“Sleeping with my mother,” Emilia answered. “She is thrilled. She has never known grandparents. Hers died when she was a tiny baby. Having Mammy is wonderful for her, and having Mara is wonderful for Mammy too. They adore each other.”
“Just as I adore you,” Adam whispered, pulling her close. Emilia leaned her head on his chest for a moment, closing her eyes and inhaling the musk of his skin.
Then suddenly Adam swept Emilia off her feet and she found herself being carried along the corridor to her bedroom. She struggled to make Adam release her, but he hung on.
“Your back!” she cried, seeing his grimace of agony. “Put me down you silly man!”
“It’s only pain,” he grunted.
When they reached the room Adam deposited her on the bed as if she was a piece of baggage, and they both began to laugh. Adam groaned as another twinge of pain attacked him. “Perhaps that was not such a good idea,” he admitted.
Emilia turned herself into his embrace and lifted her hand to caress his cheek, loving the feel of his bristle against her palm. He kissed it, then let it drift down over her breasts, but she stopped him, and he gave her a look of puzzlement till she reached down to the bulge she could see under his kilt. She touched it and he gave a little gasp of surprise and pleasure.
Then, greatly daring, she reached under his kilt to see what was there. She placed her hand on something that felt a little like rubber, but when she touched it more she found that it had a velvety skin that moved under her fingers. She caressed it and felt it stiffen, then she watched his face as she continued to move her hand. His breathing quickened and his expression was almost one of pain, but she knew that it was not. Suddenly he gave a long groan. His body shuddered for a little while, then was still.
“Thank you,” he whispered, his eyes shining.
“For what?” she asked, frowning.
“For giving me so much pleasure,” he replied. “For being here. For being you.” The smile he gave her was so full of love that it made her want to cry.
“I am so happy that I did,” she murmured. “And please, Adam, never leave me.”
He embraced her again. “I would give my life for you,” he whispered, and as he kissed her, she knew that he would.
After a brief rest, they went out to see Father Gordon again. He was kneeling on the hard wooden floor and they could see by his face and his posture that he was praying intensely. They turned away again and were about to go when he stood up.
“You wanted to ask me something?” he smiled, but he looked weary. They turned away again and were about to go when the priest stood and smiled at them, but it was a tired smile. The events of the last few days had taken it out of him probably more than anyone else except Adam, since he also had the spiritual side of things to attend to.
“I wanted to tell you my plans,” Adam replied. Father Gordon poured them all a cup of ale.
“In the next few days we need to be ready for anything,” Adam said firmly. “We are expecting the French but it might equally easily be the McElwees, so we must be prepared either way. Prepared to welcome the French or fight our rival clan. If necessary we must get the women and children out of Inverinch and into the woods and the caves. That will serve two purposes. One, they cannot take hostages, and two, it will keep them safe from harm. We will put the old and the sick into the church with some people to care for them. We must start arranging this now, since the French will arrive soon—hopefully before the enemy.”
Father Gordon looked out of the window, feeling sad and infinitely exhausted.
Adam and Emilia sat in silence for a few moments, looking at the priest. His shoulders were slumped and he looked pessimistic and defeated.
“You look so sad, Father,” Emilia observed, stretching over to put her hand over his. “It has been a punishing few days, has it not?”
Father Gordon nodded. “They say that God never gives you a burden too heavy for you to bear, but sometimes I wonder.” He sighed. “I have been in this life for twenty years and I have never been sorry I chose it, but sometimes I wish the Church would see fit to let me marry. Sometimes spiritual comfort is so distant, and it would be good to have some of the warm human kind.” He smiled at them. “I have no need to ask if you two are going to be wed. Your love shines out of you.”
They smiled at each other, and then Emilia looked serious.
“I had a lot to forgive him for, mind,” Emilia said solemnly.
“What is that?” Adam demanded, frowning.
“I had to forgive him for being a Sassenach!” she replied, trying not to laugh.
“Oi!” Adam cried indignantly, giving her a playful nudge in the ribs. “It is not my fault I was born on the other side of the border!”
“The wrong side you mean?” Emilia teased.
“Give up, Adam,” Father Gordon laughed. “You know you will never win.”
Adam sighed. “The eleventh commandment, Father,” he said resignedly, shaking his head. “Thou shalt not argue with a woman. Thou shalt never win.”
Father Gordon laughed heartily at that. “I will write it into my next marriage ceremony.”
