Tall, Dark and Wolfish (30 page)

"Today," Sorcha said, shrugging her shoulders. "Why the rush?"

"They're the flower of forgiveness. And I may need forgiveness for what I plan ta do."

"Elspeth Campbel , ye
will
tel me what ye're speakin' of. And stop the riddles."

Elspeth closed her eyes tightly and spit it al out in one breath. "I'm going ta London ta find my father. I'm leavin' Edinburgh."

The girl blew out a relieved breath. "Is that al ?
Havers
, I thought ye were goin' ta kil someone or do somethin' despicable."

"Ye doona think leavin' the coven is despicable?"

"No. Because I ken ye'l be back."

But Elspeth wasn't so sure.

Thirty-six

Ben huffed past Alec MacQuarrie's harried butler and cal ed up the stairs, "Wil , where the devil are you?"

Alec's head popped out of the study doorway, one eyebrow arched. "For God's sake, Ben, have you suddenly lost al your manners? You don't walk into

a gentleman's house and bel ow."

The butler sniffed loudly from behind Ben as though to say,
Next time, remember that.

"Alec, I don't have time for manners. Where's Wil ?"

"Your lovely wife came for him awhile ago." Alec shrugged. "She said something about blueberry pie."

"It's a wonder I don't bleed blueberry juice," Ben muttered as he dashed back toward the door.

He didn't even stop when Alec cal ed, "Nice to see you, too, Ben. Do come again when you can stay longer. And have better manners!"

Over his shoulder, Ben made an obscene gesture in response. He heard Alec chuckle as he closed the door behind himself.

Ben jogged back to the cottage he shared with Elspeth. As he neared the house, he slowed and final y came to a stop outside the door, where he could

listen to the voices of his wife and brother.

"I'm quite glad ye've come, Wil iam," Elspeth said softly. "I've been worried about him."

Of course she'd been worried. He'd nearly mauled her like the wild animal he was right before the moonful.

"Understandable," Wil replied. "Ben has always been a bit odd."

Odd?
What a nice way to speak of one's brother. He snorted.

"Elspeth, what are you doing with him? You could do so much better."

"Better?" she echoed.

"Hmm. Me, for example. I'd love to get you naked," Wil said huskily.

Elspeth gasped as Ben flung the door open.

He had Wil pushed up against the wal within seconds. "How dare you speak to my wife that way?" he growled.

Wil smiled, a sparkle in his blue eyes. Elspeth giggled from behind him. She patted his shoulder. "He was but teasin' ye, Ben. He heard ye as ye came

down the walk."

"I believe you forget that I have the same senses you do. And you shouldn't eavesdrop, little brother. It's il -mannered."

First Alec and now Wil . Ben was in no mood for a reprimand about his manners. He grunted and removed his arm from beneath Wil 's throat. He turned

and kissed Elspeth quickly. "I missed you," he said as he tucked a loose curl behind her ear.

"I have good things in store for ye later," she said quietly. "After ye tel me about the land ye purchased." She raised one eyebrow and he nodded.

"I look forward to it."

Elspeth began to set the table and smiled at his brother. "Wil ye join us for dinner, Lord Wil iam?"

"I would love to, but I have an appointment in town with a lovely young woman I met at the Thistle and Thorn."

"An appointment?" Elspeth asked innocently as she sat down beside Ben. "At the inn? But I thought ye were stayin' with Mr. MacQuarrie."

"Love, I don't think you want to know the nature of Wil 's
appointment
." She colored prettily as Ben caressed her knee beneath the table.

"Oh," she replied quietly, realization dawning in her eyes.

Wil laughed. "Wel , I can't stay around you two for long anyway, or I'l get singed by the sparks." He bowed slightly toward Elspeth then glanced toward

Ben. "See you tomorrow. We've some things to discuss."

Ben nodded, avoiding his gaze.

After finishing their cock-a-leekie soup, Elspeth cut a slice of blueberry pie and placed it in front of Ben. Dinner had been a rather muted affair, as her

husband seemed consumed in his own thoughts. "What's it like havin' brothers?" she wondered aloud. Al her life she'd wanted siblings, and though Ben

and Wil iam had done nothing but bicker since Wil had arrived, there was a comfort in their exchanges.

"Irritating," he growled.

She reached out her hand to him. "Ye doona mean that."

He nodded. "I do, but I suppose it's nice, too. They do come in handy at times. Like when you're in the middle of a brawl in a rowdy pub." He chuckled at

her expression and chucked her chin. "Don't worry, love. No more rowdy pubs for me."

"Tel me about the land ye purchased. What's yer intention with it?"

"I thought you might want to stay here." He looked everywhere but at her.

Had he real y planned to stay in Edinburgh? "But what about London? Ye promised ye'd take me."

"Oh, I wil . I want to take you to meet my mother, though she's not in London this time of year. She resides at her family's ancestral home, Hampton

Meadows, in Surrey; but it's not far. I know she'l love you."

"But my father. The Society," she prompted.

"Oh, we'l see Major Forster and have him search the records for any clues to your father. But after al that you'l want to come back here. And I want

nothing more than to make you happy, El ie."

Though he hadn't spoken of his own happiness. "And what about what
ye
want? It's no' al about me, ye ken."

"I bought the land so that we could build a home and start a family. And my thought at the time was that it's fairly secluded, so I would have the privacy I'd

need when the moon is ful . But I'm no longer Lycan. So it's not a problem anymore."

"No longer Lycan?" She stood up swiftly. "What do ye mean no longer Lycan?"

"I mean I didn't change. So the moon means very little to me now." He tried to hide it, though there was pain in his eyes when they met hers. "But I have

you, so it's al right."

"It most definitely is no' al right." She pushed the blueberry pie toward him. "Eat up, because I wil find the Lycan in ye if it's the last thing I ever do."

"Maybe it's better this way. You won't have to worry about my hurting you again."

Elspeth's heart ached as he said the words; his weeklong isolation had left her worried and fractured while he was away. It hurt al the more knowing how

Elspeth's heart ached as he said the words; his weeklong isolation had left her worried and fractured while he was away. It hurt al the more knowing how

he must have blamed himself. She knew the loss of his confidence wasn't good for him. "Benjamin, ye dinna mean ta hurt me, I ken that. And truly, if I'd

known what ta expect, I doona think I'd have reacted the way I did. I'l be better prepared for next time."

"There won't be a next time, El ie. I'd rather cut off my own arm than ever hurt you again."

She rose from her seat and brushed the hair from his brow. "Please doona say such things. Seeing ye miserable is more painful ta me than a few

bruises."

He looked so forlorn, it nearly broke her heart.

"Wil ye do anythin' I ask of ye?"

"You know I wil ."

She kissed his brow. "Eat yer pie, Ben."

He groaned, but picked up his fork.

Ben nuzzled against Elspeth's neck. She slept so soundly, and her rhythmic breathing calmed him in a way he hadn't felt for days. There was something

about the woman in his arms. She brought him such peace and harmony. Al he'd given her in return was scaring the hel out of her and turning her life

upside down.

If he had it to do over, he never would have tangled her life with his. She was kindness, compassion, and purity al rol ed into one, and she deserved so

much better than him. But the die was cast. He was her husband in every sense, and nothing anyone could do would change that.

So he'd have to make it up to her. If she wanted the moon, he'd find a way to catch it in a net and offer it to her. If she wanted jewels or silks, he'd keep

her supplied in them for life. If she wanted to go to London… wel , he supposed, they'd leave as soon as possible.

Elspeth rol ed in her sleep and pressed a kiss to his chest. "I love ye, Ben," she whispered against his skin, and he felt the words deep in his soul.

He caressed her back and tangled his hands in her fiery hair. "Rest wel , El ie."

Thirty-seven

Elspeth grinned when Sorcha entered the cottage carrying a ful -grown hyssop plant. "Sorry I dinna make it back yesterday, El. I got a bit caught up," her

friend explained as she put the potted plant on the kitchen table.

Stepping forward, Elspeth ran her fingers over one of the pretty blue flowers. "Doona fash yerself, Sorcha. It's just fine."

The young witch glanced around the cottage. "Is Lord Wil iam no' here?"

Elspeth raised one brow. "Oh, I understand perfectly now, ye goose. Ye wanted to wait 'til ye thought his lordship was here ta bring me my hyssop."

Sorcha blushed. "He is rather handsome."

"Oh, doona start again."

Her friend giggled. "Ye're a mean witch, El. Ye have yer very own Lycan; why shouldn't I have one, too?"

"In the first place, I already told ye, Lord Wil iam is too old for ye. And secondly, from what Ben says, some English lass has hold of his heart." Though

Elspeth wasn't so sure if that was true. Why would Wil iam make an
appointment
with some lass at the Thistle and Thorn if this Prisca Hawthorne woman

held the strings to his heart? If Ben Westfield ever thought to do such a thing, she'd… wel , what would she do? The answer hit her and she bit back a

laugh. She'd turn him into a frog, like any other proper witch, of course.

"What are ye smilin' about?" Sorcha asked sourly. "I doona think it's amusin' at al ."

Elspeth hugged the girl tightly. "Doona fret, dear. I'm sure Cait'l eventual y tel ye who yer true love is."

Sorcha grinned. "Perhaps I should ask her specifical y about Lord Wil iam."

"Aye." Elspeth rol ed her eyes. "That'l go over real wel . Ye ken how fond she is of Ben. I'd love ta hear ye ask her about Lord Wil iam. Just give me time

ta get ta Aberdeen before ye question her, so the screaming wil na hurt my ears."

At that moment, Ben walked out of the bedroom, a devilish smile across his lips. He'd obviously heard every word, and Elspeth turned away from him to

hide her blush.

"Sorcha," Ben began playful y. "You're too sweet a girl to lose your heart to my scoundrel of a brother."

She didn't even have the good sense to be embarrassed that he'd caught their entire conversation. "Is there real y a lass in England?" Sorcha asked,

stepping closer to Ben.

He patted the top of her head. "Yes, and a wonderful lass she is, too. He broke her heart, and I won't let him do the same to you."