The Bride (40 page)

"You're serious, aren't you, wife?"

"I am."

"You couldn't hit the side of our stables," Alec announced. "Yet you think to kill a moving target?"

"You think not?"

"I know not."

"You should have more faith in your wife," Jamie muttered as she slowly slipped the curved bow from her shoulder and reached for one of her arrows.

It was high time she set the man straight, she decided. Jamie had noticed a brown hide anchored to the large bale of hay farther down the slope. There were a good fifteen arrows clustered around the center of the hide. She motioned to the target, then said, "Will you let me hunt if I prove my skill to you?"

Marcus coughed, obviously trying to disguise his laughter. Jamie turned to frown at him while she waited for her husband to answer.

"I would not let you disgrace yourself so in front of my men," Alec announced. He wanted to goad her temper with his insolent remark, knew he'd accomplished that goal when she turned back to him. She looked as if she wanted to strangle him.

"I won't disgrace myself."

He had the audacity to grin at her. "Kindly get out of my way, husband," she ordered. "You may laugh later," she snapped when she saw how much trouble he was having restraining himself. "If you feel so inclined."

Alec nodded, then backed several feet away.

As soon as Jamie fit her arrow to her bow, the soldiers started running for safety. Jamie guessed they didn't have much faith in her ability, either.

Wildfire's head kept getting in her way. Jamie let out a sigh. She slipped off her shoes, then stood up on the mare's back, balancing herself as gracefully as a dancer. She took aim and shot her arrow a second before Alec reached her side. Jamie sat back down on Wildfire's back, patted her horse soundly for standing so still, and then smiled at Alec.

"Now why are you angry?" she demanded.

"You will never take such chances again, wife."

His shout nearly ripped Wildfire's mane apart. The horse immediately tried to bolt, but Alec grabbed the reins and had Wildfire docile in little time.

He couldn't help but notice that Jamie never lost her balance or showed the least amount of fear.

"What are you ranting about?" Jamie asked. "What chance did I take?"

He could tell from her expression she really didn't know why he was upset with her. He took a deep breath, trying to regain his control. When she'd stood up, his heart had stopped beating.

"You could have killed yourself," he muttered between clenched teeth. "If anyone's going to kill you, it's going to be me. Don't ever stand on your mount's back again. Not ever."

"I'm used to riding that way when the mood strikes me, Alec. While she gallops through a meadow I do sometimes stand up."

"Oh, God."

"'Tis the truth," she said. "Would you like me to show—"

"No."

"Don't yell at me, Alec. It's upsetting Wildfire."

"It's you I want upset, wife," Alec returned. "Give me your word."

"Oh, all right, then," Jamie said. "I give you my word. Are you happy now?"

"I am."

"Then please remove your hand from my leg. Your grip is painful."

"Wife, do you know how close you are to real jeopardy?"

She didn't look at all worried by that threat. "Alec?"

"What?"

"How long have you had that tic in your cheek?"

He didn't answer her.

"Her arrow ain't near the others," the young soldier named David called out. The eager boy picked up Jamie's shoes and offered them to her. Jamie thanked him and quickly put them on.

"Of course my arrow isn't near the others," she told the soldier.

"You knew you'd miss?" he asked.

"I didn't miss," she countered. "You'll find my arrow in the very center. Go and fetch it for me please."

David ran back down the hill to the target. He let out a whoop of laughter. "She's right," he shouted. "Her arrow is in the center."

Jamie was watching Alec when that statement was shouted. She ignored the men's cheers. Her husband's reaction was a little disappointing. He merely raised an eyebrow.

"Gavin? I want ten more men riding with you," he shouted.

The soldier immediately turned his mount back toward the stables.

"Jamie, you've forgotten something," he said when she tried to take the reins back in her hands.

"Oh…" She immediately started to blush, then motioned him closer and leaned down to kiss his brow.

He couldn't hide his exasperation. "I meant you forgot your saddle," he told her.

"I don't like it, Jamie argued. "It's too new. It makes me stiff, Alec."

"Marcus, get my wife one of my old saddles. Why didn't you tell me you could ride bareback? I thought you unskilled. You did fall off your mount today."

"I didn't tell you because you would have thought me unladylike," she answered.

He had to smile over that foolish statement. "I could never think you were unladylike."

She smiled. "You're forever reminding me," he added. "I should have realized you were skilled," he admitted then. "Beak told me you were the only one who could seat the mare. Still, he added that you didn't ride often."

"He was protecting me," Jamie explained. "He thought you'd be more considerate if you thought I wasn't properly trained."

Alec grinned. "Jamie? Don't ever kiss me the way you just did."

She thought he meant not to show any affection in front of his men. He motioned her toward him with the crook of his finger again and when they were almost nose to nose, he whispered, "Kiss me like this."

He didn't even give her time to smile. His mouth settled on hers in hard, hungry demand. She didn't open her mouth quickly enough to please him, but his low growl gained her full cooperation. His tongue drove inside just in time to taste her sigh.

She didn't hear the men yelling their pleasure at being witnesses to such a blatant display of passion. Alec heard them, however, and reluctantly eased his mouth away.

Jamie looked totally confused. He was arrogantly pleased that he could so easily rob her of all her thoughts, then realized he was holding her in his arms. He didn't recall taking her off Wildfire's back.

They both smiled. "You've wasted enough of my valuable time," he told her.

Jamie laughed. The sound of soldiers riding down the hill turned her attention then. "Why must I have so many soldiers accompanying me?"

"They also like to hunt," Alec replied. He let her slide to the ground when a soldier tossed him the saddle he'd requested. Jamie held the reins while Alec adjusted the straps around the mare's belly. He lifted her onto Wildfire's back. "Have a good ride, Jamie," he told her.

"I won't be coming back empty-handed," she announced.

"I know you won't," Alec told her.

She really didn't like skirting the truth this way, but she deliberately let Alec believe she was hunting food. Besides, she thought to herself, he'd settle in once he'd gotten over his initial bluster. He'd make a proper father, too.

Jamie turned back to Marcus when they'd reached the drawbridge. "Which way, Marcus?" she called out.

"The west, milady."

Wildfire was in a full gallop when Marcus gained her side. He motioned her to follow his lead, then made a half-circle, backtracking from the way they'd started.

Marcus was polite enough not to mention her poor sense of direction. Gavin, however, took great delight in reminding her.

Jamie was too pleased with both men to take exception. They hadn't told Alec what her true destination was, after all, and she was most thankful for their silence. She didn't care if it had been deliberate or not.

Alec kept telling himself he wasn't worried, but he found himself pacing in front of the hearth after dinner was finished and his wife still wasn't home. No, he wasn't worried. Marcus and Gavin would keep her safe. She'd be home any minute now. When the sun was completely gone, then he'd worry, he told himself for the tenth time.

He had used the time of separation well. As soon as Jamie left, he had called for his mount and gone directly to Helena's clan. He'd spent several hours talking with the cousins who remembered Helena, and had learned some rather interesting facts about the woman who'd found marriage to him so foul she'd ended her life in desperation.

He found Father Murdock as soon as he returned and spent a good long while listening to his opinions. The priest was clearly amazed that his laird was now speaking of his dead wife. He hadn't even mentioned Helena's name since the day of the burial. The laird's questions were perplexing to him, but he knew better than to try to find out exactly what Alec was looking for. It wasn't his place to question.

Now Alec paced a path in the great hall while he sorted through the information.

Jamie, having just returned to the castle, stood at the top of the steps, waiting for Alec to notice her. She was just about to call out to him when he suddenly turned around.

He was so relieved to see her that he gave her a good frown.

She retaliated by smiling.

He noticed her skirt was swaying back and forth, then saw the dusty little face peeking out at him.

Gavin and Marcus flanked Jamie. They were both staring down at the child.

Jamie took a deep breath and reached for Mary Kathleen's hand. "Come and meet your father," she whispered to the little girl.

Mary Kathleen didn't want to cooperate. Alec's size obviously intimidated her. Her golden brown eyes were as wide as round trenchers. "He's going to love you with all his heart," she promised.

Before the little girl could shake her head, Jamie clasped her hand and led her down the steps.

Alec didn't have any idea what was going on. The barefoot cherub was wearing his plaid, though, indicating she belonged to a Kincaid. The ill-fitted piece of blanket was wrapped around her and tied in a knot below her chin. Alec couldn't remember ever having seen her before.

She was an appealing little girl with a mop of honey-colored curls that hung lower on one side of her face than on the other.

"Who is this?" Alec asked.

"Your daughter."

"My what?"

Jamie ignored her husband's astonishment. "Well, actually she's our daughter now," she explained. "Say hello to your papa, Mary Kathleen."

The little girl was still frightened. She continued to stare up at Alec while she twisted a lock of her hair into a knot on top of her head.

Jamie leaned down and whispered to the child. She was trying to soothe the little girl and also trying to give Alec a little more time to get used to the idea.

When Jamie straightened up again, she could tell from her husband's expression that he was going to need a lot more time.

"She's Helena's daughter," Gavin called out just to break the staring contest.

"She's my daughter now," Jamie countered. She let Mary Kathleen hide behind her back again. "It's really quite simple to understand, Alec. When you married Helena, you became Mary's papa. You were going to bring her here to live with you, weren't you? And when I wed you," she continued before Alec could answer her, "well, I then became Mary's new mother. We have both been errant in our duties to this child, husband."

"The Kincaid provided well for Helena's child," Marcus interjected.

"Her grandmother died three months past. Did you know Mary was given over to a distant relation who wanted only your grain? It pains me to admit the woman was English, Alec. And do you know there are bruises up and down your daughter's back and on her legs, too? She would have been dead in another month's time if I'd left her in such care."

He hadn't known. He looked furious, too. Jamie nodded. Then everyone started talking at once. Alec just stood there, his hands clasped behind his back, staring down at the little innocent peeking out at him from behind Jamie's skirts.

"Come here, Mary," he ordered the child.

She shook her head at him while she tried to put a good portion of Jamie's gown into her mouth.

Alec started laughing. "God help me, she's been with you less than a day and she's already taking on your stubbornness," he told Jamie.

He scooped the little girl up into his arms and held her so that they were face to face.

"Be careful of her back, Alec. She's tender."

Alec whispered something to the child, then smiled when she nodded.

"Can you get her to speak to you? She hasn't said a word to me," Jamie whispered. "You don't think something's wrong with her voice, do you?"

"Quit your worrying," Alec ordered. "She'll talk when she wants to. Won't you, Mary?"

The little girl nodded again. "She was wearing Kevin's colors," Gavin stated. "He'd roll in his grave if he could see how filthy the garment was."

"Who changed her clothes?" Alec asked.

"I did," Jamie answered. "That's when I saw all the bruises. I knew I had to bring her to you then," she added.