A simple command, and only then did she glance at him with fresh tears shining in her eyes, which made him sigh heavily.
So that was going to be the way of it.Yet the tremulous smile that lit her face did not match at all what he thought she must be feeling—God help him!What manner of young woman had he wed?Might it be possible that she hadn’t wanted the marriage to MacCulloch after all and actually was glad that Conall had abducted her?
That thought made him grasp her hand and lead Lisette from the hall as James raised his cup in a ribald toast that their lovemaking break the bed beneath them, causing her to gasp again.
She seemed to have slowed her pace, which made Conall sweep her into his arms and carry her toward the tower where a chamber was prepared for them—cheers and whistles following them up the steps.
Chapter7
“You’ve nothing tae fear, lass.I willna hurt you, but this is the way of things between a man and wife.You understand what we must do, aye?”
Standing in the middle of the well-appointed bedchamber where Conall had set her down, Lisette met his gaze and nodded, though her chin trembled.
In truth, she felt no fear, though she was certain her pounding heart might leap from her breast.Since their wedding that morning, she had thought of little else than the bedding that must occur, for without a consummation, she would not fully be a wife.
And she needed to be fully a wife!The final step in the miracle that had freed her from Isabeau and would bind her more deeply to Conall Campbell.
Her husband.
Lisette could but stare at him, standing there so tall and handsome in the golden light from a half dozen tapers lit around the room, which had been made as comfortable for them as possible.
A warming fire in the fireplace heaped with crackling logs.
A bed more than large enough for two and sprinkled with sprigs of heather that scented the air.
A table set with two goblets and a decanter of what she imagined must be wine.
A white linen nightgown draped over a chair next to Lisette’s cloak, which servants must have brought up to the bedchamber along with a leather bag containing Conall’s belongings.
All this she had noted upon first glance when he had carried her into the room, but what made her cheeks burn now as she glanced beyond him was the large metal tub placed near the fireplace.
Empty, though a rap upon the door made Lisette gasp in surprise and Conall to wheel around as a small army of servants entered and began to carry in buckets of steaming water.
It seemed in no more than a few moments the task was done, the door shut, and she and Conall once again looking at each other as the servants’ footfalls faded down the hall.
No other sound but that of their breathing…and the sputtering fire.
“Go on, Lisette…while the water is warm.I’ll wash up in the basin.”
He had spoken so low, his voice huskier than she had heard it before, which made shivers tumble to her toes as she nodded.
Yet she couldn’t seem to move, feeling rooted to the floor while Conall left her to fetch the basin from a table set against the wall and then dip it into the tub to fill it.
Before she knew it, he had returned the basin to the table and methodically began to strip…first his sword belt, then his leather armor, and finally his tunic, which he pulled over his head.
Lisette stared in wonder as the most beautiful man she had ever seen glanced over his shoulder at her, his black hair tousled, his naked body rippling with muscle—and inclined his head toward the tub.
“You’d best undress before the water grows cool.Do you need help with your gown?”
As if his query had released her from a spell, Lisette shook her head and hastened over to the tub.
Her heartbeat racing.
Her hands shaking as she glanced behind her to see that Conall was focused upon his task of squeezing the water from a wadded cloth and running it over his body—which made her gulp and turn back to the fire.
She felt so flustered that she scarcely realized she had pulled the silken gown over her head and tossed it to the floor until she climbed into the tub and sat down, a sigh escaping her at the wondrous warmth of the water.
She had rarely known such a luxury in her father’s home, thanks to Claudia and Isabeau, but Lisette shoved away the unhappy thoughts of ice-cold baths and reached for a square of soap at her feet—another luxury made soft and pliant in the water.She could not help sighing again as she ran the soap along one arm and then the other, the sweet fragrance of lavender wafting to her.
