time, Caitlyn turned her face away. She lightly beat his chest with her hands.

"Let me go."

"Och, ye'll have tae try a little harder than that," he said with a grin, squeezing her a little tighter.

For a moment, she struggled, but then, without any warning she stopped. Edan smiled and assumed, he being far stronger than her, that she had given up. But a second later, her body jerked as she lifted her leg. Then he felt a sharp pain on the top of his foot.

"Ow," he grunted, releasing her as he took a swift step back.

Caitlyn remained where she was, her arms folded over her beautifully formed bosoms, and a smug look on her face. "Two can play that game."

"Ye stomped on me foot," he blurted. "I dinnae think I have ever lost a battle by being stomped on."

"I didnae have a sword tae hand," she came back sarcastically.

Edan couldn't help but throw his head back and laugh at her. "Ye're a feisty one, Caitlyn MacMillan. I can tell ye. I've seen a different side tae ye these last few weeks."

Caitlyn smiled in spite of herself. "Aye well, these last few weeks have opened me eyes about ye too."

Edan took a step forward, but Caitlyn stepped back.

"Caitlyn," Edan crooned.

"Ye have tae go, Edan. Please."

"I will, if ye let me dae one thing."

She looked at him warily as he slowly stepped toward her. For a second, he thought she was going to move back another step, but she remained where she was until he finally reached her. He then took her hand gently in his, bent his head toward her, and kissed her tenderly on the cheek.

A soft gasp left her lips.

"Now, I will go," he growled. "Though it pains me tae dae so."

With a final glance at her beautiful face, Edan walked to the door and slipped from the room.

The next day, Edan was readying himself in his bedchamber when a knock came on his door. Still naked from the waist up, he called out a bid for his visitor to enter, expecting to see Darach. When he turned to see Effie slipping into the room instead, he was both surprised and disturbed.

It hadn't gone unnoticed that she had been trying to spend time with him since his return. He had tried to be kind, and had told her that he needed some space. He had lied and made mention that the torture and imprisonment had affected him deeply, and at the time, she had seemed to accept it. It was for that reason that he was so startled to see her standing there in his bedchamber.

"I ken ye wanted space, me love. But I miss ye so much," Effie said, walking towards him. She placed her hands on his naked chest and gazed up at him lovingly.

Before the kidnapping, Edan had felt something for Effie. He could say he loved her in his own way, but it was not at the same level that she loved him. It was more affection and respect for her as a person. It had been the least, knowing he was going to be married to the woman. There was only one lass he had ever loved, and Effie was not that person.

Reaching up on her tip toes, she brushed her lips across his cheek. She trailed kisses down his neck, and across his chest. "Ye ken, if our wedding had occurred when it was supposed tae, we'd be man and wife by now," she purred. Gazing up at him with wide eyes, she continued, "I dinnae mind becoming yer wife before we're actually married, Edan."

He knew what she wanted, but her approach and her words did nothing at all to arouse him. Holding her gently by the wrists, he removed her hands from his body, and took a step away from her.

He sighed heavily. "I cannae dae this right now, Effie. I'm sorry."

She looked at him sadly as confusion danced in her eyes. "Ye dinnae even want tae kiss me back? Ye havenae wanted tae be near me since yer return. What happened tae ye, Edan? Tell me, please?"

Edan side stepped her and strode to his bed. Grabbing his shirt, he pulled it on and continued dressing. "I'm sorry, Effie. I have tae go. I've arranged tae meet Darach fer sparring," he lied.

Hurriedly grabbing his sword, he strode from the room and didn't look back. The gnawing guilt was growing by the day. He had never wanted not meant to hurt Effie. He would never plan to. But things had changed, and he simply could not live this lie anymore.