Chapter Eight
The door opened and he stood before her, looking much the same as he had the night of their wedding.
Not the brutish soldier she’d watched fight in the mud earlier this day.
Nay, this was a man whose bearing cried out of noble blood coursing through his veins.
A man who defined good breeding. Yet, as far as she could discover, he was simply a knight, one of unknown or at least questionable origins, who had risen in favor with his king as a direct result of his skills.
She shuddered as she remembered seeing his strength displayed in the yard. Both men had removed their hauberks and mail and fought in only their trews and boots. That same strength was now hidden beneath his raiment.
“Are you chilled, lady?” he asked as he held out his arm to her. “There is a fire in the solar to take away the coolness.”
“I am not cold, just a bit tired.”
“Then I will not keep you long from your…bed.”
She heard the smile in his voice as he spoke of her resting place.
Lara could still not figure out how he moved her each night to the bed, and not once had she awakened.
She walked at his side, down the steps to the solar, and was surprised by what she found there.
The room had been transformed, a small table now in the center, covered with linen and plates and goblets for their use, with a chair on each side.
Candles were lit and a fire did indeed burn in the hearth, chasing away the dampness of the day.
Her stomach warned her by its tenseness that this would be no simple meal.
Why had she thought this a good idea? When Malcolm returned safely to their rooms, she had decided to accept Sebastien’s invitation.
After sending word through Philippe, Lara had worried the rest of the day about how to gain the information she needed from this enigmatic man.
They paused for a moment, not entering the room, and then he continued to walk down the steps, guiding her to the entrance to the hall.
“Sir? Do we not eat in the solar?” she asked.
“I thought after being closed up inside these last days, that you might enjoy a walk along the battlements? The sky has cleared and the evening is actually quite pleasant and we have some time before our meal is ready.”
He spoke in a voice that could tempt an angel into sin. Did he know how unsettled she’d been by her walk to the chapel? Both the path there and then meeting her cousin had terrified her. She wanted desperately to walk; truly, she wanted to run to release the tension within her.
“I confess, sir, that you have discovered my weakness. I detest the uselessness and inactivity of these last days. I would indeed like to take a walk.”
Although she knew the route in the dark with her eyes closed, she allowed him to lead her out of the hall and up the stairs near the south tower, to the battlements.
There was a path around the entire perimeter of the castle, and from it, when the weather cooperated, one could see the best views of the firth to the west and south and Loch Linnhe to the north.
Reaching the top, Lara let go of his arm and walked to the crenellated edge of one of the stone walls.
Leaning forward, she looked out at the woods where the chapel lay, and toward the open expanses of land to the southeast, where the Bruce’s forces camped.
“I have something to discuss with the guards, Lara. Walk ahead if you’d like.” He waited for her answer and when she nodded, he turned and approached the guards patrolling the walls.
A taste of a freedom she no longer had, she thought as she walked away as fast as she could without appearing to be running.
Not that she could escape him if she wanted to, but being alone here was a relief.
She held the crispinette that covered her braided hair in place as she turned into the wind, but not even that slowed her pace.
Breathing deeply, she allowed the winds that swept over these heights to push against her until she turned a corner and the winds were at her back.
Laughing, Lara continued her brisk speed, returning to where she’d left Sebastien much sooner than she wished.
He was still speaking with the guards, so she resumed her path, not stopping until she reached the place farthest from him.
There she stood and leaned over, looking at the boats that could be used to cross the firth or the loch.
Many more than her father usually had, this was a small fleet at the ready for some use.
Guards circled, protecting the boats from any attack—or sabotage?
Soon, as the sun dropped lower to the west, the winds turned colder and she began to shiver. Still, she would rather be cold than inside, so she did not leave the spot. Instead, she sat between two of the crenellations and closed her eyes.
“You are making my men nervous, lady.”
She opened her eyes and found Sebastien standing before her, holding a cloak. “How so, sir?”
“Your hurried pace and the way you dare to hang over the side of the walls.”
“This is my home, sir. I have climbed these walls from the time I was a child.” She realized it sounded as though she could climb down the two-score-and-five-feet-tall walls of stone. Well, she could, but that was not something he needed to know.
“Mayhap that was something better left unsaid?”
“Ah, you mistook my words, sir. I mean that I have walked this path all my life. I am quite comfortable moving around on these battlements.” She stood and stepped away from the edge, an action that placed her nearer to him.
“You are shivering now,” he said, moving closer still. “I brought this for you.”
He did not offer the cloak to her, instead reaching out to drape it around her shoulders.
Tugging the ends together, he gathered them under her chin.
That pulled her closer to him than she’d expected, but with such a hold, she could not move away.
His nearness overwhelmed her and as he leaned his head down and gazed into her eyes, she knew he would kiss her.
When his lips were a scant inch from hers, he stopped and did not come any closer.
She held her breath, knowing from their night together how this would feel, and trying to make her body not react to what it knew could happen.
And from the way her heart pounded in her chest and the way her mouth went dry, apparently her body wanted it to happen again.
Lara closed her eyes and fought the urge to cross the empty space and press her mouth to his.
She remembered the touch of his lips on her…
mouth and on other… Her traitorous body tightened in places better not thought about, and she shivered once more.
Then, Sebastien stepped away, allowing the ends of the cloak to dangle loosely.
Lara searched his face for some explanation and fought the wayward desire that now spiraled within her.
She stumbled a few steps back and turned away from his gaze.
Did he know what his nearness did to her?
Was seduction his plan all along? And she could not stop the errant and most dangerous thought of all—why had he stopped?
“My pardon, lady,” he said from behind her. “I did not mean to…” His words ceased, as though he did not know what to say. Lara turned back to him and the look of confusion in his expression calmed her somehow.
“I had sought to ease your fears and anxiety about our meal together, and now I can see I have simply made it worse with my lack of control.” He glanced over at the men near the stairway and then at her.
“I have not finished my instructions to the guards. If you would join me in the solar when you are finished walking, I will give you some time here.”
Without waiting for her consent, he did indeed leave her there…alone. Lara pulled the cloak around her more tightly and walked back to the edge. Trying not to think about what had almost happened between them, she allowed the wind to soothe her before facing their next encounter.
Sebastien counted off each step he took away from her, clenching his fists against the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her until she was breathless. Although he could deny the wisdom in doing such a thing, he could not deny how much he wanted to do exactly that…and more. Much, much more.
He truly had nothing else to speak to the guards about, so he left the battlements after indicating that the lady was to be allowed there.
He ran down the steps, crossed through the hall and made his way to the solar.
Everything was ready now and the servants, and Lara’s maid, met him with expectant gazes when he entered the room.
Sebastien sat down and asked for wine while he waited.
Would she drag this out? Would she come back as he’d directed?
Taking the first swallow of the wine, he hoped it would settle his stomach.
Only a few minutes passed before he heard footsteps coming up the stairs toward the solar.
Then she was there. He stood as she entered, and watched silently as she handed the cloak to her maid.
“Sir? If you please, I have need to return to my chambers for a brief time before we eat.”
He tried to discern if there was guile in this request, but could see nothing that indicated more or less than she’d asked for. Nodding his assent, he was curious when she whispered something to her maid before leaving. Whatever words she’d said caused the girl to blush and look away.