Darragh could only describe the expression on Brighit’s face when she turned to him as exhilarated. “Could I? May we stay long enough for her to teach me?”
He couldn’t be certain it wasn’t the herbs from the tea causing this reaction, but her sheer pleasure at the idea of learning something to do with cooking was nothing short of a miracle. “If that would please ye.”
“Iwouldlike that.” Her bashful smile of appreciation was accompanied by another small gesture—her hand finding his and then resting them together on her lap. “Thank ye.”
“I have many hives that we keep. Helps make for a sweet life, eh, Gwen?”
The older woman smiled but kept her attention on Brighit. “How are ye with oats? They’ve a fine taste with the honey as well.”
Again Brighit responded enthusiastically. Darragh sipped at his ale, watching his wife have an animated conversation for the first time in days—and about cooking no less. He was totally perplexed. Were the copious amounts of ale, mixed with the strange herbal concoction, loosening her tongue? Her fever and any sickness from it were long gone.
Duncan had assured him the herbs only heightened things she would already have a liking for and yet her repeated disdain for women’s work seemed to disavow that idea. Gwen’s ready smile and quick wit seemed to make Brighit at ease enough to ask many questions.
“Ye are a great one with questions.” Gwen ladled out more hot soup for Darragh before he could stop her. “Are ye interested in learning more?”
“Oh I am.” She nodded eagerly, turning to Darragh. “Gwen would be a wonderful teacher.”
Gwen dropped her gaze, clearly embarrassed by the compliment. “I’d be happy to show ye the things I’ve learned over the years.”
When Brighit covered the woman’s hand with her own, Darragh had the odd sensation he was witnessing a side of Brighit she preferred to keep hidden, though he didn’t understand why that would be.
“I would be happy to learn fromyeall ye can teach me,” Brighit said, her voice pitched low purposefully, so as to convey how genuine she was in her appreciation.
Darragh squeezed her other hand that sat in her lap where their hands were still joined. “Then if ye’re willing to keep us for a few days, that’s what we shall do.”
Brighit’s eyes sparkled when she glanced at all of them. He felt a strong sense of accomplishment that he was able to give her this simple pleasure. Terrence and the others arrived without incident, but it was Iain he told about the change in plans. He had no patience for Terrence’s evasions. Darragh and Brighit would meet up with them at week’s end at Terrence’s former clan. The men were settled in the empty stable for the night and would leave at daybreak to continue their mission.
Brighit wrinkled her nose. “Are there leeks in this?”
“Aye. Ye can put in soup anything ye have stored,” Gwen said.
“They are difficult to clean.”
“Ah, it does take patience.”
Brighit nodded thoughtfully. “Soup does not seem difficult to make.”
“Not at all. We can make more on the morrow.”
Brighit caressed Darragh’s hand where it rested on her thigh while continuing to speak to Gwen. “This is very tasty and ye say there’s no meat in it?”
Darragh grasped his wife’s leg, noticing she didn’t look at him and she didn’t miss a word. When he repeated the gesture, she again caressed his hand—but in encouragement or discouragement he couldn’t be certain.
When he gripped her thigh more firmly, her eyes widened the slightest bit, but her words remained conversational. William coughed across the table from Darragh. When he looked toward him, the man’s attention was on his soup.
Again, he gripped her leg and she shifted it slightly closer. Encouragement? He believed so, imagining the slight parting of her thighs beneath her lovely green gown.
“We are not always able to get out and hunt. Isn’t that right, William?” Gwen spoke louder whenever she included her husband in the conversation. He nodded in agreement, his lips puckering as if the answers required deep thought.
Working his fingers closer to the imagined cleft between Brighit’s legs, Darragh squeezed her thigh again. Her hip moved beside him and she sat up straighter.
“And ye have no help here?” Brighit didn’t miss a word. “How d'ye keep it all up with just the two of ye?”
Darragh marveled at her composure—hecould think of nothing but getting between those legs. He noticed William’s questioning expression with a start and realized he’d missed something.
“Say again?”
William smiled, his eyes creasing with the gesture. “I think ’tis best we get some sleep, Mama.”
