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Teagan could hardly believe what transpired outside the small cottage. Ian and his four men were easily overtaken. The minute all five men were bound, Teagan exited the woods at a run and didn’t stop until she stood and faced her brother. “From this moment on, ye are no longer my brother. Go back tae Paw and tell him tae forget about Lachlan and me. We will never set foot on Scottish soil until he rots beneath the earth, in hell, where he belongs. And ye.” She punched him in the chest. “Ye are a disgrace tae our family name. I hope tae never look on yer face again.”
The glare of hatred in her brother’s eyes caused her heart to pause mid-beat.
“How about ah share a little secret with ye,” Ian said with a smirk. “Paw is nae yer Paw. Mother was a whore and carried another mon’s twins in her belly. She spread her legs for a married mon and let him spill his seed inside her. So ye see, ye have no Paw. My Paw hated Maw and he hates ye and Lachlan.”
Teagan couldn’t breathe, her lungs constricted refusing to let air in. The world spun and she dropped to her knees. So the part about Mother being with child before the wedding was true. But never had she heard so much as a whisper that the father was anyone other than the duke. And now to find out she had a real father out there somewhere shocked her to the core.
Finally she gasped air, stood, and hurried inside the cottage, whipping tears away from her face. She didn’t want Sebastian to see her weeping. After she was convinced he was unharmed there would be time to ponder whether the words Ian spoke about her father were true. And did Lachlan know?
“Oh, God,” she cried as her hands covered her mouth to stifle her screams. The sight of Sebastian’s bloody face startled her even though Lachlan had said he was being beaten. Never did she imagine it to be so bad.
“Ah’m here.” She approached Sebastian, knelt on the floor behind him, and tried to untie the rope wrapped around his chest and arms. She prayed the bone in his arm wasn’t re-broken. Her fingers shook so badly she did more harm than good. “Ah need a knife.” She rose and rummaged through a drawer until her trembling fingers found what she sought. “Dinnae move.” Teagan placed the sharp blade of the knife against the ropes, inhaled and exhaled hoping to steady her fingers. It wouldn’t be good if she cut Sebastian while trying to free him. Before she slipped the knife beneath the rope, she dropped it and it hit the floor with a loud thud. “Sorry. My fingers refuse tae work.”
“Take your time. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon,” Sebastian said with a slur to his words. Making her even more nervous. How badly was he hurt? Had Ian made his skull fracture worse?
Closing her eyes, she envisioned the warmth of the sun calming her and regulating her breathing. When she opened her eyes, she made quick work of cutting the rope around Sebastian’s body and ankles, freeing him.
“Do ye think, with my help, we can get ye into bed?”
“Only one way to find out.”
Teagan carefully wrapped her arm around him and used all her strength to help him stand.
“Damn,” he swore. “Even the hair on top of my head hurts.”
“Ah’m sorry.” Teagan fought the renewed tears burning her eyes and throat. There would be time later to have a good cry for Sebastian and the guilt eating her insides at putting him in danger.
“Sorry for what?”
“Cannae explain now. Ye’r heavy.”
The two of them struggled but finally got Sebastian in bed. She inspected his leg and arm first. Fortunately the stitches on his leg and face held up and the bone in his arm lined up. Thank God for that. “Ah’ll be right back.”
Once she found herself in the safety of the outer room, her shoulders rolled forward, her head bent and she cried deep sobs of anguish. After several moments she mumbled, “Enough.” She wiped her tears and went to work on heating up water in the kettle. She stirred the embers until a nice flame rose. She made quick work of changing from Lachlan’s borrowed clothes to her own chemise and gown. Then she stood fidgeting and gnawing on her lower lip until the water heated to a soothing warmth. After pouring it into a chipped basin, she entered the bedchamber to find Sebastian watching her intently. At least watching her with one open eye. The eye that had been swollen shut by the highwaymen, and finally opened the previous day, was closed again, thanks to her brother.
“If ye keep getting injured, ah will be out of clothes.” Heat infused her cheeks at the implication of her words. “I dinnae mean...”
“I understand.”
She turned her back, lifted her skirts, and tore a strip off her chemise. Dipping the cloth into the basin, she wrung out the excess water and gently bathed the blood off his face and neck. “Ah can’t believe Ian did this tae ye. Ah’m sorry. My brother is verra much like Paw.”
“I’m glad it was me he took his anger out on instead of you.”
His words had her insides fluttering.
“Thank ye. But ah would have preferred he took his anger out on someone other than ye.”
Sebastian hissed when she came across a nasty gash on his forehead.
“Sorry.”
“No need. I’m sorry you have to keep taking care of me.”
Her fingers vibrated as she unbuttoned and removed the shirt Lachlan had lent Sebastian, then gasped at the colorful bruises covering his chest. “Dear God, my brother is a monster. Does it hurt?”
Sebastian laughed, then sucked in his breath. “Hurts. Probably broke a few ribs.”
“Ah need tae get more cloth and wrap them up tightly. The more ye move the more they’ll hurt. Best tae keep ye immobile for a spell.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not very mobile anyway.”
“Yes, weel,” she stuttered. “Ah’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing,” he snapped. “Sorry. If it were not for you and Lachlan, I’d be dead. So I’m glad I’m alive. Recent beating notwithstanding.”
“Ye are a good mon, Sebastian Seabrook. Ah can’t understand why Marissa ran off and married someone else. Surely she must be daft.”
He chuckled, which turned into coughing fits. “Ouch. Don’t make me laugh. Not that Marissa running off to Gretna Green is a laughing matter. But truthfully, her captain is a good man. Marissa will be happy with him. Something I’m not sure she would have be with...Never mind. He inhaled and his body tensed when she ran the warm cloth across his chest and stomach.
“So...”
“Don’t say the word,” he hissed. “You have no idea how sorry I am that you feel the need to be sorry for something you had no control over.”
“No control,” she cried as she continued to bathe his chest. Try as she might she couldn’t help but stare at his hard muscles. Her eyes kept drifting to the line of dark blonde hair trailing down into his breeches. She’d seen his manhood. Felt it when they toppled onto the bed several days ago. Her mother didn’t raise her to be wonton, but at this moment she’d have given anything to reach beneath the waistband and curl her hand around his member.
“Teagan,” Sebastian said in a concerned voice. “If this is too much for you, Lachlan can help me. Bloody hell, he should be the one to do this anyway. An innocent shouldn’t be exposed to a man’s nakedness.”
“My mother trained me tae heal. There is nothing ah havenae seen that would make me lose my senses.”
“If you say so.”
By the way he spoke she knew she didn’t fool him. His nakedness did move her, and by the thoughts entering her mind, Lachlan should be the one cleaning up his cuts and bruises. Because if she kept this up she was liable to do something scandalous. Like place her lips on his bruises to soothe away his pain. Or swipe her tongue across his cuts in hopes of helping them heal.
***
Having Teagan’s gentle and loving hands on his exposed skin was tortuous. When she first stepped into the cottage and looked over his battered body then locked her emerald green eyes on him, all air had escaped his lungs. The compassion, anger, and guilt shining in the depths of her eyes was like a punch to the gut. And he knew how that felt as he’d been repeatedly punched during the past day.
This punch to the gut was much worse because he was the cause of her pain and anguish. Hadn’t she been through enough in her short life? At her young age she should be attending soirées and balls with nothing more pressing on her mind than what gown to wear or whose name was on her dance card. What eligible gentleman caught her eye and would he visit the next day for tea. She should not be running for her life from her father of all people. Nor betrothed to a monster.
Even with only one useful eye, he could read her emotions. Just now as she bathed his chest, her eyes dropped to his breeches and her cheeks flamed a becoming shade of pink. She may be innocent, but she was curious. The more she looked, the harder his cock became. She would be blind not to see the bulge protruding in his breeches.
Easy, Sebastian. Your body has been pummeled again and again. You should not be having indecent thoughts about Teagan. Not now. Not ever. She needs your help not a seduction.
“What is happening outside?” He needed to redirect his thoughts.
“I havenae a clue. Excuse me while ah find out.”
“Steady,” Sebastian told himself. Deep breaths hurt like a bugger. Light breaths not much different. Sebastian didn’t know what he’d done to deserve these beatings, but he promised to be a better man. He would try not to think about Teagan and her full, kissable lips, her small, but womanly curves and her eyes that told the world her every thought.
“Lachlan will be in soon. The town’s mon are escorting Ian and his mon tae the border with a message for Paw.”
“Won’t they just come back for you both?”
“Aye, probably. We have tae leave. Lachlan has managed tae procure two horses and a carriage. Ah know it willnae be easy traveling in yer condition, but we cannae leave ye behind.”
Sebastian snorted. “No, I don’t suppose you can. And I don’t relish another beating by your brother. But do you think it wise for me to travel with my injuries?”
Emotions, once again, flashed in her eyes. Worry and guilt.
“What choice do we have? Teagan cast her eyes down at the ground, then looked at him as she took the few steps to his bedside. “Ah will do everything in my power tae keep yer body safe and give it the chance tae heal properly.” Her hand reached out and pushed his hair off his forehead, and Sebastian could hardly breathe as she bent down and placed her warm, soft lips to his forehead. “Ah promise tae take care of ye while Lachlan drives the coach. Our transportation willnae be in the style and comfort ye’r used tae, but we will make do.”
“Teagan,” he breathed out as she lightly pressed her lips to his bruised cheek making him afraid to move and break this incredible closeness. It was as though she put him under some spell.
When her lips caressed his, he groaned and reached up with his good hand, cupped the back of her neck and pulled her in so he could taste her. To his delight, she didn’t pull away but partook in the best kiss of his life. He devoured her. His tongue tangled with hers. And he almost lost it when she made little breathy sounds. That and she spread her scorching hot hands on his shoulders inflaming him more.
“Teagan,” he said as he broke the kiss and began trailing kisses down her neck. “What you do to me. We must stop.”
“Aye, ye must,” Lachlan demanded.
Teagan jumped back and covered her mouth with her hand and blushed profusely.
Sebastian knew what she was going to say so he said it instead. “Sorry.”
“Sorry?” she mouthed.
“Not really,” he mouthed back so Lachlan could not hear.
His words had her smiling back shyly.
Teagan might not want his apology, but he was quite sure Lachlan did. “I’m sorry Lachlan. I took advantage of your sister. Please forgive me.”
Laughter cut through the tension in the small room. “Ye are bedridden, ah highly doubt ye took advantage of my sister. Besides, if ye did she would have slapped ye. Time for this conversation another time. George, the blacksmith ah work for should be here any moment with the carriage and provisions. ‘Tis high time we took ye back tae yer family. Then Teagan and ah will travel tae London and ask the prince for an audience.”
“My brother will get you an audience with the prince. Do not worry.”
“Thank ye. Ah hear horses, George must have arrived. Teagan, please go make the coach comfortable for Sebastian while ah help him make himself presentable. Cannae take him out half-naked now, can we?”
Once Teagan was out of the cottage, Lachlan helped him put on a clean shirt. “Tread kindly where my sister’s heart is concerned. She has a big one, and I’d hate tae have tae call ye out at dawn for breaking it.”
“This is not the proper time, but when everything is settled, could I court her, with your permission?”
Lachlan chuckled. “Aye, ye have my permission and my blessing, but dinnae need it. In case ye havenae noticed, my sister has a mind and will of her own and damn any mon getting in the way of something or someone she wants.”
Sebastian had seen just how strong-minded she was. Somehow that made her even more appealing to him. Life with her would never be dull. What was he saying? He wanted to court her, not spend the rest of his life with her? Or did he?
