“Why not?” she asked.
“Because ye need rest.”
While she didn’t disagree, it was difficult to ignore how he made her feel and how she wanted to fall into his arms every time he kissed her.
“I should leave ye to that.”
He nudged her gently off him and started to rise. He was right in that she needed rest, but the only way she was going to get that rest was if she found a way to relax.
“You know…what I’d like really is a bath.”
He quirked an eyebrow at her. “I can have a tub brought in and filled.”
“That would be wonderful.”
A brightness beamed through her at the thought of a hot bath. For the first time in days, she cracked a smile as relief raced through her.
He kissed her cheek and rose from the bed. Before he left, he reached into his sporran and brought out her piece of the stone, handing it to her. She took it with a nod of thanks. Once again, he looked after the stone on her behalf. She was doing a terrible job of never letting it out of her sight.
“I’ll be back soon.”
After he left the bedchamber, she glanced down at the little jagged rock. Blood was smeared along the faded lines. She wondered then, if she shifted the timeline as Athea suggested in her vision, would it send her home? If it sent her home, then what of Jamie? What of her sisters? What of anything that had happened since Evie stepped back in time? Would it alterthistimeline they were currently in?
There were too many questions. They all made her head hurt.
That and the thought of leaving Jamie sent a pang of longing with a hint of panic through her. Suddenly, she knew. She didn’t wantto leave Jamie.
And that was a problem.
She’d broken her own, first rule—never get attached.
Exasperated with herself, she dropped the small piece of stone on the bedside table just as the door scraped open. Jamie entered, standing aside to allow servants to bring in an oversized wooden tub. Several girls held kettles. Once the tub was placed in front of the fire, the girls filled it with steaming water.
Brianna was so happy to see the tub with steaming water, she nearly wept with joy. Even Jamie saw the happiness on her face and returned the smile, showing off those deep dimples of which she was so fond.
“I’ll leave ye to it then, lass.”
He granted her one last longing look as he reached for the door and pulled it closed, leaving her alone.
Chapter Nineteen
The water turnedtepid and her fingers shriveled, a sure sign it was time to get out of the tub. Brianna finally pulled herself out and toweled off. She redressed, pulling on the woolen stockings, the shift, and the wool dress. The castle was drafty and—much as she hated to admit it—Evie was right in that she needed the layers.
She picked up the stone off the bedside table and held it a moment, gazing down at the fractured, faint lines. It was a wonder to her that such a small stone could hold so much power. Vowing to be a better keeper, she slipped it into the pocket of her dress.
Jamie hadn’t returned yet. Likely he was giving her time to herself after the strange ordeal with the vision. A vision of the dark past the three of them had shared.
Her stomach grumbled, a reminder she hadn’t eaten much that day. The vision had taken a lot out of her. Though her muscles were more relaxed than they had been in days, bone deep fatigue pounded through her.
She wasn’t sure if she should wait for Jamie to return. The fire in the hearth was dwindling and the chill in the room spread. Unwilling to wait any longer, she pulled open the door and stepped into the hall.
There was a silent calmness to the castle. Something she hadn’t noticed before.
As she headed down the hall to the stairs, a door scraped open. Evie exited into the hall. When she saw her, she stopped short.
“Bri…there you are.” She waved her toward her, then rested her hand on the swell of her belly. “I was about to come get you.”
“For what?”
