MacAlister - Taming The Scotsman Part 26

"d.a.m.n you, Ewan. You know nothing of what you speak. She was meant for me and no other. She has said it to me a thousand times."

"Listen to me, d.a.m.nyou . She told me herself that she has no feelings for you."

"Liar!" Kieran had backhanded him for those words.

Ewan had reached to attack, and Lochlan and Braden had come between them, forcing them apart.

"Why are you upsetting him, Ewan?" Lochlan had demanded as he shook him forcefully.

"She loves me." The words had leaped out of his mouth before he could stop them.

All three of his brothers had laughed. The sound had echoed painfully in his heart.

How dare they scorn him for it. Was it so impossible to believe a woman could desire him?

"You?" Kieran had shaken his head as he continued to laugh. "Now I know you jest."

Ewan had never wanted to hurt his brothers before, but he wanted to then. He was tired of being pushed aside by all of them. Discounted. Mocked. "Why is that so hard for you to believe?"

It had been Kieran's final words to him that had set everything into motion.

"Look at yourself, Ewan. You're gangly and sullen. What few women you've had, I had to pay them to take you, and all you did then was talk to them instead of make use of theircharms . The day will never come when a woman would have you over me. What couldyou ever offer a woman?"

"I know the answer to this one," Braden had chimed in. "A lifetime of brooding silence and evil glares."

Then Braden had clapped Kieran on the back and the two of them had left the hall, all the while laughing at him.

Ewan had stood frozen, unable to breathe from the cruelty of their words.

"Iknow not what to do with that lad, Aisleen. He will never be what his brothers are ..."

"They didn't mean that as it sounded," Lochlan had said after Kieran and Braden had left. "I'm sure Isobail is fond of you. In your own way, you are-"

"Silence, Lochlan," he'd snarled. "Bother me no more with your socalled comfort. I'm tired of all of you recounting my faults to me. I'm not as handsome as Braden, or as charming as Kieran, and I lack your intelligence. Believe me, I know well my shortcomings. Every last one of them."

Those comparisons had been branded into his heart from the hour of his birth.

Though he loved his brothers, he was well aware of where he fell in everyone's esteem.

Even Sin had mocked him when he offered to help him and Braden rescue Lochlan from the clan.

There was nothing he could do that his brothers couldn't do better.

Only Nora had never compared him to them.

Of course, she had yet to meet his brothers...

Would she care for him if they were around? Or would she be like Isobail and abandon him the first chance she got?

He didn't know for sure. But in the back of his mind was the thought that if she did, it would be the blow that destroyed him. He could take anything except her ridicule.

Viktor stopped the wagon on the outskirts of a small town. Catarina reined her horse to a stop as Lysander, Pagan and Bavel dismounted.

Catarina joined Lysander as he pulled open the door to the wagon, and they found Ewan and Nora sound asleep in the back.

Nora was lying against his chest, and he had one brawny arm slung protectively over her.

"Ahhh," Catarina said, happy to see them so entwined.

"Am I supposed to allow them to lie like that?" Lysander asked. "I'm thinking I might get a sword to my middle for it should her father ever learn of this."

"I'll take one to your backside if you don't leave them be," Cat said. "I think they make a beautiful couple."

"I knew she was too quiet," Viktor said. "I should have known she'd be fast asleep."

"Well, rouse them," Bavel added. "I'm hungry enough to eat my boots."

"I'm awake," Ewan said gruffly. "Who could sleep with the four of you yapping like herd of puppies?"

Ewan gently shook Nora awake.

She blinked open her eyes, then smiled at him.

In spite of his best intentions, he smiled back.

"Where are we?" she asked as she realized the wagon was no longer moving.

"I'm not sure," Viktor said. "We've come up to a small village. I thought we might buy ourselves a nice supper and mayhap find a comfortable bed for the night."

Nora stifled a yawn as she scooted out of the wagon.

Ewan came out behind her and forgot that he was supposed to be injured. The minute he took a step, Nora clucked her tongue teasingly at him.

"For shame, my lord, feigning injuries and playing on my poor good nature. And to think I was worried over you."

Ewan scratched his chin and sheepishly averted his gaze.

Pagan laughed at them as he walked past.

Nora playfully patted Ewan's arm, then stood up on her tiptoes to give him a sisterly kiss on his cheek.

"Not that you asked it, but I forgive you."

They took a few minutes to freshen their appearances. Ewan took Nora's hand and led them into the town.

He paused long enough to ask if there was a pub, and they were directed to the largest cottage in the village.

The gypsies were eerily quiet as they walked along behind them.

The pub's door was open and several men were seated at tables, drinking from goblets.

"Can I help you good people?" an older woman asked as she came forward to greet them. She had dark auburn hair that was liberally laced with gray and a large, full figure.

Ewan inclined his head. "We'd like some food and beds for the night if you have them."

The woman led them to a table near the hearth.

"They're not very friendly here, are they?" Nora asked as she sat down by the wall.

"'Tis a small village, my lady, and most are rather suspicious of strangers. They fear we'll either steal their children or curse them to a pox." Catarina winked at her.

Nora frowned at that. "Well, I can't imagine why."

"Neither can I," Ewan said. "Especially since they drugged and then abducted us."

Nora elbowed him.

Viktor's cheeks darkened.

Catarina and Nora laughed.

"But admit it," Catarina said. "Your being abducted is the best thing to happen to you."

Ewan looked at Nora. There might be some truth to that. But he didn't want to admit it, especially not out loud.

After they were served their food, the door opened again.

Ewan saw a man a couple of years older than he enter. He knew there was something familiar about him, but it wasn't until the man drifted past the table that he realized what.

'Twas Isobail's older brother.

His heart stopped. He hadn't seen Graham MacKaid since the day before Kieran had stolen Isobail away from her father's house.

The man looked older than his years. His face was bearded and haggard. His brown hair hung lankly around his shoulders, and he was thin and gangly.

It was obvious the MacKaids had fallen on hard times.

"Graham," the maid said in greeting. "Been a while since you pa.s.sed this way. Are you heading home?"

"Aye, though I don't know why I bother. If I had any sense at all, I'd be heading myself for France and forgetting that I ever saw Scotland." He paused as if realizing he'd said too much, then added hastily, "You have a room for the night?"

"Sorry, love, I just rented my last one out a few minutes ago."

He cursed and turned to his right, which faced him toward where they were eating.

The man didn't move as his eyes narrowed and recognition hit him as well.

Ewan's hand tightened on his goblet as he saw rage descend on Graham's face.

"You," he snarled. "Fi, I would have expected better of you than to let filth into your establishment."

The woman stiffened and cast a suspicious eye toward them.

Ewan rose to his feet. He'd never been the kind of man to let an insult pa.s.s unanswered and he wasn't about to start now. "You'd best be calming yourself, Graham MacKaid. I'm in no mood for you."

Graham cast a disdainful look over Nora. "Which of your brothers did you stealher from, hmmm?

Everyone knows Ewan MacAllister can't ever have a woman unless he takes her from someone else."

He heard Nora's sharp intake of breath.

Ewan roared in anger as he came around the table to attack.

Nora was dumbfounded as she watched the two men fight.

"You b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" Graham snarled as they punched at each other. "You ruined my life."

Ewan said nothing as he caught the man a blow that sent him straight to the floor.

Ewan picked him up by his s.h.i.+rt and shoved him toward the door. "Leave, Graham. Otherwise I might kill you."

Graham laughed, displaying a set of b.l.o.o.d.y teeth. "Why don't you then? What's my life to you? I might as well be dead since your family ruined mine."

"What did we do to you? 'Twas your sister who killed my brother."

Graham spat blood onto the floor and snarled at Ewan. "Isobail would never have left home had it not been for you and your brother. You're the one who killed Kieran. Don't try and blame an innocent la.s.s for your deeds. She was a good la.s.s until you ruined her."

Ewan bent down and caught the man about his waist. He ran at the wall, pinning Graham to it.

Nora was on her feet and across the room before she even realized she'd moved.

"Ewan!" she snapped at him. "Put him down."

"Nay, not until I kill him."

Lysander and Pagan appeared at her side to help her separate them. Nora forced Ewan back while Pagan and Lysander escorted the other man toward the door.

"Calm down," she said as she met his blazing eyes.

Graham turned at the door and called out one last parting word. "You never answered my question, MacAllister. Who did you steal her from?"

Ewan took a step, but Nora stopped him. "What are you doing?"

She saw the pain on his face, the torment. She reached up to touch the cut on his lip, but he dodged her hand.

"Don't touch me."

He turned about and left her there to stare after him.