Highlander's Rebellious Love (36 page)

“Then your father’s bluster serves little purpose.”

“I think that is what angers him the most. He knows his threats and orders will wound me, but only for a short time. Then I will do as I please.” Her brow narrowed. “What truly surprised me was that he ordered me not to search for my sister. I simply cannot understand why, when he appeared so upset by the news.”

“I do agree with you on that.”

“It is almost as if he knows something we do not,” she said, shaking her head. “It makes no sense.”

“And probably makes even less sense being you are tired from our long journey.” Hunter leaned closer to his wife. “You need to seek your bedchamber as soon as possible.”

She laughed softly. “That
we
do.”

A rough cough broke them apart and Patience smiled at Ross standing in front of the dais, his arm wrapped around Saundra. She looked much improved, having scrubbed the dirt from her face, and brushed the debris out of her hair and off her garments, most of all though, she wore a smile, something Patience had never seen on her.

“I have brought Lady McLaud to sup with you,” Ross said.

Hunter stood. “You both must join us.”

Ross escorted Saundra to her seat next to Hunter and he took a seat next to Patience. Ewan and Una also joined them with Una sitting next to Ross and Ewan taking the seat beside Saundra.

Conversation flowed easily as did wine and ale. Food was replenished often, Hunter, Ewan and Ross continually extolling the delicious fare. What was most interesting to Patience though, was how Ross and Saundra could not stop looking and smiling at each other.

So, it was no surprise when Ross said, “I will remain here, with your permission of course,” —he bobbed his head at Patience— “and be Saundra’s protector as long as necessary.”

“I am sure Patience has a warrior that can see to Saundra,” Ewan said, reaching for another piece of the tasty dark bread.

All but Ewan saw how Saundra’s smile vanished instantly.

“True enough,” Patience said, “though I think the decision should be Saundra’s, not mine. What say you, Saundra?”

A slight blush tinged Saundra’s cheeks and she lowered her head for a moment. “If it is permissible, I would prefer Ross was the one to see to my protection. Though, it has only been a brief time that he has taken on the chore, he has made me feel safer than I have ever felt.”

“And I will continue to make certain you remain safe,” Ross said.

Ewan went to speak, but Una was quick to ask, “Could you come over by me a moment, Ewan, there is something I wish to ask you?”

He was out of the chair quickly and Ross stood just as quickly, saying, “Take my seat, and I will take yours.” He did not wait for his father to agree. He hurried past him and eagerly took the empty chair beside Saundra.

Una and Ewan were soon huddled in conversation and when Ewan’s head jerked around to stare at Saundra and Ross smiling and talking, their heads closer than they realized, Ewan shook his head.

Hunter leaned his head down to whisper in his wife’s ear. “This can prove to be a troublesome situation. Saundra is Rab’s wife and he can demand her return.”

“One thing at a time,” Patience said with a sigh that quickly turned to a yawn.

“You are exhausted,” Hunter said loud enough for all at the dais to hear.

“You need rest and a good night’s sleep,” Una said like a mother concerned for her child.

“Una is right,” Saundra said, “You have neglected your own needs for others. It is time you see to your own care.”

Hunter smiled. Saundra always had a generous heart and he was pleased that she was free of his family, though he feared it would not be for long.

Hunter stood and held his hand out to his wife. She took it and after everyone at the dais bid her good night, she and Hunter walked to the staircase. The pounding of fists on the tables had them both turning around and when they did every one of her warriors rose to their feet and raised their tankards high.

Patience held her head high and laid her fisted hand to her chest, then bobbed her head, thanking them for the recognition they bestowed on her.

The warriors let out a resounding roar that followed Hunter and her all the way up the stairs.

Once in her bedchamber, Patience collapsed back on the bed, her arms spread wide, her legs dangling off the edge. She had not realized how truly exhausted this ordeal had left her. She had never felt so depleted of strength or felt her body ache so badly. It was as if by entering the sanctity of her bedchamber that she felt free enough to collapse under the weight of her responsibilities and give herself a reprieve from them.

Hunter stood by the side of the bed glancing down at her, thinking how the unrelenting ache in his loins had him wanting to tear both their garments off and make love to her. But the concerned husband warned him against it, and so he found himself saying, “You need sleep.”

“I need you.” She stretched her hand out to him and she fought back the yawn trying to surface, but lost the battle.

“You prove my point,” Hunter said annoyed that his growing arousal was urging him otherwise.

“You promised,” she said and hated that she sounded like a petulant child.

Hunter hunched down beside the bed, taking her hand and kissing it. “I ached to make love to you, but it is not what you need right now. You need sleep.”

“I need you,” she said on another yawn.

“As you wish,” Hunter said, seeing her fighting to keep her eyes open. “Let me get you out of your garments.”

“You first.”

“Very well,” he said and took his time removing every piece of his clothing so that by the time he was completely naked, her eyes were closed.

He smiled and reached down to ease her out of her garments and was surprised when her eyes popped open.

“I fear it will have to be a quick one tonight,” she mumbled. “So tired.”

She tried to help get her clothes off and he had to smile at her laughable efforts, though he admired her attempts to make certain she had her way... with him.

He settled her in his arms beneath the soft blanket when he finished and when she woke again, he stroked her breasts and teased her nipples and she sighed with satisfaction, and her eyes closed once again.

It was not long before she was sound asleep, while he lay wide awake.

“Tomorrow,” he mumbled. “Tomorrow they would not leave this room.”

Chapter Thirty-three

Patience woke to find herself alone in bed. She bolted up, looking around the room and seeing that she truly was alone. Where was her husband? How long had she slept? And why hadn’t he woken her? And mostly importantly why had he not kept his promise to her and made love to her all night? She shook her head, knowing the answer. She had been too tired to simply disrobe, how then would she have ever been strong enough to make love.

Annoyed at the myriad of questions plaguing her, she got out of bed. She was glad to find the usual bucket of water, left daily by a servant, being warmed by the hearth. She quickly scrubbed herself and donned clean clothes, having seen that her other garments had already been removed for washing.

With her hair tied back and feeling refreshed, she made her way to her father’s room. Maura was just coming out and when the woman placed a finger to her lips, she knew her father was either sleeping or was not feeling well.

“He had a difficult night,” Maura whispered as she drew near.

Guilt washed over Patience, feeling she had been the cause of it.

“I will let you know when he feels well enough to talk with you. Right now, sleep is the best thing for him.”

Patience nodded. Disappointed, she went to the Great Hall. Finding it empty, she realized that she had slept much later than she had realized. She had always been an early riser, greeting the dawn more times than not. It annoyed her that she had wasted the morning in sleep.

Servants in the Great Hall hurried to get her food, but she ordered them to remain at their tasks and went to the kitchen. She grabbed a piece of bread and cheese, to the dismay of the cook who argued that she should sit and eat a solid breakfast as the woman had scolded since Patience had been young.

She gave Balia, the cook, a kiss and a hug as she had always done after snatching food from the kitchen and told her how she looked forward to the noon meal.

“And it is something special and filling I will be making you,” Balia shouted with a smile as Patience scurried out of the kitchen.

She found her husband by accident or perhaps it was more by like minds. He was in the stable seeing to his horse and Patience had gone there to see to her stallion.

Hunter grinned when he saw her. “I thought for sure you would sleep until noon, you slept so soundly, though I did fear your snoring might wake you.”

“I do not snore,” she said.

“You do, though not loud, softly.”

He wore his plaid and boots, nothing more and a fine sweat had broken out across his skin, accenting his muscles with a fine sheen. He was much too appealing and she found herself growing aroused.

“Why did you not wake me this morning?” she demanded.

He laid the pitchfork he held to the side, away from the freshly cleaned stall and ran his forearm across his brow, the muscles in his arm growing taut. “You needed sleep.”

“I needed you,” she said, biting at her lips for sounding as if she begged him.

“It appears you still do,” he said and walked over to her, grabbed her around the waist, and hefted her up against him.

Her arms went around his neck, her lips went to his, and between her legs turned damp.

He held her firm, turning and carrying her into the stall to press her back against the far wall. While he would have liked to take his time making love to her, there was no telling how long they had to themselves. It would be a fast joining, though he would make certain it was a satisfying one.

“Hurry, I cannot wait. I have been too long without you.” There she was pleading with him again. Would she never stop begging him to satisfy her?

Never
, she thought
, never
.

He hoisted her up so that he could easily plunge into her, and he was not surprised that she was wet and ready for him. He kept her braced against the wall so that his one hand was free to tease her nub as he pounded into her repeatedly.

She came in a flash and he knew he could make her come again. But first he had to capture her scream with his mouth, before someone came running, thinking someone was in dire need of help. And when he made her come again, he caught her scream in his mouth for a second time as she tightened around him and that was all he needed to climax.

He rested his brow against hers after he was sure she was too spent to scream or moan any longer. He did not want to let her go. He did not want to pull out of her. He wanted to remain inside her, joined with her, reveling in the exquisite aftermath of their lovemaking. Even though it was quick, it was more satisfying than some long lovemaking sessions he had experienced. He credited the difference to being madly in love with his wife.

“You know this is not the end of it,” she said through labored breath. “I have things to see to but after the noon meal we are going to my bedchamber and not leaving until morning.”

“You will keep me prisoner?” he asked with a laugh and a soft nuzzle to her neck.

She moaned. “If I must, I will tie you to the bed.”

“If you would like, though I would much rather tie you.”

She shuddered at the thought.

“And do you know what I would do to you?”

She was barely able to whisper, “What?”

He murmured in her ear, “Every wicked thing imaginable.”

She shuddered again, thinking she would not make it until noon, and then thought about her duties and attempted to shake some sense into her herself. Having him inside her did not help, especially when she felt him stir.

“The thought of making you my prisoner of love stirs me to life,” he said and brushed his lips over hers before kissing her with a tenderness that sent a shiver through her and sent her tiny nub tingling.

“Stay inside me,” she whispered and nibbled at his earlobe.

Hunter shuddered. “God, I cannot get enough of you.”

“Then take what you want, for I want all you can give me.”

To his surprise, his manhood shot to life and he started moving inside her once again, slow at first, for this time he wanted to take his time.

Voices drawing near tore them apart, but they passed by and Hunter was quick to grab her, lift her, and enter her, though this time he did not take his time.

Patience locked her lips as he slammed into her repeatedly, exciting her with every thrust and when his fingers teased that spot that brought her so much pleasure her mouth found his so that she could cry out in climax without being heard once again.

Never had she felt anything so good, and she ran her hands up under his plaid and over his naked backside to squeeze it tight and shove him harder against her, forcing him to climax as well.

It was not voices passing by that tore them apart this time, it was voices shouting out her name and they were quick to disengage and after a hasty check to see that they were presentable, they hurried out of the stable.

Bruce, her most trusted warrior approached her as soon as he spotted her. “The sentries on the far west border have found a body. They are bringing it here now.”

“Male or female?” Patience asked, fear prickling her skin.

“I do not know.”

Hunter wanted to take her hand and reassure her that it was not Heather, but what if it was? He remained by her side, not touching her, though he wanted to, but she stood a warrior in front of her men and it would not do for her to show that she sought solace from another, even if he was her husband.

Hunter walked with her and Bruce to the entrance of the village and waited. The two warriors approaching were not that far away, though it seemed like the time dragged on forever before they reached the village gates.

When they did, Patience’s heart slammed against her chest. The body draped over the one warrior’s horse was distinctly female.