Page 76 of Once Upon A Haunted Castle
“My father will seek retribution against anyone involved. Whether it is you or me and Evanna or anyone who helps me, it will be terrible.”
“Then,” he whispered, kissing her forehead before releasing her, “’tis a good thing you and I are not in his grasp.”
He stepped away from her and she fought to control the fear that raced through her, making her tremble. If he had been lashed the way she had been, she knew he would be fearful, too. He entwined their fingers and held her arm near as they continued walking. Some of the tension in her dissipated as they meandered in the mist, following the water’s edge along the burn. Mayhap when she knew the whole of it, she would feel less afraid?
“Alex, tell me of our plans.” He nodded and guided her over a boggy place on the ground to part of the path that was drier.
“Brodie heads back to Knock Castle to tell my father about our marriage. In about a week’s time, he will meet us on the other side of Skye, near Kilmalaug Bay, to take us home... or to the mainland to my cousin.”
“Will Brodie be safe?” she asked. If his father were as ruthless and brutal as hers, no doubt Brodie would be endangered just delivering such news. She hoped Eoin MacDonald would not fault the messenger for the message.
“My father can be a right bastard when he wants to be,” he admitted to her. “He is canny though and will listen and decide the matter on the facts of it.”
Alex’s tone and expression told her that he believed that. She had seen her father deliberate on clan matters and make decisions and knew that his approach was very different. She did not doubt that The MacDonald, nephew to the mighty Lord of the Isles, would find pleasure in tweaking her father’s nose over this personal matter. The two powerful men, along with the head of the MacKinnons, ruled over the lands of Skye, playing one against the other in an endless game of power and control.
“If my father disowns me or disavows the marriage, I bring nothing to your clan, Alex.” She stopped and faced him. “Why would your father support such a marriage for you?”
“I think there are many reasons he would. You are my wife, chosen and married, in fact. He will stand by me in this, as a matter of honor if nothing else.”
“Alex, I should tell you—”
“Nay, Isabel.” He touched a finger to her lips to stop her words. “If he does not, if he refuses to honor my vow to you, we will seek a place with my cousin. ’Tis known that the other branches of our clan have no love for my father.”
Her fear about being pregnant and losing the bairn prevented her from forcing the news out. Nay, ’twas best to wait until she was certain, that there was no more bleeding or other signs of that condition, before sharing it with him. By then, they would be settled somewhere... together.
The winds picked up then and she could not help but shiver against it. It took little time for the warmer winds of summer to give way to autumn and then winter here. These storms could be vicious as they rolled off the sea and this one felt just that.
“Come,” Alex said, taking her hand once more. “We should return to the cottage before the worst hits.”
They were still some distance from the cottage when the mist turned to heavy rain and they began to run to take cover inside. Though out of breath when he closed the door behind them, Isabel felt alive for the first time in weeks.
She watched as he added some blocks of peat to the small hearth to warm against the growing chill. He stood and stretched, tossing his cloak over the pile of supplies and then hung hers on a peg by the door.
Something shifted within her then and she knew that she needed his touch now. Not the gentle, soothing caresses of last night. Nay, she needed to feel their passion course through her blood. She needed him to reclaim her body even as he held her heart.
“Alex?” she whispered, drawing his gaze to hers.
“Isabel?” Again, love and concern filled those eyes as he searched her face.
“Kiss me, Alex. Just kiss me.”
His momentary hesitation tore her apart. Was he so put off by her condition and the way her back looked that he no longer desired her? Guilt followed that seed of doubt for he had not shown any reluctance before this.
Then he strode across the small space between them, stopping so close she could feel the heat pouring off his body. He leaned down as she tilted her face up to his.
“You want me to kiss you?” he asked in a voice deeper than usual. Before she could say a word, he stared into her eyes. “But ken this—’twill be more than one kiss, Isabel. More than kisses as well.”
“I want to feel something other than pain and fear, Alex. I need to. So, aye,” she said, sliding her arms up around his neck. “Kiss me.”
