The Highlander's Conquest (4 page)

“Are you all right with riding behind?”

“Aye.”

“I will mount and pull you up behind me.”

“And what of Mad Maiden?”

“I will
have one of my men lead her
. We shan’t leave her behind.”

Aliah nodded, watching as Sir Blane turned toward his warhorse and gracefully
mount
ed
. She caught a healthy eyeful of his muscular calves and thighs,
encased in hose,
which sent her belly to quivering and her heart to pounding. He was exquisitely made and the urge to touch him was strong. Yet another sin she would have to confess.

He held out his hand to her. “Put your foot in my stirrup.”

Taking his larger hand in hers, she put her foot in the stirrup and gasped as he easily
swung
her up behind him. Too late she realized what a bad idea it was.

Her thighs were spread wide, with his taut buttocks between them. Her knees touched the outside of his strong
thighs and her breasts were pressed indecently to his broad back. Swallowing hard, she wrapped her arms around his waist and closed her eyes. Perhaps this was God’s way of testing her
.
His way of finding out if she was suited for a life of serving only him. She would prove she was. This was a test she could pass, no matter how hot she felt of a sudden, or how her insides quivered. She could ignore the intense, dizzying need building within her. Couldn’t she? She held her breath. What was happening to her? She’d never had these feelings before. It scared her. She didn’t understand it, but knew somehow, Blane was at fault.

“Hold on, my lady, we shall set a grueling pace to reach camp by nightfall.”

Aliah nodded, her chin bumping into his warm back. “Aye.”

Holding on tight, her body lurched as Gunnar leapt into a gallop.

Aliah watched the countryside fly by as they rode hard over the dirt-packed road. Rolling hills and pastures were dotted with sheep and cows
grazing lazily on the lush grass
. Barren fields were cleared of their harvested crops
, awaiting spring when farmer’s would once again tend to them
. Smoke spiraled from the ro
o
f
s of cottages, its s
c
ent carrying on the light breeze. Aliah watched as the sun slowly sank, taking the day from bright to somber grey. Winter was coming soon. She was glad to make this journey now, knowing that if she did so within a few
weeks’ time
snow would
likely
be falling impeding their progress.

By the time the horizon had turned pink and orange, and t
he moon and sun both showed low in the sky
, Blane started to slow the horses. Aliah glanced around but did not see any inns or a village in sight.

“We shall make camp within the woods,” he stated to his men, who moved as one into the trees.

They rode deeper into the forest for sev
eral minutes, and then stopped. S
he supposed Blane had found a spot he deemed a good campsite, however, Aliah could not tell the difference between this spot and any other.

A half-
dozen
of his men
fanned o
ut while Blane and another half-
dozen stayed put
, unmoving save for their hands resting on the hilts of their swords
.
Frosty sat down beside her, nuzzling her ankle.

“What are they doing?” Aliah whispered.

“They will make sure this spot is safe.”

Visions of outlaws hiding in the shadows and leaping out at them had her heart beating fast, but soon the men returned and nodded to Blane.

“We shall stay here the night then.”

He dismounted and helped her down. While his men prepared a fire, Blane made a makeshift tent for her using thick wool blankets.

“You didn’t have to do that, Sir Blane.”

“’Tis the least I could do.
The tent will keep some of the chill air at bay. And y
ou are a lady without a female companion to safeguard you.”

“True enough, but I also have you to keep me safe.”

His gaze darkened, and she didn’t know why, but her skin started to tingle.

“Aye, my lady. I shall keep you safe. But you shall also have the tent.”

He turned abruptly and started pulling the satchels, rolled blankets and saddle from his horse. Aliah couldn’t help but wonder what had made him so cross. Perhaps he was having the same strange sensations that she was. If so, she could understand his attitude. ’Twas unnerving the way a simple gaze, a small touch, or just the thought of him, affected her.

Aliah followed Blane’s example and went about unloading Mad Maiden. She dumped her satchels into the
makeshift tent, and when she came back to give the mare a rub down, Blan
e was already doing it. He fed the mare
some oats and cooed into her ear.

“I see you’ve taken a liking to my horse.”

“What’s not to like, other than her gait?” He chuckled and their eyes met once more.

She couldn’t pull her gaze away. Lucky for her, Blane did. Flicking his eyes toward the fire he said, “Let us go
w
arm ourselves. I have a meager supper,
but
I hope you will find it to your liking.”

Aliah nodded and followed him to the fire. One of his men had placed a log on the ground for her to sit upon. She thanked him, happy to not sully her
gown
.

“Dinner of the gods,” Blane said, handing her an oatcake and an apple.

“I should like to know what your favorite meal is,” she replied, taking the proffered fare.

Blane bit into an apple, the crisp juice dribbling down his chin and making her hungry
and uneasy
. She bit into her own apple
delighting in the sweet, tangy taste
.

“Why?” he asked.

“Well, if oatcakes and apples are the meal of the gods, I should like to know what you consider to be heavenly.”

A wicked glint flashed across his eyes. “There is only one mea
l I consider to be heavenly
, but ’
twould
likely burn your delicate sensibilities.”

“Oh, come now, I should think not.”

“Pie.”

“Pie?”

“Aye. Honey pie.”

A few o
f his men snickered and when she glanced their way they averted their eyes.

“Sir Blane, why do I feel a
s
though I am not part of some joke you all hold?”

“No reason, my lady.”

“Hmm… Well, in any case, does your cook make you a good honey pie?”

At this Blane snor
t
ed, a bit of the water he’d just sipped spewing out. “Why no, m
y
lady, never.”

“Well, that
is
quite sad. If I were ever to visit you, perhaps I could bring you a honey pie.”

At those words, his eyes locked on hers, darkening, his jaw tightening. He looked ready to devour her whole, and Aliah found she liked it all too much. She licked her lips, unable to turn away and unable to say anything. The air felt thick with tension, but she
did
n’t understand why. Couldn’t fathom why a tingle of something delicious wound its way over her back. This man did odd things to her just by looking at her.

“Eat your supper,” he said, his voice low, stroking over her nerves in a way that sent a chill to pass over her.

Aliah swallowed hard and nodded. They did not speak again, and when she climbed beneath her tent to
lie
upon the hard earth, she found herself scandalously wishing that Sir Blane would crawl in beside her, to hold her the whole night through.

’Twas chilly. That was the only reason why. Not because she fantasized about kissing him, or because she wanted to know what he really meant by saying his favorite meal was a honey pie. As naïve as she was, she couldn’t help but discern that such a thing had been wicked for him to say. If the hungry look he gave her was any indication, she might indeed be the meal he wished to fe
a
st upon.

Frosty lay down beside her, taking some of the night chill away
. But
her desire to kiss Blane did not disappear.

Chapter
Four

Och, what was the matter with him?

Blane sat straight up on his bed roll, darkness surrounding him. The fire had burned down to embers, emitting little light. The moon was only a sliver, and what little light the orb emitted was blotted out by the towering trees of the forest. He couldn’t sleep.

When his tossing and turning appeared to rouse some of his men, he
tried hard to stay still.
Flung his arm over his eyes, but even that did n
o
t
hi
ng
t
o take th
e
v
i
sion o
f
Aliah
from
his
mind.
He was utterly spellbound.

He rested his arms on his knees and studied his men who slept peacefully around the dying fire.
A lo
ne
man stood watch on the outside
o
f
their camp.
Knowing he would not be falling back to sleep, Blane stoked the fire, and then offered to relieve his
night watch
man. The tired looking warrior nodded, grateful for an early reprieve. They’d traveled hard to
reach
Aliah quickly. With little time to rest and always on alert, sleep deprivation was a given.

Blane leaned against a tree, his gaze falling to the makeshift tent where his charge slept. Lady Aliah was beautiful and enigmatic.
The way she pointed her arrow straight at his heart when he entered the great hall spoke of skill and protective instincts, yet when her wolfhound had charged into the woods, she’d gone after him without a thought.

In the dark he could just barely make out the silver tail of Frosty poking out from beneath the tent, and beside it, he could have sworn he saw a
petite
boot.
But ’twas hard to tell. Pulling his dirk from his boot, Blane picked up a thick stick and began to carve it. The task always seemed to clear his mind, and sharpen his hearing. Tonight, he needed to unencumber his mind from thoughts of a certain woman. If not
, she could be the death of him.

As if the devil tested him, the woman in question climbed from her tent. Her pale skin glowing in the dim moonlight, and her gown floating around her in a mystical way. If he wasn’t completely aware that he was awake, Blane might have thought he was dreaming. He pushed off the tree, meaning to go toward her, but she looked around cautiously, before slinking around the opposite side of
the
tent, her dog in tow.

He narrowed his eyes. What was she about?

He didn’t like that she was creeping away from camp. Perhaps
Arbella
wasn’t aware that her sister worked
as a spy
for the king. Or maybe
Aliah had
figured out who he was and sought to run away.

Blane shook his head and wal
ked stealthily toward the tent. The fact was, he
’d been
sent to England to collect a woman he knew nothing about. Continuing o
n her trail, he heard her let out
a
stream of unladylike
words
under her breath just beyond the next few trees. He had to stop himself from laughing. He always thought a woman should be allowed to
speak her displeasure,
if she
was so inclined
.

“My lady,” he called out quietly.

“Sir Blane?” she whispered—very loudly.

“Aye.”

“Give me but a moment of privacy?”

“Indeed.”

He walked back several paces,
now
realizing her intent. Frosty ran over and nuzzled his palm. Blane patted the dog on the head, then flicked his hand for the dog to go back to camp. He smiled when the pet followed his direction.

Aliah emerged from behind the trees and sauntered forward.

“What are you doing awake?” she asked, her voice low, tantalizing.

“I am on watch. I saw you slink away and thought to find out what you were up to.”

In the dim light he saw her push out her lower lip and he wanted to stroke it fervently with his thumb and then his tongue.

“I do not slink,” she
said
.

He smiled and
took a step
near
er
. W
hy
,
he didn’t know
. I
t was madness to be within
inches
of her.
But she didn’t back away
. I
n fact, she took a step closer.

“Were you worried about me, Sir Blane, or did you fear I would alert your enemies that we made camp here?” Her head was tilted back, blonde locks flowing freely down her back. Her gaze met his, and the sliver of moon hit just right so that a sparkle shown in her eyes.

“Mayhap a bit of both.”

She issued a throaty laugh. “At least you are honest. I do feel safer with you here.”

Not the words he wanted to hear when he’d lied to her about who he was, but he found her trust in him gripped him tight. He wanted her to trust him.

“I would never let any harm come to you.” His own voice had lowered, become husky, and the urge to take her in his
arms grew. From this distance
,
he could smell the scent of wildflowers and herbs in her hair. Without thinking, he reached out and twirled a silky lock around his finger.

Aliah gasped and turned her head to the side, looking at his finger wrapped in her hair. He stepped closer, stroked her fair cheek, the
n
rubbed his finger over her rosy lower lip as he’d desired to do. Her lip was soft, plush, kissable.

“Sir Blane,” she whispered, her tongue flicking out to lick at her lips and catching the tip of his
finger
.

He hissed a breath
, closed the distance between them so her body was flush to his. “Aye, my lady?”

“Will you kiss me?”
Aliah’s eyes were wide, and in her face he
saw
her trepidation as well as her passionate desire.

“If ’tis what you wish.”

“And what of your wishes?”

“I would
ver
—” He cleared his throat, feeling the burr of his Scottish accent sneaking through his need to place his lips on hers. “I would very much like to kiss you.”

She closed her eyes, tilted up on her tiptoes. Och, the lass would certainly be the death of him. Threading his fingers into her silken locks, he grasped her head and lowered his lips to hers.
The moment their lips met, a strong jolt centered in his gut, spreading outward. ’Twas unlike anything he’d ever experienced with any other lass. And there had been many other lasses. He brushed his lips over hers, taking in the perfect softness and shape of her mouth. Although he wanted to thrust his tongue deep, to taste every inch of her, he kept his kiss sweet. He didn’t want to scare her away with his carnality, even though his blood pumped straight to his shaft, which proudly stood at attention. He had to remember she was an innocent.

“
Mmm
,” she murmured against his lips, and pressed closer, her arms encircling his neck and her hips pushing against his own.

Fire ignited in Blane’s veins. Lady Aliah may
have
be
en
an innocent, but her passionate nature and curiosity blended together into a sultry mix that he had a hard time fighting against. The way she pushed her hips against him, his shaft fit perfectly in the crux of her thighs. Gripping her hips, he pushed her a little away and begrudgingly took his mouth from hers.

He’d not take advantage of her. Even if his body demanded satisfaction.
He wasn’t in the habit of ruining noblewoman. Innocent noblewoman, at that. For one, his brother would kill him, and he shuddered to think what Arbella would do to him. Nay, he had to stop this. Now!
He’d not be swayed from his true purpose.

“That was…”
S
lim fingers came up to delicately touch her lips and he wished with every fiber in his being to replace those
digit
s with his mouth. To kiss her properly. “I enjoyed it.” Shame filled her voice and he watched dejectedly as she looked toward the ground.

Guilt riddled him for having taken even that little piece of innocence from her. “My apologies, Lady Aliah.”

S
he shook
her head
and then
her sparkling gaze met his once again. “Nay, do not apologize.”

“I must. You are a lady, and I should not have kissed you. ’Twas not my right.”

“But I asked you to.”

And he wished she’d ask him again. He curled his lips into a teasing smile. “Do you ask many knights to kiss your fair lips?”

Even in the dim light he sensed her blush. “Why
,
of course not.”

“Am I the sole knight to have had the honor?” Blane didn’t know why he asked, only that he wanted, needed the satisfaction of knowing that he’d been the only one to ever luxuriate in the decadence that was her kiss.

She nodded and a shock of lightning went through him. He had to step backward, else he
’d
take her into his arms again.

“We must return to camp,” he murmured.

She nodded, then
looked around. “Where is Frosty?
”

“Most likely in your tent waiting for you.”

“How do you know?”

“I sent him back to camp.”

She narrowed her eyes and teased, “Why? Did you have hopes of kissing me and thought the hound might object?”

Blane chuckled. “If only I was so devious.”

Her eyes widened and she gasped. Seeing
his words shocked her
,
he immediately regretted admitting to his desire to be alone with her.

This was not good. He could not allow
this
to happen again.
She was consuming his mind and making him go mad with passion. Such could make him forget his objective, a feat that would leave him with many regrets.
Perhaps in future he would not send the dog away, but keep the massive wolfhound firmly planted between them.

Yanking his gaze fro
m hers, he marched back to camp
.
Sleep would have better served him. Instead, he was kissing his charge in the woods, nearly overcome with the powerful need to take her on the forest floor. What in God’s name was wrong with him?
Her footsteps echoed behind him, crunching on leaves and snapping twigs. ’Twas a wonder she didn’t wake
all
the
guards
when she’d gone off in the first place. ’Haps then he wouldn’t have been tempted to kiss her. But knowing they were the only two awake and quite alone… Blane growled under his breath and turned back toward her.

“Do not leave your tent again until morning.”

Aliah’s brows
fu
rrowed together and she opened her mouth to argue when the snap of a twig echoed in the distance. He quickly scanned the camp noting that all of his men were there as was the dog.
Instantly on alert, his first
thought was of the outlaws who’d changed his life forever. The men he intended to put to death if he ever found them. Would today be that day?

“Someone comes,” he whispered.

Aliah’s eyes widened with fear
and she froze in place
. He softened his frown, hoping to comfort her. Blane grasped her hand in his and squeezed it gently.