The Condemned Highlander by Donna Fletcher
10
Brogan was not far from the village. He had hoped to reach the group before their arrival home, but unfortunately, he had not, and his worry for Annis had grown.
His meeting did not go as he had thought and if he had known who wanted to meet, he would not have left Annis. He had been concerned when he followed the trail left for him. The news could not be good if it was Rannick who had tracked him down. He rarely ventured far from his solitary dwelling. The curse had taken enough from him, and he had sworn he would let it take no more. Thus, he lived isolated from others. He had worried it was Odran and he had come to ask him to join the fight over the disputed land. If so, what did he do with Annis in the meantime? He could not let her continue her quest on her own.
Surprisingly, it had been neither friend who had taken him away from Annis.
It had been one of Lord Lochlann’s, Rannick’s father, warriors and as soon as he recognized him, he had a good idea of why he was there. And he had not been wrong. Lord Lochlann wanted to know what he was doing conducting another worthless search for the witch. It was easy to surmise that Lord Lochlann worried about Rannick hearing of it and possibly joining Brogan on another useless search that would help no one.
Brogan had no intentions of sharing anything with Lord Lochlann. He told the warrior that he was placating Annis and the search would soon come to an end. The warrior had been pleased with the good news he would deliver to Lord Lochlann. Brogan had asked about Bliss, but the warrior insisted he knew nothing. Gossip spread fast in a village and there was no doubt that tongues had to be wagging over Rannick’s new bride. Lord Lochlann had probably warned all to hold their tongues concerning the marriage or suffer the consequences. He wished he could have learned even a kernel of news about Bliss that would let Annis worry less for her sister. Unfortunately, he had nothing to tell her.
Night was close to claiming the land when he arrived at the wee village, but excitement filled the air over the amount of food and cloth that was being distributed.
Iver hurried over to him when he dismounted.
“Something wrong, Iver?” Brogan asked, worry strong in the older man’s eyes.
“Annis fainted shortly after you left.” Iver hurried to finish, seeing how upset Brogan got. “One of your warriors caught her before she toppled off the horse. We made her ride in the cart after that and she was none too pleased about it. But she remained pale, and Una worried she might faint again. Una is tending her now. I will see to Belle for you.”
Brogan was quick to hand Belle’s reins over to Iver. He headed straight for Iver’s dwelling and did not bother to announce his arrival. He opened the door and entered.
A rage so strong swept over him, he thought he would explode when he saw the many welts that marred Annis’s bare back.
“My lord,” Una said, startled by his entrance.
Annis had swung around from where she sat on the bench, her arm resting over her shift that covered her breasts, the back of the garment laying at her waist. She had removed her tunic and dropped her shift to her waist for Una to more easily tend her wounds. Not use to anyone but her sisters seeing her naked, she had kept her breasts covered. She was glad she had seeing Brogan standing in the open doorway, appearing as if he was ready to do battle.
“Could you close the door,” Annis said calmly.
Brogan shook his head, attempting to clear his anger as he did as she asked.
The sharp demand in his voice when he spoke next surprised both women.
“I will have a few moments alone with Annis, Una.”
“Aye, my lord,” Una said and was about to drop the cloth in the bucket when Brogan stopped her.
“Wait. Were you about to place that cloth on Annis’s back?”
“Aye, the concoction will help with the swelling and ease her pain,” Una explained.
“Place it on her,” Brogan ordered.
Una appeared hesitant but spoke anyway. “The cloth needs to be refreshed after it is warm to the touch.”
Brogan surprised both women again. “I will see to it if we have not finished talking by then.”
“That is inappropriate,” Annis said, feeling far too vulnerable being half undressed in his presence.
“I do not care if it is improper or if it causes gossip. It is a command and I expect it to be obeyed,” Brogan ordered.
Una bobbed her head and gently placed the wet cloth on Annis’s back, remaining beside her when she let out a startled gasp. “The stinging will dissipate and as the swelling subsides so will your pain.”
All Annis could do was nod.
Once again anger stirred in Brogan, seeing Annis suffer needlessly.
“If Annis should need me, sir, I will be right outside,” Una said and headed out the door.
Annis’s head hung down, her fiery red hair concealing the sides of her face. He walked around to squat down in front of her. He reached out and took her clutched hand in his and she latched onto him, squeezing tight.
“My mother will never touch you again, Annis,” he said.
She raised her head with a slight wince. “You are right about that, since I have no intentions of ever setting foot in your keep or village again. Did she take a stick to you when you were young?”
“She would not dare. I am heir to the clan, and she would suffer my father’s wrath if she did. Not that I never felt his hand, though the times were few.”
“I do not care for your parents.”
“I do not blame you. There are times I do not care for them either,” he admitted. He wanted desperately to wrap her in his arms, comfort her, ease her pain, but that would only cause her more pain. He was relieved that he offered some comfort by the way she clutched his hand. “I would take your pain if I could.”
“I would give it to you if I could,” she said with a soft chuckle. “You are ruining my reputation by being in here with me half-naked. If either of my sisters hear about this, they will worry. And they each have enough to worry about and contend with, without disparaging news about me. That reminds me, did you learn anything about either of my sisters from whoever it was you met?”
“It was neither Odran nor Rannick.” He saw the disappointment in her eyes. “Lord Lochlann sent one of his warriors to find out why I was searching for the witch again.”
She sat straight up, throwing her shoulders back and grimaced, closing her eyes against the pain that seared her back and quickly said, “I would ask if you told him of our encounters so far, but I trust your word and know you held your tongue as promised.”
She trusted him without question, but how would she feel when she learned what he kept from her. He should tell her and be done with it, but he did not want her forced to accept their marriage. He wanted the choice to be hers.
“I kept my word to you. I will always keep my word to you. Never doubt that. As far as your reputation, we could easily rectify any damage with an exchange of vows.”
She cringed and squeezed his hand.
“The cloth needs refreshing,” Brogan said, reluctant to release her hand since it locked so tightly with his, hoping he assumed right, and her grimace was not in response to his suggestion.
Annis stopped herself from telling him to get Una. She preferred he stay with her, his presence alone a comfort to her as well as the touch of his hand. Also, she had found herself almost agreeing with him about marriage to save her reputation. Or was it that she was not as resistant to the idea?
“You should lie on the bed. You would be more comfortable, and you could use the rest as well as sleep.”
“The bench is fine,” she said, fearing he would leave Una to tend her once she took to the bed and she was not ready for him to leave her just yet.
He tapped her nose gently. “It was not a suggestion.”
“It sounded like one.”
He smiled. “I was being nice.”
“And make it seem like it was my choice?”
“Exactly, now let’s get you on the bed. It will make it easier to tend your wounds and do not bother to argue when you know what I say makes sense,” he said, his hands going to her waist to help her stand.
“You are not always right.”
“Then it is a good thing I have you around to let me know when I’m wrong.” He eased her up off the bench.
“I will tell you eve—” Dizziness struck her hard and fast and she shut her eyes against it. Instinct had both her hands reaching out and grabbing hold of his arms to steady herself. His taut muscles brought relief and comfort. He would not let her fall.
He should rot in hell for the slight arousal he felt at seeing her naked, the shift having fallen to her feet. Here she was suffering in pain and his shaft stirs. Never had a woman aroused him as quickly as Annis did on far too many occasions. He fought it though it was not easy, her nipples having turned hard and his urge to taste them overwhelming, not to mention the thatch of red hair between her legs that matched her fiery curls that guarded the entrance to endless pleasure. Enough. He had to cover her.
Annis’s breath caught when the back of his hand brushed her nipple. Only then did she realize… she was naked. Her eyes shot open to see him ready to reach down for her shift.
“I will do it,” she said, stepping away from him.
Brogan grabbed her arm as gently as he could, seeing her unsteady on her feet and without a word spoken, snatched her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her on her side and ordered, “Get on your stomach.”
She hurried to do so, her cheeks growing red with embarrassment.
He hastily drew a blanket over her backside and up to her waist, leaving her back free to tend. There would be no sleep for him tonight, not with the lovely images of her naked body taunting him. She had an impressive backside, round and firm, and his fingers were itching to give it a squeeze.
He shook his head, needing the titillating images gone and grabbed the cloth off the ground that had fallen off her back. He dropped it on the bench and took a cloth from the stack on the table beside the bucket and dropped it into it. Once he rinsed it, he returned to the bed and took a look at her back. He was pleased that the welts appeared less angry than before. He hurried to gently place the cloth on her back, hoping it would relieve more of her pain.
Her sigh of relief told him it had.
He squatted down beside the bed, their faces close. “What will Una think when she returns and finds me naked?”
“That I was a gentleman and turned away while you got in bed and covered yourself.”
“With your reputation?” she asked with a laugh.
“Nay, with your impeccable reputation,” he corrected.
“My reputation is not impeccable. Since reaching the age to wed, I have always lacked a suitor. The clan believes I am far too stubborn and far too interested in things that are better left to men, to attract a man of any character or worth.”
“A rogue like me would better suit you and better understand you.” He tucked an irate curl behind her ear, but it would not stay there. It was as stubborn as her and as soft as her as well.
A yawn robbed her of words or was it the tender touch of his hand that calmed her?
“Sleep and I will see you in the morning, mo ghràdh” he said and kissed her cheek.
“We will walk the path slow,” she said, fighting to keep her eyes open.
“Sleep and rest,” he said and kissed her cheek again. She would do nothing but rest tomorrow, but that was a fight better left for the morrow. He tried once again to keep the irate strand from falling in her face, but it refused to obey. He let it be, something he felt he would be doing with Annis as well. Let her be who she was.
Brogan stoked the fire and took one more look at Annis, having no desire to leave her. Her cheeks were tinged with what was left of her deep blush when she had realized she was naked. He wanted to see her cheeks blush again, only this time for a far more pleasurable reason.
He stepped outside and Una turned, having waited as she said she would. “There is no reason for me to order you to tend her well. You will do so out of friendship.”
“Aye, my lord, I will. Annis is the first friend I ever had, and I do not want to lose her,” Una said.
“I feel the same way, Una,” he said and walked away. That the realization struck him just then surprised him. He never thought of a woman being his friend, but he shared things with Annis that he shared with Odran and Rannick, trust being one of them. And there was nothing as precious as a friend one could trust wholeheartedly.
Yet he kept a secret from her. He shook his head. This was not going to go well.
