Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

T he pain struck Eloise first. Her thighs tightened around Murdoch as he reached so far inside of her that a new ache developed. Murdoch reached down and kissed her once more, but softer this time, more tenderly. He didn't talk of the pain and neither did she, but he didn't move. If anything, he held himself as still as possible, in order not to push her.

Eloise was amazed as her hands drifted up and down Murdoch's back. Her mind couldn't help thinking of all the men she had accompanied over the last few years as an escort. More than one had been demanding, trying to do this with her, but Murdoch had never pushed her, never asked her. Even now, he'd given her more than one chance to say no and pull back from him. The tenderness he kissed her with now made her heart cling to him all the more.

Aye, I am in love with him.

Her fingers drifted from his shoulder blades down his back and to his hips. Her movement seemed to encourage him, and he experimentally moved their hips together. The sudden moan that escaped her lips, into their kiss, clearly thrilled him, as she could feel his lips smiling against her own.

He was slow at first, never once moving too fast or pushing her. He rested his weight on his good arm as his other hand explored her. Sometimes he reached for her hip, using it as an anchor point to rock the two of them together. Other times, he took hold of her breast, squeezing softly and eliciting such pleasure that she was sure there was a rush of warmth around their connection.

Unable to keep kissing him anymore for her moans grew so much, she pulled back from him an inch, planting her hands into his chest to marvel up at him. He seemed to take it as a cue. He moved his body to his knees and reached for her thighs, pushing them wider apart so he had the complete view of her. He thrust in and out of her, faster now, building up a fast rhythm that had her body growing taut. All the muscles in her body tightened as she hurled headlong toward greater pleasure.

"Murdoch…" His name escaped her lips as he grew faster and harder. She supposed there would be more pain with his faster movements, but there wasn't, there was simply more pleasure still. Something that enthralled her as much as the pleasure itself was the sight of him above her.

With a reddened face and sweat beading down his chest, he was a sight to behold. She longed to hold onto that vision of him, to never let it go, as he made love to her. His head tipped back as moans started to escape his lips too. They were practically small growls, animalistic and male, so intoxicating to her that her hands on his chest splayed outward, her fingers trying to touch as much of him as possible.

As he thrust into her, she felt something tightening in their connection. It was a ball of pleasure, growing and growing, until her body could not contain it anymore. She gasped at the sensation as it washed over her suddenly.

It was like what he had introduced her to before yet somehow greater. She saw stars as she closed her eyes and flung her head back, feeling him deep within her. She was still basking in the aura of that pleasure as he stilled above her. He thrust merely a few more times before his body trembled and he froze. He tipped his head back, moaning at the sky. It was the greatest amount of noise she'd ever heard from him, and she loved it. There was something so captivating about the idea of being the one to make him emit such a sound.

Slowly, he folded his body back over hers, their bodies entwined as he rested on the blanket with her. She reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him, determined to feel him close to her once again.

There was a warmth where they were still connected, and she was in no hurry to pull back from it.

"Well," he whispered, pulling back from her lips an inch, with such a smile on his face that the fear he'd shown on the clifftops seemed far in the past. "That was something more than I was expecting."

"Ye mean ye didnae expect it tae be so…" She struggled for the right word to tease him.

"Overpowering?"

"Oh, that is a good word." She sighed, contented with what he had chosen. "When is the wedding again?" she teased him. He laughed and moved his lips toward hers for another kiss.

"I dinnae think we have tae wait fer the wedding tae dae that again, Eloise." He kissed her once more with one of those deep kisses that made her weak.

Eloise wasn't sure how long they laid there together on the blanket, stealing brief touches of fingers tantalizingly brushing one another or daring to run across bare skin, but she was in no hurry to leave. In the end, it was only the cold that made them move.

Aye, he's right. We dinnae have tae wait fer the wedding.

As he drew her into the loch so they could both bathe together, Eloise found herself looking at that wedding in a new light.

"Ye keep smiling." Clyde sat down beside Murdoch in their father's office, the two of them in great armchairs beside the fire. "What's got intae ye?"

"Nothing." Murdoch lied and stared at the fire once more, trying to straighten his face. He knew very well what a strange time it was for him to be smiling in such a fashion. The castle had been attacked and there were many wounded. There was also the strange matter of who had forged that note from Callie to Eloise, and why they drew her to the clifftop. He had no leads, no idea who had done it or what they intended by such a thing. Just the thought of it brought him pain, but then he saw Eloise in his mind again.

He saw her as she told him her heart was his, then he saw her beneath him as he made love to her. The way she had arched her back as he had pleasured her, how she had clawed at his chest and stomach, trying to get closer to him, with her hair wild about her head on the blanket. Even the memory made his body stir, wanting her again.

"There ye two are." Fergus strode into the room and Murdoch shifted in his seat. He had to free his mind of such longings now if he was to concentrate. "There is much we need tae discuss."

Fergus stood before the fire, his hands fidgeting on the weapons belt at his hips. Now, they all went around with their weapons at their hips, just in case the castle was attacked again without warning.

"How are the men?" Clyde asked, looking equally ill at ease as he sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"The injured are… well, injured." Fergus winced. "Many have taken heavy blows and if we have tae fight another battle again in the coming days, I fear if we could stand it. And the other soldiers? How are they?"

"Recovering," Murdoch said, thinking of the report he'd been given earlier that day from a captain in the guards. "They are running drills tae prepare themselves, but we must give them time tae rest and sleep as well, so they're ready when the Douglas clan come again."

"Aye, aye, ye're right." Fergus moved on the spot, turning to face the fire, planting his hands against the fireplace, then turning back to face the pair of them again. "I have sent out scouts tae the edges of the clan borders. Hopefully, we willnae be taken by surprise so much again. Yet in the meantime, the people need something. They need something tae think of, tae look forward tae. Something that brings them hope."

"Ye're wanting an heir." Clyde's words made Murdoch sit straight.

He thought of what he and Eloise had already done, that an heir could indeed be on the way. He had every intention of sharing that thrill again with Eloise, and if that was the case, he would increase his chances of siring an heir.

"Aye, I am." Fergus turned to look at them both. "I want tae bring the weddings forward. For both of ye. Would ye accept that?"

"Aye." Murdoch didn't hesitate, much to the surprise of his father whose brows were raised before he smiled broadly.

Her heart is mine. Why refuse tae marry now?

Murdoch was simply sorry for the way they had ended up agreeing to marry in the first place. He hoped that when he and Eloise did wed, he could explain to her properly that he loved her too.

That is what it is, after all. Aye, I love her.

He wasn't even sure when it had happened.

"Wonderful, wonderful," Fergus said, trying to buoy himself up though plainly struggling with the task. "And ye, Clyde? Do ye think Harper would consent tae having the wedding brought forward?"

Clyde didn't answer right away. He scratched his chin, seemingly distracted and stared at the fire.

"Is all well?" Murdoch asked, sitting forward as his fear grew for his brother. Clyde didn't look him in the eye as he nodded.

"Aye, all is well. I can ask Harper, but I dinnae see a problem with bringing the wedding forward."

"Good, that is good news," Fergus said and walked away from the pair of them. He went to the desk where his papers were laid out and snatched up a quill, clearly intent on signing off the new orders for the weddings.

Murdoch couldn't take his eyes off his brother. Something was wrong indeed. Clyde kept fidgeting constantly, his hands never resting as he stared at the fire.

"Clyde?" Murdoch whispered.

"Everything's well."

"Aye, sure it is," Murdoch muttered. "As well as the injured soldiers are in the great hall."

Clyde shot him a glower but said nothing more. Murdoch didn't feel he could push his brother to confide in him any more than this.

Maybe in his own time, he will tell me what is wrong.

"So, when are the weddings tae be, Father?" Clyde asked and stood from his chair, walking back toward the desk. Murdoch stood too, following him.

"My hope is that yers, Clyde, can be a week today. As for ye, Murdoch." Fergus paused, looking at Murdoch with a heavy sigh.

Slowly, Murdoch folded his arms, sensing his father was slightly nervous about the timescale he was to offer now.

"Father? When is it tae be?" Murdoch asked, pushing the matter.

"We need a wedding as soon as possible –"

"In which case, why are ye delaying time by nae just telling me when it is supposed tae be?"

"Because I fear ye will say it is too hasty." Fergus stepped forward, laying his quill back down to the desk. "I wish for the two of ye tae be married tomorrow. Do ye think Eloise would accept that? And her brother, Avery? Would he give his blessing?"

Murdoch didn't answer right away. He looked away, back in the direction of the fire as he thought hard about what his father was asking.

Tomorrow. Eloise and I could be married tomorrow.

"I think Eloise would accept. I'll ask Avery too." He smiled, the thought of Eloise as she moaned his name beneath him made that warmth spread through his chest again. "I have nae objection tae tomorrow."

"Callie! Ye're makin' a mess," Aila complained loudly as Callie danced around Eloise's chamber once more.

"It is good luck," Callie insisted. "And these herbs are good for staying calm."

"Then, why arenae they working fer ye?" Eloise teased as she pulled on her wedding gown.

Aila laughed loudly as Callie abruptly stopped and tossed the rest of the herb leaves into the air.

"One should be calm before their wedding day," Callie said, approaching Eloise and placing a bouquet down on a table beside her that smelled richly of honeysuckle and roses. "Here, from the hot house. Honeysuckle is good for the soul."

"It is also a flower of good luck," Aila seconded, appearing behind Eloise in the mirror.

Eloise could not take the smile off her face. All the apprehensions she had been facing days ago about marrying Murdoch seemed to have paled into nonexistence now. Whenever she thought of him, she thought of their time at the loch, the way they had revealed they cared about each other, and how they had made love. The night before, they'd been forced to sleep separately, as per tradition, but she'd woken to find Murdoch had clearly been in the chamber, for that morning was a flower on the chamber table, with a small note beside it, bearing his initials.

His writing is improving!

"Look at that smile," Callie said with a satisfied smile. "What a shame it is that Scarlett is nae here tae see yer wedding. She would have loved tae see ye now."

"Laird Noah could nae be spared from his duties. I ken that." Eloise found she could not lose her smile, even with this sadness. She would have loved for Scarlett to have come too, but with the wedding being brought forward, it was just impossible to arrange it in time.

"Ye look beautiful," Aila said wistfully, arranging the last few curls of her hair.

"Thank ye, Aila." Eloise could not step back from the mirror. She kept adjusting the richly sage green tartan gown, making it lay flat without any creases. There were white accents across the chest and on the hem of the skirt, complimenting the white hues of the roses in her bouquet. Beside her on the table was the white, rather thick veil she was to wear, made of the most intricate and detailed lace .

"Well, Avery will come fer ye soon." Callie stepped toward her, laying a hand on her shoulder. "We'll see ye at the church."

"Aye, thank ye tae ye both." Eloise turned to embrace the two of them. They had their final goodbyes and wishes of luck before they left. Once Eloise was alone, she turned back to face the mirror and adjusted her gown a final time. She prayed that Murdoch would like the gown. When she thought of him taking it off her at the end of the night, a thrill passed through her, and she giggled.

She lifted the bouquet from off the table when something caught her eye. A maid must have brought in a jug of mead for her to refresh herself. Finding she was parched, Eloise poured out a small cup and took three big gulps. She was so thirsty that it took this much for her to realize that it tasted strange.

"Ergh, it's fermented," she said, winching and returning the cup to the table. Turning to the mirror, she stared at the gown for a little longer as she waited for Avery. There was something strange about that reflection, for it began to blur. She blinked a number of times, trying to deter that feeling, yet it never went. If anything, each time she blinked, that blurriness grew worse.

When a heaviness took hold of her head, she backed up from the mirror. She needed somewhere to lie down. Perhaps if the blood returned to her head, all would be well again. She stumbled toward the bed, climbing onto the furs, with the bouquet dropping behind her on the floorboards. The scents of the herbs filled the air as many of the leaves broke off on the floor.

Something is wrong.

The heaviness didn't dissipate. If anything, it just grew worse.

The door opened and Eloise tried to lift her head, hoping it would be Avery and she could call out to him for help. Was it the drink? Is that why it tasted so strange?

Yet the figure walking toward her was not Avery. It was cloaked completely in black, so much so that she couldn't see any part of it. It moved over her, and Eloise parted her lips, trying to say anything, but the words died in her throat. Her tongue was as dry as sand, the only sound that escaped her a raspy cry.

"Goodbye, Eloise," the hooded figure whispered to her and reached for Eloise's arm. She was tossed across the bed, dragged toward the floor, as if she was nothing but firewood. Eloise rolled off the bed and onto the floor, noting the feminine tone and how she struggled to drag Eloise away.

Eloise tried to kick out, to fight, do anything to stop this from happening, but her body didn't respond to any of her commands. Her weight was clearly a lot for the woman to handle though and she struggled with Eloise. In the tussle, her hood fell away, revealing her face.

Eloise's eyes widened briefly as she took in that face.

"Ye!" she managed to hiss, the only sound escaping her lips.

Then that heaviness took over so strongly she could no longer keep it at bay. The world turned completely black.