Highland Love Song (DeWinter's Song 2) (33 page)

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Aunt Mary's autumn ball had drawn only the most aristocratic of London society.

Arrian was seated with her aunt as they watched dancing couples whirl merrily around the polished floor. She had come to London to be with Aunt Mary, hoping to cheer the dear lady and to forget her own unhappiness for a while.

"It's hard to think of frivolity when so many of my contemporaries are dying," Lady Mary said. "That's what happens when one reaches my age."

Arrian patted her aunt's hand. "It's not like you to be morose. I have always looked to you as my inspiration."

Lady Mary shook her head. "Here I am going on about my troubles, and you are the one who needs cheering."

"I am happy enough."

"How would you like to go to Paris?"

Arrian smiled. "Aunt Mary, you know you hate sailing, and unless you can sprout wings and fly, I know of no other way to get there."

"Perhaps I can walk on water."

"I would not be in the least surprised, but alas, you would have to carry me."

"If you don't want to go to Paris, how about Venice?"

"You would still have to sail."

"I'd do it for you, dear."

"No, Aunt Mary. When the season is over, I'll be returning to Ravenworth. Perhaps you would like to spend the winter with us in the country."

"Yes. Perhaps I shall. It's so bleak here in winter."

A young gentleman stopped before Arrian and bowed politely. "Would you do me the honor of being my partner for the next dance?"

Arrian wanted to say no, but she nodded, knowing that Aunt Mary would expect it of her. As she was whirled around the dance floor, her mind was on a pair of silver eyes that could rip a woman's heart apart. Warrick was never far from her thoughts. He was, after all, her husband.

The dance ended, and Arrian's partner returned her to Aunt Mary, who was surrounded by several young ladies all buzzing excitedly. "Tell me who is he, Lady Mary? If you know him I insist on being introduced to him at once."

Arrian was curious. "To whom are they referring?"

"That handsome man who stands near the door." One of the girls pointed with her fan. "I'll just die if I don't get to meet him. I've never seen him before."

Arrian still couldn't see the object of their curiosity because the dancers were blocking her view.

Lady Mary smiled, her eyes dancing with mischief. "That, my dear young ladies, is a man who has come to see only one woman. If I introduced him to you, he wouldn't even see you."

One girl was insistent. "But who is he, and who has he come to see?"

"He is Lord Warrick Glencarin, chief of Clan Drummond, and he has come to see only Arrian."

Arrian's face paled as she turned around to see the man who now stood behind her. Her heart stopped beating as she stared into those wonderful silver eyes.

He was dressed in a formal black suit with a white ruffled shirt and diamond studs.

Warrick smiled down at Arrian, and she wanted to run into his arms. She had not realized until this moment what it felt like to be truly alive. The music was sweeter, the laughter merrier.

Warrick held his arm out to her. "Will you dance with me, my lady wife?"

She dipped into a curtsy and placed her hand on his arm. "It would be my pleasure, my lord."

The other young ladies gaped at Arrian as Warrick guided her into a smooth dance step, his eyes never leaving her face.

"I didn't know Arrian was married," one of Lady Mary's companions said. "None of us did," another girl remarked.

"Indeed, she is married." Lady Mary laughed, her gloom all but disappearing. "Don't you think they make a wonderful couple?"

Arrian stared into eyes that looked right into her soul. "You are a long way from home, my lord."

His voice was deep. "Indeed, I am."

"And you dislike England so much. I'm surprised to find you on our soil."

There was laughter in his eyes and a lightness of manner that she had not seen before. "I have come to appreciate many things that are English."

"Is it permitted to ask why you are here?"

"It's very simple, Arrian. You see I've come for something that belongs to me."

She was breathless as she asked the next question. "And what would that be, my lord?"

"You, my lady wife. I have come to take you home."

Tears swam in her eyes, dimming her vision. How wonderful it felt to be enclosed in his arms. "Are you certain this time, Warrick?"

"More than anything in my life. I am only half alive without you. Come home with me, Arrian. You don't have to love me. You don't even have to share the same bedroom with me if it's not your desire. Just be near so I can see you every day and talk to you."

The music stopped, and Arrian realized that she and Warrick were standing in the middle of the floor and everyone was staring at them.

Lady Mary appeared at their side and kissed Warrick's cheek. "It's about time you came." Then she raised her hand, calling for attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce my nephew by marriage, Lord Warrick Glencarin of Scotland."

Soon Arrian and Warrick were surrounded by a curious crowd who plied them with questions. Eventually they were swept away from each other by well wishers.

Again Lady Mary interceded. She rescued Warrick from one of the young ladies who had wanted to meet him earlier. Pulling him off the dance floor, she quickly whispered, "Go upstairs and turn right. Her bedroom is the third door. Wait there and I'll send her to you."

Warrick beamed at her. "Have I told you that you are wonderful?"

She laughed softly. "Go on, you devil. It's not an old woman you need to charm. Save your compliments for your wife."

Arrian hurried up the stairs and entered her bedroom. She was immediately caught in Warrick's arms, and he smothered her with hot kisses.

"I need to touch you, to know you are real," he breathed against her ear. "I can live again—feel again."

She held his face between her hands, hardly able to speak. "I still can't believe you are here."

"Be warned, Arrian, I won't leave without you."

"There will be no need for that, my lord."

He searched her eyes. "Can it be that you are glad to see me?" He lifted her hand, and when he saw his ring circling her finger his heart swelled with pride.

"Indeed," she said, pressing her face against his. "But I never thought I'd see you again."

"You should have known I would come for you one day. Can you ever forget about the pain I put you through?"

"It's all but forgotten," she said, surrendering to his burning lips.

Arrian was surprised when Warrick broke off the kiss and moved away from her. "Before I lose my head over you, I want there to be a clear understanding between us."

She folded her hands demurely in front of her and smiled. "If that is your wish."

He moved back a few paces, as if he didn't trust himself not to touch her. He tried to appear calm, but Arrian saw his knuckles were white from clasping his hands together so tightly.

"There is no reason you should ever trust me, Arrian. I'm not proud of what I did to you." He took a deep breath. "I didn't love you then, but I desired you more than any woman I had ever known. The fact that I wanted you fueled my anger."

"And now, my lord?"

"I . . . love you, Arrian. I have never said this to another person in my life."

She moved to him and gently touched his face. "Will you say that to me often?"

"Every day for the rest of our lives." He pressed her hands in a warm grip. "I cannot say the hour or the day I came to love you, because I would not even admit to myself how I felt about you. I was in my own secret hell, loving you and thinking you loved Ian. I now know that was not the case."

"Are you sure you want me, Warrick?"

He spoke in a painful whisper. "With all my heart, Arrian."

Happiness rushed through her like a gathering tide. "And you have put pride aside and come to me with humility. Knowing what a proud man you are, I can only guess how difficult that was for you."

He raised her hand to his lips. "I would have borne anything just to look upon your face again—to touch you—to ask you to forgive me."

Her eyes shimmered with joy. "I loved you that day in the lodge," she said. "I gave myself to you with no regrets."

Warrick studied her hands before he looked into her eyes. "I had never met anyone like you. The more I was with you the more I felt my control slipping. One look into those blue eyes made me question everything, because I could see myself as you saw me. You will have to understand, Arrian, that I had lived with hatred for so long I had trouble setting it aside."

"I also saw so much good in you, Warrick. You were unselfish in your devotion to your clansmen. Mother believes you allowed us to escape that day she and I left Ironworth. Did you?"

He closed his eyes. "Aye, I allowed you to leave. It was the hardest deed I have ever done, to watch you leave, knowing I was losing the best part of myself."

"Oh, Warrick, I have been miserable without you. I would never have left you if you had told me that you loved me. I thought you loathed me because of who I am."

"Dearest Arrian, I could never hate you. Your sweetness touched a part of me that I thought was dead. You made me feel alive. You made me think of the future instead of looking back at the past. For better or worse you have made me a changed man. You know Ian is dead?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for him. I remember a time when he was gallant and I'll try to remember that about him."

"You loved him?"

"What I felt for Ian was a young girl's fantasy. I discovered true love only from you, Warrick."

He stared at her as if he could not believe her words. "You have no reason to love me. But I shall cherish you, dear Arrian. I hope never to hurt you again and will strive to be worthy of your love."

"The blood feud is ended?"

"I can promise you it died with Ian Maclvors. We'll join the best of both bloodlines, and hope that our children will never know hatred."

She touched his hair so tenderly. "Oh, Warrick, I would like that."

He laughed and pulled her against him. "With you and me ends the blood hate. Do you agree?"

"It was never in me to hate you, Warrick. Perhaps because I was far removed from Scotland and was not caught in this ugliness that you had lived with all your life."

"I want to put that behind me. With your help I believe I can."

He stared at her for a moment as if he wanted desperately to say something and didn't know how. At last it came out in a rush. "I haven't done anything in my life to deserve you. But I love you with each breath I take. I need you to be with me to fill the emptiness in my life." He softly touched her lips. "Let me hear again that you love me."

"I love you, Warrick Glencarin. I always will."

He hugged her tightly. "I will need you to tell me that often."

She glanced up at him. "What made you come after me?" she asked woman-like.

"I got an inkling that you might have affection for me when you convinced Jamie to return my sister's dowry and the lands of Kilmouris." He raised her small hand and kissed the ring on her finger. "But what really convinced me was when Lord Jamie told me that you wore this ring for all the world to see."

He pressed her hand to his rough cheek. "With you beside me, there's nothing I can't do. I want sons and daughters. I want you in my bed, where I only have to reach out for you." His eyes softened. "I'll change into whatever you want me to be."

She pressed her cheek to his, and her arms slid around his waist. "Don't change too much. I like my wild, arrogant Scot, who commands the world to bow before him."

He shook with laughter. "Except you, Arrian. I could not command you."

"That which you could not command, Warrick, you won with honeyed words. You have the gift to turn a woman's head, you know." Her blue eyes danced. "But be warned, you will have only one woman in your life and it is to be me."

"Pray God that I can make you happy."

"I thank God for allowing you to love me, Warrick."

In the distance they could hear music from Lady Mary's gala. But the sound was soon drowned out by the beating of the lovers' hearts.

She pressed against him, her heart overflowing with love. "I have needed you so desperately, Warrick."

"Arrian, Arrian, never leave me again. I could not live without you."

Arrian seemed to float back onto the bed as Warrick came down beside her. "You have so much, Arrian, what can I give that you don't already have?"

She laughed. "I would like a silver-eyed son. And that, Warrick, only you can give me."

"It would be my greatest pleasure, my lady." His laughter was deep. "I find myself wanting to start now."

Locked in each other's arms, Warrick was only aware of the pleasures that awaited him when he took his wife to bed.