“You truly wish for me to stay at your keep?” She’d love naught more than to travel with Kyla, one of her dearest friends and their chief’s foster daughter. More than that, she longed to visit the stronghold Coll now called home.
“I more than wish it.” A flicker of his need pulsed through to her, swirled around her empath senses, then just as quickly snapped off. Damn his natural fae-skilled barrier. It made it impossible for her to pick up his emotions when he threw it up.
“I wish I could come.” Only now she couldn’t, and how on earth did she explain Matthew to him, as well as her agreement to wed the man their clan called a gentle giant? It would be a shock for certain, as it had been for her when she and Matthew had spoken on the edge of the cliff this morn. They’d had such a heartfelt conversation, one in which they’d both recognized they could be the answer to each other’s problems. She’d fallen in love with a man she could never have, and Matthew had lost the love of his life and needed someone to care for. He’d promised her he’d never insist on more than a friendship within their coming marriage, a most definite answer to her current prayers. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I—I’m no longer free to travel with you.”
“So ’tis true?” His gaze darkened even further. “I caught word of a rumor about you and Matthew, but of course I ignored it. There isnae a chance you would ever agree to wed him.”
“I can explain.”
“You’re saying the rumors are true?” Shock coursed across his face, pulled his brow down low and made white lines flare out from his eyes. “The warrior is twenty years your senior, and only recently widowed.”
“There is more to it than that. Matthew’s loss has taken a deadly toll on him and his pain is so strong. He also understands that my father is growing impatient in his demands that I wed. I cannae remain unattached as I am for much longer. Surely you see that.” She glanced about. She’d definitely drawn the attention of the two wenches, something she couldn’t allow. “Can we talk about this in private?” Coll deserved to hear all she had to say on the matter, because like Kyla, she’d been just as close to him and Duncan over the years and there was little she hadn’t told him.
“Come with me.” He caught her elbow, swept up her dropped basket and steered her farther away, around the stables and inside the back tack room.
Within the musty depths of the storeroom, only a trace of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the haphazardly placed wall planks. Reins and leads hung looped over spikes, while against the far wall, hay had been stacked four bales high and four wide.
Pacing before her, Coll gritted his teeth. “You’ve shown no interest in Matthew afore.”
“He will always grieve for Elspeth. They loved each other dearly, and our marriage will be in name only. He has agreed to aid me, just as I’ve agreed to aid him.” Elspeth had understood Matthew better than anyone in their clan could have since she’d been with him the day they’d both been captured by their enemy as children. Eight, Matthew had been at the time, and Elspeth seven when abducted by their enemy. Elspeth had unfortunately watched on as Matthew had been castrated against his will, then beaten and bruised to within an inch of his life. He’d suffered a great deal of injury, had struggled during his younger years to find his true place within their clan, but Elspeth had always known his very soul and the two, even though unable to consummate their marriage, had loved each other in every other way possible.
“He willnae touch me, even though we’ll be wed. That is what I want, to be able to continue my work in healing others through my fae empath ability. Matthew shall be the first I shall heal. He needs a wife, and I also need a husband as you’re well aware. I’d rather choose my own than have my father do so for me. With Matthew, I need never fear what is to come.”
“You could offer him your healing without having to speak vows.”
“I could, but that does no’ take care of my unwed state.” Breathing deep, she planted her hands on her hips. “We both know what’s between us can never be explored, no’ with you all but betrothed to Kyla.”
“Kyla and I have to wed if we’re to protect her Matheson kin from my father.” Prowling closer, like a wolf on the hunt, he moved and she backed up fast, her back hitting the wall behind her.
“Stay back, Coll.”
“It appears I have as little choice as you do in the matter of who I speak vows with.”
“Sometimes life is unfair that way.”
“You’re damn right it is.” Slowly, he narrowed his eyes, the turmoil within the deep hue of brown clear to see even though his emotions remained firmly in place behind his fae-skilled guards. “I dinnae wish to lose you to Matthew.”