She knew so little of men…the ugly memory of lust and near defilement rearing its head in her mind, though Roger wasn’t of that ilk at all. He set his plate upon the floor and looked at her with concern.
“You’ve grown pale again. Tell me what’s troubling you.”
Julianna shook her head, glancing at the burgundy velvet canopy above her and the expanse of the bed around her—oh, God, more than enough room for two.
Tonight was their wedding night, which meant they would soon be lying here together and mayhap…mayhap…
“Och, lass, I’ll throw a blanket on the floor and sleep there, if that will ease you.”
Julianna gasped and met his gaze, the understanding she saw in his face doing much to quell her panic. Yet she felt a tension in him, too, as he reached for her hand and laced his strong fingers with hers.
“There will be no consummation of our vows until you’ve had some time tae adjust tae our marriage, I swear it.”
His thumb caressing her skin and the husky timbre of his voice reassuring her, lulling her, she felt almost bereft when he released her hand to pick up the half-empty goblet.
“It’s growing late and we’ll be leaving in the morning. Gabriel MacLachlan has finished his business with the king and will accompany us with his men tae see us safely home tae Douglas Castle. That was him at the door checking tae see you were all right, a good friend indeed. Now take another drink and settle yourself into bed.”
She nodded, and he tilted up the goblet so she had a good measure of wine before he lowered it, his knuckle gently wiping away a dribble from the corner of her mouth.
She shivered at his touch, her heartbeat thudding faster, but if he noticed the heightened flush of her cheeks, he said nothing.
Instead Roger rose from his chair to carry their plates and the empty goblet back to the table, then he went to stoke the fire until the logs were crackling and brightly burning before he glanced at the bed.
Julianna had already settled more deeply under the covers, the blanket pulled up to her chin, which made him smile wryly in the firelight.
“Will you sleep in that fine gown, then?”
She bobbed her head and he shrugged, Julianna’s eyes widening as he kicked off his boots and unloosened his sword belt to drop it on another chair, then pulled his tunic over his head in one swift movement to stand naked by the fireplace.
The flames bathing the masculine beauty of his body in a golden glow that made her breath catch and her heart race, though she saw purple bruises, too, across his ribs and mottling his muscled arms and thighs. She yanked the blanket up to her nose and burrowed even deeper under the covers.
He laughed now, a low husky sound that made her shiver all over again—and then walked over to grab an extra blanket at the end of the bed and settled it upon the floor.
The floor! He had meant exactly what he said, Julianna feeling so guilty of a sudden that she sat up with the blanket clutched to her bodice.
“Will you be warm enough?”
She heard a masculine grunt as he lay down, disappearing from her view.
“The floor…the cold ground. It makes no difference tae a Highlander. Say your prayers and go tae sleep.”
Go to sleep? How could she when she felt snug and comfortable while her new husband…?
“Roger?”
“Aye.”
“It’s not right, really, you lying on the hard floor. If you keep to your side of the bed—”
“Just what I was hoping you’d say, lass.”
Roger had sprung up so suddenly that she gulped and burrowed under the covers, rolling onto her side and holding her breath as she felt his weight settle into the bed and heard a contented groan of relief.
“Sleep well, wife.”
Julianna clutched the covers more tightly and let out a shaky breath, though she couldn’t help smiling to herself that she had fallen for his ruse.
She wasn’t surprised to hear his low chuckle, either, the heat of his body already radiating beneath the covers.
