Cora fell silent and drew closer to where Tira stood, and said in a whisper so the maidservant wouldn’t hear her, “Tonight invite Errol tae share your bed—but dinna fear, he’ll keep well tae his side until that day you tell him otherwise. Your husband needs good rest for what lies ahead, aye?”
Tira nodded, her face even hotter, only for Cora’s soft laughter making her feel astonishingly like laughing, too—for the first time in so long.
“The garden will be a fine spot for your meal with the roses starting to bloom,” Cora suggested as the maidservant hastened forward, though Tira had already swept up the gown from the bed.
An excited eagerness sweeping over her that felt just as surprising…but she wanted to see Errol again so she could thank him—aye, for everything!
“So that’swhere they’ve taken her…” Thorgren grated to himself, staring at the formidable castle in the distance that seemed to soar above a rocky promontory abutting the sea.
The rough waves slapping at the hull of his ship as his men collapsed over their oars, their hell-bent overnight journey from Hoy exhausting the crews of both birlinns—though Thorgren felt no weariness at all.
Only hatred fueled by his determination to find his infant son—by Odin, he would claim him soon!Hisblood,hisheir, Thorgren grinding his teeth as he stood at the prow, a bold plan taking shape in his mind.
He would never be able to take the castle by storm with those high walls and the massive gate, and with Gavin MacLachlan’s guards ever watchful upon the ramparts.
No, only by subterfuge would an enemy get inside—Thorgren glancing down at Roslin, who snuggled against him in a hooded cloak with her arms flung around his waist.
He had just enjoyed her again in full view of his men, her bottom upon the railing and her shapely legs spread wide for him.
Her gasps of pleasure making him grunt and plow her all the harder, her musky, unwashed scent filling him with even greater lust.
Their mutual pleasure a brief distraction from the task that lay before him, Thorgren cursing that he hadn’t yet sighted a sheltered cove along the coastline where they could find cover for the night.
The castle’s location had clearly been well planned defensively, which made him roar with frustration to his men to again seize their oars.
They had passed the mouth of a river a quarter league to the north where instead, they would have to sail inland to look for a secluded spot to beach the ships—and then strike out from there to accomplish his mission.
He could already envision the journey home with Tira left behind in a pool of blood, her throat slit from ear to ear, and his son held snugly in Roslin’s arms.
The comely wench he would marry as soon as they returned to Hoy, Thorgren had already decided upon it.
“Kiss me!” he demanded and Roslin quickly obliged him, thrusting her tongue so boldly into his mouth that he groaned and lifted her tunic to clutch her bare bottom.
She had bewitched him, this wild-spirited woman with her long dark hair and willing body, her throaty laughter making him hard as a rock.
No longer thinking of anything but plowing her again, Thorgren spun her around and bent her over to bury himself inside her…Roslin’s moans punctuated by his guttural grunts rising above the slap of oars striking the water as the ship lurched into motion.
CHAPTER 12
Errol entered the sunlit garden walled off from the rest of the bailey, the air heavily scented with roses blooming all around him.
He had never washed up so fast at the barracks after hearing from a servant sent by Cora that Tira awaited him. His hair still damp from a swift toweling and his muscles sore from vigorous training that was all but forgotten when he spied her—och, his beautiful wife.
Her face alight as she gazed at the well-tended rose bushes and bright green herbs growing in abundance, Errol’s heart jumping when he heard a laugh from her at the white-winged butterfly perched upon the table where she sat.
Laughter from Tira…aye, the greatest gift he could have ever imagined, though she fell silent when he approached, her eyes grown wide as if she was startled.
His gaze riveted upon the lovely dove gray hue that had haunted his dreams and made him wonder now how she would receive him, but then she smiled and the whole world seemed to have righted itself.
Smiled! He had yearned for such a moment, and could hardly believe it had finally occurred, Errol so dumbstruck that hestumbled over a tree root—Tira gasping and jumping up from her chair.
“Errol!”
The concern in her voice touching him more than he could ever say, he had caught himself before falling and smiled sheepishly at her, which made her own smile return, though now she looked a bit flustered.
“C-Cora suggested we have lunch here…in the garden, I mean. It’s a fine afternoon, aye?”
“Aye,” Errol agreed, wanting so fervently to take Tira into his arms and kiss away any nervousness, though instead he contented himself with drinking in the sight of her as she sat again and gestured to the other chair.
