Healing the Highlander (18 page)

Once the decision to travel to Dun Ard had been made, something had happened between him and Leah. Some indefinable shift in their relationship. Whether it was the knowledge that riding into the courtyard of

Dun Ard, a pack of English soldiers in tow, meant a formal marriage, or something else, he couldn't be sure. He knew only that he felt different around her now.

If anything, his attraction to her had grown. As a result, each of the past two nights he'd taken his blankets and slept across the room from her. Foolish, perhaps, but the only way he could be sure he kept his hands off her.

She would be his wife.

It was the only way to guarantee that Moreland and his men would leave Dun Ard. And the English leaving was the only way Drew could insure the safety of everyone there.

He glanced over his shoulder at the wagons and horses that followed.

The first wagon was piled high with all it took to transport a household for an extended period of time: foodstuffs, clothing, whatever the women had determined needed to go. Once his sister had set her mind to making the journey, she'd been a veritable whirlwind, impressing him with her ability to organize everything so quickly.

If only the wagons could travel as fast as Sallie made things happen.

Leah rode in the second wagon along with Anabella, Sallie, and two youngest children. As he watched, Leah lifted her hand in a little half wave.

He marveled at her calm. He'd been so sure of her reaction when he'd confronted her with what would have to happen if they went to Dun Ard. As sure as he'd been of his own. And yet, neither had been even close to what he'd expected.

To his surprise, she'd agreed to the wedding without argument. As for his own feelings, amazingly enough, he wasn't the least bit hesitant. In fact, now that the decision had been made, he found himself viewing the coming event with growing anticipation.

Ahead of him, his two older nephews rode on horses next to their father, the whole lot of them surrounded by Moreland's men.

Drew swiveled his head to note the positions of the soldiers. Seven, eight, nine . . .

Ten. There'd been ten before, hadn't there? He was certain of it. And yet, a second count confirmed it was nine who accompanied them now.

"There's a small glen no far ahead. Close to the water, sheltered by trees. A good spot to set up camp for the night." Ran kept an eye on his boys as he spoke, pulling his horse closer. Moreland joined them almost immediately.

"We'll respect your knowledge of the area, MacPherson." Moreland directed his mount forward, passing the word to his men to prepare to stop for the night.

"Leg bothering you?" Ran looked straight ahead as he asked.

Of all his family, only his brother-in-law actually spoke of his injury. The others seemed to take pains to avoid the subject, as if they feared upsetting him. It was his suspicion that his brother-in-law harbored guilt deep in his soul over the side he'd been on in the battle that cost Drew full use of his leg. Not that Ran had any reason to feel guilt. He'd been a pawn as much as Drew. More so, in fact. The Faerie responsible for it all had controlled Ran's every move.

Drew shook his head, denying his pain even as he pushed back the memories of that time. Nothing to be gained in adding to the weight Ran carried. He of all men knew well the burdens memories of the past brought with them.

Another glance back to the wagon where the women rode showed him Leah watched him still.

There was one bright spot in this convoluted situation. At least his marriage to Leah would eliminate the problem of his injury. As his wife, she could hardly refuse to share the secret of her healing ability.

"That's it!" Ran called out, urging his mount to catch up with Moreland. "The entry to the glen is through those trees, there on the right."

It was as Ran had said, a perfect spot to make camp for the night.

Drew directed his horse away from the others, turning so he could dismount next to a large tree. He counted on using his mount's body to hide the stumble he knew would come when he dismounted. Once he could place his weight fully on his leg, he made his way to the wagon to assist Leah down.

She came immediately into his uplifted arms, hooking her hands behind his neck as he swung her down.

"Whatever possessed me to trade riding horseback for a seat bumping along in that torture wagon is beyond me, but, truly, I have learned my lesson this day."

"Perhaps it had something to do with the horse you rode belonging to the priory. I sent it back as soon as we reached MacPherson Hall." The steed and a healthy donation to thank the prior for his generous assistance.

"All the same." She paused, one hand still cupping his neck. "I'd rather crawl the entire way on my hands and knees than to climb back in that thing." He stared down into her eyes imagining her on her hands and knees and he was lost, his mind wandering off, filled with visions that did not stop there.

"Drew? Will you agree?"

Damnation. He'd completely missed what she'd said, lost in the deep, molten pools of her eyes. Lost as if he'd been beckoned to enter and lose himself in wicked play.

"Drew?" she repeated, sliding her hand to his cheek.

"Yes," he agreed, with not the slightest idea of what her request might be. Her touch turned his skin hot with wanting her and he cared for nothing else in those moments.

"Oh, good," she breathed, stepping back from him and placing her hand on her neck as she stretched her head from side to side. "Riding with you will be much better than what I endured today, I can assure you. Oh! I'd better go help."

Ride with him? He really must start paying attention to Leah's words when she spoke. Easier said than done when she insisted on putting her hands on him. Now, thanks to his inattention, he'd have to spend the whole of tomorrow with her body pressed against his.

He could almost guarantee he'd be remembering those hands-and-knees visions before the day was out.

The early evening flew by as he tended his horse and gathered wood for the fire. The next thing he knew, their meal was done and his fellow travelers began settling down for their night's rest, preparing for another day's journey with the sun's rise.

"I've readied our bedding." Leah waited for him, the wavering light from the firepit dancing over her face.

The time he'd both looked forward to and dreaded all day had finally come. Though he'd avoided close contact with Leah for the last two nights, there was hardly any way he could keep his distance now. Not with everyone around expecting them to behave as any normal man and wife would.

A glance to his sister and Ran offered little solace. They lay close together, their young daughter cuddled against her mother's side.

Leah held out her hand and he made his way around the fire to join her. Her fingers were cold in his grasp, betraying her outward calm.

They lay down together on their sides, her back against his chest, just as they had lain three nights ago. Just as they would lie for years to come once they married.

The scent of her hair filled his nostrils and he pulled her close, burying his nose in the golden locks. He held her there, feeling her body relax against him, listening to her breathing slow.

He had no idea how long he lay that way, too conscious of Leah in his arms to find the elusive sleep he needed.

Too long, that much he knew.

When the pain in his leg demanded he change position, he rolled to his back. To his surprise, she followed, rolling toward him and fitting her head into the crook of his arm.

Little more than smoldering embers remained of the fire, the light it cast negligible. Only the faint glow of

the moon allowed him any sight of her at all. Her lips, parted in sleep, were an invitation if ever he'd seen one.

An invitation he couldn't quite force himself to more.

Gently, he lowered his lips to hers, barely brushing against her warm skin. Beneath his touch, she moaned, pressing her body against his.

He pulled his head back, fighting the need that swept over him. The urge to take her might be strong, but he hadn't lost all sense of propriety.

Not yet, anyway. Come this time tomorrow, after a day spent with her body rubbing against his, he might not have the strength to say the same.

Without a doubt, he'd gotten himself into more trouble than he'd bargained for when he'd pulled her from the loch's icy grip.

But as she moved again, tossing one slender arm over his chest and snuggling against him, he also had no doubt that, given the chance to do it all again, he'd make the same choice.

Eagerly.

SEVENTEEN

Leah had never considered herself a delicate, nervous type of female. She preferred to think of herself as a strong woman, one who could handle just about anything Fate could toss her way without blinking. Even during the past two days of madness as the entire household at MacPherson Hall readied themselves to travel, she'd managed to maintain her calm and keep that self-image intact.

But in this last half hour or so, circumstances had done their best to shatter that notion of her self-image.

She stood in the MacKiernan laird's solar at Dun Ard with Drew at her side, his arm around her shoulders. Moreland accompanied them, like the proverbial ball and chain.

Truly, she was growing to despise the blighted man, based solely on his annoying persistence.

Waiting for the MacKiernan laird to meet with them, she tried to clear her mind. If she thought too long about where she was, she feared she might be physically ill. She stood in the den of Faerie descendants she'd managed to avoid for the last decade. This was it. She'd finally reached the people who had the power to help her save the MacQuarries. Soon she would know whether or not they also had the will. Her mission was complete.

Sort of. She wouldn't actually be able to ask the laird for the help she needed until they could manage to get rid of Moreland.

That, as much as the tension she felt flowing off Drew, had set her nerves on edge. Still, she thought she was doing a pretty good job of hiding it.

"All will be well, dearling. Dinna fash yerself so." Drew's whispered attempt to comfort would seem to contradict her impression.

"No fashing going on here. I'm totally fine," she whispered back, working hard to convince herself that just because her knees felt as if they might buckle under her at any moment, that didn't mean she wasn't fine.

"Fine, are you? My mistake. It must be some other woman who trembles at my side."

How she could find such a smart-ass even the least bit attractive was beyond her.

At the thought, her heart started to pound in time with the flutter in her stomach.

She was likely making the biggest mistake of her life. To admit that attraction, even to herself, was far from smart.

They were only playing at this husband-and-wife thing. Drew might have thought to keep her away from

Dun Ard by threatening her with an honest-to-God marriage at the church's door, but he'd seriously underestimated her if he thought she would let a little thing like getting married stop her from getting help for her grandparents.

Besides, they both knew that once they were married and Moreland had taken off, she and Drew could have the marriage annulled. No big deal.

Even if it did feel like a big deal.

She just had to keep her wits about her.

After they'd agreed that marriage would be the only way to get rid of Moreland, the only way to convince him she wasn't the woman he hunted, Drew's attitude had changed. Nothing she could exactly put her finger on, but a change nevertheless. Whether it was their confrontation about his having kept his identity from her or the situation forcing him into a marriage he didn't want, she couldn't say.

What she could say was that from that moment, it felt as if he actively sought to keep a distance between them, even going back to sleeping on the floor rather than sharing that big bed with her. She'd offered to put a bolster down the middle between them and still he'd refused to sleep near her.

Until last night.

Although, in truth, he'd had no other option with everyone watching. It was expected. And he'd played his part to the hilt, holding her close all through the night.

A shiver went up her spine at the memory, and the arm he had around her shoulders now tightened.

As much as she hated to admit it, it would be easy to get used to having him around. Too easy.

"Thank you for yer patience. Do be seated."

The older of the men who entered the room beckoned toward the waiting chairs and they sat. Obviously the laird they awaited, he wore his authority like an invisible garment. Not haughty or arrogant, simply in charge.

One of the men who accompanied him stood to the right of the laird's chair while the other two took up positions farther back, flanking their laird.

"Welcome home, Drew. It appears you've got yerself a bit of explaining to do, cousin, but we'll wait for yer lady mother to arrive for that story." The MacKiernan laird turned the full power of his icy blue stare toward Moreland. "For now, perhaps yer guest would be kind enough to explain the presence of English soldiers in my courtyard."