Highland Savage (22 page)

She looked toward the doors of the great hall to see her daughter standing there in her sleep shirt Morainn looked around the room, saw her father, and started running toward him. A moment later a breathless young maid appeared in the doorway. Katerina hurried over to the young woman.

“How did she get out of the nursery?” Katerina asked even as Cecily hurried to stand at her side.

“Och, m’ladies, I just dinnae ken,” the woman replied. “We thought all the bairns were asleep. Annie went to take her bairn to visit with her mon and I was talking with—”

“Da! Kiss!”

Glancing over her shoulder to see that her daughter had reached her far too amused father and his kin, Katerina said, “Ne’ermind. No harm has come of it this time, but ye must ne’er take your eyes off her again. Morainn needs to be in a verra secure bed. If ye dinnae have such a one then a nursemaid must sleep right next to her. And, ’tis best if she has leashed the child to her in some way so that she can be roused the moment Morainn tries to escape.”

“Annie said I must do that, but I thought the bairn asleep. I was about to secure the doors to the nursery as we always do when I saw that the wee lass was gone from her bed.”

“Securing the door works weel, too.” Katerina grinned at Cecily, who looked as if she was trying very hard not to laugh like the men were. “Morainn is a wee bit wild.”

“Och, aye, just a wee bit.” Cecily laughed along with Katerina and then looked toward the head table. “Best get her ere she kisses every mon in the hall.”

Katerina watched the young nursemaid hurry after Morainn. “Aye, for those laughing fools willnae restrain the lass at all.” When the nursemaid started to hurry past her a moment later with a scowling Morainn in her arms, Katerina halted her and kissed her daughter on the cheek even as she scolded, “Naughty lassie. Ye ken verra weel that ye are nay to go up or down the stairs alone.”

Morainn gave her mother a wet kiss on her cheek and then leaned over to give her Aunt Cecily one too. “Kiss.” She stuck her thumb in her mouth, rested her head against the nursemaid’s shoulder, and closed her eyes. “Mo’ sleep now.”

It was difficult to restrain the urge to laugh until the doors closed behind her daughter, but Katerina managed. She then laughed along with Cecily. “I think that child is going to leave me with white hair ere she grows and leaves to begin her own family.”

Cecily lightly touched her flat stomach. “I wish to have a daughter and I pray she is just as full of life and spirit as wee Morainn.” She put her finger to her lips when Katerina made to offer her congratulations. “Hush. ’Tis still a secret. One more week and I shall tell my husband and he will quickly tell everyone else.”

“No one shall hear it from me,” Katerina swore as she and Cecily went back to sit with Meg.

“Did ye ken that Cecily is with bairn again?” asked Lucas as he slid into bed beside Katerina.

“How did ye ken that?” Katerina asked in shock even as Lucas yanked off her night shift and tossed it aside. “Cecily isnae planning to say anything for a week.”

Lucas grinned and kissed her on the nose. “A lass may be able to keep such a thing a secret from a Murray lad once, but ne’er twice. Artan is just waiting for her to tell him. The way he is boasting, howbeit, I dinnae think there will be a soul left at Glascreag that doesnae ken it already by the time she says something.”

“She wants a lass like Morainn.”

“That would be just punishment for my boastful brother.”

Katerina laughed. “Nay, the two of ye will just spend many an hour commiserating with each other whene’er ye are together.”

“Aye, we can watch to see whose hair turns white first”

“And are ye thinking ye best get about breeding another bairn so that Artan isnae too far ahead of ye?”

Lucas stopped kissing his wife’s soft neck and looked at her. “Are ye saying ye are ready to try for another?”

“I think I am. The twins are nearly weaned and when Cecily told me her news I felt both verra happy for her and a wee twinge of longing. ’Twould seem that my heart and body are ready for another try.”

Moving to sprawl on top of her, Lucas gave her a slow, hungry kiss. “Another wee lass?”

Running her hands up and down his spine and enjoying the way his body hardened with need when she touched him, Katerina smiled. “A lass or a lad. I am nay particular. Just healthy is all I ask. Healthy, bright-eyed, and a wee savage just like our bellowing Morainn.”

“Are ye calling my wee bonnie daughter, the fruit of my loins, a savage?”

“Just like her da.”

“Beware, lass, or I will be showing ye just how savage I can be.”

“Oh, aye, please.”

Lucas laughed and then kissed her. “I love ye, my impertinent wife.”

“And I love ye. Now—where is my savage?”

“Ne’er let it be said that Lucas Murray didnae give his wife all she required.”

“And needed.”

“Aye.”

“And wanted with every breath she takes.”

“Oh, aye.”

“So, shall ye cease talking and get about it?”

He did.