Chapter 14

14

F or a moment, Murdoch could say nothing as Keira's blue eyes looked up at him angrily. His own anger rose to meet hers, and just for a second he contemplated shaking her until her teeth rattled, but in spite of the job he did, he was not a violent man, especially not to women. In his eyes, women were the better half of humankind, and he loved everything about them.

He took a deep breath and stepped back, then noticed the marks his fingers had left on Keira's wrists.

"I am sorry, mistress," he said gently. "I did not mean to hurt you. Please forgive me."

He remembered the marks on her neck, which she had obviously covered with some cosmetic or other, and felt wretched to think that she was probably comparing him to her father.

Keira snatched her arm back, rubbing her wrist.

"What do you want?" she demanded again, more harshly if that were possible. "You have clearly not yet told my father what happened, I see, otherwise he would have punished me by now. Why not?"

Murdoch sighed and looked at his feet, and Keira watched the shadow of his wheat-colored lashes as they dropped over his high cheekbones. Although he angered her beyond bearing, he was still the most attractive man she had ever seen, in a ruggedly handsome way. His face was the epitome of male beauty, and he did things to her that no man before had ever done.

She longed to run her hands through the thick fair hair at the back of his head and rub her face against the golden bristles on his cheeks. She wondered what it would feel like to have his arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly pressed against his body. She had a feeling that she might wish to stay there forever.

She felt herself moisten, felt the sweet ache between her legs that heralded her arousal. Damn. She simply could not stand the effect he was having on her. She felt weak and out of control, yet he looked so hard and masculine that he could have pushed her over with a finger. She had to remind herself that he was the enemy.

"You are right," he said, nodding. "I could have told your father any time I wanted to."

He sat down with his back against a tree trunk and motioned for Keira to do the same.

She hesitated for a second, then did likewise, settling herself against another tree a good distance away so that she was facing him.

"But I did not, and neither am I going to," he said firmly as he looked her squarely in the eye.

"Why not?" Keira was puzzled. "You caught me red-handed committing a crime. Do you not think it is your duty to report me? Or have you decided to make me buy your silence?"

He stared at her. This time it was his turn to be mystified.

"I don't understand," he said, frowning in puzzlement.

Keira laughed. "Oh, come on, Captain Holmes. You are an intelligent man. Please do not pretend ignorance."

"Please speak plainly, Mistress McTavish." His voice sounded irritated. "I do not understand you."

"Are you not going to try to blackmail me?" she asked baldly.

He looked at her in horror. "No!" He was furious. "It never even occurred to me to do such a thing."

"Then what do you want of me?" she asked, shrugging. "I have nothing else to give."

Then she thought of something and swallowed nervously. Her body?

Murdoch must have seen what was in her eyes and rushed to disabuse her of the notion.

"No, mistress, I want nothing of that kind from you either. I told you, I am an honorable man, and I am deeply offended that you ever thought otherwise."

Heavens, she thought drily. I will lie awake worrying about that.

Then, as Keira studied him, she saw that it was true. He had let her go, even though he had no reason to do so, he had said nothing to her father, and he had asked her for nothing. Yet… There must be a catch, she thought.

"You have not answered my question," Keira persisted. "Why did you not tell my father about me?"

"In all honesty, I do not know, Mistress McTavish." He looked frustrated and angry with himself. "It almost sounds as though you want me to." He stared at her frankly, admiring the beautiful planes of her face.

"Never!" Keira answered scathingly. "He is the person I despise most in the world, and I would never willingly help him with any of his evil schemes. He is marrying me to a man I do not care for and whom I have never met, yet I would rather do that than have his or anyone else's life ended."

"That is quite a sacrifice," he remarked. "But what if he never reached the village? What if something stopped him?"

Keira saw red as a fierce blaze of anger flared up inside her. "What do you mean by that?" she demanded.

"I mean that it would be far easier for you to kill him yourself than let your father do it," he replied. "But I would advise you against doing anything to upset him. He is not a man who will tolerate having his plans thwarted, and whatever you do may be bad for the people on the estate. He is capable of spiteful vengeance."

"Do you not think I know that?" she demanded. "I have lived with him all my life! But we have to do something or these people will either starve to death or start a revolt. They may not be armed well, although farm tools like forks and spades are very good weapons, but there are many more of them than there are of you."

This time it was Murdoch's turn to become angry, so much so that he forgot his place and yelled at Keira.

"You are the most exasperating woman I have ever met!"

He paused for a moment, unable to think of anything else to say. Then, fueled by his own passion and anger, he did the unthinkable. He stood up, crossed the space between them in three strides, then hauled her into his arms and kissed her fiercely.

At first, Keira was startled at his strength and the suddenness of his action, and she laid her hands flat on his chest to push him away. However, his body was hard and solid, his heartbeat was racing under her palms, and she knew that he was responding to her as she was responding to him. She leaned into him as he prised her lips open with the tip of his tongue, then thrust it into her mouth to taste her.

His tongue tangled with hers, and having no idea how to play his sensual game, she imitated him, stroking his tongue with hers until they were both moaning with pleasure. Murdoch swept his tongue over her lower lip then caught it between his teeth and nibbled it gently. He was longing to cup his hand over her breast but had just enough sanity left to stop himself. He could feel his arousal pressing against her, leaving her in no doubt of his desire.

Keira speared her fingers into the wheat-golden hair at the back of his head, and it was as soft as silk, exactly as she had thought it would be. The bristles on his cheeks rasped against her skin, but it was not an unpleasant sensation; quite the opposite. Indeed, the pleasure of it went straight to her core, and once more the pulse of desire began to throb between her thighs.

As she inhaled the earthy scent of him and tangled her fingers in his hair, she squirmed against him, and the rubbing of the hard ridge of his shaft inflamed her.

When they drew apart they stared at each other, amazed at what had just happened, and neither of them wanted to let go of the other. However, eventually they had to, as both of them looked away, flushed and embarrassed.

"I am so sorry, Mistress Keira," he said quietly. "I should not have done that."

After a moment she asked, "Then why did you?"

"Because you looked so angry and at the same time so desirable," he replied, shrugging. "I would not have raped you, but I suffered a moment of weakness. Please forgive me."

Keira chuckled and shook her head. For a few moments, as she had given her lips and her body up to Murdoch, her mind had soared away from her problems. She had found herself lost in physical pleasure with an experienced man for the first time, and it had been glorious. She had always thought that a kiss was merely a touching of a man's lips to a woman's, but it was so much more than that. It was a combination of all the senses.

The touch of a man's lips, the feel of his rough skin, the taste of his mouth, the sound of his breathing and groans, and the sight of his face as he drew away from her, satisfied, were all sensations that were totally new to her. No one had ever told her about this, but what a delightful surprise it had been.

"I did not push you away," she pointed out. Then she blushed. "It was quite…pleasant, but please do not do it again." She looked down at the forest floor.

"I will not," he replied. "On my honor, and once again, mistress, I am sorry. I am asking for your forgiveness yet again." He gave a small laugh, then bowed respectfully to her. "It is becoming a habit."

They had both been kneeling on the ground about a foot away from each other, and when he stood up and extended his hand to help her, Keira drew back. She had enjoyed the kiss more than any other experience of her life, but she reminded herself that this man was in the pay of her father, and therefore an enemy, albeit a devastatingly attractive one.

Suddenly he burst out, "I am worried about you, mistress."

Keira turned back to him, amazed. "Why?"

He sighed, running his hand back through the hair that Keira had been playing with a moment before. He was frowning deeply and looked more troubled than she had ever seen him look before. She tingled inwardly as she looked at him.

At last, he said, "Mistress, whatever plan you are forming, I am worried that you will be hurt or incur your father's wrath."

Keira laughed cynically. "Captain Holmes, I have incurred my father's wrath many times, and he has not killed me. Do not worry on my behalf. If I do nothing, that is when you should worry, for I assure you, one day a rebellion will start!"

She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving him to stare after her.

Murdoch's loyalty was completely torn between serving the laird in the job he was paid to do or helping Keira in her cause. He knew that the laird was evil but he could not let go of his job, for he was not a wealthy man and needed to work for the sake of his family.

However, he also saw that Keira's cause was just but unlawful. There were many families to feed in the valley. He sat for a long time wondering what to do, but when he stood up to walk back to the castle, he was no further forward in making a decision.

Worse still, he knew that he was falling in love with Keira McTavish.