Read The Highlander's Conquest Online

Authors: Eliza Knight

Tags: #Romance, #Historical, #General, #Fiction

The Highlander's Conquest (7 page)

But according to Sir Blane, Arbella was happy in her marriage. Mayhap things could change.
But could she? Would she ever be forgiven for having taken her mother’s life?

“You had best get back to sleep. We shall pack up camp and resume our journey when dusk approaches.” Blane’s voice held an edge, as if he were on dangerous ground.

She supposed if he’d been as affected as she was by their kiss, that he was indeed
facing a perilous precipice
.

Aliah nodded. She opened her mouth to thank him for his advice, which had calmed her guilt, but he stopped her with a hard stare and the flexing muscle of his jaw.

“Sleep well, my lady.”

Was it possible he still wanted to kiss her? Confusion filled her. She didn’t understand men at all
—often butting heads with her brother and father—
and Blane was sending her one mixed signal after another.
She frowned as she marched back toward the cave. He wasn’t the only one sending mixed signals—Aliah was doing the same thing to herself.

 

 

Blane marched with purpose along the perimeter he’d marked out for their cave. The only intruders being the occasional rabbit, squirrel or deer.
His mouth watered for a good meal.
He was tempted to bring out his bow and arrows and
catch
them a
hearty
supper, but cooking the meat would require a fire and he’d
already deemed one
too dangerous to light
.

Over the past few weeks, a succulent meaty dish had been few and far between. He was growing rather tired of jerky, oatcakes, apples, dried bread, hunks of moldy cheese and whatever
else
he could forage in the forest. Once they reached Scotland, he would stop at the inn he patronized whenever he went to market. He trusted the owners and knew the beds would
be clean and the food ample
.

Someone cleared
his
throat behind him and Blane whirled around, yanking his sword from its sheath and holding the blade at the man’s throat. Too late he noticed it was his own man. “Liam, ballocks, man, I almost killed you.”

“Ye are tense, Sir Blane.” Liam pushed the blade away.

Blane looked around
nervously
. The rule was not to speak since his men had yet to perfect their English accents.
He sheathed his sword when he was satisfied they were alone.

“The lass is fast asleep, buried in wool and dog.”
Liam
chuckled. “Ye should get some rest now yourself. I’ll wake ye when gloaming takes us.”

Blane nodded. Sleep called to him. He would be no good to anyone if he continued on this path toward exhaustion.
Moments ago
he’d nearly taken his friend’s head off. C
obwebs marred his thinking and
his vision seemed a little blurred.

“I have seen nothing come to pass this way,” he relayed. “While I sleep, make sure that no fires are lit. So far it appears we have entered here unnoticed and I want it to remain that way.”

“I will see it done,” Liam said.

The man scanned the forest then picked his way along his own imaginary path. Satisfied they were in capable hands, Blane headed toward the cave. With each step forward, sleep beckoned, drawing him closer. As he entered the cave, Frosty lifted his head and growled until he saw that it was Blane. Recognition dawning, his tail thumped on the floor, but he did not leave his spot beside his mistress. The other men were already settled in and sleeping. Blane tried not to look at Aliah, but his eyes disobeyed him.

She
lay
curled up on her side, some of her hair
,
loose from her plait
, form
ing
waves around the creamy skin of her face. Her lips were parted slightly, and when he
listened intently
, he could hear the faint sound of her breathing. Her lashes fluttered and he wondered what she might be dreaming of. His kisses?

Blane wrenched his gaze away. No more thoughts of kissing. She would never be his and he’d best get used to it. No doubt when they reached Scotland, Arbella
would
have located her father and the man would come to collect his youngest daughter. Blane did not want to be caught in the middle of that. The Englishman would be in a murderous rage if he lost two daughters to Scotsmen.
Especially with the state of their two countries.
A future with Aliah was impossible.

Blane’s older brother and laird, Magnus, was lucky to have made it safely through his first battle alongside William Wallace when they took Stirling.
During Blane’s brief visit home after traveling to the fleece market and then agreeing to return to England
to retrieve Lady Aliah, he’d come to learn much of the goings on between the two countries and his brothers’ involvement. Even Ronan, his younger brother by
a few
years, had been invited to fight alongside William Wallace
,
and last he’d heard
,
was thinking of accepting. When Blane arrived at Dunrobin, would Ronan have already left?
He hoped not.

Ronan was a true leader, an excellent warrior and very level headed. He was a lot like Magnus in that respect and Blane had no doubt his brother would make a great impression with Wallace and forge ahead with the war for Scottish Freedom.

Blane dropped to a free blanket, rolling another beneath his head. He made sure he faced away from Aliah.
He didn’t need to gaze at her as he drifted off. He was certain h
is dreams would
be filled with her
, even without looking.
She captivated him with her beauty, intelligence, curiosity and her passion. When he was around her, common sense warred with need. Kissing her… Oh, God, when he’d tasted her lips, swiped his tongue in
side
to tease. The warmth of her mouth, sweetness of her lips, had nearly destroyed him. He would
have
plunder
ed
her mouth, pulled her to
the
ground and had his way with her.

’Haps when they traveled this eve he would have her ride with Liam. He wasn’t sure if he could handle her breasts pressed to his back. ’Twas a sweet torture, one that only seemed to increase his need
—a constant
remind
er of
how he’d never have her.

Blane wasn’t a glutton for punishment—not until yesterday when he’d met Aliah. Now it seemed he was in a constant state of arousal, which would forever go unsati
sfied
. The faster they got to Dunrobin the better. He’d drop her off and then leave. Beg off, making excuses
about
having to get word to someone. He didn’t really care what excuse he gave
Magnus;
he just knew he wouldn’t last being around her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter S
even

 

B
lane
woke
on his own some time later
. He sensed a change within the cave, and rolling over noted that Aliah was
folding
up her blankets. Frosty stood at attention by her side. Seeing
Blane’s
movements
,
she turned her gaze in his direction and smiled.

He was mesmerized by her long slim fingers as she neatly and precisely
worked the blanket
.

The other men had already risen and taken the
ir
things. Blane felt
lazy for
having slept so long. But his body must ha
ve needed it. He felt refreshed.

“Did you get enough rest?”
Blane
asked
. He stood and collected his own things
, in not so neat
a
fashion.

“Yes, I did.” She tucked the blankets under her arm and turned to fully face him. “Will we travel through the night now?”

“Aye, ’tis safer for us.”

“I didn’t realize how dangerous it was
…e
verywhere.” Her brow was creased with a frown he wished to smooth
away
with his thumb.

“’Tis not this way everywhere.” Blane wanted to tell her of his own
family’s
lands, of being able to ride freely, to walk the beaches without fear. But
,
was even that
freedom
changing? After all, Arbella had been attacked in the forest just an hour’s ride south of the castle by men from the Ross clan. Ross
land
bordered their own an
d recently the laird’s daughter
Ina had married Arbella’s original intended in a bizarre twist. Ina was supposed to have married his brother Magnus, and threatened all sorts of hell when she found out she’d been betrayed. Blane feared that with two of their enemies now united and living so close, the days of being carefree were coming to an end.

“I wonder why my father never told me of the dangers?”

“Did he not?”

She pursed her lips. “Mayhap he did. I knew that I must always be careful, but I would not have thought to be attacked within hours of having left my home. Glenda certainly did.”

Blane chuckled. “Aye, she would. And even though she may have exaggerated most things, she was also right about a lot
,
it would seem.”

“Truly?” Aliah’s frown intensified and fear flickered over her features.

“Well, maybe not most, I don’t know what she’s told you.”

Aliah waved her hand. “Mostly silly things
,
I’m sure.” But she didn’t look so certain.


Perhaps your father thought Glenda was taking care of warning you. And as you must know, he probably did not expect you to leave home unescorted.
Come, let us mount up. We’d best be on our way.”

Blane was quite surprised that her father had not expounded more, but then again, she was excellent with a bow. ’Haps rather than telling her the horrors of the world he’d done what he deemed best and taught her how to take care of herself instead.

They exited the cave, stepping into the dimly lit forest. Fingers of orange and pink streaked across the sky
. Soon the sky would be black, the moon and stars shining
. The men had readied the horses and waited for Blane’s cue.

“My lady, I was thinking that perhaps you’d like to ride with Liam this eve?”

Her sharp gaze told him his question was completely unexpected. “Why?”

How could he tell her he thought it best if they put some distance between them without coming off as a toad?

Blane shrugged. “Different perspective?”

She pursed her lips in a way that he’d come to notice meant she was questioning what he said. “What aren’t you telling me? Do you not wish to ride with me? I am perfectly capable of riding Mad Maiden if you find my company to be so distasteful.”

Blane groaned inside. She was a lot like his sisters
, Lorna and Heather.
Playing games with her words and confusing his meaning.

“My lady, I meant no offense. Your company is not distasteful, I but thought you might like to try another mount.”

She shook her head and he picked up on the fear that snaked over her brow. “You are my escort. But mayhap you are right.” She turned away from him and walked toward Liam.

Liam looked at her questioningly
from his pale blue eyes
, took the blankets she offered and tucked them onto his horse. He passed an odd look to Blane, and Blane realized he had not
apprised
Liam of his plans to have the lass ride with him.
Jealousy socked him in the gut upon seeing Aliah take Liam’s hand as he helped her to mount.
Her warm body would be flush against Liam for hours…

Trying not to speak through gritted teeth he addressed his second in command. “The lady will ride with you this eve. I’ve a need to keep an eye on our surroundings, and I’d like to be able to weave in and out. Having her on the horse with me will make it difficult.”

Liam nodded, but
Blane
noted that Aliah refused to look at him. He’d offended her. Part of him regretted that fact, but the other part of him was pleased. ’Twas best if she was irritated with him, they would speak less, and there would be less opportunities for kissing
. They needed to keep
their distance.

Blane handed the reins of Mad Maiden to another of his retainers and then mounted Gunnar. He felt the loss of her presence deeply and it bothered him. To forget about it—or rather to distract himself from knowing how she warmed Liam’s back—he rode ahead of their group, backtracked and caught up with them again. Always on the lookout, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. They had to travel a little slower being that it was dark and they’d taken to riding just inside the forest rather than on the road.

Not once did they encounter anyone, a stroke of luck Blane was sure would
end
soon.

 

 

When the hurt of Blane’s rejection hit her like a slap, Aliah knew then it was time to put distance between them. As much as his disinterest pained her pride, ’
twould
hurt more if they continued along the path they seemed to be barreling toward.

He made her question everything about her
course
, which to her seemed wrong. If a man could make
her
question
he
r future was he the right one for her? Then again, he had not a
clue as to what her future
held
. No one did besides her and Mother Superior. She’d been sure to keep her desire to join the church close to her heart, for she was
certain
her father would protest vehemently against it.

In his mind, he’d already given up one person he loved to God—Aliah’s mother. The woman had lived long enough to bring Aliah into the world, but then she’d quickly passed. Baron de Mowbray had never made her feel as though she were to blame, but he’d stated loudly on occasion that God had taken his wife too early
.
The least she could do was to devote her life to Him.
O
n one excited whim, Aliah had expressed that a life within the church would suit her fine. That exclamation had received a litany of curses from her father. She’d never said anything about it again.

While her father had his reasons, so did she.

But now, Sir Blane was ruining her plans. Making her want other things. So, while his dismissal hurt, it was also a blessing she would embrace.

“Have you served Sir Blane long?” she asked Liam as they rode through the darkened forest.

The man nodded.

“Are you also from Yorkshire?”

He grunted in reply.

“I wonder how Sir Blane was given direction to fetch me
?

The man grunted again.

His non-vocal responses were annoying, but what was more irksome was the realization that she’d never asked Sir Blane that question herself.
He’d come into her home, relayed he was from Yorkshire. She’d never thought twice about it. Until now. Why had Blane come from Scotland where he’d be
en with her father and sister?
What was a man from Yorkshire doing in Scotland and why would he agree to come back to England and then travel all the way back to Scotland
with her? It didn’t make sense.
Why had her father not done that very thing himself?

Why not just come home?

Why not
send
a missive
relaying
that her father would be returning soon?

She’d been so consumed with worry that she hadn’t thought about the details. Her mind was too focused on seeing her father and sister, that she didn’t see what was right in front of her. The truth. His accent. The reason he said he grew up in Scotland… Something was off.

“When I am reunited with my family, will you and Sir Blane return to Yorkshire?”

The man nodded.

“Why did Sir Blane agree to this?”

The knight only shrugged.

Aliah wanted to throttle him. Why did he not speak? Was he being rude or maybe… She didn’t want to think that perhaps he’d been injured in battle and was now mute. If she were to ask and that was the case, then she’d feel terrible for having brought up the subject. ’Twas best if she said nothing. Mayhap ’twas another test of her character, to see if she was worthy to serve God.

But even she was starting to doubt that. Instinct told her to be wary.

She watched the forest pass he
r by, growing darker with each lapsing
hour. The branches reached out like long-limbed arms, ready to grab her at any moment. Owls screeched as they hunted
, their prey screaming and then silent. Crickets chirped loudly. A
bove the moon shined its silver light down upon them.

Aliah kept her senses alert and watched as Blane weaved in and out of the trees, sometimes disappearing altogether. She held onto Liam, noting that he was not as thick with muscle as Sir Blane, but equally tall. He sat rigid on his horse, not at all relaxed and she hoped it wasn’t from her riding with
him.
Her arms were wrapped around Liam’s waist but he did not hold onto them as Blane had done.
She was glad, for it seemed an intimate thing and she was just as uncomfortable on Liam’s horse as he appeared to be.

“Might we be stopping soon?” she asked, her bladder screaming for relief. Liam gave no response. She looked up at him, letting go for a moment to poke him. “Did you hear me?”

He nodded, then whistled. The group came to a stop within moments. Liam dismounted and helped her down. He scanned the area then pointed toward a cluster of what looked like mulberry bushes.

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