Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
I sla was floating on a golden cloud, her mind full of wonder, her body still quivering with the blissful aftermath of all the incredible things Ewan had shown her.
If this is what it can be like between a man and a woman, I want more! Never have I felt so alive! And ’tis all because of him.
Feeling a great outpouring of affection for him, she turned on her side and, careful to avoid his wound, threw an arm over his belly, nestling under his arm, reveling in the novel sensation of their sweat-slick skins sliding against each other, her inner thighs sticky with their juices.
“Och, Ewan, I never could have dreamed of feelin’ so…. wonderful!” she murmured, tilting her face to look into his dreamy, dark eyes.
He chuckled softly, tightening his arm around her as smiled down at her, lifting his head and kissing the tip of her nose. “Aye, it was beautiful, like ye, Annie. Ye’re special, ye ken that? Very special.”
“Am I?” She loved hearing him say it. To be told by Ewan Ballentine she was special somehow meant the world to her in that moment. Yet, not hearing her true name from his lips still hurt.
“Aye, very. And now ye ken me secret, how much I’ve been wantin’ ye all this time,” he sighed, stroking her hair from her face and peppering her with kisses. “Ye’re delicious, Annie, and the things ye were doin’ tae me, well, I dinnae have words…” He smiled and shook his long dark locks in delighted wonder, looking at her with soft eyes.
Seeing her own feelings reflected there, she reached up and stroked his cheek with her fingertips. “I can still feel ye touchin’ me, feel ye inside me,” she whispered, gazing at him wonderingly. “I’ve wanted ye too, Ewan, so badly. Lyin’ with ye next tae me night after night… it was so hard sometimes, I thought I’d lose me mind.”
He hugged her close, chuckling deep in his throat. “Aye, me too. I tried tae resist me own urges, I really did. But ye dae somethin’ tae me I’ve nae felt before in me life.” He leaned forward and kissed her tenderly. “And I want more,” he said into her mouth.
“But d’ye nae wantae go all the way?” she asked hesitantly, idly trailing her fingers down the line of fine dark hair leading from his belly to his groin.
He shook his head. “Nay, nae yet. Much as I want ye, we should wait. With things as they are, there’s nae tellin’ how things are gonnae turn out. I could be dead tomorrow.”
“Dinnae talk like that!” she chided gently, saddened by his words yet at the same time knowing they were true. He added, “Besides, ye’re still a maid. ’Tis better if ye stay that way until all this is over.”
“Ye dinnae mind waitin’?” Isla asked, secretly rather shocked by how disappointed she was. Her body was still buzzing with the afterglow of their recent passionate interlude. Ewan had given her her first taste of ecstasy, and now she wanted more.
“Good things are always worth waitin’ fer.” he said, pressing his lips to her hair. Isla smiled, content to be with him. She laid her head on his shoulder and breathed in his pleasing musky scent as she listened to his heartbeat.
But as they lay quietly, their limbs tangled together, cold reality—in the shape of the conflict they were both enmeshed in—gradually chipped its way into her consciousness. She could not forget the threat Allan posed to all their futures, hers, Gregory’s, and Ewan’s. It hovered above them like some bloody specter from a nightmare, wearing the warmongering, corrupt laird’s features.
She heard Ella’s voice in her head, telling her that she was in a unique position that she could affect how things would turn out. That if she cared about Ewan and Gregory, she would have to do all she could to bring peace between them.
The challenge had always been how to turn events towards a peaceful resolution. With the potion she would pick up the day after she would be able to actually buy herself enough time to get into the castle and warn Gregory without Ewan’s knowledge before he launched his attack through the tunnels.
It would provide her with the means to steer Gregory and Ewan towards a peace that would unite their forces against Allan.
Isla decided that waking up in the morning in a feather bed with her naked limbs entangled with Ewan’s was the best way to ever wake up. She came awake slowly, emerging from the most restful sleep she could remember having, with Ewan’s hips pressed against her behind, one of his legs thrown over hers, and his arms encircling her waist. Her hands were entwined with his, and she kissed his fingers softly, full of love for him. She smiled to herself for his nose was resting against the nape of her neck, and every time he exhaled, the feathery warmth of his breath made her skin tingle.
Snuggling beneath the covers, she sighed with deep contentment and flexed her limbs slightly, savoring the feel of his naked body against hers and luxuriating in the memory of all that had passed between them the night before. There was a pleasurable soreness between her legs, and her breasts, her entire body actually, felt slightly tender, but it was a wonderful feeling. A womanly feeling, she decided happily.
If this is how it feels tae be ravished by the man I love, then I want more. And I love him, I dae. I want him tae make love tae me, I want tae ken how it feels tae have him inside me, tae be his completely. Why should we wait? What if we both die tomorrow?
She was startled out of her thoughts by Ewan nuzzling and nibbling her neck. His embrace tightened around her as he pressed his body into hers. “Mmm, good mornin’, beautiful,” he murmured, his breath tickling her skin, making joy bubble up inside her. Wanting to look at him, she wiggled around to face him, careful not to hurt him. He was adorably tousled, and one look into his sleepy, dark eyes had her melting again.
“Good mornin’, handsome,” she replied and kissed him leisurely on the lips. He kissed her back with enthusiasm.
“Well, this is how I’d like tae wake up every mornin’,” he told her, his deep voice still hoarse from sleep.
“Aye, ’tis lovely,” she agreed. She looked at his bandage. Somehow, it was still in place, but she was still worried about the wound. “How are ye feelin’?” she asked. “I hope we didnae pull yer stiches last night.”
He touched the bandage tentatively. “I think I’d ken it if we had. It feels very sore, but better than ye might think. I’ve had worse, but maybe ye’d best make me some of that tea Ella gave ye afore we go back tae the camp this mornin’. But dinnae make it too strong else I’ll be droppin’ off tae sleep again.”
“Aye, I will,” she promised, stroking his face with her fingertips lovingly. “I wish we didnae havetae go back. I wish we could stay here like this all day.”
Forever.
“So dae I, me bonny lassie,” he said ruefully. “Can ye nae tell?” he pressed his hardening manhood against her.
“Oooh! He’s awake again,” she cried, delighted and amazed, going to take hold of him. But he laughed and pulled away, kissing her nose and gently brushing her hair from her forehead. “Dinnae tempt me, Annie. We must get back. Ye ken how much is ridin’ on me plans fer today. Much as I’d rather stay here with ye and ravish ye all over again, we must get up and get dressed. We’ll have breakfast back at the camp with the rest of the men. I want tae get an early start, and Colin will be wonderin’ where we’ve got tae.”
“All right,” she agreed. They kissed once more, then got out of bed and got dressed. Within a very short time, Isla assumed the disguise of Harris once more and then helped Ewan into his coat and boots.
“It feels like we’re leavin’ our safe little bubble,” she remarked sadly as they left the room and started down the stairs.
“Aye, it does,” Ewan agreed, giving her behind an affectionate squeeze, “but mayhap we’ll have another time like this, eh?”
“D’ye think so, Ewan?” she asked, thrilled at the suggestion they might have a future together.
“Of course!” he assured her cheerfully, adding with a wry chuckle, “that is, if I’m nae dead before the week’s out.”
“Ach, shut up! I’ve told ye, dinnae say such things, nae even in jest,” she scolded him, batting at his arm with her hand.
He clutched his arm melodramatically. “Ow! Lay off hittin’ me, will ye, woman? I’m a wounded man, ye ken!”
“Ach, ye great fool!” she muttered, unable to help laughing at his playfulness while fear for his safety stabbed at her heart like a dagger.
They rode home together through the bright misty morning. Isla leaned against Ewan’s back, her arms about his waist, reflecting that the day seemed too perfect to be poisoned by the evil shadow of war and death that loomed over them all. It was an outrage, and it made her even more determined to succeed in her plan to save the two people she loved most in the world.
They crossed the perimeter of the camp and were greeted with respectful yet curious nods by the few soldiers present. At the open-air stable, Colin strode up to them and stood, arms akimbo, looking up at them both questioningly. “I see ye’re well enough tae ride then,” he remarked to Ewan.
“Aye, the healer stitched me up and dressed the wound properly. ’Tis sore, all right, but nae too deep. She says I’ll mend, but I havetae be careful of me stitches,” Ewan told him, waiting for Isla to slide from her perch to the ground before carefully dismounting himself. Not quite convinced by his claim to feel little pain, especially after what had happened last night at the inn, Isla almost reached out to help him. But she held back, conscious it would look odd coming from Harris.
“That’s good tae hear, but what took ye so long?” Colin asked with a frown. “I was expectin’ ye back last night. I was gettin’ worried about ye, what with Allan’s men in the area. I was about tae send a search party out fer ye.”
“The healer gave me a potion tae drink fer the pain, and it almost knocked me out. I thought it best tae stay at the inn last night so I could rest and sleep it off,” Ewan explained as they made their way to the tent. He gave no hint of the passionate intimacy that had taken place between him and Isla, but memories flickered through her mind, forcing her to lower her head to hide her flushed cheeks.
They stopped outside the tent. Ewan looked out over the camp and the few men going about their business. “Have ye got the men out trainin’ as I ordered?” he asked, pulling off his gloves.
“Aye, the majority of them. The displaced villagers are comin’ along quite well considerin’ most of them havenae picked up a sword before. Some of them are provin’ tae be valuable fighters,” Colin replied.
Ewan nodded approvingly. “Good, We need all the hands we can get. Any other news while I’ve been gone?”
Colin shook his head. “The bulk of Allan’s army daesnae seem tae be in the area yet, accordin’ tae the scouts’ latest reports anyway. That advance party ye ran intae yesterday was obviously gatherin’ information ahead of the arrival of the main force. A few stragglers got away, but we’re out lookin’ fer them now. Hopefully, we’ll get somethin’ useful out of them if we can capture them.”
“All right, good. If ye find any of them, I’ll question them mesel’. What about Galbraith’s missing sister?”
“Naethin’ so far,” Colin answered with a shrug.
“That’s disappointin’,” Ewan remarked, an edge of worry to his voice. Isla felt a surge of fresh guilt for deceiving him about her true identity when she knew the woman he was searching was standing right in front of him. She had been deeply moved when he had confided in her about the torment he had endured the previous year when Allan had kidnapped his sister Deidra. In the circumstances, she found his attempts to help Gregory, his bitter enemy, to recover his own missing sister a sign of a noble and generous spirit that belied his stern exterior. It was yet another reason to love him.
“By tonight, if the old man is as good as his word and shows us the secret route intae the castle, we can plan our attack for the morrow. I’m gonnae answer a call of nature, but I’ll nae be long. Then I’ll rest fer a while. Call me when the old feller gets here,” Ewan told Colin, leaving him with Isla as he walked away.
Isla felt stab of hatred for the traitorous old man who had given up the castle’s secret in in exchange for gold, thereby putting so many lives in jeopardy. Since she had Colin alone, she decided it was worth making a last-ditch attempt to convince Colin that Ewan’s plan to attack the castle was far too risky.
Ewan trusts him, and if I can sow a seed of caution in his mind, mayhap he’ll be able tae persuade Ewan tae call it off. ’Tis a long-shot, but it might work.
“I’m worried, Colin,” she began, doing her best to appear earnest. “I dinnae think this plan of Ewan’s is gonnae work. ’Tis far too risky. Laird Galbraith is gonnae be expectin’ an attack, and his men are gonnae be ready fer anyone who shows up.”
Colin looked at her searchingly. “Is that so? Ye have experience in the strategies of war, dae ye?”
She blushed but forged ahead anyway. “Nay, but I can sense when somethin’s a bad idea and will likely end in our men bein’ slaughtered,” she replied. Hoping to appeal to his love for Ewan, she added more truthfully, “I dinnae want Ewan tae get hurt. He is already badly wounded.”
He gave her a strange look before he answered firmly but not unkindly, “There’s nae need fer ye tae worry. He’s an experienced strategist and a formidable fighter. I’m fully confident in his ability tae manage the risks involved.”
“I ken all that, but I just dinnae think he’s taken all the dangers intae account.” She felt she was fighting a losing battle but was loath to give up for obvious reasons.
“I told ye, ye have naethin’ tae worry about,” he repeated. Then, to her consternation, he folded his arms, looked her straight in the eyes, and said, “Ye seem awful concerned fer Ewan’s safety.”
Flustered, Isla retorted, “I am concerned fer his safety. Why should I nae be? He’s been good tae me, lettin’ me stay in the camp and givin’ me the chance tae get me revenge against Laird Allan. I dinnae want anythin’ bad tae happen tae him. But I’m worried fer all of the men’s safety, even yers, Colin.”
“Ye should have more faith in him, as I dae. He kens what he’s daen’.” He raised his sandy brows and continued to regard her curiously.
Disturbed by his scrutiny as well as disappointed by her failure to plant doubt in his mind, she got up and walked over to the stove. Keeping her back turned, she busied herself with fixing some tea. The skin between her shoulder blades prickled where she was sure his eyes were boring into her back, and she had the distinct feeling he knew something she did not.
She was relieved when Ewan returned shortly after that. While the tea brewed, she listened to the men discussing plans for the attack on the castle once again. Before long, they went outside to talk to the men, leaving her alone.
Seeing her chance to return to Ella’s and collect the potion, she left the tea to stew, grabbed her jacket, and stole from the tent. She could hear Ewan addressing the men at the rallying point, so she easily reached the open air stable without being noticed. Quietly, she walked her mare out of the camp and into the woods before mounting her and cantering swiftly along the familiar route leading to Ella’s cottage.