Page 41 of The Cursed Highland Bride

Surrendering herself to him, she fell over the edge of bliss into ecstasy, taking him along with her. That night, for the first time, Dunn fell asleep in her arms.

* * *

The next morning, Dunn awoke to find his wife curled up into his side, her leg and arm draped across him. Smiling, he pulled her closer and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Morning light filtered through the window, falling across her face in golden beams that almost made her look ethereal.

Perhaps I have wed myself tae one o’ the fae folk. She has enchanted me and stolen my heart. I am nae longer my own man, but I am hers in body and soul.

A knock at the door broke the spell, and he slipped out from beneath her to see who it was. Grabbing his trews, Dunn quickly pulled them on to cover his nudity. When he opened the door, he found Tor standing on the other side, smiling. “Glad tae see that ye took my advice.”

Dunn frowned at his brother and stepped out into the corridor, not wishing to wake his wife. “Ye better nae have disturbed my rest tae tell me that.”

“Nae,” Tor shook his head. “The messenger from the Clan Morgan awaits a reply tae their laird’s invitation. He grows impatient and uneasy here among his enemies.”

Dunn snorted. “He has been here too long as it is. If the storm had nae caused his delayed return, I would have sent him on his way last evening. Tell the messenger that we accept his laird’s invitation and will leave as soon as preparations can be made.”

“It has been nearly a month’s time since we were there. I had hoped tae go longer before stepping foot on Morgan lands again,” Tor sighed, obviously displeased at the thought.

“It is my wife’s wish tae return for a visit. I dinnae ken why she wishes tae go, but I owe her that much.”

Tor nodded. “It is good that ye are making amends.”

“I dinnae want her tae run.”

Tor laid a reassuring hand on Dunn’s shoulder. “She cares for ye. I have seen it in her eyes. If she runs, it will nae be for lack o’ love.”

Dunn looked at his brother’s face. He could hear the surprise in his own voice. “Love?”

Tor chuckled. “Aye, brother, love.” He left Dunn standing in the corridor to contemplate his words as he went in search of Morgan’s messenger.

With the word “love” burning through his mind, Dunn turned back toward his wife’s bedchamber door and paused with his hand on the latch. His brother’s words hung in the air about him as if awaiting his decision on whether to believe them or not. Shaking his head, he pushed the door open to find Katarina standing by the window, looking out at the courtyard below. She was wearing nothing but his shirt that was so long on her that it nearly looked like a dress.

Smiling, he entered the room and shut the door. He immediately walked over to wrap his arms around her. “Good morn,” he murmured onto her hair.

She leaned her head against his chest, relaxing into his body. “I thought ye had left me again,” she admitted.

“Nae,” he reassured her, kissing the top of her head. “I will nae ever leave ye again.”

“Who was at the door?”

“Tor,” Dunn answered, breathing in the scent of her. “The messenger that brought the invitation needed an answer. I told him tae tell yer faither that we accepted and would be leaving as soon as we were able.”

“Good,” she whispered.

“I dinnae trust him.”

She shook her head. “I dinnae need or want ye tae trust him. By all means, distrust him, but I must go.”

Dunn did not know what to think of her answer, but he did not press her further. They had agreed to an uneasy truce betwixt them, and he did not wish to undo the work that they had done to mend their differences. “I will keep ye safe,” he reassured her. He did not know why he felt the need to do so, but he could feel the fear and uncertainty radiating off of her.

They stood there together, held fast in each other’s embrace, for some time. Dunn did not want to let her go and allow all of the worries that had plagued them the night before to rush back in. As long as they stood there, her father and his past lovers did not exist, and their pain was but a passing dream. In that brief moment between the day and the night, all else fell away to leave nothing but the shared beating of their hearts. In that moment, Dunn knew that Tor was right.

I love her. I dinnae want tae, but I cannae do otherwise. Pray God have mercy upon my soul.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

When Dunn and Katarina left Orkney for the Morgan lands, they had a small entourage of men, including Tor, along with them to provide protection. Adamina once again had remained behind to see to the needs of the clan with the help of her grandmother. They crossed the sea via boat as they had done before. Ian awaited them with horses, and Dunn rode the same black steed as before. This time, however, Katarina did not mind riding with her husband.

Her mind was filled with fears and uncertainties. The only thing that she knew for certain was that she had to find a way to save her sisters. She prayed that Alistair Morgan had kept his word—that they were safe and whole. How she was going to get them away from him, she still did not know. She needed help, but she had no idea how to begin to explain everything to Dunn and his family without alienating them. The closer they drew to the Morgan stronghold, the stronger her sense of foreboding grew.