Page 30 of Highlander's Caged Rose
Just then, Niall opened his eyes. For a few seconds he looked rather startled, then he smiled at her and kissed her lips softly.
“Good morning.” Moira greeted him with a smile. “Did you sleep well?”
“Better than I have for years,” he replied, yawning and stretching, showing Moira the expanse of his beautiful body once more.
Unbidden, a memory of her husband’s scrawny frame came into her mind, but she shooed it away, and revelled in the sight of the truly magnificent sight before her. The contrast was like night and day.
At the sight of him, Moira realised she was naked, and hastily drew her bedsheets up to her chin, but Niall merely laughed and pulled them gently down again.
Moira, my love,” he said, “don’t be so modest. After what we did last night, there is absolutely no need to be. Sharing your lovely body with me was the greatest gift I have ever been given.”
“But I have so many scars,” Moira protested. “I feel so ugly.”
“No more scars than I have,” he said. “And you are certainly not ugly. In fact, they only make you more lovely in my eyes because I know you have been through the same hurt and pain as I have. We share that, so we understand each other, and I would never have dreamed that someone as fierce as you would be shy. I’m seeing another side of you now, and it makes me love you even more.”
Tears pricked Moira’s eyes as she gazed at him, this man she loved more than life itself. He leaned in to kiss her and his chest touched her breasts, almost setting them both on fire again.
“I wish you could stay with me like this forever,” Niall said sadly. “We could wake up in the morning and kiss each other, make love whenever we wanted. I could have beautiful dresses made for you, and we could have lovely children who look like you.”
Moira smiled. “I never had an example of a good mother to follow, and neither did you. If we ever had children, would we even know how to bring them up properly? I would hate to give them a childhood like ours.” Then she shook her head. “But that will never happen, Niall. It is a fantasy—a beautiful fairy story. Your bride is arriving any day now, and I must be gone before she gets here.”
“How do you know when she’s coming?” Niall asked, frowning.
“Glennie told me,” Moira replied.
Niall laughed. “Glennie!” he said fondly. “I should have known. But you know that she wants you to stay, too. She has told me countless times.”
“I know.” Moira wiped her eyes. “She is the only friend I have ever had, Niall.”
“Then stay.” He cupped her face in his hands and looked deeply into her eyes. “I would do anything to keep you here with me.”
Moira gave a gasp of fear as her mind leapt back to her husband’s treatment of her, but Niall quickly saw his mistake. “No, Moira! I would never imprison you here,” he said tenderly. “But I wish there was some way I could make it possible.”
“You and I are not destined to be together.” Moira’s voice was firm, but sad.
“And what are you going to do when you leave here?” Niall asked, frowning. “You said something about an aunt in Aberdeen.”
Moira sighed. “She is my father’s sister,” she replied. “I just wanted you and Glennie to stop asking me questions, so I told you that to satisfy your curiosity. I will never go there, believe me. I would not be welcomed with open arms.”
Niall gazed at her, taking in Moira’s sad and desolate look. He guessed rightly that Moira wanted to stay at Baltyre as much as he desired her to. As well as that, he wished that he could call off his wedding, or go through it with a different bride.
He imagined Moira coming down the aisle towards him, looking as fresh as a spring flower in a pale blue satin dress. She would be dedicating her future to him, putting her whole life in his hands, and he would welcome it, cherish it, and join it with his forever. If only. If only it could really happen, he would be the happiest man on earth.
Could he somehow make it so? He had to find out what she wanted to do next; perhaps he could come up with a better suggestion, something that would keep Moira here beside him, although her determination to leave seemed implacable.
“So if you are not going to your aunt’s,” he said, stroking her shining blonde hair gently. “Where are you going? Do you have any kind of plan?”
This was the question Moira had been dreading. Her mind had been so full of Niall that she had not been able to think of anything else, and she was up against the same problem as before; money, or lack of it. Still, she thought, she had enough to get by for a little while, and during that time she would think of something, even if she had to work in a tavern or become a chambermaid.
“I do have a plan,” she replied. “But it’s best that you don’t know about it, Niall.”
He looked at her, exasperated, wondering why Moira was always so secretive. Surely, she knew by now that he meant her no harm. On the contrary, he would protect her with his life. And after the night before, he had shown her all the love that was in his heart. Why was she still so hesitant? What was she holding back from him?
“If you do leave, sweetheart,” he said tenderly, “know that you will always have a place here in the castle. I will always protect you, never fear.”
“Remember what you told me about not wanting trouble with the other local Lairds?” Moira arched a brow mischievously as she looked at him.
“That was before I came to know you, Moira,” he replied. “Do you not trust that I would do anything for you? If you leave, I will be heartbroken.” His expression was infinitely sorrowful.
