Page 60 of A Highlander Bound by Oath
She turned to walk away with a few fast steps, but Irving grabbed her elbow and roughly pulled her back in front of him.
“I dinnae get dismissed by others, lass,” he said with a change in his tone. It sent goosebumps over her skin and a tingle of fear down her spine. “I dismiss others. Why dae ye nae stay withme? Ye are me betrothed after all, and we should nae be afraid of one another.” He pushed her back toward the hedgerow and crowded into the space in front of her.
Ada’s breath came sharp and fast. There was nowhere to go, no place to run and hide. Irving’s grip on her arm was tight. It began to hurt, but she did her best not to show her unease.
Suddenly, Irving moved back from her, and she gasped when she saw Blair standing between them. His hand was on Irving’s chest. “Lady Ada asked tae return inside, sir,” the guard said, looking magnificent and powerful in the torchlight.
She let out a relieved breath, grateful that he’d come in that moment—not that she could ever tell him so.
She stepped out from behind him and tried to steady her breathing. The nearness of Blair made all the fear she’d just felt slowly melt away.
“Och, ye have many duties tae protect, dae ye nae, Blair MacDougall?” Irving asked as the men stared one another down, but eventually, he stepped back out from underneath Blair’s touch. He looked at Ada. “I meant ye nae harm, lass. Ye must ken that. We are tae be married. Why should I wish any harm tae me betrothed?”
“Nae one said anythin’ about harm,” Blair said, his voice lower and surlier than she’d ever heard it.
Irving took a step back and, in a high-handed tone, said, “I am the son of Laird MacIntosh, MacDougall. Keep that in mind. Yers is a name easily forgotten.”
With that, he stalked away, and Blair looked down at her. His hand fluttered by her face, but then deciding against it, he touched the arm Irving had grabbed.
“Are ye all right, lass?” he asked in a gentler tone than he’d ever used with her.
“Aye,” she nodded, not wanting tears to come. “I am well.” She looked deep into his eyes, wanting to see the warmth and affection she felt for him then, but it was gone in a moment.
She wondered if it had ever been there or if she had made that up too.
“Good.” He pulled his hand away and stood rigid before her. “Let’s go back intae the castle, Lady Ada.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Ada followed him, and they walked side by side towards the castle. Despite her gratitude that he had been watching her and had come to her rescue, she was irritated at him for demanding yet another order from her. However, she did not want to stay in the dark gardens any longer, and so she listened, her fists clenched as she walked in silence for a bit. It wasn’t fair. It certainly wasn’t fair to Blair, but she was just so tired of men. Irving’s last interaction had made it even worse.
But before she could speak, Blair said in a low voice, “It was irresponsible tae rush off like that intae the gardens. Who kens what lies in wait for ye there? I was givin’ ye space, and I should nae have done, especially in the bloody freezing weather!”
“Blair, how dare ye accuse me of what just happened? Whatever Irving says or does, has nothin’ tae dae with me. Are ye quite clear about that?”
They had made it inside and up the stairs, and they were just at her bedroom door. Blair’s jaw clenched, his eyes fiery, but he nodded.
“Aye, of course. I did nae mean tae say it like that. I just… I ken what men think and how many men believe that a woman is somethin’ they can use tae their own advantage, nae matter whether she gives her consent or nae.”
Ada’s heart softened a bit as she saw Blair struggle to explain to her about a man taking a woman’s virtue. She was still trembling a little at how close Irving had been, the way he’d grabbed her arm at the end where she’d tried to leave, and he didn’t like it. It reminded her of months before when Laird Grant’s men had grabbed her and Ella. She’d thought at first that they would simply take them to their laird. But instead, they’d attempted to do far worse until Cameron had come to save them. Ella called Cameron her “avenging angel.”
I suppose Blair should like a nickname like that as well.
“Ye should nae create risks like that. I am tellin’ ye for yer own good!” he said, and she frowned.
“I can dae whatever I like, Blair. I am so sick and tired of man after man tellin’ me what I can and cannae dae. I will choose for meself.” She poked a finger in his chest and then turned to open her door, not shutting it behind her as he was certain to come in anyway.
He shut it behind him and said, “Why dae ye have tae make everythin’ difficult, lass? I only want tae keep ye safe.” His tone was pleading, and she turned around to face him, her hands on her hips.
“But it is nae I who have chosen a guard for meself. Ye are only here because of me father. I did nae ask for this!” She pointed between them and saw a flash of understanding in Blair’s eyes at her hidden meaning. Blushing, she turned away again and said, “Despite what every man thinks, they would see that I am perfectly capable of takin’ care of meself if they would let me breathe for one moment! I dinnae need ye comin’ after me all the time, right on me heels, stayin’ in me room. I dinnae.” She repeated, but her voice had lost its firmness.
Her skin tingled, and she could feel his presence behind her.
Spinning around, she said, “Can ye understand that?” Her voice was a bit louder now, but she paused when she saw how close he was. Their eyes locked. “We-well? Can ye?”
“Aye, I can understand that,” he growled. “But since it is me job tae dae what I have been asked tae dae, I will follow ye wherever ye go, Ada. I will follow ye tae the ends of the earth if need be.”
In that moment, Blair was far more beautiful than she’d ever seen him. He was bristling with fury, but there was more to it than that. His eyes were like gemstones, sparkling with intensity as he looked at her, searching her eyes for something. It was almost like he was asking for permission.
