“Here, lass, let me do that for you,” he murmured, moving to her side to ease the poker from her trembling hand. “You’ll set the castle ablaze with all those sparks flying and I dinna want you tae strain yourself. It’s not two weeks yet since you gave birth?—”
“Och, Errol, I’m well and healthy again, canna you see?” Tira had rounded on him, her throat so constricted with emotion, she felt she could hardly speak. “Why are you always so good and kind tae me when…when I’ve done nothing for you?”
“Nothing?” he queried huskily, setting down the poker to draw Tira away from the fire and pull her into his arms. “You made me the happiest of men tae become my bride. Isna that something, lass?”
Tira shivered now…not from shame, but from how Errol looked at her with such emotion in his gaze, and hugged her closer.
“You’ve blessed me with the gift of being a father tae your bairns—ourbairns. Isna that something as well? What more could any man want than so bonny a wife and a family tae call his own?”
Errol bent his head closer even as Tira felt her breath catch, her gaze falling to the masculine curve of his lips and then back to meet his eyes.
No astonishment there any longer, but a searching look that made her heart beat faster and a stirring warmth race from her flushed cheeks to her toes.
“There’s only one thing I lack, Tira…the words I’ve longed tae hear, but I dinna want tae rush you into saying them. Only when you’re ready, lass…”
Tira had no chance to utter anything as Errol’s lips found hers, a soft sigh escaping her at the tenderness of his kiss that made her feel as if she was melting against him—ah, God, how she loved him!
“What was that, lass?”
Her eyelids fluttered open and she stared up at him as he bent his head to kiss her again, and not so gently this time, but with an intensity that made her knees weak and her stomach to flutter.
Had she said something? Tira could no more be certain she had spoken than of anything at that moment, her heart singing and such joy overwhelming her that she flung her arms around his neck to hug him close.
“I love you, Errol—I do!”
This time Tira knew she had spoken aloud for her words seemed to ring around them, Errol lifting her from her feet and twirling her around as his deep laughter, filled with elation, rang out, too.
He spun her until she was dizzy, her giggling melding with his joy until he slowed to set her down and kiss her again, cradling her uplifted face in his hands.
His lips so warm and tender that Tira felt herself melting again as she kissed him as sweetly, her hands drifting down to cover his and entwine their fingers together.
The love she felt for him so powerful, so immense that warm tears trickled down her face and melded with Errol’s, a wetness glistening in his eyes when he lifted his head to gaze at her.
“I love you, Tira…always, forever.”
“And I, you….always, forever,” she echoed, uttering those words making her feel at that moment as the happiest of women?—
“Ah, God…no.” Errol groaned at a knock upon the door, his reluctance to answer as apparent on his face as what Tira felt as she pulled away from him to hasten across the room.
She barely cracked the door when she began to laugh, and flung it open to admit servants that hustled inside with buckets of steaming water and a cloth-covered tray filled with something that smelled wonderful.
“Laird and Lady MacLachlan said there is no need tae join them for supper and tae wish you a good night,” piped up an older woman with curly gray hair as she set the tray upon a table near the bed, and then turned to the other servants. “Now fill up that tub and let’s leave this fine couple alone.”
Tira felt she had hardly blinked and they were finished with their tasks and hurried from the room, the same maidservant adding with a warm smile, “We’ll bring breakfast for you in the morning, so you dinna have tae rise early. A good evening tae you.”
Tira couldn’t help laughing when the door closed, and Errol grinned, too, though suddenly he sobered when he glanced at the wooden tub set near the fireplace and then back again at Tira.
“I dinna wish tae cause you any unease about my bathing in here. If you want tae go visit the nursery until I finish?—”
“You’re my husband, aye?” Tira cut in gently, though she did feel nervous at the prospect of seeing Errol unclothed for the first time. Last night, she had rolled over in bed to face the other way before he jumped in naked beside her—och, she couldn’t deny she felt more than a niggling of anticipation, too.
Errol had given her only a nod, remaining silent as he watched her move toward him, Tira sensing a tension in him that hadn’t been there moments before.
“Let me help you with your breacan.”
He nodded again, still not saying a word as she untied the garment from his waist, though she heard him suck in his breath when she drew closer to reach up to his shoulder.
“I will get it, wife.”
