Saving Grace

He forced his mind back to more important matters. "Calum, call all the MacBain soldiers together," he commanded then. "I want each man to tell me he didn't touch Clare MacKay."

"And you will believe…"

Keith quit his question when his laird scowled at him. "None of my warriors will lie to me, Keith," Gabriel snapped.

"But if one admits he did in fact spend the night with the woman? What will you do then?"

"That isn't your concern, Keith. I want you to ride to Laird MacKay and tell him what took place here today."

"Do I tell him his daughter is dying or do I soften the truth?"

"Tell him she's been given the last rites."

"And do I tell him a MacBain…"

"Tell them exactly what Laird MacI

"You'd have a war on your hands if you did, MacBain," Keith pointed out.

"War has already been declared," he snapped. "Think I will so easily forget the fact that the laird's son tried to kill my wife?"

He was shouting by the time he finished his question. The Maclaurin warrior shook his head. "Nay, Laird," he rushed out. "You will not forget, and I stand beside you on this issue."

"Damned right you do," Gabriel countered.

Calum took a step forward then. "The MacKays might also wage war if they believe a MacBain did in fact compromise Clare MacKay."

"None of my men would act so dishonorably," Gabriel snapped.

Calum nodded agreement. Keith wasn't convinced. "MacI

"He was lying to us," Calum argued.

"Laird MacI

"Then she's lying," Calum replied.

Gabriel turned his back on his soldiers. "I have given both of you your duties. See them completed."

The soldiers immediately left the hall. Gabriel stood by the hearth a long while.

He had one hell of a problem on his hands. He knew, without a doubt, that none of his men was responsible for disgracing Clare MacKay.

Yet the MacBain plaid had been spotted… three months ago.

"Hell," Gabriel muttered to himself. If Laird MacI

Nicholas.

Chapter 12

Clare MacKay didn't wake up until the following morning. Joha

Joha

"I heard you whispering to me."

Joha

"You're awake," she whispered, her relief almost overwhelming.

Clare nodded. "How do you feel?" Joha

"I ache from my head to my toes."

Joha

"'Tis the truth I did a lot of screaming," Clare said. "May I have a drink of water?"

Joha

"Was there a priest here? I thought I heard someone praying."

"Father MacKechnie gave you the last rites," Joha

Clare smiled. She had beautiful white teeth and dark brown eyes. Her face was still terribly swollen, of course, and Joha

"Who did this to you?"

Clare closed her eyes. She avoided answering the question by asking one of her own. "Last night… you said I was safe. I remember hearing you whisper those words to me. Were you telling the truth? Am I safe here?"

"Yes, of course you are."

"Where is here?"

Joha

"We'll talk later," she promised. "Sleep now, Clare. You may stay with us for as long as you wish. Hilda will bring you something to eat in just a little while. You'll…"

Joha

Gabriel was reaching for his boots when Joha

"Good morning, m'lord," she said in greeting. "Did you sleep well?"

He frowned in reaction. Joha

"You were told to stay in bed," he said. "Did you wait until I fell asleep and then leave again?"

"Yes."

His frown intensified. She decided to try to placate him.

"I thought I would rest for a few minutes before going downstairs. I am weary."

"You look half dead."

"My appearance isn't important," she a

"Come here, Joha

She walked across the room to stand in front of him. He reached down to untie the belt holding her plaid in place.

"You will stay where you're put," he a

She tried to slap his hands away. "I'm not a piece of jewelry or a trinket only to be taken off a shelf when the mood strikes you, m'lord."

Gabriel caught hold of her chin and leaned down to kiss her. He thought only to get her to quit frowning, but her lips were so damned soft and appealing, he forgot his reason. He put his arms around his wife and hauled her up against him.

His kisses made her weak-kneed and dizzy. She put her arms around her husband's waist and held tight. She decided it was quite all right to allow him to rob her of her every thought. He was her husband, after all. Besides, when he was kissing her, he couldn't scowl… or lecture.

She didn't remember undressing or getting into bed. Gabriel must have carried her there. He'd taken his clothes off, too. He covered her with his body, captured the sides of her face with his hands, and gave her a seering kiss. His tongue moved inside her mouth to rub against hers.

She loved to touch him, to feel his hot skin under her fingertips, to caress the splay of hard muscle along his upper arms and shoulders. When she wrapped her arms around her husband, she felt as though she'd captured his strength and his power.

He was a wonder to her, a revelation. Gabriel was as strong as the fittest of warriors, and yet so incredibly gentle whenever he touched her.

She loved the fact that she could make him lose his control. She didn't have to guess that might be true either; Gabriel told her. She felt… free with him, and completely uninhibited as well, for her husband seemed to like whatever she wanted to do.

He made her lose her own control, of course. She wasn't one to scream her demands, but by the time he quit his teasing and moved to mate with her, she was wild to make him end this sweet torment.

She cried out when he entered her, and he immediately stopped. "God, Joha

"Oh, God, I hope you did mean to," she whispered. Her nails dug into his shoulder blades. She wrapped her legs around his thighs and squeezed him tight inside her. "Gabriel, I don't wish you to stop now. I want you to move."