Highland Legends 04 - Captive Highlander (4 page)

“Aye, and what is my answer to
the English crown?”

“Surely you dinna think the
little twit could have pulled off something like that on her own.”

“She just admitted to being with
Keith. He would help her with anything.” Rannoch scowled. “Go and find out
what’s afoot. I will deal with Keith.”

Rannoch watched his stealthy
companion head off to do his bidding.

Chapter 5

Katie woke with a start, her body
quivering in delight. All night dreams of her captive’s touch tortured her
making her own flesh betray her with cravings for things she should not want
from him. A few well-placed splashes of cool water would quell the fires and
restore her reason. Taking off her sleeping shift, she went to her bathing
room, stood in the tub, and dumped a whole bucket of cold water over herself.

What magic had Ian wrought? She
should hate him for the things his clan had done to hers. Instead, she ached
for his touch and wanted more of this wonderful awakening. Surely, he cursed
her with some kind of sorcery.

Somewhat refreshed, she dried off
and pulled on her kirtle and overdress then used what her trusted servant set
out to bring order to her appearance. She wondered what Ian would think of the
simple, white linen gown. Did it make her look chaste? She did not feel
innocent since Ian’s touch.

There was a rap at the door and
Maura came into the room. “Did ya sleep well, Milady? I canna fathom why ya
spent the night out on Rannoch Moor. Keith should’ve brought ya back no matter
what the hour.”

Katie thought hard to form a
response. How could she keep her secret without an outright lie? The woman had
been at her side since her mother died. Tall and thin with mouse-colored hair,
Maura appeared to be frail. She was not. Katie would be lost without her.
“’Twas no fault of Keith’s. I wouldna come back.”

Maura put her arm around Katie’s
shoulders. “Even the strong need a respite from their burdens,” she said,
giving Katie a hug.

“Aye, so. Would you help with my
hair?”

In no time, Maura untangled
Katie’s curls and secured part of her hair back from her face. “How’s that,
Milady?”

Katie looked in the mirror. “’Tis
beautiful. Thank you.”

“Where are you off to?”

“Oh… here and there, there are
always things to attend to.” If Maura suspected anything, she did not voice her
concerns. Katie smiled and left the chamber. She sighed in relief when she
escaped Maura’s watchful eye. Katie needed to check on Ian, but there were
tasks that would not allow that until much later.

Early in the evening, Katie
finally made her way toward the dungeon. Something seemed out of place. She
kept hearing noises behind her. At first, she thought it was her imagination,
and then it hit her. Someone followed her. How would she explain carrying a bag
of food and supplies? Rounding a turn, Katie slipped her torch into a wall
bracket in the passageway. She ducked into a little-used storage room and
watched through a crack in the door as Draco Drummond walked by. He cursed when
he realized she disappeared. Draco came back through the passage and Katie
ducked behind some barrels in the store room. She heard him checking each
chamber as he went. He opened the door to the chamber where she hid and looked
inside.

“Blast, where did she go?” he
muttered, slamming the door closed and continuing up the passageway.

Letting out her breath, Katie
ventured out from her hiding place and peeped out the door. Draco no longer
prowled the lower halls. She could hear his footfalls in the distance. Was this
Rannoch’s doing? She had little doubt.

The time was ripe to see her
captive. If Rannoch had Draco following her, she must see Ian now. Slipping
into the hallway, she retrieved her torch and made her way towards the dungeon.

Ian had eaten the dried meat and
bread she left him and the water was gone. His stomach rumbled and his mouth
grew dry. How long had he been in this wretched cell? The lantern flickered out
long ago and Katie took the torch with her when she left him. No window lit the
space. He had no idea of time, only blackness interrupted by the nimble sounds
of rats getting closer. His captor should have come to feed him by now. What he
hungered for most was her presence. For years many a lass had tried to catch
his eye. Save for considering the possibility of a life with Skye MacLean, none
of them enchanted him the way Katie Blackburn did. This wisp of a woman who
used deceit to trap him and chain him took hold of his imagination in a way no
other had before.

Ian heard a noise in one of the
hallways. A light in the distance came closer until her shining face appeared
through the barred door to his cell. He rose to greet her. She dressed in white
linen, a simple shift that enhanced her striking coloring. It made her look
pure as fresh-fallen snow. “I brought you some food and water,” she said.

“I thank you for your kindness,”
he rasped. His hoarse voice rattled her composure.

Her hand shook as she placed the
key in the lock and threw open the door. “I am sorry it took me so long.” Going
to the table, she set down her lantern, water bucket, and the sack she carried.
“I have some candles for your lantern as well.” She put a fresh candle in his
lantern and lit it. Filling a cup, she came over beside him and handed it to
him.

Ian downed the liquid and walked
over to the table to get more. Katie stepped back allowing him to pass. He sat
on one of the stools at the table. She watched him with those sea-green eyes.
Again, he drank, but took it in measured sips until the cup was empty. “Thank
you, Katie.” This time his voice sounded normal.

She came closer and began taking
food out of the sack. Katie prepared a trencher with roast pork, cabbage, fresh
bread, a selection of cheeses, and cooked apples. She set it in front of Ian.

“You serve me a feast, Milady.”

“Aye, Milord. I told you before I
meant no harm.”

He rattled his chains at her. “No
harm?”

Ignoring the remark, Katie
continued. “There is a skin of wine for later. I added some smoked meat and
another loaf of bread as well.” Smiling, she dragged the other stool from the
table and pulled it just out of reach of his chains. Katie sat and watched him
eat. “I see I should have come sooner,” she commented. “You eat like a starving
man.”

“I have been here for some time.
I appreciate the light. Down here I have no sense of night or day.”

“’Tis evening of the second day
of your imprisonment,” she stated. “I suppose it has been a full day since you
last ate. I’m sorry. ‘Tis not my intent to hurt you in any way…. I… I had
things to attend to that kept me from bringing food earlier. If I am delayed
again in my visit, you have more candles for the lantern.”

Ian finished eating and leaned
back against the stone wall. He studied her in the flickering light. She was
young, but old enough. God, how he knew that. Her features were fine and her
skin creamy white. Red-gold hair cascaded to her waist. Her eyes grew stormy
when he baited her the day before. Every mood change reflected in their color.
He could tell how he affected her by their hue. Katie Blackburn captured him
with a grip stronger than his chains.

At the inn, he watched her eyes
glaze in desire with each stroke of his hand. Deep inside she wanted to join
with him. She had never been touched that way by another. He needed to have her
willing beneath him, to be the only man she knew in this way. This became his
punishment for every maid whose heart he had broken. He had a mad attraction
for the woman who held him prisoner in this dank and dirty cell.

“How did you ken I would be at
the inn?” he asked.

“My father received an invitation
to Laird Jared’s gathering. We thought you might attend.” She shrugged. “The
Stagg Inn is the only place with amenities along the trail. I took a chance you
would stop there on your return trip.”

“I stayed there on the way as
well.”

“Less people looking for you on
the return trip,” she said.

“Your father didna attend.”

“His choice.”

“I am surprised you bring me food
yourself.” Her eyes flickered briefly at his remark. He continued. “Why not
send Keith or one of your father’s men? Why does the daughter of the laird
attend me herself? I canna imagine your father approving of such a thing.”

“’Tis my duty,” she said a little
bit too quickly.

“Why? Did your own plan cast me
in this dinghy hole?” Leaning forward he pressed his point. “Your father doesna
ken, does he, virgin Katie?”

“’Tis not your concern.”

“Ah, so I’m right. You cooked
this up yourself.”

She straightened and stared into
his eyes. “What if I did?”

“You play with fire, sweet Katie.
You dinna ken the consequences of your actions.”

“Why? Because I am a woman and
dinna go into the field of battle.” She made a show of examining her hands.
“There is no blood on these hands, but I see how the ongoing clash of our clans
hurts my people. I would see this ended, even if I have to ransom you to make
it happen.”

He smiled into her innocent face.
“Your father starts much of the recent conflict by stealing our livestock and
attacking our villages.”

She rose from her seat and came
toward him. “That is a lie! Your clan does what you accuse mine of doing. I
wilna believe any of your rotten lies.”

“Pray tell, fair Katie, who told
you ‘twas my clan who started this mess?”

“My ward….” As the words fell
from her mouth, she realized her mistake. Ian Innes baited her and she revealed
more about her situation than she ever intended.

Her captive studied her. His
intense blue eyes scoured every secret from her one blunder. “What is wrong
with your father that you are now in the care of a ward?”

She must cover this somehow. “He
is ill and Rowan Rannoch has been appointed to direct the clan during his
infirmity.”

“Rowan Rannoch? It seems an odd
choice. Why not someone who is a blood-relation to the clan?”

“’Twas my father’s decision.”

“Did you witness him granting
this privilege to Rannoch?”

“Nay, Milord. I wasna present
when it occurred. I was told after.”

“By whom? Rannoch?”

Katie felt the blood drain from
her face. She had not questioned Rannoch’s authority over them. Rannoch said
her father did not wish to show favor by selecting one clansman over the other,
and so he gave Rannoch the honor. Was she truly as dumb as Ian now implied?
“Aye, so,” she whispered.

“Rannoch has much to gain by
taking over during your father’s illness. He controls the clan and all they do.
I assure you, fair Katie, ‘tis your own clan who has begun these skirmishes of
late.” He paused to let it sink in. There was no need. It fell hard upon her.

She worried so over her father
she blindly accepted all Rannoch said as true. Did Ian speak the truth about
the root of the trouble?

He let out a shallow laugh. “And
now you poke my father by ransoming me. What did he say to your demands? I
wouldna be surprised if he just storms the castle rather than comply.”

“I—I havena contacted him yet.”

Ian grinned. “So ‘tis truly just
you and Keith who know of your folly.”

“I didna think ‘twas folly. I
sought to end the conflict.” His eyes moved over her with interest. She felt
naked under his intense gaze. Katie turned from him to try and break the spell.
Quivering, she presented her back to him while she fought for composure.

Ian drew a ragged breath as he
watched her. All he wanted to do was shed his chains and pull her into his
arms. He could comfort her now that she began to see the truth. “Katie, you are
young and didna see Rannoch’s plot. Still you tried to fix the mess with your
courageous plan. Free me now and I wilna tell my father where I have been.”

She whirled to face him her eyes
blazing. “Who is trying to trick me now? ‘Tis you—you liar. Rannoch serves at
my father’s pleasure,” she said stepping closer.

He rose, grabbed her, and pulled
her into his arms pressing her against his hard body so she could feel every
solid muscle. Taking hold of her hair, he forced her to look into his face. “I
dinna lie, Katie. Rannoch is the deceiver.”

“I dinna believe you.” Her breath
came in short, frantic gasps. “‘Tis you who have much to gain. You only wish to
trick me into releasing you.”

She trembled as she attacked him
and God help him, he found it bewitching. Lowering his head, he found her lips
with his. She gasped and struggled, but he did not stop. The taste of her drove
him mad with desire for so much more.

Katie’s heart pounded in her
chest. What was he doing to her? The fire his touch ignited when they first met
burned again, sweeping over her body until she shook. His lips were hot and
insistent as he eased his tongue inside her mouth. He devoured her, sweeping
into her over and over. It felt like an act which should only occur in the
marriage bed except he used tongue instead of his tarse. He did nothing but
kiss her and a deep yearning began in her loins. She felt offended and eager
for more all at the same time.

Finally, his lips freed hers and
traveled down her neck with a string of wet kisses. Katie gasped and tried to
catch her breath. His every touch became magic. At last, he inhaled sharply and
stared into her eyes. She saw the flush on his face. Did her passion show on
her face as well?