Chapter 9

After Alec left, Kira sighed as she lay back naked on the coverlet, hidden behind the bed curtains. Her entire body was still tingling from Alec’s touch. Even her scar seemed to recall his kisses. She stroked it with her fingers, not feeling any of her olde repugnance at all.

By pushing her to take off her scarf and kissing her there, saying how he loved it, he had made her feel beautiful and wanted, a purely physical being who was already missing his warm hands and hot mouth upon her nakedness.

“I want tae ken more of him, much more…” she murmured to herself, her hands idly tracing the paths across her skin that he had left there. A series of images, tantalizing glimpses of what lay beneath Alec’s clothes, flickered before her eyes. Being pressed, her body naked and vulnerable, against his powerful, muscle-hardened body had inflamed all her senses, making her limbs weak.

What would have happened if we had nae been interrupted?

She was shocked at having abandoned herself so readily to the sensual encounter. She never behaved so wantonly. But Alec’s caresses were so dizzyingly sensual and thrilling, they had been impossible to resist. Even now, she found herself craving more of them.

She promised herself with a smile that the next time they were alone, she would be bolder and explore her husband’s body in its naked state, just as he seemed to like to do to hers. She wanted to know more of him. And, hopefully, next time, they would not be interrupted.

She rested for while, then rose, put on a robe, let down her hair and began to comb it out. After, she made a thick plait to keep it tidy as it dried. She toyed with not replacing her scarf but decided that while she would dispense with it when she and Alec were alone, she still preferred not having to deal with the inevitable looks and questions that leaving it off would bring.

So, she took out a pretty dry one and put it on before summoning a maid to help her dress, and to have the tub emptied. Later, when she looked out of the chamber windows, she saw the afternoon was closing in. Although the storm she had feared was coming earlier had not materialized, she sensed it might only be a question of time before one did.

Feeling a flicker of fear in her belly, which began to knot up, Kira’s fingers went automatically to her scarf. She stroked it thoughtfully, deciding at last to go and take refuge in the library, bury herself in a book for a while, and try to forget the threatening sky until Alec returned.

Alec was shut in his study with Bran. The brothers were standing by the large stone fireplace. Bran stood with his hands behind his back, apparently waiting for Alec to finish scanning the parchment in his hand.

“So, our braithers confirm Shaw’s up tae something,” Alec said, lowering the letter. “He’s gatherin’ men at his stronghold.”

“But they dinnae ken what fer yet. ’Tis worryin’, tae be sure, but until we find why he’s doin’ it, we should dae as Evander and Dunn say and keep our eyes open,” Bran said.

“Aye, we’ll step up security around the castle, double the guard, especially fer the ladies when they go outside. I dinnae like our braithers being out here, but they insisted on goin’.”

“They’re the best fer the task, Alec. That disnae mean I wouldnae rather have them here though,” Bran replied, adding, “But I suspect Evander had his own reasons fer volunteerin’ tae go.”

“Are ye suggestin’ he wanted tae put off his upcomin’ wedding tae Enna Cameron?” Alec asked with a dark chuckle.

“Aye, exactly. He seems bent on goin’ through with it but fer some reason, when it comes tae settin’ a date, he’s never around. Ach, he disnae love the lassie, and he disnae really want tae wed her. I’ve told him many times that he disnae need tae go through with it.”

“Aye, but I’m sure he’s so set on doing it because he fears fallin’ in love again. It nearly broke him last time.”

Just then, there was a light tap on the door. It opened a little, and Ilyssa peeped through the gap.

“Can I come in?” she asked.

“Aye, come in,” Alec said, motioning her inside. “Close the door.”

Ilyssa did as he asked. “Is everything all right?” she asked, putting her hand on Bran’s arm.

“Aye, just news from Evander and Dunn,” he told her, patting her hand.

“They’re safe?” she asked, her face brightening.

“They’re fine.” Alec said, rolling up their brothers’ letter and tucking it in his coat.

“Have you also received a letter from me braither?” Ilyssa asked eagerly.

“Nay, we’ve nae heard from Tad yet, but I’m sure we will soon. As soon as we dae, I’ll tell ye, I promise,” Alec tried to reassure her, seeing her obvious disappointment. It was always a worry for the others when any of them were away from home.

Kira was holed up in the library with a book open in front of her, trying to distract herself from the grey clouds she knew were gathering overhead beyond the castle walls. She was grateful to see Bran coming into the room, a comforting presence.

“Hello, Bran,” she said, putting down her book to greet him with a smile. “What are ye doin’ with all those books under yer arms?” She eyed the assorted stack curiously.

The big warrior chuckled. “Ilyssa and Catreena are always takin’ the books tae their rooms and dinnae put them back in the library. Instead, they pile them up in their chambers. So, once in a while, I do the rounds and put everything back in its place,” he explained.

Kira sprang up and rushed to help him. “Here, let me give ye and hand.” She took some books from him.

As they dusted off their hands, Kira looked at Bran, for whom she had already developed a big soft spot. “Ye’re always taking care of everybody, are ye nae?”

He gave her a crooked smile and replied, “I suppose it is like that, aye. Ye see, our maither died during Dunn and Catreena’s birth, and our faither was so devastated, he wasnae really himself fer a long time.”

“Och, I’m sorry tae hear it,” she murmured, thinking of the pain of losing her own father… for which the Mackintosh’s were supposed to be responsible. But Alec had vehemently denied it, and Bran did not seem the type to lie about such a thing. What if they were telling the truth when they claimed to have nothing to do with it? She continued to listen attentively to what Bran was saying.

“Thank ye. Alec didnae take it too well. I just did me best tae give them all the support and comfort they needed. I’ve been doin’ it ever since.”

“D’ye never feel overwhelmed by it?” she asked, admiring his nurturing ways.

He just shrugged. “It’s always just felt right tae me. Then, when we lost faither three years ago, the way Alec coped was tae close himself off.”

“What d’ye mean exactly?” she asked, tempted to do some prying on her husband.

But Bran laughed and said, “Ye should ask Alec about it. ’Tis nae me story tae tell. Anyway, me turn tae ask a question. Answer me this, why are ye hiding in here?”

Reminded of the threat of the storm, she bashfully explained her fear. “I feel better in here, with the light of the fire, and a few books to keep me mind busy.”

Bran nodded sympathetically. “Well, in that case, I could use yer help in putting these books back into the right places.”

“With pleasure,” she told him, taking them from him and proceeding to follow him about the room while he replaced them, glad of the distraction.

Several hours later, as soon as Alec had finished his business, he hurried back to the marriage chamber, eager to see Kira again. But she was not there. He looked about the castle a bit, asking if anyone had seen her. No one had, not since earlier in the afternoon. He told himself she was with Catreena and Ilyssa, that she would be at dinner. But she was not, and the two young women had not seen for hours either.

He suddenly had a horrible thought.

A storm had begun raging outside, with pelting rain, thunder seeming to shake the earth, and lightening crackling across the sky. What if Kira had decided to go riding? She could be stuck out in the storm somewhere, hurt, trapped, or worse! Panic gripped him.

He was rushing to order up a search party when he bumped into Bran coming in the other direction.

“Whoa, braither, watch where ye’re goin’,” Bran said jokingly. But his expression soon turned serious when he saw how agitated Alec was. “What it is, Alec? What’s up?”

“’Tis Kira, I cannae find her anywhere, and I’m afeared she went out riding and got caught out in this storm,” Alec rushed out in one breath.

“Well, ye should check the library. I saw her there earlier this evenin’. She helped me put away some books.”

Alec knew it was ridiculous, but for some unfathomable reason, Bran’s remark sent a pang of jealousy coursing through him. He should have been the one spending time with her, not his brother. But he dismissed the irrational emotion quickly. Jealousy was not something he had ever felt over a woman. He refused to feel. And yet did.

“Thank ye, braither, I’ll go there now,” he told Bran, patting his brother’s back as he left.

The hallways of the castle echoed alarmingly with rumbling thunder as he made his way along them to the library. He could not recall seeing such a violent thunderstorm in a long time. Inside the room, he saw no one.

He went inside and checked every corner, but could see no sign of Kira. His fears for her safety rekindled, and he was about to leave and get a search underway when he though the heard something. He listened carefully. Moments later, it came again—a soft, low whimper.

He tracked the source of the noise and quicky discerned it was coming from behind one of the large sofas. He ventured silently nearer, to see one of the large sofas had been pushed away from the wall by several inches. The cavity behind it was sheltered by an overhanging shelf with books. He crouched down at the small opening and looked inside.

To his surprise, Kira was wedged in the small, dim space, sitting at the far end against the wall, hugging her legs like a child. She looked as if she might cry any second.

“Kira, what’s wrong?” he asked gently, taken aback to see her this way.

“Naethin’, I’m all right,” she blatantly lied, visibly trembling.

“Nay, ye’re far from it. Ye look terrified. Can I come in and join ye?” he asked, wanting to comfort her. But she shook her head.

“Nay, please go away and leave me alone,” she pleaded pitifully, clenching her hands convulsively. She seemed to want to hide from him, as if she was ashamed of the way she was acting, apparently paralyzed with fear.

“Whatever ye say, I’m comin’ in,” he insisted, sliding his bulk into the tiny space, making room by shouldering the sofa further away from the wall. Once inside, he crawled towards her and immediately took her in his arms, pulling her against him and gently rocking her.

At first, she held herself stiffly in his embrace. But after a while, he felt her begin to relax against him, and he was glad to see her find comfort in his embrace.

“Why are ye hidin?”

“The storm,” she murmured in a small voice, huddling into him. “’Tis the thunder I dinnae like.”

“What is it about the thunder?”

She did not speak for a few moments. Then, she looked up at him, her eyes large and dark, swallowed hard, the whispered, “Me maither died when there was a big thunderstorm. An awful one. I was sittin’ with her, and it was so cold that I could see her lips turnin’ blue even before she stopped breathing.”

Deeply moved, with a strange pang in his heart, Alec held her close.

“She died from a sickness. It stole her life slowly, bit by bit. But the last night, the night of the storm, was truly awful. Me faither and braither Euan were away from home, and I was alone with her, apart from her faithful maid. I was fifteen years old, yet the memory has never left me. The thunder, it just brings it all back.”

“I’m so sorry ye had tae witness that alone, Kira. It must have been terrible fer ye.” His heart was doing extraordinary things in his chest, things that were almost painful, for he had not felt them in such a long time. But somehow, he could not prevent it. It was as though the useless muscle was slowly creaking back to life, blood beginning to pulse through its frozen chambers once more.

“And then, faither was killed,” Kira continued. “Suddenly, it was just me and Euan. It was very hard. We both had our ways of copin’. He still drinks a bit too much whisky at times. And I trained as a warrior.”

“I think I can guess why,” he said, kissing her head. Despite having refused to speak about it any further, he felt the need to tell her his real thoughts. Instinctively, he knew he could trust her, and he so wanted her to believe he and his clan were innocent of her father’s brutal slaying. “Kira, I would nae lie tae ye about havin’ naethin’ tae dae with yer faither’s death. There’s more to it, I reckon. Whoever was behind his death and me faither’s death also started this feud between our clans. They wanted tae set us at each other’s throats.”

“But who would want tae dae that, and why? I dinnae understand,” she replied, the distress obvious in her voice.

Just then, a powerful crack of thunder and the ear-splitting sound of lightning hitting the ground set Kira shaking violently. She whimpered, clutching him. He watched tears slipping quietly down her cheeks, the ache in his heart growing stronger. It had taken this raging storm to topple her fiery fa?ade, to reveal to him her gentle, loving, and passionate side. A wave of warmth engulfed him then, and Alec knew he was starting to care for her in ways he had not believed himself capable of any longer.

He truly wanted to comfort her and thought hard of a way to distract her from her fears.

“Maybe I can do somethin’ tae take yer mind off the storm, eh? I could read tae ye.” She said nothing, but he picked up the book he guessed she must have been reading when she went into her hiding place.

He began to read the old folktale aloud, trying to drown out the storm with his voice. But before long, he began to get distracted. Her soft, curving weight was leaning into him, her warmth gradually penetrating his clothing and making his skin tingle. All that and the flowery fragrance of her hair began to infuse him, stirring his arousal. His voice grew increasingly hoarse as he leaned forward, his head lowering towards hers almost imperceptibly.

She seemed to sense a change in the air between them too, for he began to feel a tension passing through her limbs as she nestled against him. He continued reading, but his voice slowed as their heads tilted, hers upward, his downward, until their eyes locked. They gazed at each other, the sexual tension palpable as their faces got closer and closer, and their lips finally met.