AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That is quite a sacrifice,” he remarked. “But what if he never reached the village? What if something stopped him?”
Keira saw red as a fierce blaze of anger flared up inside her. “What do you mean by that?” she demanded.
“I mean that it would be far easier for you to kill him yourself than let your father do it,” he replied. “But I would advise you against doing anything to upset him. He is not a man who will tolerate having his plans thwarted, and whatever you do may be bad for the people on the estate. He is capable of spiteful vengeance.”
“Do you not think I know that?” she demanded. “I have lived with him all my life! But we have to do something or these people will either starve to death or start a revolt. They may not be armed well, although farm tools like forks and spades are very good weapons, but there are many more of them than there are of you.”
This time it was Murdoch’s turn to become angry, so much so that he forgot his place and yelled at Keira.
“You are the most exasperating woman I have ever met!”
He paused for a moment, unable to think of anything else to say. Then, fueled by his own passion and anger, he did the unthinkable. He stood up, crossed the space between them in three strides, then hauled her into his arms and kissed her fiercely.
At first, Keira was startled at his strength and the suddenness of his action, and she laid her hands flat on his chest to push him away. However, his body was hard and solid, his heartbeat was racing under her palms, and she knew that he was responding to her as she was responding to him. She leaned into him as he prised her lips open with the tip of his tongue, then thrust it into her mouth to taste her.
His tongue tangled with hers, and having no idea how to play his sensual game, she imitated him, stroking his tongue with hers until they were both moaning with pleasure. Murdoch swept his tongue over her lower lip then caught it between his teeth and nibbled it gently. He was longing to cup his hand over her breast but had just enough sanity left to stop himself. He could feel his arousal pressing against her, leaving her in no doubt of his desire.
Keira speared her fingers into the wheat-golden hair at the back of his head, and it was as soft as silk, exactly as she had thought it would be. The bristles on his cheeks rasped against her skin, but it was not an unpleasant sensation; quite the opposite. Indeed, the pleasure of it went straight to her core, and once more the pulse of desire began to throb between her thighs.
As she inhaled the earthy scent of him and tangled her fingers in his hair, she squirmed against him, and the rubbing of the hard ridge of his shaft inflamed her.
When they drew apart they stared at each other, amazed at what had just happened, and neither of them wanted to let go of the other. However, eventually they had to, as both of them looked away, flushed and embarrassed.
“I am so sorry, Mistress Keira,” he said quietly. “I should not have done that.”
After a moment she asked, “Then why did you?”
“Because you looked so angry and at the same time so desirable,” he replied, shrugging. “I would not have raped you, but I suffered a moment of weakness. Please forgive me.”
Keira chuckled and shook her head. For a few moments, as she had given her lips and her body up to Murdoch, her mind had soared away from her problems. She had found herself lost in physical pleasure with an experienced man for the first time, and it had been glorious. She had always thought that a kiss was merely a touching of a man’s lips to a woman’s, but it was so much more than that. It was a combination of all the senses.
The touch of a man’s lips, the feel of his rough skin, the taste of his mouth, the sound of his breathing and groans, and the sight of his face as he drew away from her, satisfied, were all sensations that were totally new to her. No one had ever told her about this, but what a delightful surprise it had been.
“I did not push you away,” she pointed out. Then she blushed. “It was quite…pleasant, but please do not do it again.” She looked down at the forest floor.
“I will not,” he replied. “On my honor, and once again, mistress, I am sorry. I am asking for your forgiveness yet again.” He gave a small laugh, then bowed respectfully to her. “It is becoming a habit.”
They had both been kneeling on the ground about a foot away from each other, and when he stood up and extended his hand to help her, Keira drew back. She had enjoyed the kiss more than any other experience of her life, but she reminded herself that this man was in the pay of her father, and therefore an enemy, albeit a devastatingly attractive one.
Suddenly he burst out, “I am worried about you, mistress.”
Keira turned back to him, amazed. “Why?”
He sighed, running his hand back through the hair that Keira had been playing with a moment before. He was frowning deeply and looked more troubled than she had ever seen him look before. She tingled inwardly as she looked at him.
At last, he said, “Mistress, whatever plan you are forming, I am worried that you will be hurt or incur your father’s wrath.”
Keira laughed cynically. “Captain Holmes, I have incurred my father’s wrath many times, and he has not killed me. Do not worry on my behalf. If I do nothing, that is when you should worry, for I assure you, one day a rebellion will start!”
She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving him to stare after her.
Murdoch’s loyalty was completely torn between serving the laird in the job he was paid to do or helping Keira in her cause. He knew that the laird was evil but he could not let go of his job, for he was not a wealthy man and needed to work for the sake of his family.
However, he also saw that Keira’s cause was just but unlawful. There were many families to feed in the valley. He sat for a long time wondering what to do, but when he stood up to walk back to the castle, he was no further forward in making a decision.
Worse still, he knew that he was falling in love with Keira McTavish.
