“I’ve never said anything but aye to you.”
He laughed softly and stared deeply into my eyes. “My body burns for you, lass. And my heart breaks for you. When I thought you’d been taken from me—” His eyes blazed with such fury, I touched his lips.
“I wasn’t taken. I’m here with you.”
He absorbed this, and his eyes slowly calmed. He was silent for a long moment, contemplating me, then he said, “Tell me. What would you choose to do?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Stay with you.”
“Aye. I mean, after that. You’ll stay here with me. And you’ll marry me. And I’ll keep you as close to me as I can, when I train and when I work. But what else would you choose to do, with your time? You grow restless when I’m not here to give you all my careful attentions.” The corner of his mouth quirked.
“Oh. I would choose to...” I watched his reaction, wondering if he would allow such a thing. “I would continue to assist Effie, if she wanted me to. But most of all...I would choose to help tend the gardens. The medicine garden. The vegetable gardens. The orchards.”
Wilkie looked at me as though he’d just discovered a new and fascinating treasure: my thrumming excitement. And it was true; I hadn’t explained to him theextent of my wish, to tend plants and trees and herbs and vines, to spend my days feeling the soil and the grass, and watching the fruits of my labor grow. “If you want to tend the gardens, lass, then the gardens it is. When you choose to. If you choose to.”
I lay still for a time. Maybe I hadn’t woken up, after all. Maybe all of this, and all of him, was still a hazy beautiful production of my subconscious, hopeful mind.
I held him close to me, not moving, barely breathing. I didn’t want to upset this perfection. I didn’t want to wake up, or to unbalance with a word or a movement the beauty of this moment. The fledgling seed of hope and optimism that Wilkie had introduced into my life at our very first encounter took hold in me then, shifting, digging in, imparting a shred of itself into my psyche. Changing me, as though my very spirit was coiling itself around his, daring to bloom and flower from the sustenance he provided.
CHAPTER TWELVE
THENEXTDAY, IWASassigned a bodyguard.
He was a massive, unruly-looking warrior named Fergus, and he seemed less than pleased by his new assignment.
He was called into Wilkie’s chambers and introduced to me. He nodded once to me, where I sat in a chair by the fire. Then he hastily returned to his post, closing the door behind him.
Wilkie had woken early and had disappeared for a time, and I had set about tidying his chambers, getting dressed and brushing my hair until it was smooth and gleaming. I awaited Wilkie’s instructions obediently and did not consider leaving his chambers, as yet.
And so I still sat with my brush in my hand, my dress on but my feet bare, warmed by the fire.
“Fergus will remain outside this door, Roses. He’s one of Knox’s most trusted men. The walls and gates have been fortified with soldiers, both inside and outside the walls. There will be no more surprise raids. We were surprised by Ogilvie’s determination, but we are not intimidated by, nor tolerant of Ogilvie’s tactics. Messengers have been sent to deliver an invitation to negotiate. So it will be business as usual.” Except for the one enormous warrior who was now relegated toensuring my safety. “Fergus will guard you until I can return to you.”
I thought this unnecessary, but I didn’t argue with him. The storm of Wilkie’s fury over my near-abduction lurked in his eyes once again. And I was wary, as well, after yesterday’s events. I would be more careful.
“When will I see you again?” I asked quietly, my heart already heavy at the thought of his departure.
“I’ll see you tonight.”
Many, many hours. My expression must have shown the despair I felt at being separated from him for so long.
“If I can, I’ll come to you sooner,” he said. “Once you finish preparing yourself, Fergus will escort you to Effie’s healing quarters, where you may spend the day with her.” I knew this arrangement was difficult for him to concede to, much less to offer; it was meant to appease me, so I wouldn’t argue with him or subtly accuse him of keeping me captive. “If you want to,” he added. “Or you may prefer to rest.”
I rose and walked over to him. I reached up and touched my fingers to the braided hair at his temple, drawn to his fierceness and wishing at the same time to calm it. The warrior in him was in full force this morning, as he prepared himself for his day of training, hunting, planning battle tactics and leading men—manly duties befitting his station as the brother of the laird.
“You are very accommodating, warrior. What I want to do is come with you, wherever it is that you go. But I will do whatever pleases you and keeps you from worrying.” I stood on my toes, but even then I couldn’t reach his lips to kiss him. “I feel very small, barefoot in front of you, with you in your boots and your beltwith your sword and your knives.” He looked down at me, but he didn’t lean closer. I gently wound his hair around my finger, pulling his face to me until I could brush my open lips against his.
He kissed me, almost reverentially, but then he pulled back. “Where did you come from?” he whispered, smoothing my hair back from my face.
“I—”
“Nay. I mean, how did I find you? You are more than anything I could have dreamed up. I’m ruined forever, you realize.”
“Why—”
“You know what I’m going to do, lass?” he asked, his dazzling face lit with his idea. “I’m going to bring you with me. Many of the men are away today, on a hunt. Guards are manning the keep in numbers. I’m meeting Kade to take stock of what we might need, if Campbell’s rebellion is imminent. And I want you armed, too, lass. I’m going to give you back your sword.”
I was overcome with his offer and my own excitement. That he wanted me with him, even as he worked, felt heavily significant.
