Chapter Five
Aedan ran a hand through his hair and mounted his horse. The obstinate woman from the future stormed toward the castle, and he took a moment to enjoy the view of her swaying hips and delectable rump as she did so.
Numerous curses, some words he’d never heard before, were coming from her mouth. Aedan shook his head. He couldn’t blame the wench for being angry and upset. Had his sister sent him forward in time he would’ve reacted the same, if not worse.
He kicked his horse into a canter, and coming up next to her, he scooped her up and sat her before him on the horse. She screamed a high-pitch squeal that made his ears ring and then she clutched his neck.
“Hush, before the horse bolts and we both end up on the ground. Consider this ye first lesson. How to shut up and listen.”
She glared at him, quite ferociously, and Aedan had an overwhelming urge to shock her further and cover her puckered mouth with his own. Her lips were red and succulent and her teeth where white and straight, much healthier than a lot of the women in this time. He contemplated a kiss, until the hellion slapped his face. Hard.
The action rendered him mute. His hand tightened about her waist, pulling her harder against his chest. She gasped, the color in her cheeks deepening to crimson. “I’ll allow ye that once, lass, but try it again and I’ll not be held accountable for me actions.”
She pushed at his chest without success. “You would hit a woman? Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
He chuckled and shrugged. “You’re jumping to conclusions. I would never mark a woman with me hand or anything else for that matter.” He smirked. “Unless she wanted me to, of course, but there are other ways to keep you in line.”
“Urgh. You’re barbaric.”
They rode in silence for a time. Aedan admitted it was nice having a warm, delectable body snug against his chest. She smelled different from the other women he’d held as close. It was a sweet scent he’d never encountered before. He leaned in and realized it was her hair. Her dark locks had come free of the coiffure the servant had placed it in earlier, allowing her hair to cascade down her back unhindered.
Aedan’s body tightened with need. With every jolt of the horse, her rump rubbed against his groin, causing a pain of the best kind to thrum between his legs. She was a tempting lass, made him yearn to turn the woman around, kiss her senseless, and see if she’d be willing to tup him where they sat.
She wiggled away from him, and he smiled. “Something wrong, lass?”
“Other than the fact you are rubbing up against me inappropriately? No, of course nothing’s wrong.” Sarcasm dripped from her every word.
“I canna help the movements of the horse. If you hadn’t tried to run away I wouldn’t have had to chase ye in the first place.”
She turned and her defiant brown orbs met his. “I wasn’t running away. If it hasn’t escaped your notice, your sister is my only means home.” She paused, her breasts rising as she took a deep breath. “I merely went for a walk. How was I supposed to know your country is a death trap?”
“Mayhap you ought to thank me for joining ye before ye’d made the forest, as I may have been too late.”
She paled and looked toward the castle. He dinnae like to scare women, but in this instance, it was necessary. Scotland was in a relatively peaceful period, but the forests often held men, bad men, who wouldn’t blink twice at horrendous actions toward an unsuspecting woman. “Promise me ye won’t go off on your own again and if ye won’t do it for me, do it for yourself. We do plan on getting ye home. Alive.”
She sighed. “I said I would, but if you want my promise, then I promise not to go there again.”
The large tower to the left of the castle, a separate building to the others, placed them in shadow as they rode toward it. They crossed the bridge and Aedan stopped at the castle doors. Gwen stood waiting, the fear etched on his sister’s face dissipating a little when she saw Abigail.
“Abigail. I’m so glad you’re back. I was so worried about ye.”
Aedan helped her down. She brushed down her skirts and walked past his sister without saying a word.
Gwen’s shoulders sagged, and he felt a little sorry for his sibling.
“She really hates me for bringing her here. I don’t know what else I can do to make things up to her.” Tears welled in her eyes.
Aedan jumped off the horse and handed his mount to a waiting stableboy. He hugged her quickly and walked her indoors. “Be patient, Gwen, and take some comfort in the fact she hates me as well.” His sister slapped his arm, and he laughed. “Give her a couple of days on her own. Don’t try and tempt her outdoors or to meals. She’ll soon get sick of her own company. Trust me, lass.”
“Do you think that will work?”
“Aye. I do.” Aedan walked his sister to the anteroom and the warmth of the roaring fire prickled his skin. He held out his hands to the heat. “And if she doesn’t, she’ll soon be gone, anyway. You need to stop fretting over the lass until it’s time to send her home. Instead, concentrate on the games in a sennight. There’s a lot of organization still to be done yet.”
“I’ll do as you ask and throw all my efforts into making the next Highland Games one of the best the country has ever seen, especially since you’ll be announcing your betrothal on the final day.”
Aedan raised his brow in surprise. “If I find the right lass, I shall. Dinna think I’ll marry any wench with a saucy smile.”
His sister laughed, and he smiled. “Oh please, if that’s not the biggest lie you’ve ever told, I don’t know what is.”
“I only said marriage, lass, not sleeping with them.” He heard his sister gasp as he walked from the room. “I’m going upstairs. I need a wash.”
She waved him off, and Aedan looked into the main hall but didn’t see the lass from the future. He climbed the circular stone stairs before coming to his floor and heading for his quarters. The castle was cold all year round and he hoped the servants had the fire well-stoked in his room. Movement at the end of the corridor caught his eye and he walked past his door, coming to the end of the passage that split in two different directions. He spotted Abigail standing at the narrow window overlooking the waters of the Isle of Skye.
He frowned at the sadness he read on her features. It was a sadness he could well understand; to be torn away from the only home he knew would be a veritable torture. His home, and Scotland in general, was a place deeply engrained in his soul and he’d be loath to part from it. In fact, he couldn’t imagine living anywhere but Scotland. The country flowed as much in his veins as his blood.
Abigail slumped against the wall, sliding down until she was sitting, all the while oblivious to his presence. Silent tears ran down her cheeks and she swiped at them, as if annoyed by their presence.
Aedan backed away and went to his room. He doubted she needed to hear him telling her she’d soon be home and no harm done. There was a slight chance his sister wouldn’t be able to send her back. Magic could be as fickle as the Highland weather.
Och, he hoped this wasn’t so. The last thing he needed was a homesick lass with a temper as hot as his own. The games that were due to start next week were supposed to be peaceful, if not competitive. To have a woman skulking about wasn’t what he had in mind.
His room was warm, the fire well-stoked, and he set the basin of water before the hearth and proceeded to undress for his wash. He was worrying for nothing. His sister was intelligent. She wouldn’t let him down, and Abigail would be sent home safely.
Everything would turn out well.