Not everyone was captivated, she noticed when she saw Elizabeth's expression.
Angus's wife looked positively horrified.
And then she caught one of Alec's remarks. 'The mighty blow severed his arm…'
'What are you telling that child?' she demanded in a near shout.
'Just a story,' Alec answered. 'Why?'
'What specific story?' Jamie asked. She rushed forward to snatch Mary out of Alec's lap.
'The battle with the Northumbrians,' he answered.
'In vivid detail,' Elizabeth informed her.
Jamie's irritation vanished in the face of her husband's obvious confusion over her reaction. 'Alec, you'll give this baby nightmares with such talk.'
'She liked the story,' Alec argued. 'Give her back to me, Jamie. I've still to tell the ending.'
'Aye, he has to finish the tale,' Gavin interjected.
'She's going to bed.' Jamie laughed then, in spite of her better intentions. 'I cannot believe you'd tell a sweet child a battle story.'
It soon became apparent to her that Alec and his soldiers couldn't believe she'd take exception to the tale.
'Give Mary a good night kiss,' Jamie instructed. She handed the child back to her father and watched him place a gentle kiss on her brow.
'Go to your bed now, Mary,' Alec told the child in a soft whisper. 'I'll finish your story tomorrow.'
When he put the little girl down, she hurried over to the hearth and stretched out on the rushes. 'Does she think that's where she's supposed to sleep?' Alec asked.
Jamie chased after Mary and picked her up before answering. 'I suppose she does,' she said. 'Her grandmother must have been very good to her, though. Mary has such a sweet disposition. 'Tis proof she hasn't been mistreated long.'
'Why is that proof?' Alec asked.
'When a child is treated cruelly, sometimes the mind becomes twisted, Alec, or so I've been told. Why are you looking at me like that?' she added in a worried tone. 'You look… stunned. We needn't worry about our Mary, Alec.'
Alec forced a grin. 'I never worry,' he said. 'You do enough for the both of us.'
She decided to ignore that ridiculous statement. 'May we sleep upstairs tonight, Alec? I want to be near Mary. She might need me during the night.'
He was the one who needed her during the night. That thought popped into his mind all at once, causing a fierce frown. Hell, she was supposed to need him.
He looked at little Mary. The child's face rested against Jamie's shoulder. Her eyes were closed, her expression bordering on blissful. It was very apparent she liked being held by Jamie.
The bruises would fade away from the child's back and legs, and Alec knew that Jamie would soon be able to soothe away any hurt lingering inside the child's mind. Aye, his wife would make Mary Kathleen content… as content as her magical love had made him.
She did love him. The way she looked at him told him so. She might not have reckoned with the truth yet, but Alec was certain that, in time, and with enough prodding, she'd settle in to accepting her fate. He had. God must have had a hand in sending Jamie to him, he decided, because if anyone had told him a year ago that he'd love an opinionated, bad-tempered, contrary English woman, he would have laughed first and then flattened the man for suggesting such a notion.
He guessed he'd have to tell her he loved her. Alec quit his scowl. He'd tell her tonight, he decided. In Gaelic. Just to be contrary.
'Alec? Will you be needing to speak to me again tonight?' Angus asked, interrupting his laird's thoughts.
'No, Angus. Take Elizabeth home. We'll discuss our plans again tomorrow.'
Gavin waited until Angus had taken Elizabeth outside before questioning Alec.
Though he was sure Elizabeth wouldn't repeat anything she overheard, he didn't want to upset her. 'What plan are you thinking of, Alec? Do you know who tried to kill Jamie?'
'You're not including us in your discussion?' Marcus asked.
'Quit your frown, Marcus,' Alec ordered. 'I haven't had time to include the two of you yet. You did check the bedrooms, didn't you, Gavin?'
The soldier nodded. 'And I've been watching the doors ever since. Edith is waiting in Mary's room. She wants permission from Jamie to sleep with Mary tonight in case the child awakens.'
'The soldiers are still stationed below your window, milord,' Marcus added.
'Put two more at the bottom of the steps, Marcus. No one goes up those stairs.'
'Do you know who it is?' Gavin asked again.
'I'm almost certain,' Alec returned. His expression turned grim. 'Tomorrow we set the trap. I've been looking in the wrong direction. And if I'm right, once this is over, Father Murdock will have to bless Helena's grave.'
'I don't understand,' Marcus whispered.
'If I'm right,' Alec repeated, 'Helena didn't kill herself. She was murdered.'
He guards her like a precious treasure. The fool! Does he actually think he can stop me?
I'm too cunning for the Kincaid. The time has come to challenge him once again.
I'll kill the bitch tomorrow.
The child will have to wait… It can only be one pleasure at a time.
God give me the strength to hide my joy.
Chapter Sixteen
Jamie was sound asleep when Alec finally came to bed. She looked beautiful to him, peaceful, too. He really shouldn't wake her up, he thought, even as he moved the blanket away and pulled her into his arms.
She grumbled in her sleep, then threw one slender leg over his thigh. The woman was giving him hell even in her sleep, for when he trailed his fingers down her back, she mumbled something he didn't understand but guessed was shameful, then slapped his hand away when she rolled over on her back.
He wasn't at all deterred. Her nightgown was bunched up around her thighs, and in the soft candlelight, her skin was dappled gold. Her legs were tangled in the covers. Alec kicked the covers out of the way before trapping her with one thigh. He made short work of removing her gown, smiling over the muttering that action caused. She could even look disgruntled when she was sleeping.
He moved her hair out of his way, trailing the silky rose-scented strands through his fingers as he nuzzled the side of her neck.
She sighed with pleasure. Alec raised his head to look at her. He smiled when he saw that she didn't look at all irritated now. He kissed her softly parted lips, the center of her chin, her neck again, then moved lower to kiss the gooseflesh on her chest.
Her shivers woke her up. She wasn't at all cold, though. No, she was getting warmer with each moment… with each kiss. Alec was caressing her breasts with his hands, his mouth, his tongue.
He was such a gentle lover with her, she thought in wonder. He could make her melt in his arms. His hand moved down to circle her navel, then lower still, until his fingers were stroking the soft curls between her thighs.
Her body was ready for him. She was hot, wet, and as her sweet moans told him, almost as wild with need as he was. He teased her stomach with his tongue. She clung to him and finally pulled on his hair when she'd had enough of that torment.
'You make me ache to have you, Jamie,' he whispered.
'Have me now, Alec,' she whispered. 'Don't make me wait any longer. I want…'
Her moan of pleasure when his fingers stretched inside her ended her plea. She arched against him even as she tried to pull his hand away. 'Stop this torment, husband. Come to me now.'
Her hands moved down to capture him. 'Two can play this game,' she whispered, her voice a husky
