Gifts of Desire (26 page)

             
“We go to the gathering
at
Briding
, four days hence
. 
You
will be coming with us.”

             
Ella
watched him
turn and
walk away.  For a moment she had almost been disappointed that she would be taken away from the castle, before she remembered that that part of her quest was over.  She had found the
treasure;
or rather the treasure had found her.  It was a
bad-tempered
and stubborn treasure to be sure, but one that she wanted with all her heart.  His kiss had left her aching and
empty
.  She wished she could run after him and throw herself into his arms again and finish what burned between them.  She turned back to the horse again. 

             
“He still doesn’t
trust me, Fallon.  And right he shouldn’t.  He has to put his people first; their lives are in hi
s hands.”  She paused.  “But
you
know
all this,
don’t
you
?  I have to be patient, earn his trust, gentle h
im to me like he has done to
you
.”  The horse
perked his ears and
seemed to be listening, so she went
on.  “I
know
there must have been a reason that I was sent to
Ceann
.  The way I feel when he’s near, I can’t even describe it.  I want to be closer, then closer still, but it will never be close enough.”  She smiled ruefully.
“Honestly, Fallon, I
don’t
want to make a fool of myself.  Never mind, of course, that I am telling my problems to a horse.”

Chapter 10

             
Ethan followed
Ceann
into the study, sitting in his favorite chair there and propping his boots on the table. 
Ceann
turned to look at him.  “Och, Ethan,
you’re
every
where I go lately.  Why must
you
follow me about like a
pup
?”

             
Ethan raised an eyebrow at him.  “Perhaps
you
need
such
a
pup
, to look after
you
. 
Ceann
,
you
’ll drive
your
self mad.”

             
“What?”

             
“The lass. 
You
want her
.
”

             
“Ethan, I
don’t
…”

             
“Och,
Ceann
, stop this!  I can
see
how much
you
want her. 
You’re
laird,
you
could have her.
 
You know you could. 
Must
you
deny
your
self
a woman to warm your bed, and your
happiness too?
”

             
Ceann
sighed and pushed his h
ands through his hair.  “I
don’t
need happiness to do my duty, Ethan.  And the lass… I’m no closer to
knowing
anything
at all
about her.”

             
“Perhaps sh
e doesn’t
keep silent against
you
”, said
Ethan
thoughtfully.  “Perhaps it’s her own probl
ems she’s running from.  Did
you
not consider that?  Maybe
she’s hiding from something,
or
someone, and
she
doesn’t
trust
you
to keep her secrets.”

             
Ceann
shook
his head and folded his arms across his chest.  “It doesn’t
matter.  I
don’t
trust women.  Lying, deceitful creatures, all of them!”

             
Ethan regarded him with a look of exaggerated patience.  “It’s only one woman
you
don’t
trust, and she was never worth
your
time anyway.  Brigid
was only out for what wealth and power she could gain.  She cared naught for any man.”

             
Ceann
sulked
at him.  “I
don’t
want to talk about her!”  He knew he sounded like a petulant child and
took a deep breath.  “I’m sorry Ethan, I
don’t
know
what’s wrong with me lately.” 

             
Brigid
had been his first love. 
She was beautifu
l, with dark hair and red lips,
proud,
aye and
a bit cold, now that he thought about it.  But still h
e had
wanted
to marry her
, and when she found out about the blasted curse, she left him. 
Without a word. 
She wanted sons to secure her
wealth and position.  S
he had married a b
aron, and probably had all she wanted and more. 
Probably had ten sons by now. 
He had been heart-broken…
and angry, so
very
angry.
  Not
long after
she left,
he
had occupied himself with one woman after the next, each bed colder than the last. 
Now he was twenty-
eight
summers, and had made his fortune ten times over; yet still he was alone.
He
was determined to
stay that way, and
not leave himself open to that kind of pain ever again.

***

             
In two days they would leave for the gathering, and the excitement was palpable. 
Briding
was twenty miles away, and it was uncommon for most villagers to travel that far
, at least not
very often.  It
was a rare opportunity to leave everyday work behind for a short time, and to meet up with old friends
and scattered family
.  And of course for the men to try to best each other and prove that their clan had the strongest and most able warriors.  Everyone was making one preparation or another, and
Ella
tried to help wherever she could.
  She had never been to a clan gathering before, and the growing excitement of everyone around her made her feel giddy with anticipation.
  When she saw
small and dainty
Fiona coming through the gate with her arms l
aden with packages and her
little
son hanging from her skirts,
she ran to help.  They managed to get everything into the keep, and Fiona started going through it all.

             
“
You’re
bringing all this?”

             
Fiona nodded,
her green eyes sparkling, and her cheeks nearly that same flame-color as her hair. 
“Oh
,
aye.  The women always t
rade for things we need or
don’t
have here.  It’s almost as much fun as
watching the men at their games.
”  She was putting things into piles, herbs, soap, trinkets…
then she paused and frowned.  “Oh, I’ve forgotten!  Maggie asked me to fetch a
n extra
pouch of willow bark from Mable.  I’ll have to go back.”

             
Ella
brightened.  “I’ll go!  I’ve had nothing
important to do all day, and
you’re
busy.”

             
“Thank
you
, but…
the laird said
you’re
not to leave the castle gates unguarded”, she said in hushed tones.  “He would be very angry if
you
went.”
 

             
Ella bit her lip.  In the excitement she had almost forgotten that she was in effect a prisoner still. 
Someone cleared their throat just behind them.  It was Colin, who had apparently been eavesdropping on their conversation.  “I’ll take
you
to the village, lass, if
you
want to go.  Mable’s place is a rather far walk, but I
know
from personal experience that
the extra
willow bark will be much
need
ed
after the men finish knocking each other about.”

             
Ella
smiled.  “Thank
you
, Colin. 
You’re
very kind
to
bring me
.  I’ll be back in no time, Fiona!”  She was grateful for a chance to leave the castle, if only for a short
while
, and in truth the small errand was done all too quickly.  Colin had been quite courteous, regaling her with polite conversation. 
Mairi was right about her brother.  He could surely charm even the most reluctant lass, b
ut she found herself wishing she was walking with
Ceann
instead. 
Ceann, who was anything but charming, but had managed to
capture
her
heart
all the same.  Colin
left her just inside the gates, and she went to find Maggie and give her the willow bark
to pack
in the trunk
with the other
simples
.

             
Ceann
finished the accounts he was working on and slammed the book shut on the desk.  Keeping accounts was his least favorite job as laird, but he wanted to have everything in order befor
e they left for the gathering. 
He stood up, stretching, and went to the window, watching the hum
of activity in the bailey below, his eyes automatically searching for Ella.
  Then he caught sight of her.  She was just coming through the gate, and with her was…
Colin. 
Though he couldn’t see his face from the study, he knew that swagger. 
Where had they been together?  He saw him take her hand and kiss it…
saw her smile, saw Colin lean in toward her… And then
all
Ceann
saw
red.  A buzzing sound filled his ears, and his vision narrowed until all he could see was the two
of them, together at the gate, until
a rage came over him that blocked out even that.
  He could have no way of knowing that what he felt the mindless
fury
of a man who watched his mate with another.

             
Ella
, finding nothing else to do
for the moment
, decided to go to her chamber and pack the few things she would need to bring with her. 
Not that she had much.  Though she had arrived at Tulloch with naught but the clothes she wore, she had been lent more clothing, and a comb and brush f
or her hair, and she would need to bring things for washing, of course…
  She hummed softly to herself as she climbed the winding stone steps. 
It would be so
exciting
to get away for a few days! 
And to a gathering! 
At the top
, she saw that the door
to her chamber
was open. 
Was someone in her room?
  She crept closer a
nd peered
around the door frame, still wary
after her experience with
the henchman Ross had sent after her
, even though the guard had been more than doubled since then, and the secret passage sealed to the outside.
  Her heart
nearly
flipped in her chest when she saw it was
Ceann
. 

             
He was clearly agitated, and he shoved his hands through his hair as he paced rapidly back and forth across the
room.
 
Had he found out about her? 
Had he finally decided to send her away?  Her
stomach dropped to the floor. 
No! 
I can’t
go now
. 
I don’t
want to go now
.  She slipped into the room, and she could feel the tension surrounding him like a living thing.