“Do ye ken if Colin and the housekeeper are still weel?”
“Och, aye, they are, and they remain close by the laird. I think some of the men protect them as weel, and as much as they can, but the place is ne’er going to be verra safe for them until Robert is gone. Seems they have tried to warn the laird about his son, but he isnae heeding them. They stopped because they didnae wished to be pushed away and leave the old mon unprotected.”
“There is naught we can do?” She tensed a little when he reached out to toy with a lock of her hair.
“Nay. We did all we can and he is getting better. What needs to be done now is getting ye and Andrew far away from Robert and here, where the sheriff can reach ye, too.”
“Weel, if we are to be traveling soon, ye best get out of here so that I can get ready.” She shivered as he slowly stroked her neck.
“I could help,” he said as he shifted close enough to wrap his arm around her waist. “I am verra good with laces.”
“So am I. I believe I can manage without aid despite my infirmity,” she said as she placed her hands on his chest, intending to give him a little shove. “And that may be something ye shouldnae say to women as they then wonder why and where ye got such skill.”
He grinned. “Yourinfirmity? And the skill can be picked up easily enough if one has a family that includes a lot of women and girls, unlike the Camerons or the MacFingals.” He laughed softly as he tugged her closer.
Mora had the feeling that she should stop him as he lowered his mouth to hers and held her close. Instead she let him kiss her, and this time it was not an innocent, light brush of the lips. This time he put some urgency into it. Slowly, making very certain she caused herself no pain, she reached up to put her arms around his neck and hold him close, savoring the feel of his strength and warmth. When he lightly nipped at her bottom lip, she gasped, and suddenly his tongue was in her mouth. He stroked the inside of her mouth and she began to warily mimic his actions as a strange fever began to grow deep inside her.
This is desire, she thought, and was both fascinated and tempted. The embrace he held her in tightened and he pulled her even closer until their bodies were hard up against each other. She was just sinking into the pleasure of another kiss when a sharp pain caused her to cry out.
Gybbon pulled away from her and cursed himself for being so impatient. He had wanted her from the moment he had set eyes on her, but her wound, as well as all her other troubles, had worked to hold him back. Knowing that her stitches were out had loosened the reins on that control. Kissing her had snapped them completely.
“I am so sorry,” he said as he tried to lift the hand she had clapped over the wound. “I wasnae thinking. . . .”
Mora pushed his hand away. “’Tis all right. Truly,” she reassured him when he looked doubtful. “’Twas mostly surprise that it could still hurt.”
“And so it should when some braw laddie is clutching you tight and tossing you round the bed.”
Covering her face with her hands so that she hid what she knew was a fierce blush stinging her cheeks, Mora wondered why they had not heard Jolene enter the room. Now she could add the embarrassment she felt at crying out like a child over what had only been a brief, if painful, twinge to the humiliation of being caught abed with a man by the lady of the manor.
“How do ye keep sneaking up on people?” asked Gybbon as he hastily checked his clothes to make certain they were not too badly disordered and stood to frown at Jolene as she walked to the side of the bed. “Ye have a true skill for suddenly appearing to make your opinion known.”
“And it is a skill I do not wish to share with anyone. I get too much pleasure out of stating my opinion. Now, shoo. I have come to help Mora dress for her journey.”
“I could probably do it myself,” Mora said quietly, trying hard not to laugh at the way Jolene had told Gybbon to “shoo.”
“Aye, but the less you twist and turn and lift your arms, the better it will be for you on your journey.”
Gybbon walked to the door and ignored the way Freya trotted in as if he had opened the door just for her. Then he frowned at Jolene’s back. “Did ye just tell me to shoo?”
Jolene’s lips twitched into a quick, faint smile and then she raised a hand to make a shooing gesture at Gybbon. “Aye, so shoo,” she repeated, then grinned widely when she heard the door shut behind him. “They hate when I do that. Now, are you really all right?”
“Aye, I really am. It just startled me. Ye had taken out the stitches and removed the bandage. Despite the fact that I had dutifully noted all ye said about being careful, I still just thought that I was healed, so when there was a sudden small pain, I think it shocked me a bit.”
“I suspect it did.” Jolene held out a hand. “Best you get dressed now. Time to break your fast.”
“Oh, I do find myself really hungry,” said Mora as she took Jolene’s hand and let the woman tug her to her feet.
“That is good. You did not have the fever for long, but it is good if you eat as well as you can for a while.”
“Thank ye kindly for the use of the shift.”
“Keep it. I am pleased it served and I fear yours is now gone. I used it for bandages.”
“That was what I was doing,” said Mora as she unlaced the shift.
“I will send the last two home with you. I was just thinking it might be a good idea if I put a loose one on you for the journey. ’Twill help keep the area clean and keep the healing salve off your gown.”
“Are ye giving me some of the salve?”
