“Ye willnae saddle me with this brat,” Niall objected.
Jennet was startled enough by that harsh voice to turn. Suddenly Murdoc was thrust into her arms. She laughed softly when, an instant later, the child lunged toward Hacon with his small arms outstretched. Hacon quickly accepted the child and gave the boy a hug. She huddled closer to Hacon’s side when he put his arm about her shoulder. He was talking to Niall.
“I owe you, Sir Niall, for safely returning my wife to me.” When Dugald took Murdoc, Hacon extended his hand to Niall.
After hesitating only briefly, Niall shook his hand. “Ye owe me nothing.”
“I must disagree. The return of my wife demands some reward.”
“Ye owe me nothing.” Niall glared at Jennet. “I leave ye to tell him why I act so nobly.” Still leading his mount, he strode off down the street.
“What ails the mon?” Hacon watched Niall’s abrupt departure with a frown of confusion.
“I fear ’tis my fault his mood is so sour. At least, more sour than it has been. I had the ill manners to save his life.”
“Ye were attacked?” He hastily looked her over, searching for any hint of a wound.
That display of concern made Jennet feel decidedly warm. She wondered if her deep desire to drag Hacon off to the nearest private spot and make fierce love to him was obvious to all who looked at her. Then she decided she did not care if it was.
“Two men attacked us. Sir Niall did verra weel but”—she shrugged—“two against one can defeat even the greatest swordsmon.”
“Ah, and ye decided to lend a hand. That must have sorely stung his pride.”
“More like his purse. He had planned to ransom me back to you, the rogue. It didnae please him to owe me his life.”
“He didnae hurt you, did he?”
“Nay.” She decided that was not really a lie, for despite his dark threats, Sir Niall had done her no real harm. “Hacon, have ye seen my father or heard any news of him?”
He hugged her as he shook his head. “Nay, dearling, I fear not. We have asked everyone we could. None have seen him since the alarum sounded, although a few saw him walk toward us before that.”
“Aye.” She slipped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his chest as she yet again told of the shepherd. “My father wanted to ken what we might face ere we fled from it. He left me ready to run and hide at the first sign of trouble. I havenae seen him since. I cannae believe I have lost him again.”
“Now, dearling, we have no proof that he is dead.”
“But if he lives, why has he not returned?”
“If ye werenae so worried, I believe ye would think of the answer yourself. He is a Scot on the wrong side of the border. That could easily mark him as a traitor. He must hide. If he was captured, even I might not be able to save him. He will work his way back to Scotland and search us out at Dubheilrig.”
“Aye, aye, he will. I must believe that, as ever, he has escaped death and I will see him soon.” In an attempt to stop worrying, she asked, “Ye must tell me how it is ye are alive when we were told ye had fallen at Dundalk.”
“Ah, now there is a long, complicated tale.” He lifted her up in his embrace.
Jennet slipped her arms around his neck as he started to enter the cottage. “Does that mean ye willnae tell me?”
“Oh, aye, I will, but I think ’twill take me until dawn. Dugald, watch over Murdoc,” he ordered before kicking the battered door shut behind him.
He set her on her feet and Jennet smiled faintly as he bolted the door. She easily recognized the look on his face, and she had no objection to satisfying it. His desire equaled her own. She simply wondered if they would make it even to the rude bed on the far wall before succumbing to their passion.
“It is still verra hard for me to believe ye are alive,” she whispered.
“Weel, then,” Hacon murmured, “mayhaps I had best easeallyour doubts.”
Her soft laughter was ended by his kiss. She lost all sense of where she was. Only Hacon existed, Hacon and her intense, desperate need to be one with him. She joined him in the frantic unlacing of their clothing. He paused only long enough to haphazardly throw a blanket onto the floor. When he urged her body down onto the blanket she made no protest, welcoming him as he covered her. She wrapped her limbs around him after assisting him in pushing up her skirts. A soft cry of delight and deep satisfaction escaped her when he thrust into her. It seemed as if it had been a lifetime since he had filled her body with his.
His urgent need made him a little rough, but her own need met his. In truth, she welcomed the slight roughness despite knowing she might find a bruise or two in the morning. It left her with no doubt about his continued good health. Nor could the man plunging into her body so vigorously be a mere dream.
Her release came swiftly, as did his. Jennet laughed with pure joy as she felt his seed flow into her. Trembling, she held him tightly when he sagged on top of her, holding him locked in an intimate embrace. She savored the impractical thought of holding him there forever.
