Spellbound (16 page)

34

When Maighdlin awoke the next morning, Kade was absent but the bed was still warm from his body. She sat up, thinking about Brodie. What had Kade done with the man? Quickly, she washed, dressed, and braided her hair, feeling slightly guilty for not thinking of the man who was clearly her father.

They
did share similarities in looks—high cheek bones, the same curve to their mouths when they frowned. Questions swirled in her mind, questions she hadn’t wanted to ponder last night. Selfishly, she’d wanted to lose herself in the erotic pleasures and heat of Kade’s body and shut out the rest of the world. Forget the ugliness of battle and death she’d witnessed. Though she was his captive, something between them had changed, and his touch made her feel things she’d never felt before.

She
thought of Haddon. Had Haddon known all along that Brodie was her father? Or had she simply been left anonymously on his doorstep? What had her birth mother been like? Why were there so many lies surrounding her entrance into the world?
She was a MacKinnon.
The birthmark on her shoulder did not lie. Haddon was the only one who’d seen it when she was a babe. She’d never willingly shown it to anyone in the village. Brodie had known the shape of it. Kade loathed and despised Brodie. Did he loathe and despise her, too?

Nay.
He couldna truly hate her and let her touch him the way she did last night. She relaxed as she remembered his tender words and the way he’d responded to her touch, the way he’d guided her mouth and her hands over his body, letting himself be vulnerable. He’d been achingly tender and patient with her, his arms a haven from the harsh world.

Resolutely,
she descended the stairs. She would ask Kade what he planned to do with Brodie…and with her. Shouldn’t she be relieved? They had an answer…and it was the one he wanted. She was Christel MacKinnon, and her whole life had been a lie. Now he could go on hating her in his heart forever while he made her body surrender….

A
frown pleated her brow. Would he bed her and then turn to Amaris, as he had once before, before he’d fallen in love with Fenalla? Her heart felt heavy as she imagined the dark, sultry beauty in his arms. She should not care who he bedded!

Before
she reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard a commotion in the great hall and Kade’s deep voice raised in anger. And then she thought she recognized another voice. It wasn’t possible, was it? Without another thought she lifted her skirts and quickened her pace.

The
sight that greeted her was bemusing. Several men sat at the great table. Kade stood behind it, an angry, incredulous look on his face. He hadna shaved; his dark whiskers drew her gaze to his stern jawline. His hair was pulled back with a leather thong and he wore a loose saffron shirt, trews, and leather boots. Several other Highland warriors stood around a man, their swords pointed at his throat, the man’s hands held behind his back.

“
Nay!” she cried, instantly getting everyone’s attention. She flew to the man’s side, heedless of the sharp swords encircling him. “Dunna hurt him!”

She
was now so focused on their prisoner that she dinna see the dangerous glint in Kade’s amber eyes. “Elliot!” All she saw was Elliot’s face. She turned a pleading look on Kade. “Tell them to lower their swords!”

Kade’s
face had become a stony mask. He did not speak. He was motionless, but tension radiated from his tall warrior’s form. There was a long moment while his men waited. Kade finally gestured and, grumbling, they lowered their weapons and released Elliot’s hands. The blades being sheathed made an icy, cold sound.

Maighdlin
noticed then that Elliot had seemed to grow two inches taller in the short time they’d been apart. He had more muscles, and dark blonde whiskers graced his jaw. His blue eyes flashed fire as he put a protective arm about her.

“
Elliot, how…why are ye here? Did ye travel alone?”

“
Yea, Maighdlin. The village couldna spare a man, and I didna want to put anyone else in harm’s way. After I received word ye were unharmed, I had to see for myself.”

“
Ye received word? Was it Colin, the son of the blacksmith here?”

“
'Twas Kade himself.”

Kade
had sent word of her safety to the village? When?

“
Are ye daft? Ye could’ve been killed coming here!”

“
Indeed,” Kade murmured, coming around the table and down from the daise, pulling her from Elliot’s embrace. “State yer business here. Who are ye, Elliot, that ye are fortunate enough to have my new wife’s unbridled concern for yer safety?”

Elliot’s
eyes darted back to Maighdlin’s face. The hurt in them was undeniable. “Is it true, Maighdlin?”

“
Yea, Elliot, ‘tis true, but….”

“
But what?” Kade asked. “Did ye no’ marry me of yer own free will?”

Maighdlin
bit her lower lip, and he stared at her mouth. They had the attention of everyone in the hall now, including the servants. “Aye, I spoke the words freely…in the hope that by becoming yer wife, there would be no more bloodshed! That ye wouldna harm the villagers either. Ye thought I was Christel MacKinnon, Brodie’s daughter, but I didna believe ye. Then yesterday I learned the truth. That I am his daughter and my whole life has been a lie!”

She
could not disguise the pain in her voice. She pulled away from Kade. “I know ye married me out of spite, because ye hate Brodie MacKinnon, because ye deem him responsible for the attack on yer clan, and for the loss of yer brother and yer wife-to-be. So ye kidnapped me from my village, with nary a thought for my feelings, for the people I left behind! With nary a thought but yer revenge!”

Maighdlin
clenched her fists at her side, and the tears flowed freely now. “Ye’ve been blind to e’erything Kade! Ye were right about my true birth. But ye have hardened yer heart to yer own truths about Niall and Fenalla being lovers.” There were audible gasps all around. “Yer heart harbors nothing but hatred! Brodie may be telling the truth about the attack, that he wasna responsible. But ye willna listen! Ye willna give him a chance. Where is Brodie? Have ye already killed him?” She sobbed and took a deep breath.

“
Do ye plan to kill Elliot as well, who has been like a brother to me, and only wished to ken whether I was truly alive and safe?” Maighdlin continued to back away from Kade, who looked stricken by her words. He looked at Elliot.

“
Lad, did ye truly come here with the thought of confronting me alone and seeing that Maighdlin was safe?”

Elliot
drew himself up to his full height. “Aye, that I did. And I’m no’ a lad, I’m a man.”

“
I demand ye let me speak with Elliot privately and then let him leave this keep unharmed,” Maighdlin choked. She trembled, her face red with anger.

“
’Tis either great courage or great foolishness ye show,” Kade said. Elliot’s chin went up a notch. Kade stroked his jaw in thought and pierced Maighdlin with a look. “The woman does have a way of addling a man’s senses.”

Maighdlin’s
features relaxed, and she attempted to grasp Kade’s hand. He tensed and pulled it away, his emotions far too close to the surface, far too dangerous to unleash. “Elliot, ye may speak with her here, by the fire, and then ye may share the evening meal. Ye’ll be given a place to sleep tonight. Tomorrow morning, ye’ll be escorted safely back to yer village, where ye can give them news that Maighdlin lives and is indeed well, since ye didna take my word for it.”

“
Well, ah, thank ye then for no’ killing me on the spot.”

“
I dunna kill brave, unarmed men.”

Kade
and his guards retreated some distance away, and Maighdlin and Elliot sat by the great hearth. As Kade watched them, he marveled at how relaxed she was with Elliot, how natural, how she grasped his hand and laughed as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. Just for a moment, he got a glimpse of what it might have been like if he’d met her under different circumstances, of the man he might be if he hadn’t run off to Ireland to prove himself…if his pride hadn’t gotten in the way. He’d learned the hard way that you cannot run from your troubles.

He
had a sudden urge to clasp Maighdlin to him, to feel her soft body pressed against his, to feel her responding to his touch. How could he betray Fenalla’s memory with such thoughts?

His
head ached from thinking about it all. He spun on his heel and stormed from the hall.

35

Elliot and Maighdlin sat by the great hearth, their heads close together as they talked. Maighdlin touched his rough cheek. “It is so good to see yer face,” she said.

“
And yers,” Elliot said and frowned. “Ye are truly well and unharmed, Maighdlin?”

She
thought of Tomas, knew what he was asking. “He hasna…he willna use force….”

Elliot
nodded.

“
Ye risked yer life coming here,” she said. “Ye’ve always been my protector, like a big brother to me.”

His
eyes, silver-blue like a frozen loch, searched hers. “Only a brother, Maighdlin?” he asked, brushing away her tears with his thumbs. Maighdlin opened her mouth to speak but he stopped her. “I can see the answer in yer eyes.”

“
I am sorry, Elliot. I truly love ye, as a brother and a friend, but I….”

A
small smile curved his lips and he rolled his eyes. “Och, ne’er tell e ye’ve developed feelings for the MacAlister thug!”

Maighdlin
looked at the dancing flames in the hearth. “’Tis complicated, Elliot. He kidnapped me and married me out of spite, set on avenging the deaths of his brother and betrothed. He has suffered much. But he has shown me mercy…e’en tenderness.”

“
Ah Maighdlin, love isna complicated. It either is, or it isna.” He stretched his long legs before the hearth and a servant girl brought him ale. “Thank ye,” he said, practically gulping it down. She soon returned with bread and cheese. Elliot did not seem to notice the girl blush as she studied his blonde, handsome form.

“
Is my father…is Haddon well? And Erskina?”

“
Yea. But I fear both willna survive another winter in the Highlands. Mayhap when I return to the village and bring news that ye are indeed unharmed as the MacAlister claimed it will restore their spirits. Brodie MacKinnon is truly yer father?”

Maighdlin
related the tale.

“
I always knew ye were truly a princess,” he said. “A clan princess indeed.”

Maighdlin
blushed. Then turned sad. “Nay, I felt invisible, as if no one e’er truly saw me. Except for you, my best friend.”

“
’Tis no’ true, lass. Yer beauty shines like a light. People just fear what they dunna understand.”

He
was speaking of the Sight. She nodded, though she wasna convinced of his reasoning. “Elliot, I
must
see them, Haddon and Erskina,” she said, wringing her hands. “I can only hope MacAlister will grow tired of me soon enough that I may leave here for a visit home. If he doesna, I will escape. I’ve done it. Twice before.”

Surprise
crossed Elliot’s features. He scratched his growing beard. “Ye dunna understand men, lass. The way he looks at ye, ‘tis no likely he’ll e’er tire of ye. He’s smitten. Jealous. Of me! Imagine. He obviously came after ye when ye escaped. I canna say I blame him. I’d ha’e done the same.”

“
Aye. He did. But only because I was…am his prisoner. Oh, Elliot, I dunna know why. Maybe in some small way he cares for me now.”

Elliot
finished his ale. “It’s no’ because yer his prisoner, lass, at least no’ only because of that. It’s obvious what he feels for ye, and it’s much more than whatever it originally began as. Men recognize the predator in each other, the possessiveness when it comes to women. Why do ye think he was so angry to find me here?”

“
’Twas because ye challenged his authority. The handsome Highlander is willful, arrogant, brazen, conceited, and yet I’ve seen him show kindness and fairness to his own people, tenderness e’en to me despite his great losses….”

“
Dear Sweet God, ne’er tell me yer in love with the thug! ‘Tis a fine pickle yer in, for sure!” Elliot sat straighter in his chair. “Well, if ye e’er change yer mind, if ye e’er need help, as long as you live, call upon me. You have but to ask. And if he turns out no’ to be the man ye think he is, send for me and I will run him through. I’ll pour hot oil on his head and cut off his limbs and….”

“
Oh Elliot,” she sighed. She hugged him and then sat back in her chair.

“
And before I leave here tomorrow,” he said, “I’ll ha’e the thug’s word he’ll ne’er hurt ye and that he’ll let ye see yer family, yer true family, the ones that raised ye all these years and loved ye, before the spring wanes.”

“
I’ve decided I will escort ye both there, myself,” Kade said. They had not heard his approach. Elliot, presumably because he’d been talking about how he’d pour oil on Kade’s head and slice off his limbs, paled considerably and cleared his throat.

“
But make no mistake, Maighdlin; ye’ll be returning with me.” Kade’s eyes raked her from head to toe and Maighdlin blushed, amazed at how a mere look from him could set her body afire. She was shaken too by what she saw in his eyes—determination, hunger, and a deep loneliness.