Page 18 of A Bride for the Kilted Beast

She went and sat on the edge of the bed, suddenly looking up at him with a small frown between her eyes.

“Dae ye promise tae sleep on the floor tonight?” she asked in a small voice.

“Ach, I suppose so if it’s what ye want,” he agreed with another sigh of resignation. What am I doin’? “But what about the beddin’? Ye ken the tradition as well as I dae They’ll all be lookin’ tae put us tae bed.”

“The beddin’? Ach, I’d nae thought of that.” She frowned then shrugged defiantly. “Well, I dinnae care what ye tell them. They cannae come in here tonight. Tell them I’m ill from the journey or something.”

“All right, I’ll think o’ some excuse,” he agreed, running a hand through his hair as he scrambled for some way to explain to the guests why they were being denied the fun of carrying the happy couple to their marriage bed on their wedding night. “I’ll go and make our excuses, then I’ll be back.”

“Aye, thank ye.” She sat back on the bed and watched as he left the room, locking the door behind him.

CHAPTER SEVEN

While Diarmaid was gone, Lillie pondered what had happened. She was greatly relieved that she had at least won a temporary reprieve from sleeping with him. The fact he was prepared to deny himself for her sake surprised her, for had not the girl next to her at the auction literally prayed Diarmaid Kincaid would not buy her because he was renowned as a cruel brute? Yet so far, he had shown her mercy and patience.

But tomorrow night, as he had made clear, she would somehow have to find the strength to face her deflowering. He had promised to be gentle and that she would enjoy it. She wondered if it could be true, if her maidenly innocence of such matters was at fault.

For she had to admit she was troubled by certain things that had happened that day. And now, after their close encounter on the floor, she was forced to wonder about herself.

For a start, she was confused by her reaction to seeing him standing at the altar, when she had been forced to acknowledge how his striking good looks made her pulse race wildly, and that in better circumstances, she would have run to him.

Secondly, there was the kiss when they were pronounced man and wife. Why had she felt compelled to kiss him back? Third, just now, when he had kissed her on her head, a thrill had run from top to toe through her entire body.

But before she could contemplate the matter further, she heard the key turning in the lock, and the door opened. Her husband was back.

He came in, bearing a bottle of wine and two goblets in one hand. With the other, he held the door open, flashing Lillie a crooked smile before ushering in a young maid who was carrying a tray laden with food.

“I thought ye must be hungry since ye’ve had naething tae eat fer hours,” Diarmaid told her, gesturing for the maid to put the tray on the bed. She did so, bobbing a curtsey to Lillie before scurrying out of the room. He shut it behind her. “I’m starving,” he added.

Lillie’s stomach rumbled on cue, and she blushed when he laughed.

“I see I guessed right. Well, I thought we could have our own wee celebration, since we’re missing the big party,” he said, setting down the bottle and glasses on the nearest nightstand. Fumbling in his coat pocket, he pulled out a corkscrew and proceeded to open the wine. After pouring them a goblet each, he handed one to Lillie.

“Slàinte mhath,” he said, raising his glass to her.

“Slàinte mhath,” she repeated, following suit. The goblets clinked together, and they drank to their wedding. Lillie swallowed the wine thirstily, for in her former frightened state, she had not realized how hungry and parched she was.

“What’s on the tray,” she asked, leaning over to set down her wine before lifting the tray onto the coverlet between them.

“Hmm, let’s see,” he murmured, lifting covers and inspecting the dishes. “Chicken legs, sliced beef, some sausages…”

“…bread, butter, cheeses, some pickles, and an onion tart.” She took a knife from the tray and began cutting the tart into slices.

“Quite a wee feast, eh?” he said, passing her two plates. She slid a slice of tart onto each one. “The tart looks delicious. Will ye have some chicken?”

“Aye, thank ye, and a slice o’ beef, please.” Using a knife, he delicately placed a chicken leg and a thick slice of roasted beef on her plate. Absorbed in her task, Lillie buttered some bread and cut some yellow cheese into chunks before passing him a few slices of each and putting the rest on her plate. Then, they both set about eating hungrily, washing the food down with the wine, which Lillie found to be smooth and fruity.

“I didnae realize how hungry I was,” she admitted after she had eaten everything she could.

“Aye, but if ye recall, we only had some oatcakes on the way here this morning.”

“That seems like a long time ago,” she reflected, sitting back against the pillows. “Och, I’m so tired,” she admitted with a sigh. “The wine’s made me even more sleepy, I think.”

He nodded, finishing off his own meal. “Aye, it’s been a long day,” he agreed. “I’m weary meself.”

“I think I’d like tae go tae sleep now. Will ye stick tae yer promise, tae sleep on the floor, I mean?”

He looked into her eyes, sending a strange tremor through her.