Isla's Heart

The Kiss

Kneeling beside Isla's crouched figure, Conall gently laid one large hand on her narrow back and felt a shudder travel up his arm that directly hit his heart with deadly accuracy. At his touch her body came erect and with large dewy tears rolling down her face she took him in with shock.

"Go away!" Her voice wailed, bouncing off the walls around them and causing him to wince. Easing away from his touch she pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in her skirts.

"What torments you so, Isla?" When she gave so sign of response, he played his luck and placed his hand on her head, then let it slide through the loose silken tresses. He pulled her into a gentle embrace, "If it is that awful rumor being spread, I promise you I'm putting a stop to it." He hoped to reassure her.

 "It is not the rumor.... But I did warn you! That mess is completely at your feet." She sniffled.

"Yes, I know. You were right and I was wrong." Leaning away he placed a finger beneath her chin and raised her face to look into her watery eyes, "That should please you. I've been told women like to be told how clever they are."

"We do. Much better than how well we mend a torn frock."

Laughter rolled out from his chest and he pulled her back into his easy embrace, "Yes. I was told that as well. I've a thick head but I do try to learn from my mistakes."

"Then you should not be here, holding me like this. It is an even graver mistake than giving me poor compliments.".

Not wishing to further her distress he set her away from him, easing into a casual position on the hard ground beside her. Placing his hands him, he leaned against the wall, "There, no one can imagine any debauchery being done while my hands are behind me." He well knew they could, for there was more than one way to pleasure a woman but he guessed she did not know such things and would trust his assurances.

He watched as she glanced down the entrance to the solar. Nerves dancing across her features while she worried her plush bottom lip with her small teeth. What was it she feared? No one had seen him follow her and her lady's maid was quite busy below stairs, "Do you fear your sister will find us and throw another fit?"

A breathy laugh escaped her lips, "She nearly beat me to within an inch of my life for daring to enter your chamber. I'd would not call that a mere fit. She's uttered no more than five words to me since." She would not meet his gaze, once again worrying her bottom lip.

Ah, so she'd not meant to confirm what he'd already suspected. Lady Catriona had bloodied her  face and now gave her the cold shoulder. He ought to teach the little wench a lesson of her own! Let her know how it felt to be beaten and treated indifferently. He well knew the kind of hell that created within a young person's soul. He'd never laid a violent hand on a woman, had never even felt the urge too, but at this moment he very much wished he could give Catriona a taste of her own medicine. It would do none of them any good, but it would ease the tension that caused his gut to sour.

"I am sorry I've caused such trouble, milady. I will do my best to put it right." He looked at her know, wishing to see ease in her dark eyes once again. "I'll speak to your sister, if you believe it would ease the divide I've put between you?".

"No! No, you must not speak to her of it. That would only make her angrier. She'd think I'd come whining to you for favor."

He scoffed, "You? Whine? I think not."

Now she smiled and the stars he longed to see sparkled within the dark depths of her gaze. "You are doing well with your compliments this day, milord. Perhaps I should sob on the ground like a fool more often.", She jested.