Chapter 15
The hunting party returned late afternoon with plenty of game. Andrew told Liam that while there were carcasses in the woods that indicated a large predator somewhere in the woods, they didn’t see any monsters or signs that anyone had been camping there.
The latter gave him pause. Liam was desperately hoping for signs that a Gibson was infiltrating. Otherwise, someone was working for them.
News of the carcasses spread, and he saw the fear in his people’s eyes. Jean, who had spent the day harvesting what she could from their farms and gleaning what information she could, suggested that they build a few smaller fires around the perimeter of the village to keep any creatures away.
They held another outside dinner, and this time, the ale flowed a little more freely. Normally, Liam didn’t partake, but the more men he saw lining up to talk to Jean, the more deeply he drank.
“I hear our little warrior has a theory about the fire,” Andrew commented as he sat down next to Liam. “I suppose ‘tis good she came after all.”
“She isnae our warrior,” Liam muttered. “She is a Sinclair.”
“I see ye didnae issue a hands-off warning like ye did us.”
Liam looked at the group of men surrounding Jean. Was it growing by size? “They wouldnae dare.”
“Ye think so? I suspect any one of them might decide that the Sinclair land, being as curse-free as it is, is an excellent option,” Andrew said quietly. “And nothing makes transferring clans easier than marrying the laird’s daughter.”
Rising immediately, Liam stomped over to the group, leaving his quietly chuckling friend behind. All he had to do was clear his throat for the group of men to duck their heads and slink away. Jean just looked up at him with a smile.
There was an empty mug in her hand. “Ye look growly. How much of that have ye had to drink?”
“Just the one. Dinnae worry. I dinnae plan on having any more. I know my limits, thanks to my brothers. Ye need to be careful, Jean.”
“About what? All this attention that I am getting? I dinnae think I have to worry. Ye are keeping an excellent eye on me.”
A cheer rose from the group on the other side of the fire. Liam looked over to see two men lifting their instruments, one fiddle and one bodhran. A minute later, music poured from that corner.
“Dance with me, Liam,” Jean said in a husky voice. Setting her mug down, with eyes bright from the ale, she practically leapt into his arms. He had to drop his own mug to catch her. Laughing, she pulled him closer to the music, lifted her skirts, and began to dance.
He hadn’t been in the mood when he’d walked over, but seeing her now, her face lit up with laughter, he knew he couldn’t deny her. There was so much joy in her when she wasn’t being so defensive, and it had been a while since he’d seen that.
Adjusting his grip, he allowed her to pull him into the fray. Soon, they were skipping around in a circle, in a dance meant for partner swapping. Seconds before he was supposed to release her for another, he pulled her out of the circle, grabbed her hand, and began dancing with her outside.
Cheeks flushed as she grinned at him. “I didnae want to share ye, either.”
“Ye seemed to enjoy the attentions of the other men just a while ago.”
“Did I? Perhaps I was just trying to get the attention of one man.”
With a playful growl, he pulled her even further from the group.
Their fingers were still intertwined, and Jean laughed as she continued to dance to the music.
“Ye, sir, think I am naive. A pampered princess who has been trying so hard to be a warrior that she doesnae know how the world works. I know, Liam. I have even seen more than my fair share of… intimacy.”
Liam’s eyebrows went up at that. “Have ye now?”
“Aye. Sometimes I hid to watch the guards and learn, and sometimes ye see something ye didnae expect. The point, Liam, is that ye dinnae have to worry about me innocently following one of these men home. I know what they want.”
“And ye arenae interested?” They were even further from the crowd now, and he was starting to see flashes from his dream.
Pulling her closer, he released one hand so he could run his fingers along her braid.
He was considering tugging it out so he could see it trailing down her back and over her breasts.
“Watching two people touch each other, kiss each other, is verra different than feeling it, Jean.”
“I didnae say that I was not interested. I am simply pointing out that I wasnae interested in them. And what makes ye think I havenae already experienced it?”
Liam stiffened and hissed. “With who?”
“I am teasing ye, Liam. Ye are the only man I have ever kissed. Or, I should say boy, because ye werenae a man then.”
“I wasnae certain ye even remembered that,” he murmured as he dipped his head. “Do ye wish to know what ‘tis like to be kissed by a man?”
“Nay, but I do wish to know what ‘tis like to be kissed by ye. Right now.” Running her hands up his chest, she closed her fist over his shirt and pulled him closer. “Please.”
Please. He loved the breathless way she said that. It was far better than anything he had dreamed.
“I do love to please a lady.” Wrapping a hand around the back of her head, he tipped it back and pressed his lips to hers.
Jean felt that kiss all the way down to her toes. Releasing his shirt, she wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to get as close as possible. When his tongue probed her lips, she opened for him and shivered with pleasure.
Whatever she’d expected from a kiss, it had not been this, Then again, she had a feeling that no one else’s kiss would feel like this. Any doubt she had about what she felt for him fled, and she whimpered. Fiery heat spread through her, and she slid her hands through his hair.
When he pulled away, she moaned in denial. “Wait.”
Laughing, Liam kissed her softly and tugged her braid loose. “Ye are truly like no other.” When her hair was free, he fisted his hand in it, tugged it back, and kissed her again. This time deeper and more urgently.
“Ye have no idea how much I want to drag ye deeper into these woods,” he said raggedly when he pulled away. “And kiss ye in places I have no business even thinking about.”
“Oh.” As she’d said before, she was not naive, but she hadn’t watched for long. At the thought of him kissing other places, she grew bright red, but she was more than intrigued. “What is stopping ye?”
“Now is not the time,” he said as he stroked her cheek.
Her heart skipped a beat. Did he mean that there would be a right time? “So what do we do now?”
“Ye are going to go back to Mara’s place to get some sleep. Alone.”
“Well, I willnae be alone,” she said and grinned when he growled under his breath. “As ye said, it ‘tis Mara’s place.”
“Dinnae tease me, Jean. Not now.”
Seeing the tightness on his face, she rose on her tip toes and kissed his neck.
“I amnae worried, Liam. Ye willnae lose control. Not with me. Perhaps not with anyone. I am leaving, but dinnae think for a moment that ye are the only one with reasons to be… on edge. Dinnae think I dinnae see how the other women vie for yer attentions.”
“Jealous?”
“I shouldnae be.” She took a step away. “Ye arenae mine, are ye?”
“Do ye want me to be?”
“Ye deflect. Ye make quiet comments. Ye growl when another man is near me, and ye warn everyone away, but ye havenae said what ye want from me. Ye are a blunt man, Liam.”
“I told ye I wanted to kiss ye.”
“Nay.” She flashed him a small smile. “I asked ye to kiss me. Why don’t ye think about what ye want from me, and then tell me? Goodnight, Liam.”
She left him standing at the edge of the woods as she made her way back to the campfire. Her thoughts were still on the kiss as she skimmed the area looking for Mara. When she didn’t find her, she turned and headed for the cottage.
She was practically floating as she reached the door.
Liam had kissed her.
It changed everything.
It made her happy. Truly happy. When was the last time she’d felt that comfortable with someone?
Humming to the fading music behind her, she opened the door.
The cottage was empty.
“Mara?” Jean stepped back and out and looked around. “Mara?”
When was the last time she’d seen her friend? Since before dinner.
Mara had slipped away. She was out hunting.
“Oh, Mara. Bloody hell.” Hissing in anger, she grabbed her bow and arrow and raced from the cottage to the woods. If she were smart, she’d grab another guard to go with her, but then she’d risk revealing Mara’s secret.
Hadn’t Mara promised not to do this? To give the guards a chance?
Standing at the edge of the woods, she heaved. Where to even begin? Mara would be easy to track during the day, but at night? Her head was reeling from both the ale and the kiss. She was not at her best.
But she couldn’t leave Mara out there alone.
Turning her head, she tried to clear her mind and think. Mara wouldn’t have entered the part of the forest facing the celebrations. Someone could have seen her. She most likely entered from the back of her cottage.
The moon was dim, and she couldn’t risk carrying a lantern. Not when there was a wolf hunting in the woods.
“Here is to hoping the bon fires are keeping ye away,” she said to herself.
With one hand on her bow, she used her other to slip her dagger out of its holster, and she entered the woods.
Sweeping her gaze along the forest floor, she searched for signs of Mara, but there were simply too many sounds.
Children daring each other to enter the woods. Search parties for the wolf. Hunters.
“Where are you, Mara?” When she was deep enough to be completely surrounded by the forest, she heard the first branch snap behind her.
Immediately, she froze. Time stilled. She listened for a growl or the crunch of dead leaves.
Nothing.
“Mara?”
She saw the shadow a split second before it reached her. Instinctively, she ducked and rammed her weight into the body, tripping it. Then, she employed the second-best defense move her father had taught her.
She opened her mouth and screamed at the top of her lungs.
The figure didn’t run but rose. It wasn’t Mara or a wolf, but the large hulking figure of a man. A Gibson man? He would not be getting away.
Instead of running, he lunged at her again and deftly slid away from her knife swing. Grabbing her arm, he yanked it behind her, forcing her to drop the knife. With her free arm, she drove it into his side, spun, and slammed her fist into his face. When he hissed, she kicked out hard with her foot
“Jean,” Liam roared. “Jean!”
“Here!” Sweeping her hand on the ground, she found her bow and arrow. Swiftly, she hooked it and took aim, but when she rose, she found herself at the end of a sword.
Liam, with perhaps the entire village, broke into view. “Alistair,” he roared. “Release her. Now.”
To Jean’s surprise, her attacker stepped back and grinned. He sheathed his sword. “Ye have my apologies, Liam.”
“Jean, are ye all right? What are ye doing here?”
“Me? What is he doing here? I thought he was Gibson’s man.”
The man grinned and knelt before her. “Hardly. Alistair Armstrong, at yer service.”
Her heart pounding, she stared at him. “What are ye doing here?”
Alistair looked over at Liam, and he shot her an apologetic look.
“He is here for ye, Jean,” Liam said quietly. “He is here to return ye to to the keep.”