Highlanders Short Story Collection Page 14

  His hand fell on the latch.

  Tears.

  He felt her tears. He did not know how, but he felt them and the pain in her heart, for it was his pain as well.

  “Damn!” he yelled and turned.

  Chapter 7

  Dawn stood, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

  “Damn you,” he shouted and tore his plaid off his body as he went to her.

  Dawn fought back the other tears that gathered in her eyes, but they were coming too hard and strong. They burst like a broken damn, running uncontrollably down her cheeks and she thought to turn away, not wanting to appear weak in front of him. Instead, she let her love and passion for her husband take reign and threw her arms wide, eager to have him in her arms and his strong, hard body wrapped around hers.

  Cree felt as if he should have himself whipped for bringing tears to her eyes. He loved Dawn for who she was, courageous and challenging, and a woman that loved him beyond all reason, as he did her.

  His heart soared and the blood pulsed rapidly in his manhood, turning him harder, when she threw her arms wide to let him know how much she wanted him. Damn, if he had not punished himself more than her.

  He grabbed her around the waist, planted a fiery kiss on her lips before sending the few things on the top of the desk flying with his arm and dropping her down on it. He grabbed her backside and inched her down to the edge of the desk, spread her legs, and drove into her hard, knowing he would make her come in an instant. And she did.

  Dawn almost bucked off the table she arched her back so high from the pleasure of his entrance and to the climax that hit her with such force. Endless shock waves of pure passion rocked her body over and over and just when she felt them settle, Cree drove into her harder, sending her reeling toward another climax.

  Cree was astonished that he was so close to climaxing so fast. He wanted to linger in the never-ending passion that gripped both their bodies and souls. He wanted to bring her endless satisfaction. He wanted her to know how much he loved her.

  Her body arched again and she pounded the table with tight fists as one surprisingly strong climax followed another.

  Cree could hold back no longer. He burst like a fiery ball that sent sparks shooting throughout him and he groaned with satisfaction. He dropped down over her, though only allowed his body to brush hers and kissed her gently.

  “I do not want to pull out of you yet, I have missed the feel of you far too much.”

  Dawn tapped her chest and wrapped her legs around him, squeezing.

  He groaned and lowered his brow to hers. “You will grow me hard again if you keep that up.”

  Dawn grinned, took hold of his face and kissed him gently, slipping her tongue into his mouth to tease and taunt as she squeezed even tighter. It didn’t take long for both their passion to spring to life again and another climax to come swift and hard.

  They were barely recovered when a knock sounded at the door.

  “Go away,” Cree shouted. “I do not care who you are or what you want.”

  “You might want to reconsider that,” Sloan shouted back. “Word just came that another troop of Fitzbane’s warriors, about one hundred of them, are camped three day’s ride from here.”

  Dawn pushed at Cree’s chest, urging him to go.

  He got off her reluctantly, though kissed her before he did and helped her off the desk.

  He dressed quickly and she did the same.

  She went to the door with him and before he reached for the latch, she took his hand and pressed it to her chest and then to his, then stretched one hand out to her side.

  “And you will always have my heart too.” He kissed her gently, then opened the door.”

  Dawn sent Sloan a smile and hurried past him.

  Sloan looked to Cree. “Perhaps you will not be so grumpy now.”

  Cree shot him a scathing look.

  “Or maybe not.” Sloan stepped in the solar and turned a grin on Cree when he saw the contents of the desk scattered on the floor.

  “Not a word,” Cree ordered.

  “You wanted me, my lord.”

  Both men turned to see Neil standing there. He was a seasoned warrior with a scar on his right cheek, a reminder of one of the many ferocious battles he had fought.

  Cree waved him in. “I have a mission for you Neil.”

  The three talked in whispers, though the door was closed.

  Cree had no doubt that he could get the truth from Tallis, in time, but there was no time. He needed the truth now and he needed to be certain it was the truth.

  “I understand, my lord,” Neil said when Cree finished detailing the mission.

  “Take but two men with you and let no one know who you are, and time is of the essence.”

  Neil nodded. “Then I best be on my way.”

  Once Neil closed the door behind him, Sloan said, “You realize that Fitzbane intends to take the child at all costs.”

  “A foolish decision on his part,” Cree said. “I want extra guards posted around the keep, now that Tallis and the lad reside here.”

  “I had it done as soon as I discovered she and the child were here.”

  A knock sounded at the door and Sloan walked over and opened it.

  “Come in, Elsa, and tell me how the child fares,” Cree said when he saw who it was.

  Elsa stepped in. “The brew and poultice have not yet had time to work, my lord, and though he remains warm to the touch, he has not grown hot and feverish. A good sign. But I must warn that his little body will not do well if he does not remain in bed.”

  “The lad will stay here and in bed until you say otherwise,” Cree assured her and turned to Sloan. “I will join you in the Great Hall shortly.”

  Cree waited until the door closed behind Sloan, and then asked, “Are you certain Dawn is well enough for her to resume her intimate wifely duties?”

  “Only she can truly tell you that, though I would say from the delight in her eyes and the wide smile she wears that you have your answer.”

  Cree could not hide the smile that teased at the corners of his mouth.

  “Dawn is with the mother and child now, trying to convince the woman that you will not turn her and the lad over to Fitzbane. The woman is continuously telling Dawn that you are the lad’s father, almost as if she is trying to convince herself that it is so.”

  “You sound as if you do not believe her.”

  “There is something about her story that does not ring true.”

  “And what is that?” Cree asked, knowing Elsa to be a very observant woman.

  “Tallis keeps telling Dawn how kind and loving you had been to her and in the many years I have known you, you have outwardly shown kindness and love to only one person...Dawn.”

  Her words lingered in his head once she was gone. He had had no time for kindness and had never given thought to love. Neither had ever served a purpose to him.

  Then he met Dawn, a woman without a voice and with plain features, and it was not long before his heart that had been as silent as she was voiceless had begun to spark, feel, and love, but before Dawn there had been nothing.

  It was a thought that continued to plague Cree as he walked to the Great Hall.

  He gave a shout once there. “Flanna!”

  The woman appeared in seconds. He was pleased by her attention to duty and how perfectly she ran the keep’s servants. She was also a good friend to Dawn.

  “My lord,” Flanna said with a bow of her head when she approached him.

  “My solar needs...tidying.”

  Sloan chuckled behind him and Cree sent him a scathing look.

  “Aye, my lord, I will see to it right away.” She turned and hurried off, her head bowed so no one could see her wide smile.

  “It is time to learn more about Terran Fitzbane and to keep a closer eye on him,” Cree said. “Extend an invitation for him to join us for supper tonight.”

  Sloan rubbed his hands together. “Tonight’s meal should pro
ve entertaining.”

  Dawn sat cradling her daughter in her arms as she fed from her breast. The baby had laid quiet, gurgling and smiling to herself when her brother Valan had fed. Unfortunately, Valan did not do the same when it was Lizbeth’s turn. He let out a cry now and again and twisted his little body as if annoyed.

  “He will quiet down once his sister is snuggled safe beside him,” Cree said, entering the nursery and hunching down next to where his wife sat in a chair with their daughter. “She is a quiet one, though lets herself be heard when she wants to.”

  Dawn nodded, smiling with pride and still reeling with relief that her daughter had not been born with her affliction. Of course, there was the possibilities of other daughters being born that would suffer her fate, but for now she would not worry about that. Now she would dote on her daughter who had a strong voice.

  Dawn tickled under Lizabeth’s chin to wake her so that she would take more milk. She seemed satisfied with far too little, though when she roused her, she would take more. Dawn did not mind that it took longer to feed her than Valan since she cherished the time she spent with them both.

  “I have invited Fitzbane to supper this evening. I thought it would be good for Tallis to join us. Bringing them together, may help bring out the truth.”

  Dawn nodded, then shook her head.

  “A nod followed by a shake of your head is a bit confusing.”

  Dawn pointed to Lizbeth who had fallen asleep again, and then pointed toward the door, then back at the baby, shaking her head.

  “You do not think Tallis will leave her son?”

  She nodded, pointed to herself, then Lizbeth and Valan, and shook her head and made a face as if she appeared ill.

  “You would not leave them if they were ill,” he said, though it was no surprise to him. He always knew Dawn would make an excellent mum. He stood. “She will attend supper whether she wants to or not. Elsa can look after the lad and that should keep her mind at ease.”

  Dawn nodded, knowing she could not change his mind and feeling that perhaps it would be good to bring the two together and see what it brought.

  Cree bent over and gripped the back of his wife’s neck with his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as he rested his brow to hers. “I cannot wait to slip inside you tonight.” He brushed his lips over hers, and she startled him and brought a smile to his face when she slipped her hand beneath his plaid and cupped him gently.

  He kissed her quick. “I must take my leave, for I do not want my children to see their father ravish their mother.”

  She produced a dramatic frown, and he laughed as he left the room.

  Dawn settled the two twins before going to her bedchamber to freshen and change for the evening meal. She was glad when Flanna showed up a few minutes after entering her bedchamber, her thoughts so jumbled she wondered how she would ever get herself ready.

  “I thought you could use a nice soak in the tub,” Flanna said and waved in the servants carrying a metal tub. While they saw to filling it with buckets of heated water, Flanna whispered, “I have news to share.”

  Dawn was eager to climb into the tub and soak her worries away, though she was more eager to hear Flanna’s news.

  As soon as they were alone, she striped and got into the tub, the sigh so loud in her mind that she could not understand how no one else could hear it.

  Flanna got busy scrubbing Dawn’s hair with heather-scented soap. “Neil left on a mission for Cree and there is talk it concerns Tallis and the lad. He took two men with him and they were not wearing their plaids. Tongues also wag that Terran Fitzbane will not leave here without the lad and that it may come to war if Cree does not turn the child over to him.”

  Dawn rested her head back in the water, Flanna running her fingers through it to rinse the soap out of her hair. When she sat up, she questioned with a gesture.

  Flanna shook her head. “No the villagers are more than willing to fight if the lad is Cree’s, but with Fitzbane claiming the lad is his nephew, it has left doubt in many.”

  Dawn let Flanna know that Cree would see it settled.

  “I have no doubt he will. What is disturbing everyone is...how he will settle it.”

  Chapter 8

  Dawn laid her finished braid over her shoulder onto her chest, her dark red hair shining from the recent scrubbing. She ran her hand over the soft pale blue frock that Flanna had helped her get into. Never had she thought to own anything so beautiful, but every time Cree sent William on a trip concerning the building of his castle, the man returned with bolts of cloth that Cree had ordered him to purchase for her. Her wardrobe was growing and so would her daughter’s.

  A knock had her turning and going to the door to open it, to find a red-eyed, crying Tallis.

  “I cannot do this, please do not make me,” Tallis pleaded.

  Dawn understood her plea. She did not want to go to the Great Hall for supper and have to confront Terran Fitzbane. Dawn scrunched her brow and shrugged her shoulders, wanting to know why.

  Tallis rung her hands as she answered, “I fear he will convince Cree that I am not being truthful and I will lose my son to him.”

  Dawn stepped out the door, closing it behind her and took Tallis’s arm and walked with her to the bedchamber where her son lay sleeping. She did not want to take a chance and have Cree see them talking. Here they could talk in private since Elsa had yet to arrive to stay with the lad for the evening.

  Tallis went to the chair next to the bed and sat, her hand going to caress her son’s head. Proper etiquette caused her to jump up and apologize. “I am sorry, my lady, please sit.”

  Dawn shook her head and pointed for her to sit, and Tallis did not argue. Besides, Dawn did not think Tallis had the strength to continue to stand. The woman looked exhausted and it made Dawn wonder when the woman had last slept.

  She pointed to Tallis and brought her hands together to press to her cheek as she tilted her head a bit.

  Tallis easily understood her. “I do not know when I last slept. We were on the road for days and when Adian began to feel ill, I carried him.” Tears began to fall again. “I cannot lose him. He is all I have left of—” She brought her hands up to cover her face and catch the plethora of tears that burst free.

  Dawn went to her side and wrapped her arm around the woman’s heaving shoulders and let her cry for a few moments before tapping her shoulder.

  Tallis looked up at her, wiping her tears away, though some persisted in continuing to fall. “I am so sorry, my lady. I have brought you such a heavy burden to bear. I never meant to hurt you. I wanted simply to protect my son.”

  Elsa entered just then, her brow wrinkling with concern. “What is wrong?”

  Dawn gestured before Tallis could respond, explaining that Tallis felt a bit feverish and that she did not think it was wise that she joins the others for supper this evening. She knew she was taking a chance with Elsa, since she was completely loyal to Cree, he having saved her life. She only hoped Elsa would understand.

  Elsa pressed a hand to Tallis’s brow. “She feels more chilled to me and from the look of her I would say she is exhausted. I think a hot bath and bed are best for her.”

  Dawn patted her chest and nodded, letting Elsa know that she agreed.

  “I will see to it,” Elsa said, “and you will see to telling Cree.”

  Dawn left a relieved Tallis in capable hands and as she walked down the stairs, she wondered over Tallis’s words. Was Adian all she had left of a night with Cree or had she been referring to something else? And why did she continually apologize to Dawn for hurting her? It made it seem that all that had happened had been intentional on her part, as if it had all been planned for some time. That did not make sense, unless it was as Fitzbane claimed and it was all a ruse that she played on many men.

  It was possible, but Dawn did not want to think of Tallis using the lad for such a deplorable scheme. She appeared to truly love the lad or was it an act? It was unfortunate the lad had taken i
ll, for much could be learned from him.

  She would keep attentive at supper this evening and see if there was anything she could learn from Fitzbane to piece this puzzle together.

  First, however, she needed to inform Cree that Tallis would not be joining them.

  She found him in the Great Hall speaking with Sloan as his warriors began to fill the trestle tables. They appeared ready to enjoy the evening meal, especially with Turbett’s food being so tasty, but anyone familiar with Cree’s warriors knew they were always on guard, always prepared.

  Heads nodded and smiles were sent her way as she approached her husband. His eyes showed their approval when they met with hers, but it was the spark of passion that lit in his eyes that made her smile grow and her heart thump just a bit faster.

  Cree had learned many years ago not to let anything illicit a response from him. He never allowed anyone to know how he felt or what he thought, giving him the advantage. With Dawn, however, it was proving more difficult to do. His heart leaped whenever he saw her, his loins often tightened, and he was finding that he was smiling far more often than he ever did. He had truly and unbelievably fallen deeply in love with her. He held his hand out to her, eager to have her in his arms. She took his hand and he tucked her in the crook of his arm, wanting to keep her close.

  She did not want to linger on the news she had to deliver, so she gestured quickly that Tallis would not be joining them.

  “Why?” Cree asked so abruptly that it had Sloan moving away from the couple.

  Dawn turned so that her gestures were kept private and she explained how exhausted Tallis was from her journey. She finished with the complete truth...the woman just did not have the strength to confront anyone. She quickly added that Elsa was tending her.

  Cree was annoyed. “Exhausted or not, her appearance could have helped with determining the truth of this unfortunate situation. You felt sorry for her when you should have encouraged her to obey me.” He brought his nose down to almost touch hers. “But then you do not obey me, so why should she?”