The Accidental Highland Hero (15 page)

“Hold,” James said. “You look as if you have seen my father’s ghost, Lady Allison. What ails you?”

The woman cast a glance in Eilis’s direction, looked at James, turned her gaze to the floor, and quickly shook her head. “Naught, my laird.”

“You seem to recognize the lady. Do you know her?”

“Nay, my laird. ‘Twas just that I had not expected anyone to be in the kitchen since the meal has been eaten sometime past. Forgive me, my laird.”

If it were not for the fact that Eilis seemed just as distraught to witness Allison as the maid was to see her, he would have assumed  the woman was just flighty the way so many of them were when they were in his presence of late.

Even now, Eilis wrung her hands and seemed ready to take wing.

He nodded. Mayhap his mother could speak with the woman when she seemed unwilling to speak with him.

“Verra well, Lady Allison. Continue with whatever you were about.” He turned his attention to Eilis. “Come, you and I have work to do as well.”

Eilis looked faint, and James smiled. Teach her to keep secrets from him. Before long he would know all about the lovely lass.

“A moment of your time, lass.” James offered his hand to Eilis.

She looked cross but took his hand and rose from the bench. “Tavia had no need to drug my mead last eve.”

James cast her a sardonic smile. “Tavia needed her sleep. If you had sent her to fetch for you all night long…”  He tsked. “Surely, wherever you are from, you did not mistreat servants thusly.”

She scowled further at him.

“I want to know the truth about you, lass. You seem to be recalling some memories. Know you your clan’s name now?”

“Nay.”

 Her eyes challenged him to disagree with her. She appeared to be telling the truth. He led her out of the kitchen and into the garden and took a deep breath of the lavender scenting the air.
“But you recognized Allison.”

Eilis looked at the ground.

“How do you know Allison?”

“I do not.”

“Eilis…,” he said, unable to curb the exasperation in his voice.

“I do not,” Eilis said sharply, her green eyes spitting fire. “She seemed somewhat familiar, but I do not remember her. I think ‘twas the way she looked at me that startled me most. As if she knew me and yet, although I sensed the same about her, I could not capture the reason. How would you feel if you have some memories and some of them are missing?  The situation is more than frustrating, my laird.”

“Call me James. If we are to pretend you are smitten with me and are boldly pursuing me, we must dispense with proper protocol.”

Her eyes rounded.

Aye, he wouldn’t mind in Eilis’s case if she initiated a kiss or two. “Do you object?”

“In calling you…James, nay. I must learn to get used to it is all.”

“Aye, that is the right of it, lass. Do you have a favorite color?”

She glanced down at the green dress she was wearing then looked at James’s tunic. Reaching out, she touched it. “Blue like the cloudless sky.” She ran her hand over her gown. “And green like the pine needles in the forest.”

“Who did you stay with in Glen Affric?  You know the area too well not to have been there on frequent occasions. But Eanruig believed you did not live permanently in the area, or he would have remembered you better.”

She shook her head and observed the flowers, but if he could read her mind, he imagined her thoughts were elsewhere.

“You know your da is dead. What about your mother?”

“Aye,” she said softly. “I do not recall how or why I remember they are both dead, but only that they are.”

“Who is your guardian?”

“I do not know.”

“An uncle?”

She shook her head.

“What about brothers or sisters?  Have you any?  Mayhap an older brother who is your guardian?  A cousin?”

“I do not remember.” Then she turned her chin up and asked, “What about yours?  I should know more about you also.”

“Aye. Malcolm is a year younger than me, then Dougald, and lastly Angus. My brothers are helping Lady Anice with the troubles she has had at Brecken Castle.”

“Some of her staff disappeared.”

Surprised, he stared at her. “You know of this?”

“I do not remember who, but just that an urgent missive was sent to King Henry since she had become his ward when her uncle died.”

“How do you remember some things and not others?”

She shook her head.

“Tavia said you were tossing and turning overmuch in your sleep.” The vision of Eilis’s near naked breasts came to mind, and James reluctantly forced the memory from his thoughts. “Do you recall any nightmares?”

“I was drowning. ‘Tis easy to know why I would have a nightmare like that.”

“Who were you with on the ship?  Family?  Servants?”

“My laird…”

“James.”

“James. I do not know. All I remember was clinging to…”  Her words hung in the air, and she quickly looked away.

“What Eilis?  You were clinging to…?”

“Bits of the ship’s wreckage. Then Eanruig and Niall rescued me, although I do not remember how.”

He was certain she’d remembered something else. She was clinging to what?  Someone on the ship?  Someone she loved?

The ship was being tossed about in a turbulent sea. Wouldn’t she have been below deck or in the captain’s quarters if her family had paid enough for her voyage?

Most likely the turmoil would have upset her stomach.

“Were you ill?  When the ship was being tossed about in the storm?”

“Aye.”

So she remembered more than clinging to the ship’s remnants after it went down. “Who was with you?”

“I do not recall.”

Didn’t she?  This time he didn’t believe her.

He took her arm and started back to the keep when she pulled him to a stop.

Tears glistened in her eyes, and she swallowed hard. “I do not know who the woman was, but she…she said I would bring shame to our clan if I jumped from the ship.”

James stared at her then touched her pale cheek. “What did you fear, lass, that you would consider ending your life?”

She broke eye contact and looked at her shoes. “I truly do not remember.”

A betrothal, he was certain.

He lifted her chin and met her gaze. “You are too much of a woman to let whatever ails you get the best of you. I promise, I will aid you in anyway I can in dealing with your family.”

He leaned down and kissed her full lips. This time she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth against his. In gratitude?  Inwardly, he groaned at the feelings she stirred in him. With the way she leaned her body against his, his shaft grew rigid, and his skin heated. He’d been so intent on kissing the lass in return, he’d forgotten they’d quit the garden and stood now in the middle of the inner bailey where many of his staff were carrying on their chores for the day.

Until he separated from the lass and found nearly every servants’ eye upon him and the lady. He cleared his throat while she avoided looking at anyone as he walked her the rest of the way to the keep.

Eilis’s cheeks were beautifully colored as she watched her feet all the way back.

He cast her a small smile. “You are getting into the spirit of our ruse, Eilis. I warrant even my own people believe I might have changed my mind about Catriona.”

“But you cannot.” She quickened her step into the keep.

“And why not?  I can make my own choice.”

She turned and looked at him as though he’d lost his mind. “My laird, you do not know me, where I am truly from, or anything. Thinking that you would consider me as a bride choice would be foolishness.”

“You are calling me foolish?”  He quirked a brow and watched her cheeks blossom with color anew. “I thought not.”

She touched his chest and traced the embroidery stitches on his tunic. “Aye, you are foolish if you think you have a chance with me.”

Loving the challenge in her words, he smiled. But the way she touched him sent a signal straight to his groin. “Be sure to press your fingers against me like that in front of Catriona, and you will no doubt get her attention.” At least, she certainly had his, and he didn’t want her to stop.

Horses entering the inner bailey distracted him, and turning, he saw his Aunt Beatrice and her daughter, Nighinn—the cousin he thought to inspect in a month if Catriona would not agree to marry him. Whoever told the lass he wished to see her now?

He would wring whoever’s neck was responsible for the difficulties this could cause. With Eilis, the problem did not exist because she had no real plans to wed him. But Nighinn could cause a scene with Catriona. If this was Niall’s doing, he’d thrash him soundly.

Releasing Eilis to his mother’s care, he turned and headed out to deal with Nighinn and his Aunt Beatrice, hopefully to send them back home at once where they belonged.

****

The look on James’s face when he saw the matronly woman in blue, a younger woman, just as plump in tow, reminded Eilis of…

For a fleeting instant, she nearly had it. Then the elusive memory was gone but not James’s glum expression. Although once he released her to his mother’s care, he had put on a false smile and joined the women in the inner bailey.

Lady Akira motioned to Tavia. “Accompany Eilis to her chamber. I will have Fergus sent right up.”

She headed outside, and Eilis got the distinct impression the lady was not too entirely pleased to see the arrival of the other women either.

“Who are they?” Eilis asked Tavia, not caring whether she breeched protocol. She still had no intention of staying, especially when James’s rakish charm made her whole person burn with desire. ‘Twas good he didn’t intend to bed her or she no doubt would offer herself as a wanton without a care.

Mayhap she had already thoroughly disgraced her family and was being sent away to wed the man who compromised her. Yet, she couldn’t summon any recollection that she’d ever been kissed so…thoroughly.

Tavia followed Eilis into the bedchamber then shut the door. “The older woman is Laird MacNeill’s aunt, Beatrice. A verra shrewd woman and determined that her daughter marry James now that he is earl. She waited until he had turned down the other lassies, but seeing as how James was unable to draw Lady Catriona here, the word must have reached his aunt. I cannot imagine he would have invited her here when Lady Catriona is on her way. I am sure His Lairdship is not pleased about it.”

“But mayhap his cousin will force Catriona’s hand, and she will agree to marry His Lairdship. Then I will not truly be needed.”

Which relieved her to think if she could leave, James could still encourage Catriona’s concession. On the other hand, the thought of not being needed weighed heavily on her, like the ship’s anchor tossed into the Irish Sea. The notion she didn’t belong anywhere was beginning to bother her as much as not knowing why she was afraid her family would discover her.

“Not Nighinn. I dare say Lady Catriona will find it a mockery,” Tavia said.