Rory looked down at the crowd. “Lady Aileanna is no thief. She thought to protect the flag from the MacLeans is al . Misguided she may have been, but nothing more. You condemn her, Donald, but I seem to recal you’d no’
have yer leg if no’ fer her.”
“Aye, and ’tis on account of the magik she wields as a witch that she heals as she does,” someone shouted from the back of the hal . Several more chimed in, their
verberating off the stone wal s.
Connor tugged on her arm. “Mayhap it would be best if ye went back to yer room, my lady.”
Ali shook her head. It was difficult to hear what they said, but she needed to know how the clan felt about her. She 220
edged closer to the entrance of the hal . Rory must have sensed her presence and their eyes met across the room. He held her gaze with his and said, “I wil na’ have Lady Aileanna’s name besmirched. She wil soon be the lady of Dunvegan, and wil be treated as such, or you’l answer to me.”
“But . . . but what does she bring to us?”
She saw the glint in his eyes and the slight curve of his sensual lips. “’Tis no’ what she brings to the clan, but what she brings to me that I’m thinkin’ on.”
Ribald laughter greeted his remark and some of the ten
sion in the hal dissipated. Ali rol ed her eyes and he winked at her, causing a heated flutter in her bel y. Then he drew his gaze from hers and returned his attention to his men. A part of her wanted to believe what they shared would one day take precedence over al else, but she knew with a man like Rory, it would never happen.
“Connor, if you don’t mind I’d like to go down by the loch.” She kept her voice low so no one would realize she’d been there, but she needn’t have bothered. Already talk of the upcoming battle drew their attention.
“Aye, we can try to manage it if ye’d like, my lady.”
Rory swung his legs over the ledge of boulders onto the stone beach of the loch, fighting a smile when he spotted Aileanna. Like a sea nymph washed up on shore, the sun
beams danced in the waves of her long hair. She leaned against a rock with her gown hiked to her knees, her feet in the water.
“I’m certain I told Mrs. Mac to keep you in yer bed fer the day,” he grumbled as he came to stand over her. Her eyes fluttered open and a slight smile curved her lips. “You did, but you should know by now I don’t fol ow orders very wel .”
LORD OF THE ISLES
221
“Aye, I see that.” Rory crouched beside her and took her injured foot in his hand. “It doesna’ look as bad as it did.”
With a light touch, he traced the bruises.
“The water’s cold. It helps with the swel ing.” She squirmed when he trailed his fingers farther up her long leg, and a soft sound of pleasure escaped her parted lips. Lowering her foot, he came to sit at her side and bent his head to claim her mouth. She curled her fingers around his neck, deepening their kiss. The scent of her sun-warmed skin and the feel of her lush curves enveloped him. Cup
ping her face with his hand, he tilted her head and delved deeper with his tongue, tasting her sweetness. He wanted to devour her, to take her away and never let her go, just the two of them—no battle looming over their heads, no clan who depended on him for their every need. But just the thought of those demands was enough to make him pul away from her.
He rested his forehead against hers. “If yer no’ careful I’l have you on yer back down here by the loch.”
Her long fingers stroked him beneath his plaid. His cock, as stiff and hard as the rock at her back, jerked at her delicate touch.
“Grass . . . in the grass would be better,” she said in a husky voice.
“Aye, and to be sure it would give the clan somethin’
more to talk aboot.”
“Right . . . I . . . uh . . . forgot.”
He groaned as she released him, then nibbled at her neck. “Why doona’ I take you to yer room and we can con tinue this there?”
“Is that your subtle way of getting me to stay in bed?”
“Aye, would it work?” He brushed the hair from her beautiful, flushed face.
“It would,” she said, running the pad of her thumb over his 222
mouth. “But could we stay here for a little while longer? It seems a shame to miss out on such a beautiful day.”
“Aye. The loch brings out the best in you, lass. Yer in a much better mood. Mayhap we should set you up down here.”
Aileanna pul ed a face. “Very funny. Almost as funny as what you did in the hal .”
Rory grinned. “What did I do in the hal ?”
