Highlander's Golden Jewel (Beasts 0f The Highlands Book 6) Page 9

  “Did he hurt ye?” he whispered as he went to raise his fingers to her cheek. He stopped. Lowering his hand. Satisfied at just this chance to be next to her, this close. “Cormag? Did he touch ye? Did he lay a hand on ye when ye fought him?”

  “Nay,” she whispered hoarsely as her eyelashes fluttered and her lips trembled. She pressed herself to the wall behind her as she looked up at him.

  “If we were alone I would kiss ye, me jewel,” he growled low in his throat, for her ears only. It sounded desperate, even to his ears. Filled with naked want.

  Kaithria swallowed tightly. Her fingers clutched tightly behind her back to stop herself from touching his face, his lips, the cleft in his chin as she so wanted.

  She had no right to this man.

  Nothing to offer.

  Nothing but her fear.

  “I am tired. I should go to me bedchamber,” Kaithria said and started to push past him.

  Keir stepped in front of her. Blocking her path.

  “Consider yerself kissed. By me,” he whispered hoarsely. “Imagine my kiss when ye close yer eyes to fall asleep,” he said huskily. Keir smiled softly down at her startled eyes and stepped aside, sweeping his arm wide to let her pass. “Good night, my jewel, sleep sweet.”

  Kaithria could barely walk through the room. Her cheeks were bright pink. She felt like he had indeed kissed her, in front of everyone.

  Cat came forward and met her, linking her arm through Kaithria’s.

  “Hold yer chin high, Kaithria,” Cat whispered. “All are watching, and ye have nothing to be embarrassed aboot!” she said as she haughtily eyed everyone they passed as they walked out of the room.

  Kaithria’s only response was a quiet groan.

  Cat was pleased, however, as Kaithria did not pull her arm away.

  At least not until they were out of the room, that is.

  9

  Cormag and his sister were gone the next morning.

  Kaithria went into the smaller dining room in the morning with Cat. They stopped at the doorway.

  The men sitting at the table eating openly glared at them. The ladies stopped what they were doing, holding their teacups frozen before their lips.

  Most were not welcoming, particularly the MacMelchon sisters, who stared at the two of them with pure hatred.

  Lady Ina and her Aunt Hexy, and Lady Jane, all smiled and greeted them.

  Lady Gillis Ross, who was reading a book, ignored everyone while she ate.

  “Where is me uncle Keir?” Cat asked of the room.

  “He is in his cabinet, working on the breeding books of the Kinbrace broodmares with Robert,” Lady Gillis answered without raising her eyes from her book.

  Kaithria went to the sideboard and helped herself to some bannocks and sausage. She placed the sausage in the bannocks, nodded in greeting, and turned to walk back towards the door.

  “Ye should drink tea, it may help yer hair grow back so ye dinnae look like a lad,” Cheri’ MacMelchon called out.

  Lady Ina opened her mouth to say something but Kaithria turned around to look at the girl who was staring slyly at Cat. She subtly shook her head at Ina.

  Cat could only stand there, stunned. She reached up and lightly touched her short hair.

  Kaithria’s eyes narrowed on the malicious Cheri’.

  “’Tis kind of ye to be so concerned for Lady McKay. I would hope that the sickness she had doesnae spread to ye, and ye dinnae lose yer own hair. Luckily for her, she looks vera lovely with her hair short and curling around her pretty face and delicate ears.”

  Cat found her voice and straightened her shoulders. She added, “Ye dinnae have enough hair to lose.” Cat stared the girl down. “Shouldnae ye be packing?” she added sweetly.

  Kaithria turned Cat around toward the door but Cat grabbed some oatcakes first, and then followed Kaithria.

  “She could fly with those ears…” Cat said.

  “Dinnae return meanness with meanness,” Kaithria murmured.

  “Ye started it,” Cat said as she nibbled on her oatcake as they walked through the great hall.

  “She was rude aboot yer hair. I couldnae remain quiet,” Kaithria said. “But ’tis true, that was wrong of me.”

  Cat shrugged. “Many have been rude aboot me hair. She and her sister are just ugly people inside and oot. I know them well, and what they have done to others, particularly the older sister. She is no shy innocent. It is well known that she has ruined two marriages. I cannae imagine why Aunt Agnes invited her, except that she is ridiculously wealthy, but it isnae as if Uncle Keir needs more wealth.” Cat glanced at her friend. “Thank ye for standing up for me.”

  Kaithria nodded quietly as they walked out the door of the great hall.

  “We should have offered to pack their things…” Cat said with an impish grin.

  “Leave it be, Cat. Yer uncle has told them to leave.”

  Kaithria walked down the steps and stopped, looking out to the fields around Kinbrace.

  “Where are ye going?” Cat asked Kaithria when they got outside.

  “I dinnae know, but I shall not sit in there. The sisters were only two, but the others were not welcoming either.” Kaithria said quietly. She ate her sausage and bannocks as she started walking again.

  “Och, they really dinnae matter,” Cat said as she happily nibbled on her oatcake.”Ye shouldnae be afraid of them. Lady Jane and Gillis and Ina and Aunt Hexy are wonderful, even if the rest of them arenae!”

  “’Tis true.” She studied Cat. “Ye need to eat more,” she said.

  Cat shrugged. “If I get hungry I always have me biscuits with me.”

  “Ye cannae live on biscuits,” Kaithria chided her gently.

  Cat just snorted and continued walking. “I am thinking ye plan to ride again today as ye are in yer old tartan skirt and have yer sleeves rolled up already.”

  “Wait! Wait for me if ye please!” called out Lady Jane as she came running up behind them. “I am going with ye! Ye may need me!” she said with a warm smile as she fell into step beside them.

  Cat stared at her. “Ye are welcome, but why might we need ye?”

  Lady Jane looked at Kaithria and then at Cat. “It has started here, just like back in me village. ’Tis a challenge for the men.”

  At Cat’s questioning look, Lady Jane continued. “To see who can get the best of Lady Kaithria. Men dinnae like to think a woman can beat them, at anything. Just like Cormag tried to do yesterday.”

  Cat’s eyes widened. “So they try to attack her? And ye are saying more will?” Cat looked at Kaithria. She seemed serenely calm. “How vera exciting!” She bounced on her feet as she walked.

  “Cat,” Kaithria said warningly, “we dinnae start a fight—”

  “Och, I know, I know. We end it,” she said. “When those scunners bring it, we smash them! Aye, we will end any fight they bring to us,” she said with relish.

  Kaithria schooled herself to relax as she ate and walked. She had hoped what Lady Jane said was not the case. She was so very tired of being on her guard all the time.

  She took a last bite of her bread and sausage, stuffing a piece of bread in her pocket. She was saving some of her bannock for Dummy.

  When they reached the horse pasture she called Dummernech’s name as she stepped up onto the stone wall of his pasture. Bunny came right up. And then tagging along was Old Inch, his ears almost flopping in time with his walk, as if they were ready to drop right off the top of his old head. Or he was just very relaxed, having all this green grass to graze and his little female donkey friend always at his side.

  “Where is me Dummernech?” Kaithria said with concern as her eyes scanned the fields. She called his name, once, twice. She was just about to call a third time when she heard a horse scream in the stone stables. She heard the clatter of hooves and banging, and men’s’ voices shouting. And then another scream from a horse.

  It was answered by a braying from the tiny donkey.

  Kaithria’s hear
t dropped in her chest. “That’s him, I know it!” she said as her voice shook with fear. She spun around and in a whirl of skirts, set off at a run for the stables.

  She skidded to a stop within the dark stables, letting her eyes adjust to the dark shapes moving rapidly around a much larger, darker object.

  “Dummy!” she shouted with her voice breaking in worry and fear.

  For it was Dummy, with two men holding ropes attached to either side of the rope halter on his head.

  Dummy was rearing and pawing the air in fear. His eyes were rolling back in his head as he stared down at the men holding the ropes. Each had a long carriage whip in their hand. They were flinging their whips at him, again and again, stinging his hide wherever the whips landed.

  “What are ye doing?” Kaithria screamed as she rushed down the aisle at the men. She grabbed the whip in the hand of the man nearest her, struggling to pull it away from him. The man would not let go as he gritted his teeth in anger and pulled against her.

  “Stop!” she screamed, “Stop, stop!” Over and over she screamed at the two men, as she tried to grab at the whips.

  “Ye taught him to stand up and strike. We are unteaching it!” one of the men snarled at her.

  They continued to fling the whips at the horse, who was becoming frantic with the pain on his body and the pulling of the men on his head and face.

  Bunny was braying wildly. She was at the back door now, kicking it repeatedly.

  Cat came running down the aisle. She jumped on the back of the first man and put her arms tightly around his neck and held with all her might. His face started going red as he twisted and turned, trying to shake her off without letting go of the wild horse who was rearing overhead.

  Kaithria ran to the second man and kicked his legs out from under him. He fell to the stone floor but jumped back up and swung the whip at her, lancing her arm. She pulled back with a shout at the sharp, stinging pain. He raised his arm again and the whip barely brushed her face as she leaned back away from the lash.

  Another person came running into the stables. It was Lady Gillis. She stopped and stared, then turned and ran away.

  Lady Jane then came in and saw Cat wrestling one of the men by clinging to his back. She ran down the aisle, shouting as she jumped on the second man’s back, wrapping her arm around his neck and beating his head with her free hand.

  “Alpin, ye wee toadie! Let go of Lady Kaithria’s horse!” Lady Jane hollered. “Ye bad, bad mon! ’Tis men like ye that I just hate. I do! I hate ye! Ye turrible, turrible bully!” she screamed at him as she hit him.

  The man threw her off his back. He turned back to the rearing horse and yanked harshly on the rope, pulling the horse back down while at the same time flailing him with the whip.

  Kaithria helped Jane sit up and then flew at the man, grabbing his arm to stop him from whipping Dummy.

  Jane got up and ran to the man whose back Cat was on. He was still spinning in circles trying in vain to get her off.

  Kaithria held tight to the arm of the man named Alpin. He was flinging her left and right but she would not let go.

  “Stop!” Kaithria yelled. “’Tis cruel! Ye are hurting him! Stop, ye must stop!”

  Kaithria pulled and pulled at him. He turned on her suddenly, having had enough, and with a fearsome sneer on his face, jabbed his elbow at her to shove her away from him. Kaithria flew backward at his jab, but only came back harder and angrier as she kicked him on his shin. The man hollered and sent his whip slashing at her again.

  Kaithria spun and ducked as the whip slashed at her back, tearing through her thin blouse and opening the tender skin on her back. Kaithria screamed and went back at him in a frenzy, holding the length of the whip with all her might and wrapping it around and around her arm as she kicked at the man to get him away from her horse. He lunged at her, swinging the back of his fist, knocking Kaithria aside. She lunged at him again, trying to get Dummy’s rope away from him while at the same time, holding the whip so the man could not continue to harm poor Dummy.

  Dummy screamed and reared again, showing the whites of his eyes.

  Lady Gillis came running down the stone aisle. “Here they are!”

  Keir was right behind her and in shock at the sight before him. He had heard Kaithria’s screams as Gillis had come to fetch him saying that there was trouble in the stables. He had never felt such fear as when he heard her screams. He had not been able to run fast enough to get to her.

  Robert, the head horse groom, and his son, Young Robert, were behind Keir.

  “Hold!” Keir shouted in a mighty roar. He raced over and punched Alpin, then picked him up, bunching his fists in the man’s shirt, and threw him down the aisle, past the rearing horse. Then he turned on the other man.

  “Git off him, Cat, Lady Jane!” Keir roared.

  The groom went over and tried pulling the two women off the man. But they started punching the poor groom as well.

  Keir waded in and pulled Lady Jane and his niece off the man. Cat’s fists were still flying in all directions.

  Keir had to duck her fists as he carried her away and set her down on her feet.

  As soon as the two women were off of the man, Keir sent his fist flying into that man’s face, then picked him up and threw him down the aisle. He spun around. Alpin had already gotten up and had charged back to the horse and Kaithria. He viciously knocked her to the floor, where she struck her head on the stones.

  Keir let out a roar that bounced off of every wall in the stables. “I’ll kill ye,” Keir thundered. “Niver touch what is mine!” his voice boomed as he grabbed the man who had struck Kaithria by his shirt and held him, punching him over and over in the face until the man was hanging limply in Keir’s grasp.

  Robert was calling his name, hauling on the back of his shoulders. “Enough, milord! He is done fer. Ye’ve made him sorry, ye have.”

  Keir dropped the man onto the floor. His face was a bloody mess. He moaned quietly. His friend came over slowly, glanced at the enraged laird, grabbed his friend, and dragged him out.

  Keir watched them. “Get off Gunn lands,” he seethed on a furious growl.

  At another moan, this one softer, weaker, Keir spun back to see Kathria lying unmoving on the floor. Robert was bent over her, lifting her head and shoulders off the floor.

  Kaithria’s long, black eyelashes fluttered as she struggled to open her eyes. She saw a blurry figure of a strange man bent over her, trying to lift her up.

  Her eyes flew open wide as she shrank back. She screamed in horror again and again, as she struggled to move out of the man’s grasp.

  “Dinnae touch her!” Keir shouted as he knelt down, pushing Robert away from Kaithria.

  Robert let go of Kaithria and backed away, still on his knees. His face registered surprise at the woman’s’ reaction to him trying to help her.

  “She doesnae like to be touched,” Cat said quietly behind Robert as she lightly touched his shoulder.

  Young Robert chirped, “Aye, she doesnae,” he whispered to his father.

  Cat whispered back, “How do ye know this? Ye only just met her.”

  Young Robert looked back at Cat. “When ye arrived. She shrank away from Laird Keir who tried to help her off her black beastie. I’ve never seen a woman not jump into milord’s arms. Twas the only answer there could be. She doesnae like to be touched.” He shrugged.

  Keir ignored their talk and knelt on one knee beside Kaithria. He did not touch her. She was turned away from Keir, shrinking back in fear, still looking at Robert.

  “Kaithria,” Keir said in a low, deep voice. “I am going to touch ye.”

  “Not a good idea, Uncle,” Cat whispered.

  Kaithria turned from Robert to Keir. “Nay,” she said in a raw voice as she leaned away from both Keir and Robert.

  “I am going to help ye. Look at me. Ye know me, ’tis Keir.” His voice dropped. “Have no fear, mo leannan,” he whispered in a velvet voice.

  Cat took a
small step forward. “Perhaps I should help her?”

  Keir looked up and frowned at her. “Nay, I will,” he insisted.

  He looked back at Kaithria. She looked stunned, unaware of where she was or what had happened to her.

  “Kaithria Zarah, my jewel,” he whispered softly. “Let me help ye. Ye are hurt, mo leannan.”

  Keir reached out with one finger to stroke her cheek where the whip had struck her. She leaned away from him again, her wide eyes with fright. Keir sighed softly at her reaction to him trying to touch her with only his finger. The cut on her cheek was bleeding, but he could not tell how deep it was.

  Keir frowned. Her arm was bleeding quite badly as well, and looked deep. He had only caught a glimpse of her back. He would need to see how badly that was bleeding. The blaggard whipped her! he thought to himself as his jaw tensed in fury.

  Keir turned to Cat. “Catriona,” he said with authority, “bring Dummernech here. He has calmed down now. I need his help to get through to Kaithria.”

  Cat nodded and hurried over to the horse. She slowly picked his ropes up off the floor. She untied the second rope and dropped it to the floor. Holding just one rope, she tried to lead him down the aisle. The big horse resisted, throwing his head up in fear and planting his feet as he snorted. “Easy noo Dummy, easy. Yer mistress is needing ye. Walk with me. Come, boy,” she said softly. “Walk on. That’s a guid boy. No one will hurt ye noo,” she whispered softly to the black horse.

  As soon as the horse walked near enough to Kaithria, he pulled the rope from Cat’s hands and walked towards his mistress.

  She was sitting on the floor, looking bewildered.

  The big horse stretched his long, elegant neck out and down to her hair, wuffling it as he sniffed her hair and then her face.

  She looked up slowly. “Dummy?” she asked slowly.

  “Aye Kaithria. ’Tis yer horse,” Keir said quietly. “He is fine noo, ye saved him.”

  Kaithria held her hands up to frame the big horse’s head. She leaned her face against his velvety nose and closed her eyes. A single tear ran down her face. “Those men were hurting him with their whips,” she whispered. She raised her head from Dummy’s nose and looked around the stables. “Bunny is upset.”