Chapter 5
The moment the door opened, Liam knew there was someone in his chambers. The heavy door was impossible to open silently, and the first creak had him opening his eyes and reaching for the dagger hanging on the side of his bed.
The door paused. Liam knew just how far the door could open before it would groan, but the sound never came. His hand slipped on the hilt of the dagger, and he slowed his breathing.
Then the aroma hit him. Fresh soap. Flowers. The heather fields outside the keep were dense. It was impossible to walk through them without picking up their floral aroma. For that very reason, the men avoided the fields like the plague.
It was a woman in his chambers.
Annoyance sliced through him, and he let go of the dagger. There were plenty of lasses in the village who had been trying to get his attention these last few years, but none of them was bold enough to slip into his chambers. Not at dawn when anyone could walk up on them and catch them.
Or perhaps that was their hope. Tempt a man to lose control and then demand marriage.
This was not the kind of behavior that he would condone. No matter who it was, he would be firm in his rejection. Opening his eyes, he turned just in time to see a body fly through the air.
“Gotcha,” Jean said gleefully as she landed on top of him, straddling him. Her hands cut along his throat, as if she had a blade in hand. “Ye, Liam Armstrong, are a dead man.”
No, he certainly was not, especially by the way his body was reacting to her warm legs wrapped around him, even with the sheet between them.
Growling, he firmly moved her off him as he sat up and grabbed a pillow, placing it in his lap. “What were ye thinking, Jean? Ye cannae just attack me in my chambers!”
She blinked and flushed, as if she just realized that he was half naked. Then she shrugged and climbed off the bed. “Apparently I can because I did. Where is yer weapon?”
“Still it its sheath which is excellent news for ye!”
“Oh, like ye werenae expecting it! I do it every time we are together!”
Yes, she did. When they were children it had been acceptable, even fun. But now he could feel his body harden, Jean tempting him in ways she couldn’t fathom.
Their parents would be thrilled.
“Jean…”
“A hunt, Liam! Oh, ye must take me on a hunt! I know there is a grand dinner planned for tonight. Let us hunt this morning! My father has already given me permission. Yer father said there is already a team out hunting, but we can do better than them, can we not?”
She jumped up and down excitedly and clapped her hands together. He was trapped, in more ways than one, and ran his hands through his hair. “Aye, Jean. We can go hunting, but only if ye leave me to dress in peace.”
“Dress and break yer fast. I shall meet ye in the armory. I need a bow and arrow. Father would not let me take mine,” she said quickly, her excitement building even more. “‘Tis day two, and I am already besting ye, Liam. Think ye will bring down more game than me?”
Everything was always a competition with her. He waved her away and didn’t breathe easy until the door closed.
This visit might be the death of him.
Liam had not expected Jean to join her parents, but it hadn’t taken long to see what the two lairds were scheming.
A marriage. Plain as day.
It was easy to see the way their parents were watching them at dinner, slyly encouraging words and happy smiles. It was not, Liam supposed, out of the realm of possibility. He had known Jean since they were children, and a marriage between them would bring their clans even closer.
As much as he liked Jean, though, if his father had asked, Liam would have told him that he would have to be out of his mind to marry Jean.
The woman required a full-time caretaker to keep her out of trouble.
He enjoyed her spirit and everything, and she was a talented fighter, but she was so desperate to prove herself, and that was dangerous.
Still, she’d grown up, and his body was still reacting accordingly. While her sisters were copies of their mother, Jean had her father’s eyes and smile. Not a conventional beauty, but something about her stirred him.
It was damn irritating.
And now she’d trapped him into a hunt. Donal was due back soon, and Liam wanted to be here when he returned. Still, he knew his duties. Hosting the Sinclair family came first, and if her father had given Jean permission to hunt, that meant Liam was going out for a hunt.
Maybe it would do him some good. Just a good old hunt on horseback. It had been a long time since he’d done anything without any stress or strain. There was a group out hunting, and they’d bring back plenty of game. All he had to do was entertain Jean and perhaps bring down a boar or two.
And keep the daughter of the most powerful laird in the highlands out of trouble.
Do not think about what just happened.
Jean’s cheeks flushed as she waited by the stables for Liam. Ambushing him in his room had been her favorite activity when they were kids, and she’d put quite a bit of thought into sneaking during this trip.
He’d been half naked. Or perhaps even fully naked. It was difficult to see the blankets, but she’d certainly seen evidence of something.
Do not think about it.
Squeezing her eyes shut, as if it would erase the memory of his hardness beneath her from her mind, she tried to focus on her breathing.
While she’d never experienced a man before, she’d seen the act.
Several times. Working on quietly sneaking up on people as a child meant she witnessed many things she was not ready to see.
Liam was a man now. An adult man, and try as she might, she could not reclaim what they had as children. She’d rightfully upset him this morning, and she’d have to make it up to him. First the hunt, and then she’d be mindful of their interactions.
“Liam,” a young voice called. “I have yer stallion all ready to go!”
Her eyes popped back open, and she saw Liam standing at the entrance of the stalls, studying her. A boy, no more than twelve or thirteen, was eagerly bringing the horse out for him.
That had been the age of Liam when they met, and he had kissed her.
Oh, bloody hell, why was she thinking of that?
“Thank ye, Nik. Jean, are ye all right? Ye are flushed.”
“I just finished some swordplay,” she lied rapidly.
“I thought ye were meeting me at the armory.”
“Ye took too long.” Reading up, she patted her mare’s muzzle. “Are ye ready to go?”
He watched her silently for another minute, and Jean tried to make her mind a blank space in case her thoughts were reflecting on her face. When the silence grew too long, she mounted her horse and looked at him triumphantly. “Worried I might net bigger than ye, Liam Armstrong?”
“As if a lass could kill more than a laird,” the young boy cried out.
At his insult, Liam smiled. “I’m not a laird yet, Nik.”
“But ye will be one day, and I’m gonnae be yer warrior!”
“Not if ye dinnae get to mucking out the stalls.” Liam chuckled as the boy whooped again and hurried back into the stables. “All right, Lady Jean. Let’s see how ye have improved with a bow and arrow.”
They chatted quietly as they made their way to the forest, setting up a little friendly competition, and Jean felt a sense of relief wash over her. Things seemed more normal, the morning humiliation long forgotten. They passed a few of the Armstrong clansmen, all of whom treated Liam with respect.
Jean didn’t travel often from the Sinclair lands, but there were clans who often came to visit. Some of the heirs she’d encountered were obnoxious individuals, but then, they’d taken after their fathers, just as Liam took after his father.
Some men were simply meant to lead. It was clear that Liam was one of those men, and Jean couldn’t help but be impressed.
Their chatter fell to silence as they drew deeper into the woods. Eventually, Liam came to a stop, and he motioned her to dismount. They tethered their horses, and she drew an arrow from her quiver.
A breeze blew, carrying their scent with it, so she focused her attentions upwind. To her surprise, Liam fell behind her. When she glanced back, she noticed that he didn’t seem to be paying any attention to the landscape, looking for clues.
He was watching her.
Annoyed, she rolled her eyes and focused ahead. No doubt he suspected she had no idea what she was doing, and he was simply placating her. Fine. She would show him. Already, she’d found her first marker.
A broken branch in the dense shrubbery. The branch was dry, its morning dew had brushed against whatever had walked through here. A few feet later, she smelled the urine.
Deer.
Continuing to move upwind, her gaze swept along the ground, looking for more broken branches or perhaps prints along the muddied forest floor. She fought the first swish of movement in the corner of her eye and immediately stilled.
Liam wrapped his hand around her waist and applied a little pressure, maneuvering her around the tree trunk. He moved close to her until his lips were almost touching her ear.
Her whole body warmed.
“I’d have to move too far away from coverage to get a shot,” he said softly, his warm breath tickling her. She had the strangest urge to lean back against him and angle her head upward.
Shocked by the image that jumped in her mind, she blinked and focused on the task at hand. He was right, of course. The trees were too dense where they were standing for a shot, and the space on the other side too open. They’d be spotted.
“Go around, upwind. The deer should smell ye and move my way, to the clearing,” she whispered back.
“No.”
No? She frowned.
“Fine. I’ll do it then.” It meant that he would bring down the buck and, no doubt win the challenge, but she wasn’t about the give up the meat that was in her sight.
Holding her breath, she stepped forward. Liam’s arm tightened around her, keeping her in place. Annoyed, she looked up at him and widened her eyes.
He was still staring at her, but there was fear in his eyes. An intense fear that stole her breath. “Liam? Are ye all right?” She was still whispering, not for the deer but in case they needed to hide from whatever had alarmed him.
“Aye. I will herd the beast. Ye will stay here.”
“Are ye planning on herding and shooting it?”
His frustration was clear as he glanced around the tree again. “Nay, the shot is yers, but ye will take it from right next to this spot. If the beast runs, ye arenae to chase it without me. Promise me.”
“Aye,” she said slowly, not sure why he was so upset. “I willnae leave without ye, Liam.”
“Good. Arm yerself and keep yer wits about ye. Not just on the deer but all about. If anything should appear, and I mean anything, ye will scream for me, and I will be there. I swear it, Jean.”
There was a fierceness in his green eyes that made her heart skip a beat. Whatever was scaring him, it had nothing to do with her. She could see that clearly now. Going on this hunt had been a mistake, but she wasn’t sure why. All she could do was nod and hope that his fear would pass.
He hesitated for another moment before leaving her. His movements were so quiet that as soon as she lost sight of him, she lost him all together.
It was not her first time being in a remote area alone.
From as early as childhood, she would wander away from her duties and often find herself deep in the woods.
It was always easy for her to find her way back home, and she was never scared, but now, she couldn’t help but look around her with a twinge of fear.
Of course, there was nothing there that she wasn’t expecting.
Returning her attentions back to the deer, she smiled in satisfaction when it lifted its head, turned in Liam’s direction, and sniffed.
The prey had caught scent of the predator. Predictably, it began to move. With her arrow in her bow, she held her breath and took a careful step toward the clearing.
Then another. Then another.
Snap.
Jean winced as a twig broke beneath her feet and she quickly took aim. She had less than a second before the deer was gone. It moved, and she adjusted, accounted for the wind, and released the arrow.
Perfect shot.
The buck went down, and she cheered as she moved into the clearing. Liam joined her, a grim look on his face. He had his own weapon ready.
But it wasn’t a bow and arrow. It was a sword.
“If that is what ye brought on a hunt, no wonder ye’re losing,” she laughed.
After a moment, he sheathed his sword and grinned ruefully. “If you’re such a mighty hunter, then you can carry that deer back by yourself.”
“I will,” she countered and danced toward the deer. It was all talk, and as she stared down at the giant beast, Liam joined her, ropes in hand.
“Come on. I think this should be enough for dinner.”