Chapter Twenty Six #2
“Good man,” Ramsay said. He took a long draught of ale before he asked. “So how did ye two meet?”
Alec felt Joanie stiffen at his side. Ramsay’s questions stirred a place of deep sadness within her, sadness for her own trials but mostly, her grief for Diana. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. “I heard her sing and knew hers was the only song I ever wanted to hear again.”
“I would love to hear ye,” Nick said quietly.
Ramsay raised his cup. “The harborage has never been graced with music.”
“This is supposed to be a celebration,” Paul said, smiling at Joanie.
Alec looked down at Joanie whose cheeks were tinted a lovely pink. “We are in the Highlands,” he said softly. “’Tis time to bring yer music home.” He felt her elation growing inside of her.
Joanie looked straight ahead and closed her eyes. “This song was taught to me by my grandmother. May God rest her soul.”
When the first note left her lips, it unleashed a flood of emotions.
Today, she had felt the kiss of the sun and Alec’s warm hands on her naked body.
She had married him, sharing sacred vows before an altar, wearing a crown of wildflowers.
She had comforted the broken heart of a Scottish rebel, and she had longed for her own beloved Diana.
And all these moments—some glorious, others sad but all achingly beautiful — she surrendered to her song.
The notes welled from her heart and crooned off her tongue, coiling around the men, then up through the trees.
She imagined her voice being carried on the Highland wind, welcomed by the trees, the stars above, the earth beneath her feet like an old friend.
The story she told was of that land, a story of a young Scottish lass who loved a sailor and awaited his return for seven long years, fearing he was lost forever.
Joanie poured her own heartache into the lass’s longing. And when the lass spied his ship on the horizon, Joanie imbued the words with her own joy and wonderment in finding Alec. The final note grazed the treetops, high and soft as a caress, then faded to breath.
She opened her eyes. Nick, Ramsay, David, and Paul stared at her with unmistakable looks of wonder and admiration. Blushing, she turned into Alec and hid her face for a moment before she smiled.
Ramsay raked his hand through his long blond hair. “Wow.”
David blew out a long breath, then pressed his hands on his knees and stood. “All right, then. I’ll be back before dawn,” he said and grabbed his satchel and sword and disappeared into the woods.
“Where is he going?” Paul asked.
“To the tavern in Dunshire,” Alec said, one side of his lips lifting in a sideways grin. “There’s a lass he needs to see.”
“Are ye going to tell us what the two of ye are doing here on yer wedding night?” Ramsay asked before taking a bite of dried meat.
Nick nodded. “Why are ye not still at the palace?”
“Edward’s men arrived,” Alec said.
The sip of ale Paul had just taken sprayed from his lips. “Do ye think he knows about the stolen treasure?”
Alec nodded. “When the keeper discovered what happened, he sent word of the robbery.”
Ramsay shrugged. “Calm yerself, Paul. No one could suspect it was us.”
“We do not exist, remember?” Alec said to Paul. “Anyway, I was planning on leaving London,” he said, putting his hand on Joanie’s knee.
Ramsay smiled knowingly. “If ye wait to steal a prize like Joanie, ye may wind up empty handed.”
“Oh, he didn’t steal me,” Joanie said, trying to keep from smiling. “He bought me for one-hundred silver marks.”
Once more, ale sprayed from Paul’s lips.
Nick leaned forward. “All right, from the beginning then, Alec.”
Alec smiled and wrapped his arm protectively around Joanie. He certainly had no intention of imparting Joanie’s personal struggles to his friends. “Do not think that just because I’m sitting with ye around a fire that I’m going to tell ye all my secrets.”
Paul laughed. “It seems only fair, since ye know all of ours.”
“Nay, yer story is yer own,” Ramsay said. “But I am interested to know where ye’re heading now?”
“Joanie’s grandmother hailed from St. Gabriel. We are going to see if she has any family left there.” Alec stood then and offered his hand to Joanie. “If ye’ll excuse us now, we plan to set out early in the morning.”
“Not to mention it is yer wedding night,” Ramsay said.
Alec wrapped his arm around Joanie’s waist and led her from the fire.
“Alba gu bràth,” Ramsay called after them.
The other men responded in unison. “Alba gu bràth,” before draining their cups.
Joanie followed Alec through the thick trees and gasped with delight when he pointed to their bed for the night.
A wooden platform stuck out halfway up the tree.
She climbed a rope ladder with Alec just behind her.
And when they reached the top, he pulled the ladder up into a neat pile.
Surrounding the platform was a protective railing.
Joanie gazed out from their perch, delighted by the view.
“This is magnificent,” she said.
He smiled and nodded. “It was my favorite place in the world.”
She looked at him curiously. “Where is your favorite place now?”
He pulled her close, bringing his lips a breath away from hers.
“Wherever ye are,” he whispered. Then his lips claimed hers.
Her arms flew around his neck. She returned his kiss with a demand all her own, a hunger gripping her body, a hunger that could never be sated even if they lived a century in each other’s arms.
“I need you now,” she gasped. “I need you always.”
Alec eased her tunic and shift over her head and hungrily pulled first one rosy nipple into his mouth, then the other.
Her hands coursed over his body, searching, wanting.
Then he felt her fingers pulling on his hose.
He deepened his kiss as he freed himself.
She stared up at him, her limpid eyes half closed with desire that surged from her body into his.
Parting her legs, her arms reached for him.
He stretched over her, his hand cupped her breast, his thumb gently teasing her hard peak, eliciting soft moans from her wet, parted lips.
Then his hand caressed down her sleek torso, then lower still.
Unable to resist her heat, his fingers gently grazed her soft folds.
She writhed beneath him, arching her back, thrusting her hips.
He deepened his touch, stroking her, feeling her hunger, her need, her body telling him exactly what it wanted.
The instant before her mounting pleasure erupted, he shifted over her and thrust into her, deep and hard.
She shattered around him, coaxing his own pleasure to crest and soar.
He thrust into her harder and deeper until he seized for a moment, a breath.
Then wave after wave of pleasure rocked through him into her.