Black Raven's Lady: Highland Lairds Trilogy (13 page)

“Bless us, now,” Macraith said, breaking into laughter. “Only a petty-souled slug would consider kissing a bonny lassie a waste of time.”

Resisting the temptation to glance at Raine—certain she was smiling in happy expectation of the dancing and the kissing—Keir kicked his heels against the black’s flanks and galloped toward the castle.

“T
HINGS ARE
GOING
badly at Cairn na Burgh Mòr,” confided Hugh Munro. “The choppy seas and the churning currents around the Treshnish Isles make it difficult for our guns to bombard the fortress with any degree of accuracy. And the bad weather doesn’t help a damn bit. The ships keep lurching about in the rain and wind, nearly ramming into each other. It’ll be God’s own luck if the royal fleet doesn’t founder at the mouth of Loch Tuath.”

Upon his arrival just before sunset, the skinny, pockmarked messenger sent by the earl of Huntly met with the men who’d gathered in Dùn Bheagain’s donjon to learn the latest news of the siege.

Keir and his two captains, Fearchar and Colin, along with Macraith and the other lieutenants, were seated at the huge trestle table across from Alasdair MacLeod and his elderly advisors. The chief of Clan MacLeod, somewhere in his mid-fifties, was commonly known as Alasdair Crotach, meaning “humpbacked,” for he’d been crippled by battle wounds while a young man. Now his godson led their men into battle.

“Aye,” Fearchar replied, his one pale eye filled with disgust. “Huntly’s nay a sailor. The earl does fine leading an army on land, but the man has nay idea of battle formation at sea. He’s probably never ordered a broadside drill in his life.”

Keir nodded in unhappy agreement. “Any news from Edinburgh?” he asked Munro.

Hugh’s crooked smile was more of a grimace. “Aye, sir. The king is sending his kinsman, the earl of Arran, with his master gunner. And Admiral Wood is to follow soon after. However, there’s nay telling when the ships will reach the Treshnish Isles, for they’ll be sailing from the Firth of Forth.”

“And is Donald Dubh in the fortress on Cairn na Burg Mòr?” Colin asked, “along with MacMurchaidh?”

“No one knows for sure,” Munro replied, running a thin finger thoughtfully along the side of his prominent hooked nose. “There’s a rumor that one of Macdonald’s allies has amassed a fleet of ten galleys filled with rebels gathered from across the Outer Hebrides. And that he took both the bastard pretender and MacMurchaidh off the island mere days before the ships under Huntly arrived. No one will know for certain until the castle falls—if it ever does.”

“God rot their souls!” Alasdair MacLeod thundered. “You mean to tell me those bloody traitors could sail into my harbor any day with no one to stop them?” He slammed his fist on the table and met Keir’s gaze. “I sent my godson with the bulk of my fighting men in our own galleys to search up and down the Hebrides, from Barra to North Uist. I can’t afford to send any of my clansmen with you now, MacNeil. We dare not take the chance that Donald Dubh and MacMurchaidh are headed our way with a large fighting force gathered throughout the Isles.”

“I understand,” Keir said. “We must make sail as soon as possible.” He turned to his captains and officers seated beside him. “We leave tonight for the Treshnish Isles.”

“You’re welcome to the stores of water and victuals you’ve already stowed,” Alasdair added. “But we need to conserve our powder and shot on the chance there’s a siege of Dùn Bheagain.”

“Of course.” Keir moved to his feet. He’d considered asking MacLeod to shelter Raine in his castle until after the rebellion was quelled. Now it looked as though she might be safer with him on the
Raven
.

His men rose to stand alongside him. Keir looked at Fearchar and Colin, knowing they’d spent the day seeing that the supplies were quickly and properly stowed in the holds. “How long before you can sail?”

“The
Sea Dragon
’s ready now,” Fearchar replied.

Colin jerked his chin in agreement. “As is the
Hawk
. We can leave at once.”

“Very well,” Keir replied. He grinned at Colin and Tam. “If you want to dance with the ladies, gentlemen, you have exactly twenty minutes to enjoy their charms before we return to our ships. We sail with the evening tide.”

“I
’VE BEEN TOLD
that you’re learning the constellations, my lady,” Laird MacLeod’s young nephew said. He guided Raine onto the floor of the great hall, which had been cleared of its tables and benches. The gangly adolescent seemed ill at ease, as though unused to the responsibility of entertaining a high-ranking female visitor.

Shaking her head, Raine laughed softly. “The extent of my learning has been greatly exaggerated, I’m sure,” she replied. “I’ve practiced using a quadrant, but I haven’t yet held an astrolabe in my hands. Mr. Barrows, the ship’s sea-daddy, includes me in his lessons in navigation with the
Raven
’s two youngest midshipmen. Ethan and Robbie Gibson are destined to be captains in the king’s navy, while I’m merely trying to pass my time on board ship in a meaningful way.”

They both glanced at the pair of sturdy lads attired in their best shirts and kilts. The two brothers stood at the edge of the dance floor, eyeing the giggling lassies clustered together across the length of the room.

Raine’s partner leaned closer than the steps of the stately pavane required. His hazel eyes glowed with appreciation as he bowed in a courtly
révérance
. “Still, I think ’tis admirable for a maid to have a curious mind,” he continued, leading her in the promenade around the great hall. “The females in my family content themselves learning to embroider and make lace.”

Raine smiled, wondering what the young man would think if he knew the unorthodox subjects she’d studied under her aunt’s tutelage. “We each must follow our own interests,” she replied sedately. “And ’tis quite usual for young ladies to wish to embellish their wedding linens.”

Restless, Raine glanced around the cavernous hall. Once the meal was over, the men of fighting age had sequestered themselves in another part of the castle to discuss their plans to quash the rebellion. That left the young lads to entertain the ladies.

’Twas Alasdair MacLeod’s nephew who’d led the hunting party that afternoon. Aside from the young man, only the ladies of the castle with their grooms and huntsmen had accompanied Raine on the hunt. The crews of the
Raven, Hawk
, and
Dragon
had been engaged the entire day in stowing fresh supplies in their ships’ holds.

As the evening progressed Raine began to wonder if the men would return from their battle plans in time to dance. At last she spotted Keir entering the great hall with Fearchar and Colin on either side. After them came their seconds in command, Macraith, Tam, and Walter. The men’s grim faces betrayed the bad news.

Resplendent in his green-and-black tartan, Keir wore a white linen shirt with lace at the collar and cuffs beneath a green velvet jacket. A jeweled bodkin fastened the corner of his plaid on his broad shoulder. Shiny buckled brogues with checkered short hose had replaced his knee-high boots. Although he’d left his claymore on the
Raven
, he wore his broadsword and dirk, even in the crowded room.

Though Raine could hardly keep her eyes off him, Keir didn’t so much as glance her way. He seemed so engrossed in his ongoing discussion with his captains, he was barely aware of the music.

At that moment, Raine was dancing with a jolly, carrot-haired lad, who was leading her in a sprightly galliard. From across the room, she saw Lady Flora Sutherland join the group of privateers. The shameless female boldly elbowed her way past Colin and Tam to place her hand possessively on Keir’s sleeve.

Raine felt unaccountably breathless.

Not Flora Sutherland!

That past summer, Flora had made certain that all the ladies gathered in Edinburgh for the royal wedding knew she’d seduced The MacNeil. She had crowed with delight, telling them how she’d enticed the most ferocious warrior in Scotland into her arms. And her bed.

Chapter 11

“L
A,
M
AC
N
EIL, Y
OU’VE
not said a word to me this entire day! I’m about to cause a scene if you don’t ask me to dance this very minute.”

Keir met Flora’s inviting gaze and returned her insipid, self-satisfied smile with a scowl. He’d been unpleasantly surprised when he’d spotted her at the banquet table, thankfully too far away for conversation—for he’d been seated next to Raine. He’d hoped to avoid the infernal woman. Ideally for the rest of his life.

“I hadn’t planned to dance this evening, Lady Sutherland,” he told her with frosty politeness. “We’ve been deep in battle plans most of the day and since we intend to sail tonight, we’ll continue our discussions well into the evening.”

Her lower lip jutted out in a blatant attempt to entice him. “Surely you have time for one little dance,” she protested. She batted her pale lashes and squeezed his forearm. Simpering coquettishly, the imposing blonde leaned closer, offering an unfettered view of her astoundingly ample bosom. “Or perhaps,” she whispered
sotto voce
, “you’d like to join me in my room, where we can sip wine and reminisce about last summer.”

Fearchar and Macraith grinned at the female’s obvious invitation and waited with open hilarity for Keir’s reply. Both men knew Keir had been intimate with the lady—if one could call her a lady.

“How is it you’re visiting here at the castle?” he hedged, not wanting to incite the scene Flora was quite capable of making.

He’d committed the gross error of bedding the married woman once, realizing belatedly that her voluptuous figure had distracted him from the fact that she possessed the brains of an oyster.

“Laird Sutherland is with the earl of Huntly at the moment,” she replied with a dramatic shrug, “attempting to put down this unfortunate rebellion. I came to Dùn Bheagain to visit Lady MacLeod, whom I met at the royal wedding. You can imagine how thrilled I was to learn you were expected once your brothers’ ships sailed into the harbor. I rejoiced in telling all the ladies of the castle that I was intimately acquainted with one of the notorious Hellhounds of Scotland.”

At that moment Raine came to join their group, her beautiful eyes grave. “Excuse me, Laird MacNeil,” she said with stilted solemnity, “but I need to speak with you.”

“Oh, not now, dear,” Lady Sutherland protested with an over-bright smile. She clutched Keir’s arm tighter as though afraid Raine might attempt to pry her fingers loose. “Laird MacNeil and I were just about to join the dancers for the galliard.”

Keir could have gladly strangled the woman.

“We can talk later, Lady Raine,” he said quietly. Determined to separate the two females as quickly as possible, he clasped Flora’s plump elbow and turned to lead her toward the dance floor.

“I really need to speak with you now, Keir,” Raine insisted, her worried tone conveying a sense of urgency. “ ’Tis about something of great importance. Perhaps you can accompany me to the
Raven
, where we can talk in private.”

“Fie, child!” Lady Sutherland exclaimed. She glared at Raine with unconcealed annoyance. “You are really too persistent! You should attempt a little coyness in your pursuit, my dear. The MacNeil will think you a strumpet!”

“Flora, be quiet,” Keir growled. He peeled her dimpled hand off his green sleeve and transferred it to Colin’s red one. “Captain MacRath,” he ordered in a voice that brooked no refusal, “dance with Lady Sutherland. Now.”

Colin’s blue eyes widened in terror. His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed back his protest. “Of—of course. Hap-happy to, my—my lady.”

Leaving Colin to fend for himself, Keir turned back to Raine. Placing his hand at the small of her back, he guided her toward the doorway. “ ’Tis time for you to return to the
Raven,
” he told her. “Al-Rahman is waiting nearby. He’ll see that you get safely back to the ship.”

“But I need to tell you something first,” she insisted.

“Later,” he said. “I’ll be returning to the ship before very long. We can talk then.”

By that time they’d reached the tall Moor, who stood in majestic silence with his arms crossed and his head high, ignoring the glances of all the intrigued females clustered nearby.

“Escort Lady Raine to the ship,” Keir ordered al-Rahman, who made a deep salaam to her.

“No, no, wait!” she cried.

Ignoring Raine’s plaintive call, Keir left her with the
Raven
’s chief navigator and rejoined Macraith, Fearchar, and Walter, who’d been watching the scenario with unconcealed fascination. Tam, however, hadn’t wasted a moment asking a bonny, dark-haired lassie for a dance. He was presently executing the intricate steps of the galliard with surprising skill.

The four men turned their attention to the unfortunate captain of the
Sea Hawk
. On the stone floor of the great hall, Colin held Lady Sutherland’s hand by the tips of his fingers. He seemed to be trying to keep as much distance from her as possible. From his beet-red face, Colin appeared to be choking and sputtering on his words, all the while attempting to keep his gaze off her abundant cleavage.

Walter chuckled. “My son better hurry off to the safety of the
Hawk
before that she-devil drags him into her bed and has her pagan way with him,” he said, his gravelly baritone rumbling around in his barrel chest.

“God, how I wish Colin
would
bed her,” Keir answered, delighted at the prospect. “If he’s half the man Diana Pembroke claimed last summer, Lady Sutherland would soon have a new target in her sight.”

“Nay, Colin’s got too much sense to be caught in that man-trap,” Fearchar said, readjusting the band of his eye patch and flashing a wide grin.

Keir met the giant’s twinkling blue eye and laughed. “I certainly didn’t use the brains God gave me last summer, did I?”

Clapping Keir on the shoulder, Macraith joined in the burst of masculine laughter. “Nay, ye hell-tarnished
bowdykite
, ye certainly did not.”

D
ETERMINED TO SPEAK
to Keir the moment he returned to the ship, Raine ignored Barrows’ warning not to invade the captain’s private quarters without permission.

“I’ll give myself permission to wait in here,” she told her sea-daddy. “You may wait for Laird MacNeil wherever you please.”

Shaking his grizzled head, Barrows lit a lantern for her and left the cabin, closing the door behind him.

Raine sat at the small game table for a while, going over in her mind what had just happened at Dùn Bheagain. Until that evening she’d been certain that she and Keir had been enchanted during their visit to the standing stones. Certain they’d been bound together by the Tuatha De Danann. Given their previous animosity toward each other, nothing else could explain the way they’d kissed so passionately. Now she wasn’t quite so convinced.

She waited impatiently to learn the truth. If MacNeil stayed at the castle and bedded Flora Sutherland tonight, what Raine thought she’d felt at Calanais had been a mistake.

’Twas why she’d tried so hard to talk to Keir earlier that evening before he succumbed to Flora’s ample charms—just as he had in Edinburgh last summer. But last summer Raine had told herself she didn’t care whom MacNeil had lain with. Now the thought of Flora in Keir’s arms tied Raine’s stomach into a painful knot.

As time passed slowly by, Raine’s eyelids grew heavier. The cabin, lit only by the single lantern, grew darker as the stars came out, visible through the tall stern windows. Rather than place her head on the hard tabletop, she moved to the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress. As she fought against the sleepiness that threatened to engulf her, she glanced at the window and saw the reflection of a young woman, head bowed in sleepy contemplation.

K
EIR AND HIS
uncle returned to the
Raven
shortly after midnight. Leaving Macraith on deck to give orders to weigh anchor, Keir hurried to Raine’s cabin to see if she was awake and still needing to talk to him. He tapped lightly on the closed door, not wanting to disturb her if she’d already fallen asleep.

At the sound of Keir’s knocking, Barrows came hurriedly down the passageway from amidships. He’d obviously been waiting up for Keir’s return.

“The lassie is nay in her cabin, sir,” the bosun’s mate said quietly. “Lady Raine insisted on waiting in your quarters. She would nay listen to me. Said she had to talk to you before retiring.”

“You can go to sleep now, Barrows,” Keir told him with a nod of understanding. Raine was nothing if she wasn’t single-minded. He didn’t expect anyone but himself to exert the least measure of control over her. “I won’t need you until morning,” he added in dismissal.

Entering his own cabin, Keir found Raine lying crosswise on his bed sound asleep. Still clothed in the scarlet gown she’d worn to the castle, she hadn’t pulled a blanket over herself nor placed a pillow under her head. She must have fallen asleep while sitting there waiting for him.

He moved to stand beside the bed. She slept peacefully, her lips curved in a slight smile as though she were having a pleasant dream. Bending, he placed one hand beside her on the coverlet and took advantage of the opportunity to study her delicate features, bathed now in the soft lantern glow streaming over his shoulder.

Her lush black lashes cast shadows on her smooth cheeks. Ebony wisps had come free from the braid still fastened atop her head, feathering her heart-shaped face. He resisted the temptation to trace the tip of his finger along her fragile cheekbone, recognizing her vulnerability here in his quarters. He wouldn’t take advantage of her unconscious state, though the thought made his heart thunder against his chest.

What was so damned important she was willing to fall asleep alone in his quarters, waiting until he returned?

“Raine,” he called softly.

When she didn’t stir, he knelt down on the rug and deftly slipped off her shoes. He’d cover her with a blanket and leave her sleep. Since he was returning on deck immediately for their departure, she might as well be comfortable.

Keir reached beneath her shift to find her silk garters, fastened just above her knees, and slipped them over her ankles. He rolled down her stockings and removed them. His fingertips grazed her inner thigh, and he fought against the shock of sexual need that exploded inside him. A need so raw and vibrant, it threatened to overcome his resolve.

’Twould be easy to push her gown and smock up to her slender hips and feast on the sight of her long, tapering legs. To cup her female mound in his hand. To gently caress her delicate pink folds with his skilled fingers, till she awoke to a hot, pulsing arousal, nearly as intense and demanding as his own.

Instead he rose and gently swung her legs up onto the mattress and lifted her head to place a pillow beneath her. He instinctively bent closer, drawn by an overwhelming hunger simply to mingle his breath with hers. To inhale her pure, unsullied spirit as a balm to his cynical, battle-hardened soul.

Her lids opened slowly to reveal her slumberous eyes. Blinking, she smiled softly in welcome, and Keir’s heart turned over in his chest.

My God, how he wanted her.

“Keir,” she whispered. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Aye, lass,” he answered. “I see that. What’s so important you need to tell me tonight?”

“Mm,” she murmured sleepily, “only this.” She raised her hand to his face and ran her thumb along his jaw, then lifted her head to kiss him chastely on the mouth.

With a groan of frustration, Keir stretched out beside Raine and leaned over her. Inhaling the scent of lilacs and roses, he kissed her temple, her cheek, her chin. He placed kisses along the graceful column of her neck and dipped his tongue in the hollow of her collarbone.

“This is what you wanted to tell me?” he murmured. “Had I known, I would have returned to the ship much, much earlier.”

She laughed softly, a delightful gurgle deep in her throat, and he smiled in pleasure at the singularly feminine sound.

Keir smoothed his hand over her supple waist and up to cup one small breast. He lowered his head to press kisses along the white frilled edge of the undergarment peeking above her stiffened outer bodice. The feel of her silken skin beneath his lips and tongue sent spurs of lust surging through every inch of his taut body. Hearing her sudden gasp, he realized he’d startled her with the unexpected intimacy.

Keir knew he should halt, even as his fingers found the satin ribbons that laced the front of her velvet gown. He loosened the ties fastening the outer bodice and pushed it aside. Her round areolas peeked through her sheer undergarment, tempting him beyond all endurance. He covered a rosy nipple with his open mouth and suckled her through the transparent fabric. Feeling her arch her back to allow him greater access, he moved to the other breast. She clutched his side-braids, pulling him closer.

“I was going to ask you something back at the castle,” she whispered. “But now I know the answer to my question.”

He smiled tenderly as he brushed his lips across the firm globes of her breasts. “What answer is that, lass?”

“I know you didn’t lie with Lady Sutherland tonight.”

“I didn’t,” he assured her. He pulled back slightly to look into her dark eyes, shining in the lantern light. “I was conferring with the other captains on the siege at Cairn na Burg.”

“Mmm-hmm.” She sighed. “I can tell from the way you kissed me that you didn’t succumb to her obvious invitation,” she said. “When I saw you with Lady Flora this evening, I thought perhaps I’d been mistaken about what happened at the standing stones. That I’d only imagined the passion that took hold of us that night. But nothing has changed between us.”

He frowned. “What do you mean, Raine?”

“I told you that next morning, remember? We were enchanted—like Tristram and Isolde.”

“You really believe that we were bound together by faeries?” Keir asked in disbelief. How could she be so foolish?

“Of course.”

Keir moved back and studied her. “But you would never, of your own free will, have chosen me, would you?” he asked, his words thick and raspy. “ ’Twould have to be an enchantment to bind you to me.”