Highlander's Beautiful Liar A Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance Historical Novel - Adamina Young Page 0,42

down to whisper in her ear. “Relax,” he murmured. “’Tis only dinner.”

Rather than fear, there was irritation in her eyes as she looked up at him, and he smirked. There was the woman who’d stabbed a man to protect a friend. Who was willing to brave the rough terrain to escape.

“Married life suits ye, lass,” Shane joked as he leaned over and took her hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles. “If ye find Alec not to yer taste, my bed is open to ye.”

“Try it just once, and ye may discover that ye being headless will be to my taste,” Alec countered mildly. He knew that Shane was just trying to get a rise out of him.

Cora just smiled at him. “The way that I hear it, you do not prefer your bed when you take a woman. The hay loft is more your speed.”

Shane’s mouth dropped open, and the table erupted in laughter. “Women talk, Shane, surely you know that,” she teased.

“I do now,” he muttered. “I doona suppose they told ye that they had a wonderful time?”

“If you were praised too often, then you would not want to improve.”

The laughter increased, and even Shane had to grin.

Alec watched as his wife’s shoulders eased just a little bit as she sat back in the chair. She was a little more relaxed, and he reached under the table to put a hand on her thigh. It was meant to be a comfort, but when her skin warmed under his touch and her cheeks began to pink, he started to have something else entirely in mind.

Keeping his touch easy, he moved his thumb back and forth, just teasing her and hoping that she remembered just a few nights ago when she was begging to touch him.

“Ye look like yer father,” Kane said as he studied her. “I doona know how I didnae see it before. I brought ye dinner once while ye were in the prisons. I should have known. Ye have my sincere apologies.”

Alec’s anger swelled. Just how many of the MacKay men saw Cora in those prisons and did nothing to release her? Did nothing to help her?

As if she knew what he was thinking, Cora grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “I cannot be mad at you, Kane, when I lied about my identity when I was freed. I do remember when you brought me dinner, and I remember that there was kindness when you freed me and helped me eat.”

“Did any of them lay a hand on ye?” Alec hissed. It hadn’t occurred to him that anyone other than Seth would have hurt her, but for all he knew, every man here could have laid hands on her.

“No. Only Seth.”

“Seth was not like his father,” Kane said in a low voice. “Yer father was a good man. I hear ye didnae get a chance to know him. For that, I am truly sorry.”

“Perhaps I can get to know him more by getting to know all of you.” Her voice shook just a little, and Alec realized that he was disgusted.

Disgusted with himself.

He didn’t trust her, but he had to admit to himself that she’d had one hell of a year. Taken from her family. Witnessed the murder of her father. Imprisoned and abused by her half-brother, and now married to a stranger.

And what had he done to make things easier for her? Not a damn thing.

After dinner, he held Cora’s hand as he walked her out of the room. When they were out of Gavin’s sight, she tugged her hand away and wrapped her arms around her body. “I think I might take a walk before bed. I fear I ate too much.”

“Cora.” Before she could run from him, he reached down and snagged her hand. “Despite how our marriage came about, ye are my wife now. If ye tell me that ye are no longer hiding anything from me, then I will believe it.”

Raising her chin, she stared at him. Her beautiful green eyes were filled with anguish, and he mentally cursed himself. He’d wanted to put aside the animosity between them, but she was still keeping things from him. “What am I to do with ye?” he whispered.

“I do not keep anything from you that will harm you or your status here in the clan!” she cried out as she put her hands on his chest. “I was afraid after Seth and…and I did not know if I could trust you. I am