Taken By Storm Part 33

Only this time she silently warned herself repeatedly that their time together would be brief and he soon would be out of her life forever. She intended to prepare herself for the inevitable, burn it into her heart and soul so that she wouldn't feel the pain of his farewell.

They arrived at camp the next day with storm clouds close on their tails. Everyone dispersed to his respective home, reuniting with family and friends for a short time.

Not one to waste valuable time, Storm issued orders to her men that they would meet in two hours at Angus's place. With rain likely, she didn't want their meeting interrupted, and Angus's quarters, though one room, was sufficient to hold them.

Storm made her rounds of the camp, making certain they all had what they needed and a.s.suring them that winter would not pose a problem. The look of relief on their faces reinforced Storm's stubbornness about remaining in Scotland. There was no way she could leave these people to fend for themselves. They had become a family, relying on one another, and you didn't walk away from family.

Peter was doing much better, as was Henry, who, Janelle informed Storm, had been a great help to her. She also told Storm that Henry was worried that he would have to leave the camp. Janelle had tried to alleviate his fears and a.s.sure him that he was welcome to reside with the group, but the lad seemed not to believe her.

Storm found Henry huddled against a tree, staring up at the racing storm clouds. The chilled wind had picked up, and soon raindrops would fall. In a few weeks, snow could fall, and there was much to do before then.

"Feeling better, Henry?" she asked on approach.

Henry stood upright, away from the support of the tree. "Much better."

"Janelle says that you have been of help to her."

"Whatever help I can be to anyone. I will pull my weight while here."

His last words were barely audible but Storm caught them. "While here? Are you leaving us?"

"There are many mouths to feed here and I am not a good hunter." He lowered his head, his chin near to

his chest. "I have no skills."

"Of course you do."

He raised his head, shaking it. "No, really I don't. I have drifted around trying to survive and I have

learned little along the way."

Storm placed her hand on his shoulder. "You learned to survive or else we would not be having this conversation. You would be dead."

He focused startled eyes on her.

"There is much you can offer us and much we can teach you. This is your home now. You have a family

to look after you and for you to look after, so worry not. You will reside with Angus and he will teach

you the skills you need to know."

"Or," interrupted Burke, who walked out from behind Storm to stand beside Henry, "you could go to America with me and start a new life with much promise and possibility."

"Truly?" Henry asked like a child who was just presented with a gift. "I heard there are riches for all in

America."

"Riches aren't handed to you. It takes hard work and determination, which I have no doubt you possess."

Henry stuck out his chest. "I'm not afraid of hard work."

"Then there's a place for you on my ranch in America and the chance of owning your own landsomeday."The lad's eyes blazed like round full moons. "Own my own land? Are you certain?""Do not fill the lad's head with nonsense," Storm snapped."It's not nonsense," Burke said. "Anyone can own land in America. Of course it's wilderness and requires much work, but many are doing it and successfully. My father was one of them. He ama.s.sed a

small empire for himself with the sweat of his own hands and a lot of backbreaking labor."Henry stepped forward. "I'd work hard to have a chance to own my own land." He looked to Storm. "Idon't have a chance of owning land here. There's no future in Scotland for me."

Storm shot Burke a heated glare, but spoke softly to Henry. "The choice is yours, Henry. You are

welcome to stay here with us or go with Burke to America."

He gave a huge smile, then suddenly threw his arms around Storm and hugged her tight before stepping away. "You have not only saved my life, you've now given me a chance at a future." He walked over to Burke. "I gratefully accept your offer."

Burke shook his hand, and Henry hurried off to share his news.

"Do you know what you've done?" she asked accusingly."Given the lad a shot at a decent future?""And put the same thoughts in others' heads."Burke shook his head. "What's wrong with people wanting a good future?""Dreams, you offer nothing but dreams.""My father started with a dream. He wanted a better life for his wife and young son so he sailed far away and worked night and day until finally he owned a plot of land and started to build a home. He wanted more for his family than just working hard only to have someone else reap the benefits. He wasn't afraid; he took a chance. Henry's not afraid; he's willing to take a chance."

"Are you accusing me of being afraid?"

"You have courage and you have taken endless risks for others. When do you finally take a risk for yourself? When do you finally stop punis.h.i.+ng yourself for not rescuing your husband soon enough?"

Storm fisted her hands at her sides so as not to reach up and slap his face.

Burke stepped closer to her, and Storm couldn't determine if he was brave or just plain foolish.

He kept his voice to a whisper. "You tell me you will never love again. You tell me you refuse to leave a

land that deems you an outlaw. You tell me you will not take a chance on making love with me for fear it could lead to love. You tell me your fate has already been decided. What you truly tell me, Storm, is that you're afraid to live."

Burke turned and Storm watched him walk away-rather, stomp away, for his strides demonstrated

irritation.

His accusation swirled in her head, and while it had sparked her anger, it had also sparked awareness.

Could he be right? Had life been too difficult to bear after she had lost her husband? Had she been rescuing others all this time in the slim hope of rescuing herself?

There were days she wished for a normal life. She wanted to wake up beside a man she loved, tend a

garden, cook a good meal, and see to her children.

Then she would think of all the ones she had rescued and their tears of joy over being free. So hadn't fate decided things for her? Had she a choice?

Did she have a choice now?

Tanin waved to her from Angus's open door. They were all there waiting for her, waiting for her to lead, to help, to provide, to follow what fate had dealt her.

She threw her shoulders back and her head up and marched forward because there certainly was no

going back.

Angus offered his chair to her by the fire when she entered. She took it knowing he was paying her respect by offering her the best seat in his home, one he had made with his own hands. Tanin sat at the small table with Philip, while William, Malcolm, and Burke stood near the door. Angus sat on a st.u.r.dy bench opposite Storm.

"I've given this idea some thought," she said, sitting forward in the chair. "We need to find a way to get Burke alone with Lady Alaina, and the only way to accomplish that is to find out her routine. Does she take a daily ride, a daily walk? Is she planning a trip? A carriage ride?"

"I will provide coins so that it will be worthwhile for anyone to divulge the information," Burke offered.

"I also think it's imperative that we do this with haste," Storm said. "We are all well aware of how deadly Weighton is, and the longer Cullen spends there, the greater risk of death."

"Perhaps that weasel of a man could help us again," Burke suggested. "He did mention that his sister worked at the manor house."

"We could find out who his sister is and go straight to her," Philip said.

They talked for the next hour, formulating a plan that would be implemented with haste. If all went accordingly, Burke would find himself speaking with Lady Alaina very soon.

Angus offered supper to the lot of them, a hearty rabbit stew bubbling in the pot over the hearth's flames. Tanin declined, eager to spend time with his wife. Malcolm had promised a pretty la.s.s he'd sup with her, while Philip had plans he refused to share. William and Burke accepted the invitation while Storm declined, though made no excuse for it.

She hurried along the rain-soaked ground, her feet splas.h.i.+ng through the puddles formed by the heavy, pelting rain. She was relieved when she closed the door of her small quarters behind her, shutting out everyone, or rather, shutting herself in.

She yearned for this time alone, this solitude where she could think and make sense of her suddenly senseless world.

Everything had been clear to her before Burke arrived. Now nothing seemed as it was or had ever been. He made her question her own motives for the rescues she made and for the life fate dealt her.

She slipped out of her wet clothes and into the lone linen nightgown she possessed. She gave a brief thought to the silk one she had worn while on Burke's s.h.i.+p. It had been so soft and comfortable, as had been his bed and his arms.

She shook her head. Why was she even considering having an interlude with Burke? Was she crazy?

Lonely.

That was her problem. She was lonely and she found Burke attractive. She simply thought of sharing a few moments of intimacy with the stranger and then he'd be gone. How had that thought escalated to fear of falling in love with him?

It was nonsense, pure nonsense.

She would never love again so why worry about it?

Burke could be persuasive, or was it that she just plain enjoyed his company? She hadn't found that in a man since Daniel. And she enjoyed his quick wit, which often made her smile. He had courage and strength and he was honest, which she respected above all else. He was a man a woman could easily love.

She shook her wet clothes and draped them over the chair near the fireplace.

She had no time for love and it would be dangerous if she did allow herself to love. In the end she would suffer, for she would have to let him go, return to America.

Besides, who was to say that he would love her?

She released an exasperated sigh.

Why was she questioning herself so much? Why didn't she just go and share a night of intimacy and be done with it? Forget love, forget Burke leaving, forget everything for one single, solitary night and love as if nothing else mattered in the world.

She was who she was-an outlaw. She was not going to change, and she was not running off to America, whether she fell in love or not. Her life was here in Scotland, and here was where she would stay.

For one night, she could simply be a woman.