Page 54 of Her Forbidden Highlander Husband

Despite his promise, Evelyn didn’t see Liam at the noon meal, but she didn’t think it was him staying away as much as that all the men had been summoned to Cameron and Mari’s place to help. Their home was nearly completed, which was good, since they would need the room at the rate their family was growing.

Evelyn let her hand brush over her stomach wondering if she and Liam would have an addition to their family as well. How different it would be to be increasing with Liam’s child. As much as she loved Gwennie now, she’d had no love for the babe she’d carried.

She often had nightmares that the child was a monster trying to crawl out of her womb on its own with large claws and sharp teeth. Of course, her daughter was born a dark-haired angel and Evelyn had no choice but to allow her into her heart.

Could she have another child with white-blond hair and startling blue eyes to love in mere months? A smile grew on her lips at the thought.

It took Evelyn a few days to admit something was seriously wrong with her husband. The first day Liam had run out without playing with Gwennie could be excused as him being in a hurry to have his breakfast before starting drills with his men.

That night, she’d easily brushed it off as exhaustion, since he’d worked the whole day.

The next morning, he rushed off again with no more than a brush of a kiss on Gwennie’s forehead. And the next morning it was the same. Later that afternoon Evelyn found him in the bailey with the children gathered around, begging him to play with them. Instead of chasing them as he normally would have, he ducked away and hurried off to the stables.

“I’m afraid Liam doesn’t care for my daughter as much as he let on,” she practically blurted when she returned to the solar with the ladies. Both women stared at her as if she’d sprouted a second head.

“Liam loves all children. He’d never stop caring for her,” Mari said.

Kenna replied as well. “It’s clear he sees the lass as his own. Why would you think such a thing?”

Evelyn knew it was silly to think he no longer cared for Gwennie.

“Maybe he’s afraid you think he would hurt her,” Kenna said. “After your reaction the other day, he might want to make sure you don’t think such a thing of him again.”

Evelyn rubbed her forehead. “That must be it. He’s not touched her since I overreacted that day. But he knows I don’t think such a thing.” She remembered the sight of her daughter watching Liam walk away from her that morning. “What have I done?”

“I’m sure he’ll come around,” Mari said, but there was no proof to back up her assumption.

“What if I’ve ruined things between them forever? Gwennie loves him and I know he loves her too. I’ve hurt him deeply.”

“Mothers are protective,” Kenna said. “No one blames you for it.”

“I knew better. I reacted before thinking it through. What am I going to do?”

Kenna’s brows pulled together for a moment before her eyes went wide and she held up her index finger. “I have an idea.”

“You should know my sister’s ideas usually end in disaster,” Mari said.

“Not every time,” Kenna defended.

After seeing the pain on Liam and Gwennie’s faces, Evelyn felt the situation was already a disaster. She at least needed to try to fix it.

Chapter Twenty

After bathing in the loch and letting the sun dry him, Liam went to the hall for the evening meal. He was looking forward to seeing his family. The thought welled in his chest for a moment before the sadness of the situation crept in.

He’d not be able to hold Gwennie or play with her. He wouldn’t risk his wife worrying he was too rough or dangerous to play with her daughter. He’d never given it a thought before, but now when he was near the lass, he was careful not to do anything that could be confused. And the little girl didn’t need him anyway. She had her mother. Liam would see Gwennie was provided for. That was the extent of his duties, though it went against his way not to play with a child.

He loved bairns. The way they needed little encouragement to laugh and squeal.

He looked around the hall and gasped when his gaze fell on his wife with her arm tied in a sling. He practically leaped over the tables between them to get to her. “What’s happened?”

She glanced away. “I’m fine. I tripped on the stairs. Kenna said it’s broken and that I’m not to lift anything for a few weeks.”

“Should you be in bed, resting?” he asked, trying to care for his wife as a husband should.

Things happened to wives. He knew well enough the pain Bryce had felt for losing his first wife and child. Liam wouldn’t have been able to bear it.

“I’m not in much pain. It’s just…well, I’ll need help. I can’t lift Gwennie.”