Page 67 of Captured by a Laird
“At least I attempted to kill Wedderburn and right the wrong he’s done us.” Instead of sitting on my fat arse boring everyone with tales from my youth.
“I want vengeance as much as you, and I promise we shall have it.”
Patrick ground his teeth as his father patted his shoulder, as if he were a lad of twelve.
“While ye were roaming about the countryside on your fool’s errand, I set a plan in motion,” his father said.
After listening to his father’s plan, Patrick had his doubts, but his father was set on it.
“’Tis all arranged,” his father said. “Just do as I told ye.”
“I’ll do my part,” Patrick snapped.
“Good.” His father touched his cup to Patrick’s. “Blackadder Castle, Lady Alison, and those wee heiresses will be ours verra soon.”
“Until the day Alison’s daughters are wed to men in our family, they pose a threat to our claim to Blackadder Castle,” Patrick said. “Given how long before they are of age to marry, keeping them alive creates an unnecessary risk.”
“They’re our kin and innocent bairns,” his father said. “Once we have them in our hands, they’ll be no threat.”
How dare his father speak to him in that insufferable self-righteous tone, when they both knew the other, darker reason his father wanted those two lassies alive.
As soon as his father left him, Patrick sent for Walter, the former captain of the guard at Blackadder Castle.
He looked the big black-haired warrior up and down. Walter was utterly ruthless and had been spouting venom against Wedderburn since he arrived. He was the perfect choice for the task.
“Walter,” Patrick said, leaning back in his chair, “how would ye like to wreak some vengeance on the Humes?”
CHAPTER 27
Alison was astonished by how quickly and unexpectedly her life had changed. Every meal with Blackadder had been a misery, fraught with opportunities for him to criticize her before the household. But sitting between David and her daughters at supper now, she felt giddy.
Dare she trust this happiness?
David squeezed her thigh beneath the table. When their eyes met, the heat in his made it hard to breathe. She never would have guessed a man could give her such intense physical pleasure.
“I thought this meal would never end,” he said in her ear, and brought her hand to his lap to feel his erection. “I’m dying to get ye upstairs.”
“Beatrix, Margaret, time for bed,” she said, and sprang to her feet. “Come, Flora and I will take ye upstairs.”
David caught Alison’s arm and said, “I’ll join ye shortly.”
She felt her cheeks turn pink with a mix of pleasure and embarrassment. For an astute man, David seemed oblivious to the fact that the conversation in the hall dropped to a low hum as every person in the room paused to watch their laird. She was well aware that his men were amused by their early retirement each night and frequent disappearances at odd times during the day.
As she entered the stairwell, she looked over her shoulder and caught David watching her. She smiled to herself, assured that he would follow soon.
Still, she was grateful to have a little time alone after bidding her daughters goodnight and leaving them in Flora’s care.She looked at the bed and imagined David lying on it, unselfconscious of his nakedness, his powerful body and hard features reminiscent of the ancient warriors of legend.
Sometimes when he made love to her, he was all need and passion. Other times he was so tender that she could almost believe he cared for her. But the feeling never lasted. Most of the time outside of bed, he was that other man—the hard, relentless laird.
The physical pleasure they shared was a gift. She should be satisfied with that. Instead, the strong feelings he evoked when they made love only seemed to make her long for something more.
She did not want to love her new husband.
But she feared that, whether he wanted it or not, David would steal her heart.
***
Alison awoke at dawn with a sense of foreboding, and her hand went to the pendant at her throat. Whether the black stone was magical or no, it reminded her of her mother and gave her comfort.
