“Will I see ye again?”
It was a fair question, but his answer was always the same. The only thing he would have to change this time was his reason why. He could no longer say he was leaving tomorrow and wouldn’t be back through the village again. Cagair Castle was now his home.
Next to responsibility, there was no other word that made Adwen quite as uncomfortable as the word home. For him, the two words went hand in hand, both symbols of the end of his life as he knew it, of life as he loved it. Change was inevitable, but he much preferred changes in the seasons for they would always come back the next year. This change, the ending of his freedom, was permanent. He wished to distract himself from the reality as long as possible.
“No, lass. Ye canna despise it more than I do, but I doona believe that ye shall see me again. Territories doona run without the help of many, and my services will soon be required. I will no longer have the time for such pleasures.”
He worked on her laces slowly, more nimble with the tying of a woman’s dress than any man should ever be. Adwen allowed his fingers to slip in between the small loops before he pulled them, sliding the tips of his fingers slowly against the soft skin on her back. The lass leaned against him, sighing with contentment.
“Ye are a tease, Adwen. Doona touch me, if ye canna ravish me in the process.”
Visions of her writhing beneath him flashed through his mind once more and his groin grew tight. If he delayed any longer, his brother would do just as he threatened and his father would burst through the doors of his bedchamber. Shaking his head, Adwen returned to his task, leaning forward to speak softly into her ear, working his magic.
“If only ye were uglier, lass, I might permit myself to see ye again. If ye were no such a beauty then I could lie with ye without being so distracted from my work. But ye…” He breathed lustfully down her back for effect, smiling as her shoulders quivered beneath his palms. “If I allowed myself to touch ye again, I wouldna be able to work another day. Nothing would fill my mind but visions of ye. So please, lass, spare me and leave this place at once so that I may fulfill my duties as my father’s son.”
With the lass’ dress now tied, he moved her to the doorway, opening it so that he could show her outside. She turned to him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pressed her lips against his in goodbye.
“I shallna forget this night, Adwen. Should ye find yerself in need of distraction…” She didn’t finish, only kissed him once more before turning to make her way down the hallway.
Adwen knew she didn’t realize it was for distraction that he’d brought her to his bed to begin with, and that was just how he wished it. He kept his hand on the small of her back until they reached a secluded door at the back of the castle.
Orick awaited them, just as instructed. He was Adwen’s trusted hand, and a true expert at smuggling lassies in and out of castles or camps or anywhere else that Adwen might wish them. He could see them safely to Adwen’s bed and then just as deftly return them to their homes where their absence had gone, hopefully, unnoticed.
“Orick will see ye home. Regretfully, I must bid ye goodnight. May ye grow uglier so that I may see ye once again.”
The lass laughed as she made her way through the doorway. Adwen didn’t miss the choking expression of disgust that Orick threw him before leaning in the doorway to speak before following the lass out.
“Do ye even know this one’s name, Adwen?”
He lowered his voice, taking care so that she wouldn’t hear his answer. “No, I’m afraid that I doona know. ’Tis shameful I know. I’ll make certain to learn the name of the next lass.”
Orick laughed, a deep, short chuckle that caught the attention of the lass standing outside the door, but he lowered his voice so that once again she wouldn’t hear.
“The next one? Ye just assume that each of them will take ye, but one day ye will find a lass who wishes to be treated better than ye know how to treat her. ’Twill be the best thing to ever happen to ye.”
Adwen smiled. “I doona think I would consider it to be the best thing to happen, but I do believe I might consider it to be the most surprising thing to happen to me.”
“Ach.” Orick started to pull the door closed, cursing Adwen as he did so. “Ye are a prideful bastard; I canna wait to see the lass that will show ye what a big, sodding fool ye really are.”
The door closed in his face and Adwen hollered through it. “I love ye as well, Orick.”
CHAPTER 5
McMillan Territory Village