Highland Champion (17 page)

He had always been a man of healthy appetites, but Keira made him ravenous with just a smile. Once this battle was over, he was going to do his best to make her see that, to make her understand that he neither needed nor wanted another woman. Thinking of the battle ahead, he grew even hungrier for her. Although he still felt no premonition of impending death, he knew he would soon be facing it. It made him nearly desperate to make love to her, to try again to leave her with child. Kissing her neck, he slid his hand beneath her shift.

Keira awoke to the feel of a lightly calloused hand upon her breast, long, skillful fingers gently teasing her aching nipples. She could feel Liam’s aroused body pressing against her back. For a moment, she savored the heat he was stirring inside her, but then she recalled where they were.

“Liam,” she said, placing her hand over his, “we may be hidden from view, but any sound we make will be heard by every mon out there.”

“Then ye had best be verra quiet,” he whispered as he tugged her shift up to her waist.

A gasp escaped Keira as he stroked his way up her inner thigh, all the while kissing her neck. When he slipped his hand between her legs, she tensed, but the clever play of his fingers over her heated flesh banished her lingering embarrassment over such an intimacy. Since she had let her wanton side make an appearance, a lot of her unease had disappeared. She clapped a hand over her mouth when she started to make those soft, little humming noises she was unable to hold back.

“Liam,” she finally whispered, shaking with the need to feel him inside her, “I
must turn round now. I need—”

“Hush, my lass, I can give ye what ye need.” He gently cocked her leg back over his and slowly entered her, delighting in the shiver that went through her as he pushed himself in as deeply as he could.

His slow thrusting drove Keira wild. She reached around and lightly dragged her nails over the back of his thigh, something she had quickly discovered that drove Liam wild. His movements grew gratifyingly fiercer. Then he slid his hand down from her breasts and with but a quick touch sent her tumbling into bliss. She retained only just enough of her wits to clamp both of her hands over her mouth. A small part of her was aware of Liam pressing his face against her shoulder to muffle his groans as he released his seed deep into her womb.

It was several moments before Keira recovered enough to realize that Liam had pressed her legs together, holding himself trapped with her. “Um, Liam?”

“Let me linger a wee while, sweet wife. ’Tis a fine place to be.”

“Oh. I didnae ken that there were three ways to do this,” she said, and she was glad of the dark when she felt herself blush. She was even gladder of it when she felt him grin against her shoulder. “There are more?”

“Aye, and after I have rested, I will show ye another.”

“Shouldnae ye be resting in case ye are needed later?”

“That is what I
am
doing.” He nibbled her ear when she giggled. “I can think of no better way to spend the time before a battle than wrapped tight in your arms.”

Keira wanted to believe his sweet words. In fact, she wanted to believe him so badly, it made her very aware of her weakness for the man and helped her keep a firm grip upon her wariness. If he wished to spend the hours before a battle in her arms, making love until neither of them could move, however, she was willing to be a full partner in that plan. Just thinking of what could happen to him in the coming fight chilled her to the bone, and she pushed away those dark thoughts. Then she thought of what, even now, could be happening to Sir Archie and Kester.

“They will be safely returned to us, will they not, Liam?” she suddenly asked.

Since he was concentrating on the lovely curve of her neck and trying to decide where to kiss it, it took Liam a moment to understand the meaning of her question. “Aye, my tenderhearted wife, they will be. Remember, they have three weapons to use.”

“Of course—wit, courage, and need. I pray they are the strong shields your cousin thinks they are.”

“They are.” Liam slipped free of her body and turned her around to face him. “Now, to banish your worry, I believe ’tis time we tried a fourth.”

“A fourth what? Oh my. That fourth.”

Kester waited until the door of the tiny room he and Sir Archie had been shown to was shut, then collapsed onto one of the small beds. He was barely fifteen years of age, and he had just looked death in the face. It was not a pleasant experience.

“Are ye unweel, lad?” asked Archie as he stumbled into the side of the other small bed and sat down.

“Nay, I am terrified.”

“Wheesht, cannae blame ye. ’Tis ne’er easy on a mon’s innards to be set in the heart of the enemy’s camp.”

Sitting up and resting his back against the wall, Kester looked at the man who was rapidly becoming more of a father to him than his own had ever been. “Ye do look a wee bit like him. In the dark, if I give ye the voice, few would guess ye werenae him. In the dark, none could see those eyes, anyway.”

“What is wrong with his eyes?”

“They are, weel, yellow. Like some cat’s, I think, but he has the cold, unblinking stare of an adder.”

“Cats have an unblinking stare.”

“Weel, aye, but mostly when they are hunting. And I have ne’er feared cats. Ne’er thought them evil as some do. Evil creatures wouldnae be so helpful in keeping the vermin down or be so loudly happy for a pat or a wee scratch on the ear.” He smiled faintly when Sir Archie chuckled. “This mon is evil. If we hadnae appeared so helpless, e’en foolish, he would have just killed us, and probably nay quickly. He thought us so little a threat, he didnae e’en take your sword. One look in his eyes, and ye ken that the coldness there runs deep. The lost look, the despair upon the faces of the women there, few of whom were free of bruises, only confirms that. Nay, these men are naught but rabid beasts, and ’tis past time they were killed.”

“And they will be. As soon as we are able, we will begin our search for a way to help our allies do that without having to hurl themselves against weel-defended walls.”

Kester began to speak and then shut his mouth when Sir Archie suddenly tensed and began to ease his sword out of its scabbard. “What is it?” he whispered.

“I swear I can hear something in the walls,” Sir Archie whispered back.

“Rats?”

“Psst!”

Sir Archie smiled faintly. “I dinnae think rats say ‘psst!’”

Even though Sir Archie appeared to have relaxed, Kester pulled his dagger free from the sheath strapped to his arm where it was hidden by the sleeve of his monk’s robe. He peered around the dimly lit room and saw a faint line of light in the middle of the far wall. Just as he started to creep toward it, the thin line widened, revealing an opening in the wall and a small, pretty face surrounded by tangled red hair.

“Come, I can show ye a way out,” the girl said.

Wary of a trap, Kester asked, “Why should we wish to leave?” He frowned when she rolled her big, brown eyes and gave him a look of utter disgust.

“Because ye want to find a way to let those men in to kill that bastard Rauf. I ken a way. I be Meggie, the cooper’s daughter. I took to hiding in these walls when I was dragged here by those swine. I have slipped away a few times and saw the men gathering at the border of Ardgleann lands, and I saw Lady Keira.”

“But we were told Rauf had sealed all the secret ways out of here.”

“How could he when he didnae ken where they all were? Nay many do.”

“Then how do ye ken it?”

“Because I have been slipping in and out of these walls since I got here. Some of the other women hide with me now and again, but they didnae want to let that bastard ken there were any hiding places, so ’tis only me what stays in here.”

“Why havenae the women used them to escape?”

“To what? They cannae go home, and they also ken that their family will suffer for it. One lass who fled had to watch her father killed. I didnae because Rauf and them
dinnae really care that I am gone.”

“Now, two of the ways out of here arenae sealed tight. One he didnae find, and one is just barred from the inside.” She held out her hand. “Come.”

“Go with her, lad,” said Sir Archie. “Unbar that door that is secured. Then hie yourself back here.” Archie looked at the girl. “Can ye go to where the men are camped and tell them all ye have learned? Lead them in here?”

“Aye,” Meggie replied, “but why would ye stay here?”

“To be sure there isnae anything stopping the men from entering at this end. Ye get them in from the outside, and we will get them in from the inside.”

Just before he followed Meggie, Kester gave Sir Archie a brief, crooked smile. “Weel, it appears we have accomplished our mission without doing much of anything. I am sure that one day, I will be able to gracefully accept sharing this victory with a wee lass.” He shut the door on Sir Archie’s soft laughter.

“Time to buckle on your sword, lad.”

Liam blinked, stared at the hand wrapped around his ankle, and then grimaced. He nodded at Sigimor, who quickly disappeared, but it was too late to keep the call to arms a secret from Keira. Even as he moved to dress and arm himself, she was tugging on her clothes. She said nothing, however, until they were both outside their little shelter, watching Sigimor talk to a little red-haired girl.

“Where are Kester and Sir Archie?” Keira asked, almost relieved to have something else to fix her worry on, aside from the fact that the man she was helplessly in love with was about to go into battle.

Hearing her question as he approached them, Malcolm replied, “Still inside. The wee lass is Meggie, the cooper’s daughter. She has told us how to get inside. Kester and Sir Archie stayed to make certain no traps could be set for us.”

“So Rauf didnae hurt them or imprison them?”

“Nay, m’lady. He thought them naught but harmless fools, and from what Meggie tells us, he is busy planning some tale of your fate with which to send them on their way in the morning.”

“And Joan?” Keira asked, feeling certain Malcolm would have asked the girl about his wife.

“Alive,” was all Malcolm would say before striding away to join Keira’s brothers.

Seeing how upset Keira looked, Liam wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her close. “Alive is the most important thing, lass. All the rest can be healed with time. At least the wee lass Meggie seems to have come away unharmed.”

Keira nodded, watching the young girl talking so seriously with Sigimor and the other men. “What shall we do with her whilst we go into Ardgleann?”

“We?” Liam stepped back and shook his head at her. “Nay, wife, ye will stay here.”

“Here? But ’tis
my
battle. Since ye willnae have to hurl yourselves at the battlements as we feared, then I can come with ye.”

The look on Liam’s face told her there was little chance he would bend in this, but she felt compelled to try to change his mind. Slipping into the keep unseen and surprising the enemy could not be as dangerous as a full assault against the walls. She had heard that said time and time again. Since it would not be as dangerous for them, then it would not be as dangerous for her. Keira said as much to Liam, but the over my dead body look on his face did not change at all. The man she was hopelessly in love with obviously had a wide stubborn streak.

“There will still be fighting, wife,” Liam said, struggling to deny her without sounding arbitrary, for he knew she could turn contrary on him if he played the overbearing husband. Keira had a habit of bristling when given a direct command. “Aye, fate has smiled upon us and given us a way inside those thick walls, a chance to surprise our enemy. But that enemy isnae going to surrender en masse, is it? If naught else, they have too much innocent blood on their hands, and they ken it weel. They will believe there will be no mercy shown them, even if they do lay down their arms.”

“And so they will decide to die fighting,” she said and sighed when he nodded.

“Some will try to flee, and some will succeed, but most will see their choices as few. Die by hanging, or die by fighting. They are going to fight hard, and I dinnae want
ye in the middle of it. ’Twill be difficult enough trying to ensure no innocents die in the battle to free them. I suspicion that is one reason Sir Archie sent the lass here to tell us how to get inside—to get her outside.”

“So I must still wait here and just worry about all of ye.”

“Aye.” He pulled her into his arms, silently praying that he would soon return to hold her this way again. “Stay here with wee Meggie.”

“Will Meggie nay have to lead ye to the places where ye can get inside?”

“Mayhap, but she will be sent right back here to wait with ye. Within the keep, there will be few safe places. We may get in unseen, but there is no kenning where everyone is inside the place. We have all carefully studied the map ye drew us, but from that lass, Kester, and Sir Archie, we can only learn where everyone
should
be or
may
be.” He stepped back a little and gave her a brief, hard kiss. “Stay here, my wife. Keep a close watch. If ye see anyone approaching this camp, warn the guard, then hide fast and stay hidden. If ’tis one of us, ye will ken it soon enough.”

Although it felt as if every part of her ached with the need to stay close by his side, Keira nodded. It was the wisest and safest thing to do for all of them, but she hated it. The thought of how she would spend the rest of the moonless night, waiting to see if Liam, her brothers, and all the rest of the men she cared about returned safely, sent a shiver of dread through her. Common sense told her she would be more hindrance than help, that the only thing she could do to keep him safe was place her body between him and a sword, but she dearly wished it were not true.

She walked with Liam as he went to join the others. Ignoring their grumbles, she hugged each of her brothers. Since they heartily returned the embrace, she knew their complaints about foolish women were false. She even hugged Malcolm, Ewan, and Sigimor. The last two startled her by how vigorously they returned the embrace. It was not until Liam yanked her away from Sigimor and glared at both widely grinning men that she realized they had acted so oddly just to stir his possessiveness.

Before she could say anything about indulging in such foolish games when they were facing a hard battle, the men were all leaving. She was just thinking that she needed to hug her cousins when she found herself alone. In only a moment, the darkness had swallowed them all. Even the sound of so many armed men moving through the shadows swiftly faded. Keira wrapped her arms around herself and shivered, praying that was not some omen. The touch of a hand upon her arm drew her out of her dark, frightening thoughts, and she looked at Meggie. The girl had obviously not been needed to show the men the way.

“They will win, m’lady,” Meggie said. “Ye have some braw allies and kinsmen. My father said ’twas one reason the laird chose ye as his bride and as the one to stand in his place if aught happened to him. Of course, ye are bonnie, too.”

“Thank ye.” Keira was a little surprised that everyone knew Duncan had sought a wife for such reasons.

“Aye, my father said that made ye an e’en better choice for ye would soon marry again if the laird died, giving us a strong mon to care for the land. And ye did, didnae ye?”

“I certainly did. A strong mon with an army of verra strong kinsmen.” She smiled faintly. “And of course, he is bonnie, too.” Her smile widened a little when Meggie giggled.

“Dinnae worry. He will be back as bonnie as ever.”

“I dinnae much care if he is still bonnie, just as long as he is still alive.”

“Och he will be.”

The confidence of youth, Keira thought. “’Tis what I pray for.”

Meggie frowned and stared down at her feet as she scuffed one foot in the dirt. “M’lady, is that lad Kester really a monk?”

Despite the worry she was plagued with, Keira almost smiled again. “No longer. He was sent to the monastery by his kinsmen who didnae want him, but Kester doesnae have a true calling. When he learned what I was going to do, he followed me to Scarglas, the keep of my husband’s kinsman. He found Sir Archie along the way. I am nay sure what they will do, but they have a home with me now.” When Meggie smiled at her, Keira gave her a wink. “Kester needs a wee bit of growing yet, but I think he will be a braw laddie one day.”

“Aye, he just needs to grow into his feet.”

“Ah, ye have a brother, dinnae ye?”

“Three.” Meggie glanced toward the banked fire in the middle of the camp. “I dinnae suppose there is aught to eat, nay with so many men about.”

“I think we can find something.” It was not until they were seated by the fire, with Meggie devouring some bread, cheese, and rabbit stew, that Keira dared to ask, “How are the people in the keep? Has it been verra hard for them?”

“It has been hell, m’lady,” Meggie said and shivered. “Rauf and his hounds are vicious. They take whate’er lass is near to hand whene’er they choose. Complaining just gets ye beaten. When Malcolm asked about Joan, I was that pleased that I could tell him she only suffered in the first week and that she isnae that sad. Rauf discovered she was a good cook. From that day onward, she was left alone. The brute likes his food more’n he likes raping women. The only thing that saved me was that I havenae grown much in my chest, ye ken. The bastards were so busy squabbling o’er who would get which more fulsome lass after they had grabbed us all that I was able to slip away. I think they just forgot about me after that.”

Keira put her hands over her eyes and fought the urge to be violently ill.

“Here now, m’lady, dinnae weep. ’Tis soon o’er, isnae it? And my father says any mon who scorns a woman because of what she has suffered in there will have some good sense knocked right into him.”

It took Keira a moment to shake free of her grief long enough to realize what Maggie’s words implied. “Ye have seen your father since ye were captured?”

“Aye, twice. Once when he brought some barrels to the keep and once when I slipped away. He had to go into hiding, or he would be in this fight Aye, my brothers, too. He o’erheard two of Rauf’s dogs asking after my eldest brother, saying the lad was imper—, impertee—”

“Impertinent?”

“That be the word. Weel, my father kenned what it meant. Kenned it meant my brother was a dead mon, too, so he and my brothers took to the hills fast as they could. I would have gone, too, but I thought I best stay in case ye did come back and needed a way inside.” Meggie shoved the last piece of bread into her mouth and rolled her eyes as she chewed it. “Rauf was enraged. Beat those two fools of his near to death for failing to bring him my brother to kill.”

“I should have come sooner,” Keira whispered. “I am such a coward.”

“Wheesht, no one thinks that,” said Meggie as she licked her fingers clean. “Truth is, most ne’er expected ye to come back at all. Some thought ye dead, too. When I told Joan about the men gathering and how I saw ye with them, she was that surprised. Then she cried. Happy tears, ye ken.”

“Ye told Joan?”

“Aye. Shouldnae I have? She willnae tell anyone.”

“Nay, of course she willnae, but does Joan ken what ye have done this night?”

“She does. Had to tell her as I didnae want her looking for me as she is wont to and worrying if she couldnae find me. Told her she might try to get as many people as she can to someplace safe. She said she would.”

“What a wonder ye are.” Keira smiled when the girl blushed so deeply that it was clearly visible in the faint light from the fire and then frowned. “Why didnae the women slip out of there when ye found a way for them to do so?”

“Because Rauf would kill their families. Killed one lass’s father when she managed to flee out the gate one day, and she didnae get verra far either.”

“Sigimor is right—that mon needs killing.”

“Och, aye, and ’tis a shame ye cannae kill him a few times o’er.”

“Aye, a verra big shame. How would ye like to work in the keep?”

“As what?”

“As whate’er suits ye and whate’er skills ye have.”

“Once that vermin is gone, I would like that. Ye did say Kester was staying with ye, didnae ye?”

Keira nodded, and the girl gave her a very adult, very feminine smile. Poor Kester did not have a chance.

Liam winced when Kester opened the door, and the light in the room stung his eyes. He stumbled into the room, somewhat pleased to hear the men with him do the same, indicating that he was not the only one affected by the long, slow walk in the dark passage. When his vision cleared, Liam realized that several women were with Kester and that they had entered what looked like a large storage room. Just as he was about to ask Kester why the women were there, Malcolm rushed by him, whispering his wife’s name. Seeing the woman who now clung to Malcolm, Liam was a little surprised. The way the man had talked about his wife had made Liam think she was a beauty. Joan was short, thin, and somewhat plain.

“’Tis good these women are safe,” Liam said, “but ye took a risk in telling them about us.”

“I didnae,” replied Kester. “’Twas Meggie. She told Joan, and Joan has been bringing women down here for the last hour. Seems Meggie slipped away and saw us at the camp. She kenned who we were and that we were trying to find a weakness.”

“Aye, she is a clever wee lass.”

“Aye, ’twould seem so. Rauf and his men have had no warning, if that worries ye.”

“It did for a moment.” Seeing that the room was now crowded with the men who had come with him, Liam moved toward Malcolm and lightly patted him on the back. “We must move now. We cannae be cornered here, or all our good fortune will be for naught.”

“Aye, m’love,” Joan said, pullingfree of Malcolm’s embrace. “Go. Glean Ardgleann of this plague.”

“Kester, ye stay here to make sure none of these swine have the chance to escape,” Liam ordered. “And to guard the women. I suspicion more will gather here soon.” He looked at Joan, who nodded.

“Ye dinnae think I can fight, do ye?” Kester muttered.

“Ye have ne’er been bloodied in battle, lad. Aye, ye need training. There is no shame in admitting that. And I have given ye a most important part to play. Guarding the escape route and the women is verra important, and I have no doubt ye will do it weel.”

Even as Kester stood straighter and nodded, Liam began to lead the men out of the room. With only the slightest whisper of a signal from him, the men started to move away. In groups of two or three, they would all make their way through the halls, and using Keira’s map and little Meggie’s information, they would hunt down Rauf and his men. For as long as they could, they would stealthily cull the ranks of their enemy.

Liam usually considered a dagger thrust from the shadows murder, not a battle tactic, but he felt no such qualms now. As they had made their way to the keep, Sigimor had told Liam all that Meggie had told him. Even in telling them where the men might be, the girl had revealed a lot. Rauf and his men had turned the once peaceful Ardgleann into a living hell. He wanted the keep washed clean of this vermin as quickly as possible.