Tyler, Lynn - For Her Honor [For Her] (Siren Publishing Classic) (23 page)

A thrill ran down her spine at the thought of carrying her husband’s child, but she wouldn’t let the notion dissuade her. “Robbie, I am not stupid. I will not leave the inner bailey. I will not leave the keep at all without a guard if it will make you feel better. But I do not need a guard every waking moment.”

“I disagree,” he said steadfastly. “And I am the laird, as you pointed out. Since I am in charge, you will have the guard.” He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her, as if daring her to defy him.

She breathed deeply through her nose, trying desperately to control her temper. “I do not need a guard. I will be careful. I will arm myself. I will not leave these walls without you. Robbie, do not imprison me in our home,” she pleaded, one step away from throwing the silver laver at him.

“Nay, Jocelyn. You are a woman and too weak to defend yourself from any attack made in earnest,” he insisted, getting out of bed and securing his kilt around his waist. “Besides, it is well known women have no ability to think quickly in dangerous situations and are unable to strategize further than the next action.”

His words made her blood boil with passion but not the same passion she had experienced just a few hours before. No, this was rage, pure and simple. She could best men twice her size at close range with her dagger. She had beaten all her brothers-in-law at dagger-throwing contests and had even trained with some of the MacKenna laird’s men. She could feel her cheeks coloring and seized up the silver goblet. “You bastard!” she said quietly, gripping the cup in her hand.

“I beg your pardon?” he asked, looking at her with confusion. Apparently he believed all the manure he had just fed her.

“You
should
be begging my pardon,” she ranted, taking aim. “How dare you say this to me? You yourself have complimented me on my ability to defend myself.” She paused in an attempt to control her breathing. “On top of that, you dare to question my intelligence?”

“Now, Jocelyn,” he said, looking at her warily. “Do not resort to hysterics to get your way.”

“You bastard!” she yelled again, throwing the heavy silver cup directly at his head. “You will not speak to me like that.”

Robbie had thrown up his arm to block the blow from the goblet, and she used the momentary distraction to jerk on her chemise, grab her dressing gown and storm out of the room. “Jocelyn,” he called, sounding highly irritated. Good! Let him be irritated.

She brushed past Jamie, who was standing in the hall, looking as if he had been waiting for this explosion. “I take it he told you of his decision,” he said lightly, falling into step with her.

“Aye, and he said a few other things, mainly about my intelligence and my God-given weakness,” she spat back, gripping her dressing gown more tightly around her.

“If it is any consolation, I told him not to set guards on you,” Jamie responded, a slight grin gracing his face.

“What are you smiling so foolishly about?” she asked waspishly.

“He is usually much more reasonable than what he appears to be. You seem to be clouding his judgment when it comes to your safety,” Jamie replied. “I have never seen him quite so concerned about a woman before. His feelings for you must run deep.”

Jamie said no more, and he left her at the door of the apothecary. She stewed in her own thoughts for some time. Jamie was the second person to make a comment on Robbie’s feelings for her. Perhaps he really did care for her. Perhaps his concern for her safety could be construed as a loving gesture.

Still, she could not ignore his degrading comments on her ability to defend herself and on her intelligence. She was fuming and in no mood to speak with him.

She could hear him thundering down the corridor, doubtlessly on his way to punish her for throwing the cup at him. It really had been a beautiful goblet. She hoped she hadn’t dented it. Her husband’s head, however, seemed to be in need of a good dent.

She locked the door and ignored his pounding, busying herself with her herbs. She would mix more salve for Will. Yes, let her husband’s rage simmer. Once her own rage had cooled, she would be better prepared to deal with his.

She heard Robbie curse loudly and storm off. She smiled slightly. He could think many things about her, but he shouldn’t question her intelligence after this. Strangely though, she didn’t feel soothed by her temper. Instead she felt anxious and restless.

With nothing else to do, she set about mixing more salve for Will. When that was done, she organized the new herbs on her shelves and straightened the books. She made meticulous notes on the locations of herbs and plants in the forest. Through all this, her heart raced and her stomach clenched nervously. Anyone would feel anxiety over a death threat, she told herself.

She sat down on the bed she’s had the men carry in as a sick bed. Exhaustion weighed down on her but couldn’t erase the disquiet thrumming through her body.

She laid her head down and stared at the ceiling in disgust. If she was anything, she was honest with herself. And though it scared her to admit, her body’s upset wasn’t due to fear over Henry’s death threat. What she was feeling was a by-product of the fight with her husband.

Chapter
14

Robbie pounded on the door furiously. He wasn’t sure what he was angrier about, the fact that she had thrown a goblet at him or the fact that she had locked herself in her room. It had brought back awful memories of his marriage to Eileen.

He sighed and backed away from the door. He had duties to attend to. Hollering for Neil and James, he indicated they should stand at the door. So what if his wife didn’t like it? He wasn’t about to back down without good reason.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he made his way down the stairs and into his study, where he found Jamie in a rather intimate embrace with one of the kitchen girls. Clearing his throat, he glared at the girl until she scampered from the room and turned his ire on his brother. “Can you not keep it in your pants until you get to your room?” he barked.

Jamie didn’t flinch but rather punched his brother none too gently on the shoulder. “Just because you are not going to get any loving from your wife does not mean the rest of us cannot get any,” he said with a grin.

“Shut your mouth,” Robbie growled, dropping into his chair and resting his head on his folded hands. “She locked herself in her apothecary.” He pulled at his hair before rubbing his eyes tiredly.

The grin faded from Jamie’s face. “Do not worry about it, Robbie. Your Jocelyn will not do the same thing Eileen did,” he said seriously.

“How do you know?” Robbie asked sadly. “She was forced to marry me, just like Eileen. Why would she be any different?”

“Aye, but the difference between the two is that Jocelyn loves you,” Jamie replied.

“She loves me? Do not be stupid, Jamie. At the moment, she cannot stand me. At the best of times she enjoys my body, that is all,” Robbie growled, though his black mood lifted slightly.

Jamie slapped his brother on the back bracingly. “Nay, Robbie. I have seen the way she looks at you. She is quite fond of you.”

“Then why can she not see my need to protect her? Why has she locked herself away from me?” he asked, flinching at the desperation coloring his voice.

“Ah, she has spirit, your Jocelyn. She does not like the way you strong-armed her into doing your bidding, and she is letting you know. I did warn you,” Jamie reminded him with a helpful tone.

“Aye, you did. But still, she is my wife, and she should know who is in charge,” he mused.

“I have a feeling she is in charge, at least in the bedchamber,” Jamie said slyly, his grin back in place.

Robbie grinned back at him. “Aye, she may have her way in our bed,” he said. “Still, it would do no good for the MacGillivray clan to look as if its chief was controlled by his wee slip of a wife.”

Feeling lighter than just few minutes earlier, he joined his men outside to begin repairs to the outer walls. He stripped off his tunic and hauled rocks for the rest of the afternoon, purging his agitation with pure physical labor.

Though the work was mindless, the sheer strength needed to shift the heavy rocks into place left his mind blissfully clear. By evening, he felt better about his situation.

Robbie’s mood blackened again, however, when Jocelyn did not come down for the evening meal. He shook his head at the maid when she asked if he wanted her to go and fetch his errant wife. He would fetch her himself.

On his way to the apothecary, he stopped by Will’s room briefly and popped his head in. Will was sleeping quietly while Sarah sat at his bedside, dozing in the armchair. Jocelyn was nowhere in sight.

He had turned to exit the room when he heard Will’s low voice. “What vexes you, brother?” he asked, his eyes still heavy with sleep and pain.

“Nothing, Will. Do you need anything?” he asked, speaking quietly so as not to waken Sarah.

“Nay.” Will’s eyes flickered over to Sarah. “She has not left my side,” he stated.

“Nay, she has not,” Robbie said cautiously. He wanted to tell Will he suspected Sarah was in love with him but had wanted to wait until he was well again. He waited to see what his brother would say.

Will sighed and looked Robbie straight in the eye.

“Jocelyn has locked herself in her apothecary. I am on my way to retrieve her,” he said, knowing Will would either blanch or grin.

Will leaned in the direction of a weak smile. “She will lead you on a merry chase, Robert,” he said as his eyelids began to droop once more.

“Sleep, Will,” Robbie said, and let himself out.

Walking toward the apothecary, he wondered what he would say to her. His wife really did need to learn her place. It was one thing for her to throw a goblet at him in private, but another thing entirely to refuse to take her place next to him in front of his clan.

Robbie dismissed the two men guarding the door and looked at it undecidedly. He fiddled with the key he had taken from one of the maids. Should he bother to knock or should he just let himself in?

Knocking softly, Robbie listened hard but didn’t hear any response from within. Either his Jocelyn was ignoring him or something was very wrong. His heart beating with dread, he shoved the heavy brass key into the keyhole and pushed the door open.

Jocelyn was stretched out on the bed, fast asleep. She hadn’t done the unthinkable. She had just fallen asleep.

He breathed a sigh of relief and approached the bed quietly. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he gently pulled the blankets down. Her beauty nearly took his breath away. She had never bothered to dress and was sleeping only in her chemise and stockings.

Trailing a finger across the tops of her breasts, he marveled at the feeling of her soft flesh under his rough fingertip. He stripped off his clothes and very carefully stretched out his naked body beside hers. She was on her side, her bottom fitting nicely into the curve where his hips and thighs met.

His thoughts of discipline disappeared as she wiggled closer to him, causing his cock to harden rapidly.

Slowing, cautiously, he dipped his hand inside her chemise and cupped one full breast. With more delicacy than he thought he was capable of, he pinched her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. It puckered at the gentle pressure, and he tugged on it softly.

Still playing with the tip as he nibbled on her neck, Robbie arched his back so that his shaft pressed against her ass. Still asleep, she arched her neck to give him better access and pushed her breast into his hand.

Motivated by her response, he pulled his hand out of her chemise and slid it down her side, stopping to massage her hip before pulling up the hem. His hand met her silky thigh, and he sighed with satisfaction.

Aching with need, he touched her core with his fingers, feeling her dry and hot. Lovingly, he traced her outer lips before running his finger along the small ridge of flesh hidden between her thighs. It took a good deal of time, but she finally responded to him. By the time she opened her eyes, she seemed to be desperate for him.

Allowing her to turn over before he came up between her legs, he teased her with gentle thrusts. “Robbie,” she moaned, still half asleep, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

It pleased him greatly to hear her moan his name in her passion. It pleased him even more when she rolled her hips against him in silent invitation.

He leaned down and kissed her mouth, capturing every sigh and whimper of pleasure. Pulling her leg up so that it draped over his hip, he loved her slowly, drawing out their pleasure until he couldn’t bear it anymore.

Thankfully, she tightened around him and shuddered in her delight, and he let himself go, his entire body going rigid with his climax. He collapsed beside her, facing her, and managed keep his shout of pleasure in his throat.

Robbie surfaced from his ecstasy and looked at her with a gentle smile.

She gazed at him with vague, sated eyes, a satisfied smile lingering on her lips. “Hello,” she murmured. “Has your sour disposition disappeared?”

He chuckled and kissed her smiling mouth. “Aye. I just want you to be safe.”

“I know,” she whispered. “Robbie, be reasonable. I am neither helpless nor stupid. I am more than capable of defending myself.”