Page 12 of It Began With A Kiss
He leaned forward again as if to prove the worth of his words. “You and your son will continue to dwell in the bedchambers you previously held whilst you were lady of this hall.”
“Ye said that already. And if and when ye marry, what then?” she asked, knowing the man before her would be expected to wed and produce an heir.
“We shall worry about that when the time comes,” Aiden replied.
“What else?”
“In return for my protection, you shall do your best to see me in a favorable light and share that view with the clan and villagers,” he said sitting back in his chair.
“And just how do ye think I am tae perform such a miracle?” Ye willna be accepted so easily.”
“Mayhap not, but with you by my side, perchance the task might not be too difficult to come to pass. All I ask is that you try.”
“Try? My husband’s murderer? Ye expect me tae stroll through the village on yer arm as though ye did not kill Ewan?”
His fist pounded on the arm of his chair. “I did not kill your husband for no knight with any sense of honor would kill another from behind! ’Tis the act of a coward. I swear to you I did not kill him!” he bellowed and for the first time, Iona was frightened of the man before her. He was unexpectedly in full battle mode, and she could see the knight behind the sword. Fierce. Unyielding. Determined to win the day…
Deep in her heart, Iona believed that this suddenly angry knight spoke the truth. She tried to form words to placate him. “Then who killed him?”
“I do not know but, if ’twill ease your suffering, I will also vow to find his killer. Can we find a common accord, my lady?” he asked, once more looking the carefree knight she had seen in the past few days.
She hesitated. How could she not? She was torn between her sense of commitment to her deceased husband and the possible answer to her problem of being able to provide for her son. Aiden seemed sincere when he offered her his protection and yet a portion of her still continued to be leery of his proposition. She would not become a kept woman!
“Ye offer myself and my son yer protection?” she inquired, knowing she had little choice but to accept this insane offer. ’Twas either this or starve. She had no resources to provide for herself and Gregor.
“I do.”
“And ye promise ye willna expect me tae become yer mistress?” She held her breath waiting for his reply. A sly grin spread across his handsome features. God’s Bones, but the man was beyond compare when he smiled at her like he was now doing. She was going to have a hard time of being in the same room with him let alone playing her part in the village.
“You have my word that nothing will happen between us unless you wish it, Iona.” The husky baritone of his voice held a promise of what could happen between them. Iona refused to give in to him so easily, nor to herself!
“Very well. I accept yer offer but I swear tae ye that ’twill be a cold day in hell that I will ever willingly be found in yer bed!” She stood and turned to leave.
“Never say never, Iona.” Aiden also stood and reached out for her hand. He brought her fingertips up to his lips. She waited to feel his mouth upon her now trembling skin but instead, he turned her hand upward and placed a kiss on the inside of her wrist. Her heart jumped into her throat and she wretched her hand from his.
She fled the solar, her quest to find her son and return to her cottage in the forefront of her mind. But as she ran down the passageways, she swore she could still feel Aiden’s lips on her wrist. He would remain on her mind far into the evening hours.
CHAPTER9
Broden paced his cell like the caged animal he was. For nigh unto a fortnight, he had been left and forgotten in this hell hole. He supposed his fate could be worse. Dunborough’s pit was a nasty and vile place, and he was thankful he had not been tossed down into those depths. Instead, he fought off the rats and mice whenever someone brought him food, if that is what it could be called. He closed his eyes and remembered the heavenly aroma of the great hall’s evening meals. ’Twould be a long while before he would see such riches again unless he could be released from here.
He shivered in the cold dampness that was his prison. Captured when he killed one of the invading knights, he had fought off the rest, including their leader, to no avail. When brought before the last knight he had attempted to kill, he realized ’twas the newlaird. Broden had spat at his feet.
The laird was after information, and none would be forthcoming from Broden. The fact someone had spilled his name irritated Broden. To think that he had been betrayed by another Ferguson! Broden certainly would not confess to killing his own brother and would not lose any sleep over the matter. Even if the situation had not turn out as he expected. Yet how was he to know that all he would gain by taking Ewan’s life would be imprisonment? He pounded on the stone wall of his cell.Bloody Hell! All his plans were for naught. Instead of forcing Iona to wed him and becoming laird of the castle, he was now reduced to nothing more than a prisoner in a cell. He had to escape.
There were still a few men loyal to him above and Broden prayed they would be forming a plan for his release. He could then hide himself in the village until he could gather enough men to invade once more. He raised his fist heaven bound, swearing upon his life that he would one day become the rightful laird of this very castle!
As if his prayers had been heard, a light appeared in the passageway along with a familiar face that came to stand in front of his cell. Broden thrust his arms through the bars and grasped Angus’s forearm.
“Ye came!” Broden said in relief. “Did ye find the key to the cell?”
Angus held up the brass key with a mighty laugh. “The daft Englishmen dinnae know what hit them when I offered them a drink with something in it tae make them sleep. About fell down the stairs when the drink took them.”
“Get me the hell out of here then and let us make our way tae the village so ye can hide me there,” Broden urged and as the lock clicked and the door swung open, he clapped his hands together in glee.
“Shouldna be that difficult tae keep tae the shadows of the night and make yer escape. Just dinnae get yerself caught. I dinnae go tae all this trouble for our plans tae go awry now,” Angus muttered. He went inside the cell and shaped the extra blankets he carried to appear as though Broden were sleeping on the cot. He then left the cell and locked the door.
“Let us away,” Broden exclaimed with a chuckle.
