“I expected that tae be so. I admit, I have softened towards the clan. The folk I have met here are fine people and the land is as bonnie as any I’ve seen. Yet there are many things I wish tae learn before I can give an aye or a nay.” He turned toward her, spreading his hands. “But, until I’ve made up me mind, I’ll help where I can and learn as much as I can.”
“And there’s nae denying, Scorrybreac is a fine, bonnie place.” She shot him a mischievous grin, “at least the fairies find it so.”
He laughed, but her remarks took him back to the brief moment when he’d brushed her lips with his. At once he experienced a familiar throb in his groin. He willed his manhood to behave. This was not the time to grow hard.
Would there ever be such a time?
While he unbelted his kilt and hung it, leaving him naked save for his shirt, Annora went behind the screen to change into her night shift.
When she emerged, her long, fair, hair shining in the glow of the fire, her lacy night-shift floating around her, she took his breath away. He groaned at the sight. It was almost more than he could bear to consider lying abed with such a beauteous creature and not be able to lay so much as a finger upon that silky skin, or take that golden hair in his fingers, or?—
His shaft was growing harder as these thoughts reeled in his head. He pulled his thinking into line, willing his stiffening rod to soften.
It was no use.
He caught a drift of her musky, rose scent, bringing his senses to full alert. And, as if to rob him of all wit and purpose, when she stood between him and the fireplace braiding her hair, he couldsee every glorious inch of her outlined under the flimsy linen of her shift.
Curse every last one of the saintsin Heaven.
He pulled himself together with a severe mental scolding and, somehow, found sufficient willpower to turn back the covers and place the large bolster at the center of the bed.
Annora slipped between the linen sheets, curled up, and turned away. He snuffed the candle and slid in beside her, his hand just nudging the bolster.
Closing his eyes, he made a worthy attempt to rid himself of all the carnal thoughts tormenting him. A kiss on those full red lips, the taste of her tongue in his mouth, his hands roaming that creamy, silken skin, his hard shaft finding a place between her legs.
He moaned softly and turned on his side, wishing for sleep that evaded him ruthlessly.
“Are ye awake, lass?” he whispered, and held his breath waiting to hear a reply.
“Mm,” she murmured, “Aye.”
“D’ye recall the way the fae folk teased us today, up on the ridge in the Faery Glen.”
He waited two heartbeats for her response. “Aye,” she whispered, “They bewitched us.”
“Aye. ‘Tis true. And I’m still bewitched.”
There was the longest of pauses, during which he held his breath.
“Mayhap once a body is bewitched by the fae, they will stay bewitched always.”
His heart pounding, he licked his dry lips.
“I believe that is true. It seems the fairies have had their way wi’ us and bewitched us both.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Edmund was already dressed and pacing in front of the fireplace when Annora awakened. She made haste to wash and dress and they set off together to the refectory to break their fast.
Tormod was waiting, a worried frown on his face. No doubt, the morning’s adjudication was a way for the Elders to measure Edmund’s judgment and wisdom and for them to consider him worthy to be the new laird.
An anxious knot formed in her stomach. A lot was riding on the morning’s events, even though little had been stated outright.
To Annora’s relief, while Tormod demanded Edmund’s attention, Tyra was waiting at the table with a warm smile on her face.
“I am so looking forward tae our visit tae Mistress Elyne , the seamstress,” Tyra said. “It is always such a pleasure tae idle alittle time among the fripperies that gladden a lady’s heart, and which are of nye moment at all tae our menfolk.”
Annora laughed. Tyra was right. Once they’d finished their porridge, Edmund whispered a goodbye while she whispered a good luck and he quickly disappeared, stern-faced, with Tormod, while she rose to walk with the Lady Tyra.
