A soft sound from behind Garrick distracted him while the familiar wisp of wildflowers beckoned to his already heightened senses. Breathing deeply, he recognized the scent, but could not remember why. He spun around and felt the heart stop in his chest. Auburn tendrils curled against cream-colored skin begging to be caressed. His hands itched to reach out and capture an errant curl, trace the line of her jaw. Would her hair feel soft, her skin feel of silk?
The woman was too beautiful to be real. He blinked, but she did not vanish. Her full lips were parted as if to speak. The wood-sprite’s eyes were wide, but was it fear he saw in their warm brown depths?
She flushed, her skin resembling a ripe, sweet peach. His mouth watered…he wanted to taste her, to sip from her firm, full lips, gorging himself on the bounty of her perfect form. As he fought for control, pinpricks of awareness blossomed into a fiery arc of passion that flashed back and forth between them.
Their gazes locked and held. His, clear and bright with challenge, bore into hers, wary and dark with uncertainty. In mere seconds he was totally captivated by her. He ruthlessly tamped down the feelings running rampant through him.
Her gaze turned from rapt to haunted, and it was then he recognized the depths of his own pain mirrored back at him. His aching heart reached out for hers. Their tattered souls connected, joining them with invisible strands of hope entwined with threads of desire. As his eyes refocused, he saw fiery curls cascading down her back as the vision tilted her head up to look at him.
“You came!” her voice was low, husky.
Caught in a tangled web of desire his mind reeled. Who was she? How did she know him?
Whoever she was, she was definitely a temptation he could ill afford. There were debts to be paid, and a lady to find, before he could give into the weakness that suddenly burned within him.
The lady of the keep called out to the young woman, “Jillian!”
Stunned, he stared down at her. “Lady Jillian?”
He agreed to marry her? Desire’s heat intensified as he imagined sealing sacred vows with the exquisite beauty standing before him.
Lady Haldana’s voice turned shrill. Snapping back to attention, he wondered what the lass had done to cause the elder lady such displeasure. He was not left to wonder long.
“You will see to the preparation of our mid-day repast. When you are through, you may continue with your duties.” With the wave of a milk-white hand, the lady of the keep dismissed her.
Without another word, Lady Jillian turned to do as she was bid. Left with no other choice but to follow their plan, he cleared his throat, and his mind. Turning to Owen, he asked, “If we may have a word with you in private--”
The man tilted his head to one side, studying Garrick and his brother, but finally nodded, “This way.”
When MacInness moved to follow, Owen shook his head. “I can handle this alone.”
Garrick watched the tall Scot and his men file out of the hall and a thought occurred to him. Turning back around, he saw a knowing smile simultaneously light the five rather pretty faces that now surrounded he and his brother. Mayhap here was another alliance. Dunstan was well-favored…
“You’re Roderick’s brothers?” the shortest one asked.
“Oh, doesn’t he look just like them?”
“Oh, that one is so handsome,” another added.
“They are all so handsome.”
Garrick’s head began to swim.
“I rather like the quiet one, but then again—“
“Silence.” Owen’s tone held a warning note, but his daughters completely ignored him. “See to your mother,” he ordered them. This time they obeyed, though not without muttered protestations.
“Garrick, Dunstan, if you would join me in my chamber, we can speak privately there.”
Garrick followed only to be stopped dead in his tracks by the sound of high-pitched feminine laughter. Turning around, he realized his brother hadn’t moved. Dunstan stood surrounded by the five fair daughters of the keep. In that moment Garrick envied his brothers and decided there would be no marriages of convenience for them. Once he had secured their future and rebuilt their family’s fortune by marrying the well-propertied Lady Jillian, they could marry whomever they wished, whenever they wished.
Duty sharpened his voice, edging it with steel. “Dunstan.”
His younger brother gave a heart-melting smile to all of the lovely ladies before following.
A glance over his shoulder confirmed his unasked question, five adoring pair of eyes bored into their backs as their confident strides ate up the distance between the great hall and the massive staircase.
* * *
Lady Haldana smiled at her daughters. “I’m pleased to note you all have the good sense the Lord granted you, recognizing men worthy of your stature in life.” She paused, staring after the men.
“Now if I could only convince your thick-headed father of young Roderick’s value.”
Tapping her fingers to her lips, she added, “His brothers would be ideal sons-in-law. Although he’s not quite wealthy enough, in these troubled times, a strong warrior must also be considered.”
Walking toward the circle of young women, she added, “Mayhap, your father could be persuaded to let Roderick’s indiscretion be forgotten.” She narrowed her gaze at them, “If in the bargain we gain two powerful husbands.”
Lady Haldana motioned her daughters toward the long oak table. When they finally seated themselves after the flutter of feminine primping, she began, “Now, you all know how unreasonable your father can be. As I see it, none of my darlings are ready to admit who encouraged Roderick, are they?”
Silence.
“Then I am forced to either agree with your father or bargain with him. Whom shall I suggest to him as brides for Garrick and Dunstan?
