Medieval Highlands 01 - Highland Vengeance (18 page)

*

Maryn’s father moved to stand at her side. “Daughter,” he said. And with a gentle tug, he pulled her away from Lady Maclean and enveloped her in his arms.

“Papa,” Maryn said softly, happily.

After a moment her father stepped back and stroked a stray strand of hair away from her face. “So, you are well, my dove? Has Daniel been treating my bairn gently, as ‘twas my command?”

Maryn decided it best not to worry him with the problems she and her husband were having. Not yet, at least. There would be time enough for that conversation later, if it became necessary. For, in the past days, Daniel
had
been quite attentive to her. And the intimate discussion they’d had that first night of their journey had engendered the sense of closeness she’d been craving, giving her some amount of hope for her alliance with him. “Aye, Papa, I am quite well. And Daniel has been gentle and kind to me, fear not.”

With a broad smile, he replied, “‘Tis pleased I am to hear it, my dove, quite pleased.” He turned around and motioned to the clan elders.

Moving en masse toward Daniel, they gave their greetings and expressed their hopes that they might meet with him on the morrow, noon. At Daniel’s agreement, the group quickly dispersed.

*

A few minutes later, having led them all to the great hall, Lady Maclean arranged for refreshments to be brought to the table and asked that they settle around it, not in the usual mode, so that they might converse while they enjoyed their repast. While they waited, she explained to Daniel, “My daughter and Callum are visiting the MacGregor holding. I thought it best that you get your bearings with the new clan before meeting your cousin, the previous laird. They’ll not return for at least a moon.”

“I look forward to meeting my aunt and her son,” Daniel replied. Although he had no qualms about meeting his cousin beforehand, he saw the wisdom of his grandmother’s decision. If Callum held any resentment for his ousting as chieftain, ‘twould only make Daniel’s shift into the position that much more difficult.

*

At first, Alleck had been a bit shy around all the new people, but once he entered the great hall and had been given a cup of milk, he felt like exploring his surroundings. Gazing around, he saw a really good set of knucklebones lying on a table next to a stool by the hearth. He scooted off of the bench while his mother was busy answering a question that the old lady had asked her and shuffled over to the table. After picking up a few pieces and tossing them to see how well they worked, he set them down and wandered over to look behind the screen of the buttery. It looked almost the same as the one at the MacLaurin holding, so he lost interest in that area and turned to see where the door at the back of the hall led.

“Alleck, come back and sit down beside me,” his mother said.

Sighing, Alleck walked back over to the table, a slight pout on his mouth. What if there were no other lads to play with here?
Oooh!
What if only
lasses
lived here? He had not thought of
that
before. As he climbed back up onto the bench and settled himself between his mother and Maryn, he looked at the old lady across the table and said, “There are not just lasses livin’ here, are there?”

Having raised one son and helped to raise a grandson, Lady Maclean was quite familiar with the workings of wee lads’ minds. Smiling affectionately at the handsome bairn, she replied, “Nay. There are many lads like yourself in the village, and they enjoy fishing in the loch and playing in the glen. We’ll make sure you meet a few of them when I take you to your cottage later. Would you like that, Alleck?”

“Aye!” Alleck yelled, nearly bouncing off his seat in his excitement.

“The lad reminds me so much of Maryn at that age, do you not agree?” Lady Maclean said to Laird Donald.

Laird Donald crossed himself. “Lord help us.”

Daniel chuckled.

Maryn rolled her eyes at her father.

*

All other voices faded into the background, as Daniel studied Maryn from across the table. He wondered if she saw the same resemblance. She was paying such particular attention to the lad, speaking to him in low tones, that ‘twas clear that she at least had a strong affinity for the bairn. And Alleck was just as taken with Maryn, it seemed. His eyes were worshipful as he gazed up at her, hanging onto her every word.

Daniel was jolted from his musings when Jesslyn settled her hand over his.

“Do you not agree?” she asked.

He smiled at her and nodded. “Aye.” He had no idea what he’d just agreed to, but surely ‘twas naught of true consequence.

*

Maryn’s head shot up. The man had just consented to Jesslyn’s suggestion that she and her son dine with them each eve! And the woman held Daniel’s hand—in view of
everyone!
Eyes narrowed into slits, she turned her angry gaze upon him. Had he lied? Did he permit such liberties because they’d been lovers?

“My thanks, Daniel,” the lady Jesslyn replied.

Maryn cleared her throat so hard it burned.

The lady Jesslyn met Maryn’s gaze and jerked her hand away.

*

Laird Donald, unaware of the tension between the two ladies, focused his attention on the fine meal he’d had placed before him.

But Lady Maclean was quite attuned to it. She thought Jesslyn had an unseemly habit of hoarding her grandson’s attention. Who
was
she to Daniel? There was something very wrong with the situation, she could feel it in her bones.

Once everyone had eaten, Lady Maclean decided ‘twas past time to get Jesslyn to her new dwelling and allow the newlyweds some time to themselves. She called for one of the servants to show Daniel and Maryn to their bedchamber before turning back to Jesslyn. “I’ll show you to your cottage now. I believe you will like the location; ‘tis quite close to the village well.”

“Aye, that does please me, m’lady,” Jesslyn replied and took hold of her son’s hand.

“Do I
have
to take a nap, Mama? I’m
really
not sleepy,” Alleck said.

“Aye, laddie, you
shall
take a nap. And then when you awaken, ‘twill almost be time for us to return to the great hall to have our supper with Daniel and Maryn. You will like that, will you not?”

Alleck started to sigh but it turned into a loud yawn. “Aye.”

*

“I shall see the both of you on the morrow when I return for the appointed meeting,” Laird Donald said. He gave his daughter a quick peck on the cheek and his son-in-law a clap on the back before climbing onto his mount and departing.

Daniel was pleased to finally have his bride to himself, for he craved another chance to weaken her resistance. She was such an innocent. He smiled, recalling her words of the past eve—she’d demanded he position his dirk further to the side of his hip while they slept! With an inward groan of frustration, he then recalled how he’d had to keep a wider distance between them for the remainder of the night, which had truly been a hell unto itself. While he’d had to curb his every impulse to take her each night as they lay under the stars, she seemed utterly unaware of the bloody battle that raged within him between his honor and his lust.

And now, tho’ his honor still held strong against his ravening passion, he was almost at his breaking point. But he was still determined that she would come to him, that she would be willing to trust him enough to consummate their marriage. And that she would desire him as desperately as he desired her.

*

Upon entering their bedchamber, Maryn was thrilled to see that a bath was being prepared for her. Dismay immediately followed, however, for she would not disrobe in Daniel’s presence and she knew not how to ask him to give her privacy.

“I see my grandmother was thoughtful enough to order a bath prepared for you,” Daniel. “I’d like to bathe as well, so I shall go down to the soldier’s quarters and find the bathing house there while you take care of your cleansing.”

Maryn’s smile might have brightened the darkest night sky, so pleased was she with her husband’s thoughtfulness. “My thanks to you, Daniel.”

After closing the door behind him, Maryn hurriedly disrobed. Climbing into the steaming bath, she submerged up to her chin on a long sigh, luxuriating in the decadent feel of the water as it sluiced over her skin. She closed her eyes and dozed. In her mind’s eye, it became Daniel’s long fingers that trailed over her naked skin, teasing the peaks of her breasts until she felt them tighten and bud.

She jolted awake, her heart pounding and her breath fast and harsh. She’d yet to allow such intimacy, but she craved it more with each passing day, making it more and more difficult for her to dissuade her husband’s roving hands.

But what if she stopped fighting her desire for him? What if she allowed him intimate knowledge of her body, and discovered afterward that Daniel
had
lied to her about his motives for bringing the widow here? That the two were lovers still? Her heart would be broken and her pride would be crushed. And an annulment would be near to impossible. Nay, ‘twas better that she should discover beforehand whether his relationship to the the flaxen-haired beauty went beyond the bounds of friendship.

Maryn rested her head against the edge of the tub and thought about her predicament. If only she could believe him. But, it seemed to her, with each passing day, Jesslyn managed to cleverly position herself even more firmly into Daniel’s life. And Daniel gladly permitted it; he’d even instigated some of it. Now the widow would be at their table each eve. Maryn groaned in frustration and sat up. Daniel had agreed to
that
request easily enough, giving no thought at all to her own feelings. He’d simply settled the matter and expected Maryn to blithely accept it. Just as he’d done when he’d arranged for the lady to move here with them.

He’d sworn he did not love the lovely widow, that he held no passion for her, but Maryn was having a hard time remaining convinced. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she dropped her head and sighed forlornly. How was she ever to trust his words when his conduct spoke otherwise? If only he’d distance himself from Jesslyn, stop touching her, stop confiding in her—and
begin
confiding in his wife. That would make all the difference. She might believe then that he was not enamored of the widow, not bedding her. Because she desperately wanted to give herself to Daniel, to feel secure in her love for him—and to show that love openly.

Suddenly more weary than she’d ever been in her life, Maryn left the warm haven of the tub and prepared for bed.

It was the first time in her life that she’d ever deliberately skipped a meal.

*

Maryn was already in bed asleep by the time Daniel came back in the room an hour later. The sun had set while he was in the bathing house and the room was dark except for the fire blazing in the hearth.

Deciding to forego the evening meal himself, he stepped out into the corridor and flagged down a passing servant. After asking the man to inform Lady Maclean that they would not be joining her for supper after all, he returned to their chamber. Moving to the side of the bed, he gazed down at his sleeping bride. She’d curled on her side and the top of her chemise had fallen open, exposing the inside curve of one of her breasts, but still concealing its lovely crest. She had not worn the silk chemise since the night of their wedding, only these thicker linen ones, which hid rather than revealed the lush, rosy peaks he craved to see, to caress, to taste. His eyes scanned upward and settled on her face. Her eyes had dark circles beneath them. ‘Twas clear she was more than weary from the travel. But her hair, which lay loose on the pillow, was still slightly damp from the bath. Fearing she’d catch a fever, and not wishing to awaken her from such a sound slumber, he reached down to spread it out on the pillows so that it would dry more fully.

She stirred and opened her eyes. “Daniel,” she said on a sigh, not fully waking.

He saw tenderness in her gaze before her lids dropped closed again. His heart pounded. Could she feel love for him so soon? He admitted that the possibility both frightened and pleased him. For he, himself, had been fighting his own battle with that very emotion these past days and he knew he was very near to succumbing.

Daniel undressed down to his braies and got into bed beside her, taking her in his arms and holding her to him for a moment while he allowed his feelings for her to take shape in his heart. He could not, and would not, ever let her go. She was all to him. He would protect her with his life if need be. She rolled over and wrapped her arm and leg over him, rubbing her cheek against the hairs on his chest as she slept.

Daniel gritted his teeth against the desire to bury himself deep inside her, asleep or no. But he forced himself to remain immobile. For tho’ her body trusted him; her mind, he knew, was still not ready to believe his troth. She still stubbornly doubted the nature of his feelings for Jesslyn and he knew she would also doubt any declarations of love he gave her at this time as well. Unless he openly spurned his friend. But he would not do that. Which left him with only one other means of proving his devotion: He and Maryn must make love, and he’d not stop until she knew how deeply his feelings ran for her.

His slumbering bride sighed and pressed closer against him, sliding her leg up a bit. A cold sweat broke out on his skin. Her knee now rested directly over his engorged sex. Daniel groaned and closed his eyes tight. She must be his by sennight’s end, else he’d surely go mad. He opened his eyes and stared into the darkness above him. ‘Twas time for the last stage of his sensual assault on her defenses. He smiled. Aye, he was going to enjoy her absolute surrender. And there was no question: She would enjoy it as well.