Why was the lad acting so skittish? Over the course of the month, he’d become less scared of Kane, and now, he was shaking like a leaf. Brodrick must have said something to shake him up, he thought while throwing the stable door open. He caught it before it could slam into the stall, then stood back as Saeran walked passed him.

Aye, the lad was shaking and pale. Very pale. Kane frowned at him.

“Brodrick told me ye’ were good with horses,” he started. The lad flinched back with every word. Kane stared. “Aye, well…Yer good with horses, though I understand ye’ had a problem with this one a while back.”

Blue eyes—he paused. Scowled. Where had he seen those blue eyes before? The face staring up at him was pale beneath the grunge covering his face, making any chance of recognition impossible. The same hat he wore everyday dipped as his gaze focused on the beast.

“I’m afraid I’m too busy to be training him. Since yer doing the numbers and stables, I figured ye’ wouldn’t mind spending some extra time with the beast.”

“What?” the lad asked thinly. Something about his voice made Kane’s eyes narrow, but he couldn’t place what it was that bothered him. The lad’s face lifted for a second, then he looked at the ground. Kane shook himself out of it, glowering. “I thought…”

“Whatever ye’ thought, forget it. Ye’ll be taming the beast. He’s a gift from the king. Do ye’ think ye’ can do it?” An odd look passed over Saeran’s face, then he moved.

Kane stepped back as the lad skittered around him, keeping closer to the stalls than Kane, until he came to the stall that held the black beast. His hooves batted at the ground, body shifting restlessly. Mayhap it wasn’t a good idea to have such a small lad handling a giant animal, but Brodrick had said the boy had skills, and Kane trusted his judgment.

“Ye’ll start tomorrow, after working the accounts.”

The lad’s face briefly lifted, and Kane saw a flash of blue eyes. “My laird, I do not know how to train a…”

Kane scrubbed a hand over his face. “Brodrick will assist ye’ until ye’ learn the ropes. I donna have the time, and he does no’ have much to spare either. Good?”

The pale, dirty face nodded quickly. Why did the lad always look so dirty, while his sister looked like she was going to a ball every day? Did the boy not know how to clean himself up a bit? Aye, the Highlanders liked to stay a bit dirty, but the lad’s face was…extremely so.

Kane nodded, then turned to leave. From the corner of his eye, he saw the lad’s shoulders droop. He paused before stepping out of the stables.

“I have a mission for ye’.”

The same shoulders that had dropped, immediately tensed.

“Yes, my lord?” Och, where did he remember that voice from? He couldn’t remember hearing it, but he knew it from somewhere, except…maybe the tone was different? He shook it off, focusing on the matter at hand. Kane worked on what he wanted to say, apprehensive. Alice was a beautiful woman. Anything with a prick would want her upon sight, and he knew to be wary of randy lads around a woman, having been one himself.

“There’s a lass,” he said slowly, gauging Saeran’s reaction. Nothing so far besides the clenching of fists. He found it odd that the lad always kept his face angled to the ground. His posture was also a little…off. “Blonde, blue-eyed. If ye’ see her around, pass the word to her that I’d like to speak to her.”

“What…what is her name?” he choked out. Kane narrowed his eyes on Saeran. His eyes were still staring at the ground, and the big hat covered most of his face like that. Now that he thought about it, he really hadn’t had a good look at the lad’s face. Right when Kane started to speculate on something, the boy lowered his gaze.

“Alice. Find her and tell her.” Kane started to turn away, saying over his shoulder, “If ye’ offend her, donna think I will no’ cut yer heart out.”

He strode out of the stables, but not before he heard the sharp intake of breath.

* * *

“My lord, I wish to speak with you.”

Kane slowly put down the chalice.

Maids were cleaning up the remains of sup, and this was normally the time he took to relax.

Brodrick and the rest of the men sitting around him lowered their pity-filled gazes, as if keeping out of Blaine’s view meant they’d avoid a lashing. Kane almost did the same thing, but it was unavoidable. He’d made a deal with Alice, and if he wanted to see her again, he would have to see it through.

“What is it, Lady Blaine?” He glanced at her, keeping his distaste to himself. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate a plump lass—hell, Gwen had been his leman for as long as he could remember, and she was just about the same size as Blaine. Nay, it was more than that.

Her body was too large for her skirts. Instead of her cleavage being emphasized, it looked lumpy and squished at the same time. Her hair was, once again, powdered to the point of being a dull, unattractive white, and her face was drowned in whatever women used to “pretty” themselves.

Though with this woman, it had done the exact opposite.

She cocked an eyebrow at him.

“If you would rise and follow me, we could take this conversation to a private setting.”

“Lady Blaine,” he said tiredly. “I’ve already ate with ye’. Dinner is over. Whatever ye’ had to say should have been said earlier.” Kane picked up the chalice, putting the edge to his lips. The ale was just beginning to burn his throat, when Blaine made a sound.

He looked at her over the rim.

“Now, my lord,” she said sharply.

His eyes narrowed on her. If there was one thing he disliked about her, it was her demand for respect, when she did nothing to earn it. She wanted him to obey her like her brother did. It was laughable, but he was in too much of a mood to care much.

Saeran had never returned, and he’d seen nothing of Alice.

Kane had sat beside Blaine like a dutiful suitor, listening to her complaints with a deaf ear, grunting when she paused for him. All in all, he hadn’t said a word to her—which was perfectly fine, as Alice hadn’t made that part of the deal. He’d much rather have Alice sit with him, and have Alice talk with him.

“It should have been said earlier,” he growled. “Is it no’ time for ye’ to retire?” He’d seen Alice late at night. Mayhap, if the rest of the keep were asleep, she’d appear again.

“My lord, I am not a simpleton you can boss about,” Blaine said sternly, taking a step toward the table. One of his men inched away from her on the bench. Kane sighed, set down the chalice once again, and lifted his eyes to her.

She paused, a flicker of fear flashing in her eyes. Then she squared her shoulders and raised an imperial brow.

“Now, my lord,” she repeated, using that same imperious tone. His lip lifted in a sneer. Unfortunately, rationality won over his urge to throttle her. Silently cursing his men as they began to snicker, he got to his feet, taking the chalice with him. No sane man could listen to this woman without being deep in the cups.

Sadly for him, he wasn’t an easy drunk.

Kane stood and glanced around the hall. No sign of a bonny blonde lass, or Saeran. He mentally scowled, wondering if Saeran had done anything to hurt Alice. His threat hadn’t been empty—if Alice came to him perturbed in any way, he wouldn’t hesitate to teach Saeran how to treat a lady—at least, Kane’s lady. Temporary lady. Something. She was something to him, a fascination. His fascination.

He shook his head. Point of the matter was, Saeran better keep his hands to himself.

Lady Blaine raked her gaze over him, then turned on her heel, leading him out of the hall. Once they were outside the entrance, he leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, scowl on his face.

“What.”

“That is no way to speak to me—”

“Lady Blaine,” he growled, “ye’ve interrupted the only time o’ night that I get to relax. Tell me what ye’ want, so I can get back to it.”

She raised a brow. Part of her attitude dropped, replaced by a flirtatious gaze that only made him grimace with distaste. That was not the look of an innocent woman who was ready for marriage—that was the look of a woman who knew what it took to please a man.

“Do you not feel relaxed with me, my lord?” she purred. Her dark lashes, clumpy and thick, batted at him. He stared for a moment, wondering how her eyes had the strength to lift those things. They were a mess, he thought.

Then he realized what she’d said.

He burst out laughing. So hard that he couldn’t stop himself from catching the wall support.

“Och, lass, ye’ may be many things, but yer definitely humorous,” he said between guffaws.

“What do you mean by that?” she demanded, all pretenses of being coy fleeing. Kane couldn’t stop the laughter. Gods, but the lass was horrible! Thank God he didn’t have to marry her. The thought sobered him.

He still had to ask for her hand and send the king a missive. He had a sennight to get the messenger on his way, and he would have to talk to a priest about the banns. The king would demand proof of the proposal. By the time he got back from the battle, the king would have received the missive, and he could carry out his plan to ruin himself in Blaine’s eyes.

Aye. He just had to gather the courage. It was not that he was frightened of the lass, but there was something about her that he couldn’t stand. Being tied to her in any way, even if it was temporary, made him feel constrained, like someone was shackling him.

A warrior never wanted to be shackled or chained to anything, especially a woman.

“My lord,” Blaine snapped, putting her hands on her hips. “I do not find this amusing in the least. I brought you aside to offer you a proposition.”

“Aye.” Truthfully, he didn’t want to know what this proposition of hers was.

She smiled, taking his grunted word as a signal to continue. “Now, I’ve been here for quite some time, and we have yet to discuss the reason for my arrival.” She frowned. “It seems that every time I approach you, you find some reason to leave.”

“Aye,” he said absently, reaching up to scratch his jaw. What would happen to Alice and him, if he proposed to Blaine now? Would she be put off? Angry? Hurt? He frowned. He may not know her well yet, but he knew that after the kiss, she’d crave more of him—and guilt over craving a betrothed man would not sit well with her.

“I finally have your attention,” Blaine continued, “and I plan to take advantage of our time together. You are aware of why I was sent here, correct?”

“Aye.” He frowned, vaguely realizing that she was talking. Of course he knew why she was there—to ruin his life!

“It’s high time that we progress with our relationship—”

Kane froze.

“—and to do that—I know I’m going against the grain with this, my lord, so bear with me—I would like to ask for your—”

“One moment, please,” he said quickly, pushing away from the wall. So quickly that she didn’t have time to continue, he strode away from her, brows lowered, heart racing. God, but she was forward. Kane liked his women with a will, but hers was…overbearing and strange.

He much preferred Alice. She was gentle, yet fiery. Beautiful. Strong. Blaine appeared to be strong, but he knew that if she’d been put in the same situation as Alice in the field, she would have wilted like a flower.

Another reason why he would not marry Blaine. The wife of a Highlander had to be strong. Brave. Willing to do what it took to survive. He wondered if Alice… Kane shook his head. There was no use thinking about things like that. He was never going to marry.

When he was a good distance away from the fuming Blaine, he rounded a corner, intending to go to his study. The last thing he needed was Brodrick laughing at his reluctance, his cowardice. Blaine was the solution to ending his clan’s misery. The fighting would stop, his family would be together, and he would finally be happy with something.

He should not be putting off his proposal. He should be sucking up his misery, and asking Blaine to marry him. It was the cure-all. It was the Holy Grail. It was what his people needed—what he needed. Kane would not marry her, anyway, so what was the problem?

“Umph!” The soft grunt would have gone unnoticed if, right before it, he hadn’t ran into someone. He reached out to catch the person before they stumbled back—then grinned. All of his worries over Blaine fled in the presence of the one person he’d been wanting to see.

Alice. His bonny lass had stumbled right into him! He gently caught her by the arms, tugging her flush against him. She made a sound of defiance and struggled against him, keeping her face averted.

“Unhand—”

“Lass, I’ve been waiting for ye’.”

Shocked eyes met his, and his grin widened. She hadn’t known who had caught her. He had the pleasure of watching her eyes darken as she adjusted to his hold on her. Aye, she liked his hands on her as much as he liked them.

“My lord, someone could see us,” she whispered, pulling away from him. He only let her go so he could get a good look at her. He’d seen her earlier that day, but she had fled from him immediately after they’d returned. He hadn’t known whether she was okay or not.

“They would no’ care,” he said easily, taking her hand. He had only one thought in mind, and that was getting her away from the viewing eyes of others. Aye, they might not care, but he certainly did. Even dressed as dourly as she was, she held his attention like a moth to a flame.

He grunted with pleasure when she didn’t pull her hand out of his. She even went with him willingly, though she would cast glances over her shoulder that gave him the sense she was worried. About what? Another attack? Kane’s chest tightened. Aye, of course she would be scared. He’d failed to protect her in the face of danger.

But not again.

Never again.

“Where are we going?” she asked, keeping her voice so quiet it was barely a whisper. He tightened his fingers around hers, smiling.

“To my study. Ye’ wanted privacy, no?” He also wanted to check Saeran’s work with the accounts. The previous man that had done them had never been good at keeping track of the numbers. Saeran seemed too weak of a lad to have a sharp mind, but mayhap there was some hope for him.

Her eyes widened. “My lord, this is highly improper.” Kane couldn’t help but notice the way she kept following him, though. She wanted to resist him, but it seemed her attraction to him was just as fierce as his was for her. That pleased him.

Kane didn’t respond to her.

When they were finally in his study, he was burning for her. Mayhap it was the ale that made his control snap, coupled with the heat he saw in her eyes. The second the door closed, he pushed her gently into the wall, took her jaw in his hands, and closed his mouth over hers.

He could have died and gone to heaven, and he wouldn’t have known it. She tasted like freshly fallen rain, and when her lips began to move against his…there was no doubt about it. He was dead. He had drowned in her sweetness, and gone to heaven.

Hungry little hands slipped up his chest, to his neck. He groaned against her lips, loving the feel of her hands on him. Soon. Soon, they would touch more than just his chest—and his hands wouldn’t be caging her against the wall. Nay, they’d be touching her breasts, her hips, her thighs. They’d be touching everywhere they could reach.

He swiped his tongue over her lower lip. A surprised gasp left her, and he took advantage of it, kissing her deeper and harder. He could have laughed when her tongue began to battle for dominance with his, but the only thing he could manage was a groan…And he drew her closer against him, letting her feel his hardness.

Kane growled against her mouth. Her nails pricked his shoulder, her breath ragged and erratic. He could feel her body thrumming with a desire that matched the ferocity of his own—and then common sense kicked in.

He could not take her as he wanted. Not yet, not while he knew she would only hate him in the end. Kane pulled away from her drugging kiss, hating himself.

“Kane?” she asked, dazed. Just like she had at the creek, she tried to pull him closer.

“I’m sorry, lass,” he said roughly, reluctantly letting his hands drop. She stared at him, confusion and desire mixing in her eyes. It pained him to see it. So easily, he could relieve both of them of the wait, the anticipation. But he would not take an innocent lass—a lady, for God’s sake—without knowing she would not regret it.

Any other woman, he would forget about. He had Gwen for pleasures of the body. There was no use for him to play with a lady when he could not give her what she deserved—marriage to a fine, wealthy husband.

Kane planned to take her, despite how much of a bastard it would make him. There was no way he could deny her. Not when everything inside of him was fighting for another taste of her. Nay, he wasn’t going to let her leave him, even though he could never offer her marriage. He had a feeling that after he had her, Gwen would become a thing of the past—and Kane didn’t care. Alice was his; he could feel it.