The Highlander’s Tempting Touch

Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

W aking up beside a pretty lass in his bed wasn’t a new sensation for Alistair. Waking up with an aching arousal that he had to take care of himself was somewhat more unusual.

The hard part was retrieving the sheet to smear blood on it, without waking Niamh. Fortunately for him, she slept soundly. Even better, he had no difficulty finding the place where her release had spilled on the sheets. He smeared some blood on the sheet, then set it close to the fire to dry. The rest of the blood he disposed of with a quick, furtive trip to the midden.

Niamh was just stirring when he returned, and a maid was laying out breakfast on the table beside the fire. Alistair barely managed to contain his smirk as red bloomed over Niamh’s cheeks. “Good morning, wife.”

There was a flurry of movement under the coverlet, then Niamh emerged, grabbed a warm over-robe, and joined him at breakfast, still blushing. “Good morning.”

Her glance went to the sheet, and her color deepened. “Why is that here? The servants will talk.”

“Aye. They’ll talk, but in this case, ‘tis better they dae. Word spreadin’ among the maid means ‘tis less likely that anyone will guess at a deception.” Alistair sighed. He didn’t like lying to his people, but he liked the idea of forcing an unwilling woman even less.

Breakfast passed quietly, both of them absorbed in their own thoughts and plans for the day. Once he’d finished eating, Alistair rose to his feet. “I need tae get tae the Council meeting. Ye should tak’ the time tae rest from our journey, but if ye feel up tae doin’ so, feel free tae wander and get tae ken the castle, and some o’ the folk who live here. If ye need aid, ask one o’ the servants, or find Catriona. I’m sure she’ll be more than willing tae help ye.”

Niamh nodded. Alistair stood awkwardly for a moment, then collected the sheet and left the room, feeling oddly unsettled by the whole morning.

The Council chamber was full, despite the fact that it was barely past breakfast. Alistair scowled at the expectant faces. They put him in mind of carrion crows, waiting for men to pass away on the battlefield so they could enjoy what was left.

Alistair tossed the sheet onto the table, making sure the reddish stain was visible. “As ye can see, the marriage has been consummated. I hope that settles yer concerns?”

“Nae so much as a child would, but ye couldnae ken if the lass is with child yet.” Connor smiled at him. “I kent ye’d dae yer duty by the clan, lad. Congratulations on yer marriage, and may it be a fruitful one.”

“A toast tae the Laird and Lady, and the hope o’ many more tae come!” Evan Dearmont rose from the table and went to a side cabinet to produce cups, and a bottle of whiskey.

“A toast!” The rest of the council surged to their feet as well. Moments later, Alistair found himself enveloped in a sea of congratulatory handshakes and shoulder clasps. Drinks were poured and passed around, and toasts to his health, Niamh’s health, and the health of heirs to come were drunk.

Alistair sat stoically through the celebration, trying not to show his distaste for it, or his unease. He felt like a traitor, lying to the Council this way, but what else could he do? His conscience wouldn’t let him force Niamh into something she was so terrified of, and this was the only way they would leave him alone.

At least he’d managed to give Niamh some pleasure, perhaps enough that she wouldn’t be as frightened of further moments of intimacy. In time, perhaps she would reach the point where pleasure outweighed fear.

Alistair escaped the chamber as soon as he was able. He needed time to think, and time to plan. Fergus MacTavish had made a bold move, trying to poison his bride in the middle of the wedding feast. It demanded a response, but without more information, he couldn’t be sure what was the correct one. Without proof of wrongdoing, any response he made could be taken as overly aggressive action, even with the feud between them. The border wars had made the Highland clans, as a whole, far less tolerant of bloodshed without good reason – the warriors were needed for fighting the English, not fighting amongst themselves.

“Ye’ve a face like a thundercloud this morn, braither. What disturbs ye so?” It took every bit of his control for Alistair not to jump like a startled foal. He’d been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t even realized Ewan was following him.

He recovered his composure as the two of them emerged from the castle proper, into the courtyard, and started across to the stables. “There’s plenty tae occupy me mind, as ye well ken. MacTavish, among other things.”

“Aye. MacTavish is a problem, and one that needs solving sooner or later, but I’d wager good silver that’s nae what made yer expression so sour in Council this morn.”

Alistair considered his brother’s words as they saddled their horses. He was tempted to brush Ewan’s words aside, and pretend he had no notion of what the other man was talking about. However, he knew Ewan would keep asking questions. He was one of the few people in the castle who wouldn’t be deterred by a show of temper.

Finally, he sighed and resigned himself to telling his brother part of the truth. “I dinnae like the situation with Niamh. I dinnae like the fact that she’s in danger, just fer marryin’ me. I tried nae tae think o’ it, but poison at the weddin’ feast put an end tae that.”

“Aye. ‘Tis worrisome. But nae everything on yer mind.”

Alistair scowled at his brother, then swung into his saddle. He couldn’t tell Ewan everything, but perhaps a part of it would convince his brother to quit asking questions. “Niamh married me fer the sake o’ her clan and mine, nae because she wanted tae. We both wanted a marriage o’ convenience, and she wasnae best pleased tae learn o’ the Council’s demand. We both ken our duty, but it doesnae sit well with me, havin’ an unwilling woman in me bed. I prefer partners who are as willin’ tae bed me as I am tae bed them.”

Ewan coughed, and Alistair saw the barely suppressed amusement on his brother’s face. “Tis nae funny.”

“Nay. ‘Tis nae so funny.” Ewan smiled at him. “But ye ken, most lairds wouldnae fret so much about whether or nae the woman wanted tae be with them – at least, nae with a wife. The way yer fussin’, a man might think ye cared fer the lass more than a marriage o’ convenience would demand.”

Alistair stiffened in his saddle, hands clenching on the reins. “What are ye sayin’?”

“That ye may have planned a marriage o’ convenience, but yer heart says otherwise, whether ye want or nae. Ye’ve developed a fondness fer the lass – mayhap more than that.”

Ewan’s words hit home like arrows from a marksman. Alistair gritted his teeth against a surge of conflicting emotions. Fear, that Ewan might be right. Anger, that his brother could read him so well. Frustration at the situation. And just the tiniest thread of hope, all the more painful because he knew how foolish it was.

He’d left the castle, hoping to get some time to think in solitude. He hadn’t minded Ewan’s presence at first, but he did now. He took a deep breath. “I’ve things tae think about, and ye’ve a witch tae go speak tae. Time we both did what was needed.”

With that, he kicked his horse into a canter and turned out across the moors, leaving his brother behind.

Niamh found herself lingering over her breakfast long after Alistair left for the Council meeting. She was somewhat tired from the journey, and from the excitement of the past day. But she was also far more uncertain than she’d ever been in her life.

Growing up in her father’s castle, she’d always known what her role was. She was the Chatelaine of Cameron Castle. As the laird’s daughter, and the highest-ranking woman in the home, the tasks a Lady would do had fallen to her. Things like sewing various articles of clothing or linens, making candles, soap and ink, or gathering and preparing herbs and medicines – all of those were things she’d done. She’d also tended their gardens, and worked with the cooks to help plan feasts.

Here, though, she had no idea what she was supposed to be doing. All the tasks she would normally handle were in the hands of other people, people like Catriona. She wasn’t sure who to turn to in regard to discovering her new duties as Lady MacDuff, and she didn’t feel comfortable simply stepping in and taking over someone else’s work.

Besides, the Highlands had different customs and rules. She didn’t know what all of them were, but she knew different herbs would be used for healing, and different customs might be followed. For that matter, every clan had their own special traditions.

She knew nothing of Highland customs, let alone the traditions of Clan MacDuff. How was she supposed to serve as a proper Lady? She didn’t want to embarrass Alistair, no matter how much she’d enjoyed making her ‘list of sins’, before.

By the time she finished her breakfast and retired to dress, she had come to very few conclusions, but she did at least have the beginnings of a plan.

First, she would go to the castle seamstress. Alistair had seen that she had plenty of clothing, but she had very few things in her new clan’s colors. She would see about getting some skirts, sashes, and other adornments made in MacDuff colors, so no one had cause to feel she wasn’t part of their clan, or trying to keep herself apart from them.

After that, she would explore the castle and familiarize herself with the design and the location of important rooms, like the women’s solar, guest rooms, the laird’s study, and the stillroom. She would introduce herself formally to the cook and see if he’d received the recipes Alistair had convinced the maids at Cameron Castle to write out for her.

After that, she would go to the Healer’s cottage and speak to Catriona about the various duties she was accustomed to, as well as what might be expected of her as Alistair’s wife.

She’d never wanted to be married, but she was Lady MacDuff now, whether she wanted the title or not. Therefore, she would fulfill the role to the best of her ability.

Alistair was kind enough to understand and respect her fear of having children, and the intimacy that led to childbearing. The least she could do in return was serve as a proper Lady MacDuff in every other aspect of their new life together.

Emboldened by her decision, Niamh slipped out the door of the bedroom to begin her explorations.