The Angel and the Highlander (19 page)

With that knowledge to guide her, Alyce turned and went in the opposite direction.

“W
hat do you mean Alyce is missing?” Lachlan asked, having arrived home only minutes ago.

His whole family was in the great hall waiting and visibly upset. He shouldn’t be, but he was insanely jealous that Artair hugged Zia and that Cavan had his arm around Honora while his wife was…

“What the hell happened?” he demanded.

“The Connor lass went missing,” Cavan began. “Alyce was the first to join father and sons in search of the child.”

“Alyce would do well; she learned from the best,” Lachlan said.

“Not so this time. Lily couldn’t be found and with dusk not far off and your wife rounded with child, I thought it best she go home.”

Lachlan shook his head. “You didn’t order her home, did you?”

“Wouldn’t you have?” Artair asked surprised.

“No,” Lachlan snapped. “I would have known she was the best chance in finding the child and allowed her to lead the search.”

“That’s a moot point now,” Cavan said. “With dusk settling over the land and not a trace of the child, I called off the search until morning. I saw Alyce’s mare as soon as I left the woods, tethered to the same spot as before. I knew she hadn’t left and I thought perhaps she went to talk with Mary Connor.”

“But she hadn’t?” Lachlan asked, though he knew the answer. Alyce would never have given up so easily.

Cavan shook his head. “She was nowhere to be found.”

“She must have realized something and went in another direction to search,” Lachlan said.

“Without informing anyone?” Cavan asked.

“You forget that where she came from, she was the leader,” Lachlan reminded. “She asked no one’s permission.”

“Aren’t you concerned for her safety?” Artair asked.

“Of course I am,” Lachlan said annoyed. “But I also know that my wife is more than capable of taking care of herself.”

“What if she’s hurt?” Honora asked.

“You don’t understand Alyce,” Lachlan said, thinking that maybe he was truly just beginning to understand her himself. “She’s been schooled like a warrior and she added to that schooling while on her own. She will determine the situation and do what is best.”

“Then what you’re saying is that we just wait for her to return home?” Zia asked.

“For now, but if she hasn’t returned by morning, I will go search for her,” Lachlan said with a firm nod.

Lachlan with Princess at his side retired to his cottage right after supper, hoping his wife would show up sooner rather than later, but as the night wore on and the candles wore down, he began to worry. He repeatedly reminded himself of what he had told his family, that Alyce could take care of herself.

But he didn’t like not knowing where she was and if she was all right. Her being with child didn’t help the situation. Otherwise he knew her capable of the task and if he knew her as well as he’d like to believe, she was probably enjoying every minute of it.

With nothing left to him but to wait, he stretched out fully clothed on the bed. He intended to be ready at a moment’s notice if necessary. He refused to linger on thoughts of her alone in the dark woods. She was a warrior on a mission and she would succeed.

“I’m praying for your success and safe return, Alyce,” he whispered.

But isn’t that what he did for Ronan? Pray every night for his safe return? He couldn’t compare the two; he wouldn’t. Alyce would return to him safe and unharmed.

He fought sleep, twisting fretfully, but sleep finally won and he was soon snoring lightly and though hours passed and he slumbered deeply, Princess’s whimpers woke him.

The candles had burnt out, leaving the hearth flame the only light in the room. His eyes adjusted to the dimness and he saw that Princess lay in front of the hearth her head up, her eyes focused on…the door.

The latched lifted ever so slowly and the door creaked open.

His wife entered her steps silent, slow, and labored. When she suddenly stopped near the hearth and he saw her grimace, he jumped out of bed.

Lachlan slid his arm around her waist and held her firm as she sagged against him. “Are you all right?”

“A bit worse for the wear, but otherwise I’m fine,” she said with a light laugh.

He almost squashed her against him in relief, but refrained, not wanting to add to her discomfort. “What happened?”

“I will tell you it all, but first, I’m starving and I need salve for the many scratches my body has suffered.”

Lachlan grew alarmed. “An animal—”

“No,” Alyce was quick to assure him. “Bushes and tree branches.”

“We’ll go to the keep,” he said. “I’ll get you food and fetch Zia to tend your wounds.”

“It’s late, I don’t want to bother her.”

“Zia would be upset that you didn’t,” he said and he grabbed a wool cloak from the peg by the door and swung it around her shoulders. “Your arms are cold.”

Alyce wrapped her arms around Lachlan’s waist and snuggled against him as they left the cottage. “You will warm me, feed me, and take care of me and I will tell you how I found Lily.”

Servants were sent to look after the sleeping Sinclare babes as one by one the Sinclares joined Lachlan and Alyce in the great hall.

While Alyce hadn’t wanted to wake them all, she took a comfort in their presence and eagerness to hear how she had rescued Lily, and in their pride in her success. Though the telling was delayed as each Sinclare arrived and insisted she wait for the whole family.

Alyce munched on whatever food Lachlan placed in front of her and drank the brew Zia handed her. Tiredness crept over her, but a sense of exhilaration remained and she was eager to share her tale, and those surrounding her looked just as eager to hear it.

Honora was the last to arrive, having made certain the babes were settled and looked after.

“I have not received word about Lily,” Cavan said.

“I assured the Connors I would inform you,” Alyce said. “They were much too happy to think of anything else.”

“However did you find her in the dead of night?” Artair asked.

“I’d like to know that myself,” Zia inquired. “These scratches resemble someone who has climbed a tree or scuffled with a prickly bush.”

“I did both,” Alyce admitted.

“My, but you are courageous,” Addie said with pride.

“Or foolish,” Cavan said.

“My wife is courageous,” Lachlan said defensively.
“She would never take a chance of harming our child and did what she did because she knew that she could do it successfully.”

Alyce winced—Zia cleansed a shoulder scratch deeper than the others—though it turned to a smile soon enough. Her husband believed in her and she loved him all the more for it.

Cavan didn’t argue. He seemed to take Lachlan’s words as fact for he gave a curt nod. “Tell me how and where you found the child?”

Alyce was only too pleased to do as the laird asked, for it had given her great pleasure to have found the lass and return her safely to her family. “Once I realized that the lone track told a different story, it was easy to find her.”

“Different story?” Cavan asked.

Alyce went on to explain. “The track was dug into the ground firm and I realized Lily had made the track by halting abruptly, which meant she had stopped and switched directions.”

“Why didn’t you see that on your first inspection?” Artair asked.

“I wasn’t paying close enough attention. I forgot the most important lesson my friend taught me about tracking. Take the obvious and look for a wrinkle in it. Once I found that wrinkle, the sudden stop, I was able to determine the right direction. Her small footprints weren’t easy to detect along the edge of the woods, but once I found them they were easy to follow until the tracks disappeared once more and the only place left to look was…”

All heads bent back as Alyce looked up to the ceiling.

“Lily was in a tree,” Addie said excited.

“She went after a kitten, didn’t she?” Honora asked.

Cavan sent her a how-did-you-know-that look.

“I’ve helped a few children retrieve their cats,” Honora said proudly.

“You climb trees?” Cavan asked incredulously.

“When necessary,” Honora admitted.

“I don’t need to ask you if you do,” Artair said to his wife with a grin. “You would do anything to help a child.”

“It is good you know me well,” Zia said.

“As should all your husbands,” Addie said as if she dared her sons to disagree. “Sinclare women are not timid. They are bold and courageous warriors.”

Alyce watched her husband smile at Cavan as if asking if he really wanted to spar with their mother.

Cavan turned to Alyce, a signal for her to continue.

“Lily had followed a favorite kitten of hers into the woods and climbed the tree to retrieve her. She hadn’t thought about how high she had climbed being eager to rescue her kitten. Once she had the kitten in her arms, she took a look down and was much too frightened to climb down. She sat huddled in the crook of the massive tree waiting for someone to find her.”

“However did you get her down, or yourself up for that matter?” Artair asked.

“Leave the practical question to my brother,” Lachlan teased.

Lachlan may be teasing his brother, but Alyce knew he appreciated Artair asking it, for she was certain he wanted to know the same.

“Piper taught me a quick way up and a quick way down,” Alyce said.

The men waited and the women smiled.

“I’m not sharing my secret,” Alyce informed them, then covered a yawn with her hand.

“You’re tired,” Lachlan said with concern.

“A sound sleep will do her good,” Zia said.

“True enough,” Alyce agreed, fatigue consuming every limb in her body.

“Stay here for the night,” Addie suggested.

Lachlan startled Alyce when he looked to her and said, “It’s your choice.”

That he allowed her that pleased her, and she nodded. “Here is fine.”

Cavan had a few more questions for her; Zia, instructions for the care of her minor wounds; Artair, a few practical tidbits in dealing with her husband, and Honora requested that Alyce teach her about tracking. And surprisingly Cavan thought it a splendid idea. He even bragged about how skillful Honora was with a bow.

Lachlan finally stood and announced, “Enough, my wife needs to sleep.”

Everyone agreed and Alyce was stunned by how fast everyone bid her good night and Lachlan had her out of the room and up the stairs to his old bedchamber. Though she couldn’t say she was displeased; she looked forward to crawling into bed.

Alyce didn’t wait. As soon as Lachlan closed the door she threw off her clothes and climbed into bed, uttering a most pleasurable sigh as she settled beneath the blanket naked.

“And I thought such passion was meant only for me,” Lachlan said as he disrobed and then joined her.

“Tonight it is the bed that satisfies me,” Alyce admitted with a quick smile.

“Don’t tempt me to challenge the bed, wife,” he teased.

“I already know the victor.” She yawned and turned to cuddle her back against him and took hold of his arm to wrap around her and place his hand on her rounded stomach. She took comfort in the way his hand would splay protectively over her belly.

“I would be the victor,” he whispered in her ear and kissed along her cheek to nip at her lips.

“You and only you,” she assured him.

“You are a wise woman.”

“I keep telling and showing you that, but you don’t listen,” she said, her eyes much too heavy to keep open.

“I do listen,” he whispered. “And hear much more than you think.”

A soft snore told Lachlan that his wife was sound asleep. He had expected as much; she looked exhausted. He was glad to have her finally home and safe in his arms. And while her ordeal had caused him concern, he saw that it had brought her satisfaction.

He could not deny her that, and he would not. He would find a way for her to flourish here and perhaps after time, she would accept Caithness as her home.

L
achlan gave his wife a few days to recover before he even considered speaking with her about the possibility of her involvement with mercenaries. He expected an argument from her, since she could be confrontational when it came to certain matters. While others might view it as shrewish, he now knew differently. It was Alyce defending her independence. She had fought hard to claim it, and she had no intentions of having it taken from her.

A chilled wind swept across the moors and around the keep. Lachlan took it as a sign that perhaps now was the time to let the sweeping wind blow away the last vestiges of concern between him and Alyce. He wanted nothing coming between them.

Strange, long before meeting Alyce he had not thought of loving the woman he would wed, but having fallen madly in love with Alyce, he couldn’t now imagine being wed without being in love. And oddly love wasn’t an issue between them. He believed they both always knew they loved each other from the
very beginning; even when he had believed her a nun, he could not get her out of his mind. And when at last they could be together, she had not denied her attraction to him. She had made love with him freely and oh so willingly; and her sincere responses had made him love her all the more.

Love, he had been told by many including his family, could conquer anything. However, he had to question that since while he knew his wife loved him, she wasn’t as happy as he would have expected her to be. Therefore did love truly solve everything?

“You look deep in thought,” Artair said, joining his brother as Lachlan walked to his cottage. “It must concern your wife.”

“I can see by your grin that you are enjoying my marital woes.”

Artair gripped his brother’s shoulder. “You have to admit; you would do the same to me.”

“No, I wouldn’t and I didn’t,” Lachlan claimed. “I offered you advice.”

Artair nodded. “That you did and good advice at that.” He rubbed his chin. “What can I do to help? I may not have your charm, but sometimes sound reason works better.”

“My wife isn’t happy,” Lachlan admitted, though it hurt him to do so.

“Why did you decide to wed Alyce Bunnock?”

“I love her,” Lachlan answered as if the question was a foolish one.

“Was that the only reason?”

Lachlan stopped in his tracks. “No. I knew she’d be stubborn about marrying me, so I made it easier for both of us.”

“No,” Artair said emphatically. “You feared she’d reject you so you made the decision for her. And being you had no doubt she loved you, you assumed all would turn out well.”

“Didn’t you think the same yourself once?”

“The difference being Zia made her wishes known and refused to comply with my sensible solution,” Artair said.

“I can’t believe I’m going to ask you this,” Lachlan said, shaking his head. “How do I fix it?”

Artair rested his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “As difficult as it may be, you give her a choice, or she will never truly be yours.”

Zia’s cheerful shout had Artair hurrying off and Lachlan continuing his walk to the cottage. He thought he could make Alyce happy, replace her family with a new one. More recently he thought if he could find something that would happily occupy her time all would be well, but he was wrong.

His decision to wed her without asking had been a selfish one. Having gotten a chance to know Alyce through Terese he should have known better. He ran his fingers roughly through his hair, scraping along his scalp in frustration. He had certainly gotten himself into a situation, and now he had to get himself out of it. Was there a chance he would lose his wife because of his own misgivings?

He opened the door to the cottage prepared to talk with her and found it empty.

He stepped outside and looked over the village but saw Alyce nowhere. An overcast sky had joined the chilled day and rain appeared likely. It would be a good day to spend indoors talking. With heavy strides he hurried off to find his wife.

Alyce balanced Tavish on her hip. He was a joyful lad with dark inquisitive eyes that found delight in everything. He was barely a year and already eager to walk completely on his own, though his legs had yet to agree.

“This is fascinating,” Honora said with glee as she shifted Ronan from one hip to another.

Ronan, like his twin brother, was eager to be on his feet, but since Alyce was teaching Honora about tracking in the woods, the two lads were stuck in each of their arms. Not that they minded all that much, since both she and Honora would let them walk now and again, with help of course.

“It’s being aware and knowing the woods,” Alyce said and Tavish graced her with a charming smile that reminded her of Lachlan.

Honora laughed. “I keep telling Cavan that Tavish is going to be like Lachlan and as handsome. He has his smile.”

“I agree,” Alyce said and gave Tavish a big hug, which he relished since his smile charmed all the more.

“See, he smiles just like his uncle,” Honora said
with a lilt of laughter. “And this one…” She bounced Ronan on her hip. “He’s going to be just like his father, a born leader.” She looked to Alyce. “I wonder if you will have a boy or a girl.”

“I would be pleased with either since I never believed I would ever have children.”

“Why ever so?” Honora asked surprised.

Alyce found herself being more truthful than she intended. “I would rather have led my father’s clan.”

“I could see that,” Honora said so casually that it startled Alyce.

“Truly?”

Honora nodded. “Oh my, yes. You have the instincts of a laird about you. One who commands rather than follows. One who will strategize instead of leaping headfirst. Cavan would be wise to make use of your skills. I will speak to him.”

Again Honora startled her. “But will he heed your opinion?”

“Cavan is a fair man and respects my opinions,” Honora said. “All Sinclare men are respectful of their wives.”

“In payment for forcing marriage upon them?” Alyce said then quickly realized the rudeness of her remark. “I’m sorry. I meant no offense.”

“None taken,” Honora said while playing tug of war with her son’s tiny fingers and a strand of her long dark hair. “I can imagine how you look upon Zia’s and my marriage, but believe me when I tell you the choices were ours.”

“How can you say that when you were given to
Artair to wed only to find yourself wed to Cavan who had rejected you as a wife years earlier? And Zia had to wed Artair out of necessity, or she would have been condemned a witch. How are they choices?”

“You have grown to know Zia,” Honora said. “Do you really think she would have wed Artair if it wasn’t her choice?’

Alyce smiled. “No. The woman truly does as she pleases.”

“But she considers her husband at all times as he does with her,” Honora said. “And why do you think that is?”

“It’s obvious. The two are madly in love.”

Honora grinned. “Isn’t it wonderful?”

Alyce hated to admit, but it was. The pair’s passion for each other was palpable. “But what of you?” she challenged. “You had no choice.”

“But I did,” Honora insisted as they left the woods to follow the trail to the village. “I made the choice to love Cavan and gave him the choice to love me.” She smiled. “It didn’t take either of us long to fall in love. I cannot even recall when it was I realized I loved him. It was as if we were always in love and we always will be.”

“I love Lachlan,” Alyce said feeling the need to say it.

“Then let love be,” Honora said.

“What do you mean?”

“I discovered, quite by accident, that love is wiser than we are. If we would just let it be, not make demands or imprison it, but simply let love have its way then we finally taste its true joy.” Honora smiled. “I
have so enjoyed this time with you and Tavish seems to be enamored with you.”

The little lad had his head snuggled in the crook of Alyce’s neck and his tiny fingers had firm hold of her blouse. His little body was warm against her chest and she loved having him there wrapped in her arms.

“How can you not love the little charmer, or his brother,” Alyce said with a smile to Ronan who was half asleep in his mother’s arms.

“I hope we can continue our tracking lessons,” Honora said.

“I would very much like that,” Alyce said.

“There you are!”

Lachlan’s shout stopped both women.

“Where have you been?” Lachlan asked hurrying over to them. “I was worried.”

“Were you so senseless by our lovemaking this morning that you forgot I told you I was meeting with Honora?” Alyce asked with a teasing glint.

Lachlan was struck speechless.

Honora grinned. “It’s so wonderful to see that you have met your match.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Lachlan said with his usual charm and turned to his wife. “And how could I have remembered anything after I appeased your insatiable appetite for me not once, but twice this morning.”

“Thrice, husband, not twice,” Alyce corrected.

Honora laughed.

“What’s so humorous?” Cavan asked, joining them
as Tavish held eager hands out to his approaching father, who scooped him into his arms.

“A debate over the number of lovemaking bouts this morning,” Honora said candidly.

Cavan looked aghast. “I can’t believe you told them we made love two times this morning.”

“Got you beat,” Lachlan said with a smug grin. “Three times.”

“Four,” Artair sang out joyfully from behind them, his daughter Blythe snug contently in the crook of his arm.

With a serious expression Honora looked to Alyce. “We should find out what Zia’s putting in Artair’s brew and get some for our husbands.”

Alyce burst out laughing and Honora joined in.

“Ours sons need their nap,” Honora said after her laughter subsided.

“So does Blythe,” Artair said and walked off with them, though he teased Lachlan one last time. “I’ll see if Zia has any extra brew for you.”

Alyce slipped her arm around her husband’s and leaned against him. “You need nothing to enhance your prowess. You brought me to pleasure more than three times this morning; you always do.”

He kissed her lightly. “You know you just set my loins on fire.”

“I was hoping.”

He swung her up into his arms and walked to the cottage mindless of the villagers who stared smiling, while a few giggled.

As soon as the door closed Alyce kissed him with
a hunger that surprised her, though it shouldn’t have. There wasn’t a time she didn’t want her husband. He was like a tonic she couldn’t get enough of no matter how many times he quenched her thirst.

He kissed her with just as much fervor and slipped along the length of her after he placed her on the bed. They lay side by side kissing, not touching or shedding their garments, simply kissing. Gentle and lazy, frantic and hard, the kisses went from one to another heating their passion with every thrust of a tongue or a simple brush of their lips.

Lachlan rested his hand on her waist and began to stroke along her hip, down her leg and Alyce tingled with anticipation of his intimate touch. She doubted they would have time to shed their clothes for she was wet and throbbing for him already.

She wanted to tell him to hurry and then urge him to take his time. She wanted him badly, yet she didn’t want this pleasure to end too soon.

His fingers tugged up her skirt and slipped beneath and she moaned and he teased with slow caresses that seemed to take forever to reach her and…

The mournful horn had them both jumping in shock.

“Something’s wrong,” he said and took hold of her hand to help her up. “We must get to the keep.”

Alyce didn’t argue, she was all too aware what the sound could signify; an attack.

Lachlan whipped a wool cloak around her before they left the cottage and grabbed his sword. The villagers were in action for battle, women hurrying chil
dren to the safety of the keep and the men rushing with swords and bows in hand to man their posts.

A mixture of thrill and fear raced threw Alyce at the thought of a possible battle. The men would meet and determine battle plans. Troops of warriors would be dispatched each with a leader who would see to implementing their strategy at a precise moment, or all could be lost. It was a challenge she loved and a talent of hers that her father had once taken pride in bragging about.

They entered the great hall, Lachlan having scooped up a crying young lad no more than three on the way and handing him over to Addie who was tending the women and children along with Zia and Honora.

It came as no surprise to Alyce what her husband ordered next, though her response stunned him.

“Stay with the women,” Lachlan said. “You’ll be safe with them.”

“I will not. I’ll be of no help to them, but I can be of help to your brothers.”

“She’s right,” Honora said, the twins resting contentedly on each hip. “Take her to Cavan and tell him I said that Alyce will be more useful to him than to us.”

“Hurry then,” he said without protest, and she smiled.

She and Lachlan had to step aside when they reached the solar, to give way to two large warriors rushing one after the other out the open door. She followed Lachlan in, close on his heels, anxious to learn what trouble brewed.

“What goes on?” Lachlan asked.

Cavan looked up from his desk. “Merc—what is she doing here?”

Alyce didn’t wait for her husband to explain, she stepped forward. “Your wife suggested I can be of help to you and I agree.”

Cavan stood and slapped his hands on the desk, leaning over in an intimidating pose. “I respect my wife’s opinion and so will allow you to join us this
one
time.”

“And what if my skills serve you well?” Alyce challenged. “You won’t allow me to help again because I am a woman?”

“I have no time to argue with you,” Cavan said. “You may remain here for now, however the future will be discussed another time.”

“Agreed,” Alyce said as if letting him know he had struck a bargain with her that he would have to keep.

“A large troop of mercenaries appears headed this way,” Cavan said. “They have caused harm to none so far, but that could be because we are their intended target.”