Wicked Laird (Brethren of Stone 2)

Blair nodded but he had to confess, his mind was still on her comment. Why would she think he’d regret marrying her? She was the one who’d never wanted to marry anyone and looked miserable at the thought of marrying him.

“Elle, I think we’ve misunderstood each other.” Just up ahead, a mountain of a man stepped onto his stoop.

Elle waved, calling out to him. Then she turned back to Blair. “How do you mean?”

“We’ve work to do now but let’s talk tonight,” Blair said as McPherson approached.

By the end of the day, he had more than twenty workers assembled. Between them and the men his brother had sent, he just might be able to complete the docks and get his business going by the end of summer.

Better still, they hadn’t run into McKenzie the whole of the day. As he and Elle rode back to the boats, Blair had the feeling that the tide was finally with them. “We did good today, Elle.”

“We did,” she answered. “We will have to see how McKenzie attempts to stop us.”

He let out a guttural growl. Elle looked up at him with luminous eyes. Lightly he stroked her face. “Let him try.”

“I trust you,” she whispered. “But I’m afraid.”

“Elle, I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”

Chapter Fifteen

They returned to the ship in silence. It wasn’t dark or heavy but filled with an understanding that she quite liked. His arm was wrapped possessively around her middle, holding her in place, shielding her from the world.

They ate a quiet dinner and then made love during the sunset, the pink light bathing his skin in a golden glow. He looked beautiful. Not a manly word, she knew, but that’s all she could think. She’d seen underneath the hard exterior to the man who protected her even at great cost to himself.

That man was stunning.

Snuggling into his side, she fell asleep wrapped in warmth. Sleeping in the cocoon of his embrace was a feeling of which she would never tire.

As the first rays of the sun peeked into the windows of the captain’s quarters a noise roused her from sleep. Had she dreamed it?

Slowly waking, she blinked to allow the fog in her mind to clear. There it was again.

“Fire,” a voice called. For the span of a second then two there was nothing before a wrenching boom split the air.

“Hell and damnation,” Blair roared, sitting bolt upright. In a flash he was out of the bed, pulling on his kilt as he strode from the room in nothing else. “Follow me,” he tossed over his shoulder as he bolted down the hall. Elle tossed on her night rail, and wrapped a blanket about her shoulders and she did as he bid.

She had to sprint to keep up with him as a voice called again. “Fire.”

“Are we firing?” she yelled over the next blast.

Blair pulled her behind the mast of the ship. “I don’t know.” He answered then turned to the captain. “Are we?”

“No, my lord,” The captain replied. “We’re taking fire from the land.”

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sp; He pointed. Elle could barely make it out but on the beach stood a group of men, ten maybe fifteen, clustered around a cannon.

Racing across the deck, he grabbed a bullhorn hanging from a peg. Then bellowing with all his might, he yelled. “All ships, return fire!”

Elle jumped as the sound boomed across the water. It was a bit much for the small group of men on the shore but it had its intended effect. The men on the shore stopped for a moment, as if collectively trying to decide what to do and then scattered like seagulls.

Blair held up the horn again. “Is that the best you’ve got?” Then he turned back to the captain. He stood barefoot and bare-chested, looking larger than life. Like a god, his muscles chiseled from stone. “Confiscate the cannon and turn it to the land. If they come back today while work is being done, fire.” Then he tossed the horn aside and stalked across the deck. Sweeping her into his arms he carried her toward the hatch.

If it had been any other man, she might have been afraid. He looked fierce, a scowl causing deep lines in his face. For Elle, however, she had never felt safer.

Emotion welled in her chest. She loved this man with all her heart. It didn’t matter if he returned it. He had already given her so much.