Page 9 of It Began With A Kiss
“And your mother? Who is she?” Aiden inquired.
Gregor looked around until he saw his mother and pointed to the red-haired beauty. “My mother is Lady Iona Ferguson, lately of the hall ye now call yer home, I suppose.”
Aiden nodded and noticed the lady had finished her prayers at the grave. She saw Aiden having speech with her son and began storming her way toward them. He did not have long to wait before she erupted in full anger.
“Keep away from my son!” she fumed pulling Gregor into her arms.
“Mama, let me go,” Gregor cried out in what Aiden assumed was embarrassment that he was being coddled.
“Go and join your friends tae play for a wee bit,” she ordered the boy, “and then return home tae the cottage. I shall have supper waiting for ye.”
Aiden waited for the boy to leave before giving the woman a proper bow. “Lady Iona…”
She placed her hands on her hips. “I presume my son gave up my name.”
“Aye. Reluctantly if that makes a difference to you.”
“I suppose ’twas only a matter of time before ye found out,” she replied.
“Is there a reason you did not wish for me to know you were the lady of the hall?” Aiden asked placing his hands behind his back. Her blue eyes widened before she answered him.
“I am no longer the lady of the hall as of last night and yer taking of the keep. I would, however, appreciate the courtesy of time tae retrieve my things from my bedchamber so I can have them removed and taken tae my cottage in the village.”
Aiden shook his head. “There is no need to move.” Her startled expression told him much and he probably should have thought what his words might mean to her.
A gasp escaped her lips. “Ye think tae keep me as some plaything tae use at yer leisure?” she cried out. “Ye are mistaken, sir, if ye think that I am part of what ye feel ye have taken!”
“I meant no disrespect, nor did I wish to imply you were part of the… victory I have earned.”
“I am no man’s plaything tae do with as ye will,” she fumed.
“And again… I did not mean to imply you were such. Although anyone with any sense can see you are a treasure beyond compare,” Aiden said quietly and watch a blush cross her features.
Her mouth opened and closed several times, giving him the impression she was at a loss for words. He held back a grin.Mayhap this is a beginning between us.
“I still wish tae gather my things,” she said with a toss of her head. He watched in fascination as those red tresses seemed to come alive as they fell back into place.
“A discussion we can have on the morrow… if you would but indulge me, that is,” Aiden said softly. “Mayhap at the afternoon meal?”
She pondered him for a moment before she nodded her head. “I suppose it couldna hurt tae have speech then tae discuss the matter.”
“Then I shall indeed look forward to the morrow, my lady,” Aiden replied with a small smile.
“Until the morrow…” Iona answered before taking her leave.
Aiden watched her depart again, her swaying hips tempting him further in his fascination with the beautiful Iona. God help him if he ever gave his heart to the woman!
CHAPTER8
Iona left her small cottage and began making her way toward the castle. Each step she took weighed deeply on her mind. The problem of caring for Gregor on her own was a heavy burden that left Iona feeling completely alone with no one to turn to for aid. When she was being honest with herself, she wasn’t sure she could manage. Also weighing on her mind was the way the villagers looked at her. They had grown used to thinking of her as the lady of the keep and now they treated her as if she did not know her place. In her mind, she had stepped from an important position within the clan back to nothing more than one of the lasses in the village. ’Twas a problem for sure. She was certain she would never fit in amongst them again as she did before her marriage to Ewan.
Ewan… her steps faltered and a sob wretched itself from the depths of her soul. Her gentle giant lay in the cold ground, killed at the hands of the very enemy she was about to meet with. How would she manage? She was still unclear why she had agreed to such an engagement in the first place.
The new laird swore he had not killed her husband. If his words were true, then the question remained of who had done such a dastardly deed. No man of worth would kill a man from behind. The memory of seeing Aiden yesterday filled her head and her heart began to beat furiously in her chest.
’Twas those damn violet eyes of his that had been her undoing, or perchance ’twas more. She had never had such instant feelings for a man before. How was she going to control her emotions in front of the man? He was her enemy, was he not? Confusion warred with the anger she should be feeling toward Aiden MacLaren, yet a small part of her yearned for what had been missing from her life. What was she thinking to allow such feelings into her heart for the very man she should hate?
A slight breeze traveled from the ocean and seemingly wrapped itself around her making her cape float behind her as if she was about to take flight. She closed her eyes to listen to a soft murmur that was so reminiscent of her husband she found comfort in the sound. ’Twas as though he stood right before her, wrapping those strong arms around her to give her strength for what was to come. She gave a contented sigh, gratified with the feeling he was near but still knowing ’twas impossible.
