The Enemy Within

Chapter 14

'Are you under some misguided notion that I am answerable to you Sorcha?'

He spoke quietly, but she felt the authority of his question. Still her face contorted with furious jealousy. 'I wait every night for you, every night,' she hissed. 'You do not call on me. Instead you are cavorting with some dog from our enemy camp!'

Eskine breathed a silent sigh of relief that Sorcha was unaware of the identity of whom he was meeting. He chastised himself sternly. Nobody should have been able to track him. He should have been aware, should have sensed any threat, significant or not. Clearly his newly discovered love, was a distraction to his normally alert intuitive self.

'Sorcha, I take no orders from any woman!' His heart vociferously decried that lie. He knew Grisell's every wish was a command he would obey. 'I will remind you,' he hissed quietly, 'your insolence will not be tolerated. Do not presume, because I have bedded you, that you now occupy some position of priority alongside me!'

'I love you,' she sobbed.

He felt a tide of guilt wash over him, for she had come to him over a year ago, a virgin. He'd warned her that she could have no permanent place in his life, but she'd boldly let her dress slip off her shoulders and she'd had nothing on, underneath the dress and he was human. He could feel her sense of injustice now, reverberating off her, at gifting him her purity in vain. Perhaps she had hoped her virginity would secure her the position as his Lady Chief... but he loved another. One that completed him; that took his breath away; consumed his every waking moment; one who's enchanting smile, gave him endurance for the day, as he rose each morning and one who's reciprocating love gave him strength each night when he retired to bed. He dragged his eyes to Sorcha, shook his head slowly.

'I am sorry,' he murmured.

'You can't just abandon me!' she spat at him. 'What about my feelings?'

He looked away. 'I know General Gaynor is interested in having a relationship with you. I can arrange___'

'I do not want to be with somebody I do not love!' she sobbed.

His eyes met hers. He didn't utter a word, but understanding dawned on her that he likewise could not be expected to be with her, when he did not love her. She covered her face and sobbed. His natural instinct would be to wrap his arms around a woman and offer her comfort, but he knew, Sorcha would presume that if his arms went around her, that there was hope she would win him back. So he stayed put, not wanting to give her false encouragement.

'I am sorry Sorcha,' he offered, for the second time.

She dropped her hands, screamed abusive profanities at him; her eyes blood shot red, tears streaming down her face. 'I will find that dog, you are chasing,' she vowed. 'Our whole clan and so will theirs,' she jerked her head towards the Dalmahoy's property, 'will know you are sleeping with the enemy!'

He folded his arms. 'I give you two choices Sorcha Lees.' 'Leave the clan, go live wherever you please,' he waved his hands towards the ocean. 'Alternatively, you may stay, but do not for one second forget your station! His eyes bore into hers with unmistakable warning.

Her eyes registered his admonition, but only for a second, before she stormed off, marching away, mumbling vitriol over her shoulder at him.

Hell hath no fury ... Eskine raked his fingers through his hair. He'd warned her right in the beginning; they had no 'future.' Before taking her virginity, in his bed, as he'd held her, he'd reminded her, he could offer her nothing, but his body. He'd asked if he should stop, and he would have, if she'd said yes, but instead, she had wrapped her arms around his naked body, pulled him over hers and demanded he make love to her, which he'd duly complied____ being human. Eskine made a mental note to have Macrae watch her and discreetly place two men as 'body guards' over her. They would all think she was his lover, his woman,' he would not feel the need to correct their assumptions.