Cain watched Gideon walk along the rocks that lined the coast until he reached the path that would take him to the bailey and stables. He glanced up the length of stone to the tower again. The window had gone dark. She might be going to sleep, or she might be sneaking out of her room to find the key and travel down the steep steps of the secret escape. When his mother was still alive, his father had kept a boat tied here for her and his sons to escape if the walls of Girnigoe were ever breached.

Cain slid through the shadows up against the wall, breathing slowly, listening to the rush and retreat of the ocean. The sound of a key clicking in the iron lock made him grin. He’d been right. He was always right when it came to strategy and winning.

The door swung outward, and Ella stepped out wearing a white tunic and the leather trousers that hugged the curves of her arse, hips, and shapely legs. The kitten was a black blur trotting next to her. Cain lunged toward Ella, knocking the blade from her hand and catching her up in his arms.

“Fok. Dammit, Sinclair!”

“Such foul curses from such a bonny mouth,” he said, holding her against his frame, his solid chest to her soft one.

She struggled, her legs sliding against him. “I want to see my horse.”

“She is well cared for,” he said, her knee grazing close to his jack.

“I would see for myself. Put me down.”

He slowly let her slide down his length until her boots found solid footing on the wobbly rocks. She narrowed her eyes and glared up at him. “Does the god of conquest like scaring and grabbing helpless lasses in the dark?” she asked, disgust in her voice.

“First off,” he said, his voice rough as he realized how much he wanted to pull her back into his arms, “ye are anything but helpless. Second, we are not gods, we are messengers sent from God.”

She snorted softly, which almost sounded like a laugh, and turned to walk along the shoreline where the kitten stumbled, clinging to a large rock. He came up even with her as she rescued Boudica from falling in the water. “We are all sent from God,” she said, continuing on under the drawbridge.

“Ye know ye cannot escape,” he said, walking behind her.

“That is still to be seen, but my intent is to check on my horse and to let Boo out, so she won’t foul my room tonight.”