“If you’d rather go to your chamber and I go to mine, then I’ll take you there.”
Allyson shook her head. “No, I want to go to yours.”
“Good, but Ally, that makes it our chamber. I don’t want his and her chambers; I want our chamber.”
“Truly? I assumed you would keep your space, and one day you would move into the laird’s chamber, and I would move into the lady’s chamber. Until then, I figured you’d give me a chamber when I arrive at Huntley, and you would visit when you wanted us to couple.”
Ewan’s deep laugh made Allyson shift nervously as she continued to peer around the passageway. “What would be the point of that? I’d be visiting your chamber morn, noon, and eve, and sleeping there each night. I’d much rather we have the space my chamber provides, and when the day comes, we will move again. The laird’s chamber will be ours, and the lady’s chamber can become your solar, if you like.”
Allyson nodded, then grinned. Her gaze slid over Ewan, and a hunger came into her eyes that Ewan shared. They hurried through the passageway toward the Gordon suite. But Allyson drew to an abrupt halt when she spotted Lady Bevan in the distance. Ewan had been looking down at Allyson as they talked, so he was unprepared for her to stop.
“Ally?”
Allyson said nothing. The only suite at that end of the passageway was the Gordons’. The only reason for Lady Bevan to be standing there was if she intended to visit one of the Gordon men. Ewan shifted to follow Allyson’s glare. He wanted to sink through the floor when he spotted the woman who sparked the fight that drew them into such a whirlwind month. He squeezed Allyson’s hand as they continued on, Lady Bevan not moving from where she stood at the door to the chambers.
“Ewan, I’ve been wondering when you would return.” Lady Bevan’s smile was pure seduction as she stepped toward Ewan. She cast a withering glance at Allyson. “I wasn’t sure if it was you or Eoin, but I see you have your betrothed clinging to you. I’ve missed you and your brother.”
“Good morning, Lady Bevan. My brother and father are together, probably in the lists. My wife and I are headed to our chamber. Excuse us.” Ewan wrapped his arm around Allyson and moved to step around the beautiful widow, but she wasn’t willing to give up.
“Wife? Last we heard, she ran away, and now you claim she’s your wife. Did I miss an entire liturgical season?” Lady Bevan reached out to trail her fingers over Ewan, but he stepped back. She leaned to whisper none too quietly in his ear. “You know where to find me once you’re free of her. I look forward to reminding you of what I can do with my tongue and your cock.”
Allyson had heard enough. She stepped between them as Ewan took another step away and opened his mouth to speak. He never got the chance. “My husband’s cock is already being polished. By me. Find Eoin, find Laird Gordon, find anyone, but make such an offer to my husband again, and the only thing your tongue will do is lie on the floor. After I cut it off.”
“Look! The kitten’s got claws,” Lady Bevan chuckled, but there was no mirth in her voice.
“Better than the pox you had during winter.” Allyson smirked. “Did you think no one knew about that? Everyone knew. It wasn’t until you bedded Laird MacLeod that anyone was sure you weren’t still infected.”
“You little bitch.”
“Aye, and you can call me all the names you want while you stand out here. My husband and I have something more—ahem—pressing to tend to.”
Ewan led Allyson to their door and rushed to unlock it. He pushed Allyson into the chamber before locking and barring the door behind them. He turned to find Allyson gazing at the large bed in the center of the chamber. She looked nervous, and he wasn’t sure if she feared his reaction to her comments, the bed, or both.
“Ally?”
“Are you angry with me?”
“Nay. Not in the least. She had it coming, and while I might not have said quite what you did, she should understand that I’m not interested.” He took Allyson’s hand and led her toward the bed, but she stopped a few feet short. “If you’d rather retire to your chamber and rest, I know it was a long two days in the saddle.”
“Hmm?” Allyson looked at Ewan and shook her head. “No. I don’t want to go there.”
“Then what is it? Why do you look so uneasy?”
“It’s naught.” Allyson tried to avoid explaining, but Ewan’s questioning expression gave way to one of concern. “It’s just that at Redheugh, I was confident you hadn’t coupled with anyone where we made love. Here—well, after running into Lady Bevan when she made it clear she intended for you to make love to her here, it just is a wee uncomfortable.”
Ewan led Allyson away from the bed and toward the fireplace. He took a seat and pulled her into his lap. He stroked the hair off her shoulders, glad that she hadn’t begun wearing it up like she would once it became known she was no longer a maiden. He twirled a lock around his finger as he took her hand in his.
“My father has kept mistresses in this suite when he’s spent extended time at court, but Eoin and I never brought women back here. We had an unspoken agreement that our family chambers were just for family. We preferred having somewhere to retire to that was private. You’re the only woman I’ve ever brought in here, and Eoin has never brought a woman here. I know what it looks like with a woman waiting outside my chamber, but I promise you, she’s never been inside. Even if I weren’t married, or if I still held my old opinions on marriage, I wouldn’t have welcomed her inside.” Allyson smiled and nodded, and Ewan saw the relief on her face. He also guessed what she would wonder next, and as her expression grew solemn once more, he spoke up. “No, I haven’t taken a woman to my bed at home either. I like my privacy, as does Eoin. As twins, we didn’t have much of it growing up. And I’m certain that sounds ridiculous given what you saw all those sennights ago, but he and I both like to retire to our own space. That said, I won’t lie. I’m eager to get you home and into our bed. I like the idea that my privacy now includes you, naked, and ready to make love.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“Would you have me any other way?”
“I’d have you on that bed, right now.” Allyson hopped off Ewan’s lap and danced away as he playfully reached for her. She backed away as she unfastened her Gordon arisaid and reached down to pull off her riding boots. Ewan watched her with eagle eyes while he stripped off his own boots and stockings. He was undressed before she finished unlacing her kirtle. He twirled her around and ripped the laces from the eyelets before he practically ripped the gown from her. They fell onto the bed, their laughter soon turning into moans as Ewan slid inside Allyson.
“I love you, and I want no other, Ally. Never doubt that. Especially not while we’re here.”
“The past is the past,” she responded. “I may have bedded none of the men here, but I flirted with my fair share. I suspect you will see how I just felt when we join the evening meal.”
