Page 78 of A Sinful Night with a Scot
Keane couldn’t agree more. Grabbing Elsie, who now fought another, he dragged her backwards at great speed. With fear pushing him forward, he flung her onto her mare and slapped the horse’s flank hard. Listening to its protest, and then seeing it thundering off, Keane then yelled to the others.
“Move. Now!”
All three men clambered upon their horses and retreated at great speed. The horse’s hooves pounded the ground so hard, they soon found themselves catching up to Elsie.
As raging as he was with her, all he cared about was that they managed to get back to the castle. The four continued on, pushing their horses as fast as they could.
“Open the gate,” Alisdair bellowed, as they thundered towards the castle walls.
The gates swung open in a great flurry; the guards inside clearly worried as they stared up at the four of them galloping past. But even in the courtyard, Elsie did not slow, and glancing at her, Keane could see the horror and panic on her face. Grabbing the reins of her mare, he pulled backwards, careful to slow the mare steadily so Elsie was not thrown from her saddle.
Launching himself from his own beast, he ran to her. She remained in her saddle, clearly terrified, her whole body shaking with fear as the shock of what had occurred finally began to wear off. The sight of her in such a state nearly made his heart break,and taking her by the waist, he lifted her down and pulled her into his arms.
For a long moment, he just held her there, struggling to control his own emotions. He felt deeply for her. He hated that she had experienced such dreadfulness, but at the same time, he was angry that she had disobeyed him and put herself in such a dangerous situation.
Eventually, he pulled her away from him and glared down at her.
“What the hell is wrong with ye? Are ye trying tae get yersel’ killed?”
“I… I…” she floundered. “I was just trying…”
“I could have lost ye. Dinnae ye realize that?” he barked again.
Suddenly, Alisdair was by his side. “Perhaps ye should tak’ this discussion inside,” he murmured.
Only then, did Keane notice their argument being observed by all who stood around them. Without a word to Alisdair, he took Elsie by the arm and pulled her inside. He still did not speak as they travelled with great speed through the corridors, and up the stone steps. Upon reaching his bedchamber, he flung the door open, pushed her into the room, and slammed the door behind him.
“I gave ye a direct order,” he barked. “Ye were told tae stay here.”
“I willnae tak’ orders from ye, or any other,” she spat back, clearly finding her voice again. “Nae anymore! I took enough orders from the man who claimed tae be me faither. I’m finally rid o’ him. I dinnae need ye tae tak’ his place.”
Her words hit him hard, for he certainly had no intention of being anything like her father.
“Ye could have died, Elsie. If anything happened tae ye, I’d never forgive mesel’.”
“I’m nae a child,” she spat back.
“Nay. Ye’re me wife,” he bellowed.
“Och, o’ course. The wife who has tae dae as she is told fer fear of incurring her husband’s wrath. Ye want tae control me, just like me faither.”
“Nay. I dinnae want tae control ye,” he yelled. “I want tae be with ye. I love ye. I cannae lose ye. I cannae.”
Elsie froze to the spot at his words, and even Keane, knowing what he had just said, seemed to take a minute to consider his disclosure. The tension crackled in the air around them, and yet, neither seemed able to speak. Eventually, Elsie stepped forward.
“Is that true?” she breathed. “Dae ye really love me?”
Keane gazed down at her, the very idea of losing her causing him physical pain, even though she was there unharmed in front of him. “Aye, little one,” he said quietly. “It is. And I dae.”
Her cheeks flushed with color and a smile grew on her lips. “I love ye too,” she gushed. “And I cannae lose ye either. I want tae be by yer side forever, Keane. It is ye I want. It is the way ye have loved me that gave me the courage tae face me faither like I did. Ye did that. Only ye.”
Keane smiled broadly then as he gazed down at her. Her words filled him with a sense of pride, for her, and for himself. Not so long ago, he couldn’t begin to imagine that he was capable of love. So consumed with angst was he, such a depth of emotion, at least the right emotion, was not in his periphery. But Elsie had shown him the way back. She had led him back to the light, step by step, to a place where he felt content, happy, and at peace.
“I’m so proud o’ ye, little one. I am also grateful, fer ye have given me a new outlook on life. Ye did that. Only ye.”
Lowering his lips to hers, he kissed her passionately, feeling all the love she had for him; while offering all the love he had for her. He needed her now, in all the ways a man might need a woman. His arousal grew as he devoured her with his lips, and moving his hands, he tugged at the cords of her corset.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
