To Wed A Highlander Read online

  Both departed, going separate ways, avoiding the moonlight. Colin headed toward Canmore, hoping Makenna would still be sleeping in the solar. She was.

  Askew in their bed, she had kicked off most of the covers and was lying on her side. The diaphanous linen chemise Makenna was wearing clung to her gentle curves featured in the golden hue of the firelight. She was slim and delicate, and her fiery red hair was fanned out on the white pillow, giving Colin a view of her soft, vulnerable nape.

  He could feel himself becoming aroused by the sheer sight. Stripping off his sword, belt, and leine, he got into bed, pulling his plaid over them both.

  Instinctively Makenna snuggled up to him, wiggling her backside against him to get more comfortable. The pain of her touch was excruciating, but worth it to feel her again in his arms.

  So much of him wanted to kiss her awake and make love to her, but even more, he wanted the feeling that things were as before.

  He fell asleep vowing to be gone before she awoke.

  Shouts from outside woke Makenna. The room was dark with only hazy shadows dancing on the walls from the dying embers. She knew Colin must have also heard the noise, but neither moved. Colin was on his back and Makenna’s head lay comfortably on his chest. Her legs were intertwined with his. She did not want to give this up.

  Colin had been visiting her every night for almost two weeks after she had retired and pretended to fall asleep. He would lie holding on to her and leave her side in the morning just before the sun rose.

  Makenna squeezed her eyes tight. If the noise continued, Colin would be forced to rise, and when he did, she could no longer pretend she was unaware that he came to her when she slept.

  The noise was getting louder. Fear enveloped Makenna. These precious nights where he just held her were all that was keeping her sane. Without them, she would break down in tears and never be able to stop. At any moment, Colin would leave and this time, he wouldn’t come back.

  Colin lay awake, torn between his need for Makenna and rising to end the commotion. The time was late, but it was not yet morning. He guessed it to be two or three hours before sunrise—much too early for all the activity he was hearing.

  A loud pounding came from the door. Colin grimaced. The choice between Makenna and duty was no longer his to make. Carefully, he slipped off the bed and rose to see who killed the last semblance of his dream life.

  Colin opened the door to a young soldier covered in blood. Behind him, he heard Makenna exclaim, “Good Lord!” before she rushed to his side to help the man.

  “Colin, carry him in! Where are you hurt?” Makenna asked, searching his body for the wound that caused such loss of blood.

  “I am unhurt, milady. It’s Sean. Dunlop has him in the lower hall. He sent me to fetch you, Laird.” The man’s voice was shaking severely as he spoke.

  Colin nodded and moved to get dressed when he heard Makenna order the soldier to enter as she was throwing on her own wrap. “Come in here and sit by the fire. Colin and I will take care of Sean. I will have someone bring you some drink.”

  Makenna followed Colin out the door. He hesitated. “Sean had to have lost a lot of blood to cover him like that. You should stay here,” he suggested more than commanded.

  Makenna shook her head. “The midwife has gone north to help deliver a baby, and even then, I am better skilled with sword and axe wounds. Let me tend to Sean. You find out who did this, why, and how it happened.”

  Colin waved for her to proceed down the tower stairs and followed her into the cold night air. When they reached the lower hall, several people had already congregated. Two more men were covered in blood, and a third was on the table.

  Makenna moved quickly to the man’s side. Dunlop looked up, surprised that Colin allowed Makenna to be there.

  “Tell me exactly what you know of his wounds,” she directed, her voice calm but full of command.

  Dunlop instinctively responded, “There’s a good gash on his left upper arm and one somewhere on his face. But he was severely stabbed here.”

  Makenna followed Dunlop’s finger to Sean’s right side. Someone had already fetched water and some cloths and laid them at the end of the table. Picking one up, she put it on the side wound and instructed Dunlop to hold it in place.

  Then she dipped a second cloth into the water and began cleaning the young man’s face. The soldier resisted. She moved closer, and as if she were comforting a small child, she crooned, “Sean, I need to get a better look at these wounds. I know you are in pain, but you are going to be just fine. I have worked on many knife wounds, and I know just what to do. Do you trust me?”

  Sean nodded his head.

  Makenna ordered someone to fetch Camus and bring his stitching bag.

  Makenna quickly wiped Sean’s face and located the arc-shaped gash on the side of his forehead. As she suspected, a lot of the blood was coming from that. Next, she stole a brief glance at his arm, confirming Dunlop’s description. It was quite deep and would need to be tended, but not until after she addressed his side wound.

  Carefully, Makenna took the cloth from Dunlop and inspected the serious injury. Camus arrived and placed a large bag on the table. “What do you need first?” he asked.

  Makenna kept her attention on the deep gash. “I’m going to need a compress made of ground ivy for his arm and head. I’ll need a needle, thread, and a candle to stitch his side.”

  Camus began digging in his bag, removing the items. “What else?”

  Makenna turned, swiftly looked around, and plucked the dagger sheathed in Colin’s belt. Colin saw her intentions and moved to help. Carefully, they cut away most of Sean’s clothing, trying not to cause him any more pain. By the time they were done, Camus had threaded the needle and was burning the tip in the candle’s flame.

  Makenna took the needle and pierced the skin. She heaved a sigh of relief when Sean passed out from the pain. Realizing the soldier was no longer conscious, Colin gathered the men in the room into a huddle.

  Quickly Mackenna made small stitches along the long gash and gave Camus further instructions. “When I’m done here, I’ll want to keep a poultice of marigold and John’s Wort over the incision. And include henbane, if you have any more. I’ll need one of your men, Colin, to bring in a bed and a more comfortable chair. It will be easier to take care of him here. Once he’s on the bed, Sean should not be moved again. I don’t want anything reopening that wound. Hopefully the poultice will keep down the pain and bleeding.” Out of her peripheral vision, Makenna saw heads nod as people began to execute her instructions.

  “Will he be all right?”

  The question came from one of the soldiers who had obviously carried his friend in by the amount of blood on him.

  Makenna made the last stitch and tied it off. She stood up and looked the young man in the eye. “The wound is deep, and Sean is very weak. But he was strong and healthy prior to this. If we can avoid fever, he should make it.”

  Colin ordered the man to help the others with the bed. Then he pulled her aside. For the moment, with the exception of Camus and Dunlop, who remained with Sean, they were alone.

  “Tell me the truth. How does he fare?”

  Makenna sighed and looked at the unconscious body. “I spoke in earnest before, though I might have given more hope than I should have concerning the fever. When it comes, I’ll give him a hot broth mixed with elder, yarrow, and peppermint.” She paused and looked up at Colin.

  “How did it happen?” she asked, positive Colin had discovered how and why Sean had been injured.

  “I assigned a few men to watch over the wall until it was complete for security. Bored, they began sparring. Sean heard a noise, was distracted, and did not deflect the dagger coming at him in the dark.”

  Colin hated the dishonesty, but after what he just heard, he had no choice. Four men had tried to sneak through the incomplete portion of the wall. Sean was the first to attack, killing the initial invader. The other guards joined and the battle quickly ended. One attacker, in his last gurgles of breath, had laughed and let them know that MacCuaig was coming and he was after Makenna.

  Makenna knew Colin was lying. She had witnessed Colin fighting to control his fury when speaking with his men. All three of the undamaged soldiers still had their daggers with them, and all the blades had been bloody. None of the men apologized either; something she would have expected if Sean’s wound had been caused by a friend. No, whoever did this was an enemy, but whose enemy—Colin’s or the clan’s?

  She thought about calling Colin on his lie, but decided against it. For some reason, he did not want to tell her the truth, and she sensed it was not to be condescending or to be in control, but from a need to protect.

  “Will you have to go? To check out that noise?” she asked, giving him a way to perpetuate his lie.

  Colin’s brows shot up in surprise. “Aye, I…will,” he answered. Blue eyes searched hers for a moment, seeking an indication of whether she believed him or not.

  The men returned and began assembling a bed, tightening the ropes before laying the mattress down. Warily, under Makenna’s watchful eye, they lifted Sean and placed him on the bedding. She quickly inspected the poultice bandage on his side and applied the ground ivy compress to his arm and forehead. The wounds were clean and the bleeding had stopped, at least for now.

  “Camus, I need to go to my chambers and dress. I will return directly.”

  Makenna headed toward the archway to exit the hall and entered the night air. Colin caught up with her and pulled her into his arms. Needing his strength, Makenna gave in to her desire to be held by him.

  Things had been so tense between them, and Colin knew this embrace had not resolved whatever was wrong, but it felt good to hold her once more. After a l
ong moment, he kissed her head and whispered into her hair, “Dunlop and I need to leave now. Gorten and Brodie will remain here and protect you. It should not take me more than a few days.”

  Makenna nodded against his chest, soaking up his warmth. “Just you and Dunlop?”

  “Aye, we should not be gone long. Few days at the most.”

  Makenna wanted to say, “Take care. I love you,” but the words would not come out. She felt vulnerable and exposed enough just by his holding her heart.

  After a while, Colin slipped Makenna out of his arms in preparation to leave. He looked down and was temporarily frozen. Her eyes had turned a deep forest green. Without thought, he closed his hand around the back of her head and brought her lips up close to his. “Oh, how I will miss you, Makenna.” Then Colin cupped her chin with his hands and kissed her.

  His mouth came down on hers before Makenna could even think of moving. She wanted to fight the passionate onslaught, but she didn’t have the strength. A shudder passed through her, and she knew the ragged moan that had escaped was her own.

  Colin meant only to give her a gentle kiss. Aye, he meant to say good-bye and remind her of what they once shared, but when Makenna’s arms went around his neck and her mouth opened to him, inviting him in, he found himself kissing her with a hunger akin to pain. Gathering her in his arms, he gave her a hot, searing kiss that held nothing back. Finally, he reluctantly eased himself away from her and disappeared through the gatehouse calling for his horse.

  Makenna leaned back and released a joyful sigh. Sean was going to live.

  The morning following the attack Sean had started running a fever. During the next twenty-four hours, it continued to grow. He fought drinking the tea and tried to hit anyone who came near him. More than once, Makenna was glad that she had learned to dodge and weave so well, though she never imagined applying the skill in such a way.

  Camus came in and relieved her for short bursts, but his knowledge of medicines was only limited to what Makenna had taught him.

  The summer he had first started teaching Makenna the ways of swordplay, she had gotten scraped a few times. Fortunately, a visiting nun had taught Makenna the healing properties of some herbs and how to apply them. Afraid that her father would discover her injuries, Makenna had begged Camus to keep the bag of herbs with him lest her father inquire why she would need such items. Camus had held them ever since.

  The next two days Sean’s fever raged. He seemed to go through bouts of insanity either attempting to hit Makenna for trying to bury him under burning covers of flame, or lunging at her seeking a kiss while calling Makenna by a female’s name she had never heard before.

  Near midnight of the fourth night following the attack, Sean’s head began to cool. He no longer burned her fingers to the touch. She stood and stretched and went to shake Camus, who was sleeping in a chair with his head propped up on the table. “Camus,” Makenna whispered, nudging her friend.

  “Huh? What? He worse?”

  “No, better. I think our soldier is going to live to fight another battle. He should wake soon. Try to make him drink, but don’t—under any circumstances—let him move. I need a bath. No.” She wagged a finger at him. “I already know I stink and don’t need to be teased about it.”

  Camus grinned, glad to see Makenna in better spirits. She had taken only spots of sleep the past few nights and had done very little for herself as she deemed it would keep her away for too long. “I was only going to ask if you wanted me to wake the staff and have them heat some water.”

  Camus knew her staff wouldn’t mind. The past few days had shown everyone, even the most hardened, Makenna’s true character. There was a good chance they would argue over who should be the one to serve their mistress.

  Makenna yawned and then shook her head left to right once. While she was watching over Sean, the staff had taken the load of her work onto themselves. They had done it without complaint, but she would not burden them further by lessening their sleep. “No, I think I need the cool waters of the loch.”

  “When you return, go to bed. Do not come back here until you have slept. If you do, I’ll carry you to your chambers myself.”

  “Ah, Camus, you remind me so much of my father.”

  “That is the highest of compliments, milady. But it won’t change what will happen if you come back without a good night’s sleep.”

  Makenna waved at him and left. She was too tired to argue. She desperately wanted sleep but knew it would not come until she felt clean once again.

  Colin arrived at Lochlen and hastily handed his black to the sleepy stable master. He went directly to the solar to check on Makenna. The bed had not been slept in. Assuming she was with Sean, he headed to the lower hall, finding only Sean and Camus awake by the hearth. Sean was taking some broth offered by the old sword smith.

  At the noise, Camus looked up and waved Colin over. “Laird, it is good to have you back.”

  Sean glanced over his shoulder. “Lady Makenna was like a beautiful angel. She saved my life.”

  “Glad to see you are doing better,” Colin managed to get out. It was hard to be civil to another man so open with his affection for Makenna. She was his, and since the distance had erupted between them, he had grown only more possessive of her.

  “Aye, she did,” Camus added. “Your wife stayed in here day and night. Only when Sean’s fever broke did she acquiesce to a swim and some sleep. I believe she left for the loch less than a half hour ago with both Gorten and Brodie in tow.”

  Makenna stared out at the water glistening in the moonlight. There was a slight breeze causing the surface to ripple and her exposed skin to bristle. She looked around searching the shadows once again. When she had arrived, she thought she heard footsteps and felt the weight of eyes upon her. But when she had gone to investigate, nothing had been there.

  Makenna approached the water’s edge and dipped in her toe. The always cold water had taken on a frigid temperature. Fall had started in earnest and she could see her breath in the early morning air.

  She took a few steps, braced herself, and then plunged into the icy depths. Her body immediately shunned the cold. Small bumps rippled along her flesh as she stroked the water trying to build heat within her veins. It was not working.

  Swimming over to the rock where she had placed her bathing items, she took the soap and began to scrub vigorously at her flesh. It had been only four days since her last bath, but it felt more like thirty. Slowly, she felt the layers of grime wash away and began to massage her hair. She submerged, twisting her head back and forth under the water, rinsing all the soap out, feeling at last somewhat normal again.

  Colin saw her emerge out of the water like a siren calling to her next victim. He had no intention in fighting the pull. Immediately he began to strip off his clothes.

  Makenna rubbed her eyes to free the attached droplets and felt her jaw drop. Colin was there. And he was removing his belt. “What are you doing?” she snapped, appalled that he just might come in and join her. After their last kiss, she had sworn not to let him catch her in a vulnerable position again.

  Colin smiled. It was the first feisty comment she had made in weeks. “Now, I remember a time when you greeted me quite differently when I returned from a trip.”

  Makenna pointed at his plaid he was throwing next to hers. “Well, that is not now. Put those clothes right back on!”

  Chuckling, he responded, “Then they would get wet.” He sat down on a smooth knee-high rock and proceeded to unlace one of his leggings.

  A large sense of unease enveloped Makenna. She would not be able to withstand both her emotional need and physical need for him. She was too tired, and her desire for him was too great. Pride rallied one last time. “Colin, I forbid you to come in here. I am bathing. I was here first, and I want to be alone. Come back when I am done.” Her voice had started out strong but had evolved into a desperate plea.

  Colin silently removed his second legging. He knew she was serious in wishing him away, but he also knew that this was the first real conversation they had shared since things had started going terribly wrong. A full battalion of men couldn’t drag him away now. This might be his one chance to discover exactly what had caused her to change so dramatically toward him.