Healing the Highlander (19 page)

Moreland, to his credit, dipped his head respectfully. "Sir Peter Moreland. I'd like to assure you, your lairdship, no concern is necessary by any except traitors to the royal house and those who shelter them."

Once again Drew's hold tightened on her hand.

"I'm sure I dinna need to tell you, Moreland, these are turbulent times in our land. The MacKiernan learned long ago the best way to protect our people was to avoid taking sides in political battles. You'll find no traitors in the lands I control, of that I can assure you."

"I'm pleased to hear it, your lairdship. In addition to searching for rebels, we also seek a runaway. A young woman who is promised to wed my uncle, Lord Henry Moreland. Beyond that, my men and I are here to honor the friendship struck with your young kinsman and his bride. We desired only to see them safely to the end of

their journey and to celebrate their formal union with

The laird continued to hold the knight in his piercing stare. "Since we've had no unaccompanied young women unknown to us arrive here at Dun Ard and m; cousin and his bride are now safely with us, I can assume that you and yer men will be on yer way soon?"

Moreland's perpetual false smile, the one Leah had rarely seen reach his eyes, returned to his lips.

"Soon. My men and I will stay until after MacAlister and his bride are formally wed. To show our respect you understand."

"Of course." The laird nodded thoughtfully before sending a smile of his own the knight's direction. "We'll see to quarters for the lot of you. How many might that be?"

Moreland chuckled, holding up a hand. "No, wouldn't think of imposing on you, your lairdship. You need quarter only myself and my squire. My men will be camping outside your gates in preparation for the arrival of the remainder of my army. And I assure you good sir, their number is much too large to impost upon your hospitality."

He was assembling all of his men here? That couldn't be a good thing.

"Very well. It will be so. If that's all, sir knight, I'd ask that you excuse us now. It seems we've family matter: to discuss to ready ourselves for a wedding celebration.'

One of the men behind the laird moved to the door holding it open for Moreland's departure.

At the door Moreland paused as if he'd forgotten something of importance. "I should like to add, your lairdship, as an aside I'm sure you'll find humorous, the description we were given of the missing woman matches that of MacAlister's new bride."

If Leah had thought her knees weak earlier, she hadn't known what weak knees really felt like.

She did now.

"You'll find there's no a lack of fair young women to be found within Scotland's borders, Moreland. Within our own walls, we've many who could fit such a description."

"I don't doubt that, your lairdship. But even you'll admit the coincidence a strange one when I tell you they also share the same given name. Leah. The woman we seek is Leah MacQuarrie of MacQuarrie Keep. Which reminds me." At last he turned, a predatory smile lighting his eyes. "I don't believe I ever learned your bride's surname."

"Noble," Leah replied before Drew could answer. "And I can give you the names of my parents and siblings if you'd like."

"Not necessary, my dear. I apologize if I've offended. It's simply that I find the coincidence fascinating."

"No offense taken, sir." No offense, perhaps, but a buttload of stomach-churning anxiety. Not to mention guilt.

For a woman who disliked Faeries as much as she did, it was impossible to ignore the profound irony in her situation. Standing here in a roomful of Faerie descendants, she felt threatened by only one—a plain old Mortal.

Perhaps there was more to what Sallie had said about finding the good and evil you seek than she'd considered. She'd found evil in the Fae because she'd looked for it there.

"If that's all?" The laird paused for an instant, his gaze still on Moreland until the knight nodded. "Very well Simeon, please deliver Sir Moreland to the care of Our chamberlain to see to his accommodations and then find Lady Rosalyn and bring her here to join us."

The young man at the door bowed his head before escorting Moreland from the room.

"Noble, eh?" Drew cocked an eyebrow as he whispered. "That was an interesting choice."

Interesting, indeed, but not in the way he thought. After all these years, using her real name had felt as much a lie on her tongue as if she'd claimed her name was Smith.

"You warned me once to stick close to the truth. I'm only doing as you advised."

Drew looked as if he would question her response but the door opened and a woman swept in, her gaze fixing on the two of them as she made her way to Drew's side. He was on his feet instantly, accepting the kiss she placed on his cheek before she seated herself in the chair he'd vacated next to Leah.

"Sallie tells me I've a new daughter." She took up one of Leah's hands between her own, catching her gaze and holding it.

Her eyes were the same penetrating blue as the laird's were, and being caught in their snare made Leah feel the need to squirm.

This was Lady Rosalyn, the woman Mairi had told her to find if she ever needed help. And yet, here she was, on their first meeting, doing her best to deceive · this woman who could mean the difference between life and death to Grandpa Hugh.

Rosalyn looked from her to Drew and back again before she spoke. "And it appears Sallie has the right of it." With a pat to Leah's hand, Rosalyn sat back in her seat, apparently satisfied by whatever scrutiny she'd performed.

"Yer mother may be well pleased, but you've explaining yet to do, little brother." The man at the laird's side spoke up for the first time. "Dragging an army of Englishmen to our doorstep is no a good thing, in case you've no realized it."

Drew, who had moved to stand at her side as if on guard, now placed a hand on her shoulder. "We had no choice. Moreland insisted. I believe he suspects Leah is the woman he seeks."

"And is she?"

Drew moved directly behind her, both hands on her shoulders now. No doubt he was concerned she'd forget their agreement not to broach the subject of rescuing her grandparents until after they'd married and Moreland had taken his men and left Dun Ard. He had no need to worry. She might not be an expert on reading people, but it didn't take an expert to realize this tension-filled room was no place to throw out a request for a risky rescue mission.

"She's my wife, Caden," Drew insisted stubbornly. "Once we formalize the marriage at the door of the church, Moreland and his men will leave."

The man who'd stood silent behind the laird stepped forward, his long brown hair sweeping over his shoulder as he dipped his head. "It's been my experience that

English soldiers dinna leave anywhere peacefully. No matter what they promise."

Drew's fingers tightened on her shoulder. "I may no Hive yer experience in fighting the English, Dair, but I've dealt with many a man in my journeys. This one will leave when he's satisfied that he's wrong."

Dair shrugged and stepped back, as if he'd spoken his piece and was done.

"If yer the MacQuarrie lass," the laird began, but Rosalyn interrupted.

"It's of no matter, Blane. No now. Andrew claims her as his wife and that's all we need to concern ourselves over." Rosalyn rose to her feet, pulling Leah to stand with her. "The four of you lads can stay and blether on for as long as you like. My new daughter needs a proper Welcome to her new home and a good rest after days of travel. As for me, I have a wedding celebration to arrange."

Leah looked to Drew, who nodded his reassurance before she allowed Rosalyn to lead her out into the hall-

As the woman said, they had a wedding to plan.

EIGHTEEN

Leah lay alone on the bed in the little room where Rosalyn had left her. The sun had long since gone down and still there was no sign of Drew.

She pushed up off the bed and crossed to the fireplace, staring into the dancing flames.

Maybe he wasn't coming at all. Maybe his family wouldn't permit them to share a room until they said their formal vows.

Maybe he'd completely forgotten about her now that he was home.

Dropping to her knees, she wiped an errant tear from her cheek.

Stupid girl. Obviously an evening spent in her own company wasn't a good thing for her. It allowed her overactive imagination to take flight from reality.

Besides, it shouldn't matter whether he showed up or not. It was ridiculous of her to even fret over it. If they'd put Moreland in some other part of the keep, there was no need for him to pretend they shared a room. After all, he'd brought her to the place she needed to be, just as he'd said he would. The least she could do was let him get back to his normal life.

Normal? That might be stretching things a bit. As normal as possible with an English knight in the castle and his growing army camped outside the gates.

Soon enough they'd go through the wedding performance for Moreland's sake and get rid of the obnoxious knight. Then she'd be free to return to MacQuarrie Hall with men at her side to rescue Grandpa Hugh and Grandma Mac.

If the MacKiernan laird agreed to help, that is. And from the we-don't-get-involved speech he gave Moreland this afternoon that was feeling like a pretty big if at the moment.

Only the door swinging open saved her from dissolving into a puddle of self-pity.

"Come with me. I've a surprise for you." Drew stood in the doorway, his arms filled with a bundle of fabric, a half grin decorating his gorgeous face.

"What?" She stood, unable to tear her gaze from him. His hair hung in damp tendrils at his neck, as if he'd just climbed out of a bath.

The grin grew larger. "If I tell you what it is, it willna be much of a surprise now, will it? Come on with you." He reached out as he took the three steps toward her, grasping her hand when he reached her. "Dinna be a spoilsport."

He looked happier than she'd seen him in days so, ft hat the heck, she followed along after him like a good little wife.

Guest, she censored her thoughts. Like a good little finest.

Halfway down the hall, one of the doors opened and Moreland peered out, pulling back into his room as they passed with a silent nod their direction.

So much for the theory he'd been put in another part of the castle.

"There's just no getting away from him, is there?"

"Put him from yer mind, dearling. Think instead on yer surprise."

"And how am I supposed to do that when you won't tell me what it is?" she grumbled.

He only laughed, saying nothing as he led her down the stairs and through the kitchens, out into the night. The moonlight showed her they were in a garden, one she'd want to come back and investigate tomorrow in the daylight.

"Down this way," he said, pulling her along behind him.

Ahead she could make out a building, the light of fires inside glowing through the doorway.

Not even if she had thought about his "surprise" for a week would she have been prepared for what lay inside the little building.

"Wow." She stopped at the doorway, words failing her.

Massive iron kettles steamed in one of the largest fireplaces she'd ever seen outside a castle, their moist heat radiating out and embracing her.

"It's a bathhouse. My brother Caden built it himself," he told her, pride brimming in his voice as he led her farther in.

"And the surprise part?"

He chuckled as he directed her behind one of the half walls to where a large wooden tub brimmed with steaming water. A stool sitting next to the tub held a bar she could only assume was soap.

"I thought you might like a proper bath. Here." He handed her the bundle in his arms, which turned out to be a large drying cloth and a clean shift.

Oh, would she ever!

"The water's fresh and hot. I filled the tub myself just before I came to get you. You take as much time as you like and I'll wait over here on the other side of the wall, to make sure yer no disturbed while you bathe."

If she hadn't thought him superior among men before, she did now. Clasping the bundle to her chest, she rose up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek before hurrying to the tub.

This was going to be a little slice of heaven.

This had turned out to be a large helping of sheer hell.

Drew leaned his head back against the wall, listening to the woman on the other side. Her sigh of contentment when she'd stepped into the water had been almost more than he could stand, especially with the touch of her lips still tingling on his cheek.

The little splashing sounds she made fired his imagination with visions of her settling into the tub. Her hair flowing down her back, her skin wet and glistening in the firelight, her head thrown back, lips parted in her way.

This was not a path for his mind to be wandering down. Not yet. Better he should concentrate on how to respond to Blane's impending decision concerning Leah's dilemma.

He'd told his laird all that he knew after she'd left the room. Her running away from MacQuarrie Keep to find the MacKiernans, his suspicion she'd been sent by the Fae, everything.