Page 77 of Wild Hearts

She held her breath and waited.

"I will simply leave you naked."

CHAPTER 17

As the Sea Witch-hove into sight of Cockburnspath Castle, Paris scanned the turrets. It was a habit he could not seem to break himself of. His lips compressed grimly as he saw no sign of a welcome.

James glanced toward the towers of the castle and said, "No point in my looking for my wife. She is off in Edinburgh, already squandering my money."

Paris shrugged; he would be damned if he would go running to her side like some eager schoolboy. He glanced at the sky. The light would be with them for another couple of hours, and it would-take them that long to safely get the horses off the ships and back into their stables.

He sent the twins ashore with the first boat, still undecided about their punishment. The sun was sinking fast as he and James finally took the last boat ashore. Each chest of gold coins took two men to carry up the cliff.

Paris went up to his chamber to bathe and change his clothes. When he saw no sign of Tabrizia, he thought cynically that she was off in Edinburgh with the rest of the little bitches, and it was a good thing he'd brought more gold, for she was proving damned expensive! Then his eyes fell upon the note. He took it up casually, then he read the words "I have your wife. John Gordon." He froze. Icy fingers closed about his heart and squeezed until all the breath left his body. The note was crushed to pulp as he threw back his head and screamed, "No!"

The bloodcurdling yell brought everyone in the castle. Alexandria clutched Mrs. Hall, whose poor face was swollen out of recognition from the tears she had shed. Paris was like a mad man, and it took the efforts of James and Troy combined to get a coherent story from him. They were all shaken as they learned that John Gordon had taken Tabrizia. Troy poured Paris a large brandy and brought it to calm him. He threw the liquor away from him savagely. "I need my wits about me to find her, you fool!"

He summoned every servant down to the last stableboy. He managed to establish that Shannon and Damascus had left for Edinburgh yesterday. Two old servants admitted they had seen a dark-haired visitor arrive today, but none had seen them leave. Mrs. Hall said she did not find the note until after lunch.

Paris had never felt such impotent frenzy in his life; he feared for his own sanity. He called down a curse upon the Gordons that would last throughout eternity. He was on the horns of a great dilemma, knowing not if she had been taken to Edinburgh or to Huntly or anyplace between, and the day's light had gone from the sky and already it was night. He shouted orders to begin searching. Torn between going out and staying put in case Gordon communicated further, he decided to lead the search.

They began at their own villages to see if any had seen the riders go through, but the answers always came back in the negative, driving him to desperation. He sent Troy with a dozen men to Edinburgh to see if they could pick up any trace. He dispatched Ian and another dozen to the port of Leith to see if they could find Gordon's ship. He and James searched in the vicinity, meeting back at the castle every two hours, all night long.

Paris tortured himself as he remembered how he had stabbed Gordon in the arm at their last encounter. Now Tabrizia would be made to pay for that reckless deed. Discouraged, they met back at the castle at four in the morning. James argued that it was fruitless to go back out in the dark. It made more sense to rest and regroup their strength for a couple of hours and go out again at six when daylight arrived. Paris reluctantly agreed and went off to his chamber; wishing to be alone in his misery.

He dared not let his mind linger on what John Gordon might do to his beloved, but rather he castigated himself for the way he had treated her. He had wanted her to admit that she loved him and was prepared to go to any length to goad and provoke such an admission. Now her loss was unbearable— unthinkable, even— for she was a part of him. The best part.

He swore an oath that if he ever came out of this, if he got her back unharmed, he would cherish and guard her forever. He realized with a dull ache that it was not necessary that she love him; it was enough that he loved her. His red hair stood wildly on end, from running his frantic fingers through it again and again. At half past five he could wait no longer and went to the stables to ready his horse. The stables were filled with Cockburn and Douglas men, and they passed around warmed ale and oatcakes to break the morning's fast. Paris gratefully shared with the men, then saddled his faithful, strong-legged mount: As he rode into the castle courtyard, a villager ran in waving a note. Paris snatched it up and read the words that filled him with dread. "I am finished with your wife. She is at Dunbar." His heart stopped as he saw that it was written in blood. The word finished pounded over and over in his brain. Either it meant he had killed her or ravished her, and Paris begged his God to let it only be the latter. His voice was ragged as he called out, "She is at Dunbar. I will go alone!"

He spurred his horse up the coast road, urging it on, yet dreading what he would find. If she was alive, he must convince her of his love; convince her that whatever Gordon had done to her, it could not destroy that love. He tethered his horse at the entrance to the tower at Dunbar and mounted the steps.

She closed her eyes and prayed as she heard her husband's unmistakable step upon the stair. How could she face him? How could she convince him that his sworn enemy had not lain with her? As he stepped through the doorway, she knelt upon her cloak with bowed head, her hair partially covering her nakedness. As he came and knelt before her to cut the bonds from her arms, she raised her eyes to his face, and the tears spilled onto her cheeks and dropped upon her naked breasts, which quivered with her silent sobbing.

"My precious one, I have never loved you more than I do at this moment." His arm slipped under her knees, and he lifted her tenderly and cradled her against his heart.

Her arms stole about his neck, and she hid her face against his chest. His lips gently brushed her temple as he held her securely, safe from further harm. She raised beseeching eyes to his and said, "Paris, I swear before God he did not touch me. He wanted to destroy your peace of mind for the rest of your life, simply by leaving me naked. Tell me that you believe me. Don't let him destroy us!" she implored frantically.

He looked into her eyes and saw, the purity there. This time there was a total honesty between them, and by some miracle, he did believe her. Without explanation, without proof, he believed her with all his heart.

"Oh, my love," she cried as he smiled into her eyes and kissed away the tears. He took off his cloak and wrapped her twice with it, then he picked up her cloak from the floor to wrap her legs for the cold ride home. Never had he covered five miles in less time, and his heart sang with every hoofbeat. As he rode into the castle yard carrying his precious burden, two hundred voices let out a great cheer that the lord's new bride was safe. Paris grinned down at her, and she laughed up into his eyes, almost delirious with the joy of being loved.

He didn't relinquish his burden until they were alone in their chamber. He sat her on the edge of the bed, then crossed the room to bring her a goblet of wine. He unwound his cloak from around her body and held back the bedcovers for her. He held the goblet to her lips while she took a sip, then he drank from the same spot.

She said, "I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday, the wine will intoxicate me."

"Nay, it will just make you sleep for a while." He stretched out beside her on top of the furs. "I'll be here while you sleep. I never want you to feel afraid again, love. I want this room to be our refuge, our haven away from the rest of the world. It has been that for me, except I always longed for someone to share it with. I want us to be able to be alone together here, to shut the rest of them out. Tabrizia, I want you so much. I need your warmth. I need someone to share with, to really talk to. I need to care deeply for someone and have her care about me."

She gave him a tremulous smile. "I was so afraid of you, and so afraid...." She blushed. "You are so big... I am afraid you will hurt me."

"Oh, God, I can't bear to see the apprehension in your eyes. I swear I never meant to be brutal with you. Let me make a promise to you. I will woo you with all the patience in the world. I vow not to demand your final surrender until you are ready and willing to yield it."

She reached for his hand and brought it up to her face in a loving gesture.

"Are you beginning to relax now, my honey love"

She yawned and snuggled down to rest.

When she awoke, the afternoon shadows were lengthening into twilight. She could smell food, and for the first time in a week, her stomach did not protest. Paris brought her a velvet bedgown, and as she looked up at him, she saw that he had shaved off his beard. Her face lit with delight, and she reached out a hand to caress the clean-shaven jaw. "Did you do this for me?" she exclaimed.

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