“Go away,” Dominic bellowed.
“What if something’s wrong with Laurel?” Emelie whispered.
“Then whomever is there would call through the door.” When the intruder knocked again, Dominic reached to the floor and grabbed his boot. He flung it against the door. “Unless someone is dying or something is burning down, don’t come back.”
“Dominic,” Aggie’s stern voice came through the door. “At least feed yer wife. She’s bound to be half-starved.”
As if on cue, Emelie’s stomach rumbled again. She chuckled as Dominic rolled his eyes. He climbed from the bed and wrapped his plaid around his waist while Emelie pulled the covers up to her chin. Dominic yanked open the door and glowered at Aggie and the trembling maid who stood behind the formidable housekeeper. Dominic hadn’t seen this expression of Aggie’s since he was a child and tried to steal a pie, but only succeeded in knocking four of them to the floor. He stepped aside and ushered the two women in, which earned him a cluck of disgust from Aggie. The maid settled the tray on the table and scurried out of the chamber. Aggie wasn’t so quick to leave.
“Ye can at least let the maids in with three meals a day. Berta insists I let ye have them. But mind ye, Dom, it isnae for yer sake. Berta is partial to yer wife and doesnae want her wasting away. Neither do I, and Nora will have plenty to say since I ken she kens, too.”
“One meal. She missed one meal,” Dominic grumbled.
“I didn’t want to go belowstairs, Aggie,” Emelie intervened. They’d never talked about it, but Emelie would have told Dominic her preference was to remain closed away in their chamber. She believed they’d proven to one another what they wanted. “I missed my husband and didn’t want to share him. I admit it.”
“And I had lost time to make up for,” Dominic quipped. Aggie’s expressive face made it clear she knew how things had stood between the couple. Emelie and Dominic couldn’t look at each other or her.
“And I suppose ye intend to spend the next sennight making up for it too.”
“I’d planned to,” Dominic said with his arms crossed.
“That didna intimidate me the first time ye tried it when ye grew taller than me, and it does naught to me now. I wiped yer arse and changed yer raggies,” Aggie reminded Dominic. “It’s the lass I worry aboot. Let her eat and sleep, or she’ll wind up ailing like Lady Laurel.”
“How is Lady Laurel?” Emelie asked, hoping to steer the conversation away from Aggie’s amusing chastisement.
“Improving. She was up and aboot last night to greet ye and the other men, but ye werenae to be seen.” Aggie grinned. “But we heard ye. That’s how we kenned yer wife hadnae starved to death.”
“One bluidy meal,” Dominic grumbled again.
“Aggie, stop teasing my poor husband. We’re glad to hear Laurel is feeling better. If Dom promises to let the maids in with trays, will you tell everyone I am fine?” Emelie offered Aggie, then Dominic, an indulgent smile.
“Aye. Just making sure yer husband understands we like ye.” Aggie cocked an eyebrow at Dominic, who shifted uncomfortably. He would speak to Aggie later about not comparing Emelie to Colina anymore. He hadn’t realized until after Colina’s death how many people disliked her for more than just being lazy. He learned she’d threatened and intimidated most of the maids, and she’d scared them too much for anyone to complain.
“Thank you, Aggie,” Emelie said. “I’m certain Dom will grow hungry enough to let the maids in with trays. But in the meantime, he takes good care of me. He won’t let me starve.”
“Good care of ye,” Aggie chuckled. “Be sure that he does. A woman in yer condition will find ye’re hungry for more than just food.” Aggie didn’t wait for either Emelie or Dominic to say anything more. She closed the door behind her to Dominic’s playful grumbles.
When the couple was alone again, Dominic carried the tray to the bed and sat beside Emelie. He poured cream in her porridge and handed it to her while she poured honey onto a bannock. Neither noticed the simple acts of domesticity as husband and wife prepared food they knew their partner preferred. After feasting on cheese and dried fruit to go along with the porridge and bannocks, Emelie leaned back against Dominic’s chest as they sat against the headboard.
“Em, we don’t have to leave our chamber today, but if you have duties you wish to see to, I won’t keep you from them. I was only half-jesting that I would keep you here for two days.”
“Can you make it a sennight?” Emelie asked as she ran her hand over Dominic’s rippled belly. The grooves and peaks the muscles made fascinated her. Everything about his body was so different from hers. She understood why mothers kept virgins in the dark about the finer parts of the male anatomy. Henry seemed almost scrawny compared to what Emelie discovered lay beneath Dominic’s clothes.
“Whatever you wish, wife,” Dominic said as his fingers trailed along Emelie’s back.
Emelie sighed. “Would that we could. I know you must meet with Brodie, and I wish to check on Laurel. I just find I’m not in a hurry for us to do either. But I don’t want people to talk, especially aboot you.”
“They already know you’re nother.”
“But didn’t she start out as a doting and dutiful wife? I don’t want them to think I’m trying to fool them, too.”
“I understand that. But they also know we’re newlyweds, and I’ve been away for several days.” Dominic tilted Emelie’s chin until he could look into her eyes. “We’ll do whatever you wish, sparrow.”
“What I wish and what I should do aren’t the same. Mayhap this afternoon will be soon enough.” Emelie wrapped her arm around Dominic’s waist, and they sat together discussing what they needed to do before that evening. They dozed together for several hours before making love once more. They completed their ablutions and readied themselves to face the world by midafternoon. Just before they left their chamber, Emelie touched Dominic’s forearm. “I enjoy talking to you.”
“I enjoy our conversations too, Em. I know confronting me that night couldn’t have been easy for you. But I’m glad that you feel comfortable doing so.”
“I don’t know that I would have ever been that direct with another mon. But I knew you would listen to me, and I didn’t fear you growing angry.” Emelie shrugged.
