remembering the tales she’d heard of Lord Cairnross. It was rumoured that he had been sent by the English King Edward, not to ally with the Scots, but to execute them.
Some believed Cairnross had used the black arts to build his fortresses, for no one knew how he’d accomplished so much, so quickly. It was clear now that he’d done so with the blood and sweat of his captives.
And Bram had been one of his slaves.
Though she tried to distance herself, she worried about her husband’s quest to find Callum. She didn’t want to watch him ride away, or relive the anguish if he never came back. She gripped the coverlet, her eyes burning. Tonight, he’d touched her intimately, evoking such feelings that she’d found it impossible to remain unaffected. She wanted to take care of him again, to push back the years to the bride she’d been long ago.
But the man had grown away from the boy. There were needs he held now that went beyond food or sleep. It was as if he needed her, more than nourishment or water.
His body was so close to hers, she could feel the warmth. Nairna shifted upon the mattress, her gown bunched up between her thighs. She couldn’t stop herself from thinking of Bram’s mouth on her skin and the rush of sensation that had flooded through her, moistening the secret place between her legs.
Aye, it was different between them now. But instead of the shy, stolen moments, she craved something else from him. Something to calm the restlessness rising up within.
Slowly, she eased backwards, until their bodies touched. Bram reached for her waist, pulling her close. He rested his face against her hair, and upon the back of her neck she could feel his breath. His touch penetrated her skin, awakening her to strange, pulling needs. A part of her wanted to turn her mouth to his and experience the forgetfulness that he could grant.
Temptation beckoned to her and she longed to feel his body filling up the emptiness inside. She turned to him and her nose brushed against his, her mouth only a few inches away.
‘What is it, a ghaoil?’ Bram asked, reaching out to slide her hair behind her ear. The tender gesture made her hesitate, for she didn’t know if he would even want to make love to her. She had no experience in seduction and didn’t know what would please him.
When she embraced him closer, her breasts pressed against his chest. She lifted her knee over his and the moment her bare skin touched his, he froze.
He didn’t move, nor did he give any indication that he’d changed his mind about joining with her. All of her courage fled and Nairna felt her face flood with embarrassment.
She untangled her leg from his and rolled away, closing her eyes. ‘Be safe tomorrow,’ was all she could utter before turning away.
The following morning, Bram rose at dawn to prepare for the journey. In sleep, Nairna’s face was soft, her lips tempting him to steal a kiss. But if he dared to taste her, he’d never stop. Only by the grace of God had he managed to keep his hands off her last night.
When she’d embraced him, he hadn’t known what she’d wanted. Was she merely bidding him good night? Or was she trying to show him affection?
Before he could decide, she’d told him to be safe and turned her back. He’d spent a painful remainder of the night, his groin raging with need. He hardly trusted himself to sleep so close to her, for fear that he’d lose sight of himself and take her without any finesse.
Marriage was killing him in a slow, sexually frustrating death.
Though he wanted to tell her goodbye, he didn’t want to awaken her, preferring to remember her like this. Bram found one of her riding gloves and held it a moment, slipping a small token inside.
He closed the door behind him and saw that Alex and Ross were already preparing the horses and supplies. Bram continued walking across the courtyard until he reached them.
There, he found his younger brother Dougal glaring at them like a sulking child. ‘I want to go with you.’
‘Not while I breathe.’ A lad of four and ten was too young to venture into a fight such as this one. Bram studied Dougal, seeing traces of himself in the young man’s eyes. Once, he’d been every bit as hotheaded and determined.
He softened his voice, adding, ‘I need you to guard Nairna and Laren, as well as the others.’
‘You’re not leaving me behind,’ Dougal insisted. ‘I can fight better than you. Besides, Alex thinks you don’t have the strength for the journey. I heard him talking about it last night.’
Bram showed no reaction. ‘You’re still not going.’
‘I will. Once you’ve gone, I’ll follow.’ The stubborn slant to the boy’s face made it clear that he intended to do just that. ‘You can’t stop me if you’re already gone.’
Bram grasped Dougal by the wrist. The boy yelped as he dragged him past the others, seizing a length of rope from near the stables. While the boy cursed and struggled, Bram tied him up, securing the end of the rope to a post. ‘You’re going nowhere, lad.’
He didn’t care that what he was doing would humiliate his brother. What mattered most was keeping him safe. The ropes weren’t tight enough to hurt him, only to prevent him from following. He also left enough slack in the rope where Dougal could enter the stables for shelter, if it rained.
‘I hate you,’ Dougal raged, struggling against his bonds. ‘I wish you’d never come back.’
Bram returned to his horse, knowing that it was the boy’s anger speaking. But the barbed words had their intended effect. It bothered him that his youngest brother didn’t know him anymore. And Dougal couldn’t understand that Bram only meant to protect him.
Alex raised an eyebrow at the sight of their brother fighting to tear off the ropes, struggling to escape. ‘You think that will stop Dougal?’
‘Do you have a better idea?’
Alex shrugged. ‘Not really.’
When they returned, Bram supposed he’d have to do something to atone for his actions. But it was better for Dougal’s pride to suffer than for him to become Lord Cairnross’s captive.
‘Nairna or Laren can cut him free tomorrow,’ Bram said. ‘By then, we’ll be far from here.’
‘I don’t envy them, having to live with Dougal while we’re gone.’ Alex grimaced. ‘He changed after our father died. He’s angry all the time.’
‘What about our mother?’ Bram ventured. ‘Was he better when she was here?’
Alex shook his head. ‘No. Grizel ignored him in her grief and he became a hellion. She wanted nothing to do with either of us.’ With a nod towards their brother, he added, ‘Leave him be. That’s the only solution.’
Bram cast a look towards Dougal, who was raging at the others around him. Some of the older men teased him, which only provoked the boy’s temper further.
He saw Nairna approaching, carrying a bit of food. When she caught sight of Dougal, her face grew troubled.
She made the mistake of going to speak to the lad, and when she offered him the food, Dougal
