Bound to a Warrior Page 20

  “Very soon you’re going to find me inside you if we continue this,” he said, keeping her flat against him just before a thrust.

  “Then perhaps it is time for that kiss I promised you,” she said.

  He spun her around to face him. “It won’t be just a kiss you give.”

  She rested her hand to his cheek, and his heated flesh tingled her palm. “I know.”

  “Then kiss me,” he said impatiently.

  Apprehension suddenly assaulted her, and she felt unsure. Would she do this right? Would her kiss please him? Then she almost laughed. He already desired her. She had nothing to worry about. She only needed to enjoy.

  She ran her hands inside his shirt and slipped along his warm, hard chest until her arms circled his neck, and though she tugged at him to lower his head to hers, he did not budge.

  “I cannot reach you if you don’t lean down.”

  “Can’t you?” he challenged.

  She grinned, knowing exactly what he had in mind and holding tight around his neck she jumped up wrapping her legs around his waist. His hands quickly dipped beneath her skirt and grabbed firm hold of her bottom.

  “Better?” she asked.

  “Perfect,” he said.

  “Now can I kiss you?”

  “By all means do.”

  She didn’t know what took hold of her. Whether it was passion, rare need or pure love, but once her lips touched his, she kissed him like she had never done before. Her mouth took complete control and without thought or reason she found her lips making love to him and her body seemed to follow. She rubbed against him with wanton desire that soared beyond anything she had known.

  “Love me,” she whispered between kisses. “Just love me.”

  She thought she heard faint, distant thunder, but then realized it was that low rumble of his that started deep inside him and rose slowly, and she smiled, a tinkle of laughter spilling into the kiss.

  “What do you find funny?” he asked after easing away from her lips.

  “Not funny,” she said, returning to his lips to brush across them. “Happy. I’m so very happy when I am with you.”

  A brilliant smile burst forth from him. “I’m glad, for I am very happy when I am with you, and I am about to make us both even happier.”

  “I can’t wait,” she said. “I don’t want to. I want you now.”

  He obliged her, walking them over to a large oak tree and bracing her back against it. He lifted her to rest over him and entered her slow and easy, until she thrust her hips against him and took all of him inside her.

  It went quick after that, their need great, their passion powerful and their climax explosive.

  When sanity returned Duncan said, “That was a kiss worth waiting for.”

  “Truly?” she asked with a smile.

  “The best kiss I’ve ever had, or doubt I’ll ever have again,” he teased.

  “You challenge me to do better?”

  “If you think you can,” he teased.

  “You’ll just have to wait and see,” she said.

  A rustle of leaves had them scurrying to right themselves, and Mercy was retrieving her dagger when a young boy, no more than four years, suddenly appeared.

  He burst into tears as soon as he saw Duncan and ran up to him throwing his tiny arms around Duncan’s thick leg. Duncan scooped him up into his arms.

  “What have I told you, Rand, about wandering into the woods by yourself?”

  He sniffled through his tears. “Alida lost me.”

  “It is your big sister’s fault, is it?” Duncan asked.

  Rand nodded, his tears subsiding and pointed at Mercy. “She’s pretty.”

  “Yes, she certainly is pretty, but we need to find your sister,” Duncan said. “Where did you leave her?”

  Rand twisted round in Duncan’s arms, smiling and jabbing his tiny finger in all directions. “That way, that way, that way.”

  Mercy had to chuckle. He was so adorable, red curly hair, round, chubby face and the roundest green eyes she had ever seen.

  “What were you and your sister doing when she lost you?” Mercy asked.

  “Picking sticks.”

  Duncan explained. “His mother, Cora, crafts most of our baskets.”

  “Big,” Rand said, swinging his arms wide, then bringing them back together. “Small.” He grinned. “Ma makes them all.”

  She grinned. “He is so cute.”

  “He is a terror, forever getting lost and getting into something.”

  Rand giggled as Duncan tickled him, and then he threw his small arms around his neck. “You found me.”

  “More like you found me, little one.”

  “We should find his sister,” Mercy said. “She must be frantic looking for him.”

  “It’s happened so many times, I’m surprised she didn’t tie a rope around him,” Duncan said.

  Rand laughed, tossing his head back. “Alida tie me. I broke fee.”

  Mercy had to laugh. Rand may be a handful but she wouldn’t mind a son like him, full of life and inquisitive enough to explore on his own.

  Suddenly frantic shouts ripped through the air. “Rand! Rand!”

  “Alida!” Rand shouted back.

  “Rand!” the young girl yelled.

  “I have him, Alida,” Duncan called out.

  “Thank God,” Alida shouted and within moments burst past the trees.

  She looked barely ten years, pretty and with the same red hair and green eyes as Rand. The small lad stuck his arms out as soon as he saw her. She took him, though how she managed to hold the squiggling child was beyond Mercy.

  “I’ll see you two home safe,” Duncan said.

  “Thank you, but I must go retrieve my bundle of branches. Mother is expecting me to bring them home and will be disappointed if I don’t.”

  “I’ll go with you to get your bundle,” Duncan said.

  Mercy wasn’t surprised that he wouldn’t leave Alida and Rand on their own. She believed that Duncan didn’t realize just how much of an honorable man he was and how very proud she was of him.

  Mercy stepped forward and extended her hand to the girl. “Hi, I’m Mercy and I’ll help too.”

  “That’s very kind of you, m’lady,” Alida said with a bow of her head.

  Mercy caught her smile before it faltered, not wanting the young lass to think she had said something wrong. She hadn’t expected to be addressed as a noble woman. After all, she was the bastard daughter of the king, not his legitimate daughter, though she was his only child.

  To Alida’s relief, Duncan took the restless Rand and hoisted him up to sit on his shoulders. The child giggled with glee and they were soon off to help Alida.

  When all was done and the children deposited safely at their parent’s cottage, and a beautifully crafted basket given to Mercy in appreciation for her help, Duncan surprised her with a suggestion.

  “We’ll go gather some food from Cook, put it in your basket and find a private spot to eat and talk.”

  She was thrilled with the idea and let him know. “I would love to do that.”

  And so they hurried off.

  Cook was Etty, more round than tall and with a curt nature.

  “You’re disturbing me,” she yelled at Duncan and Mercy took a step behind him.

  Duncan cajoled her with a smile and sweet talk. “You make the best bread. I can’t resist it. And your meat pies?” He rubbed his stomach. “Mmm, delicious.”

  “Go on with you.” She shooed at him.

  “Not without some of your tasty treats.”

  She capitulated, though Mercy hadn’t expected her to.

  “I’ll give you a few,” she said waving a wooden spoon at him. “No more.”

  “Whatever you give me I’ll appreciate,” Duncan assured her.

  To Mercy’s amazement they left with a full basket.

  “I didn’t think she would give you anything,” Mercy admitted once outside.

  “You have to know h
ow to handle Etty if you want to get food from her,” Duncan said. “The real problem is keeping it from others once you’ve got it. We need to find a place fast before Trey or Reeve gets a whiff of it.”

  He placed a hand to the small of her back and hurried her forward while on the alert for his brothers.

  “We can share—”

  “Absolutely not,” Duncan said.

  Mercy was surprised at his adamancy. “Why?”

  “To the victor goes the spoils.”

  “That doesn’t sound at all like you.”

  “Listen, I was the only one who could cajole Etty into giving us food, and each time I did, my brothers wound up eating it all. If they get a whiff of this, there’ll be nothing left for us.”

  “Duncan!”

  “Damn,” Duncan muttered and looked to Mercy. “Don’t turn around and look at Reeve, just keep walking.”

  Mercy laughed and did as she was told delighted by and envious of the brothers’ antics. How she wished she had siblings growing up.

  “Wait up,” Reeve yelled. “I know what you’ve got in that basket and you have to share.”

  Mercy laughed as she hurried her pace alongside Duncan.

  “He doesn’t understand the meaning of the word share,” Duncan said.

  Mercy continued to find the whole matter amusing. She could just imagine them as young lads running off with a basket of Etty’s food and fighting over the contents. They must have wonderful memories of earlier times together.

  “I know you can hear me, Duncan, and you’re not sneaking off with that basket without me.”

  “What basket?” Trey called out.

  “Damn,” Duncan mumbled again.

  “Get him, Trey, he got a basket of food from Etty,” Reeve shouted.

  Mercy was now running to keep up with Duncan, though she didn’t know how long she would be able to keep pace with him since she was laughing harder.

  It didn’t matter though, because within the next second a horn sounded so suddenly and so sharply, that she stopped dead and so did Duncan.

  He grabbed her arm and shoved the basket into her hand. “The king’s soldiers approach. Go to the keep and stay there until I come for you.”

  She nodded and hurried off as his brothers joined him and they disappeared in the opposite direction.

  “Rand! Rand!”

  Mercy heard Cora and Alida calling for the young lad as she was passing their cottage. The look of terror on their faces made her stop.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “We can’t find Rand,” Cora said, clearly upset. “He was here a moment ago and now he’s gone.”

  “I should have watched him more carefully,” Alida said through tears.

  Her mother took her in her arms. “Nonsense. Rand has a mind of his own. There is no stopping him. He knows to go to the keep when the horn sounds. He’s probably there already.”

  “Let’s go see,” Mercy suggested, knowing the women should be seeking shelter there.

  Once inside they searched frantically for Rand but couldn’t find him.

  Mara approached them. “What’s wrong?’

  “Rand is nowhere to be found,” Mercy explained.

  “I’m sure he’s fine. He’s a smart one. We’ll find him after this is done.”

  Cora looked ready to protest and Mara slipped an arm around her. “You know the men are needed. Rand will do fine. He always does. We will find him later. This will be done soon enough.”

  Cora nodded, though clearly she didn’t agree.

  “We can’t just leave the lad out there on his own,” Mercy protested.

  “We can and we will,” Mara said. “There are no men to spare to search for him now.”

  “Then I’ll go,” Mercy said.

  “I believe Duncan ordered you to remain in the keep as all women do,” Mara challenged.

  “If he had known Rand was in need of help—”

  “You don’t know if Rand is in need of help and even if Duncan knew he would still have ordered you to remain in the safety of the keep.”

  “I cannot remain here when a small, helpless child is out there alone,” Mercy argued.

  “I’m afraid you’ll have to,” Mara said sternly.

  Mercy tossed her chin up. “No, I won’t. You hold no authority over me. I do as I please.” She turned to Cora and Alida. “I’ll go find Rand and bring him here. Is there a particular place he might go?”

  “You will not leave here,” Mara ordered.

  “You cannot stop me.”

  “There’s a small grove not far from the cottage where he likes to play. A worn path leads the way there,” Alida said. “I’ll go with you.”

  Mercy shook her head. “No, you must stay here. I’ll bring your brother back.”

  “I forbid you to leave here,” Mara said.

  Mercy simply smiled and said something she never ever thought she would. “You cannot forbid me to do anything. I am daughter to the king.”

  Silence settled over the hall and Mercy didn’t care how loud she had said it, or who had heard. She turned and hurried out.

  Chapter 27

  Mercy had no time to think of what she had just done. Later she could ponder it and most certainly offer an apology to Mara, but right now she needed to find Rand. She maneuvered through women and children running to the keep and headed to Cora’s cottage. She entered the woods just beyond and stilled for a moment listening.

  The soldiers could be anywhere, and if they found her, she would be returned to her father, and she wasn’t ready for that. And besides, she had to find Rand. He was out there alone and needed help.

  She glanced down and realized that she had kept hold of the dagger all this time and was relieved she had. She could protect herself and Rand if necessary. Not that she was by any means skilled, but she knew a little and could possibly make it appear she knew a lot more.

  She found the trail Alida had spoken about and with careful, though speedy, steps she followed it. She didn’t allow herself to think. She kept her mind free and eyes and ears alert.

  It didn’t take her long to find the groove, though Rand wasn’t there. She stood amongst the spreading oaks and could see why the young lad would come here. The many lush trees were perfect for climbing…

  She looked up and there was Rand, eyes closed tight and his little body curled up in the crook of a thick branch.

  “Rand, it’s me, Mercy.”

  His eyes sprang wide and he peered down at her. “Mercy, you come for me?”

  “Yes. I’ve come to take you to your mother.” She heard a distant rustling noise and with a finger to her lips, she cautioned Rand to be silent. He nodded and hugged the tree tighter.

  She didn’t know what produced the sound and not wanting to take any chances, she decided to climb the tree and join Rand. If soldiers were afoot they may have heard her and Rand talking and would comb the area in search of them.

  The tree was the safest place for them right now.

  Her mother would have disapproved if she had ever known that her daughter climbed trees. Not only climbed them, but loved climbing them. So it was with little effort that Mercy grabbed hold of a branch and climbed up.

  Once she reached Rand, she decided it was best if they climbed a bit higher. Having tucked the dagger in her boot, she took Rand in her arms and climbed two branches higher to nestle quite comfortably in the crook of a solid branch.

  She cautioned silence again with her finger to her lips and Rand nodded and cuddled closer against her. Mercy wrapped her arm around him and held tight. She’d let no one harm this child. No one.

  They waited and it wasn’t long before she heard…

  “Have you seen her yet?” a man’s voice asked.

  Rand grabbed tighter to Mercy and she felt his little body tremble. She squeezed him close, letting him know he was safe with her.

  “I’ve seen her from a distance.”

  Mercy barely heard the other man’s reply, his voice no
more than a whisper.

  “You have three days, no more. Get her and bring her to the border.”

  “But—”

  “Three days,” the man repeated.

  Footfalls drifted off, but Mercy remained where she was, again warning Rand to remain quiet. She didn’t know if it was safe just yet and intended to wait awhile. Besides the brief exchange upset her. She knew they spoke about her, and she wondered how they had gotten one of their own men into the village. And why didn’t her father simply attack and be done with it?

  He had gotten to be king because he had let nothing stand in his way, not even claims that no true royal blood ran through him. He had defied the kings who ruled various areas of Scotland and through bloody battles claimed victory and dominance.

  Why not do again what he had done once before?

  And why did he seek her return so tenaciously?

  The questions troubled her and she would need to find the answers.

  “I think we can climb down now,” Mercy said softly to Rand.

  “Safe?” he asked.

  “I think we’ll be safe, though we should be as quiet as we can be.”

  Rand nodded and Mercy smiled.

  It took less effort to climb down than it did up and in no time they were on the ground. Rand remained clutched to Mercy and she took quick steps to get them away and closer to home.

  She took no more than a few steps when a man stepped out from among the dense trees. Startled, she stumbled back, righted herself and then realized he looked familiar.

  “Bailey?” she asked.

  “Aye, it’s me.”

  Rand hugged her neck tight.

  “It’s all right, Rand. I know this man and he won’t harm us,” she said, glaring at Bailey as if defying him to deny it.

  Bailey reached out and tickled Rand under the chin. “I’m a friend.”

  Rand laughed, though kept firm hold of Mercy.

  “Are you?” she asked.

  “We should return to the keep. It’s not safe here,” he said.

  Mercy nodded and began walking, Bailey following beside her.

  “I climbed trees when I was a lad,” Bailey said.