Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

T hat night, Liam lay in his bed, not far from where Ivy was lying in hers, unable to get her off his mind. Seeing her so defeated she could not even eat a morsel of food was deeply upsetting to him.

Despite all she had been through, and still had to endure if what she said about her brother and his sidekick Hamilton was true, he thought he had never seen such a beautiful woman in his life. There was just something about her that drew him like a moth to a flame. From deep inside him, the urge to protect her came bubbling up unbidden, and he frowned.

Liam felt bad every time she asked him to let her go, but he knew it was stupid. All right, he told himself, she claims we’ll be sending her back tae the hell she’s just escaped from, but there’s only her word fer that. Apart from stokin’ the fire fer her and makin’ sure she’s warm and comfortable, I’m nae prepared tae dae anythin’ more fer her.

He told himself all this over and over, but still sleep eluded him as Ivy danced through his weary mind. He had never felt as connected to a woman as he did to her, and stopping himself from worrying about her was becoming unusually difficult. Life had taught him not to seek love and happiness with a woman, and he had long resolved never to marry.

Bitter experience told him caring about folks was dangerous—the more you loved them, the more the likelihood was that they would be snatched away by death. He had loved his parents, and look what had happened to them, murdered by thieves in front of his and Tadhg’s eyes. And then, four years before, when Tadgh had gotten into serious trouble that threatened his life, Liam had been terrified he would lose his brother too. So, the thought of allowing himself to care for Ivy was out of the question. He would never put himself into that situation.

I cannae let mesel’ get attached tae Ivy. I have tae stay strong and keep me distance. I have a job tae dae here, and I’m gonnae dae it, come what may.

However, despite steeling himself for the unpleasant task ahead, when he saw Ivy the following day, maintaining an emotional distance from her proved highly challenging. The more he saw of her and talked with her, the more he liked her. She was brave and intelligent as well as beautiful.

“Dinnae ask me tae set ye free again,” he warned her as he entered the room and found her sitting at a table beneath a window, drinking tea from an otherwise untouched breakfast tray. He went over to her and inspected the tray. “Ye’ve nae eaten anythin’ again then,” he said, disappointed.

“I told ye, I cannae eat. If ye were bein’ sent back tae a monster ye’d just escaped from, I doubt ye’d be able tae eat either,” she answered quite sharply. He could not argue with that, and his conscience pricked him yet again.

“Even so, Ivy.”

“Ach, Liam, dinnae keep pretendin’ ye care about me. If ye did, ye’d let me go instead of usin’ me tae get yer friend his precious peace. Despite yer kind ways, ye’re really nae better than Carson.”

That hurt. “I’m naethin’ like yer braither,” he growled.

“Then prove it,” she said, shooting him a challenging look over her teacup.

Again, he did not know how to respond, so he sought a change of subject, hoping to lighten the atmosphere.

“I was thinkin’”, he began.

“Och, well done. Are ye waitin’ for a prize?”

He ignored her sarcasm and stoically continued, “I was thinkin’ that ye need new clothes. Ye’ve been wearing that lad’s outfit fer two days now. So, I’ve asked the housekeeper tae find some women’s clothes fer ye tae change intae.”

“What’s the point of that when I’m stayin’ locked up in here?” she asked,

putting down her teacup and looking at him keenly.

“D’ye nae want clean things then?”

“Aye, I want clean things,” she said this time with an air of defeat.

“And I thought ye might like tae bathe as well.”

She jumped to her feet forgetting her angry frown, a beautiful smile transforming her face and tugging at his heart strings. “I’d love tae bathe!”

“Why, I’ve never seen anyone so delighted at the thought of takin’ a bath,” he said jestingly.

“Ye should get out more then,” she told him, her quick wit making him smile. “When can I have me bath?” she asked.

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. “How about now?” he answered, going over to the door, unlocking it, and opening it to see who was outside. For the next ten minutes or so, he stood guarding the open door as the tub was carried in and set by the fire, followed by servants lugging cans of steaming water and jugs of cold. Bit by bit, the tub was filled.

Just as the footmen were departing, a stout, middle-aged lady with red curls entered. She was carrying an armful of women’s clothing.

To Liam’s surprise, she bobbed a polite curtsey to Ivy and asked, “Where would ye like me tae put these, melady?” Liam realized Knox had given orders for Ivy to be treated as was her due as the sister of a laird, even if she was the enemy.

“Och, wonderful. If ye wouldnae mind just layin’ them on the bed, that would be grand. Thank ye fer bringin’ them up fer me,” Ivy told her gratefully.

“’Tis nae trouble, melady. I’m Rhoda, the housekeeper. Just let me ken if ye need anythin’ else,” Rhoda said kindly before retreating, leaving Liam and Ivy alone.

He noticed how her eyes kept going to the bath tub. “I’ll wager ye cannae wait tae get in that water, eh?” he teased.

“Aye, that’s why I’m waitin fer ye tae leave,” she replied pointedly, her hands on the hips of the grimy trousers she was still wearing. “I can hardly get in with ye standin’ there, can I?”

He grinned as he turned away to the fire. “Dinnae fash yersel’. I’m goin’. I’ll just stoke up the fire a wee bit fer ye, so ye dinnae get cold.” He placed some more logs on the fire and built up a lovely blaze for her, secretly wishing he could watch her undress and get in. While he was at it, he imagined getting in with her. That was when he knew he had to leave.

“Right, I’ll leave ye tae it then,” he said finally, and let himself out, not forgetting to lock the door behind him. He despised himself for listening at the door, but in a few moments, he was rewarded. He heard the splash of water and a big sigh, and he knew she was in the tub. He went away, struggling to tamp down his steamy thoughts of her lying naked in the tub. It proved harder than he thought.

There was no response to Knox’s letter from her brother that day, which left him and Knox on tenterhooks. No doubt Carson was furious to learn Laird Stewart had her and that he was going to have to agree to a peace to get her back.

He went out and sparred with some of the men he was to train and spoke to them at some length about what they thought they needed to learn should the plan go awry and MacAlister attack the castle.

But later that afternoon, as if drawn by a silken thread, he found himself tapping on her door. “’Tis me, Ivy. Are ye decent? Can I come in?”

“Aye, ye have the key, so why nae?” came to reply. He smiled to himself as he opened the door. He had arranged to have the clothes brought up for her, but he had not thought how he would react seeing her dressed as woman.

When he entered the room, it was brightly lit with candles. When he saw Ivy seated next to the fire, a tremor ran through him that shook him to his core. She had looked beautiful in her raggedy boy’s clothing. Now, she looked transformed, her fresh, ethereal loveliness making her seem radiant. He could not speak for several long moments, knowing he was staring at her but unable to stop. She was so dazzling, she took his breath away.

She got up and walked towards him, with a smile on her face that threatened to make his insides turn to water. She had evidently washed her hair, and it was lying in a profusion of still damp, long wavy tresses, a cascade of dark-brown curls the color of mahogany that fell over her shoulders and down to her waist. It shone in the candlelight, tinted red by the light of the flames from the fire.

Seemingly in a much better mood than when he had left her, she held out the skirts of the blue wool gown that accentuated her trim waist and the curve of her hips. It showed off the upper parts of her pert beasts to perfection as she performed a little twirl. He could hardly keep his eyes off them.

“How dae I look?” she asked.

He cleared his throat to enable him to speak. “Ye look a lot cleaner,” he said.

She laughed. It was the first time he had heard her laugh, a rich, full-throated sound that sent shivers up his spine.

“Ye approve then?” she asked, almost coquettishly.

“If ye’re happy, then so am I,” he hedged, afraid that once he started complimenting her, he might never stop.

“Well, fer obvious reasons, I’m nae exactly happy. But I feel more like mesel’,” she told him, coming closer and looking up at him with her beautiful dark-blue eyes. Her smile was entrancing.

“Liam, I was a bit harsh with ye when we spoke this mornin’. I wantae apologize tae ye fer that. I’m nae in the best frame of mind, as I’m sure ye can imagine, but there was nae excuse fer bein’ so mean tae ye.”

“There’s nae need tae apologize tae me,” he told her, still in the grip of her transformation.

“But ye thought of me and arranged fer me tae bathe and have clean clothes.” She laid her hand on his arm. “I want tae thank ye and tell ye how grateful I am fer doin’ all that fer me.”

Where her hand touched his arm, even though his shirt, he could feel his skin burning from her touch. “’Tis naethin’,” he replied, unable to wrench his gaze from her, and noticing with some embarrassment how husky his voice was all of a sudden. “I just want ye tae be comfortable.”

“Well, thank ye anyway, fer takin’ such good care of me.” To his astonishment, she rose up on her tiptoes and planted the lightest of kisses on his cheek. Despite the spell she seemed to have cast over him, something inside him made him suspicious of her actions and alarm bells rang in his head.

Naebody kisses their captor—unless they want something from them. He guessed she had taken the time they were apart to dream up a new tactic in trying to persuade him to let her go. She was going all out to charm him. He decided he would string her along for a while and let her think her plan was succeeding.

He put his hand to his cheek as if deeply touched by her kiss. “Well, I didnae expect that,” he said.

“I suppose nae, but ’tis the only way I have of showin’ ye how much I appreciate yer help.”

“Ye should be more careful who ye go about kissin’ in that get up.” He gestured with his eyes at her gown. “Some people might get the wrong idea.”

“What d’ye mean?” she asked, looking confused. “I thought ye liked it.”

“Oh, I like it fine,” he said allowing his eyes to rake over her from head to toe. “But it disnae leave much tae the imagination, does it?” he countered, taking a step towards her.

Just as he thought she would, she took a step back, and her cheeks began to turn bright pink. “I dinnae ken what ye’re gettin’ at. ’Tis just a simple gown, naethin’ special,” she said.

“Aye, but if ye go about dressed like that,” he told her, fixing his eyes deliberately on her breasts, “kissin’ every Tom, Dick, and Harry ye meet, ye could find yersel’ in a lot of trouble.” He took another step towards her, giving her his best lascivious grin.

She stepped back again, but she appeared to rally, lifting her chin defiantly. “But I’m locked up in here, so I havenae seen every Tom, Dick, and Harry, have I? Apart from the laird and the servants, I’ve only seen ye. And ye’re the only one I’ve kissed.”

“That could be the biggest mistake ye’ve made so far,” he said, starting to enjoy teasing her. “Ye dinnae ken me at all. Ye think I’m kind, but maybe I’m nae at all. Maybe I’m as much a fool fer a pretty face as the next man. Ye have nae idea of what I’m capable of or how much self-control I have.”

She stared at him for a moment, seeming almost surprised. But then Liam spotted a glint of calculation in her eyes and knew she had not given up, not by a long chalk.

“Well, now, maybe I’d like tae find out,” she said provocatively, batting her long eyelashes.