Page 62 of In Search of a Husband
Her vision faded, and she rubbed at her eyes, forcing herself to stay awake. She must have struck her head when she was thrown.
Gabriel jumped the horse over a wall, toward a small cottage tucked beneath a clutter of pines. And there, hiding, was the frightened mare.
“It’s too nasty to be outside,” he shouted. Kate felt the deep rumble of his words from within his chest. “I’ll tie them both up, and we’ll stay here until the storm passes.”
He guided Kate down. “Head on inside, and I’ll be right behind ye.”
Kate waited a moment, afraid to leave him and much too cold to push through the stuck door. With one more shove, she tripped into the dark one-roomed cottage.
Gabriel marched in a few moments later. “That’s a cold rain,” he hissed. Then searched the hearth for flint.
Kate glanced around the near empty room. A broken bed was pushed up against one corner, and there was a small table and chair set in the middle of the room. Some kindling lay piled by the hearth, and there were a few books but little else.
“It’s been empty for some time now. Mr. Syme passed before I left for university.”
“I didn’t know… where did you go?”
“St. Andrews.”
She strode to the small wardrobe and found a few blankets as theshivering began. She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and waited as Gabriel built a fire.
“Shouldna be long now,” he said, his own teeth chattering. “The Highland’s temper is fickle. But this fire will warm us up yet.”
The room tilted, or maybe her knees gave in. It was hard to tell as the chill settled in.
“That was a nasty spill. Ye’re lucky naught is broken.” He strode across the room, worry in his blue eyes. “May I?”
She tilted her head, shaking too hard from the cold to answer.
“Warm ye up,” he said.
She nodded, closing her eyes as his hands ran up and down her arms, but still the shivering persisted.
He dragged the mattress across the floor by the fireplace, then removed his shirt, and came to stand before her, his eyes full of worry.
“Ye need to undress,mo leannan,” he said. “Can ye do it yerself or do ye need help?”
“I can,” she whispered, but her hands shook too hard, and he cursed to himself.
“I’m goin’ to help ye take this off now. Tell me to stop if…”
She shook her head. This wasn’t how she had wished for him to see her. She was certain she was blue and frozen, but she knew she must warm up, or she would fall ill. She wished more than anything to be warm.
Gabriel’s hands were gentle as he slipped free the few buttons on the back of her dress, then slowly slid the fabric down her shoulders, sliding it against her cold, wet skin, before it dropped to her feet. She stood there in front of him in her wet short stays and chemise.
He turned around wordlessly as she began untying her stays and slipping off the wet, clingy chemise, stripping until she shivered there in the middle of the cabin, naked.
He cleared his throat. “When ye’re finished, slip onto the mattress under the blankets.”
She did as he instructed, her fingers numb and her eyes heavy.
“Are ye settled?”
“Yes,” she whispered through chattering teeth.
Then the mattress sank as he lowered his body behind hers, keeping a blanket between them, and wrapped her in his strong arms. The two lay in front of the fire as the storm raged on outside.
“Close yer eyes, Kate. Ye’ll be alright. I’ll see ye warm soon enough.”
