Healing the Tormented Highlander: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel Page 16

  “Ceana, Ceana, nay, ‘tis I, ‘tis Raghnall, ye are safe,” Raghnall cried and Ceana burst into tears, sobbing into his arms, as he held her in the dark.

  “Oh, Raghnall. I was so scared. A terrible wickedness has occurred,” she said, through her tears and sobs.

  “Come now, lass. We need a light. I heard ye scream and came runnin’ immediately,” Raghnall said and letting go of her, he fumbled around on the floor for the candle.

  “Symbols, Raghnall. On the walls,” she said, pressing herself against the wall of the corridor, as Raghnall struck a flint to the candle.

  “‘Tis all right, lass. I am here now. Nay one will hurt ye,” he said, as the candlelight illuminated the corridor.

  Ceana swallowed, feeling her cheeks flushed, her heart still racing. He looked at her with concern, placing his hand gently around her, as he peered into the room.

  “Ye see …?” she said, her voice shaking.

  “Aye, I see, lass,” he said, stepping into the room, as Ceana followed nervously behind.

  Even with Raghnall at her side she felt fearful, but less so than when she was alone, and now she looked more closely at the symbols daubed upon the walls. They had been marked there in a frenzy, every surface covered in the symbols. They were just the same as those on the key, painted in the same order.

  Raghnall shook his head, and turned to Ceana with a puzzled look upon his face.

  “Meaningless symbols? The room wrecked? It makes nay sense, lass,” he said, shaking his head.

  But Ceana knew better. This was a warning and one which caused a shiver to run down her spine. The assault by the cloaked stranger on the road was one thing, but now it seemed her assailants were here in the castle. Ceana was not safe, even here with Raghnall and she began to cry, sobbing at this mystery into which she had so involuntarily become embroiled.

  “I … I am scared, Raghnall,” she said, and he placed a protective arm around her.

  “Tis all right, lass. Ye are safe with me. I will speak with the servants, ‘tis probably someone just playin’ games with us,” he said, “this is child’s play, someone’s idea of fun.”

  But Ceana knew this was far from child’s play. Whoever had done this was searching for something—searching for the key. Instinctively she put her hand to her chest and felt its outline around her neck. She longed to tell Raghnall of it, to unburden herself of the grave responsibility which her grandmother had given her. But Ceana knew she had to keep it secret, to keep it safe, even if it was no longer a secret to others.

  “I … I daenae want to be alone tonight,” she whispered and he leaned forward and kissed her.

  “Nay, lass. Ye daenae have to be. Come with me,” he replied and led her gently from the room, the scene of devastation behind them, the mystery deepening.

  Chapter 18

  As Raghnall led Ceana to the safety of his chambers, he could not help but feel perplexed at what all this now meant.

  Who is she?

  He closed the door of his chambers behind them, the candlelight flickering across the walls, as Ceana turned to him and breathed a heavy sigh.

  “I am sorry for this, Raghnall, I … I daenae ken why I am the subject of such wickedness,” she said, and he shook his head, taking her in his arms.

  “Ye have nothin’ to be sorry for, lass. ‘Tis only some foolish game. Those symbols are somethin’ that a child would draw or a fool would imagine. There is nothin’ to be afraid of,” Raghnall said and Ceana rested her head upon his chest.

  He could feel a tremor running through her, as though she were terrified, shaking with fear. He pulled her close, his arms around her, and kissed her gently on the forehead.

  “I am scared, Raghnall, I am scared,” she said and he shushed her, cradling her in his arms.

  “Come now, Ceana, I am here. I will look after ye, there is nothin’ for ye to be afraid of,” he said, but in his mind he could not help but think there was.

  It felt as though the sword of Damocles hung over them both, some terrible fate which he could not protect her from, try as he might. There was a mystery to her, a hidden lifetime before he had known her, shrouded in secrecy.

  I could ask her now, demand that she tells me.

  But what good would that do? It would only terrify her more and make her believe she had no one in all the world able to keep her safe.

  Instead, he sat her gently down on the bed and reassured her once more. She was holding herself, her arms wrapped around her shoulders as though seeking some sort of protection. He stoked up the fire, and lit several more candles around the room, trying to reassure her that she was safe with him.

  “Thank ye, Raghnall,” she said eventually, as he came to sit next to her on the bed. “If I did nae have ye then I would have nay one.”

  “Ye will always have me, lass,” he replied, placing his arm around her.

  She turned to him, their eyes meeting and he leaned in to place a gentle kiss upon her lips. She let out a sigh, her passions becoming aroused, as did his. Soon, his arms were about her and his lips moved to her neck, as his arousal increased.

  She had her arms about him, searching him, but as he went to pull down the sleeve of her gown, desiring to expose her breast to his touch, she motioned for him to stop and sat back on the bed, once more clutching her arms around herself.

  “What is it, lass? There is nothin’ to be afraid of,” he said, but she shook her head.

  “I am nae afraid, Raghnall. I just … would ye turn the other way as I take off my gown. ‘Tis foolish I ken, but …” she said, and he nodded.

  “‘Tis nae foolish, lass,” he replied and turned his face away, as she began to undress.

  A sense of anticipation began to rise in him and he loosened his tunic. He was desirous to turn and see her, to kiss her, to make love to her, as he had done on that first perfect night. A moment later, she touched his arm gently and he turned to see her meekly before him. Her body was smooth and curvaceous, her hair falling down across her breasts and he smiled at her, as she leaned forward to take his hand in hers.

  Gently, she placed it upon her breast and he began to fondle her, as she let out a low sigh of pleasure. Moving forward, he allowed her to undress him, pulling back his tunic, as he slid her down onto the bed. Their lips pressed together once again.

  How beautiful she is, even in her sorrow she is beautiful, he thought to himself, as she let out a cry of delight, his hand sliding across her waist, as he pulled her close to himself.

  The flames danced in the hearth and the candles flickered on the walls. Raghnall held Ceana close, the anticipation building between them. It felt different this time, no longer the anticipation of an unknown pleasure, but the desire for that which she had experienced before. She felt herself quivering at his touch, his hands running over her, delighting her in every way.

  He caressed her face, kissing every part of her body. His tongue encircled her breast, sending a shiver of excitement running through her as he rose on top of her, holding her gently and let out a deep sigh of pleasure as he slid inside her.

  She arched her back, but the pain was less this time and the pleasure came far sooner and was more intense. She kissed him, her lips upon his neck, as he pushed deep inside her, causing her to moan with delight. The longed for sensation was building once more, and she could not help but gasp as he let out a cry.

  A sudden shudder went through her, emanating from deep inside. She clasped at his shoulders, as he lay back panting, kissing her and pulling her close to himself one final time.

  “I love ye, Raghnall,” she gasped, as the sensation lessened, as though the fire within her had been quenched.

  No longer was there the hesitation of innocence, but all the delight of an intimacy born of love and affection, as Ceana let out a final gasp and Raghnall moved his lips down onto her neck.

  “I love ye too, Ceana, and I will nae let anyone hurt ye, I promise ye,” he said, and lay back on his side, looking at her and smiling.

  She was breathless, covering her modesty with a blanket and she smiled at him, as she lay back on the bed.

  “I love ye too, Raghnall,” she said, closing her eyes. He placed his arms gently over her and nestled his head into her shoulder.

  “Tomorrow, I will have the room cleaned and then we shall set about findin’ who it is that did this wicked thing. When I find them, they shall feel my wrath. I assure ye of that,” Raghnall said.

  “Whoever did it is closer than we thought,” she replied sleepily.

  “Then they are a traitor, and traitors are always caught,” he replied.

  Ceana nodded, and a moment later she was asleep, with Raghnall’s arms around her.

  He lay awake awhile, watching the flames’ shadows dancing upon the walls of his chambers. It unsettled him to think that a traitor was in their midst, someone who knew the castle intimately and could easily have access to Ceana’s chambers.

  Only a servant or someone who kens the castle very well. This is nay ordinary thief.

  Raghnall closed his eyes, sighing.

  Ceana was safe for now, but Raghnall could not watch her night and day. He would need Andrew and the other soldiers to be vigilant, but could he trust them? There was a traitor in their midst and until that person was discovered, the whole of Mhaol Chalium was a threat, not only to Ceana but to Raghnall, too.

  I will find who did this.

  Yawning, he turned over to embrace Ceana, who stirred gently in her sleep.

  “Ye are safe, lass, I promise ye,” he whispered, as together they fell asleep, the mystery surrounding Ceana growing ever deeper.

  When Raghnall awoke, he found Ceana already up and dressed. She was sitting by the fire, which she had brought back to life, and as he sat up she turned and smiled to him.

  “‘Tis a strange thing, the night. Darkness always makes things seem worse than they dae in the day,” she said, shaking her head.

  “So, yer fears are lessened,” he replied, climbing out of bed and crossing over to her.

  “Nay, but now they concern only what happened and nae what might have been. I am still scared of whoever has done this, for they may dae it again, or worse,” she replied.

  “But why would anyone wish to hurt a lass like ye? It makes nay sense. Ye are nae a threat to anyone and yet it seems someone is threatenin’ ye,” he replied, catching himself before he revealed the stranger in the village who was seeking out Ceana just the other day.

  She sighed and looked at him, shaking her head.

  “I daenae ken, Raghnall. There is nay reason why anyone should wish me harm. I have lived a sheltered life and I have nay enemies and neither did my parents,” she replied.

  “Then ‘tis nothin’ to worry about then, lass,” he replied, but Raghnall could tell she was not telling the truth and he, too, was far more concerned than he wished to let on.

  He dressed quickly, telling Ceana to wait in his chambers until he had instructed the servants to clean her chambers.

  “Am I to be a prisoner here until then?” she asked, but he shook his head.

  “‘Tis for yer own safety, lass. Stay here, I will nae be long, and then we shall ride out west as I promised ye. If ye still wish to, that is,” he said and Ceana nodded.

  “Make sure that yer mother sees to Samuel, will ye? He will be wonderin’ where I am and will be eager to get back to his mother and Andrew,” Ceana said.

  Raghnall nodded and kissed her, his hand lingering upon her shoulder.

  “It will be all right, Ceana. I promise ye,” he said and she nodded as he left the room.

  Raghnall paused as he passed Ceana’s chambers. The door was still open and daylight was now flooding through the windows, where the drapes had been pulled down from their hangings. He peered curiously at the symbols upon the wall, which made no sense to him at all.

  But they must have some meaning.

  He stood, staring with interest at them.

  They seemed to repeat themselves. Three distinct symbols, a cross, a little like that of Saint Andrew, but with curled edges. The next was a triangle, at the center of which was what appeared to be an eye, and finally there came a circle, in which a square with another circle at its center had been drawn.

  I have nae seen such symbols before. Nae in the chapel, nae about the castle, nor in any book.

  But it seemed prudent to make a record of the symbols and he drew out a small pocket book from his tunic, scratching a drawing of each in charcoal to preserve the memory for further consultation.

  As he emerged from Ceana’s chambers one of the servants was passing by, bearing hot water for his mother’s bathing. Raghnall instructed that he see to it immediately that the room was cleaned and made habitable once more.

  “And send the smithy to me. I want a new lock fixture to this door,” Raghnall said and the servant nodded, scurrying away to fulfil his master’s wishes.

  As he entered the Great Hall a few moments later, Raghnall could not help but eye those present with suspicion. Someone there present must know who it was that had painted those symbols on the walls of Ceana’s chambers. He looked at the groups of clansmen huddled whispering together, as he made his way towards the high table.

  Andrew was sitting there, alongside his cousin Blayne and several others. They looked up as Raghnall approached, nodding to him and offering him a seat.

  “Laird,” Andrew said, as a servant brought Raghnall a bowl of porridge.

  “There is trouble in this castle, Andrew. Trouble and mystery,” Raghnall said and the Captain of the guard looked at him with a puzzled expression.

  “If ye are talkin’ about the strangers, Laird, then the villagers report nay further sightin’ of strange men upon the road,” Andrew replied, but Raghnall shook his head.

  “I am nae talkin’ about the village, Andrew. This is far closer to home. Ye will summon the Clan’s rulin’ counsel to me, we will meet in an hour from now,” Raghnall said.

  “But, Laird. The men have their duties to see to. The counsel is only summoned in times of emergency,” Andrew replied.

  “And this is such a time,” Raghnall replied. “See to it, and Blayne, ye can assist him. We shall meet here. Have this lot cleared out,” and he pointed to those eating their breakfast around him.

  Andrew nodded and made no further argument, as Raghnall left the Great Hall. He stepped out into the courtyard, still with a sense of suspicion of those around him.

  Someone here kens somethin’ that I daenae.

  Standing alone, he continued watching his clansmen about their work.

  He had always thought his clan loyal and trustworthy. Until that day, he would gladly have trusted any of them with his life. But how could he trust any of them, now that such an act of treachery had taken place under the very roof of Mhaol Chalium?

  My enemies surround me, waiting to tear me up like a pack of wolves or hungry lions.

  He was remembering his scripture classes as a child.

  The castle bell began to toll and Raghnall took out the pocket book and looked again at the symbols he had drawn. Surely someone would know what they meant. He was not a man of great learning but he knew that whatever these symbols meant, they had scared Ceana half to death. Despite her bravado, he knew she was scared. Scared to tell him the truth of what she really knew.

  Traitors will be found.

  Turning back into the castle, his mind was racing with thoughts of Ceana and how this mystery might be resolved.

  Chapter 19

  Raghnall made his way into the Great Hall an hour later to find that Andrew had carried out his instructions. The clansmen had been dismissed and at the high table sat Andrew, alongside his mother and cousin Blayne. Several of his most trusted advisors sat alongside them, and as he entered, they looked at him expectantly.

  “Well, Raghnall? What is the meaning of this?” his mother asked, as he took his place at their center.

  “A matter of grave importance, Mother,” he replied and she gave him a puzzled look.

  “Ye summon us here as though we are in a counsel of war. I have patients to see to. What is this I hear from Andrew about strange symbols in Ceana’s chambers?” his mother said.

  “I will explain everything, Mother,” Raghnall said and he drew out his pocket book, opening at the page containing the symbols he had copied earlier that morning.