“We could release him from his vow to us.”
“What? And make it easy? You know Aimery wouldn’t like that at all.”
She sighed loudly. “I’m not sure I can do this, Frang. I’m not as strong as you think I am.”
He patted her shoulder and gave her a fatherly smile. “Aimery wouldn’t have given you such a task if he didn’t think you could accomplish it. Have faith in yourself, lass.”
“I feel something in the air.”
Frang chuckled, his long, gray beard moving in the breeze. “It’s desire.”
“Nay. Something else. Something that shouldn’t be.”
Frang stilled and raised his face to the moon. “Aye, you have the right of it. We’ll have to keep a close eye on Glenna and Conall. So much rides on them.”
Moira took one last look at the couple before she followed Frang back into the stone circle. Her back tingled along her spine and that meant there was great evil, greater than MacNeil, who was out to destroy their plans. But who?
* * * * *
The Shadow moved deeper into the woods. He would have to be careful. Frang and Moira had almost seen him. He hadn’t expected to find them spying on Glenna and Conall as well, but it proved just how much was at stake within the Druids.
He laughed softly and quietly made his way to the castle. He had plans of his own, and with the help of a certain lass it would be carried out swiftly. Then he could have Moira. Frang was old—too old to stop him from getting what he wanted. He had waited long enough and been denied too many times. It was his time now.
No more waiting.
Chapter Six
The morning had begun perfectly. Ailsa had run into Glenna’s chamber and demanded to take her exploring. Glenna had readily agreed, eager for the innocence of youth to wash away the pain and confusion that grew steadily in her heart. She never stopped to think what Conall would say, and she didn’t want to know.
They had just stepped into the noisy bailey when Glenna spotted Conall training with his men. She had been hard-pressed to continue on with Ailsa instead of watching Conall’s rippling muscles strain and flex with each trust and parry of his sword.
Her stomach tightened when she remembered the heat from his eyes when he had almost kissed her the night before. With the stars shining overhead, the music from the lute lulling her and his full mouth just breaths away it had been a magical night.
Aye, he had been close, but something had stopped him, much to her disappointment. She had often wondered what it would be like to be a wife and mother, but no man had made her dream of being kissed. Until Conall. He made her think of things that would bring a blush to a nun’s face.
She had wanted his mouth on hers more than she had wanted anything. The gentleness of his hands as they swept the hair from her face, and the intensity of his eyes had haunted her sleep. She would have like to know if he tasted half as good as he looked.
“If you’d rather stare at the laird instead of exploring with me, I ken. All the women say he’s a fine man.”
Glenna smiled. With Ailsa around she was never bored. The child said the oddest things. “Of course I want to go with you.”
But Ailsa’s comment caught her attention. She looked around the bailey and saw the many women, young and old, who stood and gawked at Conall. It made Glenna uncomfortable that they stared so openly until she realized she did the same thing.
Although, it was a beautiful, red-headed woman who ogled him so wantonly that brought up Glenna’s ire.
With the firm resolution to ignore Conall and his magnificent body, she took Ailsa’s hand and was about to set out when a velvet-smooth voice she had come to recognize stopped them.
“And just where are you two going?”
Glenna’s stomach fluttered when she heard Conall’s smooth lilt. She turned and found him smiling at his daughter. “We’re going exploring.”
“Want to come?” Ailsa asked then quickly ducked her head. “Never
“What? And make it easy? You know Aimery wouldn’t like that at all.”
She sighed loudly. “I’m not sure I can do this, Frang. I’m not as strong as you think I am.”
He patted her shoulder and gave her a fatherly smile. “Aimery wouldn’t have given you such a task if he didn’t think you could accomplish it. Have faith in yourself, lass.”
“I feel something in the air.”
Frang chuckled, his long, gray beard moving in the breeze. “It’s desire.”
“Nay. Something else. Something that shouldn’t be.”
Frang stilled and raised his face to the moon. “Aye, you have the right of it. We’ll have to keep a close eye on Glenna and Conall. So much rides on them.”
Moira took one last look at the couple before she followed Frang back into the stone circle. Her back tingled along her spine and that meant there was great evil, greater than MacNeil, who was out to destroy their plans. But who?
* * * * *
The Shadow moved deeper into the woods. He would have to be careful. Frang and Moira had almost seen him. He hadn’t expected to find them spying on Glenna and Conall as well, but it proved just how much was at stake within the Druids.
He laughed softly and quietly made his way to the castle. He had plans of his own, and with the help of a certain lass it would be carried out swiftly. Then he could have Moira. Frang was old—too old to stop him from getting what he wanted. He had waited long enough and been denied too many times. It was his time now.
No more waiting.
Chapter Six
The morning had begun perfectly. Ailsa had run into Glenna’s chamber and demanded to take her exploring. Glenna had readily agreed, eager for the innocence of youth to wash away the pain and confusion that grew steadily in her heart. She never stopped to think what Conall would say, and she didn’t want to know.
They had just stepped into the noisy bailey when Glenna spotted Conall training with his men. She had been hard-pressed to continue on with Ailsa instead of watching Conall’s rippling muscles strain and flex with each trust and parry of his sword.
Her stomach tightened when she remembered the heat from his eyes when he had almost kissed her the night before. With the stars shining overhead, the music from the lute lulling her and his full mouth just breaths away it had been a magical night.
Aye, he had been close, but something had stopped him, much to her disappointment. She had often wondered what it would be like to be a wife and mother, but no man had made her dream of being kissed. Until Conall. He made her think of things that would bring a blush to a nun’s face.
She had wanted his mouth on hers more than she had wanted anything. The gentleness of his hands as they swept the hair from her face, and the intensity of his eyes had haunted her sleep. She would have like to know if he tasted half as good as he looked.
“If you’d rather stare at the laird instead of exploring with me, I ken. All the women say he’s a fine man.”
Glenna smiled. With Ailsa around she was never bored. The child said the oddest things. “Of course I want to go with you.”
But Ailsa’s comment caught her attention. She looked around the bailey and saw the many women, young and old, who stood and gawked at Conall. It made Glenna uncomfortable that they stared so openly until she realized she did the same thing.
Although, it was a beautiful, red-headed woman who ogled him so wantonly that brought up Glenna’s ire.
With the firm resolution to ignore Conall and his magnificent body, she took Ailsa’s hand and was about to set out when a velvet-smooth voice she had come to recognize stopped them.
“And just where are you two going?”
Glenna’s stomach fluttered when she heard Conall’s smooth lilt. She turned and found him smiling at his daughter. “We’re going exploring.”
“Want to come?” Ailsa asked then quickly ducked her head. “Never
Similar Books
