Alaina's Promise Part 18

Alaina heard the love in his tone, felt the gentle strength of his arms. It was as if the world shifted beneath her feet. "I want them to be as happy as we are. You don't mind?"

"Not a bit. Mum deserves a little more happiness in her life. If your father's the man to be giving it, then I'll have little worries of him interfering with mine."

Her heart swelled and she wondered briefly how it was possible for any one person to love another so completely.

"The priest and I had a little talk," he told her as they danced. "I finally convinced him we're not in need a church roof to say our vows."

Alaina stopped as the other couples waltzed by. "What are you saying?"

"He offered to marry us tonight."

Her heart fluttered. "Tonight?"

"Aye, if you'd like?" he questioned, uncertainty in his gaze. "If not-"

"Oh, yes," she said quickly, then cleared her throat. "I think that would be wonderful, since everyone is here already. But are you sure, Torin? Is this what you want?"

"More than anything, la.s.s." The touch of his finger on her cheek sent a little chill down her spine. "What I don't want is waste another moment of my life without you in my arms."

"Then let's get married," she said. "Tonight."

He took her by the hand and all but ran up to the stage. The musicians stopped playing and a hush fell like a wave over the room.

"We've come to a decision, thanks to the Father's foresight in posting banns some weeks ago," he said with a smile. She laughed with the others as the old priest, standing to one side with a cup in his hand, winked at Torin. "Alaina and I would like to take advantage of the situation. We're going to be married. Tonight."

Several gasps echoed across the room and many started to murmur. "That is," he added as he turned to find Mary Kate and Tom in the crowd. "If it be to the liking of our host and hostess? Mary Kate?"

"Oh! Married?" she exclaimed. "Here? Now?"

"If you don't mind," Alaina added.

"'Tis a grand idea!" her cousin cried, clapping her hands in delight. "We're having a wedding! Oh, this is so exciting! Quick, lads, clear some room. We'll need a small stool and a bit of wine..." She bustled out into the crowd, shouting orders and directing the others as cheers and laughter erupted around them.

"Move fast now, lad," her father said as he reached them with Maggie at his side. "'Tis the best way. Then they don't get it in their heads to change their answer." Then with a serious scowl, Patrick turned to his daughter. "This is what you're wanting, la.s.s?"

"Yes, Daddy," she said as she embraced him. "Very much."

"Well, then, looks like we're having a wedding." With a bit of tears in his eyes, he clapped Torin on the arm and smiled. "Just be remembering our earlier conversation, boy-o."

"That I will, Patrick," Torin replied. "That I will."

The ceremony was simple and quick, but Alaina heard little of it beyond the words they pledged to one another. Women in the room cried quietly while many of the men stood grinning from ear to ear. She had never seen a more informal wedding-nor had she ever felt such good wishes at one, either. After the priest p.r.o.nounced them husband and wife, a flurry of applause erupted throughout the room and into the yard where some had gathered in the balmy night to listen.

Then the party began in earnest and Alaina knew she hadn't danced as much in her entire life as she did that night. Pa.s.sed from partner to partner, only on occasion did she catch sight of her new husband-each time the promise in his smile made her heart flutter.

Hour sped upon hour and the music and liquor flowed freely. Somewhere in the wee hours of the morn, Alaina excused herself and crept out to the privy, her heart still afloat and mind reeling from the revelations of the night. As she stepped out into the open once again, a sudden chill washed over her. She glanced about and saw little but the moon low on the horizon and a thin line of golden sun beginning to light the eastern sky.

She started back to the cottage, humming a tune softly as she stepped gingerly over the limestone. A sudden, sharp pain in her head made her gasp and the dark purple sky seemed to glitter with colored stars. As her vision faded to black, Alaina thought she heard a sound down a long, dark tunnel-a deep evil laugh.

Chapter Thirteen.

A hot dagger of pain sliced through her head as she edged toward consciousness. Alaina winced and tried to open her eyes, but the light was almost blinding. After a moment she became aware of each aching limb and joint. It felt as if she'd been dragged over stones.

"Well, well," a deep ominous voice drawled. "Seems...o...b..ien's wh.o.r.e is finally awake."

Something slithered over her skin and settled heavily against her midriff. Her stomach churned with fear as Alaina opened her eyes and swallowed. It took a moment for her vision to adjust. Almost at the same instant, she realized a noose of rough rope circled her neck and snaked down her middle to where a large coil rested on her belly. She blinked against the morning sun and slowly looked around, all the while dreading the sight of her captor.

"Nothing to say, la.s.s?" Doogan asked. She stared at him and willed away the fear that made her stomach knot. He looked worse than the last time she'd seen him-the morning she'd defended herself and beaten him into the dirt. But today was another story. He had caught her unaware and now had the upper hand. She instinctively tried to move away as he leaned closer, only to find her wrists and ankles were bound by the same cord.

"You'll not be going anywhere, b.i.t.c.h," he said in an almost pleasant tone. "Not until your lover comes to call. Then...well, I've not decided that yet." He trailed a single, dirty finger down her cheek, chuckling when she flinched. "You've got spirit, 'tis sure. It might make for an interesting afternoon romp." His bloodshot gaze raked down her body as he spoke. "Aye, I could have me a grand time before I send you over the cliff."

She blinked back the tears and struggled to move. "I'll kill you first."

His grin widened. "Ah, now there would be a pity. Never know la.s.s-you might enjoy a real man touching you." He gripped her chin with his large, rough hand and squeezed. Tears of pain blurred her vision as he leaned closer. "I could make your last hours a pleasure or painful beyond your wildest dreams. Makes no difference to me."

"Then go ahead and kill me now," she told him. "I'll never submit to you otherwise."

He made a face of disgust. "Be a fool then. All I need you for is...o...b..ien."

Alaina glanced cautiously around them at the sound of thunder. "He won't follow us. He has no idea where we are and we quarreled earlier. Torin has no interest in me."

"Oh, he knows where you've gone-of that I made sure. And you're a terrible liar, Miss Ryan...or should I say, Mrs. O'Brien? The man has soft spot for pretty wh.o.r.es like you. Must be why he married you, aye? He'll be round shortly."

He stood and walked away from her, giving Alaina a chance to take in her surroundings. She had her back to an outcropping of stone. Soft gra.s.s sprung up from the hard earth beneath her cheek as the wind blew dark clouds over the early morning sky.

From the smells of the sea and sounds of waves crashing against hard rock, she knew they were at the cliffs. Had this been the same spot where young Brigit had met her fate?

Alaina shivered as the damp breeze chilled her skin. A wave of panic rose up inside her-one akin to the day she'd found herself alone and at the mercy of a so-called friend. But this man was never a friend and she couldn't rely on someone riding to her rescue. She swallowed back the bile that rose in her throat. Her heart's desire at her very fingertips, she could never let anyone take that away from her without a fight.

The sound of her captor's steps alerted her to his return as she lay twisting the rope that bound her wrists.

"Don't waste your strength, la.s.s," he said. "I've bound you well enough. You won't be escaping so easy now. And look at it this way. If the O'Brien does what I want, I just might let you go again. Or maybe I'll just pitch you over the side as he did my sister, aye? Are you afraid of heights, Miss Ryan? Brigit was. She had nightmares of falling off these b.l.o.o.d.y cliffs. And that's why I want to kill the b.a.s.t.a.r.d-for taking her from me just like in her dreams."

She narrowed her gaze, angry at the way he tried to play on her fear. "He didn't kill Brigit! And he'll never submit to the likes of you-you're nothing but a brute! He's a kind, gentle man. He would never have hurt her like that."

"You have a high and mighty opinion of your lover, don't you?"

"He's not my lover!"

His eyes danced with h.e.l.lish delight. "Ah, now, so O'Brien really has changed his ways. Or maybe you're too much a woman for him to handle?"

He kneeled on the ground beside her, the l.u.s.t evident in his eyes. With one hand he grasped the neckline of her dress and lifted a knife from his boot. She winced as he slid the blade through the cotton; the sound of it tearing apart seemed loud in her ears. The cold breeze on her thinly covered b.r.e.a.s.t.s made her shiver. Alaina looked up at the darkening sky as she blinked back tears and prayed silently for deliverance and strength.

"Ah, don't be like that, la.s.s," he murmured as he then tore away the chemise and exposed her completely. "You know you long for a man's touch-a real man would have taken you to bed the day you landed on this rock." He traced her b.r.e.a.s.t.s with the sharp tip of the knife and she cried out as it cut her flesh. Doogan grinned. "O'Brien would disappoint you. But I'll show you how good it can be."

He pulled back the knife and began to loosen his breeches. Alaina could feel her heart pounding as if it might fly right out of her chest. She squirmed against the ropes and felt the rough hemp sc.r.a.pe at her skin. A chance. All she needed was a chance to get away. If only he would remove the rope from her neck and feet. She was too vulnerable otherwise.

"How can I enjoy anything while I'm trussed up like an animal?"

He stopped and raised a brow. "I'm not a stupid man. You won't talk me into untying you."

"At least take the thing off my neck so..." She swallowed down the bile that rose in her throat. "...so I can help you."

"Help me? And just what do I need help with?"

She felt the heat rise in her face and forced herself to look into his eyes. If ever she needed to be a good liar, the time was now. "I know things...things a man likes." She licked her dry lips and noticed his gaze followed the movement intently. "But I can't do them with my head in a noose."

"And where would a high society la.s.s learn such things? You're lying."

"I snuck out to the slave cabins when I was young and curious. I used to watch the men and women together-they were very...pa.s.sionate. I know what to do, but I've never done it before."

Doogan snorted. "I'm not sure I believe you, la.s.s. Why don't you give me a little demonstration first? If I like it, then I'll take off the noose."

Panic welled up and threatened to shred her last bit of control. Alaina shook her head, the rope dug into her neck and she coughed. "I-I can't..." she gasped as she spoke, her fear and the friction of rope on flesh making it hard to breath.

She couldn't go through with it. What had she done? If he had agreed to remove the noose, then she could have defended herself at least a bit. She might have gotten away. But she would rather die than have to pleasure the filthy evil beast in that way.

"That's what I thought," he sneered. "If I put myself into your mouth I'd likely have it bitten off, wouldn't I? Wouldn't I?" he yelled as he tugged the noose tighter, then let go. Alaina gasped for air.

"Enough talk, 'tis time for play," he panted as he tried to kneel between her thighs. "Open your legs."

She averted her eyes from his open fly. "I can't," she whispered on the verge of tears. "You've tied my ankles too close together."

He cursed and lifted the knife. Alaina squeezed her eyes shut and prayed for a quick death, but he sliced the rope between her feet and rolled her over onto her back, her hands crushed beneath her own weight.

"There now," he muttered. "We'll do this the old-fashioned way first."

"Please," she found herself begging as tears coursed down her face. "Don't..."

"Come la.s.s," he huffed as he lifted her skirts higher and lowered his full weight upon her. The smell of his sweat and rancid breath made her want to vomit. "It can be good for both of us. Just relax a bit...'twill be better for you then. h.e.l.l, you might even enjoy it."

"No." She closed her eyes and prayed for oblivion if salvation were out of her reach.

A fierce bellow like that from the ancient warrior Celts rattled her eardrums. She opened her eyes to see Doogan staring, dumbfounded before he rolled off of her and onto his feet.

"b.a.s.t.a.r.d! You'll die!"

Doogan crouched low and then leapt across her body, only to be met by a hard mountain of flesh and anger. Torin tackled him to the ground as Alaina watched. They rolled about in the dirt as punches and curses flew in rapid succession.

A touch at her arm and Alaina screamed and began to flail her unbound legs to get away. "Alaina!" a familiar voice called. "'Tis me, Sean! Hush now, la.s.s. You're safe."

The words finally registered and she looked up at Torin's friend. His blue eyes were filled with concern. "Here la.s.s." He glanced over his shoulder at the men still brawling. "Let's sit you up."

"The rope," she whispered. He turned her on her side and winced.

"b.a.s.t.a.r.d," he muttered as he began to work at loosening the knot that bound her wrists. "I b.l.o.o.d.y well ought to help Torin beat him to a pulp."

A moment later he helped her sit up and unwound the rope from her throat, cringing as he did so. A trickle of blood slipped down her neck and slid over her naked breast. Alaina realized how exposed she was and tried to cover herself as tears of relief and humiliation burned her eyes.

"Here, la.s.s," Sean said as he shrugged out of his coat. "Take this." He helped her put it on and did up the b.u.t.tons when it was clear she couldn't with the numbness in her hands. Warmth enveloped her and she snuggled deep within the woolen garment as she sought out Torin.

Some yards away, he rose to his knees, breathing hard as Doogan lay in an unmoving, bloodied heap on the ground in front of him. Torin's face was dark with fury as he kneeled over the other man, breathing hard and wiping blood from his mouth.

"G.o.d I hate this place," Sean said, almost as if he spoke to himself. "Such a horror for her-to fall from this accursed cliff as she always feared." He shook his head and smiled softly at Alaina. "Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"

She bit down on her lip to keep it from trembling. "No, not really. Nothing that won't heal."

Sean looked over at Torin and an understanding seemed to pa.s.s between them. Then he helped her to her feet as the man she loved struggled to his alone.

"You should die for this," Torin said to Doogan, grabbing a handful of the battered man's collar. "If you had..." His voice trailed off and he took a deep breath as he dropped Doogan back to the earth. "Leave Ireland and never come back. I'm not going to prove myself the murderer everyone thinks me to be. You've failed in that. Now go...go and never return."

"I'll go...when I'm...d.a.m.n well good and...and ready," Doogan said, his words slurred as his head lolled from side to side on the ground.

"You'd best be ready, then. I won't kill you, but I won't stop any man that tries to do so. And from what I've heard tell, Alaina isn't the only la.s.s you've violated since you've come home."

"Prove it."

"I don't have to," Torin said. "But you do-if you live long enough." He left his adversary lying in the dirt and walked to where Alaina stood with Sean at her side. "Darlin'?" His eyes filled with tears that he blinked away. "Are you sure you're all right now?"

She nodded silently and took a half step away from Sean and into the arms of the man she loved. "Yes, I'm fine," she whispered as he gathered her close to his chest. "You came just in time. I tried...I tried to fight him, but the rope-"

"Shhh, hush now, love," he said. "He'll never hurt you again. No one will ever hurt you as long as I'm living."

Sean cleared his throat and patted Torin on the shoulder. "Take the la.s.s home, boy-o. I'll see the baggage makes the next boat out."

"Don't turn your back on him, Sean."

"Nay, do I look stupid?" He chuckled lightly. "Don't answer that-my ego's taken enough of a beating losing the prettiest la.s.s to you. I'll just drag him down to the pub by his own rope. I'm sure Shannon's lads will be glad to help me get him the rest of the way."

She lifted her head as he walked away. "Sean, thank you."

"For what?" he asked with a frown.

"For being a gentleman."

"Ah, don't be telling such tales! I've got a reputation to protect." He winked and picked up the rope that had bound Alaina, then sauntered toward Doogan as he lay groaning. "Let's go meet the lads, shall we now? I'm sure they'd all like to hear about your notions on courting young women."

Torin turned Alaina away and walked her down the slope away from the cliffs. His strong arm around her shoulders, she felt steady for a few steps. Then lightning flashed across the sky and thunder shook the very rock beneath their feet. Her stomach started to flutter until her entire body quaked and her knees buckled. His arms lifted her as she began to sink to the ground.

"Torin?" His name spilled from her lips as a plea for help. She grasped at his shirt with both hands.

"'Tis the shock," he murmured against her hair. "I'll get you home and warm you up. You'll be good as new in no time."