By the time he collapsed onto the couch, he was sweating as if he had climbed the highest mountain in Scotland. As Lorna slid another pillow behind him, he caught hold of her hand. “For a woman who swore she would be second to none, ye cared for me as if I was yer own.”
She sat on the edge of the cushion beside him. Avoiding his gaze, she stared at their hands as if searching for the right words. After a deep breath, she offered a bewildered shrug. “I care about ye and couldna leave pulling ye through this hell to someone else.” A smile teased her lovely mouth into a bow. “Yer daughter ordered Murdina hanged from the tower.” With a somber tip of her head, she leveled her gaze with his. “Ye already have yer heir, Gunn. Brilliant as she already is, she will make a fine chieftain someday.”
“’Tis a rare thing for a woman to lead a clan. And would be more difficult for her because she is a lass.” He started to shake his head, then thought better of it because of the pounding. “I dinna wish her to have to battle for respect every day of her life.”
“Women do that regardless of any title they bear.” She patted his chest. “Let me fetch ye some water, aye?”
“Not yet.” He held tight to her hand, needing to hear her confirmation she felt as much tenderness for him as he did for her. “Ye know there will be no more Lady Murdina, aye? Whether by Bella’s order to hang her or mine to have her packed up and sent away.”
She didn’t speak. Just turned and gazed at the fire, staring at the flames.
“Lorna?”
“There is something else ye should know.” She released a heavy sigh. “The woman swears she could be carrying yer child because of yer coupling with her two days ago.”
“What coupling?” he demanded so loud it made him wince and grab his head.
“The day Bella and I brought ye fresh bannocks to coax ye into coming out, Murdina exited the library, straightening her hair and clothes.” Her scowl hardened, deepening the shadows created by the firelight on her profile. “She was smug that day. Proud as a cat that had just lapped up all the cream.” She turned back to him. “I made Bella wait in the hall because I sensed something wasna right.” She squeezed his hand. “And that is when I found ye sprawled on this couch with yer kilt shoved up around yer waist as if…”
“As if she had just ridden me hard,” he finished for her.
She nodded.
He raked a hand across his face, then covered his eyes. “I swear I dinna remember any of it. Not even her being in here.”
“She must have given ye one hell of a dose. ’Tis a miracle ye lived through it.”
Still rubbing his pounding forehead, he gritted his teeth. “I had planned to tell her that the marriage would not go through. Perhaps I did. I dinna ken for sure.”
“That is what Jasper figured.” She rose to her feet, pressed both hands to her lower back, and stretched. “I am going to fetch that water. Ye will try a sip, aye?”
He caught hold of her skirts and stopped her before she stepped away. “Ye know I would never bed that woman? Not willingly?”
She gave him a weary smile. “I know. But I also know that if she turns out to be pregnant, ye canna let her leave here until she bears the child and ye take it from her to raise here. No innocent should be exposed to a person willing to do what she did out of pure greed.”
“Ye forgive me, then?”
“There is nothing to forgive.” She twitched her skirt free of his hold. “Now let me get yer water.”
He watched her go, hoping she truly meant that she bore him no ill will. Since he had finally found the courage to risk his heart once again, he feared he had waited too long and she wouldn’t believe him. “Ye said Bella ordered the woman hanged?”
“Aye.” Lorna took the pitcher off the table at the other end of the couch and filled a glass. “Jasper and I convinced her that ye should have the opportunity to deal with the she-devil.” She paused and slowly placed the pitcher back on the table. “The only way Bella would agree was that we promised if ye died, we would carry out her order.” She knelt beside him and slid an arm under his shoulders. “Raise up a bit so ye dinna choke.”
“A kiss would keep me from choking,” he said, turning his face to hers.
“I am not above bribery,” she replied. “But drink first. A few sips. Then ye shall have yer kiss, aye?”
The water went down well enough. He managed almost half the cup to ensure he received his reward. As she eased him back down to the pillow, his gut let out a deep, grumbling gurgle.
She arched a brow and eyed his middle. “That did not sound good at all. Do ye need a basin?”
“Nay, my precious mouse. I need my kiss.”
With a hesitance that endeared her to him even more, she touched his cheek and looked into his eyes. “It isna fair the way ye have made me care about ye,” she whispered, a sheen of tears making her eyes glisten.
He slid his fingers along the curve of her jaw and up into her messy curls. “I fear ye have that wrong, my own. ’Tis yerself who unlocked my heart.” Cupping her face in his palm, he teased his thumb back and forth across the velvet of her cheek. “Ye hold the key, dearest mouse. Now and forevermore.”
“Aye,mo ghràidh. Just as ye hold the key to mine.” She nibbled the gentlest of kisses across his mouth, then lifted her head and smiled.
