Reade moved across the room, stripping his tunic from his torso. He used his toes to remove his muddy boots and kicked them to the corner near the door where they might dry on the stones rather than the woven rug. Half-naked, he approached her, and this time she did recoil from him.
What is he doing?
The wardrobe was at her back, so she had no place to run. But she didn’t need to. Instead of striking her, which was what she’d expected after her bold and accusatory outburst, his wide, powerful arms embraced her, drawing her into his chest. His body gave off a comforting heat that mixed with his heady musk, and Blair wanted to melt into the support he provided. Their argument and distrust, however, still remained like a barrier between them, preventing her from fully relaxing with him.
“I am so verra, verra sorry,” he intoned in his rumbling voice that vibrated in her chest so she felt as well as heard the words. “I dinna know what gets into me. My hatred for the Campbells and the losses I’ve suffered at their hands continues to blind me. My trust in you keeps faltering because of those events and because of my sorrow. I falter and doubt when I should trust ye. And that is my sin.”
Blair longed to believe his words, to believe that this time they might move past their misunderstanding and heartaches, but how could they, when his sorrow ran deep, rightfully so, and while she hadn’t been completely truthful with him? She should have told him about her cousin straightaway, yet, like Reade, she had been unable to trust him.
“Nay more secrets,” Blair whispered against his chest. His tiny, crinkly hair tickled her nose as she spoke. His hand moved to cup the back of her head and press it to his chest, cradling her.
“Aye. Ye have a tough exterior and always hold your head high. I have the sense ye’ve had to protect yourself. From now on, ye need no’ do that on your own. I will protect you.” Then he was gone, kneeling in front of her. Blair’s mouth fell open as he grasped her hand and put his forehead on their joined hands. “This I vow, reclaiming the wedding vows I spoke but did no’ take to heart. This time, from this moment forward, I vow to ye, Blair. I give ye my body, my blood, and my spirit, until my last breath in this world.”
Her chill was gone, replaced by the fiery heat in the room, kindled by his touch, his words, and his vow. This was more than a mere re-introduction. He was swearing himself to her, cleaving to her. Could she trust him this time?
Nay, not yet. Not until they both came clean.
“Dinna make that vow yet,” she told him. His head snapped back, and for a moment his eyes narrowed, then he sat back on his heels. His large hands still grasped hers, swallowing her pale fingers in his calloused ones.
“Nay. I dinna care what ye must tell me. We are wed. We are one body, and I shall treat ye thusly. Why do ye say I should no’ make this vow?”
His green eyes blazed like a meadow fire as she looked at him. His face appeared almost earnest, an expression she’d not seen on him before. Once again, he was willing to try.
She could do no less.
“’Twas a Gordon in the wood, in that ye were correct. Mungo’s derelict cousin.” She gulped down her aching stomach, bracing herself for his reaction to her next words. “I had met him in the wood before.”
His hands gripped her so hard she thought he’d crush her bones as easily as he might a wee bird. Then he loosened his grip. His gaze never wavered.
“But no’ of my volition or desire,” Blair continued. Now that she was telling him what happened, the words fell readily from her lips. “He approached me in the wood, suggested I knew about Mungo’s goings on and demanded that I take over where Mungo had left off. He wanted me to spy on ye, to learn more about the oath of loyalty. He said that if I did no’ —”
Her voice caught. Reade tipped his head to show he was listening, encouraging her to continue. Unshed tears welled under her eyelids, and she blinked them back, keeping her focus on coming clean.
“He threatened Adaira, who was right there in the wood with me. And your mother, your family. I felt trapped. I feared telling ye because I feared ye might believe I was colluding with him.”
Reade’s lips pursed at this, either from Paden’s threat or the suggestion that Reade wouldn’t believe her. Blair didn’t know — not that it mattered.
“Why did ye meet him again?” Reade asked, and this time his voice was soft, not accusing.
“He demanded I bring information in a fortnight. I had nearly forgotten about meeting him, what with . . .” She roved her eyes over him, and the corner of his mouth curled in response. Och, he knew what had distracted her. It was kneeling half-naked in front of her as she spoke. “Until Adaira mentioned riding again to look for kitchen necessaries. Then I recalled. I had decided to see if he would even show. Paden was never the most tenacious man, aye? If he wasn’t there, then I had naught to worry about. If he did appear, then I planned to stall for time, and inform ye straight away. But then ye rode up in the wood . . .” She paused and raised an eyebrow at him. “Why were ye there? Has something happened?”
So much had transpired, Blair hadn’t considered why Reade had come for her in the wood to begin with.
Reade shifted forward and pressed his forehead to her hands again before speaking.
“Aye. Something did happen. The Campbells and their allies have become bold, attacking MacDonalds and fellow clansmen on our own lands. Adaira told me ye had gone riding alone, and panic consumed me.” His eyes flicked to the bruise on her cheek. “And it appears that ye were a victim of an attack. Ye were suffering, and I did no’ give ye the chance to explain.” He dropped his head against her aching belly.
Blair wiggled her hands free and stepped forward, cupping the back of his head and pressing it to her tighter.
“We both have much to make up for, Reade. My husband. And now I shall make my vow. I, too, reclaim my wedding vows to ye, this time in earnest. I give ye my body, my blood, my spirit, until my last breath.”
They remained like that for several heartbeats, trying to overcome everything that had set them apart. Trying to find solace in this moment when both of them exposed their hearts, their secrets, to reforge their trust and union.
“Can we do this, Reade?” Blair asked. “’Tis like something comes up and we fall so far from each other.”
Reade nuzzled her belly. “I canna answer that. Danger, problems, they will always arise. From this moment on, we will no’ let those break us apart. We shall cleave ever closer in those moments.”
