Page 84 of Wed to the Highlander
“That’s up to you, Maggie. The funds are yours.”
“But, it’s a fortune.”
“Then spend it on yourself, make a donation tae a charitable cause, pick up a hobby.”
“Duncan…”
MacLeish gathered his papers. “I’ll leave the two of you to discuss things. Nothing needs to be decided today. Until next Wednesday, laird,” he said with a bow.
Chuckling, Duncan placed a finger beneath her chin and closed her gaping mouth. “Your father and brothers never told you?”
“No, and I never asked, with a dowry supposed to go to my husband.”
“I never wanted it, and with the inheritance and clan business back on track, I don’t need it. I’ll be happy to provide counsel, but you make the decisions. I set it up with MacLeish and the bank so that your signature on any drafts will suffice.”
“That landed poorly, I imagine. I don’t know any women, other than widows, who handle their own funds. Even my mama…”
“It’s a tidy sum, but we’re not talking about the Sommerville dukedom, lass.” Still amused, he bent and kissed her.
When he would have pulled away, her fingers curled into his vest, keeping him there. “You’re a kind, honest, generous man, and I love you. I hope you know that.”
“I do, but that’s not to say I don’t enjoy hearing it.” Another kiss and another.
Utterly stunned by the generosity of her dowry, Maggie thought long and hard about how to use the money. Duncan insisted on providing for her and Jamie—food, clothes, furnishings for their comfort. The money wasn’t to be used for everyday expenditures. So, she had to be creative, but also not wasteful. The garden was something everyone would enjoy, and useful for cooking herbs and medicine, but she wanted to spend a bit of her money on something more impactful that would change the quality of people’s lives.
She was still pondering the possibilities in the tub that evening.
Steam hung thick in the chamber, curling around the sconces and veiling the stone walls in a sultry haze. Maggie reclined against the high back of the copper tub, her limbs loose, skin flushed from the heat. The water lapped gently around her, infused with rose oil and crushed juniper—earthy, floral, and just sharp enough to awaken the senses.
Suddenly, it came to her. “Duncan! I have it,” she called to him through the door.
He appeared, Jamie on his shoulder. “He’s asleep,” he mouthed. “Let me put him to bed, and I’ll join you.”
She exhaled slowly, letting the warmth seep into her bones, her eyes closed, her thoughts drifting. Then—movement. A shift in the air. The subtle creak of floorboards.
She cracked one eye open.
Duncan stood over her, naked and unapologetic, steam rising from his skin like mist off a loch. His gaze was molten, fixed on her with a hunger that made her breath catch.
“Slide forward,” he said, voice low and rough, a rasp that matched the rampant desire etched across his face.
She obeyed, slowly, deliberately, the water sloshing as she made room. He stepped in behind her, the heat of him eclipsing the bath, the world, everything. A groan rumbled in his chest as he sank into the water, legs outside of hers, his body pressing close, her backside nestled against the hard ridge of his arousal.
His hands found her hips beneath the surface, gliding over slick skin, reverent and possessive. He bent to kiss the curve of her neck, his breath hot against her ear.
“A bathhouse,” she murmured, voice thick with pleasure, picking up where they’d left off.
“What’s that?” he asked, lips trailing down her shoulder, more interested in her than any conversation.
“I want to commission a second, larger cistern and heating system,” she said, her words faltering as his fingers traced the underside of her breast.
“Mmm…” Duncan hummed, mouth grazing her collarbone. “That’s ambitious.”
“And necessary. Everyone here works hard. Why should the laird and lady be the only ones who get to indulge? We can build it into the new north wing. No more hauling and boiling water.”
His teeth grazed her skin, just enough to make her shiver. “If you’re trying to buy the clan’s love, it’s too late. They already adore you.”
“Do you really think so?”
