Chapter 11
“T
hat argument was all two steps forward an’ then three steps back,” Ailsa said in a light tone as she guided Will down the sloping village thoroughfare to where the burn flowed peacefully at the bottom of the hill.
“Yer resentment has had all the time in the world to fester, Will, but ye must understand that a wee boy who has only seen six summers come an’ go is prone to thinkin’ o’ himself first, as he has every right to do. ”
She led him to the tree that draped its branches down to the riverbanks, and then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, Ailsa began to remove her clothing.
It was like she had waved a magic wand. Will stopped frowning and muttering recriminations under his breath and watched her with a fascinated intensity.
He had been expecting another scolding, and now his mind was flipped in an entirely other direction.
“What are ye doin’?” he asked, hoping the question did not make him sound foolish.
He wanted to add “Don’ stop” but did not want to sound like a wenching tavern customer.
She gave him an elusive smile. “What do ye think I’m doin’, Will? I am goin’ to wade into the stream, an’ ye are most welcome to join me if ye’re up to it.”
Will shifted and looked down, pleased to find that the folds of his plaid were hiding the fact that he had stiffened with instant arousal at the sight of her standing in her shift in front of him.
She strolled down to the water's edge, looking back at him with the most teasing expression on her face.
“Are ye comin’?”
And just like that, Ailsa pulled loose the strings keeping the shift over her shoulders, allowing it to drop to the ground, where she stepped daintily out of the garment.
He was too wrought to say anything at the sight of her naked body.
He could only watch rapt the side of her pale back and plump buttocks disappearing under the water, looking so much like a nymph that Will felt as if she might disappear like a dream if he moved.
Her head broke above the ripples, and she beckoned him. “Come on. It will clear yer head, I promise.”
Suddenly, being with Ailsa was all that Will could think of, and the memory of his brother’s betrayal faded.
He removed his clothes in the shortest time and ran down to the stream, not even caring if anyone was looking.
He jumped in with a splash, and when he emerged, Will felt lighter and more carefree than he ever had before.
The water had washed away a small part of his rancor and resentment, leaving behind a man who might be ready to look forward to something else.
“Where are ye?” he shouted out. “Don’t tell me ye’re suddenly shy.”
Ailsa called out to him from behind a clump of rushes, “Truth be told, Will, it was the only thing I could think of to take yer mind off yer circumstances, an’ now that I have achieved me goal, I’m a wee bit blate…”
He swam over to where she was standing next to the riverbank.
The lower part of her body was under the water and half hidden by rushes; only her head and shoulders were visible.
Will was too exhilarated to complain about this.
He wanted to thank her for what she had done.
He swam close and reached out for her, but she moved back slightly, only giving him her hand.
She must have been able to see the traces of his arousal under the water.
He pulled Ailsa close to him so she was against his chest, and when she stared up at his face with her long silver-blonde hair flowing down her back and her clear eyes shining with some indescribable emotion, he felt his body respond despite the chill of the water.
In that moment, he found her the most desirable woman in the world, and there was no hiding it.
Will released her, but Ailsa did not splash away with disgust. Instead, she allowed the ripples of the water flowing in the stream to ease them apart gradually.
“Can ye remember what I told ye about the road being close by, Will?” She gave him a secretive smile.
“Do ye want us to be seen by travelers goin’ about their business? ”
She did not say it in a seductive voice, but to Will, her words were intensely alluring.
He knew what he was experiencing was the hardness and passion men felt after surviving a fight or battle.
There was a reason why wenches did good business during and after wars and combat.
The thrill that happened during fighting diffused into the blood when it was over, moving from boiling to a slow simmer, seeking release.
This meant that a man’s blood fury must be dissipated in some other way.
Will knew he wanted to plow this silver-haired nymph’s narrow blonde field so badly, he felt his whole body throbbing at the thought of taking her then and there.
She must know, surely she must sense how badly he wanted to release himself into her?
Even her caution about people being able to see them did nothing to soften his ardor; in fact, it increased it.
He found the thought of travelers’ shocked and curious faces as they came closer to watch extremely exciting.
As if to answer the unspoken question, Ailsa lifted up her hand to wipe the water off his face. Her fingers lingered there as she rubbed her thumb over his mouth.
“Mm,” she whispered. “I can see why folks speak so highly about such moments, Will. The feeling of wanting fulfillment so badly has rushed to every womanly part of me body. I ken it is the same with ye.”
Her other hand moved toward the part of his body that was underwater, and his manhood jerked at the thought of her touch, but then she let her hand float away again, teasing him. Ailsa gave a secret smile.
“It’s a mystery why a woman must explain her awakening and yearning so that a man can understand it’s happenin’, an’ all the while it’s plain to see when it happens on a man’s body.” She leaned so close that her lips pressed against his neck. “Seeing it inflames me even more.”
He crushed her to his chest, emboldened by her honest words, excited beyond measure that she felt the same way as he did.
Her kiss was the most sublime sensation, the soft lips opening to allow his mouth to explore her.
The way she tasted like freshly baked bread, he found it utterly endearing that she had been sampling the loaves down in the kitchens.
Her skin was cold and damp but seemed to yield to his caress as he ran his hands over her back and down past her waist. In Will’s imagination, he was already lifting her up so she could wrap her legs around him and sink herself down to envelop him in that warm wetness he was dying to feel.
But first, kissing. Long, lingering, passionate kisses; the perfect way to release all the pent up energy and emotion he had been feeling for the past few days.
With one kiss, Ailsa had managed to eradicate all the hatred he had been harboring for so long.
It seemed to leak out of him, leaving something else in its place, something bigger and better.
Will pulled away a little bit and growled softly in his deep voice, “Lass, I have nay way to thank ye for the kindness ye’ve shown toward me.”
Ailsa froze as if she was waiting and holding her breath to hear what else he had to say. He felt her shiver when she heard the words rumble in his chest. Will nearly lost all self-control when she pressed herself so close to him that he could feel the hardness of her nipples.
“I want ye to ken that anythin’ ye say to answer me is fine either way.
” He paused for a beat, hoping she wanted to see this experience through to the end as ardently as he did.
“But can we go somewhere to be private?” he asked her.
She did not answer right away, which made him laugh.
“Or we can stay here an’ put on a wee show for all the travelers who happen to come along the road. ”
That made her giggle and splash away from him.
He wasted no time in following her, lending a hand to make sure she did not slip as she clambered over the muddy riverbank.
Somehow, Ailsa was able to make the action look effortless and graceful.
He tried not to let his disappointment show when she bent to retrieve her shift.
“Will, I love our time together bathing in the stream, an’ cannae deny the way ye make me feel…”
“But?” Will said, laughing as he bent to pick up his plaid and follow her back to the shade of the tree branches.
Ailsa smiled. “Aye, there’s a but. I am a maiden an’ cannae be so cavalier about me virginity. I earn a fair salary as the housekeeper at the castle, but me maidenhead will be all I can offer me husband one day…or night.”
“There is no other man in yer life, is there, Ailsa?” Will wrapped the plaid around himself, anxious to hear the answer to his question immediately, although he was not quite sure why.
She looked at him with her head tilted to the side, which made her look even more adorable as far as Will was concerned. “Are ye in me life, Will?”
He opened his mouth to reply, but someone hailed them as they came down the hillside road, heading from the bailey.
“Hie! I have yer sword an’ dirk, Will!”
It was Logan. He was approaching at a fast pace, but Will held up his arm and waved, running forward to meet him halfway, still clutching his plaid around his waist. “Stay where ye are, Logan. I will come to ye.” Will raised his voice so Logan could hear and began striding to reach the blacksmith quickly before he came closer.
When Will was nearer, he could see that Logan was trying to keek past the draping branches that formed a curtain of leaves around the willow tree. He obviously wanted to see who the lady was hiding behind the leaves.
“I didnae ken ye had set yerself up with a cozy armful at the village, Will! Ye have never spent a night away from our lodgings…” Logan said in such a way that let Will know he would be pleased to receive an adequate answer, but willing to accept it if Will was silent.
When Will said nothing, Logan passed the weapons to his friend.
“I also have nay idea why the laird told me to bring these down to ye, but he had tears in his eyes when he bade me carry these to where ye are. The sentries at the gate gave me yer direction.”
Will had a very good idea why his brother would have been distraught at the sight of his sword—because it was crafted in exactly the same way as he had made the other one, the sword that had caught Laird MacNair’s eye.
The one that he said was the best sword he had ever seen in his life was a copy of the one Will used himself.
He did not know why he had done that except for a vague feeling that any man related to him and built along the same magnificent lines as his own physique would be drawn to that sword in the same way a compass was forced to point north.
“Thank ye for bringin’ them all the way down here to me, Logan. I’ll be with ye anon.” He dismissed his friend with a nod and went back to the shady tree canopy.
Logan loitered for a moment, hoping for a better explanation, but turned to walk back the way he had come when none was forthcoming.