Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

D omhnall rose the next morning and went in search of Magnus. Given that Domhnall was far too invested in Katherine’s recovery, they had not spoken fully about the men who had attacked him.

In the end, he found him in the drawing room, gazing out of the window.

“Morning,” Domhnall said, closing the door behind him once he had entered.

Magnus turned to his brother with a frown of concern. “How dae ye feel?” he asked.

Domhnall shrugged. “I’m grand.”

“And Katherine?”

“She woke late last night. She’s well enough.”

The memory of their ecstatic lovemaking sent a strange but pleasurable sensation through his stomach, but Domhnall kept that to himself. His brother didn’t need to know everything.

“She kens about us all now, so there’s nay need fer anymore hiding.”

Domhnall had come to stand beside his brother at the window, and from the corner of his eye, he noted Magnus’s lifted eyebrows.

“Dinnae say it,” Domhnall said. “I had nay choice but tae tell her.”

“Why? Because ye lost control o’ yersel’ when ye were attacked?”

It was Domhnall’s turn to frown.

Magnus gave him a knowing look. “Ye’re the talk o’ the village.”

Panic crossed his face, but Magnus shook his head. “Nay like that. Luckily, naeone actually saw what ye did, but word got around that ye had defeated many men. Some are saying ten, some are saying twenty.”

Domhnall rolled his eyes. “People dae like tae exaggerate.”

“Which one is true?” Magnus asked.

“I would say ten, maybe less, but then, I was too busy fighting tae count. I ken fer a fact it wasnae twenty, though. Has there been any news o’ who they were? Have the scouts discovered anything?”

“I sent scouts intae the village last night, but they could find naething. When they questioned those who thought they kent something, they discovered those people were as clueless as we are.”

“Great,” Domhnall spat sarcastically.

“Ye have tae admit, braither, it is a bit o’ a coincidence, ye getting attacked twice in the same week. If ye are determined that those men in the forest were English, we can only assume the same thing this time.”

The laird nodded. “Aye. I couldnae agree more. I still dinnae understand it, though. I’m doing what that bloody madman who rules their country wants me tae dae. So, why is he attacking me?”

“We already spoke about this. Maybe it’s nae him. Maybe this is a splinter faction. Ye ken, we have plenty o’ those up here as well.”

“Fine,” Domhnall said, stepping back into the room and beginning to pace. “Let’s assume ye are right. It may well be a splinter faction. They’re attacking us without the king’s knowledge, but tae what end? What are they hoping tae achieve?”

Magnus dropped himself into a high-backed chair beside the fire. “Could they have allied with an enemy clan? A clan who might be looking tae take over ye and the people o’ our lands?”

It was a possibility, but it had been a long time since they had fought with any other enemies besides the English. That being said, he knew there were clans out there allying themselves with those across the border, hoping that in doing so, they would garner favor with the King and thus be rewarded with lands and titles.

“I want the guard doubled on all the walls and gates,” Domhnall growled. “I cannae let this happen again. I’m nae going tae lose…” he trailed off, thinking about his mother and father. “We’re nae losing any more members o’ this family.”

Magnus nodded. “I agree. The problem with that is, yer wedding is in less than a week. We’re going tae have guests, and sellers, as well as more o’ our own clansmen that might nae ordinarily be in such proximity o’ the castle wandering about the place. How are we supposed tae vet everyone without causing chaos?”

Domhnall heaved a sigh, for he had no idea how to answer that conundrum. It was even more bizarre that he hadn’t taken those points into consideration.

Ye have had a lot on yer mind these last few days.

Indeed, he had, but how many men could say that they’d forgotten about their own damned wedding?

“Ye’re saying it isnae a good idea,” Domhnall growled.

“Nae if it ye dinnae want all and sundry tae ken what’s going on. Nay. I think it might be wise tae come at this from a different angle. A more subtle approach,” Magnus offered.

“That approach being?” Domhnall asked, struggling to curb the impatient tone that threatened to creep into his voice.

For a long moment, Magnus didn’t speak. Clearly, he had made the suggestion without thinking what the ‘more subtle approach’ might be. But Domhnall knew that if anyone was going to come up with a steadfast plan, it was Magnus, and thus, instead of pushing him further, he waited until his brother had worked it out in his own mind.

“Rather than doubling the guard, how about we place more o’ our men inside the castle grounds. Only, instead of dressing as guards, they dress like everyone else. A bit like ye going intae the village in disguise.”

Domhnall frowned, and feeling slightly frustrated at what he thought was a rather lukewarm plan, said, “And what good will that dae? Once our enemy is inside the castle walls, it’s too late.”

“Nae necessarily, braither. The men are strong, intelligent and determined. I believe they will spot someone who isnae suppose tae be here with ease. The problem can then be dealt with swiftly and with little fuss.”

“I’m nae convinced,” Domhnall growled.

“I can see that. But doing it yer way will warn our enemy, and thus, they’ll be far sneakier in their approach. If we lull them intae a false sense o’ security…”

“We can trap them,” Domhnall concluded.

“Exactly.”

The laird was still not convinced that it was the greatest plan, but as usual, Magnus had a point. It was him they were after, and rather than having to have eyes in the back of his head every time he left the castle, luring them to him might work far better in their favor.

“I take it we have still got naething out o’ the prisoners,” Domhnall said.

“They willnae speak, nae matter what we dae tae them. From what I gather, they’d rather die than confess what they ken. Clearly, they’re more afraid o’ whoever it is that sent them than they are o’ us.”

“Aye, well, they havenae spoken tae me yet,” Domhnall growled, turning toward the door.

Magnus suddenly jumped up from his chair.

“Dinnae dae it, Domhnall. There are other ways. It’s nae worth yer soul.”

“My soul was lost a long time ago, Magnus.”

Magnus shook his head. “That’s nae true. And now, with the arrival o’ Katherine, I think a part o’ ye is finally beginning tae heal.”

Domhnall stared at him from across the room. “I’ve told ye tae stay out o’ me head.”

“I’m nae in yer head, braither. I promise,” Magnus replied, holding his hands up in surrender. “But it’s hard nae tae notice the change in ye these last few days. Katherine is good fer ye. Ye must see that.”

Domhnall didn’t reply. As much as he knew it to be true, a part of him wondered if his affection for Katherine was making him soft.

Is that such a bad thing?

Although it was if it meant he was putting his family and his clan in danger.

“She’s nae making ye soft, Domhnall,” Magnus said.

Domhnall scowled at him.

“Aye, now I am in yer head,” his brother admitted. “But that’s nae what I mean when I say she’s good fer ye. Ye have punished yersel’ fer so long after what happened tae Maither and Faither.”

“We all have,” Domhnall retorted.

“Aye, I ken. But it’s been different with ye. Yer guilt has caused ye tae close down, put walls up, nae allow yersel’ tae feel. That’s nay way tae be, braither. While ye dinnae want tae feel the bad, yer also missing out on the good.”

“What good?” he spat. “There’s been nay good since.”

Magnus gave him a disbelieving look. “That’s nae true, and ye ken it. Ye just havenae wanted tae see it. But I think Katherine’s arrival was good fer ye. I hope ye see that too.”

Whether that was true or not, Domhnall was not going to admit it in that moment. His stubborn pride just would not let him, and turning on his heels, he headed to the door.

Magnus looked worried at his departure. “Where are ye going?”

“There and back tae see how far it is,” the laird scowled sarcastically.

Magnus lifted his eyebrows, tilted his head, and stared at him.

Eventually, Domhnall huffed a sigh. “I’m going tae me study. As wonderful as all these touchy-feely good things that ye speak o’ are,” he grimaced, “I still have work tae dae.”

An hour later, Domhnall heard a light knock on his study door.

“Come,” he called out gruffly.

Upon lifting his head, he watched Katherine tentatively slip in, and as though her very presence cast some kind of spell on him, he felt the tension release from his body, and found a smile forming on his lips.

Maybe Magnus has a point.

“Good morning,” he said, standing and rounding his desk.

“Hello,” she said, looking a little shy.

He had left her bed early that morning while she still slept peacefully. He hadn’t been able to help gazing down at her and taking in her beauty for a long moment before quietly leaving the room.

“Did ye sleep well?” Domhnall asked.

Her face seemed to flush at that question, and he wondered if, in that very moment, what they had shared together hadn’t just sprung to her mind.

“I did. Thank you. I’m here because I need your help.”

Domhnall’s eyebrows lifted as he gazed at her intrigued. “I see. And what is it ye need help with?”

“Are there any places nearby where I could swim?”

He suddenly frowned. “Are ye mad, woman? It’s freezing outside.”

Nodding, Katherine said, “I know that, but…” she trailed off with a shrug.

And then he remembered her list. For a moment, he didn’t say anything as he thought about the places, he might be able to take her to facilitate what she wanted.

“I ken a place,” he said eventually.

An hour later, Domhnall directed his horse into a cave with Katherine following closely behind. The rock formation above them reached up about thirty feet, and the sound of the horse’s hooves against the rock beneath them, echoed loudly as they continued on. Knowing what she wanted to do, Domhnall had made certain they had brought blankets. He’d also stopped on the way and gathered firewood and kindling.

Not long after entering the cave, a sound of rushing water echoed about their ears. Glancing back at Katherine, he grinned as she looked at him with a beaming smile of delight. It wasn’t the first time he had seen her smile, but with her face lit up like that, she looked positively angelic.

Beneath that thought was an acknowledgement that he had never been in the presence of anyone so happy to plunge themselves into freezing cold water in the middle of winter, but then, he was discovering his wife-to-be was not just anyone.

Five minutes later, a flowing underground waterfall came into view, the thunderous wall of water spilling into and swallowed up by the body of water beneath it.

“Will this dae?” Domhnall declared, pulling his horse to a stop.

Katherine came to a halt beside him, and with that same beaming smile, she nodded. “This is actually perfect.”

They dismounted and gathered the blankets, and choosing a spot next to the cave wall, they left them there along with the firewood. After that, Katherine began to undress.

“Are ye really going tae dae this?” Domhnall said, his eyes wide.

He had imagined that once they had arrived, she might feel the cold air and change her mind. Clearly, he had not given her the credit she deserved.

“Of course.” She grinned excitedly, her body already beginning to tremble, though whether that was from the cold or the anticipation, Domhnall could not tell.

“This journey would be pointless if I were to back out now.” She then frowned. “You’re not going to try and stop me, are you?”

Domhnall shook his head and raised his hands. “Nae at all. I think ye’re completely mad, but it’s yer list.”

As she continued to undress, Domhnall strategically stacked the wood for the fire, and then with effort, took some time to light it. When it was burning well enough, he turned back to see what Katherine was doing.

Now undressed, she stood at the edge of the water with a blanket wrapped around her. Clearly, she was trying to build up the courage to take the plunge. Most of her list was now complete. She had kissed a stranger, spied on a gentleman bathing, ridden astride a horse, and read a banned book. There were only two more items remaining, and today, she was clearly determined to mark swimming with no clothes off her list.

“Dae ye need a push,” he teased.

She spun to look at him, her eyes wide. “Don’t you dare.”

“Och, now,” he said, taking a step towards her, “ye should never dare a Scotsman.”

“I’m going,” she said, now panicking that he was indeed, going to push her in.

Of course, he would never do such a thing, but the threat seemed to be enough to hurry her on. Waiting around for the courage to do it was pointless. She just needed to get it over with.

Katherine dropped the blanket, giving him a rather delightful view of her rounded behind against the slender silhouette of her body, and carefully lowered her foot into the water. She took a steep breath in, and with her arms out for balance, stepped in fully. Slowly, she walked deeper and deeper into the body of water, panting in short breaths with every step.

Once she was fully submerged, she turned to look at him, her lips already turning blue.

Shaking his head both at her bravery and her madness, he grinned down at her. “How is it?”

“Iiitss… reeaally… nooot… thaaat baaad,” she stammered through chattering teeth. “Yoouu… shoould try it.”

Domhnall burst into laughter, his loud chuckle echoing around the cave.

“Aye, it looks fantastic. Ye’re about as convincing as I am small.”

She beamed a grin up at him, for while she was shivering with cold, Katherine was evidently now delighted with herself for having had the courage to do it.

I cannae leave her in there all by hersel’.

Without thinking twice, Domhnall began stripping the clothes from his body, much to the delighted surprise of Katherine. In no time at all, he was naked, and before he had the time to change his mind, he waded into the water, his breath leaping from his lungs as the sharp cold bit at his skin.

“Blooody heeelll,” he stammered.

His words sent Katherine, who now appeared to have stopped shivering, her body clearly now acclimatized to the freezing water, into fits of giggles. “I told you it was lovely,” she laughed.

With strong strokes, Domhnall swam across the water, at least making an effort to keep moving. Seeing him do so, Katherine did the same, and they swam forward and backward, swirling in circles, while at the same time, splashing water at each other, eliciting shrieks from Katherine and roars from Domhnall.

“Wherever did ye think up this list?” Domhnall said a little later, his arms wrapped around her as he held her close to him.

Katherine looked upwards, clearly trying to recall. She then smiled and, gazing at him, she said, “Us nobles have far too much time on our hands. Besides, I didn’t think them all up at the same time. I just added to the list when a notion came to my mind.”

“But why swimming naked?”

Again, she paused, but this time, she wasn’t thinking of her answer. It was clear she already knew it. But by her changed expression, there was a weightier meaning behind it.

“Freedom,” she said, her tone heavier than seconds before. “My life is not like yours, Domhnall. Was not like yours,” she corrected. “Much is expected of an English lady. We are trained to conform from the day and hour we can speak. Maybe even before that. Our hair must always be this way, our clothes must always be that way. We cannot speak our mind, or have an opinion, and God forbid if we disagree with a man. We are to be perfect in our speech and manner at every hour of every day. We must defer to men always, for they are the ones who make the decisions, and we have little choice but to go along with it.”

Domhnall was surprised at her words, for he had no real knowledge of the nobility of England. In fact, what she described sounded more like prison than life, which, he supposed, was the point she was making.

“So, my list was about freedom. To do things forbidden, things I chose to do, rather than fulfilling obligations.”

“And ye being sent here was just another obligation,” Domhnall said pointedly.

Her eyes softened then. “That’s how I saw it at first. Not so much now.”

Lifting his hand from the water, he softly caressed her cheek. “Funny, that’s exactly how I feel. Though, I’ll be honest,” he smirked, “the feisty lass that arrived here was nay lady o’ conformity.”

Katherine giggled and shrugged. “Maybe it was the wild Scottish air.”

Domhnall chuckled. “Aye, something like that.”

Noting the goosebumps on her skin, he took her and scooped her up in his arms.

“Right, I think ye can be satisfied that ye’ve fulfilled this particular venture. It’s time we got ye warm ‘afore ye catch yer death.”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she nodded, and now having her approval, Domhnall whisked her back to the fire using his unnatural speed. Once there, he swiftly wrapped the blanket around her, before grabbing the other blanket for himself.

A little later, Domhnall gazed down at Katherine, his head resting in his hand, propped up by his elbow. With his other arm wrapped across her body, he held her close, trying to keep them both warm, while wrapped up in the blankets and his plaid.

Katherine gazed at the flickering flames of the fire; the shadows thrown from it dancing against the perfect softness of her cheek.

She turned to him, and gazing up into his eyes, she said, “I have a confession to make.”

Domhnall lifted his eyebrows questioningly.

“I no longer believe you were the one who killed my father.”

“Why?” he asked, feeling both relief and curiosity flow through his body.

“It’s just a feeling. A feeling right here,” she said, tapping her heart. “Maybe it’s because I’ve fallen in love with you.”

Domhnall took a steep intake of breath at those words, and as a warm sensation washed through him, he bent and tenderly kissed her forehead.

“Then I also have a confession tae mak’. I have fallen in love with ye, too, Katherine. Ye have cast a spell on me, possessing me like nay other ‘afore ye could. I never imagined I would be blessed with this feeling o’ love, and yet, ye, with yer spirit, yer tenderness, and yer affection, have broken through the wall I built tae protect mysel’.”

“What were you protecting yourself from?” Katherine asked.

Domhnall shrugged. “I dinnae ken. Pain, hurt, disappointment.”

“I swear, I will bring you none of those things,” she breathed. “In fact, the love I feel for you is like this fire. Warm, ablaze, the flame destroying every barrier between us to bring our souls together.”

Domhnall smiled. “That is a perfect comparison, and in fact, I couldnae agree more. Ye cannae ken how happy it makes me tae ken that when we dae marry, it will be fer love, and nae obligation. I’m going tae mak’ it me mission tae bring ye happiness, Katherine. Happiness, and tae give ye the freedom ye have so eagerly sought fer yer whole life.”