Her noises of pleasure were sounding different. She was suddenly afraid of him, though he didn’t understand why. Before he could fully pull away, she shoved against his chest with the flat of her hand.
“What is amiss?” His brain was foggy, but he knew her fear. He tried to move to alleviate her panic.
“No!”
Darragh yanked himself to stand before her. “Tell me, Brighit. What is it ye fear?”
Brighit wagged her head from side to side, covering her face.
“How have I hurt ye?” He was torn between compassion for her fear and irritation that she still wouldn’t tell him what caused it. “How am I to avoid what I do not know I have done?”
“’Tis not ye.” Her words came out between her sobs.
“Iam the only one with ye.” His mind worked frantically, grabbing at every passing thought to reach her. “Ye were untouched, Brighit. How is it that ye are so fearful, ye must push me away?” Beside himself, he squeezed his scalp with his fingertips. “I have pleasured ye in every way I know how. If ye find me lacking still, I can offer ye nothing more.”
Darragh stalked off, away from the small encampment, certain he’d spoken so loudly in his frustration that each of his men knew the breadth of their estrangement.
His hopes dashed, he pledged to stop seeking her out. This was indeed a miserable existence for the both of them.
Chapter 15
The heavens unleashed rain in the middle of the night. Their travels were slowed by the heavy, unrelenting downpour, which washed out the trails the carriage needed to travel. The mood of the group quickly plummeted. Heavy clouds pressed against them and blocked out the sun, and nights were spent huddled under leatherbraitsthat didn’t provide much warmth and never allowed their clothing to dry completely.
“A roundhouse ahead.” Terrence came back into the group of riders that halted and encircled him. He’d been sent up ahead in the hopes of finding some place dry they could rest. “’Tis a small house but no doubt hospitable.”
The men’s eyes lit up, their expressions relaxing for the first time in days. Darragh looked forward to the respite as well. He’d been avoiding Brighit again, but they needed to come to an understanding. They were bound together and could not continue this way forever.
“Will ye go ahead and see if they’ll open their doors to us?” one of the men asked, speaking loud enough to be heard over the rain pouring down around them as they stood huddled under a tree.
“I will go ahead with my bride.” Darragh glanced toward the carriage that had stopped half a wheel deep in the mud. “But ’twould probably be easier to travel by horse.”
“A cumbersome vehicle to be certain, but no doubt it gives her some comfort,” Terrence said.
Darragh bristled at the protective way he spoke of her, as ifhewere the husband, but he also knew she showed him no preference despite the way he spoke of her.
Terrence nodded. “And if they’ve no room for the likes of us to stay, they will certainly make room for ye and Brighit. Rest assured a warm meal would be welcome enough to us.” The others added their agreement.
Darragh appreciated the suggestion that he and his wife could use some distance from the others, but Terrence’s attitude toward Brighit still baffled him. There seemed to be nothing untoward between them, and yet…
Did his friend believe Brighit needed an ally? Againsthim?
“I will see to it.” Darragh opened the carriage door to find Brighit leaned against the far side, a heavy wool wrapped tightly around her. “Did ye hear the news?”
Brighit’s eyes seemed unusually bright, and her teeth were chattering as well. Immediately concerned, he pushed his way inside to kneel before her, warily raising a palm to her forehead. “Ye’re burning up with fever.”
He was struck by the fact that she was sick and hadn’t felt it necessary to tell him. How little did she think of him? He’d been more than attentive and still she held herself at a distance. Even now, she shook her head to deny the truth while her eyes drooped closed again.
“Ye most certainly are.” Over his shoulder, Darragh shouted the men into action. “Water! Start a fire as best ye can and see to some warm broth.”
Terrence moved in close to look at the two of them within the wood-sided conveyance. “What is amiss?”
“She has a fever.”
“Some of the men were not well this morning. Was it something they ate that’s sickened them?”
“I’m not sick.” The weakness of her protest belied her statement.
“If not, then why are ye soaked through in your own sweat?” He pulled off the blanket and then immediately opened her cloak, blocking the other man’s view of the curves nicely displayed through the dampened material. “Terrence, can ye fetch a cloth for cooling her? And ask the men to set up a shelter for her. She’ll not be able to travel to the roundhouse like this.”
