Page 24 of Seduced By the Reckless Highlanders
They must think I am completely stupid,Keira thought angrily, as Murdoch turned and approached her again. Despite herself, she could not help observing what a magnificent man he was.
Everything about him spoke of strength, from his square jaw, his muscular chest, and broad shoulders to his narrow waist and hips and the powerful muscles of his arms and legs. Then she reminded herself that he was the enemy. He worked for her father and obeyed his orders, and it did not matter how desirable she found him; he was still her foe.
Murdoch knelt down before her, then he took out a glass of ale and poured some into a cup for her.
She hesitated, then accepted it, but only because she was desperately thirsty.
“Mistress,” Murdoch said gently, “I understand your position, and I know how much the people on the estate mean to you, but please understand mine. I swore an oath to work for your father and to uphold the honor of the McTavish clan, and I cannot run away from that responsibility. If I lose my positionhere, I will not find another, and the person who replaces me might not be so understanding. As well as that, you will not help the tenants of this estate if your father imprisons you or exiles you.”
Keira smiled coldly. “Ah, I see what you are trying to do,” she remarked. “Is that what all the sniggering was about over there? She is only a woman, try to charm her, pretend to see her point of view, soon she will be putty in your hands because women are soft and witless creatures. Do you really think I am so stupid that I cannot see through your deception? You may think we are idiots, Captain of the Guard, but we silly females can read faces as easily as you can read a book.
“Tell your idiotic second-in-command to keep his head turned in the future!”
Suddenly, on a wicked impulse, she threw the ale in his face and watched the shock on it with gleeful satisfaction. The ale was dripping onto his shirt, and he looked down at it stupidly for a moment before he stood up again, glaring at her.
However, Keira could see that he was quite simply at a loss as to what to do with her. He could take her to her father, and God alone knew what he would do to her. On the other hand, he could not leave her to roam about leading a band of rebels, and neither could he be responsible for her himself. He wiped the ale from his face and turned away, then sighed deeply.
Dougie, who had been watching with some amusement, smiled at his captain. “I take all hope of the dram has disappeared, then?”
“Yes,” Murdoch growled. “Definitely. Take her home, Dougie. Let her ride her horse beside you and keep her safe ’til you get back to the castle.”
Dougie looked at him in amazement. “Ye are no’ takin’ her back to her father?”
Murdoch shook his head firmly. “In all good conscience, I cannot, Dougie,” he replied. “She is…different from any other woman I have ever met, and she deserves a chance to be free. I have the power to turn her into a fugitive or a criminal. I will do neither. Take her home.”
He turned to Keira and said grimly, “You are free to go, Mistress McTavish.” Then he turned and picked up the thumb screws and pincers again and handed them to her. “Take these and dispose of them as you see fit. They have only ever been used as a threat. They have never touched anyone’s flesh, and they never will.”
Keira touched the instruments of pain with great reluctance. She did not wish to accept them but was afraid of the consequences if she did not. Somehow, she believed Murdoch when he said he would not use them, but some of his other guards might. At last, after a silent battle with herself, she took them from him, and her hands touched his for a moment. She felt as though a shock had gone through her, and it was so sudden and overwhelming that when she stood up she stumbled a little.
Murdoch put out his hands and grasped her upper arms to steady her, and for a moment, their faces were very close. He looked down at her lips, and Keira saw his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallowed nervously. His head was dipping toward hers, the urge to kiss her almost overwhelming, but just before their lips touched, Keira turned away. He blinked, realizing what he had almost done. He flushed with embarrassment and let go of her arms. This was happening too often.
Keira was mesmerized as she watched Murdoch’s lips approaching hers, but at the last second, she realized what it would mean if any connection between them was established. He would likely have to surrender her to her father, and if therewas any emotional tie between them, it would be disastrous for both of them.
She turned away at the very last second and felt his mouth brush against her hair. Damn. Even now, her body was reacting to his nearness.
13
Keira was too tired to do anything but slip into her bedroom just before dawn to find Moira waiting up for her. As soon as she saw Keira, she rushed across the room and gripped her by her upper arms, then shook her.
Keira saw relief and anger in her eyes and instantly felt ashamed.
“I was that worried about ye!” she cried, then began to weep softly, making Keira feel wretched.
“Where have ye been, ye silly girl?”
She looked up into Keira’s eyes, shaking her head, and Keira folded her arms around her friend, drawing her close and making soft, soothing noises.
“I am so sorry, Moira. I did not mean to upset you,” she said gently. “You knew I had a mission tonight, and I understand why you are upset, but I am well. The guards knew we were coming, but I do not know how. A few of us were injured, but nearly everyone managed to flee, thank goodness. But now Murdoch Holmes knows who I am.” She sat down and briefly outlined to Moira what had happened. “So I expect my father will be coming to get me soon.” She sighed and put her face in her hands.
“I will pack some clothes for ye, an’ ye can run away,” Moira said decisively.
“I cannot do that, Moira.” Keira was decisive. “I would have to leave you here to take whatever punishment he deems fit, and all for my crimes. I will not do that.” She went over to the fire to warm her chilled hands. “I will wait to see what happens, and in the meantime I will prepare myself for the worst. But there is one way out of this castle that even my father does not know about. If the worst comes to the worst, I will use it, and in the meantime I will keep a bag packed just in case.”
“I will pack it right away, Keira,” Moira said determinedly.
Three days passed, and everyone was readying the castle for the earl’s arrival. There was a frantic hubbub of activity everywhere, from the topmost turret to the dungeon. It had been very badly maintained; some of the bars on the cells had rusted, and some needed new locks. The whole place stank of sweat, urine, and mold.
The cracked and uneven flagstones were a nightmare for anyone who had to walk along the passage to the cells in the half dark. Many accidents happened to guards and prisoners alike due to them tripping up and falling on the pitted and bumpy surface.
