A Very Highland Holiday - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,169
alone to mourn. I just ask ye close the door on your way out.”
“We will.” Sarah took the candleholder from Carrie and stood in the center of the room for several moments before she lifted it high to reveal more of the walls.
Swords, shields, spurs. A pair of roughly used boots. The sleeve of a jacket, the pattern distinctly plaid, and beside it, the sleeve of one that was red. More examples of the battle that waged between two factions. On the floor, beside a table full of coins, rings, and fragments of metal, were two cannonballs. She’d been told that was how Jon had died, torn apart by the blast of a cannon.
Tears came to her eyes, and Sarah wrenched herself away from seeing anymore, running smack into Thane. His arms were around her instantly, holding her tight. His warmth was a comfort she needed. Wanted to bury herself inside.
“This is…” She couldn’t even finish her sentence to say how awful the room made her feel.
“Aye,” was all he murmured in return, stroking her hair.
Thane took the candle from her, setting it down on the table before she lit his coat on fire.
“This is no’ a Chamber of Sorrow,” Sarah said. “This is a Chamber of Horrors.”
“Do ye want me to destroy it?”
Sarah shook her head, leaning back to look up at him. It felt so good to be in his arms that she didn’t want to move away. His face was shadowed like hers, but she could see that he was not jesting.
“As much as I want to say aye, if ye did, we’d both likely be killed. Or cursed.”
“Possibly.” He tilted his head. “We might be able to escape quickly. The lad out back seemed eager to please.”
Sarah smiled. Some of her sorrow ebbed with his teasing. “I’m no’ willing to risk your life for a petty thing. But before we leave, I might come in here and steal something. Maybe all of the dragoon items, so no one can mourn them.”
“Oh, a thief. Ye have no’ mentioned before that ye have the skill.”
She shrugged, enjoying the sensation of their arms around each other, and neither seemed inclined to withdraw. “I grew up with three brothers. I learned a few things to survive.”
“Do ye recognize anything in here?” He maneuvered them toward the table, his arm still around her waist.
Sarah examined the rings, touching the various items, imagining who the owners might be. Thankfully, nothing struck her as familiar. “I dinna. What about ye?”
“Nothing,” he said quietly.
Sarah glanced up at him. “How many did ye lose?”
“Nearly half our men in the battle. A dozen or more in the retreat. More that were routed out as rebels after.” He swallowed hard enough that she could see the lump bob in his throat. “We’ll rebuild.”
Goodness, they’d lost so many. They were a smaller clan to begin with. But his note of hope filled her with the same sentiment. Though she’d barely known him when his sister had joined her family, now she felt like she’d known him for years, when in reality, less than twenty-four hours had passed.
They had a connection. Mutual loss. Mutual sorrow. And a common goal.
Plus, he’d opened up to her, revealing his strength and integrity. All men should want to be like Thane Shaw.
Without thinking, she leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.
Chapter Six
Thane had not seen this coming. A fantasy or two, sure, but actually kissing Sarah?
Softness and heat pressed against him in body and lips. Desire flooded his veins, and even though he knew he should stop kissing her, he couldn’t bring himself to pull away.
With a slant of his head, Thane kissed her deeper. The scent of her surrounded him, and her tiny hands clutched to the front of him, right over the place his heart pounded. He flicked his tongue against her lips, tasting the butter from their breakfast, and then dipping between them when she opened on a gasp.
Tentatively, she touched her tongue to his. Her grip tightened on his shirt, and she let out a little mewl as he stroked his tongue slowly, languidly along hers. She tasted of heaven and sweetness, anything but what he would have thought of someone that should be his enemy.
But he knew she wasn’t. That much had been made clear already.
Thane stroked her face, ending the kiss as softly as it had begun, his gaze locked on hers.
“Why did ye do that?” he asked, curious about her motives.