Page 48 of Kilted Hate

At first, his kiss was soft and gentle. His lips pressing against hers, waking parts of her she was not even aware she possessed. But she felt the want in him grow, and soon, his tongue slipped into her mouth, roving over her teeth, and twisting against her tongue. She could feel an ache at the apex of her thighs, and panting against his mouth, a desperate need for more overtook her.

Her whole body felt as though it were singing, and in that moment, she wanted more. So much more. She wanted to feel his hands on her body, she wanted to be even closer to him. She wanted?—

“Domhnall!”

The distant sound of one of the twins calling his name shocked her out of her reverie, and breathlessly, they parted abruptly. When Katherine gazed into Domhnall’s eyes, the sight made her heart flutter, for they burned with desire for her.

“I must go,” he growled. “Thora is getting mad that I’m keeping her waiting.”

Even the sound of his thick voice made her body react, and while she did not express it explicitly, she did not want him to leave.

“Domhnall?” Thora yelled again. “Where are ye? The horses are ready.”

Taking a step away, Domhnall said, “And now, ye have kissed a stranger.”

“But you’re not a stranger,” Katherine replied with a frown.

He smiled down at her. “I am today, for I am Fin, nae Domhnall.”

With that, he turned on his heels and with long strides, made his way to the door. He opened it, turned back, cast a smile at her, and then closed it again.

Katherine could only stand there, the remaining feelings of their kiss still lingering as they danced around her soul. A week ago, she could never have imagined being in such a state, and yet, while Domhnall was certainly rough around the edges, he had also displayed loyalty and strength in his protection of her.

More than that, he had shown a deep consideration for her. What other man would have gone to such effort to help her complete a list of sins? They were going to have to marrywhether they liked it or not, but he had not just tolerated her presence. He had gone above and beyond. Given his aversion for the English, surely that highlighted the depth of his character even more.

Katherine had wanted to hate him. Really, she had. But things hadn’t quite turned out that way.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

An hour after Domhnall had left, Katherine slipped through the corridors of the castle and made her way into the courtyard. The previous day, she had made discreet inquiries from the servants as to whether anyone might be travelling into the village that afternoon. Trusting that her question was an innocent one, the servant girl she had spoken to had told her that a carriage travelled to the village every day to pick up any supplies they need.

It had been just what Katherine wanted to hear, and now, with the hood of her cloak up, she lingered around the stables, watching the stable hands readying the horses and attaching them to more of a cart than a carriage. She eyed the vehicle carefully, noticing the layers of sackcloth lying on the base of it.

It is hardly ideal, but it will have to do.

Several moments later, a man climbed up on front, and with a light flick of the reins, the horses slowly walked forward. Katherine scurried past low buildings, following the cart as shewent. Around her, people were busy with their duties, and thus, paid her little attention, much to her relief.

As the cart continued its approach to the gate, she made a dash for it. If she left it too late, the guards at the gate would see her. With her heart thumping in her chest, she dropped her head, clambered onto the cart, and hurriedly pulled the sackcloth over her body.

She then held her breath.

The cart stopped at the gate as the guards spoke to the man for a moment, and then, to her relief, the cart trundled on. When she was certain they were through the worst of it, she let out a heavy breath, though her heart was still thumping in her breast.

The journey took some time, with her rocking back and forth and being entertained by the man whistling a tune. As they travelled, she thought about what she would say to Reginald when she saw him. Clearly, he was still adamant for his plan to go ahead. But things had transformed, and she had no idea how she was supposed to change her brother’s mind. Telling him that she was falling for the laird just wasn’t going to do it. Nor did she have any evidence that Domhnall had not been their father’s murderer. So, then, what was she supposed to say?

Her mind was still trying to work that out when the cart came to a stop. She waited for a few moments, before tentatively lifting her head. Peeking through the sackcloth, she noticed a row of low houses. Looking further up the road, she caught sight of the village folk. There were women laughing and talking, childrenplaying, and men in animated conversations. At the sight of them, another thought quickly passed through her mind.

I need to be on the lookout for “Fin”. He’s the last person I want to run into.

Slipping from beneath the sackcloth, she scurried off the cart, and, trying to look as normal as possible, continued on down the cobbled street at a normal walking pace. While it had been terrifying, she couldn’t help feeling a little proud of herself for managing to complete such a dangerous endeavor. Since being in Scotland, her life had certainly become a lot more exciting.

A young lass gave her directions to the well, and having arrived at it, Katherine could only wait. Her brother would be there soon, but rather than feel relieved, she realized that she actually felt nervous.

Behind her, the sound of rustling branches took her off guard, and stepping back, she watched her brother and three other men walk out from the trees.

“Katherine,” Reginald said. “It is good to see you.”

His tone and expression were as cold and distant as ever, which came as no surprise. Her brother would never change.

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