Page 69 of Deception of a Highlander

His hand skimmed down the length of her back. Mariel stiffened against the contact and resisted the urge to jerk away.

Her back was hideous. No matter how kind his words were, she knew what it looked like—a perfect physical reflection of her damned soul.

His hand ran between her shoulder blades, and shivers of unease crawled down her back. “I dinna see yer beauty as diminished in any way by this. It only makes me appreciate yer strength all the more.” His words were meant to make her feel better. She knew that, and yet they did not stop the onslaught of the memory.

The whip whistled as it flew through the air. The leather strip in her mouth tasted of sweat and blood. She clamped it tight between her teeth regardless, knowing she would have need of it. The braided leather found its mark, and fire streaked her back. Her body jerked in protest against the pain, but no cry tore from her throat.

“No screams, eh? We’ll see how long you keep that up for. Of course, you can end this right now…”

The meaty hand pointed to where a man sat in a puddle of his own urine.

“Kill him.”

“Did ye hear me?”

Her eyes squeezed shut as if the memory could be pressed from her mind.

“Mariel,” Kieran said softly. “Did ye hear me?”

She shook her head to clear it of the horrible scene. “I’m sorry. I didn’t.”

Regret showed on his face. “I have to leave. There are things I must ready for Blair’s arrival.” His finger hooked the edge of her robe. He leaned closer, and the scruff of his whiskers tickled her neck. His rich, masculine scent curled around her and brought with it an entirely different rush of memories. Ones of comfort, affection—safety.

His lips brushed her ear, his breath warm against her neck. “Leave yer door unlocked tonight.”

The soft moan that escaped her lips came unbidden, as did the rush of heat throbbing at her core. Kieran gave her a lopsided grin and disappeared out the door. He knew exactly his effect on her.

The room roared with deafening silence following his departure. The air was so still that Mariel had difficulty drawing breath.

She placed her hand over her chest to ease the frantic flutter of her heart. For the first time since he’d said it, she allowed herself to believe he truly did not suspect her. Hysteria bubbled in her chest as relief swirled with overwhelming guilt and churned in her empty stomach. Emotions warred inside her aching head, torn between the desire to trust him and the fear that she could not.

“So long as ye pose no threat to my family, I would forgive ye anything.”

Though said in jest, truth backed those words and their weight settled on her.

She shrugged the robe from her shoulders and pulled on a fresh gown. Blair was being forced to return to the castle against her will because of Mariel. The least she could do was be there to soothe her new friend’s fears.

Several minutes later, Mariel made her way down the hall to wait. Perhaps Blair would be more understanding than they all suspected.

Mariel had not gone more than three steps down the stairs when a scream echoed down the narrow corridor.

“Stop! Leave me alone, you brute!” Blair’s Scots English accent was unmistakable, even from a distance.

Mariel raced down the remainder of the stairs and entered the great hall in time to see Alec walk in with Blair slung over his back. A smile quirked Mariel’s lips as he set Blair down; she remembered her own delivery at Alec’s hands.

“How dare you? Did I not say I wasn’t going to come here?” Blair’s cheeks were flushed, and her chestnut hair tangled over her face.

Dougal appeared behind Alec. He was obviously more confident in Kieran’s decision than Blair. “It’s all right,” he assured his mother. “You know he wouldn’t send for us if it ’weren’t safe.”

Mariel approached them with a hand propped on her hip. “I see you are still bullying unyielding women, Alec.”

He gave an irritated grunt. “If ye wouldna be so damned willful, I wouldna have to carry ye.” He turned his attention to Dougal and ruffled the boy’s shaggy brown hair. “Let’s go to the stable and leave the women to calm down, aye?”

“Is Colin there too? He promised to teach me a new song.” Dougal plastered himself at Alec’s side and started toward the main door of the hall.

“Do not let Colin teach him anything,” Blair called after them. She cast a weary look at Mariel and gave a defeated sigh. “You know everything, don’t you?”

Mariel lowered her gaze, unable to meet her friend’s eyes. She understood more than they could realize. “Kieran wants you here to protect you.”