Page 35 of Highlander’s Beautiful Liar

Alec deflected it easy enough, but Kane and the rest of the MacKay men were learning. Stephen, Shane, and Jamie were obviously taking the time to teach them some skills, and it was showing.

“Would ye have Innes Campbell at the helm of this clan?” Alec asked as he thrusted. It was because he trusted his men that he could move like this against a man he knew could be a great asset. If Kane couldn’t go on the defensive, he would find himself with a nasty wound, but he whirled and avoided injury.

When Kane didn’t bring his sword back up again, Alec frowned and halted. Pressing his lips together, Kane shook his head. “Nay,” he growled. “Nay, I would not work with a man like Innes. Seth…there was something evil about him, but he came from Duncan and we wanted to believe that he would mature into the man his father was. But Innes? There’s a dark hatred in that man’s heart.”

So the MacKays were not loyal to Innes. That was something at least. “Ye have much improved,” he acknowledged.

“Yer men have skills. They have been willing to teach when they are not chasing after our women.”

The others laughed, and Alec put down his sword and reached out his hand. Kane clasped it, and he knew that because of Cora, he was getting the approval of the MacKay clan. He hoped to keep that respect by proving to be the laird he knew he was capable of being.

Dripping with sweat from the training fields, Alec returned to the keep and ordered a bath drawn. His muscles were aching. He’d pushed himself hard to try to drive the feel of Cora’s body against his from his mind, but the guards on duty would suffice to make sure that the Campbells didn’t cross the borders.

Alone in his chamber, he stripped and stepped into the tub. The warm water washed over him and felt relaxing, but his solace didn’t last long. After just a few moments, the door opened, and the sweet bars of a humming melody reached him before Cora walked in.

Her eyes widened in shock, and she froze as they stared at each other. Languidly, he smiled before he noticed what she was wearing. “Come closer,” he ordered.

“I…” A small tongue darted out as she wet her lips. “I don’t think I should.”

“Cora. Come here,” he said again as anger swelled inside of him. She took a few steps forward and averted her eyes. When she was close enough, he reached out and grabbed her hands. Just like he suspected, her hands were pruned and wrinkled. “Dressed in serving rags and still doing servants’ work. Ye are mistress of this keep!”

Quickly, she jerked her hands away. “I needed something to do, and I have nothing else to wear,” she muttered. “I was just in here to collect the bedding.”

“Ye will not!” Rising, water ran down his body, and he reached for a drying towel. With a squeak, Cora quickly turned away. “Cora, I told ye that I will not touch ye until ye are ready, but I am yer husband. Ye should look upon me.”

“Dresses,” she said hastily without turning around. “I need to see to getting some dresses. I'll speak to Mary. Excuse me.”

Quickly, she scurried from the room, and he made no move to stop her.

By dinnertime, she must have rustled up some dresses and wore a blue that was far more fitting for the mistress of a keep. Her hair was pulled back, braided, and coiled at the nape of her neck. As he escorted her into the great hall, he wrapped his hand around her waist and kept his touch light. Gaston, the man the King left behind, was watching them, his eyes piercing them with every move that he made, but he also knew that Cora would project every discomfort on her face.

If Alec pushed too hard, did something that she didn’t like, it would be obvious. Thankfully, she didn’t pull away and even smiled and nodded as he led her to her seat.

Pulling out her chair, he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Relax,” he murmured. “’Tis only dinner.”

Rather than fear, there was irritation in her eyes as she looked up at him, and he smirked. There was the woman who’d stabbed a man to protect a friend. Who was willing to brave the rough terrain to escape.

“Married life suits ye, lass,” Shane joked as he leaned over and took her hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles. “If ye find Alec not to yer taste, my bed is open to ye.”

“Try it just once, and ye may discover that ye being headless will be to my taste,” Alec countered mildly. He knew that Shane was just trying to get a rise out of him.

Cora just smiled at him. “The way that I hear it, you do not prefer your bed when you take a woman. The hay loft is more your speed.”

Shane’s mouth dropped open, and the table erupted in laughter. “Women talk, Shane, surely you know that,” she teased.

“I do now,” he muttered. “I doona suppose they told ye that they had a wonderful time?”

“If you were praised too often, then you would not want to improve.”

The laughter increased, and even Shane had to grin.

Alec watched as his wife’s shoulders eased just a little bit as she sat back in the chair. She was a little more relaxed, and he reached under the table to put a hand on her thigh. It was meant to be a comfort, but when her skin warmed under his touch and her cheeks began to pink, he started to have something else entirely in mind.

Keeping his touch easy, he moved his thumb back and forth, just teasing her and hoping that she remembered just a few nights ago when she was begging to touch him.

“Ye look like yer father,” Kane said as he studied her. “I doona know how I didnae see it before. I brought ye dinner once while ye were in the prisons. I should have known. Ye have my sincere apologies.”

Alec’s anger swelled. Just how many of the MacKay men saw Cora in those prisons and did nothing to release her? Did nothing to help her?