Part 4 (1/2)

The only thing the rumors had in common was that Ewan had killed Kieran.

Personally, she didn't believe those tales for one reason and one reason only. Had Ewan MacAllister taken the life of his older brother, his other brothers wouldn't be so close to him now. Nor would they rally to his defense when others spoke harshly of him.

Everyone with an ounce of Scots in them knew the one law that governed the MacAllister clan. To threaten one brother was to threaten them all.

A kins.h.i.+p such as theirs would never tolerate, let alone protect, Ewan if he were guilty of killing Kieran.

And so she'd bet her life on her reasoning.

Luckily, so far she'd been right.

Ewan led her to a small stable that she hadn't noticed on her arrival. Hidden behind a copse of trees, it had a good-sized corral that was made up of the mountain on all but one side of it.

She glanced around with a frown. She'd left her maid and one of her father's retainers waiting close by, along with her mare.

Now only her horse was still present.

The other two people and horses were nowhere to be seen.

”Agnes? David?” she called out, looking about for them.

”What are you doing?” Ewan asked.

Nora frowned as she continued to look about. ”My maid and one of my father's men were here. I left them to travel alone to your...” She paused before she said something to offend him, then finished with ”home.”

He looked at her incredulously. ”Your father's man allowed that?”

”Well, aye. He didn't question it when I said I would go up to your cave alone. He said they'd wait right here until I returned.” Fear and concern knotted her stomach. ”You don't think anything happened to them, do you?”

Before he could answer, she caught sight of a folded piece of parchment tied to her saddle by a red ribbon.

Curious, she went over to it and pulled it free. She opened the letter and read it.

Nora stared at the words in disbelief.

”What is it?” Ewan asked, coming over to stand by her side.

”David says they have abandoned me,” she said quietly.

How could they have done such a thing?

Nora read the words aloud. ”It says that since they delivered me into your capable hands, they decided it would be best for them to return home before someone missed them and thought they were part of my conspiracy.”

Ewan let out a disgusted sigh. ”'Tis a good thing I was here then, otherwise you would have been left to your own defenses. Were I your father, I'd have some of that man's skin for his carelessness. Such a dereliction warrants a beating and then some.”

Spoken like a less than refined gentleman. True, David should have ascertained her welfare before leaving; still, it didn't warrant a harsh beating.

David had always been a faithful servant to both her and her father. It didn't make sense that he would leave without verifying her well-being.

Why had he done such a thing?

Turning his back to her, Ewan whistled for his horse, and to her amazement, the beast obeyed.

It trotted over to him like an old friend.

He clucked his tongue at the horse and patted it gently on the nose. ”Hi there, laddie,” he said softly.

”You ready for a ride?”

The horse nickered, then b.u.t.ted Ewan's shoulder affectionately.

Without a word to her, Ewan released his horse and made his way into the small barn.

She followed behind him curiously.

Inside the makes.h.i.+ft storage area, she saw the hay and feed for the horse. Everything was very neat and well kept, much as his home had been.

Ewan pulled a bridle from its peg on the wall and grabbed the heavy saddle up as if it weighed nothing at all. Her eyes widened at the sight of him as he carried it out the door. The fabric of his s.h.i.+rt contoured against every deep crevice of the muscles on his back and ribs. Every masculine bulge was practically laid bare to her hungry gaze.

Her knees went weak.

Ewan was a heavenly feast for the eyes, no doubt whatsoever. His muscles fair rippled with every move he made, and though his hair was much too long, she found the texture of it strangely beckoning.

She remembered only too well what it had felt like to run her fingers through those thick, black waves.

And his eyelashes...

Surely no man should have a set so long. They made a perfect frame for his crystal blue eyes.

He was what her mother called a heavenly form of masculine perfection.

Nora remained perfectly silent while he saddled his mount. She found her throat far too dry to speak.

Especially when he bent over to fasten the saddle around the horse's belly.

It was the first time in her life she'd ever noticed a man's backside. His dark brown trewes were tight over his rear and showed her his manly proportions. Of course, it didn't help that she had already seen that backside bare and knew firsthand just how well shaped it was.

Very disturbing.

But not nearly as much as the peculiar desire she had to walk up to him and run her hand along those lean hips, then up his back and over his chest.

Nora!

Where were these thoughts coming from? Her mother would die of shock, and she herself was mortified by the wayward drift of her attentions.

What was it about Ewan that made her long to do things with him that would have her spending the rest of her life in penance for them?

She'd always fas.h.i.+oned herself to be a moral and decent lady. Circ.u.mspect in all things.