“I know ye have your complaints against me, but I need to speak plainly to you,” he said. “It was wrong of ye to bring our problems here. ’Tis dangerous to draw the attention of the crown—and the Douglas. Ye can never know where it will end.”
She leaned against the ledge beside him and hugged herself against the stiff wind. “Why did ye not tell me of your plans to take Knock Castle?”
“I didn’t want ye fretting over it. Besides, we just made the plan.” His tone was sour, but at least he didn’t try to tell her that taking her family castle was none of her concern. “Now we won’t have time to take it before the chieftain is chosen at the Samhain gathering.”
“I wish Connor and the others hadn’t come,” she said.
“Bad as it was finding ye alone with the Douglas behind a locked door, it could have been worse,” Ian said. “They knew I might need them, and we’ve always been loyal to each other.”
Sileas watched the clouds gathering around the mountains and thought about loyalty—specifically, Ian’s.
“I’m ready to hear about Dina now,” she said.
“Dina? I have nothing to say about Dina,” he said. “She has naught to do with us.”
She let the silence stretch and waited for his anger to pass.
“I wanted to be clean for ye on our wedding night,” he said, and she heard the wistfulness in his voice. “I was taking my bath, when Dina came into the kitchen with her own plans.”
“What about the crystal?” she asked. “I saw it on her.”
“Dina came up behind me and snatched it from my neck when I wasn’t expecting it.”
This admission seemed to embarrass him more than being caught naked with Dina.
He dropped down from the wall ledge to stand before her.
“I got your stone back,” he said, as he reached inside his shirt and tugged at a leather cord tied around his neck. He opened the pouch and let the crystal drop into his palm for her to see.
“I swear I did not touch her,” he said and held her gaze.
She closed his hand over the stone and wrapped her hands around his fist. “I believe ye.”
“If ye stay with me, I promise I’ll be faithful,” Ian said. “I’ll do my best to make ye happy.”
It wasn’t a pledge of undying love, but it was enough. Ian did care for her. As her husband, he would put her needs first, as a matter of honor. He would protect her with his life, if it came to it.
“If ye still want to leave me, I’ll not fight ye,” Ian said. “But these are troubled times, and ye must have a man to protect ye. If you wish to choose another husband, ye must do it quickly.”
It wouldn’t be fair to marry another man when she would always love Ian. What had made her think she could leave him?
“I made my choice a long time ago,” she said. “For me, it has always been you, Ian MacDonald.”
“Good.” Ian slid the crystal back in the pouch, tucked it inside his shirt, and grabbed her hand.
Once again, Sileas had to run to keep up with his long strides. He kept a firm grasp on her hand and forged ahead through the castle and then into the town, as if wolves were nipping at his heels.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“I don’t like the Douglas,” Ian said without breaking his pace, “but I mean to take his advice as soon as possible.”
Sileas swallowed, remembering the Douglas’s parting words.
CHAPTER 27
Sileas saw Niall sitting at one of the tables as they entered the dark, noisy tavern. He stood as soon they entered.
“Stay out of trouble,” Ian said, giving Niall a pointed look as he passed him. “I’ll come find ye in the morning.”
It was barely noon.
Niall grabbed her free arm. “Is this what ye want, Sil?”
Brave lad. Her heart was thundering in her chest, but she managed a nod to reassure him.
Ian strode through the tavern with barely a glance right or left and led her up the stairs. At the last door, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her over the threshold.
Apparently, Ian was taking no chances with the bad luck that lurked in doorways.
He kicked the door shut and set her on her feet. While he shoved a chest from the far wall in front of the door, she glanced at the bed that seemed to fill the room. When he turned and focused his heated gaze on her, she swallowed. His body seemed to pulse with a barely contained energy.
She was aware of his chest rising and falling, the muscles in his jaw working, the tension running through every fiber of him. When he took a step toward her, she had to fight not to take a step back. His desire was palpable and dark, fanned hotter by his anger—anger that stemmed from the sting to his pride as well as fear for her safety.
Without a word, he crushed her against his chest and his passion exploded. His mouth ravished hers, demanding all and holding back nothing.
There was nothing in him of the gentle lover who pressed feather-light kisses over her scarred back. This time, Ian was letting her see the untamed violence of his hunger for her.
