They were both silent for a minute and then Conran said, "I'm thinking this latest head wound is serious enough that we mayhap should camp here another day or two to give her the chance to heal. Especially since 'tis no' her first head wound."
Dougall glanced at him sharply. "A day or two here?"
"Aye," he said solemnly, and then grinned and added, "I'd give ye a week if I could, but suspect stopping so long would make the lads suspicious. Especially when we are so close to home."
"Aye," Dougall agreed quietly. He considered the matter briefly, then nodded. "We'll camp here tonight and tomorrow night."
"Where are ye going?" Conran asked with surprise when Dougall suddenly moved around him and started away, but not back toward camp.
"I'm going to catch some more game. Having plenty o' food on hand'll keep the lads from complaining. And then I'm going to take a swim to clear me head," Dougall muttered. Dougall rarely rushed headlong into anything. If battle couldn't be avoided, he made a plan. It seemed to him that wooing Murine deserved a plan too. After all, this was the rest of their lives he was to be deciding on.
Chapter 7
Dougall heard the laughter long before he reached their campsite. The sound made him smile slightly as he walked. Murine's tinkling laughter was easily heard among the lower-pitched guffaws of his brothers. It made him wonder if Conran had mentioned their decision to camp here a night or two to allow her to recover from her latest head wound, or not.
"She didn't!" Murine was gasping when Dougall stepped into the clearing.
Curious to know what they were talking about, Dougall paused at the tree line and waited as Alick nodded and said gleefully. "Aye, she did. Saidh put her boots to Aulay, Conran and Dougall and had them rolling on the ground, clutching their bollocks and howling like babies."
"She did the same to you," Conran pointed out dryly.
"Aye, she did," Alick admitted unashamed. "And then she had Geordie in a headlock and was twisting Rory's ear until I thought sure it would pop right off." He shook his head and said with admiration, "She's a scrapper is our Saidh."
"Aye, well she's had to be with the seven o' us fer brothers. We'd ha'e trod all over her if she were no'," Geordie pointed out with affection.
"Aye. That's true enough," Alick agreed and then smiled at Murine and admitted, "That's why 'tis a wonder to me that ye and Saidh are friends."
Dougall frowned. He wasn't at all surprised that Saidh and Murine were friends. They were both brave and sometimes stubborn women as Murine had proven when she'd refused to eat ere bathing. Besides, the comment almost sounded like an insult, though he couldn't say whether it was an insult to Saidh or Murine. Apparently Murine thought so too, because she sat up a little straighter on the log she was perched on and demanded, "Why?"
"Now, do no' take offense," Alick said quickly. "I'm no' meaning insult. 'Tis jest that our Saidh is . . . well, she's strong, but . . ."
"But I am weak and stupid?" Murine suggested when he hesitated, and Dougall narrowed his gaze on her. Not only did she sound annoyed, she was slurring her words a bit. She was also swaying on her log as if dancing to slow music.
"Oh nay," Alick said quickly. "Ye're far from weak or stupid."
Murine looked mildly soothed by the words and slouched back on her perch, but asked, "Then why are ye surprised we'd be friends?"
"Ye're a true lady," Alick said after a moment. "And our Saidh is . . . not," he finished weakly.
"Oh, pffft." Murine waved one hand a bit wildly. "Saidh's maybe a little rough-and-tumble, but she's still 's much a lady as me." An evil grin coming to her face, Murine added, "Ye'd best be nice to me, Alick Buchanan, else I'll tell Saidh ye said that just so I can see her twist yer ear."
"Oh, nay, ye'd no' do that," Alick said on a laugh, and then concern slowly dawned on his face and he asked, "Would ye?"
Murine leaned back on a peal of laughter and would have fallen off her log if Dougall hadn't moved up just then and put out a hand to brace her back. When she didn't even seem to notice or look around, but continued to giggle at Alick, Dougall glanced to Conran and arched an eyebrow in question.
"Alick gave her one o' Rory's tinctures to help with her aching head," he explained and then grinned and added, "But apparently it was pretty foul, so he mixed it with whiskey. A lot o' whiskey," he said with emphasis. "Murine's feeling no pain."
"Ahhh," Dougall said dryly, and then glanced to Murine when she swiveled on her log to see him and gasped.
"There ye are!" she exclaimed, swaying back away from him. "We were beginning to think ye'd fallen into the river and drowned. I e'en wanted to come find ye, but the lads did no' think 'twas a good idea."
Dougall found a smile tugging at his lips. She was more relaxed than he'd ever seen her, smiling widely, her eyes clear of the worry and sadness that always seemed to cloud them . . . and she'd worried about him. He liked this Murine even more than the one he'd come to know during their trip so far.
"Where were ye?"
His mouth widened further at the slurred demand. She spoke as if she had a right to know and as if she cared and he liked that too.
"I was hunting more game," he said and held up the pheasants he'd scared up.
"Ohhhh," she breathed, her eyes widening on the birds. She reached out to run her fingers lightly down the speckled feathers and admitted, "I like pheasant better than rabbit. Especially the way you boys cooked them yester eve. What was that spice ye rubbed on it ere putting it o'er the fire? It was lovely."
Dougall had no idea. Alick had dressed the birds for cooking, probably with some wild herbs he'd found in the woods, but it had been good, so he held the pheasants out to his younger brother now, saying, "Ye'll have to ask Alick that. 'Twas his efforts ye enjoyed."
Murine swung around unsteadily on her seat to grin at Alick as he stood to take the game. "Then ye must tell me, Alick. 'Twas delicious."
Alick actually blushed at the praise as he took the pheasants, but merely said, "I'll tell ye later. Ye'll be more likely to remember then."
Dougall smiled wryly at the words, suspecting they were true. Murine was definitely feeling no pain just now. He doubted she'd remember much of anything of this day come morn. The thought made him eye her consideringly and then he asked, "Would ye like to take another swim while we're here?"
Murine looked surprised at the question. "I thought we'd be on our way once ye returned."
When Dougall glanced to Conran in question, he shrugged, "I thought it best ye explain that we're staying another night."
"We are?" Murine asked and frowned. "But--"
"Come," Dougall suggested, catching her under the arm and urging her to her feet. "I'll explain on our way to the waterfall."
"I do like the waterfall," Murine announced, apparently already forgetting her concern that they were staying. "'Tis so pretty."
"Aye," Dougall agreed, leading her away from the campfire and ignoring the looks his brothers were giving him. Conran looked knowing and approving, but Alick and Geordie were eyeing him with a suspicion and concern that was rather annoying. They should know Murine was safe with him. He didn't plan on harming or ruining the lass. However, it had occurred to Dougall that if Murine wasn't likely to remember this day's events come morning, he should be able to kiss her without fear she'd think he saw her as a lightskirt. That way he could see if they might suit each other in that manner. It would help him make his decision as to whether he should marry her or not, and it would allow him to do so in a way that wouldn't hurt her feelings or leave her feeling abused. He just had to be careful about it. So far the woman's very presence stirred him like no other. If it turned out, as he suspected, that her kisses affected him even more, than he would have to stomp down on his urges and not overstep. He didn't want to force her into marrying him. He just wanted a little more assurance that he could deal happily with her. He also wanted to be sure she was not cold and unresponsive in that area.
While he was hunting, Dougall had
acknowledged that Conran was partially right regarding his feelings for Murine. He wouldn't say he was half in love with her already, but he definitely liked and respected the woman. Her courage was admirable, she seemed intelligent, and when she'd told them of her family history the day before, he'd been as enthralled as his brothers. Her laughter was captivating, and the mischievous grin that had claimed her when she'd told them her father had killed her mother's first husband had been delightful. In those ways, she was all he could have wanted in a wife. Now he wanted to be sure that they matched in the more physical way. That she was not repulsed by the act. So he'd kiss her and maybe caress her a little to test her response and then he'd return quickly to the fire with her to ensure that was all that happened. At least that's what he told himself as he walked Murine through the woods to the waterfall.
"And then he threw me in!"
Dougall blinked and tuned back in to Murine's words. She'd been chattering away happily as they walked, but he'd been distracted by his own thoughts and hadn't a clue what she was talking about.
"Who threw ye in what?" he asked with a frown.
"Dougall Buchanan!" Murine cried with dismay and then released a huff of exasperation. "Ye were no' listening to me at all, were ye?"
"Nay," he admitted, finding himself smiling at her put out attitude. She was just so damned cute at the moment. It made him realize how much her situation had affected her personality and he wanted to see her without the worry that hung over her like a cloud. "My apologies, I was distracted."
"Hmm." She pursed her lips and stumbled over a branch, staying upright only because he held her up. "Well, I was saying that I always liked to swim. Me brothers and me often swam in the loch at Carmichael. At least we did after the time me brother Peter got annoyed at me and tossed me into the loch. Ere that I was not allowed to swim with me brothers, I was supposed to be a little lady. But when Peter tossed me in . . ." She grimaced. "I sank like a stone, gulping half the loch water before he realized what he'd done and jumped in to pull me out. Well, Da decided then and there that 'twas more important I knew how to swim than how to sew a stitch. He overrode Ma's concern and ordered me brothers to teach me to swim and we spent many fine afternoons by the loch."
Her smile turned sad then at the thought of her brothers and Dougall frowned, knowing she was thinking of how they died. To distract her, he asked, "And why was yer brother so annoyed with ye?"
"I've no idea," she assured him, nose in the air, then grinned and admitted, "He claimed it was because I took his wooden warrior Da had carved for him and got it all muddy playing with me dolls with it."
"And did ye?"
"Aye," she admitted on a laugh. "I was pretending the wooden warrior was me betrothed come to fight off a mud monster to save me dolls." She chuckled and shook her head. "I do no' think Peter ever managed to get all the mud off his warrior. It was ground right into the wood grain in places."
Dougall smiled, preferring this happy laughing woman to the one he'd come to know. He determined then to do what he could to always see her happy and laughing.
"Oh," Murine murmured as they broke into the clearing. "I'd forgotten how pretty it is here."
"Aye," Dougall agreed, but didn't bother to look at the setting. His gaze was on Murine as he thought about his reason for bringing her to the clearing. He was debating on the best way to approach kissing her without alarming her when he realized she was yanking her gown up to tug it off over her head. It seemed when full of Rory's tincture, the lass forgot her shyness of the previous day. Although it was probably the whiskey that had that effect, he thought absently, as he noted that her chemise had got caught in the cloth and risen enough on one side to reveal the rounded half moon of one delectable butt cheek. Mouth watering, Dougall reached out to catch at the cloth and tug the shift back into place to hide that temptation. He then tried to help her tug the gown off over her head when she appeared to get tangled in the material. The woman was weaving like a banner in a stiff breeze, blinded by the cloth around her head and raised arms, and it took a bit of effort to remove the cloth. It was an ordeal that would have been made easier had she thought to undo the ties first, he was sure.
"There!" she exclaimed with relief once he'd freed her of the cloth. "That's better."
Turning away from him then, she moved eagerly to the water's edge and began to wade in.
"Oh! It's cold! Oh!" she gasped, and the fact seemed to make her rush more quickly forward. In the next moment her head disappeared under the water's surface and Dougall tossed her gown aside and quickly removed the pin to loose his tartan as he rushed forward to rescue her. The tartan fell away at the edge of the water, and Dougall was hurrying into the cold water when her head suddenly popped to the surface on gasps and complaints of the cold.
She hadn't tumbled into the water, he realized, pausing, but had submersed herself in the hopes of adjusting and warming more quickly. She had also moved away from the waterfall rather than toward it, seeking out the deeper water so that she needn't squat or kneel to remain submerged.
Dougall considered turning back to shore to let her swim alone, but the water was already up to his waist, soaking the material of his shirt. There was a stiff breeze today and it would be a cold wait on shore with the damp cloth and that wind, he thought. In fact, he was already going cold from the water. Grimacing, he eased forward and squatted slightly so that the water reached his neck, hoping to warm up more quickly.
He would just keep his distance, Dougall decided moving to the side away from Murine as he eased farther out in the water. Kissing her while she was dressed and on shore was one thing, but kissing her while she was soaking wet and wearing a chemise so thin it went see-through in the water was another entirely. A man had only so much control and Dougall was unwilling to test his too far with this woman.
Knowing it would help him adjust to the water temperature more quickly, Dougall dove under the water, coming up several feet farther out in the river. When he surfaced again a moment later, a sharp squawk reached his ears and he blinked his eyes open to see Murine mere inches away just as she began to smack at him. She must have moved in his direction without realizing he was there while he was under the surface and his sudden appearance had obviously startled her. The woman's eyes were wide with shock and fear and she was batting at him in a panic.
"'Tis me," Dougall muttered, catching her hands and holding them to end her attack on his face.
"Oh." Murine stopped struggling in his hold and eyed him with amazement. "When did ye get here?"
"I brought ye here," he reminded her dryly, releasing her hands and stepping back as he slicked the wet hair back from his face.
"Aye, I ken that," she said with a put-upon sigh. Her arms rose instinctively to cross over her wet chest under water and she moved backward, putting a little more space between them. "But I thought ye still ashore."
"And I thought ye were floundering when ye went under the water so rushed in to save ye," he admitted dryly.
For some reason that seemed to amuse her and she tilted her head and said, "To save me again, ye mean."
Dougall smiled faintly and nodded. "Aye. Again."
"Saidh was right, ye're a fine man Dougall Buchanan," Murine said solemnly. He was still blinking over that pronouncement when she grinned and added, "I never imagined when Saidh was telling me all those tales about ye and yer brothers that one day I'd get to meet ye all."
She hadn't met them all yet, but he didn't want her thinking of Aulay and her possible plans to marry the man, so didn't point that out. Instead, he found himself moving closer to her in the water.
"Are ye warming up?" he asked.
Murine wrinkled her nose and hugged herself in the water. There were goose bumps on her shoulders above the water's surface and she was beginning to shiver. She was definitely cold, but said, "A bit. 'Tis colder today. But still nice," she added quickly as if afraid he would suggest they get out.
Dougall didn't comment; he merely c
aught her arm under the water and drew her nearer. When her eyes widened with something like alarm, he changed his plans mid move and turned her in the water, then drew her closer so that her back rested against his chest and his body spooned hers as he had when they'd slept.
"What are ye doing?" Murine asked. Her voice was a bit breathless, but she wasn't trying to push him away. Dougall thought that a good sign.
"Trying to warm ye up a bit," he muttered, his voice going a bit gruff as her body slid against his in the water.
"Oh," she breathed and relaxed against him, her arms crossing over his when he slid them around her waist to hold her in place. They were both silent for a minute, and then Murine murmured, "This is nice. Ye're very warm."
"Aye," Dougall murmured, deliberately letting his breath blow against her ear and noting her reaction when she shivered a little and tilted her head slightly, making her ear more accessible and baring her neck to him. Unable to resist what he suspected was an unconscious offering, Dougall pressed a light kiss to her neck, then another to her earlobe and felt Murine tremble in his arms as her breath caught in her throat on a little gasp.
"Dougall?" she said uncertainly, her voice breathless and husky. His name had never sounded so sexy to his ears and Dougall couldn't resist nibbling at the lobe he'd just kissed, sucking it between his lips to bite lightly at the plump skin as his arms tightened around her, pressing her more firmly against him so that her behind rubbed against the growing hardness between them.
"Oh." She pressed on his arms to tighten their embrace as her legs floated back and around his now, her heels digging into the backs of his legs as she tried to get closer still.
When he let the lobe slip from his lips, Murine turned her head restlessly, seeking, and Dougall answered the unconscious request and covered her mouth with his own. It was an awkward angle and wholly unsatisfying until he released his embrace to clasp her by the waist and quickly turn her in the water. The moment she faced him, he covered her mouth again, relieved when she didn't protest, but opened for him like a flower to the sun, accepting his tongue when he thrust it forward. She gasped and moaned at the intrusion, but didn't push him away or try to stop him. Instead, she tentatively clasped his shoulders and hung on as he taught her to kiss. It was obvious she had little experience, but she was a fast learner and what had started out as a questing kiss quickly turned into a passionate embrace. Dougall released her waist to reach for one breast, squeezing it as he explored her mouth, but the wet cloth was cloaking it. Growling in his throat, he released his hold on her altogether so that he could tug at the material, trying to get it out of the way. In the end, he had to push the clinging material up to get to her breasts. The moment he'd done so, he broke their kiss and pulled back slightly to peer at the bounty he'd revealed.