Seeing a win waiting directly in front me, I seized it before she could realize what she offered as a bargain. "You will. You'll stay here this morning. Have a long soak, and let Maggie bringyou breakfast and all the gossip she gathered from the visiting servants."
Brigid huffed. "Torion?—"
I brushed my mouth over hers and savored the startled blink of her eyes. "If you insist I tolerate the betas…"
"I do," Brigid said, frowning.
"Then I insist you relax this morning and simply join us for the evening meal. These men are here to gain favors from me. I don't have to let them ogle my omega while they do it."
Brigid snorted, but her expression smoothed at last. I would instruct Maggie to bring her a cool compress for her eyes too.
"Fine," she sighed. She turned, and I held my breath as she snuggled into my chest. Had she ever done that before? Probably, but I couldn't think straight with her so close. Everything was different this morning. "Let's go back to sleep. No one will be up so early."
"No…" I agreed, wondering if I could push my luck this morning as I added, "But I do have something to show you."
I'd planned on waiting until the betas had left, but perhaps after last night's confessions, it might be best to give her some time to think over my offers before she'd already made her arrangements to leave the keep again.
"Mm, is it important?" she mumbled, her lips brushing against the bare skin of my chest.
Was it important? I couldn't remember. Probably not. It probably wouldn't do any good. I would be more likely to make her relent and return to the keep by annoying her and getting in her way at the cottage with an extended stay. I didn't want to annoy her. I wanted to show her that I understood her, that I could take care of her in a way I suspected no one had tried before.
Brigid sighed and leaned back. "Oh, very well. Show me."
I glanced toward the window once more. It was too early for our guests to be waking. Then again, it was too early to warrant dragging Brigid from the bed after a difficult night. "It's not very?—"
"No, you've made me curious now and I won't be able to rest while I'm wondering," she huffed, twisting away from me, but not before I caught the hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth.
"You look as though you expect to be pleased," I said, following after her, watching with greedy eyes as she shucked off yesterday's gown. There was just enough light through the window to tease me with her silhouette through her new thin chemise. It had pretty lace along the hem, which meant I probably shouldn't tear it off of her any time soon.
Brigid paused, half turned toward me, head tipping thoughtfully. "I suppose I can't imagine you wanting to show me something that would displease me."
With my throat strangely choked, I stumbled to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist and drawing her in to kiss her temple. "Fair enough," I rasped out.
Afraid of popping this tenuous bubble between us, formed of something like ease and something like harmony and something infinitely more fragile, I hurried to dress. Brigid was learning to trust me, even if she didn't always realize how much that trust had grown. My patience continued to be fruitful, which made my path forward easy enough to follow. The mistakes a man like Malcolm had made were ones I wanted nothing to do with. Brigid was my omega, and whether she was here at my side, sliding into a simple day dress, or alone at the cottage while I suffered without her, I wanted no other woman. I would not leave her coping with her stress alone, not as long as she was willing to share her concerns with me…or I could ferret them out on my own.
I finished dressing and returned to Brigid as she struggled braiding her hair, taking it and completing it for her.
"Can we sneak by the kitchens on the way to whatever it is you have to show me? Maggie will have my ginger tea brewing by now," Brigid said.
"For your morning sickness?" I asked, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"It isn't very severe, although it's still a little early yet," Brigid explained as I led her out into the hall. Her voice lowered. "Most days, it's nothing more than a queasy kind of feeling that pops up, morning or otherwise. The tea manages that easily enough." She was quiet until we reached the stairs, then leaned against me briefly before adding, "Some days, I think the feeling has more to do with nerves about the pregnancy than the pregnancy itself."
I took Brigid's free hand and lifted it to my lips as I tucked away the information. Brigid would need ginger tea at her side until she declared otherwise. Perhaps ginger biscuits too, just in case.
The tea was ready when we reached the kitchen, steaming in a large ceramic pint mug instead of the fine china, and Brigid took it gratefully, warming her hands around the base as she took small sips. The keep was chilly in the morning, especially downstairs, where doors to the outside were being opened as the staff busied and prepared for the day. Perhaps I could find some nice woolen gloves or a thicker shawl for Brigid as well.
"You're staring," she said to me. "Aren't we meant to be going somewhere?"
Caught, I thought, and I wrapped Brigid closer to my side with an arm and spread my wing at her back to block any drafts as we continued on our way.
The office I'd arranged for Brigid had been previously used as a ladies' sitting room, although my mother had found it too small and tucked away, the last door in the left lower hallway.Still, it was twice the size of Brigid's cottage interior, and had a large—and newly repaired—window that overlooked the small loch to the south of the keep. It also had a secret door that opened to a stairway down to the herb garden, making it easy for Brigid to gather and store her wares.
"If you don't like it, or just parts of it—" I started before opening the door.
"Torion," Brigid said with a little huff of impatience.
"Anything can be changed," I said, knowing full well that the men I'd had laboring to set this room to rights might have something to say, or at least think about that.
