hadn’t said a word until now.
“Liam, I am sorry for my weakness.” He said in a low voice. “I just couldn’t control myself. I will leave if you want. Maybe draw the wolves away?”
“Nay Balor, it is best if yer with us. We may need you yet.”
Balor looked into Liam’s eyes and found none of the contempt he’d expected. Instead he found understanding and forgiveness. “Thank ye Liam. I will strive to be stronger in the future.” Balor then turned to the others, but he found something different plagued each of them- the fear that they too would be so effected by Cara that they would falter as he had done. He felt better knowing that they too struggled and they did not hold him any ill will.
“I hope there will be no need after this day has ended.” Liam said and they both looked to Cara who was patiently waiting upon Sky.
Liam mounted his horse, Stone and the other men mounted as well. Cara was confused and curious, but she feared the answers to her questions almost as much as she feared not knowing. She felt that her entire world was about to change and that everything she thought was right was somehow wrong. She caught Liam staring at her and tried to offer him a reassuring smile, but she knew it fell short.
Liam felt Cara slipping away from him. Would she accept the truth about herself? Would she accept him as her mate? His mood darkened as they rode. After two hours he found himself riding alone. His men knew him too well to be close when his mood was so thunderous. Cara rode with Evan and Euan and they had lightened her mood considerably. Liam had heard the tinkling sound of her laughter several times and it only made him angrier because it was not him who brought it from her.
When they stopped to rest for a short while Cara sat with her head down and ate a small portion of berries Euan had found for her. She refused to look at Liam and his mood was too thunderous to coax her into speaking to him. They mounted and continued on. This time Cara rode between Darren and Deaglan. She was clearly uncomfortable and both men seemed confused by it. Cara openly feared Darren. A fact the men found funny. She was also apprehensive of Deaglan. It was a strange thing for the brothers who even though they were not jolly, usually made everyone feel at ease, especially women. If Liam hadn’t been in such a foul temper he would have found their efforts humorous.
When they reached the small grotto, late the next day, Liam was in a foul mood and was not sure he would be able to be as patient as he would need to be. He watched Cara dismount and smile at Euan. He felt his anger boil in his belly. He sat on his horse still frowning until she turned and offered him a tentative smile. He felt her smile warm him and his dark mood instantly began to lift as the morning sun lifts the night. He knew that he would do anything to ease Cara, to make her fears less, just as his men had been trying to do. He dismounted and walked to her.
“Are ye ready Cara?”
Cara just shrugged and gave him a weak smile.
“Now Lass, that is no way for a McIntosh to act.” He smiled and tried to tease her, but it fell flat of the mark.
“I may be a McIntosh in blood, but I am a Kingston in spirit, and I am afraid. Liam I am very afraid.” She gazed up at him, her green eyes deep pools of worry. Liam’s heart turned over in his chest.
“Cara, it is nothing that is all that bad. ‘Tis simply something ye do not know about yerself. ‘Tis a good thing. It will make us more able to live together. More able to love together. ‘Twill make ye a McNeal.”
At her wide eyed look he wished he could recall his words.
“Cara, ye know I mean to marry ye. Has been in my mind to do so since before yer birth. Am I so disagreeable that ye do not wish to have me?”
She smiled sweetly up at him. “Nay, Liam, ‘tis not that at all. It is all sudden that is all. I am sure I will grow comfortable with the idea, in time.”
He made a face that
“Liam, I am sorry for my weakness.” He said in a low voice. “I just couldn’t control myself. I will leave if you want. Maybe draw the wolves away?”
“Nay Balor, it is best if yer with us. We may need you yet.”
Balor looked into Liam’s eyes and found none of the contempt he’d expected. Instead he found understanding and forgiveness. “Thank ye Liam. I will strive to be stronger in the future.” Balor then turned to the others, but he found something different plagued each of them- the fear that they too would be so effected by Cara that they would falter as he had done. He felt better knowing that they too struggled and they did not hold him any ill will.
“I hope there will be no need after this day has ended.” Liam said and they both looked to Cara who was patiently waiting upon Sky.
Liam mounted his horse, Stone and the other men mounted as well. Cara was confused and curious, but she feared the answers to her questions almost as much as she feared not knowing. She felt that her entire world was about to change and that everything she thought was right was somehow wrong. She caught Liam staring at her and tried to offer him a reassuring smile, but she knew it fell short.
Liam felt Cara slipping away from him. Would she accept the truth about herself? Would she accept him as her mate? His mood darkened as they rode. After two hours he found himself riding alone. His men knew him too well to be close when his mood was so thunderous. Cara rode with Evan and Euan and they had lightened her mood considerably. Liam had heard the tinkling sound of her laughter several times and it only made him angrier because it was not him who brought it from her.
When they stopped to rest for a short while Cara sat with her head down and ate a small portion of berries Euan had found for her. She refused to look at Liam and his mood was too thunderous to coax her into speaking to him. They mounted and continued on. This time Cara rode between Darren and Deaglan. She was clearly uncomfortable and both men seemed confused by it. Cara openly feared Darren. A fact the men found funny. She was also apprehensive of Deaglan. It was a strange thing for the brothers who even though they were not jolly, usually made everyone feel at ease, especially women. If Liam hadn’t been in such a foul temper he would have found their efforts humorous.
When they reached the small grotto, late the next day, Liam was in a foul mood and was not sure he would be able to be as patient as he would need to be. He watched Cara dismount and smile at Euan. He felt his anger boil in his belly. He sat on his horse still frowning until she turned and offered him a tentative smile. He felt her smile warm him and his dark mood instantly began to lift as the morning sun lifts the night. He knew that he would do anything to ease Cara, to make her fears less, just as his men had been trying to do. He dismounted and walked to her.
“Are ye ready Cara?”
Cara just shrugged and gave him a weak smile.
“Now Lass, that is no way for a McIntosh to act.” He smiled and tried to tease her, but it fell flat of the mark.
“I may be a McIntosh in blood, but I am a Kingston in spirit, and I am afraid. Liam I am very afraid.” She gazed up at him, her green eyes deep pools of worry. Liam’s heart turned over in his chest.
“Cara, it is nothing that is all that bad. ‘Tis simply something ye do not know about yerself. ‘Tis a good thing. It will make us more able to live together. More able to love together. ‘Twill make ye a McNeal.”
At her wide eyed look he wished he could recall his words.
“Cara, ye know I mean to marry ye. Has been in my mind to do so since before yer birth. Am I so disagreeable that ye do not wish to have me?”
She smiled sweetly up at him. “Nay, Liam, ‘tis not that at all. It is all sudden that is all. I am sure I will grow comfortable with the idea, in time.”
He made a face that
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