“No ye won’t,” Roderick said with a stern glance.
“I’m fine, Galen, thank you,” she told him.
As Siena made her way from the room she wondered if she would be all right. Now that she knew the secret.
A secret that men would kill to have.
A secret that would remain guarded until a time that she needed it.
Chapter 11
Siena was glad that she’d had Agatha move her things to the laird’s solar. She opened the door and surveyed her new room. She took a deep breath and tucked her secret safely in the back of her mind.
The laird’s bedroom was much larger than the room she had been in and the bed appeared huge with its four posters. There were no hangings around the bed as she once had on hers back home. It was plain and masculine with the red tartan spread across the foot.
A rug that extended all around the bed, felt plush when she stepped on it. There wasn’t a lot of furniture, but she did see a chest at the end of the bed and several more chests on one wall with hooks above them. Two chairs flanked a round table in front of the fireplace and she thought that would be a nice place to do needlework because there were two windows instead of one so there would be plenty of light to see by.
However, what caught her eye now was her white nightgown that had been draped across the red plaid bedcovers. She felt a chill run up her arms. She didn’t think it was possible to be scared and thrilled at the same time but that is how she would describe the butterflies in her stomach. She didn’t waste any time changing into her gown, then climbed into bed. She would be very uncomfortable if she’d had to undress in front of Roderick.
What if Roderick wasn’t pleased that she had no idea what she was supposed to do? What if he didn’t like the way she looked? She started breathing quickly. She needed to calm down she reminded herself or she’d faint again and that would never do.
This could be a short marriage.
* * *
Roderick opened the door.
He glanced around the room until he spotted Siena, then he shut the door behind him and bolted the door. He didn’t move but stood there staring at her and taking her breath away. Roderick seemed to fill the doorway with his broad shoulders and those piercing black eyes. How could she be so lucky?
Siena straightened her shoulders as she leaned back on the pillows, wondering what he was thinking. Should she be doing something? He definitely wasn’t smiling at the moment. Could he possibly be regretting the marriage already? My God she was a bundle of nerves as she gripped the bedding.
“Ye know, lass,” Roderick shoved away from the wall and moved toward the chairs. “I never thought to see someone in my bed again.” He sat down on the brown chair and pulled off his boots.
“A--Any regrets?”
Roderick jerked his head back to her. “Nay, lass. Yer so beautiful, I feel like a very lucky mon.” He saw doubt in Siena’s eyes. She appeared frightened. “Ye dinna believe me?”
“I-I’ve never had anyone tell me I was beautiful, but Agatha, and she is more or less required to say nice things,” Siena said with a smile.
Roderick chuckled as he continued to undress. He tossed his shirt over the back of the chair. “All ye have to do is look in a mirror to see that I tell the truth.”
“I was never allowed a mirror when I went to live with my brother. Besides it’s a sin to dwell on one’s appearance.”
“Then ye’ll have to take my word, lass.” He unbuckled his belt and his kilt fell to the floor, causing Siena to gasp.
Her intake of breath told him that he would have to take things slow. She looked like she could bolt at any minute the way she had her hands gripping the sheets. “Ye dinna need to be afraid of me, lass,” he said in a soft voice.
Good Lord Almighty, Siena thought.
She couldn’t help peeking between her fingers as he dropped his kilt on the chair by the fireplace. His body was so muscular and strong. She didn’t think there was an ounce of fat on his body. And he … he was so big. She didn’t see how their bodies would ever fit together. When he turned back toward her, she lowered her gaze, feeling shy and unsure of herself. She wondered for a moment if they could just be friends.
The bed sagged as Roderick slid under the covers. The next thing Siena knew she was being pulled over next to his warm body. He slipped a finger under her chin and tilted her face up to him. She gazed into his dark eyes unsure of what to say or do. She wished she’d had a mother to tell her what she was expected to do as a wife.
“Dinna be afraid.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” she said, ignoring the mocking voice inside of her that wondered why he’d chosen her. “I-It’s just that . . . I’m unsure what I’m supposed to do.”
“Ah,” Roderick said as he rubbed his hand up and down her arm. “I think we should take this slow for now. I’ll teach ye everythin’ ye need to know. Ye just have to trust me. This is one time that I’m verra glad ye have had no experience.”
