Return Of The Highlanders: The Guardian Part 19

Why had no one told her of the plan to oust her stepfather from her castle? Why had Ian not told her? Instead, he'd led her to believe he'd spent the night drinking with Connor and the others.

"The four of them have it all planned out," Grdan said, raising his arms. "They know how much losing Knock Castle hurt the clan's pride. Men came last night because they are angry that Hugh has not called for an attack. They all went home believing that unlike Hugh, Connor would never turn his back while our enemies took what belongs to us."

"Connor wouldn't," she said in a low voice.

"I'm telling ye," Grdan said, "the whole purpose of taking Knock Castle is to rally the men into supporting Connor for the chieftains.h.i.+p."

Sileas felt like her throat was closing. Her voice came out high and tight as she asked, "Are ye saying this meeting was last night?"

"Aye."

And Ian had come back this morning with a ring, saying he didn't want to wait another night to be her true husband. She felt as if she were standing on the edge of a sandbar with the sand sliding out from beneath her feet.

"Connor needs a man with a husband's claim to justify the attack," Grdan said. "That is the reason Ian is claiming ye now."

In the back of her head, she heard Ian's voice. There is nothing I would not do for Connor.

Still, she said, "That doesn't mean Ian doesn't care for me."

"What Ian cares about," Grdan said, "is being the hero who saved the clan by putting Connor in the chieftains.h.i.+p."

His words rang true in her heart, for she knew Ian had a burning need to redeem himself.

"Just because Ian wants to help the clan doesn't mean that's the only reason he wants to be my husband."

"I'm telling ye," Grdan said, "Ian wants ye so he has the right to claim your lands and castle."

"That wasn't enough to make him want to wed me five years ago, and I was heir to Knock Castle then." She could hear the desperation in her voice.

"That was before Flodden. Before Connor's father and brother died. Before Hugh Dubh took the chieftains.h.i.+p." Grdan hit each point relentlessly. "And it was before Connor had a chance at becoming chieftain."

She shook her head because she didn't want to believe it.

"Connor ordered Ian to take ye to bed, so he would have a husband's right to take Knock Castle," Grdan said. "I heard Connor say it."

I'll do whatever it takes, for the sake of the clan. There is nothing I would not do for Connor.

"Ian told Connor not to worry, he would take care of it.' "

She felt her checks flush with mortification.

"Ye know I've never lied to ye," he said.

"I won't hear this," she said, backing away from him.

"You've been a fool for Ian for five years," Grdan said. "I'm begging ye, don't be a fool for him for the rest of your life."

The long years of waiting still hurt. And for certain, Ian had not been faithful to her while he was in France. Did a ring and a few soft words make up for that?

"For G.o.d's sake, Sileas, open your eyes and see the man for what he is." Grdan drew in a deep breath and blew it out. "If ye change your mind, I'll be waiting."

Her lip trembled as she watched Grdan turn away and walk up the path toward his home. No, she would not believe it. She knew Ian's heart. He wouldn't deceive her.

But as she ran toward the house, all she could remember was that Ian had not once told her he loved her.

CHAPTER 20.

Ian hummed to himself as he poured the second pot of boiling water into the tub. In a wink, he stripped and tossed his dirty clothes into the corner, then settled into the steaming water with a long, satisfied sigh.

Tonight. Tonight would be the night he consummated his marriage and tied Sileas to him for life. He wanted it all to be perfect for her. Of course, he couldn't be sweet-smelling like Sileas, but at least he would be clean for her. He'd bring a flask of wine up to their bedchamber and set the room ablaze with candles.

He rested his head against the back of the tub and smiled to himself, thinking of the night ahead.

d.a.m.n. Was that the front door opening? With his da asleep and everyone else gone to see the neighbors' new babe, he expected to have the house to himself a while longer. Ach, he'd best get down to business before the women came into the kitchen to fix supper.

He sat up and scrubbed his face. After he dunked his head in the water to rinse the soap off, he felt fingers in his hair.

"Sileas," he said, smiling like a fool with his eyes closed and water streaming down his face.

She laid her hands on his shoulders, and he sighed as she slid them down his chest. But something was not quite right... He sat bolt upright and spun around-and discovered it wasn't Sileas who had her hands on him.

"Dina. What are ye doing here?"

"What's this?" Dina snapped the cord that held the crystal over his head before he could think to grab her arm to stop her.

"Ye need to leave-ye can see I'm bathing." He held his hand out. "Give that back to me before ye go."

She swung it in front of him, just out of his reach, then laughed and put it around her neck. "This would be a lovely gift for ye to give me in return for what I'm going to give ye."

"We're not giving each other anything, Dina," he said, losing his patience with her. "Now give that back to me."

"You didn't ask what I was going to give ye." She ran her finger down the cord to where the pouch that held the crystal lay in the cleavage between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

"By the saints, Dina, what do ye think ye are doing?"

"I couldn't help noticing ye been sleeping in the old cottage," she said. "Seems a shame to sleep alone, when ye don't have to."

"I'm not interested in what ye are offering," he said. "Now give me that and go."

He leaned forward and grabbed a handful of the skirt of her gown and pulled. "Give it to me."

She must have unfastened her gown already, because she stepped out of it as the d.a.m.n thing came away in his hands. He looked up from the gown clenched in his fingers to see her standing in her chemise. Then, before he could say a word, the chemise was off.

Now, he was a man. He didn't mean to look. She wasn't the woman he wanted. But Dina did have attractive... attributes. And she was standing right in front of him stark naked. It didn't help matters that Sileas left him in a constant state of frustration.

Against his will, his c.o.c.k sprang to life. That did not mean he intended to use it.

"I want ye to give me that back, get your clothes on, and leave the kitchen, so I can finish my bath and get dressed."

"Come and take it." As she intended, his eyes went to the pouch, which was lying between her naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

He looked around for the towel. d.a.m.n, he'd left it on the stool on the other side of the table. Dina must have followed his gaze, for she ran around the table, b.r.e.a.s.t.s bobbing, and s.n.a.t.c.hed up it up.

Ach! He wanted to strangle the woman.

"If ye will not get dressed and leave, then I will." He clenched the sides of the tub, hoisted himself up, and stepped out of the tub, streaming water. He was reaching for his clean s.h.i.+rt on the table when he heard a commotion behind him and turned.

Sileas's scream filled the small room as he saw her in the doorway. Her eyes were impossibly wide, and she was screaming as if someone had stabbed her.

"Sileas," Ian started for her, but then her gaze dropped to his groin and she screamed again. He'd forgotten he was naked. He grabbed his s.h.i.+rt from the table and covered himself. Although she was a virgin, he hadn't expected her to get this upset by her first good look at him naked.

"It's all right, Sil," he said, walking toward her.

She backed away, not with fright in her eyes, as he expected, but with such hurt that his heart felt pinched in his chest.

When her gaze moved from him to fix on something behind him, he remembered Dina. In his concern for Sileas, he had forgotten all about that d.a.m.ned woman. And then he realized what this must look like to Sileas-and why she screamed.

"Ye gave her my stone," Sileas said in a choked whisper.

Ian felt as if the walls of the room were cras.h.i.+ng in on him, smothering him under their weight.

"No. No, I didn't," he said, as Sileas turned and ran. "This is no what ye think!"

When he started after her, Niall took her place in the kitchen doorway, roaring, "Ye b.a.s.t.a.r.d!"

"Get out of my way," Ian said, and shoved his brother aside.

Unfortunately, both his feet and the floor were wet. When Niall tackled him, he slipped and fell backward to the floor. Then his brother proceeded to pound his head and torso, all the while shouting, "How could ye do it! How could ye!"

Ian was sorely tempted to beat the living s.h.i.+te out of his baby brother when Alex finally pulled Niall off him.

"What took ye so long?" Ian said, as he pulled his s.h.i.+rt over his head.

"Maybe I thought ye deserved it," Alex said.

"I didn't touch Dina." Ian turned around and shouted at her. "Tell them I didn't touch ye. Tell them!"

While his head was turned, Niall broke free from Alex's hold and landed a blow to the side of Ian's head that made his ears ring. He couldn't see to block the next punch.

He woke up on the floor by the hearth, with his mother hovering over him and his head pounding like the devil.

"Where's Sil?" he said, starting to get up.

His mother put her hand on his chest. "Don't move, or I'll hit ye in the head myself."

"Mam, I need to see Sil. She thinks I did something I didn't do."

"Give her time to calm down," his mother said. "Even then, you'll have a hard time convincing her. I'll tell ye, son, it didn't look good."

He supposed it didn't-not with he and Dina both naked, and his c.o.c.k at full mast.

"Maybe ye should let me talk to her," his mother said.

"So ye believe me, mam?" He needed someone to believe him.

"You're like your da," she said, brus.h.i.+ng his hair off his forehead. "Once ye find the woman ye want, ye quit looking." She turned as Alex came through the front door with a gush of cold air. "My sisters were no so lucky. I hope Connor and Alex don't follow their fathers' shameful examples."

"What's that you're saying?" Alex said, as he crossed the room. Then he leaned over Ian, grinning. "So, are ye finally awake? Next time we go 'a fighting, I want your brother with us."

"How long have I been lying here?" Ian bit back the nausea and sat up, despite his mother's protests.

Alex shrugged. "An hour?"

"I want Dina gone from this house," Ian said, as he stumbled to his feet.

G.o.d's blood, his head hurt, but he had to talk to Sileas. He held onto the walls as he went up the stairs. When he reached her bedchamber door, he tapped softly.

"Sil." He tapped again. "Sileas. Let me explain. Please."

Nothing.

He went back three times.

When she still refused to answer the fourth time, he said, "I'm coming in."

He tried the door, but she'd pushed something against it. He rammed his shoulder against it, opening it a crack, but jarring his aching head something fierce. Hoping she didn't have a skillet, he poked his head through the opening.

The stillness of the room sent a p.r.i.c.kle of unease up the back of his neck. He could see now that it was the chest she'd pushed against the door. After giving the door another shove, he stepped inside.

As he stood in the middle of the empty room, his gaze moved slowly from the clothes strewn across the bed to the yellow gown that she had been wearing, which lay in a heap on the floor. The pounding of his heart was loud in his ears against the silence of the room.

He turned to look for her cloak on the peg by the door, though he already knew it would be gone.

It was.

A blinding fury took hold of him as he guessed where she had gone-to the man waiting first in line to take her from him. After taking the stairs three at a time, he left the house without a word to the others.

By G.o.d, he was going to beat Grdan MacDonald to within an inch of his life. And then he was going to drag his wife back home-by her hair and screaming all the way, if he must.