Dominic watched Emelie climax, the need to enter her and spill within her almost overpowering his resolve. He’d seen other women in the throes of passion, since he hadn’t been a virgin when he married Colina. But he’d never seen a more expressive face. For a moment, he wondered if Colina had been pretending. His dead wife’s reactions seemed embellished as he watched the genuine wonder and enjoyment cross Emelie’s visage.
“What was that?” Emelie breathed.
Dominic paused, understanding dawning on him. As he suspected, Henry Pringle was the cad he believed. The man had taken advantage of Emelie in the worst way and hadn’t satisfied her to boot. “That was a climax, Em. Didn’t you feel that with Henry?” He needed to be sure before he said anything else.
“No.” Emelie shook her head.
“Not when he touched you or when you coupled?” Dominic feared Emelie’s response since he’d already guessed, but he wanted to be certain he didn’t jump to any conclusions. How he would proceed depended on it.
“He never touched me like that. No one has,” Emelie assured him.
“I didn’t think anyone had, not even Henry.” Dominic kissed Emelie’s swollen lips. His stubble had rubbed her skin around her mouth, leaving evidence of their tryst. “He should have. He should have pleasured you rather than thinking aboot himself. I can only imagine how painful each time must have been.”
“There was some pain the first time, but it wasn’t unbearable. The second time was a bit uncomfortable and over before I understood what was happening.”
Dominic pulled his lips in to contain his laughter. He doubted Emelie would appreciate it, even if the jab was at Henry’s expense. Tentatively, he drew Emelie’s hand beneath her skirts. When she didn’t resist, he pressed her fingers along her seam.
“Em, do you feel how you are now? That would have made joining with him much easier and more pleasant, though I can’t say that he would have ever taken the time to ensure your pleasure. There shouldn’t have been any discomfort after he broke your maidenhead, only pleasure.”
“I suspected as much. But he made it seem like he couldn’t contain his eagerness to be with me. I suppose he couldn’t contain his eagerness for release.” Emelie glanced down at her belly. “That’s how I got myself in this predicament.”
The mention of Emelie’s pregnancy was a bucket of cold water on Dominic. He eased his hand away as he remembered why he kept putting a halt to their amorous encounters. He still wasn’t convinced that coupling with Emelie wouldn’t harm her. He straightened Emelie’s skirts and longed to adjust himself. His cock demanded relief, but he wouldn’t ask Emelie. He wanted her to enjoy the moments when he tended to her and expected nothing in return.
“Are you up for that walk?” Dominic prayed a stroll along the river would distract his swollen rod as much as he hoped it would distract his mind. All he wanted was to strip them both bare after locking them into the chamber. He wanted to hide away with Emelie for a month of Sundays. Emelie stared at him for a long moment before she nodded her head. Her brow creased, but she rolled to the edge of the bed and stood up. She retrieved the kertch from where it still lay at the foot of the bed. She stepped before the looking glass and adjusted the head covering.
“I’ll never like that,” Dominic muttered.
“You must be used to it though,” Emelie smiled, sympathy in her eyes. Dominic thought he would be sick. He reached out his hand, and Emelie took it without hesitation. He led them through the Great Hall and out to the bailey. He spotted three guardsmen he’d known his entire life and trusted. He whistled and nodded toward the postern gate. The men fell in behind them at a respectful distance. He would never leave the walls with Emelie without men to help keep her safe. He wouldn’t take any risks with her life or their bairn’s.
Nine
Dominic and Emelie walked in silence, but she didn’t mind. Her gaze swept over the landscape as they walked to the bay, then along the river. With the keep still in sight but nearly half a mile away, Dominic stopped them. He glanced at the guards, and they scattered to create a perimeter that afforded the couple a chance to speak in private. Dominic unpinned the extra length of his plaid draped over his shoulder. He settled on the grass along the bank and hastened to spread the wool on the ground as Emelie made to sit, embarrassed that she would think he had no manners by sitting first.
“I don’t want your skirts to get dirty or damp,” Dominic explained. He wrapped Emelie’s arm around his. Emelie glanced up at Dominic and found him smiling at her. It was a soft expression that felt intensely intimate, and she supposed it was after what they shared. She leaned her head against his shoulder. Without a second thought, he pulled his arm loose and wrapped it around her. She shifted so that her head rested against his chest. They sat watching the current drive a few fallen leaves and snapped twigs. “Em?”
“Hmm,” Emelie replied with a sigh.
“There is a great deal I need to tell you because I think—I know—I’ve led you to a false impression of how I feel. I don’t want you to think I’ve been keeping secrets from you. I just couldn’t bring myself to discuss it with you.”
“If it’s aboot your wife, you don’t need to talk aboot it. I understand.”
“She was my wife. But you speak as though she still is. You’re my wife, Em. You’re the woman I see my future with.”
Emelie sat up as she took in the earnestness in Dominic’s expression. She got the feeling that he meant far longer than a year. But she couldn’t understand how he saw a future with them if he were going to grow more distant. Though she had to admit he hadn’t been distant when he pleasured her. But he had made no move to let her reciprocate. It had hurt and confused her further.
“I met Colina aboot four years ago at a Highland Gathering. The Campbells and MacLeans weren’t on good terms, but I was infatuated with her. I was certain that it was love at first sight, at least for me. I trailed after her for a fortnight, surely falling more and more in love by the day. I hounded Brodie into arranging a betrothal when Colina said she wanted to marry me.”
Emelie sat as still as a statue, not sure that she wanted to listen to her husband describe how much he loved another woman. As uncomfortable as listening was, she appreciated that Dominic was finally sharing more about him.
“We married at the MacLeans’ keep and returned here. Colina seemed like the perfect bride. She eagerly helped my mother with her duties as chatelaine, but within weeks of Colina’s arrival, my mother fell ill. Colina became her constant companion. Whenever Brodie and I came to visit, she would give us time with our mother. We couldn’t understand why she grew so agitated when Colina left. We assumed she missed her but could no longer communicate with us. It was Laurel who deduced that our mother was trying to tell us how badly Colina mistreated her. Colina killed my mother.”
Emelie’s eyes widened to saucers as she swallowed her gasp. She didn’t realize how her fingernails bit into Dominic’s thighs until he eased her hand from his leg. The declaration stunned her.
“Brodie and I thought it was grief that made Colina lose interest in the chatelaine’s duties,” Dominic continued. “Aggie and Berta took on those duties for three years until Brodie arranged a marriage with Eliza MacMillan. The girl was auld enough to become a chatelaine, even if she was still young. Brodie intended to leave her a virgin until she was at least six-and-ten, but we would have someone to manage the household.”
“She refused? Did she not know how?” Emelie whispered.
“She knew how. But the longer she procrastinated, claiming grief, the more the household adapted to not having a chatelaine. I didn’t push her into it because she seemed so distraught at first. Then, I suppose, I gave up. Keeping her happy was more important to me than arguing over who kept count of the candles.”
