Page 21 of The Irresistible Warrior
She shook her head. “How did he know I was here and not in my own cottage?” She shuddered at the thought of being caught there alone with no one to help her. No Declan to come to her rescue.
Declan reached out and gently brushed a lock of hair from her face, his thumb grazing her cheek. “A good question. How did he know where you were when you only moved here?”
She met his gaze. “Do you think this has something to do with the wish?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Though that would be the logical assumption. A father paying to get you out of the way, leaving it open for his daughter to have me.”
Aura smiled and proclaimed, “Well, she cannot have you. You belong to me.”
“Aye, and you belong to me and no one—absolutely no one—will take you from me.”
To her ears, it sounded as though he actually meant it and her heart and stomach responded with a flurry of flutters. She was not ignorant of what she might be feeling. She and her two sisters would talk about falling in love and how it might feel. That was when she was so very young and full of hope and dreams. Then she got older. Her sisters grew more beautiful with age while she grew plainer, and her hopes and dreams faded. She cared not for a man’s features, only that they pleased her and that he had a caring heart and would love her no matter what. His remark made it sound as though he truly cared about her, but could it be only wishful thinking on her part?
She brushed the thought aside. This was not the time for frivolous thoughts.
“As soon as the cleric arrives, we will wed, Hopefully, that will put a stop to a lot of this nonsense. I will see that guards are posted here at the cottage and see about having the clearing searched where you were to be left.” He paused for a breath. “Maybe you should retire to the keep for the rest of the day.”
She shook her head. “I have too much to do and I won’t let this frighten me away from what I love doing… working with and learning about my plants.”
Declan finally and reluctantly let his arm drop away from her waist. “No one touches you.”
Except me.
The words rang strong in his head and though he did not quite understand the fervor in which he felt them, it made no less of a difference to him.
Your marriage will be for life.
Wasn’t that what the witch had told him? Oddly enough, he didn’t mind the thought. He might barely know Aura, but for some reason he felt content with her, and he had never known that with any woman he had ever been with, and he liked the feeling.
“Guards will be at your door should you need anything, and I will return when I finish talking with Hamish.” He turned to walk away, then stopped. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I am, thanks to you.” She smiled, turned, and entered her cottage.
He felt a strange thud in his chest and then a sudden emptiness came over him as if he was missing something when she disappeared behind her door. He pushed it aside, having no time to think about anything but keeping Aura safe. He headed toward the keep, his jaw set tight. Whatever threat had come for Aura had just made itself his enemy.
And Declan MacCrone didn’t take threats lightly.
Declan foundHamish in the Great Hall, a scroll spread open in front of him and a tankard in his hand, muttering over clan inventory and whatever wasn’t adding up his way. He didn’t look up until Declan’s footsteps echoed through the stone chamber.
“You’re back quick. Didn’t expect to see you until?—”
“We have a problem,” Declan cut in sharply.
Hamish immediately straightened. “What is it?”
“Aura. Someone tried to abduct her.”
“What?” Hamish said, too stunned to say much more.
“She heard a sound behind her cottage, thought it was a cat in need of help, and a man forced her into the woods with a blade to her back.”
Hamish swore under his breath and slammed down the tankard. “Was she harmed?”
“Nay,” Declan said, though his tone was grim. “Shaken, but she held her own. I found them before he could get far.”
Hamish’s eyes narrowed. “And?”
“The fellow said he was paid to abduct her and leave her in a specific place… a ring of stones south of the village. Are you familiar with it?”
