FLAME ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS (16 page)

"
I...I wasn't thinking clearly. Ye took advantage of me." An unfair censure.             

She tried to get up, shivering as the cold, damp air brushed her bare arms.  Pulling the quilt up
, she looked at him in outrage as she fully realized  she was  completely naked beneath the blanket.  So much for her dream. How dare he put her at his mercy? She stiffened, looking at him accusingly. "Ye be the devil himself! What kind of a mon....?"

"It was pouring out.  Your clothes were drenched."  He pointed to where they
hung before the roaring fire. "You were out like a snuffed candle, lassie. I was only trying to make certain you didn't catch a chill."

"Ha! A likely story!"  She flushed a deep red as she realized he'd viewed her unclothed body.  In truth
, she was angry at herself, not him, for capitulating so thoroughly to his lovemaking.  By Saint Michael she had wanted him and that thought shamed her.

"I  did what had to be done...."

"Take my clothes?" She licked her lips, then met his gaze with a bitter stare.  Her only refuge was in agner. "What else should I expect from a Campbell?"  She spat the name like a curse.  She nearly jumped from the bed in all her natural glory, then remembered that she had not a stitch on. Instead she pulled the quilt up to her chin.

"What else should I expect from a
MacQuarie?  You're ungrateful.  I should have left you lying there with heaven's tears pouring over you.  And as to our lovemaking, I didn't try to ravish you this time. You kissed me back if I remember."  He clenched his teeth to keep from uttering the curses that came to his mind. He was wet and tired and hungry and not in a mood to quarrel.

Rain drummed on the roof, corroborating his story.  Slowly Brianna's eyes moved about the room,
to the fire and her garments. She could see that he was wet, the shirt he wore clinging to his broad-shouldered form, gave truth to his  words.  She remembered the lightning and thunder that had frightened her horse, the pain as she fell.  She also knew deep down that she
had
given him her kisses freely, but her pride would not let her admit it.

"Ye are a blackhearted scoundrel who thinks he can triffle with a lassie's heart.  Ye had it in mind to seduce me.  That's why ye brought me here."

"I've been as circumspect as a priest, lass.  I swear by my father's name I had no ulterior motive in  bringing you here." Wordlessly they regarded each other again for a long, long time until Brianna looked away.  The pulse at the base of her throat fluttered wildly, her heart beat so frantically she thought it would burst.             

"Ye shouldna hae......? 
Even a Campbell  should hae some honor."  She regretted her outburst.  She should have held her tongue, not made such a hostile statement.

"Your virtue was safe..."
             

"No thanks to you ."  Her flashing eyes made further accusations.

"I tell you I would  not  have touched you if you'd told me no and my word is true." Clearly she'd angered him, she could see it in his face. "I did not do anything you didn't freely tempt me to....!"

He leaned so close that she could feel his breath stirring her hair.  It thrilled her
, yet frightened her too.  The effect this man had over her was unnerving.  She wanted to melt into his arms, give herself up to the strange feelings he always inspired. Instead she again sought haven in sharp words.

"I
hae much to be thankful for then.  That I did come to my senses in time to know what ye were about."  Eyes wide in her pale face she stared at him, following his movements as he strode away from her and paced the length of the cottage until his temper had cooled.  At last he returned to her side.  His anger was tempered with regret.

"Ah, Brianna.  Brianna, I can not blame you I suppose for thinking the worst.  But it is unwarranted." He shook his head.  "I would not
take
that which belonged to another man.  If you had spoken one word of reproach I never would have  tried to make love to you."  Burying his face in his hands he sighed deeply. "You belong to Robbie. How could I have forgotten that fact. 
Robbie
."  His whole body tensed as he spoke the name. Tearing his gaze away from her, he stared grimly at the torch, watching it's flickering flame.

"Ohhhh."  Robbie.
The name came up like a wall between them.  She had put  him  out of her mind too.  She swallowed the lump that rose in her throat, certain it matched the one on her head for size. How could she have forgotten her betrothed. "Aye, my husband to be."             

"I have a great deal of respect for that lad.  He's a gentle and a trusting...."
             

"Ha!
Unlike me he has no reason to doubt the sincerity of what ye say."  The bitter scathing words were deafening to her ears.

"Why you ungrateful....!"  He seethed inwardly.  I should have left you lying there
, Brianna MacQuarie!"  A muscle in his jaw ticked warningly, but she took no heed.  All she knew was that she felt safer, from herself, her own emotions, when they were arguing. 

"Aye, that ye should hae, I be thinking."  She regretted her ingratitude the moment it passed her lips.  She wanted to tell him she was sorry, to thank him
, but the words stuck in her throat.

"Then perhaps its not too late to make amends."  Angrily moving towards the fire
, he tore at her garments and threw them on the bed.  "Here.  Get dressed.  I'll leave you be."

That exclamation should have relieved her mind
, but strangely it did not. She felt  bereft the moment he left her side. She wanted to reach out to him, to beg him not to go away , to tell him she had wanted him, but pride and stubborness kept her from speaking.  How strange that this man she hardly knew could so complicate her feelings."Aye.  Go," she somehow managed to answer instead.  "Before ye shame me."  Or I shame myself, she thought.

"I'll go.
If you're feisty enough to be disagreeable, I won't worry about you."

"Disagreeable?
” How quickly the fire of their passion had turned to heated words, utterances she wanted to take back.  To see that look of desire upon his face again, not that cold look of vexation.

Ian's eyes flashed fire. "I thought Robbie was to be envied
, but I can see that he has been granted a shrew for a wife."  Rejection and unfulfilled passion merged in a potent rage within his veins.  Without even a backward look he kicked open the door and blended with the rainy night, leaving her all alone to stare at his retreating figure in stunned silence and regret.

Chapter Sixteen

Ian Campbell's anger bubbled like a cauldron as he strode the rocky pathway in search of his horse.  He'd never met such a stubborn, irritating lassie in all his born days.  Accuse h
im being dishonorable would she?  Well, let her hurl her insults at the cottage walls, he'd not stay around to listen.  Mumbling out loud a string of curses, he put as much distance between himself and the cottage as he could.  Nor did the fact that he could not find the horses improve his humor. Kicking at rocks and clods of dirt,  he trudged along.

Walking the pathway, lost
in his own tumultuous thoughts, he was frustrated by his body's response to the young woman.  Every time she was near him he lost his head, he who was always so calm and level headed when it came to battle and other lassies.  What an infuriating dilemma, for by his every glance at her he was condemned in his own heart and mind as well as others.  Brianna nic Lachlan was forbidden, as well he knew, out of reach unless of course he was willing to throw away all he had worked for these long years. His clan, his position, his honor.  Even then, it would do him no good, for  from the first Brianna had scorned him as the boldest of rogues, albeit with good reason. Perhaps that piqued him most of all.  And yet he had felt her response to him, for just a moment in time......

Bell
heather grew in tufts among cairns and rocks, sparkling now like jewels as the moisture from the rain caught the glow of the slowly fading sun.  Somehow the lush beauty soothed Ian's mood, and he paused to watch a plump  reddish-brown grouse  feed upon the leaves of the purplish-pink flowers. Though most of the low ground was covered with willow scrub, heather grew so well and so thick here that he supposed regular burning was necessary if a good crop of young heather was to be kept going for sheep and wild fowl.

Another  grouse joined the
first bird, then another.  They seemed to be plentiful and for a moment Ian regretted not having his bow.  In the frenzy of Brianna's accident he had dropped it to the ground and just left it.   Now it would be to his humiliation that he would return to the castle hall empty handed. Once again he cursed her beneath his breath.  He was tired, in a surly mood, yet his former anger faded away as he walked up a hill and viewed the scenic splendor.  The fading sun  splashed its pink, gold and lavender rays through the canopy of the forest.  In view of such beauty who could fail to be touched? This was the land that Brianna  loved thus he could not help but love it too.

His temper cooled, he viewed things  differently.  Looking over his shoulder
, he swallowed,  now feeling a sense of shame.  She had been right. He had tried to seduce her.  His wounded pride in face of her accusations was foolish. No matter how honorable his intentions had been at first, once he had kissed and caressed her ,he had gone beyond the point of self-control.  In truth he was angry with himself and not her at all, were he to admit it.  Even so, he had stormed off like a wounded bear leaving her behind. Damn his pride!  He should not have left her behind no matter what she had said. She'd fallen and hit her head. What if she was more gravely injured than he had realized?  And even if she had completely recovered there were other dangers. He'd heard that wild cats lived in the remote Highland hills. What if that fierce and dangerous little beast came upon her?  Like Ian, she was weaponless too.

Ian debated his actions and called himself a fool and worse.  Overcome now with anxiety
, he took to his heels, tracing his steps back to the cottage through the thick undergrowth.  Before he'd gone half way, however, he was intercepted by three of the MacQuarie clansmen.  Their arrows  were pointed his way.

"Are ye lost,
Campbell?"  One of the most fiercesome of the clansmen barred his teeth, showing his animosity.

"Of course not!"  Ian took a step forward but decided against too much show of bravado.  "I'm returning...."

"He looks lost to me, Erskine."  The second clansman quickly cut in, snickering openly.  "And as helpless as a bairn.  He is not armed."

"He willna get a st
ag wi' his bare hands, Jamie," another taunted.

"Unless he's trying a new method of hunting.  One he learned from the English?  The
Campbells hae some strange ways....."  The three men guffawed.

"There's been an accident."  He didn't have time to stand here and jaw with them, Ian thought.  Brianna might
at this moment be in danger. "Lachlan's daughter fell from her horse.  I was going back to...."

"Brianna?  Fall? She was practically born on a
garron
. She's a braw lassie." The third clansman confronted Ian with suspicion.

"Her horse bolted during the storm....."

"And ye left her?" 

"What kind o' mon are ye?" All three pair of eyes stared at him revealing their malice.

"I don't have time to explain."  There was nothing they could say to him, no retribution that could make him feel worse than he did at that moment.  There was no excuse for his actions.  "Follow me, I'll show you were she is."

Ian led the three men back to the cottage, his heart thundering like a hammer as he pushed open the door.  A lone candle sputtered, sending a soft glow throughout the  small room, clearly revealing the cottage to be empty.  Brianna MacQuarie was gone.

"I dunna see her!"  The man named Erskine gave Ian a sharp poke in the ribs with his bow.  "It seems ye hae some explaining to do."

"If ye hae harmed her......" another growled, brandishing his dirk.

"She was here!"  Ian's eyes searched frantically around the room but her garments were gone.  All that remained was his plaid breacon and the crumpled quilt.

"And just disappeared into the mists."  The tallest of the clansman nodded his head and the others surrounded Ian.  "Something doesna seem right."

"The last time I saw the lass she was riding beside him."

"What if he has harmed the lassie!"  All the years of anger and hostility bubbled forth as Erskine for
ced Ian's arm behind his back. "Where is she?  Where is she, Campbell?"

"I don't know, but she was here and now she's left!"  Ian's own fury matched his captors'.  It enraged him to be treated like this, to be manhandled,
he, the Campbell's nephew.  A muscle twitched in his jaw as he said, "
B
ut I can tell you one thing.  Lachlan MacQuarie will hear of this."

"Aye, sooner than ye think."  The three men marched him back up the hill to where the other hunters were encamped at the edge of the wood.  A tal
ly was being made of the fare--six rabbits, four   red deer, a roe buck and several birds. The MacQuaries'
keisan
was filled to the brim with game. Lachlan had felled a buck at a hundred and seventy yards and was being heartily congratulated.  Bending down, he joined the others in dividing up the meat. The scent of blood drove the two russet wolf hounds into a frenzy of barking.  Lachlan quieted them by throwing them the animal's entrails.

"We'll hae a splendid feast tonight!"  Looking up he eyed the men who held Ian
in their grasp with surprise. "What is this?  Erskine?"

"Brianna!  No one can find her.  She was last seen wi' this mon." The mood of the huntsmen swiftly changed from
gaiety to surliness.  All eyes turned toward their chieftain.

"Och! "
Lachlan stood motionless, his eyes like two glowing coals as he gazed intently at Ian.  The unwavering stare seemed to scorch the Campbell. "Where is she?"  Stepping closer he lowered his voice so that only Ian could hear.  "I hae seen the way ye eyed my daughter."  He'd noticed the way Brianna hovered about this man  as well, and he liked it not one bit.  Like the others he succumbed to the ill feelings that had brewed between the clans in the past.  It would not be the first time that a rival clansman had perpetrated evil. "What hae ye to say.  Where is my daughter?"  The scar on Lachlan's face turned pale, deep lines furled his brow as he awaited an answer.

Heavy mists clung to the hillocks and
crags, but the rain had stopped as Brianna walked back towards the castle.  The air smelled fresh, clean, of grasses, flowers and leaves but for once she didn't notice.  Her head ached, but it was her conscience that pained her even more severely.  Ian Campbell had only done what was necessary to see to her well-being, but instead of being grateful she had shown him her scorn.  Aye, and she had kissed him back.  So much for her protestations! If she were honest with herself she would admit that she didn't regret what had passed between them. 

For the first time in her life she regretted her volatile temper and her cursed quick tongue. She had ranted, she had raved because she had been afraid.  Not of him so much as of herself and the way her body had so hotly betrayed her common sense.  She couldn't lay the blame for what had passed betw
een them  at Ian's feet alone. Not if she were honest. And Ian?  He was a man of fiercesome pride. She had the feeling that he would long remember her careless words. 

It was a long walk over rocks, through foliage, up a steep hill, stumbling in the semi-darkness.  Brianna cursed herself over and over for a fool, knowing that if she had treated Ian Campbell differently  she would  ridden, not walked,  this distance. Feeling dizzy
, she put her hand to her head from time to time, wishing fervently that he would be more forgiving than she and come back for her.

Coming to the top of the hill she  looked down the sloping side and saw for herself the reason that he had not.  A circle of men told the story. Bonfires tore at the black sky, flames licking up towards the stars.  Brianna could see several of her clansmen tearing at the logs with their swords to feed its hunger.  In the light of the fire she could see her father and his staunchest clansman holding Ian at bay like one of their quarry.  Even from faraway she could hear Ian shouting out his innocence in the matter of her disappearance.  Quickly she ran down the hill, hoping  in some way  to make amends.

"Father!"  In a huffing, puffing heap she stumbled to his side. "What's going on here?"

"Daughter?"   Lachlan MacQuarie moved forward, welcoming her with a
bear hug.  "Are ye...?  Are ye....?"

"My head hurts a bit but that is all.  Banshee threw me and I hit my...my head."  She looked Ian Campbell's direction with an unwavering stare as he bowed to her in mock politeness.

"It seems your clansmen think the worst of me, just as you did."

Brianna realized the jeopardy of the situation, for one look at Erskines', Jamie's and her father's face gave proof of the tenseness of the situation. "Leave him be! 
He has done nothing to censor. 'Twas my own fault I fell. If not for yon laddie I might hae fared worse," she hastened to say "He...he took me to the old abandoned cottage in the woods and tended me, keeping me out of the rain."

"Tended ye?" 
Lachlan's voice was gruff.  "What do ye mean?"

Briefly she explained, leaving out  of course the embarrassingly  intimate part, expounding only on his care for her
head wound.

"Then he was telling the truth." 
Lachlan turned on Erskine.  "Unhand him, mon."  Folding his arms across his massive chest, he faced Ian squarely.  "I owe ye an apology.  I hope ye will take it."

"I will."  Though he spoke to
Lachlan, his gaze was focused in Brianna's direction, his outrage softened by the look of good will he read there.  A far different glow than he'd seen there before.

"And I
owe him a debt of gratitude." She flushed under the potency of his stare. 

"Do ye now...?"
Lachlan MacQuarie's thick red brows drew together questioningly.  He looked from one to the other. No, he did not like what was happening between them, it would only bring his daughter heartache. She was already promised to the other Campbell. "When ye up and disappeared Erskine was certain he'd harmed ye but my first thought was that he had abducted ye, that he had ye hidden somewhere and  had taken ye for himself."

"As you can see he did not."  Why was there disappointment in her tone? Because the idea of Ian Campbell carrying her off was not such an unpleasant one.  

"Aye! And it's glad I am.  'Twill save me from wearing out my horses in chase."  His tone of voice left little question of his meaning.  Were Ian to even think of such thing, there would be repercussions.  Beneath his breath, Lachlan cursed  Robbie Campbell silently.  A man should come himself to claim his bride not leave it to another.  That the Campbell lad had not, was complicating this delicate matter. "But come, Daughter, let's go back to the hall.  There's a lot o' venison to be savored."

"Aye, and I'm as hungry as a wolf."  It took a great deal of concentration to tear her eyes away from Ian Campbell.  Her father's impatient tug
gave warning.

"Come, Brie!"  His lips curled up slightly.  "The womenfolk hae been busy preparing another feast while we've been gone."  Scooping Brianna up in his arms as he had when she was just a child
, he placed her on his own horse, then climbed up behind her.  The clansmen followed suit, Erskine making amends for his rough handling of Ian Campbell by allowing him to ride double with him.  The ground thundered with hoof beats as they all rode back to the castle.