Gifts of Desire (37 page)

             
“Where did
you
learn to throw a knife like that?”

             
She shrugged.  “
You
never
know
when such a skill could come in handy.”
  Malolm had taught her, years ago.

             
“Why d
id
you
follow us?” he asked softly, but she could hear the anger in his voice.

             
“I thought I could help…
I thought
you
might be in trouble…”

             
He reached out and grabbed her arm, squeezing tightly.  “
You
thought
you
could help?
 
You
defied me and rode out o
n
your
own because
you
thought
you
could help?
”

             
She made a sound as his grip on her arm grew tighter, but then the pounding of hooves drew his attention away from her.  It was her guard
.  Of course they ha
d followed after her.  She looked at
Ceann
.  His lips were pressed together in a tight line.  She thought perhaps he was going to vent his rage at the men who had just belatedly caught up to her, but instead he turned to Ethan. 

             
“
You
and Gregor can handle things here?”

             
Ethan nodded.  “Aye, go
ahead;
there are only a few minor wounds.
  Luck was with us.
”
  He shot a
wonder-struck
look at Ella.

             
Before she knew what was happening,
Ceann
lifted
her
from her horse and placed her none-too-gently in the saddle before him. 
Apparently, she was going to be the one to suffer his rage. 
He remained silent as t
hey rode back towards Tulloch
,
as did she. 
With the shock of all that had just happened, she didn’t know what to say. 
After a few miles, he
veered off the trail and into a copse of trees.  When they reached a large boulder, he stopped the horse and slid off, bringing her with him.  He held her by the arms and
almost shook her,
he was so angry.
  And frightened.  Seeing her appear in the midst of heated combat had terrified him.
  “How could
you
risk your life like that, riding into a battle?  Damn it
Ella
,
you
could have been killed!”

             
She stiffened in his grip
, angry that
he
was angry
.  “
You
could have been killed! 
Don’t
bother thanking me,
you
ungrateful, overgrown
…
boor!”

             
He
searched her face
, his fingers tightening further on her arms
.  “How did
you
know
? 
How
did
you
know
?
  Are you a MacDonald?
”

             
“I didn’t
…
I didn’t
know
. 
I just had a feeling.”

             
His rage had not yet cooled. 
To see her there, among his enemies…
in danger…
yet she almost certainly
had
saved his life.
  He could not have defended himself against three men
on three different sides.  He c
ould have been killed, or at least
gravely
injured.
 

             
“
You
rode all this way because of a
feeling
?  And
you
didn’t
bother to bring anything but a
knife
?”
  He paused.  “How did
you
get away from the guards?”

             
She struggled against his iron grip. 
“Let go,
you’re
hurting me!
”  She kicked ineffectually at his shin, but he didn’t seem to even notice.
 
“
I took the horse and rode out of the gate before they could stop me.
  There was no time…
” 

             
H
e didn’t let go. 
Ceann
stared down at her, his breath coming short and fast.  The rush of the battle accompanied by pent-up fear and anger was quickly translating itself into a physical need that would not be denied.  He almost groaned aloud as waves of desire washed over him thick and hot. 
He needed
her, had to have her
…
at all costs had to have her now…
  He started moving forward, backing her inexorably toward the face of the rock.  A little breath was knocked from her chest as she hit the stone, and she looked up at him, eyes wild and questioning, even as they were heavy with passion. 
For him
.  He pinned her to the rock with his weight, as his hand dipped down to lift her skirt, hitching it up around her waist.  Moving his plaid out of the way, he entered her hard, pausing to lift her hands up over her head, holding them there as he drove into her.  She cried out once, then he knew nothing else
as he pounded into her, trying to get beyond the
fury
and the pain and the unfairness of it all.  Trying to lose himself in her body, and in the waves of pure pleasure that soon overcame him, until with one last thrust he let out a triumphant roar. 
All of his rage, all of the blood-lust still pounding in his veins from the battle left him
then, extinguished in that final
violent, pulsing moment of ecstasy. 
When he released her hands, she sagged against him like a ragdoll, and for a moment he
again
thought he
must have
hurt her
. 
“
Tha mi duilich
”
I’m
sorry
.
Worried, he took
her chin in his hand and turned her face up to his own.  She smiled softly.

             
“Am I forgiven, then?”
she asked.

             
He looked at her for a moment, once more at a loss where she was concerned.  “Aye.  There
was
nothing to forgive.”
 
She was so perfect for him.  When he needed her, she was there.  When he could not control his passion, she took it all, and gave him back her own.  She was kind and good, beautiful and
clever
.  But most of all, she
fit
him
, like no one else ever had or ever could
.

             
When they reached the castle, the rest of
Ceann
’s men were already there. 
Ella
rushed
into the keep to help tend the wounded, of which there were remarkably few
,
considering
the intensity of the battle
.  She carefully stitched
the
few gashes
Maggie hadn’t gotten to yet
, laughing and flirting
a little
with the men to take their minds off the pain as she worked. 
Ceann
stood at the end of the room, watching, and every time she looked up, his eyes were on her.

             
Later, when she went out to the garden for a breath of fresh air, Ceann followed her.  She heard his footsteps behind her in the dark and turned.  He took her hand and led her to
the
stone bench near the path, where they both sat down.  He sighed and looked up at the stars.  “I wanted to say… I shouldn’t have… I… I’m sorry lass, for the way I treated you today.  I was angry, because I
was afraid for you… and… well, thank you, for what you did.”  He looked at her, eyes sparking.  “But don’t ever do it again!”

             
She smiled at him.  “You’re welcome, but I can’t promise I won’t do it again.  In fact, I most certainly
would
do it again.”

             
“Aye, I know it.
  You have too much courage by half.
”
  His lips quirked in a slight smile.  “Did you follow us, when we left this morning?”

             
“No, I only followed later
, I
…”

             
“Then how did you know, Ella, do you have the Sight?”  He was studying her intensely. 

             
She shook her head.  “No, I don’t… I… only once in a great while I see things that are about to happen.  Only there isn’t usually time to do anything about it… this time
… this time there was.”

             
“And you rode after us, when you saw
the third man attack me from behind?
”

             
“Aye.
  I couldn’t just let… I couldn’t.
”
  She looked away, afraid he would see the tears that threatened to spill.  Tears of fear and relief, and just too much strong emotion.

             
“I see.”  He looked up at the stars again
, then asked quietly, hesitantly,
“Are you betrothed to someone Ella, where you came from?  Is there someone waiting for you?
  I have the right to know at least that much, lass, with all we have shared.
”

             
“No, I’m not betrothed. 
Why?”

             
His lips curled up slightly into a rueful smile.  “Because I’m beginning to wonder if I have it in me to let you go, and I want to know how many I would have to fight to keep you.”

             
She smiled. 
“I hope it wouldn’t come to that Ceann.  I want to stay here with you, and I don’t see anything that could stand in my way.”

             
“Your father?” he asked
hesitantly.

             
“I never knew my father.  And my mother died years ago.”

             
“Surely you are not alone in the world.”

             
“No, I’ve always had people to care for me, I’ve never been alone.”  She reached up to caress his cheek, and his hand closed over hers, holding it there
, turning towards her touch
.  He closed his eyes.
  It would take a leap of faith, to believe that she meant him no harm with her secrets; that there was another reason, which would become clear in time.  Could he learn to trust again?  The alternative, a life without her, was unthinkable.

             
“I want you with me Ella”, he said softly.

             
She leaned over and kissed him, tenderly, languidly.  He had not said he wanted to
marry her, or even stay with him
forever, but it was a start.  The rest could come later, because she was determined that Ceann would be hers, her
husband
, and she would never let him go.
 

Chapter 16

             
Ella
ran from the kitchen, where she had been helping Fiona prepare the evening meal.  When the roast was pulled from the oven, the warm, wafting scent of it nearly made her sick.  Outside, she collapsed against the wall, a fine sweat breaking out on her skin.  How odd, the eggs frying this morning had had the same effect.  Fiona appeared in the doorway. 

             
“Are
you
alright,
Ella
?”  She looked worried, and
Ella
smiled reassuringly.

             
“Aye, I’m fine, just an unsettled stomach.  I’ll go fetch something for it, then be back to help.”

             
Fiona shook her head.  “We have plenty of help.  Off with
you
now and rest,
you
’ll just be under our feet anyway.”

             
“Are
you
sure, Fiona?  I
don’t
wa
nt to leave all the work for
you
.”