Lord of the Black Isle (15 page)

But what did cause it was the sudden realization that this abbey would be the perfect place to set up a hospital. And that gave birth to an idea. If she couldn't go back to Elcho Priory to practice medicine, she could set up her own hospital here in this abbey, which was obviously not being used for anything. Her mind was racing now, and she was trying to think of the supplies she had brought with her. She still had her medicines the friars gave her, but she needed more to treat the larger number of people that this abbey could provide room for.

The only snag in the entire idea was convincing Lord Kinloss to let her put his abbey to good use, and a hospital meant there would be people coming and going, which was sure to not sit well with him. But when had she ever let something like that deter her, once she made up her mind?

She left the abbey and walked down a narrow pathway, and finding a tranquil spot, she sat upon a tumbledown rock wall and pondered how she could find sources for all the things she would need. The hospital at Soutra grew many of its own plants, so she could do the same, but for things like opium, she would have to rely upon ships that would bring such supplies into Edinburgh. She decided to see if Ailis could obtain pen and paper for her to list her supplies, and perhaps David would allow some of his men to make the trip back to Soutra to obtain seeds and such that she could use here until they could raise their own. They could also provide her with the best way to establish connections with the traders who brought things like opium and other ingredients that they could not grow or buy in Scotland. Lastly, she would need all of her supplies and belongings from Elcho Priory moved to Aisling Castle. But first she needed to speak to Lord Kinloss.

And speaking of Lord Kinloss, David was in his study pondering the best time and place to approach her with his idea, and decided there was no time like the present. He left the castle and was on his way to the abbey when he saw her walking toward him.

Elisabeth had just rounded a corner by a magnificent stand of pines surrounded by dense shrubs, so she did not see David until she almost bumped into him and lost her balance trying to avoid it. He reacted quickly and grabbed her before she took a tumble. Stunned, she took a deep breath and said breathlessly, “Thank you. I'm so glad you happened along.”

“I was looking for ye but did not expect to find ye so quickly. Had I known it would end wi' ye in my arms, I would ha' come sooner.”

She realized he was still holding her by both arms, with her clasped closely against him. She decided to change the subject and asked, “Why were you looking for me?”

“I have a proposition for ye.”

Shocked, she took a step back, for she had an idea just what kind of proposition he had in mind. “And what might that be, Lord Kinloss?”

“I have come to offer ye the use of the abbey for a hospital. With a few changes, I think it could be made into a fine hospital, and there is great need for one in this part o' the Black Isle.”

She was momentarily too stunned to speak, so she simply stood there like a carved statue while her brain tried computing what this could mean. “And what would you want in return?”

His lips twitched, but he was all seriousness when he said, “Medical treatment for those who live near enough to travel here. What other reason would I have?” He paused a moment, and when she couldn't seem to put two words together, he said, “I thought you wanted to practice medicine. Do you find having your own hospital offensive? Have I insulted ye?”

His voice was both deep and rich, and she was reminded of the first time she heard him speak and how she thought she could sit for hours just listening to him read anything. She studied his slightly melancholy face, the deep violet-blue eyes, the almost unassuming appearance—as though he were lost in a swirling gloom of Highland fog. He seemed totally unaware of his animal magnetism, or his traditional, manly qualities that marked him as an excellent specimen of manhood. And that made him absolutely, positively adorable.

She wondered if he ever smiled since assuming the role of earl. She realized how much she missed the knight she had come to know after he rescued her from the MacLeans and took her on that short journey to Soutra Aisle. She tried to remember if she had heard him laugh even then, for try as she might, she could not conjure up a memory of what his laughter sounded like.

He was truly a study in understatement and could write the book on habitually uncommunicative speech and manner. He was simply so broodingly intense that his almost starchy reticence made him tremendously sympathetic. Yes, he was haughty and proud, but he carried a burden of tormenting grief that would have made Atlas buckle beneath the weight of it.

Elisabeth, if you so much as look like you are going to cry, you are a bigger idiot than I thought…

She realized at that moment that he was waiting for her to answer him. “Yes, it would make a perfect hospital, and it isn't being used for anything now. There is always a need for treating the illnesses of the infirm, and if there isn't a hospital close to here, then it would serve this area well. I have no womanly skills for needlework, I cannot sing, and I am not a student of the arts. But I am a very good doctor, and a place away from the normal routine of castle life would be a perfect place for me to work.”

“And yer supplies? Where will those come from?”

“There is nothing around the abbey save the cemetery, which leaves plenty of room for a garden where we could grow some of the plants necessary for making medicines right here, much in the same manner as the friars did at Soutra Aisle, and the things we cannot grow we can obtain, as they did, from foreign traders coming into port at Edinburgh. I have the knowledge to compound the medicines and the education and training to administer them to treat various illnesses.”

She almost mentioned how lives could be saved, but she caught herself in the nick of time, for that would serve as a reminder of his sister, and she did not want to go down that path. She realized she had been babbling away, and when she looked up to see how he was taking all of this, she was beyond shocked to see the barest ghost of a smile and an amused twinkling in his eyes.

But he did not say anything, and after a few minutes of him simply staring at her, she was becoming a bit on edge. She decided she had waited enough and that it was time to cut to the chase, so she stood on tiptoe and gave him a totally spontaneous hug… a
big
, wrap-your-arms-around-his-middle hug, which went off okay until she made the mistake of looking up at him.

She took a step back and was trying to think of something to say to save herself, but whatever words were lingering in her mind disappeared faster than the morning mist in brilliant sunshine, and she was left with a dazed sort of confusion. She could not remember ever having a man look at her with a gaze that was both gentle and highly erotic, rather like a warm hand gently gliding over one's naked skin. His caressing eyes held hers, never blinking or looking away, but looking at her in a smoldering way that made her insides feel like they were melting. She was awfully glad she was sitting down. She could feel her heart hammering in her throat, but still his gaze held hers. The moment stretched between them, and the rest of the world seemed so very far away.

“Come here.”

Come
here…
The words went over her like a warm palm, touching her as gently as a caress, as comfortable as a loving hug. Her mind was running away with imaginings. Her mouth was dry, her hands perspiring, and her breathing grew more rapid. Forgotten was the reason she came here to see him. Forgotten was her resentment over his keeping her here. Forgotten was her bitterness that came from the blame he wrongly placed upon her for the death of his sister.

She could feel the steady hammering of her pulse in her throat. Her mind went blank, for all rational thought was replaced by her contemplation of his vitality, his forcefulness, and the masculinity that seemed to radiate outward from him, surrounding her with thoughts she would rather not have at this particular moment when she was trying to appear levelheaded and businesslike. In truth, she was wishing he would take her in his arms and kiss her senseless, then strip both of them down to bare flesh and then replace the black and white images of what their lovemaking would be like with vivid color. And she would be forever haunted by the smoldering look in his eyes.

“Excuse me?”

“Come here.”

Her mind grew foggy and her eyesight seemed to blur a bit, and she saw Mr. Darcy walk out of a small lake, wearing his soaked clothes, his hair wet, and looking totally precious walking toward her with a smoldering look. She blinked and Colin Firth disappeared, and David was sitting there looking as good as two holidays come together.

With a wobbly voice she asked, “Why?”

He smiled and she melted like a pat of butter in a hot skillet. “Come here and I will show ye.”

She wanted to. Oh boy, did she ever, but she was hesitant, which surprised her.

“Do I disturb ye?”

Oh, you have no idea just how true that is…
“Yes, you do.”

“I wonder,” he said softly, “why that is.”

She shrugged. “If I knew, I wouldn't tell you.”

He didn't smile, but his eyes did. “And why is that?”

“I don't think it wise to give advantage to the enemy.”

That seemed to surprise him. “And I am your enemy?”

“I do not know you well enough to know for certain.”

“Now, that is something that can be easily changed.”

It was such a strange thing to see herself in a situation that she had no control over… she, Elisabeth Rhiannon Douglas, who was the queen of coolness in high school, the devil's own temptress in college, and a strong, independent, self-confident, and self-willed woman who thought nothing of challenging a man or a professor when speaking her mind in medical school. Only now, in the presence of this Scottish knight, she was out of sync with herself, for she was none of these things, and she realized what made him different and why he was so appealing to her. He was not one man, but many, for he challenged her and stood up to her, and no matter how tired he was or how much he suffered or what ordeals he faced or how many responsibilities clung to him like weights, he understood her and knew how to gentle her without breaking her spirit. He did not feel threatened by her, nor did he feel superior, and she was completely captivated by the knightly manliness of him and the knowledge that he would protect her if it meant losing his life to do so.

She frowned, deep in thought, for that skillet with the pat of butter was getting awfully hot and she was kidding herself if she said she was not attracted to him. Ergo, it did seem ridiculous for her to sit here like the Rock of Gibraltar when he wanted her over there where he was, and she thought that would be a dandy place to be for one who was terribly in need of a little consoling about now. However…

She never got beyond “however,” however… for suddenly, she felt his hand take hers, when she had not been aware that he had come to his feet or walked around the desk, and now he was taking the decision away from her by taking her hand in his and pulling her to her feet. It was such a simple, effortless thing to do, but it completely overwhelmed her. She could have handled his gentleness or taking her in his arms with a passionate embrace, but this, by virtue of its understatement, left her breathless, uncertain, and anticipating… what?

“Are ye afraid o' me?”

“No, of course not!” She closed her eyes, mentally browbeating herself for a reply that was too quick, too forceful, and spoken too loud. She could never remember being out of control around a man, but she was out of her comfort zone, over her head, and sinking faster than the
Titanic
.

He lifted her hand and brought it to his lips, then kissed each of her fingers, one by one, before she felt him trace her lips with his finger, then he trailed it lightly over her skin to the highly sensitive area of her neck just below her ear. Her breath caught, her eyes closed, and she swayed on her feet, only to be caught in his embrace as his mouth captured hers in a kiss that made her knees buckle.

He slipped an arm around her and pulled her closer, then turned her with her back to the bookcase. And just when she opened her mouth to say something ridiculous like
Let
me
go
, his body was pressed against hers and he kissed her deeply, his hands coming up to caress each side of her face, his fingers stroking her neck, and she whimpered just as her arms went around him.

He caught her leg and lifted it, and it curled around the back of his leg like it had a mind of its own. She could feel the hardness of him pressing against her in just the right place that made her breathing erratic, and she had a vision them lying in bed with his thick dark hair rumpled from sleep, his voice low and throbbing with desire, his hands doing wonderful things to her body that made her scream from the pure pleasure of it, and yet he coaxed even more from her, far more even than she was willing to give.

And that unnerved her. Really unnerved her… for it was empowering and she did not want to give him that edge. Shaken now, down to her core, she knew she had to get out of here and away from him, or she would end up making love with him on the floor. But, his hand was touching her and he groaned at her readiness.

“Let me make love to ye.”

She had to bite her tongue to keep from saying yes and sinking to the floor. True, she wanted him to the point of desperation, but not here and not like this. She knew there was something different about him that made her different when she was with him, and she wanted more than groping against the wall and sex on the floor.

She pushed him away. “I can't,” she said, and turning, she almost ran to the door, and her hand was barely on the handle when she jerked the door open. Just as she started through it, he spoke.