“Where’s Isla?”
“With her new favorite uncle. We have a dozen beasties in the house, and they are currently trying to find them all.”
Lydia turned in his arms and placed her palms on his chest, staring into his gray-blue eyes. They were so clear, like water in a shallow well with moonlight reflecting on it.
“Brodie . . . I meant what I said a few days ago. I should like to stay here with you—if you still want me.”
He closed his eyes and held her close. “Aye, lass, I do. I’ll keep you as long as I can.” He left unsaid what would happen when everyone who was searching for them finally caught up to them.
“When they come, you will let me go, won’t you?” She wanted him to say no. To argue that he was madly in love with her and would marry her and keep her always. But he did not, and she knew he would not. He was as Rafe said, impenetrable and wounded. He would never let her in. She was not the sort of woman to scream or cry and make demands. Brodie held an affection for her, she knew, but it was not love. If she had time, she felt she could get him to open up to her, maybe even open his heart, but time was not something they had.
“I dinna want to let you go, lass. I’ll hold on to you for as long as I can before I must let you go.” His eyes held such a wounded honesty that she knew he spoke the truth.
“Kiss me,” she said.
He opened his eyes to look down at her, and she was undone by the tenderness she saw in his face. He cupped her face with one hand, while the other explored the hollow of her back as his lips met hers. It was a whisper of a touch at first, as though he was holding back, making the need inside her build. He nibbled at her bottom lip as he parted her mouth, his tongue flicking slowly against hers. It was a kiss that spoke of unspoken promises and tender surrender.
Lydia pretended that he loved her, that he was using his lips to say what he could not with words. She told him back, kiss for kiss, I love you.
Brodie moaned, his kiss becoming hungrier. He gripped her bottom, pulling her tight to him. Would she always have this wild desire for him? Would it haunt her until the day she died?
“Lydia, let me take you to bed,” he said huskily against her mouth.
The owl above them burst into a series of hoots, and someone called out from the library doorway, “Ach, Brodie, do you ken how much trouble you are in?”
Brodie’s mouth left hers reluctantly. “Aiden. You’re back sooner than I expected.”
Lydia peered over Brodie’s shoulder to see the youngest of the Kincade brothers. Like Brodie, he had dark hair and fathomless gray eyes. He was perhaps an inch taller and thinner too, well built but not quite the mountain of muscle his brother was. Around his shoulders a pine marten rested, its claws digging into the young man’s coat as it held on. Aiden carefully unwound the long creature and set it on the floor. The creature glanced between the two men before scurrying away down the corridor.
“So, this is the lass who sent Brock and Ashton running off to Edinburgh?” Aiden’s teasing smile set Lydia at ease. He was as Brodie had said, gentle, yet there was nothing weak about him. Rather, he seemed to radiate a quiet strength.
“Hello, I’m Lydia Hunt.” She stepped around Brodie, but he kept a possessive arm around her waist.
“It’s a pleasure, lass.” Aiden smiled, and his humor shone through when he spoke next to his brother. “I willna steal her from you, brother, no matter how she might fall for me.” Aiden batted his lashes in a silly way at Lydia.
“Hush, puppy,” Brodie snapped, but he finished with a chuckle.
Aiden winked at Lydia again. “I hope you don’t mind a few wee beasties about the castle,” Aiden said.
“Not at all. Brodie told me all about your furry companions. I think it’s quite charming. We were just admiring the little owl up there a moment ago.”
Aiden gave his brother a surprised look. “I think you ought to marry this lass, brother.”
Brodie pointedly ignored Aiden’s comment. “We should go to dinner. You must be famished.”
They left the library and met Rafe and their young charge coming down the stairs. Isla sat astride the banister, and Rafe was aiding her balance as she slid down.
“Good Lord, we’ve been spotted, kitten. Run!” Rafe scooped her up, and they sprinted back up the stairs, where Rafe stopped and twirled around, making the child squeal with delight.
“Who is the child?” Aiden asked.
“She’s an orphan we rescued in Edinburgh,” said Brodie.
Aiden’s eyes fixed on the child as Rafe carried the giggling girl back down the stairs. “An orphan?”
“Kitten, this is Aiden, Brodie’s younger brother. Aiden, this is the kitten.”
“I thought I was the kitten,” Lydia teased Rafe.
“That you are. All sweet women are kittens. I shan’t tell you what I call women who aren’t so sweet.”
Brodie snorted at that.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Aiden bowed formally to Isla, who smiled shyly and half hid behind Rafe’s legs.
“I’m Isla. Isla MacKenzie.”
“She’s my little Isla Mac.” Rafe looked like a proud father. The little girl had already stolen his heart.
Rafe looked hopefully at the others. “Did I hear someone mention dinner?”
“Yes, we were just about to send someone to fetch you.”
They all proceeded into the large dining room. It had been recently remodeled after a fire that had destroyed much of the castle. Lydia had been stunned when Brodie told her the story during the ride here. How Brock and Joanna’s cook, a woman who had been in love with their deceased and abusive father, had tried to poison Joanna and then attempted to burn down the castle.
Thankfully, no one but the mad cook had died, but the castle had been in ruins. The local townsfolk the brothers had supported for years came to help rebuild it. With the help of Joanna’s fortune, they had recently finished the repairs.
The new dining room held a large oak table, and the cold stone walls had been softened with tapestries depicting Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Highland warriors preparing for battle. A few family portraits also hung by the fireplace at one end of the room. Brodie pointed them out to her.
“That’s my mother and Rosalind.”
“Your sister looks just like your mother.”
“Aye, she does. It used to enrage my father to see Rosalind after our mother passed. It’s why she fled home so young and married the first Englishman she came across. She was able to escape with him to London and have a good life, until he died and she married that bloody baron.”
Brodie shot a look at Rafe, who laughed. “You won’t hear me disagree.”
Lydia sensed that Rafe and his older brother did not get along all that well.
Thankfully, Isla was a welcome distraction from these uncomfortable topics. She now told Aiden about how she and Rafe had explored the house.
“We found two otters in the large fountains in the gardens.” Isla giggled. “They were hiding under lily pads.”
Aiden’s unguarded smile made Lydia grin as well. When she caught Brodie’s eye, he was relaxed, watching his brother and Isla with open fondness.
He can love, if only I had time to win his heart. But Lydia had to be smart and not allow her desires and wishes to make the situation worse.