Page 72 of Highlander's Wild Lass
Anthony collapsed into the armchair before the fireplace. “I think...well, I think I might—”
The grin slowly crept onto Sebastian’s face, building and building until it completely took over and Anthony had a full view of his teeth. “My God, ye love her.”
“Nay!” Anthony stood abruptly, casting a glare at Sebastian. “I dinnae. I dinnae love her.”
Sebastian held his hands up in forfeit. “Fine, ye dinnae love her. Shall we go for a ride before yer uncles wake up and entrap us in some sort of ridiculous sword fight.”
“Aye, but I’m sure they will find us nay matter our efforts to avoid them.”
* * *
When it was time for bed, Celestia was hesitant to return to their chambers. Hesitant because she thought maybe what happened last night might happen again, despite how badly she wanted it to.
She spent most of the day with Mrs. Duncan in the kitchen and in the gardens. It felt good to harvest the food she would be eating at each meal, helping the people who now served her and her family.
Anthony hadn’t come to look for her once.
She had spent some time with Auralia and her father exploring the two-story library, while the twins had taken off to ride their horses citing that they wanted to get familiar with their new home.
Still, she had not seen Anthony. Not even at the midday meal or supper. Though she had spotted him in the field from the hall windows with Sebastian fending off his uncles in what appeared to be a friendly duel. When she walked into their bedroom, she found him undressing for the night.
“Who won?”
“Hmm?” he said, looking a bit startled as she came in. As if he had forgotten she was here. But she supposed this was how they agreed to live—separately.
“I assume yer uncles?” she said, beginning to undress. Her pulse settled when she realized it didn’t seem like he was in any state to be intimate.
“Oh, that, ye saw that?” He watched her nod. “My uncles were winnin’ at first, slammin’ the butts of their swords into our arms and stomach, but Bas and I got them in the end.”
“Very good,” she said, pulling the pin from her bun and letting her hair fall down her back.
“Where were ye all day?”
She removed her bodice and let her single skirt fall to the ground. She was in her shift finally, and the ache in her limbs from gardening and climbing every ladder in the library had exhausted her.
He was folding his kilt neatly and placing it on top of the dresser while Celestia flattened her skirt and draped it haphazardly over the back of a chair.
“Well?” he prodded.
“I was with Mrs. Duncan for most of the day. Helpin’ in the gardens and the kitchens.”
Anthony blinked as if he heard her wrong. “Helpin’...”
“Then,” she continued, feeling like Anthony was about to object to her working alongside the servants. “My sister wanted to get familiar with the library, so Da and I accompanied her—ye ken, they both love to read. I appreciate ye lettin’ them use it.”
They climbed into bed, Celestia laying stiff on the pillow. Anthony prodded and fluffed the down feather pillow before he settled into the sheets. He clasped his hands on his stomach, peering up at the ceiling.
“Are we—” she said, her voice just a breath, turning her head to look at him. “Are we goin’ to do what we did last night...again?” She felt foolish for even asking it.
His smile was quick to appear and even quicker to vanish. “Nay, nae tonight, lass. A married couple doesnae have to do it every night.”
Celestia nodded her head, somewhat relieved, somewhat disappointed. She closed her eyes, hoping she would fall asleep easily, but she felt Anthony’s eyes on her. She slid one eye open. “What are ye lookin’ at?”
“Ye.”
“Why?”
“Did ye really spend the day with Mrs. Duncan and helpin’ the servants?”
