Chapter Thirty-Three

Thane

Thane did his best to stay hidden as he approached Tamsin from behind. He'd learned she was practicing archery, but he wished to see how she was doing without alerting her to his presence. He didn't wish to intimidate her, and he feared if she saw him, she would freeze.

The truth of it was that he was jealous. This was a skill he needed, and he planned to learn to shoot in the future, even train some of his men to be archers. Their benefit from the top of a curtain wall is unparalleled.

Leaning up against a tree, he waited, surprised to see her fire two arrows in quick succession, one missing the target but the second one finding its mark just off the center.

"Spit and slime, I thought the first one was perfect."

He nearly chuckled but contained it. Eli had trained her apparently, not Dyna, because that was one of Eli's favorite expressions. Tamsin had chosen a most admirable woman to look up to.

Then he found himself doing something he hadn't expected. While she aimed the next arrow, Thane's gaze dropped to her curvaceous bottom, noticing the sweet globes peeking out from beneath her tunic. Tamsin was a beautiful woman, but she'd been in such unusual conditions that he'd not taken notice of her luscious curves. He surely did now.

Garvie was a fool. Thane's mind drifted to dangerous thoughts, but he decided to see where they took him. What if her husband didn't exist? Would Thane be drawn by Tamsin? He'd vowed to stay away from women, to stay far away from the call of any siren, though he would be embarrassed to tell anyone the reason why.

He'd hated his mother with such a passion that he swore never to love a woman, never to marry, never to have children.

Other thoughts had convinced him it was the most practical approach to his life, because he couldn't bear the other possibility happening.

He'd never implant a woman with his seed for the fear of finding her carrying his child. If he had to watch a woman raise his child the way he and his siblings were raised, he'd turn mad. To guarantee that this wouldn't happen, on the rare occasion when he'd had the need for release, he had pulled out before releasing his seed. While it had enraged one lass to see his seed on her leg instead of where it belonged, he vowed not to change. And he'd never had relations with that girl again since her actions had proven she only had one intention—trapping him into marriage.

That would never be his fate.

But watching Dyna and Derric had made him see a different side of life, something he'd never considered. They had a loving relationship and treated their bairns kindly. Not only did they treat them kindly, but they also spent time teaching them skills. All three could already fire arrows with their imitation bows. They carried themselves like miniature warriors, each one copying their mother.

He wondered if it was like that throughout their clan or if their relationship was an anomaly.

Watching the couple had also given him the unusual urge to wonder what it would be like to have true feelings for another. Curiosity made him want to explore such possibilities, to examine exactly what made the marriage happy. What the hell was this love the serving lasses all spoke of? He thought it to be something that existed only with the faeries, but Duart Castle had taught him otherwise.

He also had a niggling feeling, memories of another couple who had been happy, a vision from long ago, when he'd been very young, and Mora was just an infant. He had to guess it was his father. Had his mother been happy when their father was with them? He didn't have memories of the two together, for some odd reason.

He wanted answers to these questions but had no idea how to get them. His mother, if he ever did find her again, would not be free with this information. Of that much he was certain.

And watching Alaric and Eli carry on the way they did, so open about their intimacies, made him think of strange possibilities. Had one lass he'd rescued changed the caveats he'd held on to for so long? Had Tamsin transformed him? Or was the hatred for his mother embedded so deeply that he would never be able to adjust?

Could he ever marry?

Not yet. He wouldn't do that to another until he gained the one thing that possessed his entire being, caused him sleepless nights, made him tense when certain thoughts entered his mind.

Vengeance. He needed vengeance for the wrong done to him, to Brian, and most of all to Mora. But first he had to locate the bitch who had done them wrong. His goal was to start searching the outer islands once he had thirty men. Then he would be confident that he could leave men behind to protect his castle while he and another group traveled to Coll and Tiree. She had to be on one of those islands.

Tamsin shot another arrow and hit her target nearly in the center. Thane applauded. He couldn't hold back any longer. "Tamsin, what a fine archer you have become. You must spend a considerable amount of time here."

She whirled, blushing and hiding her bow briefly before bringing it forward. Thane approached her and took her other hand in his. "I would never ask you to hide such a skill. Be proud of your work and all you've accomplished." He stared at her, the blush in her cheeks matching the pink of her lips, and he was powerless to stop what he did.

He bent down and kissed her, a brief kiss, and he had no regrets, married or not, because she tasted as sweet as he'd guessed she would. But the best part was she didn't push him away.

"Forgive me. I know you are married, but I couldn't stop myself." He cupped her cheek and then brushed a stray hair back.

"Not in my heart. I've never been married to him in my heart. My soul cries for another life, one with my daughter, but not my husband. Perhaps that is wrong, but it is how I feel. I just have to find a way to locate my daughter and bring her somewhere with me."

"If you find someone willing to go for you, I will gladly join in that effort. I hope you will not return to him alone, because I'm sure it would be a death sentence for you. Next time he won't try leaving you in the sea. He'll do worse, Tamsin. Please act with care."

"I will. I've spoken with Maitland and Eli about accomplishing what I said, getting Alana away from him. They said we would be welcome to live here at Clan Grantham."

"And you would both be welcome at Clan MacQuarie."

An excited voice interrupted them. "I'm coming too! I'm going to show you how well I can shoot, Thane. Wait until you see how good I am!" Magni flew onto the field, a bow and arrow with him, his sister strolling along behind him. "Lia is going to watch."

Lia approached them, her hands behind her back, while Magni settled his things. The lass looked exactly like what Thane's vision of an angel in heaven would look like. "I like to give Magni pointers, if I am able." Her smile was as sweet as her nature. "I pay close attention to all his lessons."

Tamsin asked, "Lia, your gown is lovely. Is it new?"

She wore a green gown, the color of a summer forest, with golden ribbons across the bodice. "Sylvi gave this to me. She said she hates it, so I was pleased to find that it fits me perfectly. And Lady Dyna said to consider it a gift. I do feel that way about it because it is light enough for a lovely summer day."

Magni said, "Thane. Watch this!" And he fired two arrows that both missed. "Awww …" He ran after his arrows, returning to try again. "Now I'm ready. Watch me."

Lia said, "Remember to take your time, Magni. You do much better when you take things slowly. And please do relax your shoulders."

Thane glanced over at Tamsin to see if she had any thoughts about the two. Every time he listened to Lia, it was as if an eighty-summers-old wise woman spoke from inside her. So wise and careful for a five-year-old, he often held his tongue because he was fascinated watching her.

There was something different about Lia.

"I'm going to find Alaric and chat with him. We will probably take our leave on the morrow. I'm glad to see you have healed quickly, Tamsin. If I can help at all, please ask."

Dyna joined them with her three bairns. "I'll help Magni. You go do what you must, Thane. I hear you may take your leave soon."

"I may. On my next visit, may I reserve time to take archery lessons? I've always wished to learn."

"Of course! I'd be delighted to teach you. It will be interesting to see if you learn as quickly as Tamsin has."

He laughed and replied, "I doubt it."

Dyna's next comment surprised him. "Tamsin, are you returning to MacQuarie Castle or staying here?"

Tamsin looked up at Thane and asked, "Would I be able to return to your castle with you, Thane? I'd like to determine whether I can locate my daughter."

Thane paused for a moment, her request possibly forcing him to break one of his mantras. His one requirement of all his guards was that no adult females were allowed to live inside the castle walls. He couldn't risk watching any harsh treatment of a bairn. If he allowed Tamsin, he'd have to allow others inside.

But he had no choice.

"Of course."

What the in thunder was he to do now?