Page 24 of The Highlander’s Auctioned Virgin (Auctioned Highland Brides #3)

“What in God’s name do ye think ye’re doing?” Ciaran hissed the instant the door clicked shut behind Elinor.

The study smelled just as he remembered. Wood, books, dust. While there had been several changes since the last time he had come here, the walls and the stacked books on the other side of the study made the room feel exactly the same.

“I said, I was going with ye. Why is that a problem? Is there something ye daenae want me to see? Perhaps ye’re lying to me about these so-called people of yers.”

Ciaran rubbed his forehead. A pounding headache loomed behind his eyes. One he was certain would only get worse if he continued to entertain this for longer.

“Is this a joke?” he asked, his voice full of disbelief.

“Why would it be?” Elinor responded, her arms folded tight over her chest like she had something to prove.

“I daenae ken. It seems to me like ye daenae trust me or something.”

“We are getting married in a week. I have nay reason nae to trust ye.”

“So where is all of this coming from?”

“Yer people are settling in me village. How is it suddenly a bad thing that I want to visit them? They are also me people now, are they nae?”

“Ye cannae travel with me, Elinor.”

“Why nae?”

Ciaran’s eyes widened in surprise. “Why nae?”

“Aye.”

He didn’t know what irked him more, the indifference in her tone or the fact that they were having this conversation in the first place.

“Because I am a risk to travel with, how about that? From one mile to the next, there are people intent on killing me.”

“Well, Thomas can come with us in that case. A nice opportunity to have me man-at-arms with me, do ye nae think?”

Ciaran threw his head back and squeezed his eyes shut in exasperation. “This isnae about protection. This is about safety. I cannae fully guarantee yer safety if ye’re with me.”

“I can protect meself.”

“Nae against the kind of men who want me dead,” he gritted out.

“Well then, Thomas will protect me.”

Ciaran took a step back and turned around, his chest heaving like he’d just chopped a hundred heavy logs.

He walked to the end of the study, where the bookshelves lined the walls.

His footsteps were loud and reverberated through the study, but he attributed the enhanced noise to the layout of the study.

He turned back to her from where he stood. She was so far, and yet her presence was so near. She remained by the door, her arms still folded over her chest.

Images of what had happened in the gallery flashed through his mind like the morning sunrays. Especially the part where she laughed at Murdock’s portrait.

Ciaran had promised to let her shine, no matter what.

He intended to do that, even if it meant risking her life on a journey with him. It was bound to happen sometime.

“Ye’re nae going to quit bothering me about this, are ye?”

“Nae in the slightest.”

Ciaran groaned. Then, he walked back to her, leaving the shelves and the books behind him. “Fine, ye’re coming with me. But nae Thomas.”

“Nae Thomas?” Elinor echoed, her mouth dropping open in surprise.

“Ye’re me wife.”

“Nae yet.”

“Elinor– ”

“What? ‘Tis true.”

“The point is,” Ciaran continued anyway, “if I cannae protect ye on me own, then I’m nae worthy of being yer husband.”

He saw it, even if for a brief second. The look of satisfaction flitting across her face. It had disappeared just as soon as it had come.

“Is that nae one of the qualities ye’re looking for in a husband? Protective?”

Elinor laughed. “Ye remembered.”

“I would be remiss nae to.”

Silence descended between them, this time less tense. More companionable. The slightest smile tugged her lips upward.

His eyes moved away from her lips and back to her face. What he would not do to grab her and kiss her right now. Take her on the table nearby.

He shook off the thought. No, he would never do that. Not when it could lead to a child. And that was the last thing he wanted.

The silence must have lasted for quite a long time, for he started when Elinor broke it.

“I shall ask the stable boys to fetch our horses,” she declared in a soft voice.

“And I,” Ciaran said, walking past her to the door, “shall go finish me breakfast.”

He didn’t look back at her, just pulled the door open and stepped out, the creak of the hinges filling the gap between them.

He walked back to the dining hall, his feet quickening across the floor, thoughts swarming his head unrelentingly.

He wouldn’t just be responsible for himself on this trip. He’d be looking out for her as well. And he’d be damned if he let anything touch a hair on her head.

It had been an hour since breakfast, and Anna sat on the edge of Elinor’s bed, watching her sister get ready.

The room smelled of fresh bathing oils and wood. The mirror before Elinor reflected the light filtering through the two windows in the room.

“Are ye certain?” Elinor asked while adjusting the neckline of her dress.

“I am nae some kind of bride monster, Elinor. ‘Tis yer wedding. It’ll still be here when ye return.”

“Aye. But ye have been very passionate about the preparations. I am afraid that leaving ye alone would ruin yer plans.”

“Dinnae worry. I daenae expect ye to do much for this wedding. All ye have to do is get ready on the day, and we’ll have nothing to worry about. This is also important. A clan is settling in yer village. The most appropriate thing to do is to visit them, even if their laird is yer husband.”

“Husband- to-be, ” Elinor corrected.

Why is everyone ignoring that?

“Oh well,” Anna muttered. “Ye can go. The wedding will be perfect . That much ye can be sure of.”

Elinor grabbed a string of pearls from her vanity.

“Are ye certain it is wise to wear that?” Anna added, her voice rising a little. “If bandits on the road daenae take it from ye, it may fall during the ride.”

Elinor set the necklace back on her vanity. “Thank ye.”

“What will ye do without me?”

Elinor rolled her eyes. “Also, I daenae need the wedding to be perfect , Sister. It can simply be a wedding I agreed to.”

“Circumstances shouldnae dictate situations we can control.”

Elinor narrowed her eyes, but before she could respond, the door swung open.

Katherine walked in with a cup in hand, curling steam rising from the top.

“Ye should take this,” she said, moving to Elinor and handing her the cup. “‘Tis willowbark root.”

Elinor gingerly took the cup, feeling the steam kiss her face.

“It should protect ye from the cold and ease any ache caused by the long ride. Whenever ye need to rest, make sure to listen to yer body.”

Elinor laughed. “The last long trip I took, I was kidnapped from me home. I am certain I can handle a day’s ride without this concoction.”

“Still,” Katherine insisted, “one cannae be too careful. Ye’re the lady of the clan, and ye’ll be riding with the Hound. The target on yer back couldnae be clearer.”

“He’ll protect me,” Elinor assured her, a proud smirk creeping onto her face.

Ciaran’s declaration earlier in the study echoed in her mind.

“If I cannae protect ye on me own, then I’m nae worthy of being yer husband.”

It rang true over and over in her head like the castle’s alarm bells. Like a promise she was confident he would keep.

“He’ll protect me,” she repeated, her voice clear and sharp, almost like she was convincing herself instead of Anna and Katherine.

One moment she was talking with her friends and getting ready for the trip, the next she was climbing onto her horse.

“Are ye certain that ye daenae want me to come with ye? ‘Tis me duty to accompany ye on yer trips, after all.”

Elinor tightened her grip on the reins and adjusted herself in the saddle. She looked down at Thomas, who had a worried look on his face.

“Is that jealousy I hear in yer voice, Thomas?”

“Well, ye have to remember that I would be able to protect ye better because nay one out there is actively seeking to kill me .”

“‘Tis only the village, ye daenae have to worry,” Elinor said. “We will return before tomorrow night.”

She turned to look at Ciaran, who was fastening the harness around his horse, his eyes focused solely on the ropes. Then, she returned her gaze to Thomas.

“I am also certain that ye have a maid to take to yer bed anyway. The last one was Stella, was it nae?”

“Bella. Ye ken that, M’Lady.”

“Do I?” Elinor drawled, her lips curling into a smirk as she flicked the reins.

Her horse trotted out of the courtyard and headed to the fences. She didn’t have to turn around to know that Ciaran was right behind her, the hoofbeats of his horse droning in the background.

The wind whipped at her face as they eventually rode out of the castle and into the woods—a path they had to take before coming out into the open field on the other side. The ride was slow at first, almost like they were warming up the horses before the real run began.

“Would ye be open to a race?” Elinor asked, turning to him.

“Nay.” His response was sharp, almost biting like the morning cold that pricked her face.

“Oh.” Elinor felt a pang of disappointment.

Her eyes returned to the path ahead of her, looking past the tall trees and gnarled branches that seemed to cover the terrain beyond. She could see glimpses of sunny fields on the horizon, but there was no telling just how long it would take for them to get there.

She turned back to Ciaran, who was gripping the reins tightly and rocking gently to the horse’s motion. When he saw the look on her face, he threw his head back and suppressed a groan.

“Look. I ken that must have sounded harsh, but I am preoccupied with protecting ye for now. Ye have never been to the village before, and I cannae let ye– ”

“Of course, I have been to the village before.” She sounded almost offended.

“When?” Ciaran asked, his tone daunting. Challenging.

Elinor swallowed. She had never left the castle. At least not for long anyway. Not even by accident. Murdock had always made certain of that. He had never chained her to the floor, at least not after the first few months, but he might as well have.