Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Someone ride ahead and inform the healer we will be there soon,” Liam barked at one of his men as they rode out of the forest.
Katherine’s body was pressed against his, all the mud and liquid from her ordeal soaking into his chest. He didn’t care. He’d do it all again to have her in the saddle in front of him.
But I willnae have to do this again. The pirates are gone.
“Aye, Me Laird!” one of the guards responded before digging his heels into his stallion’s side and taking off toward the castle gates.
Brimstone seemed proud to be carrying both of them home, each of his steps careful.
The beast had proven himself to be just as effective as Liam in dangerous situations.
If it wasn’t for the animal’s propensity to protect Katherine, he might consider training him to ride into battle.
As it stood, he’d much rather the horse belong to his wife.
“We are nearly there,” he whispered in Katherine’s ear. “I ken that I said I wanted to introduce ye properly, but if ye wish to rest, I will allow it.”
“If I wished to rest, ye wouldnae be able to stop me from doin’ so, Laird MacDougal,” she retorted, her tongue still sharp as a knife. “I will wait to see what the healer’s recommendation is.”
“Smart lass,” he praised, pulling back the reins to slow Brimstone’s canter. He seemed just as eager to get them back within the safety of the castle walls, but Liam couldn’t risk any stress on the rope holding the horses together. “But we will be postponin’ the ceilidh regardless.”
“The ladies and I worked so hard on it, though,” Katherine murmured, a bit of her personality shining through. It was an encouraging sign. The pirates hadn’t stolen her spirit. “I would hate to see all of that work goin’ to waste.”
“It willnae,” Liam assured her as the gates came into view. “We still have guests to feed, and there is still reason to celebrate. The pirates are gone, ye are safe.”
“Aye,” she murmured, her fingers sliding through Brimstone’s mane. “I suppose we do have some celebratin’ still.”
He didn’t respond as they rode into the courtyard. Tyler was there, the color coming back into his face when he saw Katherine sitting up in the saddle. The groom walked with him to help put both horses away.
As Liam dismounted, the healer came running from within the castle, a bag in her hand. She came to a stop next to them as Katherine’s feet landed on the ground. Digging through her bag, she tutted.
“We will need to get ye washed off,” she said as she pulled out a flannel. She reached out, wiping as much mud away from the cuts on her neck and chest. “Are ye hidin’ any injuries under yer gown?”
“Nay, nothin’ hidden,” she said, holding out her wrists. “This is the worst of it.”
“Ye cannae seem to keep yerself out of trouble,” the healer sighed. “But ye will survive this. Though I cannae promise ye willnae be a wee bit sore.”
“A wee bit of soreness never slowed me down,” Katherine said, still leaning heavily on Liam. “And I think I will feel worlds better after I’m cleaned off. The dried mud is beginnin’ to feel a bit itchy.”
“Ach, I’m sure it is,” the healer said as she linked her arm with Katherine’s. “Let me take ye inside.”
Reluctantly, Liam let go of Katherine. It felt fundamentally wrong to let her out of his sight at the moment, but she was in good hands with the castle’s healer. And, he had to debrief his men.
And Agnes. She must be worried.
“I will see ye soon,” Liam said, the words feeling unnaturally soft as they left his lips.
Katherine nodded and gave him one last, lingering look before she was led inside. Once she disappeared through the doors, several of his guards approached. When they stopped in front of him, they waited for his instructions.
“I will speak with Cillian,” he told them, already beginning his walk inside. “And ye will dispatch a group to the glens. There are four bodies that need to be taken care of.”
“Aye, me Laird,” they said in unison after him.
Liam paid them no mind, his focus now on getting to Agnes and checking on her. Then, he would handle the guests. They could wait, though. What was most important was that his girls were taken care of.
The great hall had been evacuated, and all the guests had been taken back to the relative safety of their accommodations.
The corridors were empty save for the guards stationed at regular intervals, ready to defend the people if they needed to.
All of them stayed at attention, even as Liam passed them.
“The danger has passed,” he said, his head forward. “Stay in yer positions until I give the order otherwise.”
Less than a minute later, he came to Agnes’s chambers. Cillian was standing outside, his hand on the hilt of his sword. He didn’t relax, not even when Liam stopped in front of him.
This is why I chose him for this job. He would make a good laird himself.
“At ease,” Liam said. “I would like to see me daughter.”
Wordlessly, Cillian stepped aside, letting Liam open the door and enter. Agnes’s eyes raised from her book. She put it aside and scrambled off her bed, wrapping her arms around Liam’s middle.
As Liam leaned down to return her embrace, she said, “I was worried about ye. Cillian wouldnae tell me what was happenin’.”
“There is nae anythin’ ye need to be concerned about,” Liam told her, tucking her close to his side. “The danger is passed.”
“They took Katherine,” she said simply, knowing what had happened even though she hadn’t been told.
He leaned back, his hands cupping her little face. She was a perceptive little thing. It was a quality that he knew she inherited from him, one of the few he was glad to have passed on.
“Aye,” he said, dropping his palms down onto her shoulders. “But she is safe now. And we willnae have to worry about those men ever again.”
“The pirates?” Agnes asked, tilting her head to the side curiously. “I ken that’s why ye daenae like the sea.”
Liam swallowed hard, refraining from asking her where she’d learned about them. He’d worked so hard to shield her from the dangers that lurked just outside the safety of these walls. Though there was nothing he could do to prevent her from overhearing conversations.
“Aye,” he said after a beat. “It was the pirates.”
“But ye got rid of all of them?” she said softly. “Ye protected Katherine?”
“I did. And so did Brimstone,” he replied, smiling when her brow furrowed. “They’re gone. I am sure of it.”
“Good,” Agnes said, taking a step back. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Does that mean that Katherine can take me to the sea soon?”
“Nay,” Liam said, an instinctual response. He stopped himself, taking a deep breath before continuing, “Nay, I willnae allow the two of ye to go alone. But I will accompany ye. And I will teach ye to swim.”
Agnes wrapped her arms around him again and, muffled by his middle, she said, “Thank ye.”
* * *
“Ye’re lucky,” the healer said, dabbing at the cut on Katherine’s neck as Tilly dutifully put her into the gown she was married in.
“These injuries could have been much worse. This one especially.” She tapped her finger against the skin she was tending to.
“I havenae seen anyone survive a deeper gash in this area.”
“It was because of Liam,” Katherine said, unable to articulate just how grateful for him that she was. “And… I do suppose I did play a bit of a role in it as well. I bit the man holdin’ onto me.”
“Ye bit him?” Tilly asked, stepping around so she could look at Katherine’s face. “Are yer teeth okay?”
Katherine laughed, unable to hold herself back. The sound was contagious. Tilly and the healer joined in. Though when they recovered, the healer tapped Katherine’s jaw.
“She’s correct. Let me see yer teeth,” she instructed. “If ye’re goin’ to go to the great hall after this and partake in celebratin’, I need to make sure ye didnae crack any.”
“I didnae bite him that hard,” Katherine said, though she obeyed, opening her mouth and letting the healer poke around. Even Tilly leaned in to inspect.
“It looks as if yer teeth are still intact,” the healer hummed after a beat. “But if ye feel any pain, tell me, and I will get ye a bit of ginger to chew on to help with it.”
“I will,” Katherine promised, giving her a toothy smile.
“Are ye sure ye wish to go down and drink?” Tilly asked for the third time that evening. “I daenae think a soul would blame ye for stayin’ in yer chambers. Ye must be exhausted.”
“And I would recommend rest for ye,” the healer added.
“I ken,” Katherine said, shaking her head. “But I’m nae tired anymore. I think the bath energized me. Besides, it is still a time for celebration.”
“Aye.” Liam’s voice came from the doorway.
Katherine hadn’t even realized that it was open.
“Our people have lived in fear of the pirates for over a decade. Tonight, all of that came to an end. I just got word that me men have vanquished the last of the pirates.” He stepped inside, his eyes never leaving hers.
It was as if they were the only two people on the planet.
“And I would like to celebrate me wife’s safe return to Castle MacDougal. ”
Her breath caught. She seemed to be drawn closer to his energy. It was so easy to forget they had an audience.
“I suppose it will be quite nice to celebrate me husband successfully defeatin’ his enemies,” she admitted. Then, softer, she added, “I would like to be there to give me thanks properly.”
The words were filled with heat. She blushed at her own boldness, especially when she sensed the healer step back. She didn’t look away from Liam’s intense gaze, though.
“I am lookin’ forward to it,” he said after a long moment. Offering her his arm, he said, “Come. Let me introduce ye to our guests. I ken they’ve been dyin’ to meet ye properly.”