Highland Storms (40 page)

He jumped off the pony’s back and ran towards her, pulling her to him in another crushing embrace. ‘Marsaili! Thank God for that. I thought I’d gone the wrong way. It’s so damned dark here among the trees.’

He was breathing hard and she could feel his chest rising and falling against hers. It was a wonderful sensation and she briefly leaned her cheek on his shoulder, feeling like she had come into a safe harbour. ‘I just thought I’d better be careful, in case it wasn’t you,’ she explained, looking up at him. ‘I wasn’t sure you’d come.’

‘
Of course I’d come. If it was the last thing I did, I’d always come for you,’ he whispered. He stared into her eyes, searchingly, and asked, ‘If you’d want me to, that is. Do you?’

Although she knew he probably couldn’t see her all that clearly, she put her heart and soul into gazing back, then nodded. ‘Yes, most definitely,’ she breathed.

He closed his eyes in relief, then pulled her even closer and kissed her with almost savage intensity. His warm lips claimed hers as though he wanted to brand her, but she didn’t mind. It was what she wanted too. She was his, had been from the first time he’d kissed her, she thought. There had been no going back after that. She kissed him with equal ferocity, revelling in the feel of his tongue, the taste of him, the thrills which raced through her at his touch.

He broke off when she made a small noise of satisfaction, obviously misinterpreting it. ‘I’m sorry, am I hurting you? I don’t mean to, it’s just … I’ve been so afraid.’ He buried his face in her hair and stroked the back of her head and neck. ‘I thought I’d never see you again and that Seton had won.’

‘
No,’ she kissed his stubbled jaw line, her lips enjoying the soft bristles which tickled in the most delicious way. ‘I would have died rather than marry Seton. I told him so. I’d have gone through with it too because I thought you were dead. Those men, there were so many of them and their expressions …’ She shuddered.

‘
I know, but they hadn’t come to kill me. Seton couldn’t persuade them to do that, apparently, so they abducted me instead. I was to be sent to the colonies as an indentured servant. Ramsay and Alex too.’

‘
But you managed to free yourselves?’ She cupped his face between her hands, her heart beating hard with the realisation of how close to disaster they’d come.

‘
Yes, but it’s a long story so I’ll tell you later. Let’s go back to the others now. I don’t want to leave them for too long. There was some bloodshed, Seton and the Englishman are dead. I hope you’re not squeamish?’ He put a hand up to cover one of hers and turned his face to kiss the palm of her hand. Even this small contact sent a frisson of delight through her, right down to her stomach.

‘
No, I’ll be fine. And … I’m relieved.’ She’d been about to say ‘glad’, but realised she wasn’t. She hadn’t wanted Seton’s death, only for him to be punished for what he’d done. As for the Sassenach, he was unimportant.

‘
Come, then.’ He took her hand and held on to it as though he’d never let go ever again. With his other one, he caught the horse’s bridle. Thankfully the animal hadn’t gone far and was a docile creature. Brice mounted and pulled Marsaili up behind him, making sure she was holding onto him before he set off.

‘
Don’t worry, we’ll soon be on our way home.’ Then he laughed. ‘Home! How wonderful it sounds and how strange that the word now makes me think of Rosyth straight away instead of Sweden.’ He shook his head. ‘I hate to admit my father was right when he said I’d like it here, but even he could never have realised how much.’ He threw Marsaili a smiling glance over his shoulder. ‘And it’s all thanks to you.’

‘
Me?’

‘
Aye,
mo cridhe
,’ he said in perfect Gaelic. ‘Where you are will always be home to me. That is, if you’ve decided to accept my proposal? It seems so long ago now, I’d almost forgotten you have yet to give me an answer.’

Marsaili didn’t hesitate, but hugged him tight. ‘The answer is yes.’

Brice grinned at her. ‘Excellent!’

Chapter Thirty-One

It was a very weary group that entered the courtyard of Rosyth House two days later, drawing a collective sigh of relief. Their journey had been slow, partly due to the fact that two of the ponies had to carry two riders each, and partly because they’d taken it easy so Iain’s and Corporal Moore’s wounds wouldn’t bleed too much.

The moment the horses’ hooves touched the cobbled stones, however, the door to the great hall was thrown open and Kirsty came rushing out, closely followed by Flora, Ailsa, Archie and a whole host of other people. Last, but not least, Liath limped out wagging his tail furiously. Brice saw him and felt a great weight lift from his chest. He sent up a swift prayer of thanks to God.

Kirsty reached them first, just as Ramsay helped Iain off his horse, and she let out a cry of alarm. ‘My love, you’re hurt!’

‘
It’s nothing, a mere scratch,’ he hastened to reassure her. ‘A bullet grazed my shoulder, but I was lucky, it didn’t lodge in there.’

‘
Thank the Lord. Come, we must get you cleaned up and I’ll fetch some healing salve and …’ Chattering, she led her husband away, without noticing the smiles that followed the couple.

After letting Archie greet them with fierce hugs and a million questions, Ailsa came forward and took Brice’s hands, covering them with her own. ‘Welcome back, dear boy. Do I take it all is well now?’

He nodded. ‘Yes, everything will be fine I think. I’ll ask my father’s friend Rory to make sure of it and we have witnesses whose statements should clear all our names. The English captain didn’t actually have any warrants for our arrests and Iain told me the weapons horde the Sassenach found was left behind here with Seton for safe-keeping. He knows where it is so we’ll get rid of it as soon as possible. And as for Seton, I’m afraid he won’t be bothering anyone ever again. Neither will the Englishman.’

Ailsa squeezed his hands. ‘That is probably a good thing, sad though it may be. Now come indoors, all of you. We’ll have water ready for baths in a trice, although you’ll have to take turns, and there is food and drink. My daughters told me we had to be ready for every eventuality.’

‘
Thank you, it all sounds most welcome.’ Brice turned to Marsaili. ‘Would you like to have the first bath?’

‘
Yes, please.’ She glanced at her friend, who had ridden with Ramsay so as not to nudge Iain’s shoulder. ‘And I think Eilidh would be glad of one too. You’re sure you don’t mind her staying?’

They had discussed the woman briefly on the way home and Brice had agreed to employ her. ‘No, of course not, she’s very welcome.’ To Ailsa he said, ‘Could I have some food and drink brought up to my room, please? I’m too tired for anything else right now.’

‘
Of course. Go and rest, we’ll see you tomorrow.’

He headed for the house, just as a small whirlwind came flying out. Little Ida must have heard the commotion too and ran down the stairs to throw herself at her father. Brice laughed when she shrieked, ‘You’re home, you’re home! Did you buy me anything? Flora said you did.’

Ramsay looked confused and sent Flora an enquiring glance, but when she nodded imperceptibly, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, understanding dawned. ‘Well, if Flora says it’s true, it must be,’ he said. He lifted his daughter and began to walk towards the house. Flora stayed where she was, but then Brice saw Ramsay turn and hold out his hand to her. ‘Aren’t you coming? I’m relying on you to, er … show me what it is
I’ve
bought.’

Shyly, Flora reached out to put her hand in his. The last thing Brice heard before entering the house was Ramsay asking Ida, ‘Do you like Flora? Because I do and I’ve been thinking it might be good idea to ask her to come to Sweden with us. What do you say?’

And then Ida’s enthusiastic reply, ‘Oh, yes, Papa!’

Marsaili headed straight for her room and was glad when she didn’t have to wait long for the tub and hot water to arrive.

‘
Will that be all?’ the maid who’d brought drying cloths and soap asked.

‘
Yes, thank you. I can manage now.’ She just wanted to be left alone, have her bath and go to sleep.

She was bone weary, but it was a relief to pull off the clothes she’d worn for the best part of two weeks now. They were covered in dust from travelling and grime from the prison and she thought she could probably smell the scent of Seton on them too, which made her shudder. It was all she could do not to throw them straight into the fireplace and burn them. She knew they would always remind her of this ordeal.

Sinking into the hot water was bliss and she leaned her head back, closing her eyes with a small moan. It felt so good and she never wanted to come out.

‘
There was I thinking you’d only make noises like that for me from now on, but I see hot water will do just as well,’ a voice said from behind her, startling her into sitting bolt upright. She turned around, sloshing water everywhere.

‘
Brice! How did you … I mean, what are you doing here?’ She stared at the opening near the garderobe, knowing just how he came to stand in her room. ‘You weren’t supposed to use that,’ she added with a frown.

‘
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.’ He grinned and came over to kneel by the side of the tub, his eyebrows rising at the sight of her half out of the water. ‘I’m glad I came though. I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.’ She hurried to sink down, but it wasn’t much better.

‘
Brice, you shouldn’t be here,’ she tried to sound stern, but her pulse was racing and she knew she didn’t mean it.

‘
I just thought you might need some help, seeing as you looked so tired when you left me earlier.’ He picked up the soap and began to apply some to her back, while leaning forward to rain kisses along her collar bone and up her neck.

‘
Did you really? I think you had a much more selfish reason for coming,’ she said, her voice sounding breathless even to her.

‘
Hmm, you may be right.’ He continued to caress her back with one hand, while moving her long hair out of the way so his lips could work their way up to her cheek and from there to her mouth. ‘Do you mind?’

‘
Since you’re asking so nicely, no,’ she whispered.

‘
Good. Then perhaps there’s room for two in there?’ Without waiting for her reply, he stood up and pulled off his shirt and breeches, giving her a view that made her totally speechless. She took in the full glory of him, all hard muscles, golden skin and fading bruises. Then he lifted her bodily so he could sit down in the tub with her on his lap. It was quite a big tub, but Marsaili doubted it had been designed for two. She found herself extremely close to him.

‘
Brice!’ she protested, but she was distracted by the nearness of his still-bronzed chest and couldn’t stop herself from touching it.

He chuckled and pulled her round so she was straddling him, then he kissed her again, more thoroughly this time, while using the soap as an excuse to caress the rest of her. When he came up for air, he murmured, ‘I had another reason for coming, but seeing you in the tub almost made me forget.’

‘
Oh, and what was it?’ Marsaili didn’t really want to talk right now, but then the thought struck her that perhaps he’d changed his mind and didn’t want to marry her after all. In which case, she shouldn’t be doing this. She leaned back and looked at him, taking in the look in his eyes, the light blue darkened by desire. Just reading his thoughts so clearly made her feel weak.

‘
Down by the loch, when I proposed to you,’ he said, ‘I was an ass.’

Marsaili blinked. He
had
changed his mind. The thought was like a bucket of cold water thrown over her head. ‘How so?’ she asked, her voice a hoarse whisper. She swallowed hard. She didn’t want to hear his answer because she knew it would hurt.
Like hell!

He smiled at her, a languorous grin that stirred something inside her, despite her doubts. ‘I told you I didn’t know what love was. That I wasn’t sure such a thing really existed.’ He leaned forward to put the tip of his nose against hers and whispered, ‘I was wrong. Completely and utterly. I was deluding myself.’

She gasped, but was too stunned to reply.

‘
Love is when you realise a part of you will die if you can’t be with a certain someone. That life isn’t worth living if you can’t share it with that special person. That you want to kill, with your bare hands, anyone who comes between you.
That
is how I feel about you, Marsaili. I love you, with every fibre of my being, and I always will. Can you forgive me?’

‘
For what?’ Marsaili wasn’t quite sure what he was asking.

‘
For making you such a crass proposal, telling you I wanted you as my wife because I “cared” about you.’ He shook his head at himself. ‘I’m surprised you didn’t clout me. I deserved it.’

Marsaili breathed more easily at last and managed a shaky smile. ‘Of course I forgive you, especially after such a pretty speech.’ She ran her fingers down his cheek, rasping his stubble with her finger nails. He squirmed and smiled at her. ‘I think you’ve redeemed yourself, but you can always try a little harder to prove it to me.’ She moved provocatively on his lap and saw in his half-closed eyes that he took her meaning. His fingers started roaming again, distracting her from words.

‘
Gladly, but not until you tell me what I want to hear,’ he said, his voice husky with promise.