Read Online Highland Vow by Hannah Howell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Hannah Howell
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overcome. She needed no other impediments.
Chapter Four
Elspeth rolled her eyes as a grim-faced Cormac strode off to go hunting, and then she grabbed up her clothes. For two days she had endured Cormac’s strange moods and she was weary of them. She would wake up in the morning in his arms, the heat and need between them nearly blinding. He would kiss her and move his strong hands over her all too willing body. Then he would touch a part of her he had not touched before. She would start slightly, mostly from the power of the feeling that would surge through her. That would be just enough to make him shake his head as if to clear it; then he would pull away from her with an alacrity that was positively insulting. And he would stay as far away from her as he could for the rest of the day. She was surprised he still allowed her plea of fearing her nightmares to keep him curled up beside her at night.
It could not go on much longer, she mused as she got a piece of soap out of her bag. There were no more new places for him to touch. All she had to do was try to control her reactions to his intimate touches, to temper them, at least until there was no longer any chance of turning back. If he kept sending her into a fever and then stopping, it would not be him trying to drag some stranger to bed in the next village they reached. It was her maidenhead that truly held him back and she was beginning to think she was going to have to find someone to rid her of it. It was either that or slip into a madness born of continuous aching unfulfillment.
The little brook they had camped by twisted its way through the moors and forest on its slow journey to the next village. Elspeth followed it until she found a sheltered spot where the shrubs and trees gave her some covering to soothe her modesty, but allowedenough of a view that she should be able to see any danger if it approached. The water was probably cold, but she was in dire need of a bath. She also needed to wash most of her clothes.
After a final look around to be sure she was in private, she shed her clothes. The late summer sun was lovely and warm, but it only took one toe dipped into the water to tell her it would not be so pleasant. Elspeth grabbed her soap and one of her stockings to use as a cloth and plunged into the water. Her teeth clenched against a shocked screech as the cold water slapped her warm skin. She kept them clenched to keep them from chattering. Even as she washed her hair, then scrubbed herself, she did not think she had ever taken so swift a bath.
Once out of the unwelcoming water, Elspeth used her clothes to rub her hair dry enough so that it ceased to drip and rubbed her body dry with enough vigor to restore the flow of blood. Slipping on her chemise, she knelt by the water and washed out her clothes, letting the sun finish the work of warming and drying her. By the time she needed her clothes again they would be dry and, if she was very careful, not too badly wrinkled.
They would reach another village on the morrow, Elspeth thought, then cursed. There would probably be an inn or a tavern and another willing maid she would have to threaten. Yesterday had proven even a village was not needed, just a cottage with a lusty widow. That woman had required the glimpse of a knife to keep her roving eye and welcoming smile away from Cormac. It was turning into a strange game. He looked interested, she took away the source of his interest, and they moved on. She knew he was aware that she was doing or saying something to the women, and although he clearly did not like it, they never mentioned the matter.
It was also a hurtful game. There she was, warm and welcoming, all too embarrassingly eager to share his passion, yet he kept shoving her aside. Even though she understood what he was doing and why when he gave those women a warm smile, it was painful to watch. Elspeth knew that, at the moment, her greatest fear was that he would give his passion to some other
Chapter Four
Elspeth rolled her eyes as a grim-faced Cormac strode off to go hunting, and then she grabbed up her clothes. For two days she had endured Cormac’s strange moods and she was weary of them. She would wake up in the morning in his arms, the heat and need between them nearly blinding. He would kiss her and move his strong hands over her all too willing body. Then he would touch a part of her he had not touched before. She would start slightly, mostly from the power of the feeling that would surge through her. That would be just enough to make him shake his head as if to clear it; then he would pull away from her with an alacrity that was positively insulting. And he would stay as far away from her as he could for the rest of the day. She was surprised he still allowed her plea of fearing her nightmares to keep him curled up beside her at night.
It could not go on much longer, she mused as she got a piece of soap out of her bag. There were no more new places for him to touch. All she had to do was try to control her reactions to his intimate touches, to temper them, at least until there was no longer any chance of turning back. If he kept sending her into a fever and then stopping, it would not be him trying to drag some stranger to bed in the next village they reached. It was her maidenhead that truly held him back and she was beginning to think she was going to have to find someone to rid her of it. It was either that or slip into a madness born of continuous aching unfulfillment.
The little brook they had camped by twisted its way through the moors and forest on its slow journey to the next village. Elspeth followed it until she found a sheltered spot where the shrubs and trees gave her some covering to soothe her modesty, but allowedenough of a view that she should be able to see any danger if it approached. The water was probably cold, but she was in dire need of a bath. She also needed to wash most of her clothes.
After a final look around to be sure she was in private, she shed her clothes. The late summer sun was lovely and warm, but it only took one toe dipped into the water to tell her it would not be so pleasant. Elspeth grabbed her soap and one of her stockings to use as a cloth and plunged into the water. Her teeth clenched against a shocked screech as the cold water slapped her warm skin. She kept them clenched to keep them from chattering. Even as she washed her hair, then scrubbed herself, she did not think she had ever taken so swift a bath.
Once out of the unwelcoming water, Elspeth used her clothes to rub her hair dry enough so that it ceased to drip and rubbed her body dry with enough vigor to restore the flow of blood. Slipping on her chemise, she knelt by the water and washed out her clothes, letting the sun finish the work of warming and drying her. By the time she needed her clothes again they would be dry and, if she was very careful, not too badly wrinkled.
They would reach another village on the morrow, Elspeth thought, then cursed. There would probably be an inn or a tavern and another willing maid she would have to threaten. Yesterday had proven even a village was not needed, just a cottage with a lusty widow. That woman had required the glimpse of a knife to keep her roving eye and welcoming smile away from Cormac. It was turning into a strange game. He looked interested, she took away the source of his interest, and they moved on. She knew he was aware that she was doing or saying something to the women, and although he clearly did not like it, they never mentioned the matter.
It was also a hurtful game. There she was, warm and welcoming, all too embarrassingly eager to share his passion, yet he kept shoving her aside. Even though she understood what he was doing and why when he gave those women a warm smile, it was painful to watch. Elspeth knew that, at the moment, her greatest fear was that he would give his passion to some other
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