Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Alexander guided the big bay straight to the stables when they arrived back at the keep. The courtyard was busy as the inhabitants went about their daily business.
He dismounted and reached for Helena to help her down without a word. For a brief moment, he thought she may break the silence. Instead, she opened and closed her mouth several times, then turned away from him and headed toward the main hall.
He watched her go, her long dark hair glistening under the midday sun. He waited until she disappeared inside before he turned back and took the horse into the stables. Dozens of thoughts assaulted his mind all at once.
She had enjoyed their kiss; he had kissed enough lasses to recognize the signs. The way she had melted against him, the way her breathing had quickened, the way her fingers dug into his flesh.
All this hot and cold friction between them wasn’t helping his self-restraint. In fact, he was fully aware that it was growing weaker. He was in dire straits and needed a release.
If ye had taken the lass to bed and consummated yer marriage like ye should have done, ye wouldnae be in such a state now, would ye?
His mind continued to wander until they headed to bed.
Lately, he had taken to watching her sleep. Her soft, feminine breaths soothed him as he watched the rise and fall of the swell of her breasts. He fell asleep staring at the enchanting way her hair fell around her like an ethereal crown.
He woke up the next morning and headed to the stables. The lass was still sleeping, as she was much his opposite; she would snuff out the candles and wake up well after sunrise. He wondered if it was not an attempt to avoid him as best as she could.
The bay drew him out of his thoughts, nudging him impatiently. Lost in his daydream, Alexander had yet to remove the horse’s bridle so that he could eat his hay.
“Aye, I ken, I ken. Ye’re dyin’ of hunger, are ye nae?” he said affectionately.
Alexander unbuckled the throatlatch of the bridle and slipped it over the horse’s ears. He was careful not to clank his teeth with the metal bit, attempting to guide it out of his mouth while the horse spat it out, eager to resume his munching.
The horse had been a gift from his father and was one of the constant warm reminders of all their years together.
Alexander had been close to his father, not merely because he was his heir but because he had admired the man. He had desired nothing more than to create a legacy his father would be proud of when his time to lead the clan came.
He thought he had been well on the path to such a legacy when he had brought the lass here to wed her. Now, he wondered if it was all in vain.
Had he not accepted her proposal, he would have missed out on the one opportunity to stop the war. He would have failed in his duty to his clan. Any opportunity to end this war was his responsibility to pursue.
The men who had attacked them outside the village had been wearing her clan colors. Helena had not remarked on it, but she would have had to be blind not to notice their kilt colors. Which he knew very well she was not. Naive she may be, but she was not blind.
Halfway up the stairs, Helena was stopped by the red-haired maid, Felicia. The maid was wearing the same scowl she had worn on her wedding day.
She unceremoniously thrust a letter into her hands and retreated without a single word.
“Thank ye,” Helena stammered as the girl disappeared, her voice echoing down the stone stairway.
The only response was the clicking of the maid’s shoes as she descended the stairwell to the ground floor.
Well, that was odd. Perhaps that girl isnae right in the head after losin’ her entire family?
Remorse filled Helena as she considered the redhead’s situation. Leaning against the wall, with that somber thought in mind, she examined the letter, noticing that the wax seal had already been broken.
Apparently, Alexander doesnae trust me either. He is havin’ me letters read.
She unfolded the letter and quickly read its contents.
Dearest niece,
With your father’s permission, I will be arriving in three days with a small escort.
He is not happy with your decision to run away and marry.
Though I look forward to witnessing your infatuation with each other, as per the note you left behind.
I expect that he is providing for you as the lady of the clan.
All my love,
Sophia Fraser.
Helena needed to speak with Alexander right away. A wave of panic washed over her. He had never had the pleasure of meeting Sophia Fraser—he had no idea the hell that she could unleash.
As much as Helena loved her, she knew her aunt could make a world of trouble for them if she thought for even a moment that Helena was unhappy or not being cared for.
I need to warn Alexander. If I cannae get him to play along, she will never leave. Or worse, she’ll tell Faither that I need to be rescued.
Worry coursed through her, creating a sense of urgency.
Descending the stairs quickly, she wasn’t paying full attention to her surroundings and ran straight into Alexander on the bottom step. Her weight did her no favors, as she bounced off his chest with a humph. The man was as hard as a stone wall.
“Lass, what’s gotten into ye today? Runnin’, runnin’—ye’re always runnin’,” he joked, steadying her with his hands so that she didn’t trip back up the stairs.
“Sofia—Aunt Sofia—she’ll be here in three days,” she blurted, excited and panicked at the same time, waving the letter in his face.
“She’ll ken that things arenae as I said.
She has a keen sense like a hound. We have to convince her that all is happy and well.
That we”—she lowered her voice to a whisper—“that our marriage was consummated.”
A wicked grin spread across his face as he leaned against the wall, folding his arms over his chest with a light laugh. She looked at him, completely confused as to why and how he found this matter amusing.
“Well then, I guess ye’ll have to get over yer aversion to me touch.”
“I dinnae have an aversion to yer touch.” She took a step back when he pushed off the wall and stepped closer to her. “Well, nae exactly. It’s just… new.”
“Perhaps we should practice, then.” He advanced on her as if to wrap an arm around her waist.
Using both hands, she pushed against his arm, frustrated with his lack of seriousness.
“Nay, I think nae, especially nae here for all to see,” she protested. “This isnae a joke.”
“Oh, come now, lass. Let them see.” His grin turned taunting. “That would be convincing, would it nae?”
He brought his hand up to touch a strand of her hair, examining it absently as he ran it through his fingers.
“For who? Ye? The servants? We need to convince me aunt, nae them and nae ye.” She crossed her arms over her chest, stepping back up a stair to be at eye level with him.
The two of them stared at each other wordlessly, each holding their ground.
“Ye need to be more comfortable in me presence, lass.”
“I dinnae ken what ye mean, Me Laird.” Her voice shook slightly, her stomach fluttering at his proximity.
“Aye, lass, I think ye do.” Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her against him. “And that is something we must begin to rectify before yer aunt arrives, if she is as troublesome as ye say she is.”
Helena didn’t struggle against his hold, but a hint of fear flashed in her soft doe eyes. More than that, there was curiosity and hot desire in them.
“Ye have nay choice now, lass, but to let me touch ye.” He leaned closer to her, his lips nearly touching hers, not breaking eye contact. “To let me kiss ye.”
Alexander closed the gap between them and melded his lips to her soft ones. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip, seeking entrance, and she opened her mouth on instinct. Her breathing grew heavy as he deepened the kiss and pulled her more tightly against his body.
“Oh, excuse me.”
The shocked feminine voice interrupted their moment of passion, forcing them to pull away from one another. Both turned to look at the newcomer in surprise.
Astrid was one of the kitchen maids. She was quiet as a mouse, and neither had heard her approach, too caught up in their war of wills. Helena blushed feverishly at being caught in such a position, even with her husband. She felt utterly embarrassed.
The maid averted her gaze, her cheeks flushed, and brushed past them up the stairs, disappearing as quickly as she had appeared. Michael appeared a few minutes after her, fiddling with his kilt.
“Oi, Braither. I hear congratulations are in order.” He clapped Alexander on the shoulder as he passed him and looked back over his shoulder at Helena. “She hasnae even been here a fortnight and I hear ye’re already expectin’ bairns.”
“What?!” Alexander and Helena exclaimed in unison.
They had the same shocked looks on their faces, and Helena noticed Michael barely holding back his laughter.
“We havenae e-even—” she stammered.
“What she means to say is that she isnae with child,” Alexander cut in quickly.
Helena looked at him curiously, wondering why he didn’t want even his closest confidant to know that their marriage remained unconsummated.
“Got it, Braither. It’s still a secret, huh? I’ll keep it to meself, then.” Michael threw his hands up, turning to face them both and slowly descending the next stair. “I’m just surprised and excited, is all.”
“She’s nae pregnant, ye numpty!” Alexander hollered, pushing his brother lightly to emphasize his point.
Michael flailed his arms to keep his balance on the step.
“De ye ever think before ye speak? Now, tell me, where did ye hear such a rumor?”
“A man shouldnae kiss and tell, ye ken?” Michael teased. “It’s nae good manners. Didnae Maither teach ye that?”
Perturbed, Alexander grimaced, his eyes darkening with frustration. With a low, throaty growl, he reached out and smacked his brother upside the back of his head.
“Ouch! Apparently, it’s all the buzz around the castle. Astrid just informed me when she met me in the servants’ quarters, that’s all,” Michael said innocently, rubbing the back of his head, having the decency to look abashed.
“Ye will find out from that bonnie lass of yers who she heard such rumors from and who they heard it from. Right back to the source. I willnae have someone spreadin’ rumors in this castle,” Alexander grunted.
“Aye, aye. I’ll look into it, though I dinnae think it would be so bad if the lass were expectin’. Ye are married, after all,” Michael said somewhat resignedly. “I, for one, wouldnae mind bein’ an uncle.”
“The servants’ quarters? Why would ye be in the servants’ quarters?” Helena asked innocently, confused.
Both men looked at her as if she were daft. Staring at her, waiting for her to put two and two together.
“Oh… Astrid… Ye… I see.” She looked down at the stone step she was standing on, feeling like a small child who had forgotten her lessons. “Never mind.”
“Aye, lass. Me and Astrid.” Michael chortled as her face grew redder with embarrassment.
Clapping his brother on the shoulder again, he turned to leave.
“Perhaps she was raised under a rock and nae in a castle, after all,” he called back as he bounded down the stairs.
“Lass, ye really are innocent,” Alexander said in exasperation, shaking his head.