Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

H er hands stopped, and she levered herself off him. He immediately missed her weight and her warmth. “There, I think that’s enough fer now. Are ye feelin’ better? How’s the pain?” she asked, her voice unnaturally bright.

“Aye, ’tis practically gone. I feel much better, thank ye, Ivy,” he replied, meaning every word. He turned over to face her. She leaned across for the bottle of liniment and replaced the stopper. When she leaned back, she smiled down at him as she wiped her hands on her trousers. Her shirt had come loose at the top, revealing her graceful, white neck and throat. Her long shining tresses fell over her shoulders, perfectly framing her lovely face. Firelight danced across it, highlighting the delicate hollows and high cheekbones, making her eyes dance with red tints.

Caught in a dream, unable to help himself, Liam reached up and caught one of the strands between his fingers and rubbed it gently, delighting in its smooth softness against his rough skin. She stopped moving and gazed down at him, doing nothing to stop him as he continued to caress her hair.

“Ye’re very beautiful, d’ye ken that, Ivy?” he murmured thickly, unable to take his eyes off of her.

Even in the dim amber light, he could see her blush. “Och, give over. Are ye tryin’ tae butter me up or somethin’?” she said, smiling shyly and batting at him with her hand. He caught it in midair and held it there. It trembled like a captive bird in his fist. Her eyes were big and dark as she gazed down at him, her lips slightly open. The temptation to pull her down and kiss her was so strong, it took everything he had not to give in to it.

“Ivy—”

“I’m feelin’ tired, Liam. I think I’ll wash this stuff off me hands and get ready for bed,” she suddenly said, pulling her hand from his and getting off the bed. The spell was broken, and Liam felt immediately bereft. Wondering what was happening to him, he stayed where he was, watching her as she pottered about the chamber.

She opened the wardrobe door and disappeared behind it. When she reappeared a few moments later, she was in her robe. She went to the washstand and washed her face with soap in the cold water, then scrubbed her teeth. She fetched her comb and sat by the fire, staring into the flames, combing out her beautiful tresses.

“I feel much better after that back rub,” he said. “Thank ye very much. After our spar it hurt something fierce.”

“Och, I’m glad.” She smiled at him across the room, but there was something wistful about it that touched his heart. What is she thinkin’?

“Thank ye fer takin’ me out today, Liam. I enjoyed our sparrin’. I hope we can dae it again before I leave here. It was so good tae get out of this room fer a while. And it was nice tae meet Effie too. She’s very nice. I said I might go and help her tomorrow with her patients.”

She chattered away, and Liam got the distinct feeling she was nervous about something. “Aye, it’s been fun.” She subsided then and continued combing her hair, reminding him of a beautiful kelpie perched on a rock in the middle of the sea.

He levered himself up on to his elbows and leaned against the pillows. “I suppose ye want yer bed back.”

“Nay, stay there, ye must nae risk hurtin’ yer back again after all me hard work,” she cried.

“But where will ye sleep?” he asked, perturbed.

“I have an idea.” She went to the blanket box at the end of the bed and opened it. She emerged clutching a large quilt in her arms and dumped it on the bed. Liam watched in fascination while she rolled it into a long sausage and laid it vertically down the middle of the bed. “Ye can have that side, and I’ll take this side,” she told him, looking triumphant as she admired her handiwork.

“Ye mean we’re tae share the bed?” he asked, hardly able to believe it. It was such a drastic change to her former attitude.

“Aye. I dinnae wantae be responsible for ye bein’ in pain fer sleepin’ on the floor. But ye must stay on yer own side though!” she shot him a warning look.

She stoked up the fire and added some more logs, then came over to the bed, shrugged off her robe, and climbed into her side of the bed in her shift, pulling the covers up to her neck.

“Good night, Liam.” She lay down and turned on her side, away from him.

“Good night, Ivy.” He remained laying on his back for a while, looking over at her, lost in the way the firelight danced across her hair, and wondering what the hell he thought he was playing at.

The next morning, he crept out of the room while Ivy was till sleeping and headed to the great hall for something to eat. As he ate, he wondered if this would be the day Ivy dreaded, when they would get word from her brother and decide her fate. It made him feel sick to think of it.

He was also disturbed by the way he was starting to care about Ivy. He reminded himself that caring for anyone meant losing them. It meant pain and torment. And the reason why he had sworn never to marry. Ye’ve managed this far without fallin’ fer anyone. Dinnae go and mess it up now! Remember, ye’re here tae help Knox, and ye cannae let him down.

The council gathered at eight o’clock. Magnus was the first to speak.

“I’m afraid our scouts have brought us some disturbing news,” he began, grabbing everyone’s attention. “There are several reports that Gael Hamilton, whom we know to be MacAlister’s principal ally, has been sending raiding parties to attack nearby villages. They’re killing our folk, stealing livestock, and burning the farms.”

A ripple of outrage and fear went around the council table.

“I’m worried that we’ve had nae response from MacAlister about exchanging his sister fer the peace. That was sent almost a week ago. It seems tae me that this is his reply,” Knox said, his face grave. He looked at Liam. “What d’ye think, me friend?”

“I think ye may be right, but I’m nae sure Hamilton sees it that way.”

“What d’ye mean exactly?” Knox asked.

All eyes turned to Liam. “Well, ’tis only a hunch, but I think ’tis likely that Carson is behind these attacks. Gael wants Ivy back, so Carson is usin’ that as an excuse tae push him along a path of destruction, tae goad ye intae startin’ a war.”

Knox nodded in agreement. “So, Ivy was tellin’ the truth. Her braither is only interested in usin’ her tae control Gael.”

Once more, Liam felt anger towards Ivy’s devious brother. “Aye, she hates him and Gael. ’Tis why she ran. From what she’s told me, Carson is ruthless enough tae use anyone tae get what he wants, friends or nae. And if Gael starts a war with ye, Carson willnae be held responsible, even though he’s behind it all,” he explained.

“A war would weaken us, making it easier fer Carson tae step in and take over the clan,” Magnus put in.

“And the price of peace with Gael will be Ivy,” Knox put in, his brows drawn. “Either way, Carson gets what he wants.”

One of the older advisors asked to speak, and Knox granted him permission.

“Years ago,” the elderly man began, standing up, “I served Carson’s faither. He was a good man but was killed in his bed next tae his wife. Carson was only eighteen when he became the laird, and he didnae seem overly upset over his parents’ murders. There was a lot of suspicion around that at the time, and the culprits were never found. But Carson made sure the matter was never fully investigated.”

“Christ! Ye mean he could have had a hand in his own parents’ murders?” Knox asked, sounding appalled.

The old councilor nodded and sat down. “Suspicions, aye, melaird, but Carson shut anyone down who dared tae even suggest investigatin’. There’s nae proof of anythin’.”

“That’s exactly the kind of thing I’m talkin’ about,” Liam interjected, shocked by the revelation. Ivy was right: the man truly was a monster.

Knox’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Ivy is just as much a pawn in her braither’s schemes as the villagers are. And Gael too, more than likely, though the fool disnae realize it.”

“There must be another way out of this without using Ivy,” Liam put in, vowing silently to protect her.

Knox shot him a keen look. “I ken ye wantae protect her, Liam. ’Tis

obvious ye care about her.”

Liam bristled at that. “There’s naethin’ between me and her. But she’s innocent in all this. I just cannae stand the thought of sending a defenseless lass back tae that poisonous viper tae be used in one of his bids fer power.”

“I’ve seen her fight. She’s nae defenseless,” Knox pointed out.

“Ye ken what I mean. She can hardly go head tae head with him with a sword, can she?”

Knox said, “Aye, none of us like the idea. But at the same time, I cannae just let her go.”

“Well, we should go visit these villages Gael’s attacked and see what we can find out,” Magnus said. It was agreed that Liam would ride out with him and Knox that day.

“There’s one other important matter we need tae discuss afore ye go, melaird,” another advisor piped up. The annual stage hunt is due in a few days, but in the current circumstances, is it wise tae go ahead with it?” the man asked.

“I dinnae wantae send the message tae MacAlister and Hamilton that we Stewarts are runnin’ scared,” Knox declared after some discussion.

“And what about the cèilidh afterwards? After the hunt, we all enjoy a good party,” someone else chimed in hopefully.

“Aye, and with these attacks on the villages, the smallfolk could likely dae with a wee bit of cheer,” another suggested.

Knox made an immediate decision. “If we’re gonnae have the hunt, then let’s have the cèilidh too. If the hunt’s a success, and we kill the stag and bring it home, that’ll be enough good luck tae last us all year. Fer all we ken, we could end up comin’ out of this damned feud stronger than before!”

That earned a ripple of appreciative applause and murmurs of approval from the rest. Knox ended the meeting then.

“I’m anxious fer us tae get out there in the field and see what we can find out about what’s goin’ on. I need tae make sure the villagers are looked after too. Some of them have lost everythin’. I need tae take care of them and bury the dead with respect,” he told Liam and Magnus as the council dispersed. “I suggest we meet at the stables in two hours, ready tae ride out. All right?”

“Aye, I’ll be ready.” Liam agreed with a nod. He took his leave and headed back to the chamber to see if Ivy was there or if she had gone to help Effie as she had mentioned she might. He had not, so far, told her anything about what had been happening behind the scenes. Now, he wanted to tell her everything . She has a right tae ken where she stands. ‘Tis her life, after all.