Chapter 3 #4
“Are his brothers as handsome as he?”
“Some think they are more so. But I think each one is handsome in his own way. The youngest, Braden holds many the same features as Ewan and is unearthly handsome, but is rather arrogant about it. Lochlan reminds me of a golden angel, all fair, graceful and refined. The eldest of them, Sin is like a fallen angel, dark in his ways and yet extremely compelling. And Kieran, God rest his soul, was what every woman dreams of, I think. He had black hair and eyes so pale they looked almost colorless.”
Sorcha sighed wistfully. “Och those eyes of his … they smiled even when he was serious. He was a charming rogue who dallied with more women even than Braden. I tell you the world is not as happy a place as it was when he was in it.”
The older woman glanced behind them as if looking for Ewan, then leaned forward and whispered to her. “You do know what day today is, do you not?”
“Tuesday?”
Sorcha shook her head. “Nay, my lady. ‘Tis the anniversary of Kieran’s death. This is the very day his brother Lochlan went out to find the lad and found his sword and plaid lying on the banks of the loch.”
Her heart sank at those words. “Ewan drowned his brother?”
Sorcha pulled back with a scowl. “Whatever makes you say that?”
“I’ve heard rumors that Ewan killed his brother.”
Shaking her head, Sorcha let out a sad breath.
“Nay, my lady. Kieran took his life because Ewan ran off with the lady they both loved. I was there that very day when Kieran had learned Ewan and Isobail were gone. He couldn’t believe that he had lost his lady to his brother.
Heartsick, he’d told his family that he needed some time alone.
Ewan was probably halfway to London by the time Kieran took his own life. ”
Nora frowned at that last bit as a horrible wave of pain swept through her. “Halfway to London?”
“Aye, they were going there to stay with the lady’s aunt. She was supposed to shelter them. Only ‘twas a lie the lady told Ewan so that he would take her off to England to meet with her lover. The poor lad was devastated when she left him and he learned he’d been duped by her treachery.”
Nora felt ill at the news. No wonder the man had looked so angry when she posed her suggestion to him. How could she do such a thing?
Especially on this day…
“Oh Sorcha, I am such a fool.”
“How so?”
“I asked Ewan to take me to London so that I could stay with my aunt and avoid marrying a man I loathe.”
Sorcha gaped.
“I didn’t know,” she hastened to assure the woman as guilt and pain tore her conscience apart. “I can’t believe I said it today of all days, no less. At least now I know why he looked as if he wanted to strangle me.”
No wonder the poor man had been lying drunk in his bed. He’d probably been doing his best to forget the pain he had caused his brother.
The pain Kieran’s death had given their family.
Sorcha cleared her throat as Ewan headed back toward them.
He’d started past them when Nora called out to him. “Ewan?”
He paused to look at her.
“Might I have a word with you?”
Sorcha excused herself as Ewan came to stand beside her.
“Do you need something?” he asked gruffly.
“I...” Nora swallowed as she tried to think of what she should say to him.
I’m sorry seemed somehow paltry given what she’d done to him this day. The memories she’d unknowingly dredged up.
“Thank you,” she said quietly. “I really appreciate your doing this for me and I’m sorry that I intruded so thoughtlessly on your peace.”
She raised up on her tiptoes and laid a quick kiss to his cheek before heading toward the cottage.
Ewan was dumbstruck by her actions.
She’d thanked him? And apologized.
She’d kissed him.
He didn’t know which one stunned him more and for his life he couldn’t understand what had prompted her actions or words.
The lass was an odd one to be sure. Peculiar and strange. And yet on some level she was rather charming.
Bemused by her, he followed the women inside the cottage.
Aenos was already at the table pouring large goblets of ale. Ewan took his and downed it in one gulp, then belched loudly.
As he set the goblet down to be refilled, he caught Nora’s horrified face.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man swallow the whole of his cup with one breath. If you keep that up, you’ll be drunk in a matter of minutes.”
Ewan scoffed at her words. “Trust me, it’ll take more than a few minutes.” He nodded to Aenos who poured the goblet full.
Sorcha made them trenchers of roasted ham with leeks and onions.
As was his custom, Ewan ignored the food and continued to drink. He also did his best to ignore the lady who sat across from him.
Something that proved to be impossible. All he could see was the firelight playing in the golden highlights of her hair. The way the shadows played across her creamy skin.
The delicate grace of her hands as she used them to cut her food and eat.
Nora was pure elegance.
And it made him ache with desire for her.
She didn’t say anything else about his drinking, but chattered with Sorcha.
“‘Tis so kind of you to feed us, good-wife. I’m sorry we arrived unannounced.”
Sorcha waved her words away. “We’re used to it. Ewan shows up all the time like this.”
Nora looked at him expectantly. “Then why did you pass by the village?”
“I wanted to get you to Lochlan as soon as possible.”
“Then why did you double back?”
Because a lady so fine deserves better than to sleep on a soggy ground with me for company.
That was something he had no intention of explaining to her. “Because I wanted to.”
Ewan poured more ale and downed it, then poured more. He took the goblet and pitcher and made for the door.
Frowning, Nora watched him leave.
“Aenos, go after him,” Sorcha said. “I don’t want him sleeping in the barn again. He caught a cold and was sick for days the last time he did that.”
Aenos nodded and got up to follow him.
After Aenos left, Nora turned toward her. “Sorcha, why is Lord Ewan so...”
“Gruff?”
“Surly and drunken was what I wanted to say, but gruff works as well.”
“Guilt, my lady, is hard on a man. Every day he lives that his brother doesn’t is a day he feels he owes to Kieran.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well one night when the lad was drunk, he said something that has stuck in my mind. He said that he didn’t deserve comfort while his brother was lying at the bottom of a cold loch because he was a fool.”
“But his cave is furnished in luxury.”
“Aye, the doing of his mother once she saw how he was living up there in the hills with nothing at all for comfort. Not even a blanket. The lady couldn’t stand the thought of him in such misery so she led an army of helpers and threatened to come every day if he removed any of it.”
Nora smiled at his mother’s kindness. “So he intends to waste away his life because his brother is dead?”
“It appears so.”
Nora sat back as she thought that over. Why would he throw away his life because his brother was weak? It made no sense, but then grief seldom did.
Poor Ewan.
“Does he honestly think that his drinking and such would make his brother happy?” Before Nora could think better of it, she got up and went outside to find Ewan.
He was sitting on a log at the rear of the cottage drinking with Aenos.
The instant he saw her, he cursed. “Why are you out here?”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she took the goblet from his hand and poured it out.
His face went flush with anger. “What are you doing?”
The answer was so obvious that she didn’t bother explaining. Instead, she grabbed the pitcher up and headed back toward the house.
Nora didn’t get far before Ewan caught her.
“Give me that.” He tried to take it from her hands.
“Nay,” she said firmly.
His face was aghast. “Nay?”
“Nay.”
Ewan reached for it again.
Nora twisted and tried to get past him, but somehow in the process she ended up dousing both of them and stumbling.
So intent on regaining his ale, Ewan didn’t think to catch either one of them. They landed on the ground, limbs entwined with Nora on top of him.
His body reacted instantly to the feel of her softness squirming against him.
For a moment, he couldn’t move. All he could do was feel her breasts against his chest, her legs against his, her breath falling on his face.
It had been so long since he last held a woman, so long since he had seen a woman so fair as this one that didn’t belong to one of his brothers.
Longing pierced him as he focused his gaze on her parted lips.
Taste her.
It was all he could do not to yield to the anguished need he felt for her. To the heated fury of his groin that begged for a wee taste of her body.
Aye, she was all fire and beauty. And he wanted her in a way most mad.
Nora couldn’t breathe as she stared down into Ewan’s perfect blue eyes. Never in her life had she been this close to a man.
Who knew one would be so hard, so...well masculine.
She felt a peculiar urge to rub herself against him, to feel his hardness with the whole of her body.
His eyes were dark, dangerous as he watched her in silence.
“Here, my lady,” Aenos said as he joined them. “Let me help you up.”
Ewan cursed again, and as Aenos helped her up she saw their clothes, and she realized why he’d done that. They were both drenched by ale.
Aenos snorted. “Have no fear, Ewan. There be plenty more of that to be sure.”
Ewan got up slowly.
“He doesn’t need to be drinking anymore ale,” Nora said, turning to Aenos. “He needs a good bath and a night of rest.”
“And who are you to be lecturing me on what I can and canna drink?”
She thought about that for a moment, then seized on the one thing he couldn’t argue with. “Your responsibility.”
Ewan’s face went from anger to shock in the span of a heartbeat. “Beg pardon?”
“I’m your responsibility,” she told him, “and you can’t be watching after me while you’re knee deep into your cups. I happen to be quite a handful and could get into any number of fixes while you’re off unconscious. So you see, it is my place to lecture you on how much ale you consume.”
She watched as the muscle in his jaw worked furiously.