Loving A Highlander (7 page)

Gerard flashed her a grin that bordered on wicked.  “Rowan and Eva won’t even question it.  They already suspect that I brought you here to warm my bed.  Trust me, Rowan won’t mind, but Eva is a different story.  She might be offended by my treatment of you.”

Isabella’s flush darkened.  What would he think of her if she told him that she had thought of little else since they had arrived? She wouldn’t mind spending the night in the small tower room with him, riding the waves of pleasure until they both found their release.

“Is that the real reason you brought me here?”

Gerard hesitated and then sighed.  “No, lass, it isn’t.  I brought you here to save your pretty little hide.  I had serious doubts whether you would last the upcoming winter if I didn’t.”

“Oh.” Isabella tried hard not to look crestfallen, but she was crushed all the same.  It would be nice if a man wanted to spend time in her company just because he wanted to and not out of some sense of misguided duty.

A soft light entered Gerard’s eyes.  “Good night, Isabella,” he said as he turned once again to the door.  He didn’t wait for her response before exiting the room, shutting the door behind him with a firm click.

“Lock the door, Bella,” his muffled voice called from the other side.

Isabella hastened to do his bidding and pushed the bolt home.  She listened as his booted feet thumped down the stairs, becoming fainter and fainter until she was left with nothing but silence.

For the first time, Isabella felt alone.  Truly alone.  She had been alone in the cottage after Owen had departed, but she had been surrounded by the familiar comforts of home.  Here, she was a stranger in a place she felt in her soul she didn’t belong.

To find peace, she needed to return home.  She decided to do just that at first light.  No matter how much she was beginning to care about Gerard, and she was beginning to care about him even though she had only known him a short length of time, she didn’t belong in a castle.  With a heavy heart, she walked over to the window and looked out at the moon and stars.

Far below her, she saw the figure of a man walk from the castle toward the stables.  With a start, she realized the figure was Gerard.  Halfway to his destination he turned and stared up at her window.

Even from this distance Isabella could feel the weight of his gaze and she took a step back.  Her heart pounding.  She didn’t know what it was about the rugged man that appealed to her so, but memories of their kiss flooded her mind and if she closed her eyes, she could feel the weight of his lips against hers and the strength of his arms.

“Get over it, you silly goose,” she whispered, as she sat back down on the bed.  “That man isn’t interested in you.”

But, oh, how she wished her words weren’t true.

Chapter

Six

Isabella awoke to freezing cold.  The fire had gone out sometime in the night and she hadn’t closed the shutters on the window.  An icy wind whipped through the small space swirling dust motes in its wake.

She sat up in bed and placed her bare feet against the floor, wincing as she did so.  Hastily donning her thin soled shoes, she crossed to the window.  The sky was beginning to lighten.  Before long, the sun would peak over the horizon, heralding the start of a new day.  In the courtyard below, she could see stable hands tossing the straw from the mucked out stalls into a pile. 

She briefly wondered if Gerard had returned, and where he had gone in the first place, but then decided it didn’t matter.  More than likely, he had gone to the nearest village and found a woman willing to share his bed.  Not that he would have much difficulty.  She had seen the way women looked at him.  He was a handsome man and no doubt had women lining up to please him.

Isabella sighed.  She didn’t belong here with him and the sooner she realized it the better it would be for the both of them.  He could get on with his life without feeling obligated to her and she could get on with hers.

She was a strong woman.  A healer.  She didn’t need a man to take care of her and she never would.  She wasn’t like the pampered women who were sitting in the Great Hall below.  She had known hardship and difficulties.  Had weathered the storm and come out stronger in the end.  She didn’t need a man to protect her from the trials of life.  She could make it on her own.

Like the great Celtic war goddess Morrigan, she possessed strength and it was this strength that would see her through in the end.

Isabella turned from the window as a knock sounded on the door.  Thinking Gerard had returned, she crossed the room and opened the heavy door.  But it wasn’t Gerard who stood on the other side.  Her welcoming smile faltered as the soldier from the Great Hall stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

“Good morning,” his deep voice filled the room as he flashed her a charming smile.  “I don’t believe we have been introduced.  My name is Ethan.”

Isabella could only stare at the handsome man.  He was tall with broad shoulders.  Muscles rippled in his arms and across his chest.  Dark hair tumbled in waves across his forehead and halfway to his shoulders, while sooty lashes framed eyes that were as green as the trees in the forest.

She took a step back, aware that there was no place to run in such a small space.  “My name is Isabella,” she said calmly, letting him know she wasn’t afraid of him.

Ethan inclined his head.  “I know.  I overheard Gerard talking about you.”  He frowned.  “He hasn’t been mistreating you, has he, lass?”

Isabella shook her head and almost smiled at the suggestion.  “Why are you here?” 

The smile returned to Ethan’s face.  “The question is, what are
you
doing here?”  His gaze scanned the small tower room, missing nothing.  “I was surprised when you didn’t return to the Great Hall.”

Isabella didn’t get a chance to respond. The door crashed open and Gerard stepped inside.  His eyes flashed fire but his words were like ice.  “It looks as if you are already busy this morning,” he said as his gaze landed on Ethan. 

The other man inclined his head, but offered no explanation for his presence.

Isabella looked from one man to the other.  She could sense the animosity between them and knew that they were far from friends. “Gerard, I…”

Gerard cut her off with a harsh look and a wave of his hand.  “If you want to be the castle whore, Bella, it makes no difference to me.  I just wish you had told me last night.  I could have given you a few coins and spent a pleasurable night with you instead of retiring alone to my bed.”

Isabella’s anger began to simmer.  “We didn’t…”

“Ah, but we did.”  Ethan grinned, clearly enjoying himself.  “And it was good, old man.  She is the best tumble I have ever had.”

Isabella glowered at the man.  He only grinned in return and sent her a wink.

Gerard looked close to throwing a punch.  “How did you get up here?” he snarled at the other man.

Ethan smirked.  “It wasn’t too hard.  I think you are getting soft, old man.  I simply stepped over you while you were sleeping and walked upstairs.” 

He laughed.  “If you want to guard this pretty little thing,” he pointed to Isabella, “you need to do a better job.  An entire army could have walked by you and you would have been none the wiser.”

This time Gerard did lunge, landing a solid punch on Ethan’s jaw.  The young man staggered back and glared.  “Keep your whore, Gerard,” he spat, as he stepped toward the door.  “You won’t be able to please her any better than you could your wife.”

Gerard roared and lunged again, but Ethan had vanished through the doorway.  He turned to Isabella, his angry gaze raking her from head to toe.  “Was he worth it, lass?” he growled.

Isabella’s temper flared.  “You have no right to speak to me in such a manner,” she hissed.

Gerard folded his arms and arched his brows.  “Don’t I?  What else am I to think?  The evidence is pretty damning.”  He snorted.  “I would have thought you would have better taste than to go after that young pup.”

Gerard’s words still held a hint of anger, but Isabella could see the wounded look in his eyes.  “You slept in front of the tower stairs?” she asked.

“Aye,” he replied stiffly.

“Why?”

“Why, indeed?” he snapped, as he headed for the door.

Isabella followed him, navigating the steep stairs to reach the ground floor.  She stopped, her gaze drifting across the Great Hall to where several of Gerard’s clansmen were sprawled in various positions of rest.  Some of them were sleeping on the floor.  While others used the tables as their beds.

She quickened her pace and caught up with him halfway across the hall.  “Gerard, I’m sorry.”  She reached out to grasp his arm.

He stopped and glowered down at her.  “Why are you apologizing, lass?  Are you sorry you slept with Ethan or sorry you got caught?”

“I didn’t,” Isabella began, then lowered her voice when some of his clansmen began to stir.  She began again.  “I didn’t sleep with him.  I was just as surprised as you were to find him in the room.”

Gerard studied her and then sighed.  “Aye, lass.  I can see by the look on your face that you are telling the truth.”  He thrust a hand through his hair, causing strands of it to stand on end.  “I’m sorry I accused you of such behavior.”

Isabella nodded.  “I’m going home,” she said softly.  “It is obvious you don’t want me here and I don’t want to be a burden to the laird.”

Gerard’s eyes narrowed.  “What makes you think I don’t want you here, Bella?  I would have thought my actions last night proved otherwise.”

Isabella thought about their kiss and her cheeks warmed.  “I’m going home,” she said softly, but firmly.  “I don’t belong here.”

She turned and began weaving her way between the men sleeping on the floor.  A few of them stirred, but none awakened.

Gerard stopped her when she reached the door leading to the entryway.  “No, lass,” he whispered fiercely.  “You cannot leave.”

“You cannot tell me what I can and cannot do,” Isabella snapped, her eyes flashing fire.  She stepped into the entryway and headed for the door, only to be stopped when the laird stepped out of the shadows.

“Is something wrong, Isabella?”  Rowan asked, shooting Gerard a dark look.  “Has my cousin wronged you in some way?”

Gerard held his hands out in front of him in defense.  “I haven’t touched the lass.”

Rowan arched his dark brows as he looked between his cousin and Isabella.  “I find that hard to believe, but maybe you can explain to me why she is so upset?”

Gerard scrubbed a hand across his jaw and sighed.  “Isabella doesn’t like it here.  She wants to return home.”

Rowan turned to her in surprise.  “Is that true, Isabella?  Have you found my hospitality lacking?”

Behind them, the castle was beginning to stir to life.  Soon the Great Hall would be bustling with activity as people prepared to start their day.

“No.”  Isabella met the laird’s steady gaze.  She knew he wasn’t angry with her, she could see kindness in his eyes, but he expected an honest answer.  “You and your family have been very welcoming.”

“Then what is troubling you?”  Rowan moved until he was between her and the outside door. 

Isabella’s shoulders sagged in defeat.  The laird was a kind man, but he wasn’t about to grant her freedom.

Rowan smiled.  “We are happy to have you here.  Eva was just saying last night before we retired that it will be wonderful to have another woman around to talk to.”

Eva chose that moment to appear by her husband’s side.  “Why all of the commotion?  Has something happened?”  A look of concern marred her forehead.

“No, wife.”  Rowan pulled Eva closer to his side, the love he had for her on display for all to see.  “Nothing has happened.  Yet.”  He turned his dark gaze on Isabella.  “It’s just that Isabella wishes to leave us.”

Eva gasped.  “So soon?  But you have only just arrived.  You can’t leave yet.  Gerard said that you would at least stay for the winter.”

Isabella looked from one person to the other.  Eva looked like she wanted to cry.  The laird looked confused and Gerard, her gaze fastened on the handsome man and held, Gerard wore a look of triumph as if he knew he had won.

Isabella gritted her teeth.  Oh, how she wished she could throttle the man.  He knew there was no way she would risk hurting Eva’s feelings. 

She sighed.  The situation had moved from possible to impossible in a heartbeat.  “I will stay,” she addressed the laird and Eva, completely ignoring Gerard.  If he wanted to play his childish game, then she would show him just how good she could be at pretending he didn’t exist.

“Oh, good.”  Eva beamed.  “You won’t regret your decision.  I promise.  Once winter arrives, the last place you want to be is in the cold, dark forest.”

“I liked living in the forest,” Isabella whispered, as she thought about her cottage.  It had always managed to be cheery during the wintertime even when it was cold and dreary outside.

“It was peaceful.”

Eva patted her hand.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you.  I’m sure you had a fine home.”

Isabella followed Eva to the stairs leading to the second floor.  She could feel Gerard’s eyes on her and when she was halfway up the stairs, turned to look at him.  He was still standing by the laird and both of the men’s attention was focused squarely on her. 

Isabella turned back around.  Picking up her skirts, she quickly followed Eva.

Eva stopped when they reached the second floor.  “I’m sorry, Isabella.  I didn’t mean to insult your home,” she repeated.  “It’s just that Gerard said that you were all alone out there.  A person needs friends and family,” she said, as they proceeded down the corridor.  “Especially when the days grow cold and gray.”

They arrived at Isabella’s bedchamber.  Isabella quickly scanned the room, but it looked exactly the way she had left it.  The bed was still rumpled from the short nap she had taken before the evening meal and the dress she had arrived in was draped over the chair. 

Eva walked over and picked up the dress and studied it for a minute.  Replacing it on the chair, she turned to Isabella.  “I will have the maid discard your old clothes.  I believe I have other dresses you can wear besides the one you are wearing.”

Isabella looked down at the pretty dress.  She had slept in it the night before and it was full of wrinkles.  It was beautiful, but it would never hold the special place in her heart like the garment she had worn on her arrival.  That cloth for that dress had been woven by her grandmother and hand stitched by her mother.  It was patched and worn, but was precious to her all the same.

“I would like to keep the dress,” she said firmly.  She crossed the room and gathered the garment protectively into her arms.

Eva’s eyes widened.  “Of course you can keep the dress,” she said softly.  “But I will have the maid bring you other dresses all the same.”

Still clutching the dress, Isabella walked to the window.  “I have a question to ask.”

“Of course.”  Eva brightened.

Isabella turned to face her.  “Tell me about Ethan.”

Eva’s eyes widened slightly.  “Ethan Mackintosh?  My goodness, when did you have a chance to speak to him?”

“He came to visit me this morning in the tower room.”

Eva gasped.  “He didn’t!  Did he…?”

“No,” Isabella reassured her. “Gerard arrived shortly after he did.”

“Well, that was fortunate,” Eva murmured, but she still looked distressed.  “To answer your question, Ethan Mackintosh is a fine man.  He has always been polite and is loyal to my husband and this clan.”

She shook her head.  “I can’t believe Ethan would do anything to harm you.”

“He didn’t,” Isabella said firmly.  “And I don’t think he would have even if Gerard hadn’t intervened.”

Eva took the dress from Isabella’s hands and placed it back on the chair.  “I bet Gerard was livid.”

“Oh, aye,” Isabella laughed.  “He was very angry.”

Eva sighed.  “I can imagine.  There has always been bad blood between the two.”  She hesitated.  “It started with Lorna and continued after her death.”