would be happy to repeat—”
When she realized that he was only jesting, she rolled her eyes. “Just cease and saddle the mount.”
He pulled the animal from the stall. Without giving her a chance to protest, he hefted her onto the horse as if she weighed as little as a bairn. If her mount’s prancing feet and agitated movements were any indication, the horse was indeed a high-spirited beast. She knew she only needed to give the animal a firm hand and let him know who was in charge, similar to her own husband—although, she couldn’t imagine Alexander willingly accepting defeat.
He swung up effortlessly onto his mount and grabbed the reins. “Are ye sure ye want to do this?” When her eyes narrowed at his repeated question, he shrugged his shoulders. “Come. I will show ye the loch.”
They rode along the dirt path, with Sybella following her husband. When visions of Alexander in her bed replayed in her mind, she quickly replaced the wicked thoughts with the memory of his kiss upon the parapet. Although she had acted like a wanton fool in broad daylight, the touch of his lips had been quite enjoyable. Was she supposed to feel this way? She was so confused. She knew she had to betray him, but yet she still managed to find pleasure in his touch. How could that be? What was wrong with her? She thought the man would be… different. He definitely stirred something within her that she didn’t understand.
Alexander was so confident in every move he made. That’s why she couldn’t help herself when her eyes became focused on his broad back and strong shoulders. She tilted her head to one side, stealing a slanted look at his solid frame. Her husband was rather pleasing to the eye, even though he was a MacDonell.
Dipping his head slightly, he asked, “Do ye like what ye see?”
Her mouth dropped. “What?”
He swung his head around and looked at her. “The loch, Wife.”
“Aye. ’Tis verra bonny—the loch.”
When they reached a small clearing, Alexander helped her down from her horse and tethered their mounts to a branch.
“There is something I wish to show ye.”
He grabbed her hand and led her into the trees. They continued to walk, the smell of the loch and foliage overwhelming her senses. When they reached the edge of the tree line, it was as if a curtain had been opened on a window before her—the thicket cleared and they were surrounded by water on three sides.
“This is magnificent,” she stated simply.
Glengarry sat imposingly in the distance, and the water looked like a silken blanket draped across the land. She closed her eyes as the small waves lapped against the sandy shore.
“I thought ye would enjoy it. If we have much rain, it will flood this land.”
“Thank ye for sharing this with me. Truly.”
“’Tis my pleasure, lass. I want ye to feel comfortable here. This is now your home, too.”
Alexander peered at her intently, and she made it a point to concentrate on everything but him. Every time his gaze met hers, her heart turned over in response. She decided not to make eye contact until she could figure out what caused this unnerving reaction. Well, that was what she told herself until he turned her to face him.
There was a tingling in the pit of her stomach. Laird Alexander MacDonell was so disturbing to her in every way. She tried to steady the dizzying feeling within her, but her husband portrayed a vitality that definitely captured her.
He stepped closer and clasped her body tightly to his.
He gently brushed a kiss across her forehead, and then his lips slowly descended to meet hers. His mouth covered hers hungrily, his tongue sending shivers of desire through her.
As his mouth grazed her earlobe, she drew his face to hers in a renewed embrace, succumbing to the forceful domination of his lips. For one insane moment, Sybella actually wanted him to crush her mouth in a hard, bruising kiss.
He was so warm and so very tempting.
When long, tickling tendrils brushed against her cheek, she couldn’t help herself. She wound her hand in Alexander’s thick hair and pulled him closer. Her soft curves molded into his lean body.
He tugged at her dress, exposing a creamy breast. His lips touched her nipple with tantalizing possessiveness, and he fondled the other with his rough fingers. The rosy peaks grew to pebble hardness.
And then he stilled…
Thundering hooves approached from a distance. Alexander hastily adjusted her clothing and she smoothed her skirts. Branches cracked and snapped behind them as someone trudged through the brush. A man as imposing as her husband emerged into the small clearing.
“John.” The captain of Alexander’s guard.
Sweat beaded on the man’s brow and his breathing was labored. “Pardon the intrusion, my laird. ’Tis Lady Iseabail.”
“What’s wrong?” Alex’s heart sank, and a worried expression crossed his brow. “I told ye to have someone look after her.” He grabbed Sybella’s hand and pulled her along behind him, not waiting for John’s response.
“Aye, I had
Alex smirked and spoke with sarcasm. “Aye, because he did so well when ye asked him to look after…” He was about to say the MacKenzie’s son, but thought it best to keep that knowledge to himself lest he found himself thrown from his wife’s bed within a day’s time.
When they reached their mounts, Alex lifted Sybella onto her horse and then turned to John. “Where was Aunt Iseabail last?”
“Nay one has seen her since she broke her fast. Ian thought she was in her chamber. I have men searching the castle and a handful of them wandering the grounds.”
Alex placed his hand on the flank of Sybella’s mount. “I will ride with ye back to the stable and then I must take my leave.”
“Does she wander off by herself often?”
“More so than I would like.” He started to walk away and spoke over his shoulder. “The last time she did this, I found her in the woods where my men hunt. She forgot why she had left home.”
“Then we must find her. I will assist ye in searching the grounds.”
Shaking his head in disagreement, Alex mounted his horse. “The last thing I need is to worry about ye. Ye have yet to know my lands and ye ride a mount that isnae easy to handle.” He thought he heard his wife growl at him, but the lass was the least of his worries.
They galloped on the dirt trail beside the loch, and his eyes continued to search the surrounding area. As they reached the end of the path, he slowed his mount and Sybella darted around him. He called after her, but the daft woman only increased her speed. The lass fled up the hill past the clan burial markers and ran her horse full speed into the forest.
John and Alex merely stared, tongue-tied. Alex had to admit that he was momentarily speechless with surprise at seeing his bonny wife handle her mount with the same skill as a seasoned Highland warrior. But that was no excuse to rush blindly into the woods with complete and utter disregard for her own safety. He quickly recovered his wits and nodded to John.
The men thundered up the hill after Sybella and cautiously slowed their mounts when they reached the tree line. Once Alex caught his witless wife, he would need a tremendous amount of strength not to throttle her. God’s teeth! The woman’s carelessness was going to get her killed.
They separated and he could still see John a few yards away through the foliage, but neither of them spotted Sybella.
