Highland Grace (16 page)

Callum sheathed his dirk. “What did you mean
by Branwenn’s deed? Does my wife have something that belongs to the
lass?”

His cousin remained stonily silent.

Callum glanced at Lara, who had settled a
much too innocent mien on her face. This entire encounter between
her and his cousin was strange in nature. And how do you force a
woman when she’s riding astride? In any case, he’d clearly stopped
them before it had gone very far.

He looked at Bao. “We’ll speak more of this
in the morn,” he said at last. “Come, you and I shall leave
together.” He sent his wife a penetrating look. “I’ll expect you in
our chamber in no more than a quarter hour’s time.”

* * *

Lara seethed as she watched the two cousins
walk away. Though they said naught to each other, there was not the
jealous animosity she’d come to expect with male rivals for her
favor. Hatred filled her breast. Her husband hadn’t even fought for
her honor. She had not felt this humiliated since Graeme’s letter.
After all, she was beautiful. Men adored her. They always had. And
she’d gloried in it. Dangled the forbidden fruit of her consent in
front of them long enough to get their passions raised and their
vows of servitude to her loveliness in her possession. And hadn’t
she reveled in the number of clashes she’d inspired for her honor?
She adored that she could make a man so mad for her that he’d draw
another’s blood. But it hadn’t been until the first time her
stepbrother had become so inflamed that he’d forced himself on her
that she’d seen the true power she held over men. And the pain he’d
given her was proof that they couldn’t restrain themselves, that
she was capable of overpowering their reason to the point that they
became animals. She shuddered. God, how she loved that. But she
hadn’t known until her sister had told her of it, that a woman
could find release the same way a man did. And so had begun her
sessions with Bao.

However, ‘twas evident that her plans for Bao
and Jesslyn had been thoroughly ruined by her fool of a husband.
Now, ‘twas too dangerous to continue along that track because
Callum would be watching the two of them too closely the next days
until their departure.

But she could get revenge on her husband.
She’d simply begin taking more lovers once they returned home. And
this time, if one could not satisfy her, she’d take yet
another...and another, until she finally found a man as good as
Bao.

At least she’d not given him the deed. She
tucked her hand inside her pouch and curled it around the small
scroll. Nay, her revenge on her brother was still well in her
grasp.

* * *

“Have you seen Bao?” Jesslyn asked Laird
Donald. The tower church bells were about to begin chiming and she
wanted to stand with her husband, as tradition decreed. Daniel had
gone up to his bedchamber a moment before to spend these moments
with his wife.

“Not after he went to meet you in the store
tower, my dear. That was nigh on two hours past. Actually,” he
continued sheepishly, “I thought the two of you may have retired
for the evening.”

“The store tower?” Jesslyn shook her head in
confusion. “He didn’t meet me in the store tower, sir.”

“Aye, he did. He raced with good speed
directly to that place upon learning you’d summoned him. Mayhap he
still awaits you, lass.”

“And who gave my husband this message,
sir?”

“‘Twas Callum’s wife, Lara. Did she not relay
it right?”

Lara!
Alarmed, but unwilling to burden
the older man with her worries, Jesslyn said only, “I must fly,
then, for I fear Bao will be quite displeased with me by now.”
Waving a brief farewell, Jesslyn scurried off toward the tower.

The store tower didn’t hold good memories for
Jesslyn. It had been the site of her deepest humiliation. Where, in
some mad moment of desperation, she’d almost ruined Daniel and
Maryn’s union by throwing herself at him just before his wife had
come through the door. Thankfully, after almost a sennight of
separation, Daniel had been able to overcome Maryn’s suspicions and
they’d reconciled. And, somehow, Maryn had had the generosity of
spirit to not only forgive Jesslyn, but befriend her as well.

With leaden feet, she climbed the stairs, the
light from the taper creating eerie shadows on the steps and wall,
sending a chill down her spine. When the bells began to chime, she
nearly jumped out of her skin. “Bao?” she called out. No answer.
Mayhap he—
they?—
couldn’t hear her over the sounding of the
bells. She hurried up the last few steps, rushed to the door of the
upper chamber and opened it wide.

Empty, praise be. For she had little trust of
Lara, and what Bao had managed to salvage these past sennights with
her was fragile.

Except. The chamber looked to be made into a
lover’s bower. The niggling suspicion was fast becoming a
full-blown certitude. Lara had prepared this place to seduce Bao.
But, the question remained, had she and Bao met here by some secret
design? Had his seeming dislike of the lady been an act to hide his
true intent?

Her heart fluttered and her breath caught as
she walked toward the blankets and searched for signs that they’d
lain together. The makeshift bedding wasn’t rumpled.
Thank
heavens
.

Her gaze settled on the table as she walked
toward it. She picked up the silver chalice and looked into its
wide bowl, then gave it a sniff. Clean. The cup had not been
used.

Aye, ‘twas no doubt Lara’s doing, but clearly
her husband had remained faithful to his vows. Feeling a little
better now, even though she dreaded dealing politely with that
strumpet Lara o’er the next days, she left the chamber, closing the
door behind her.

As she exited the building, she wondered
where next she should look for Bao. Had he gone to their chamber?
Aye, mayhap, once he’d spurned Lara’s favors, he’d decided to await
Jesslyn there. With a lighter heart, she skipped towards the
entrance to the keep. Tonight, he would become her husband in
truth.

* * *

“What an
ass
he is, Grandmother! He
takes great delight in destroying every bit of pleasure I endeavor
to have! Why can he not just let me
be
?” Branwenn said as
they listened to the bells.

Lady Maclean knew well what was going on
between the two, but with Callum and his wife leaving in the next
few days, she decided not to broach the subject. After all, neither
Callum nor Branwenn seemed in the least aware of what these overt
acts of animosity signified. And Branwenn would no doubt be wed the
next time they met. “He’s only trying to protect your virtue, my
dear. He, being a man, is well aware of the trouble a lass can find
herself in on a night such as this. Most of these young men are
deep into their cups, after all, and their wits have flown to the
hills.”

“But I was only dancing, and there was a
crowd surrounding us. What harm could have come to me?”

Sighing, Lady Maclean shook her head. “None,
I wager. But I feared he’d drag you away if I didn’t do as he
demanded and have you come stand with me.”

“He’s such an
ass!
” Branwenn repeated.
“
I hate him!
” She turned and placed her hand on Lady
Maclean’s arm. “I’m sorry, Grandmother, I know you love him, but
he’s the most rude, dreadful, arrogant, mean, suspicious man I’ve
ever met!”

“I know, lass. But, he’ll be leaving soon
enough, and then you will not see him again for quite a long time,
I’m sure.”

It did not escape Lady Maclean’s notice that
a fleeting look of sadness played over the lass’s countenance
before it was quickly replaced with irritation. “Good. That pleases
me greatly.”

* * *

When his wife entered their bedchamber not
long after the chiming of the bells, Bao pretended sleep. He knew
from the disaster of the evening that he’d be taking his sister to
the nunnery on the morrow or the day after at the latest, and
leaving for Perth from there, but for now he wanted to be near
Jesslyn. He feared speaking to her, however, feared breaking the
spell he’d conjured in his mind that all was well, would be well
with them.

Bao watched her through slitted eyes as she
snuffed all the candles before disrobing in the glow of the
hearthfire light. His heart nearly pounded out of his chest when
she didn’t even leave the thin covering of her chemise on this
time. When she climbed in beside him and draped herself over him
with her head resting on his shoulder, he finally opened his eyes
and stared at the shadows above. He wanted her more than he wanted
his next breath, but he couldn’t bring himself to make a move in
that direction. Not after his near betrayal of their vows and not
when his thoughts were still ensnared by worry over his sister.

If Callum hadn’t interrupted his arrangement
with Lara when he had, Bao would now have that deed in his
possession. He’d have ruined his chances with Jesslyn for evermore,
but at least he’d have protected his sister from that devil, Giric
MacBean.

Now, all his plans for his sister, for
himself, were crushed into dust.

* * *

Bao had almost drifted to sleep long moments
later, but came instantly awake when he felt the glide of Jesslyn’s
knee over his groin as she tucked her calf and foot between his
closed thighs. His manhood, which had been at half-mast since she’d
settled into him, now grew turgid and long with the new rush of
blood. An involuntary groan burst past his lips.

She lifted her head from his shoulder. “Did I
wake you?” she asked softly.

“Nay.” His voice sounded gruff, even to his
own ears.

“Are you ill from ardent spirits, then?” She
struggled to sit up.

Bao sucked air through clenched teeth. “Nay!”
He clamped his hand over her naked thigh. “Do not move.” He lifted
his head, pulling aside the fur-topped blanket at the same time,
and slowly ran his eyes up her curved form until they rested on her
face. With a shaking hand, he stroked her cheek. “Be you flesh or
phantasm?

He felt her relax. Then she defied his order
and lifted her hand to his cheek. “I assure you, I be of this
world,” she replied softly. “I’ll draw some water for you, if it
please you?”

Mayhap a bit of distance was needed. “My
thanks.” He slid his hands from her body and dropped his head back
onto the pillow. With eyes closed, he listened, imagining each of
her movements as she performed her task: The shuffle of her feet
across the rush mat; the clatter of the silver cup as the ewer hit
its rim; the gentle
swoosh
as the water exited its
container; the
glub, glub, glub
as it filled the empty cup;
the heavy
bu-bump
as the ewer was placed back on the wooden
washstand. And, finally, the soft pad of her feet as she made her
way back over to him.

With one knee on the bed, she leaned over
him. “Here, lift your head and drink this down.” She placed one
hand behind his head and the cup up to his lips, then tipped it
enough to force him to drink.

Bao’s eyes lighted on the coin that dangled
between her breasts as he quaffed the cool liquid. ‘Twas the coin
she’d refused to take back all those sennights past. Branwenn must
have put it back in her possession. He loved his sister. He hadn’t
noticed it earlier when Jesslyn had undressed. Joy expanded inside
him and without further thought, he lifted his hands, molding them
to her breasts.

She jerked at the contact, causing a bit of
the water to dribble down Bao’s neck, but relaxed, and gave him a
smile. Without looking, she placed the empty cup on the table next
to the bed as she kissed the liquid from his neck. The cup teetered
and rolled onto the floor with a
thunk
.

Growling, Bao dipped his head and took
Jesslyn’s breast into his mouth, warming his cold tongue on the
rosy peak as he brought her other knee up onto the bed. His earlier
dire thoughts forgotten in the fog of his returned desire, he
lifted her hands to rest on his shoulders, then stroked his own
down her back and across the rounded planes of her derriére.

She shivered and threw her head back with a
moan. She tried to straddle him, but he wouldn’t allow it. He kept
her where she was, feasting on first one peak and then the other as
he lightly traced her supple figure with his calloused hands.

Bao released her nipple and gazed at the
results of his loving. “Your breasts are so beautiful,” he said,
bringing both of his palms up under them to lift and weigh them.
“The babe’s made them just a bit fuller.” He looked up, into her
passion-glazed eyes. “You’ll tell me if what I do hurts, will you
not, my love?”

She nodded. “Aye,” she said, rubbing her
nipple across his lower lip.

He tickled the peak with the tip of his
tongue, wetting it once more. Then he lightly blew on it, causing
the already puckered tip to tighten even further. Bringing it deep
into his mouth, he suckled and quickly tongued it, in a replication
of what he planned to do to another, even more responsive nub
later.

She grasped the back of his head and pressed
him against her breast. Her head flew back and a guttural moan
erupted from her throat.

Bao gorged on her as he stroked her flesh. He
made a slow inventory of her body using his palms and fingertips.
He first traced the length of her slim arms up to her rounded
shoulders and neck. Then he took a trip down the sides of her
breasts to her babe-filled belly and plush hips. He blazed a trail
down and over her bent-kneed long limbs and then moved back up to
cup the cheeks of her buttocks in his palms, stroking the fine
hairs of the feminine outer lips of her labia lightly with the tip
of his little finger.

Her moans grew louder. She jerked and
trembled and finally climaxed. “Oh, God!” she sobbed. Bao didn’t
stop. He continued suckling her breast and teasing the sensitive
lips of her sex, knowing it would intensify and lengthen her
release.