Stealing The Highlander's Heart (Tales 0f Blair Castle Book 2) Read online

  As she continued to watch the rhythmic rise and fall of Mary’s breathing, Alana drifted off falling into a deep sleep. She did not realize she had done so until she was startled awake by the feel of strong masculine arms lifting her from the bed and carrying her from the room. Opening her eyes, she was shocked to find Malcolm holding her. “What are ye doin’?” she demanded to know. “I promised Mary I would be there when she awakens. Put me down!”

  “Bruce is with her now and she kens I have taken ye,” Malcolm informed her, ignoring her request to be unhanded. “I am takin’ ye tae yer room.”

  “My shoes,” Alana protested once more, gesturing towards Mary’s room.

  “Dinnae fash. I have them in my hand,” he replied, carrying her up a flight of stairs and into her bedroom.

  Malcolm laid her on the bed and placed her shoes neatly against the wall. Alana sat up wishing she had something to throw at the man. “Tell me about Mary. Is she well?” he asked.

  Alana could see the genuine worry in his eyes and opted not to yell at him further. “She was out in the sun for tae long today. She needs tae be more careful.”

  “I told her she did nae have tae come today, but she insisted. She did nae wish tae let our people down,” he told her. “She is strong, but she has been havin’ a difficult time o’ it with the bairn and all. I dinnae wish tae see her suffer so.”

  “She will be fine with some rest. I wanted tae tell Bruce that a bath or even a cool wet cloth could go a ways tae makin’ her more comfortable,” Alana said, swinging her legs off of the bed to go and tell him.

  “Ye can tell him later, lass. For now rest and refresh yerself afore supper,” he ordered. “I will leave ye until then.” He left the room with Alana feeling frustrated and out of sorts.

  The gall o’ the man tae be carryin’ me about like a dead stag! She wasn’t sure what angered her more, the fact that he felt he had the right to carry her in such a fashion or that she had liked it. She supposed she should be grateful that she had been accepted into castle life so quickly, but the guilt she felt over deceiving Mary was still fresh in her mind, adding to her sour mood.

  Supper was to be held in the great hall once more to celebrate the collection of the rents before the clan dispersed and headed home the next day. Malcolm came to escort her down once more. “How is Mary?” she asked, concerned that she had not been able to verify Mary’s condition with her own eyes before he had hauled her out of the bedroom.

  “She is restin’ comfortably. Bruce has her well in hand,” Malcolm informed her. “Maither has arranged for supper tae be taken tae their room.”

  Alana nodded and attempted to remove the guilt and worry from her mind. She allowed Malcolm to guide her to her seat upon the dais next to his and put on a pleasant face for his benefit. She had learned from a young age how to mask her true emotions from her face. It had been a necessary survival tool where her father was concerned. Rory had not tolerated any form of disrespect, real or imagined, from his offspring. He had claimed to know her thoughts better than she herself, so Alana had taught herself to become a blank canvas able to summon a non-threatening pleasant expression at will. Explaining her own viewpoint or expressing her emotions concerning his plans for her life had not been allowed as it was perceived to be argumentative and disrespectful.

  Such internal training was useful in the employment of deception. If she did not actively hide her emotions from others, they would be able to see right through her guise and all of her father’s plans would be for naught. She found it exceedingly difficult to mask her feelings when she was around Malcolm. The highlander brought out feelings in her that she had never experienced before. He was sitting entirely too close to her now and it was distracting. She could feel the ripple of his abdominal muscles against her arm with every breath he took. It caused tingling sensations throughout her entire body making it impossible to concentrate on anything else but him.

  Alana, determined to get her chaotic emotions in order, turned to Freya to ask how the collection of the rents had gone. “All are well and accounted for,” Freya smiled, pleased with the day’s labors. “Andrew informs me ye had a pleasant day together o’ chess and conversation.”

  “Aye,” Alana confirmed. “We did ‘til I was summoned tae see tae Mary. I am glad he was well upon yer return.”

  “Ye lifted his spirits considerably,” Freya informed her, smiling in gratitude.

  “Mary said the same when I went tae look in on her,” Malcolm shared with his mother.

  “Ye are a blessin’ tae be sure, lass,” Freya replied. “I thank ye for bein’ there for my daughter when I could nae. She did nae even tell me o’ her troubles.”

  “She did nae wish tae worry anyone,” Alana explained. “Ye have a kind-hearted daughter tae be sure.”

  “That I do,” Freya agreed smiling. “’Twould appear we needed ye more than we kenned.”

  “Aye,” Malcolm agreed. “’Tis glad we are that ye are here.”

  Alana’s guilt reared its ugly head, causing her to return to silent contemplation. She looked around her and found Finlay staring at her once more. His negative attention was unnerving at best and was beginning to make her angry. She decided she had had enough of his attitude toward her, no matter how much she deserved his suspicions, and gave him her meanest no-nonsense glare. Finlay reacted with a startled expression and looked away as if he were slightly embarrassed at having been caught.

  “Ye must forgive my brother for his lack in manners. He feels it is his responsibility to look out for me. He still thinks of me as his wee brother in need of trainin’,” Malcolm whispered in her ear.

  Alana jumped in surprise. She had no idea that he had been watching the exchange. She blushed and ducked her head ashamed at her own behavior. She was supposed to be making friends, not alienating his best friend and brother. She made a mental note to be kinder to Finlay and attempt to win him over. She had sent a message to her father via one of his spies about Finlay’s rejection of her, but had not heard back as of yet. “I apologize,” Alana said aloud.

  “Nae need. ‘Tis I that must beg your forgiveness for my cavalier attitude toward your person earlier. I did nae mean tae offend ye carrin’ ye as I did. I simply wished tae allow ye tae rest without disturbin’ yer sleep,” he replied.

  Alana smiled, feeling the frustrations of the day fade away. His sincerity touched her. “All is forgiven,” she answered and relaxed against the back of her chair. She took a drink from her cup of ale and studied his face. The strong masculine lines of his face so like his father’s were pleasing to behold. His eyes held an intelligence that belied his years. She surveyed the family before her so full of love for one another and found her heart to be filled with doubts. Where was the malice her father had spoken of? Where was the hatred and cruelty? This was not the clan he had warned her about. These were not the people she had been raised to fear and loath. She continued drinking her ale and before she realized what she had been doing, she had grown intoxicated.

  She leaned against Malcolm’s arm in an attempt to stop the world from spinning. “Are ye well lass?” he inquired, looking down at her.

  She grinned up at him, “Oh, aye. Why do ye ask?”

  He smiled. “Feelin’ a bit wobbly, are we?”

  “Perhaps a bit,” She punctuated her words with a hiccup, then giggled.

  Malcolm laughed. “Can I help ye tae yer bed, lass?”

  “Ye can help me anywhere ye wish, ye braw man,” she flirted, looking up at him dreamily.

  “Well then,” Malcolm replied, pulling his chair back and standing up. “I will escort ye back tae yer room.” He pulled her chair out and offered her his arm for support.

  Alana stood on unsteady legs and felt her knees begin to buckle beneath her. Malcolm wrapped his arm about her waist to keep her from falling and hurting herself. “Careful now, lass,” he warned.

  Alana patted his chest in acknowledgement of his words and stumbled forward under his guiding hand.
When they reached the stairs, Alana looked up at the incline and screwed her face up in concentration. Malcolm chuckled from beside her and lifted her off of her feet into his arms. “May I?” he asked.

  “Aye,” Alana sighed, laying her head on his shoulder. “Ye are such a nice man. Not at all what I thought ye would be.”

  “I am happy tae exceed yer expectations, lass,” Malcolm replied amused.

  “Ye are all much nicer than they said ye would be,” she whispered, snuggling into his neck.

  “They?” he asked.

  “My family,” she answered.

  “Yer family did nae care for us over much, eh?” he observed.

  “Nae, they dinnae,” she confirmed.

  “Did we do somethin’ tae make them dislike us?” he inquired, genuinely curious.

  “Aye,” she sighed once more.

  “What did we do?” Malcolm asked.

  By this point Alana had grown so groggy she could no longer converse. Malcolm carried her to her room and laid her down upon the bed. As he turned to leave, Alana whispered, “Yer faither took my faither’s home away from him.”

  Chapter Five

  Malcolm awoke the next morning with Alana’s drunken declaration still ringing in his ears. The idea that his family had hurt them in some way disturbed him. He knew there had been a great deal of dishonorable conduct by the laird before his father. Perhaps the wrong done to her family had been from that time. He could not imagine his father turning anyone out of their home. Upset, Malcolm decided he did not wish to be around the castle and decided to walk down to the River Tilt to catch some fish where he would not be disturbed.

  He walked the distance to the river and made his way to his favorite spot along the river bank. He loved it with its shallower edges for fishing by hand, but with deeper pools in the center for swimming. Malcolm waded into the river and stood still waiting. When a nice sized fish swam into the rocks beneath him, he slowly submerged his hands into the water and ever so gently brought his fingers beneath the fish’s belly. Every move he made was slow and deliberate so as not to scare it away. He gently tickled the fish’s belly, then flicked it up onto the river bank.

  A splash in the water behind him caused him to turn around. The sight that greeted him caused his eyes to widen in surprise. Emerging from one of the river’s deeper pools was a very naked Alana. The lass had naught but her hair to cover her. Water flowed over the curves of her body, causing it to glisten in the sun. Malcolm’s mouth went dry and his body tensed with desire. His fingers twitched as he took a step toward her, begging to touch her. Her head was tossed back, her eyes closed as she rung the water from her hair. Malcolm realized he was holding his breath and let it out all at once.

  The sound alerted her to his presence and she attempted to cover herself with her hands and arms. “Look away!” she commanded.

  “I beg yer forgiveness, lass.” Malcolm turned away the image of her naked body imprinted upon his mind forever.

  “Close yer eyes while I retrieve my clothes,” she ordered him.

  He adhered to her wishes and closed his eyes. He could hear her splashing her way to the shore and heard her cry out in pain as her bare foot was cut upon the rocks. “Ye may open yer eyes now,” she gave her permission.

  Malcolm did as bid and turned to inspect her injury. “That is a deep gash, lass. Ye will need tae bind the wound.”

  “I did nae bring any such supplies with me tae bathe,” she retorted angrily.

  Malcolm removed his shirt and ripped it into strips. He knelt down beside her upon the river bank and bound her foot to staunch the flow of blood. “Ye will need tae tend it further when ye return tae the castle.”

  She attempted to put on her shoes, but found that she could not fit them up over her bandaged foot. “I think I will wait here and rest for a moment,” she replied, tossing the offending footwear down in frustration.

  Malcolm could tell she was angry and perhaps a bit worse for the drink from the night before. “Did ye sleep well?” he asked.

  She shot him a dirty look, choosing not to answer the question.

  “I am sorry if I embarrassed ye, lass,” he apologized sincerely. “Ye were just so bonnie standin’ there in the sun that I could nae help but admire ye.”

  “I came here because I thought nae one would be this far out from the castle, but I was mistaken. I will ken better in the future,” she answered. She spread her hair out behind her to allow it to dry.

  “Ye were right in yer thinkin’. Few people ever come here. ‘Tis why I enjoy fishin’ here myself,” Malcolm replied. “Ye can bathe here anytime ye wish, but I would recommend tellin’ me afore ye go. ‘Tis nae safe for a bonnie lass tae be out alone and naked for all the world tae see. Many a man would nae resist the temptation and would have ye on yer back afore ye could scream for help,” he warned. “I will stand guard for ye anytime ye wish tae bathe in the river.”

  “Most chivalrous o’ ye,” Alana retorted sarcastically.

  “Aye, ‘tis,” Malcolm replied, meeting her eyes. She would never know the willpower it had taken for him to turn away from her. She did not understand that many men would not have done so. An unclothed unchaperoned lass would have been considered a whore for the taking. Did her parent’s teach her nothin’ o’ the ways o’ men? “Ye ken nae the danger, lass.”

  “I ken it well enough. I just happen tae consider ye tae be a part o’ the danger,” she replied.

  Malcolm considered her words for a moment and wondered if she might be right. He would never have hurt her, but he did want her. “A danger tae yer virtue,” Malcolm voiced her fear.

  “Aye,” she confirmed.

  “Perhaps I am,” he acknowledged.

  As they sat there in silence for a moment, Malcolm considered what she had said the night before when he had carried her to her room. “What did ye mean about my faither and your family’s home?”

  “I did nae mean anythin’,” she answered, averting her eyes.

  “Ye obviously meant somethin’ by it or ye would nae have said it, lass,” he argued.

  “Think on it nae more, truly,” she urged him.

  Not wishing to cause discord between them, but not able to forget her words, Malcolm decided to wait and do some investigating of his own into the matter. He would ask his father if he remembered anything about her parents. Finlay was going around checking on the villages. Perhaps he could inquire on Malcolm’s behalf about the lass’ family. If his family had in some way done her harm, he wished to make amends.

  They fell back into silence for a time, watching the water flow over the rocks until Malcolm recalled the fish he had left on the bank. He had promised the castle cook a nice string of fish and he had no desire to go back on his word. He arose from his sitting position beside Alana and waded back into the water. “What are ye doin’?” she asked.

  “Fishin’” he replied, then went very still and awaited his next catch.

  Out of the corner of his eye he could see her watching him carefully. She did not ask any more questions, just waited to see what would come along. A brown trout came into view and Malcolm waited patiently for it to move closer. When he tossed it up onto the river bank at Alana’s feet, she clapped her hands in praise. “Well done!”

  “Do ye fish, lass?” he asked.

  “Oh, aye. My brother and I used tae fish all o’ the time,” she began, then stopped as if she had not meant to say what she had said.

  “I did nae ken ye had a brother,” Malcolm remarked.

  “He died along with my faither,” she answered, averting her eyes from his gaze. Malcolm assumed it must be too painful a topic for her to discuss.

  “I am truly sorrowful for yer loss, Alana,” he conveyed his sympathies.

  She acknowledged his words with a nod and attempted to stand. “I should get back tae the castle. I need tae look in on Mary and yer faither. Ye will be happy tae hear that Duncan is doin’ well and should recover fully with naught but a scar tae show f
or his troubles.”

  “Good tae hear it,” Malcolm answered, climbing back up the bank to assist her to a standing position. “I will assist ye back tae the castle.”

  “I will be fine,” she insisted.

  “Nevertheless, I will assist ye,” he stated firmly, not allowing any argument on the matter. He pulled a string from his sporran and strung the fish he had caught, tying them to his belt. “Be careful nae tae unwind that bandage.” He allowed Alana to use his body as a crutch taking the weight off of her wounded foot and putting it onto him. The feel of her cool hands upon his shirtless back with the press of her body upon his side were distracting beyond measure. He caught her looking at his bare chest and grinned. Apparently I am nae the only one o’ us that is affected by the sight of naked skin. He chuckled, pleased with himself.