Page 61 of Don't Give A Damn About My Plaid Reputation
How could one woman shoulder so much burden? “Trust me, Robena. I’ll find a way for us to be together. I love ye.”
She was silent for a long while. When she did speak, she sounded close to sleep. “I used to envy Lady Elspeth, ye ken. I picture her as beautiful and talented and graceful.”
He snorted softly. “Mayhap. But there’s nae way she’s as beautiful and talented asyeare.”
She yawned. “I notice ye didnae saygraceful.”
“Ye’re wearing pine sap in yer hair from all the trees ye bumped into.”
“I didnae bump into them.” She couldn’t manage to sound indignant. “They jumped out of naewhere and attacked me. The sap is a valiant scar from my battles.”
He chuckled and kissed her again. “Go to sleep, love.”
“I dinnae envy her any longer,” she confessed, before another yawn overtook her.
“Really?” He knew nothing of Murray’s family, much less the laird’s eldest daughter. “Why?”
“Because she might be beautiful and talented and everything ye’d like in a wife…but ye’remine.”
And long after she fell asleep, Kester MacBain smiled.
Aye, hewashers, and she was his. And no matter what happened tomorrow, that would be true.
God willing.
* * *
The Games were nearingtheir end as their little party arrived late the next day. Already, some of the clans who had the farthest to travel had departed, not caring about the musical competitions to come. Kester could see the empty places in the field where the grass had been trampled and broken by the camps.
Robena sat on her own horse, her shoulders straight, her expression carefully neutral as she surveyed the field.
“See the Sutherland banner, milady?” Auld Gommy was pointing solicitously. “They’re the bastards to beat, excuse my language.”
“How do ye ken?”
The old man scoffed. “Theyalwayskick everyone’s arses, excuse my language. There’s so damn many of them! Excuse my language.”
Robena’s lips twitched. “Ye dinnae have to keep excusing yer language. I’ve heard ye say much worse.”
“Aye, and I’m hoping ye’ll forget about that, afore my laird beats me black and blue for it.”
She lifted her fingertips to her lips in a familiar gesture, as if trying to press her mustache back. Fortunately, since it had been swept away, she’d made no effort to create another one. On the one hand, he didn’t have to taste a fooking mustache every time he wanted to kiss the woman he loved….
On the other hand, between her bare upper lip, and lack of binding around her breasts, Kester didnae think anyone would confuse her for a lad.
“There’s the Murray tents!” Mook called and pointed happily.
Kester and Pudge exchanged a glance, their eyes hard.
Aye, Ian Murray had set up his camp on the cliff overlooking the loch. It meant he and his men had farther to go to reach the competition fields, but he also had the prime position from which to look over the gathered clans. Slightly above everyone, off to the west, he’d be able to look across the Games and tell himself he was more important than the others, because he had the ear of the King.
Self-important arsehole.
“Auld Gommy, ye and Weesil set up camp on the outskirts, aye? Mook, ye and Giric are in charge of scouting. Spread out and see what ye can learn. Pudge, ye come with me.”
Robena clucked at her horse to move up beside his. “Withus.”
“Ye should rest for a bit, love. We had to ride hard to get here by this evening.” And a hard ride last night, too. He fought the urge to reach for her, to brush his hand against hers, to remind her she belonged to him. “And I have to find the steward to deliver the Gordon’s missive.”
