Because of the late hour, supper was moreprivate than usual with Finn and Ramsay being their only guests.Veronica realized her husband didn’t want her to go with him to theCampbells tomorrow so she reminded Lachlan under her breath thatshe would follow him anyway if he didn’t take her. “There’s nosense in fighting me on this.” He threw her an irritated look, buteventually grunted a concession.
Finn and Ramsay must have overheard theexchange for they were grinning at Lachlan’s discomfit. She feltlike throttling the duo, her husband’s best warriors or not. Shedidn’t know if they realized it, but their reactions were uppingthe likelihood that Lachlan would lecture her later on behavinglike a proper wife in public and she wasn’t in the mood for anothersession of it.
Fortunately, Victor picked that moment toexcitedly share what he’d learned about the virus by bringing Finnand Ramsay up to speed concerning the boiling tar. Veronica made nomove to hide her smile as her brother droned on and on—and on andon!—concerning every detail regarding his discovery. My how thetables had turned. Now she was the amused one and Lachlan’s menlooked miserable. Good.
“For the love of the saints, mon,” Ramsayfinally grumbled out. “We dinna ken a thing you’ve said save theboiling tar kills the dead come back to life!”
Veronica smiled fully, showcasing her neat,white teeth. The action was not lost on Lachlan who secreted away asmall smile of his own.
“My husband is verra passionate aboot hiswork,” Catriona defensively harrumphed. Her spine straightenedregally as she chastised Finn and Ramsay. “Were it not for myVictor, like as naught we would all be the dead come back tolife.”
“Were it not for your husband,” Finngrumpily mumbled, “we wouldna be needing to battle the risen deadto begin with.”
Veronica’s smile dissolved. The table grewso quiet you could hear a pin drop. “Are you saying you wish Victorand I had never come here?” Veronica murmured.
“Nay, milady!” Finn quickly assured her. Hemust have seen Lachlan’s furious expression for his face reddened.“I’m just tired. I dinna ken what I was thinking when I said that.Please forgive my insolence.”
“I know you were the one, Finn, who set fireto the infected flesh on my clothing with boiling pig fat,”Veronica said, her eyes narrowed in challenge. “Had you just burntit down in a normal fashion, we wouldn’t be sitting here havingthis conversation!”
Lachlan thumped his fist on the table. “Letus all take hold of ourselves. It doesna matter who did what atthis point. All we needs must think on is retrieving Douglass andCameron, whether from the snows or the resurrected dead.”
Veronica sighed as she broke from herdefensive stare. She didn’t understand why Finn’s words hadbothered her so sorely, but they had. Perhaps it had something todo with the fact that this was the first place that had felt likehome to her in years. Victor likely felt the same way. As aconsequence, to hear someone infer that the Gunns would be betteroff had she and her brother never came to the past was more than alittle hurtful. Still, she typically let people’s bullshit opinionsslide off her back. She should have this time too.
“You’re right,” Veronica said with forcedcheer. She stood up, causing the men to as well. “If you’ll excuseme, I’m going to my room for the night. Don’t stop eating on myaccount.”
“You see what you did, Finn,” Veronica heardCatriona chide in a hushed voice as she headed for the stairs.“’Twas a needless comment on your part.”
“Quite needless,” Moira added. “You willapologize again come the morn.”
The last thing she heard from the group asshe finished climbing the stairs was Victor boasting that everyonewould be happy about his and Veronica’s arrival after he finishedhis next project. “It’s called a bidet-toilette,” her brotherannounced. “Let me tell you all about it.”
The collective group groan that followedVictor’s proclamation brought immense satisfaction to Veronica. Shegrabbed a torch from beside one of her bedroom’s doors and took itinside to light candles around the room so she could see. Afterplacing the torch back in its resting place, she shut the bedroomdoors for a final time. Maybe she was being childish, but she hopedher brother carried on about the bidet-toilette until Finn’s earsbled.
*****
Lachlan found his wife in her hellion attirepracticing her Kalari. Her proficiency with stabbing weapons wasimpressive indeed. Folding his arms across his chest, he stood inthe bedchamber and merely watched. She was concentrating on herposes, jumps, and kicks so mightily that he dinna ken if she evenrealized he was near. After a time, he cleared his throat onpurpose to make certain she was aware of him. Veronica stoppedmid-kick and stood upright.
“You finished supper?” she asked, herbreathing a bit ragged.
“Aye. Some time ago.”
“I see.”
“I talked with Finn,” he told her. “For whatit’s worth, the mon feels terrible that he injured yourfeelings.”
“He didn’t injure my feelings,” Veronicasaid, looking at the floor. “He just…” She glanced up. “…injured myfeelings,” she admitted.
Lachlan snorted at her bemused confession.“Would you like a bath, wife?”
“You know what?” She sighed, her handsflying to her hips. “I hate to put Maisie out, but yeah, I do wantone. Besides, I’m sweaty.”
He winked. “I prefer you sweaty. Usuallythat means I’m riding you like a madmon.”
She said nothing to that, didn’t even cracka smile, which worried him a bit. He hoped she would not allowFinn’s thoughtless comment to ruin her mood for the whole of theeve. Her happiness mattered to him, he knew. It matteredsorely.
Thirty minutes later, Veronica sat in thehot waters as Lachlan washed and then brushed out her long hair.She had the faraway look of a woman with something on her mind.Rather than pry, he decided she’d tell him aboot it when she feltready.
“I love you, Lachlan,” Veronicamurmured.
