Highlander's Rebellious Love (12 page)

Patience eyed the couple inquisitively. They appeared more than friends and naturally her curiosity about the pair grew.

Ewan raised his head and looked to Hunter and asked again, “What goes on here?”

“I could ask the same of you,” Hunter said. ”Where is everyone?”

Ewan took Una’s hand. “Let us go inside and talk.”

Beast took up guard beside the cottage door as the two couples entered, though Patience took a moment to talk with Edward before joining the others. She was quick to ask where Ewan had been found and if he had identified himself. What she discovered was what she had expected. The man had been vague, not admitting to his identity, even after Edward had identified himself.

She entered the cottage, keeping the information in mind.

The two couples sat around the table that occupied the center of the room. Patience was not surprised that Hunter reached out and took hold of her hand. She wondered if it was for support or was he attempting to show Ewan that their marriage was a firm one?

Ewan took the lead, his eyes settling on Una. “It has been heard that Greer is preparing for battle.”

Una nodded. “It is true. He is much like his father, though more mean-spirited and much greedier. He hungers for power and he does not care how he achieves it.”

“He had grown an army of cohorts who believe they can conquer other clans and expand their holdings,” Ewan said. “When I learned that, I felt it was time to move my son and his family to safer territory.”

“And where would that be?” Patience asked, hoping against hope that he sent them to the Dark Dragon.

“To my home in Gullie Loch,” Ewan confirmed. “Noble and his family will be safe there and far from the fighting that will take place here.”

Patience did not like the sound of an inevitable war with the McLauds, especially since she had wed Hunter to avoid it. She was quick to ask, “Why then are you here?”

“Ella, my only granddaughter out of eight grandchildren, cannot find the cherished cloth doll her mother made for her. She fears it is still here and as a grandfather who loves her beyond reason, I had to come rescue it for her.”

Patience wondered over the truth of his words and the only way to find out was to see if the doll could be found and being the room was not overly large, it would not take long. “Let us help you look for it,” she said and hurried off the chair.

Una joined her, forcing the two men to do the same.

“I found it,” Una called out, pulling something from behind a basket near the door.

It appeared more a ragged piece of cloth, but on closer inspection, Patience saw that it was a worn doll that appeared to have been well-loved. And suddenly her heart ached for the young lass. Patience’s own mother had not lived long enough to stitch dolls for her or Emma. Heather was the only one who possessed a doll their mother had made and she had been generous and had shared it with them. It sat in Heather’s room, waiting for her return.

The memory sparked Patience’s anger and she could not hold her tongue. She turned to Ewan McCuil and said, “You are the Dark Dragon’s uncle. He has my sister and I want her back. ”

Chapter Eleven

Ewan nodded, his expression solemn. “I am his uncle, but have seen little of him. I have heard rumors, though know nothing more that would confirm your suspicions.”

“Suspicions?” Patience spit out. “They are not suspicions; they are fact. The Dark Dragon has my sister and I will not rest until I get her back. Tell me what you know of him.”

Hunter walked over to her, ready to slip his arm around her waist, but she drew away.

“I will have my answers,” Patience demanded and pointed to Ewan. “If you know anything at all, tell me.”

Ewan pointed to the table for them to sit.

“Sit if you wish,” Patience said, “but I will stand.”

The three sat, Hunter keeping a concerned eye on his wife.

Patience paced in front of the door. She did not know Ewan and though he was friends with Hunter and Una, she could not forget that he was the Dark Dragon’s uncle, which meant, she did not trust him.

“I have not seen the Dark Dragon in years. It is only when he feels that I or my family may be in danger, does he warn me and through a messenger, never in person.”

Patience did not believe him, though she did not let her doubt show. If he had disguised himself as an old man in need of help to her warriors, then there was more to his story then he was admitting.

“I am sorry to hear about your sister and while I wish I could help you, I fear there is nothing I can offer that would be of any help. I can, however, suggest that we spend the night here so that you may rest before your return journey home.”

He seemed eager for them to leave, which once again left her wondering if he was speaking the truth and how long it had truly been since he had last seen his nephew, the infamous Dark Dragon.

“You and Hunter,” Una said with a nod to Ewan, “go have a nice talk and Patience and I will prepare a much needed repast.”

Patience understood that Una was accustomed to men taking their leave to discuss important matters, she, however, was not... and as far as preparing a meal? She stood. “I do not prepare meals. I do not stitch. I do not tend a keep. I am a warrior and I lead my clan.” She walked to the door and turned after opening it. “I do not believe what you say Ewan McCuil and when you are ready to be an honest man and speak the truth to me, I will be here to listen.”

She closed the door behind her, leaving the three to think what they want. She had no time to waste in finding her sister; she had wasted enough already. Ewan knew more than he said and if he had no intentions of telling her, then she would find a way to find out what secrets he harbored.

Beast bounced up ready to follow Patience. She almost stopped him, then waved him on. “Come on, boy, I will be glad for the company of someone who will not demand anything of me.”

With Beast keeping up with her hasty steps, the pair reached the warriors quickly and she explained to them why they had found the farm deserted. She instructed them to keep alert, her instincts telling her that Ewan McCuil did not travel here alone. And there was still Greer to worry about. It was not a question of if he would attack, but when.

Patience had ordered one of her warriors to keep a watchful, though inconspicuous eye on the cottage. She had expected Ewan and her husband to emerge and go off on their own to talk, but that had not happened. She had not thought that they would discuss certain matters in front of Una. She was, after all, a delicate woman or was she? Could she be like her son... more than she seemed?

With instructions to her men complete and the warriors set for the evening, she returned to the cottage. Beast once again took his stance by the door, while she entered to find the three around the table reminiscing over an adequate spread of food.

Una waved at the empty chair. “Come eat. You must be hungry.”

“She must be since all she has eaten today is a small piece of bread,” Hunter said and stood to hold her chair out for her.

His eyes were not only sharp, but watchful and just as inconspicuous as her warrior’s had been. Another thing she had to keep in mind about her husband.

She sat, paying heed to her own advice that she made sure her warriors followed and her sisters in case something should ever happen to them... and it had. She only hoped they remembered, but then she had reminded them about it often enough.

Keep up your strength. Eat when you can and rest when you can. Rules her warriors were mindful of and made certain to follow, and she prayed Heather was doing the same. Before she dug into the light fare, she thought of Beast and his need to keep strong.

“Beast needs to eat,” she said.

Una grabbed a small sack off the floor. “He was not outside when I went to feed him. I wondered if he had gone off with you. I will see to him now.”

Patience ate, though sparingly compared to the others. When she finished a piece of bread and small hunk of cheese, her husband handed her another. She took it and ate slowly, finding the bread far too bland for her taste.

Una returned and talk resumed. Patience did enjoy hearing about Ewan and Una’s younger days. And from their stories, Patience got the idea that somewhere along the way their friendship had turned to love. Unfortunately, as was the way with things, duty came first. Still, though, there seemed to be a sparkle in their eyes for each other.

Hunter offered her another piece of bread and cheese but she declined it. The bread already felt like a rock in her stomach and made her long for food from home.

Ewan yawned and stretched himself out of his chair. “Time to get some sleep.”

Una stood as well. “I will walk with you and find a place to rest my head tonight.”

“Nonsense,” Patience said. “You will sleep here in the cottage.”

Una shook her head. “No, the cottage is for you and your husband. She went to Ewan’s side and slipped her arm around his. “Ewan will make certain that I am settled well for the night and I will see to Beast.”

Ewan patted her arm. “That I will.” He looked to Patience. “Newly wed couples should have their time together.”

Ewan snatched up Una’s cloak, draped it over her shoulders, and ushered her to the door, sending a backward wave to them as the pair hurried out laughing.

Patience turned to her husband. “Were they once in love, for they seem so...” she wasn’t quite sure how to explain what the couple shared.

“They are comfortable and familiar with each other,” Hunter finished for her. “It would torment my da when Ewan came to visit, for he saw something in them that he never had with his wife... trust. My da would get angry after he left and treat my mum poorly, as if somehow she was at fault, never admitting that he was jealous. Then he would feel guilty and spend time making up for his meanness. It always surprised me how much he loved my mum. I used to wonder how such a hostile man even knew how to love. Then as I got older I understood. My da loved her as he would a possession.”

“Are wives not considered possessions?”

Hunter learned about women from an early age out of complete necessity. He had grown tired of the endless fights with his brothers, so he had sought companionship elsewhere. His very first true friend had been a lassie who he had discovered would rather talk than fight. He had been devastated when her family returned to her mother’s clan. But she had been the first to teach him about females, and he had continued to learn about them until he felt he knew them better than they knew themselves. That was why he understood that the question his wife had just asked was a trap waiting to be sprung, even if she did not realize it.

He smiled and walked over to her, his hand going to rest on her arm for a moment before slowly running it down to her wrist, and then lace his fingers with hers. He then brought her hand up to his mouth to press tender kisses on her fingers. He was pleased to see that she could not hide the shudder that ran through her.

“Need to think over your answer?” Patience quipped, trying to divert his attention away from her body’s unexpected response to his innocent kisses or were they? Her body certainly had not thought so.

“I suppose it is common thought that a wife is a husband’s possession, but I do not wish to own my wife as one does a slave. I want my wife to know that I cherish and admire her and wish for us to share a good life together and that we
choose
to belong to each other, and not out of necessity.”

“If not necessity then what?” Patience asked curious.

“Friendship to start,” he said, “and hopefully love will follow.”

“And if it does not? Does the couple spend their lives indifferent to each other?”

“When a man or a woman first lay eyes on each other there is a moment when interest sparks or it does not. Those sparks can be the beginning of something if pursued. When I first laid eyes on you, I felt such a spark and I saw a similar one in your eyes.” He lowered his mouth to hers and whispered, “Why not see if that spark can ignite into love?”

He did not wait for her to respond. He kissed her and not a simple kiss, but a complex one. It was as if he was demonstrating what they could have together, for Patience felt he kissed her as if he loved her.

The intensity of his kiss overwhelmed her, sending ripples throughout her body, turning her legs weak, and making her heart beat wildly. Could this be the prelude to love? Was it possible? Or was it nothing more than lust?

His arms slipped around her and drew her close ever so slowly, as though giving her a chance to reject him if she so chose to. That was not an option she gave thought to. Instead, she grew impatient to get closer to him and hurried to press her body against his.

His arms tightened around her and she welcomed their firm grip for it drew her even tighter against him. She did not know when she began returning his kiss with as much or perhaps more fervor than he did, she only knew that she could not get enough of him. She wanted more, so much more.

His hands roamed down over her backside and gave it a firm squeeze before they slipped beneath her plaid and squeezed her naked bottom. And damn if a bolt of delicious pleasure did not strike between her legs, turning her weak in the knees. If Hunter had not kept a tight hold of her, she feared she would have collapsed. He had in all essence, kissed her senseless.

The realization struck like a bolt of lightning, alerting her to her vulnerability and possible consequences. Her training as a warrior had her pulling away from him and hurrying to place the table between them and to use the back of one of the chairs for support, her legs still trembling.

She was relieved that he did not approach her, but stayed where he was, though his blue eyes remained fixed on her. That in itself was unnerving, since his blue eyes stirred with such heated passion that her legs grew weaker and her hold on the chair tighter.

“What I make you feel frightens you,” he said.

“Not frighten,” —she searched for a more fitting word and could think of only one— “confused.” She shook her head, as if the simple action would clear her troubled thoughts. “I understand duty and honor and doing what is best for my clan.”