Six Months Later…
“What did I tell you about me riding horses?” Heather complained, feeling as if she were almost the size of a horse.
Owen chuckled, pressing his lips to her hair. “Somethin’ about ye never wantin’ to ride one again?”
“Yet, here I am, riding one for days once more.” She sagged back against her husband, sinking into the support of his body. Everything ached within her, but it was not so bad if she could lean on him.
“There’s a cart for ye, love.” He brought her attention to the meager imitation of carriage that trailed behind Sawyer’s horse. The poor fellow had been forced to drag it the entire way, though Heather had refused to sit in it. Every rut or ridge in the road seemed to intensify, inside that awful thing, though she appreciated the effort her beloved had gone to.
She cast him a playful scowl. “I would rather ride a horse for a fortnight without pausing than sit in that thing. I mean no offense, but it is extremely painful.” She stretched out in a yawn. “Goodness, I miss our home.”
“As do I, love.” Owen scooped his arms beneath the swell of her belly, rich with new life, and lifted it up for a few minutes. A fleeting reprieve from the weight of her pregnancy. They had been blessed with the news, mere weeks after marrying. Although, the beginning of new life had likely been sparked prior to their wedding day.
Heather groaned in bliss. “Oh my goodness, that is wondrous. Can you do that the entire way to Gallagher Castle?”
“I daenae have the strength for that, love, but I’ll do it whenever ye desire. All ye need do is ask.” He bent his head to kiss her neck, drawing his lips across her skin and making her tingle with desire. She could not help it. Ever since becoming pregnant, and enduring the sickliness of the first few months, she had become insatiable in regard to Owen. Even now, if they had been alone, she would have urged him to stop so they could revel in one another.
“You are intoxicating, my love,” she purred, pushing the rise of her buttocks against the hardening length of his manhood, that sprang up beneath his breeches.
He growled against her neck. “As are ye, love. I’m beginnin’ to wish I hadnae invited an escort.”
“I can hear ye!” Sawyer shouted, wearing a grin of amusement. “Och, the two of ye are like wild animals. Do ye think we cannae hear ye at night, when we make camp? It’s fortunate we’re nae at war with England anymore, as I’m fairly sure ye’d give us away to half the country.”
Edith chuckled, riding at Sawyer’s side. “Leave them be, Lad. It warms me heart to see them so desperately in love. Aye, it’s loud, but it’s me belief that it should alwaysbe loud, if it’s good.”
“Is that true?” A look of worry crossed Sawyer’s face, as if he had never indulged in a loud evening of lovemaking.
Edith nodded. “Daenae fret, Lad. I imagine ye’ve had to steal yer moments with the lasses ye’ve lain with, which is why they’ve kept it quiet.”
“Ye’re just sayin’ that,” Sawyer muttered, pouting a little. Evidently, his sexual prowess was not as formidable as he had thought. Meanwhile, there was nothing wrong with Owen’s. If he had been wearing his belted plaid, maybe they could have stolen a carnal moment together, unseen.
Still, Heather was quite content to feel the press of his manhood against her back, and dream about all the delicious things she would experience later that night, when they could finally be alone. They were not too far from Gallagher Castle and would reach it by evening.
“It will feel strange to be back at that place,” she mumbled, thinking of the gloomy castle and the awful memories it held.
Owen kissed her cheek. “I’ll be there to chase away any ghosts and ghouls.”
“It will be so… empty.” She frowned, for though she hated her former home, it had always been filled with people: soldiers, servants, friends of her father’s, among others. Now, it stood desolate, unclaimed and unloved.
“Nae for long,” Owen reassured, for the new Earl of Gallagher would take up residence there by the end of the month. Indeed, he had gone ahead of them. The only reason that Heather was returning at all was to choose some belongings that she wished to keep, and to be with Edith as she paid her last respects to William. There had been talk about having him exhumed and taken to Dunn Castle, but Edith had decided that would be too painful.
Yet, Edith seemed much happier, these days. She did not carry the weight of her grief like a leaden cloak anymore. Killing Elias had likely been the first step toward her healing, but spending time among good people, in a good place, with a sister-in-law who adored her, had proved to be far more of a comfort.
Indeed, Edith was very much looking forward to becoming an aunt, and she spent many an afternoon weaving wool into little garments for the niece or nephew that would be born in a couple of months. Sometimes, when she thought no one could hear, she spoke out loud to William about the events of the day and the things she was hopeful for, which never failed to make Heather smile whenever she overheard those moments.
As for Elias’ resting place—he had been buried in a simply marked grave, just outside the walls of Dunn Castle. Since his interment, Heather had not visited once. It felt rather like bad luck to let her unborn child anywhere near the grave of such a man, and she had nothing more to say to him, anyway. Edith had said it all with her blade.
None of them knew if it was known what had happened to Elias, but it appeared that his “loyal” men were not keen on being punished for their part in the crime. As such, they had stayed quiet, and all that England had heard of it was that Elias had died in a hunting accident.
“At last.” Heather expelled a grateful breath as the turrets of Gallagher Castle came into view. Her backside was numb, and she did not know if she had any more hours of riding within her. At least, not horse-riding.
Before long, they arrived at the gates, where a familiar face awaited them.
“I saw you up on the hill, so I thought I would come to welcome you into my unexpected residence,” Brandon said with a smile.
With Elias having no living sons or nephews to inherit the title of Earl, it had been gifted to Brandon, who had been named as the inheritor in William’s will. Elias’ will, on the other hand, had vanished without a trace, though Heather and Brandon had a sneaking suspicion that the priest might have been the one to get rid of it, as clemency for his wrongdoings.
Owen got down and helped Heather to the ground, where she promptly embraced her old friend. “Have you decided to come back to Dunn Castle yet? I hoped one or two nights in this awful place might change your mind.”
