Page 79 of Sinbound to the Highlander
“Ye as well,” Evan stepped aside to let her out and closed the door behind her.
Elspeth sat up, and Evan glanced at her face, the spots were not the same as the one he had marked that morning. Her maid had added another set while he was gone. She moved from the bed, “How was yer day?”
“Somewhat productive,” Evan said as he bent to stoke the fire higher. Dragging a chair nearer to the hearth, he sat and tugged his boots off and rested his feet, clad in hose, on the floor to warm. “What about yers?”
Elspeth came to rest on the arm of the chair. She slid her fingers into his hair and simpered, “Lonely, very lonely. I missed ye.”
Tense, Evan nearly yanked her hand away from his hair. Repulsion was building in his stomach as sour as bile, but he swallowed over his revulsion. He turned his head and bit back the sneer at her coy look. Her hand slipped from his hair and stroke over his cheek, “Daenae ye miss me?”
“I do,” Evan said, “but I am cold and tired. And I have a lot of work to do after this.”
“Ye cannae spare an hour or two to reconnect with yer wife?” Elspeth pouted. “I kent we could share a meal by the fire side.”
Lifting his head away from her, Evan said, “I suspect by reconnecting, ye mean coupling. I told ye about how me Maither wouldnae see me Faither for days at a time. That’s because he was putting the needs and wants of others before his. I’ve been groomed in the same way. It’s somethin’ ye will have to live with, Freya, as it will nae change.”
“I…” her eyes drifted to the window while snow fell heavier, “I feel as if ye’re disregarding me.”
Evan considered doing something to distract her, like kissing her, but could not bring himself to do it. “I apologize if ye feel that way, but I am nay disregarding ye. I need a bath. Where’s yer maid? Ask her to bring ye somethin’ to eat.”
“I sent her away to have time with her family,” Elspeth sulked before she went off to the bed, where an open book lay. A quick look at the cover and Evan saw it was titled,To a Young Lady.The same book he had kissed Freya over that night. The bile surged to his mouth.
A welcomed distraction came when three youths entered, bearing massive buckets each and filled the tub with steaming water. Thanking them, Evan went into the adjoining room, disrobed, and sank into the tub with a sigh of relief. His head lolled back even as he knew it was dangerous to relax when he had something important to do—and he was right.
Then a body slipped into the water, and Evan jolted as if he’d been run through with a flaming spear. Elspeth was naked and in the water, her body resting on his. She was crawling up his body and horrified, Evan, pushed her away.
“Nay,” he roared. “Get off me!”
“Why?” she sulked, “We’ve coupled before. I am starting to ken ye have nay affection for me.”
“This is nay ye,” Evan hissed. “What on earth had possessed ye, Freya? Ye have never made advances like this to me.”
She sat over the water’s level, baring her breasts to him, her dusky nipples tight and showing her arousal. “I’ve missed yer touch, havenae ye missed me?”
“Nay like this,” Evan grated, keeping his eyes on her face. “Yer immodesty is rather unbecoming, Freya. Had Elspeth poisoned ye in some fashion?”
“Nay,” Elspeth said, “she hasnae.”
Reaching over, Evan grabbed her and ignored the light that sprung into her eyes, and he pressed her hand to her chest. “When we coupled, I swore the next time would be under the covenant of marriage. Ye have decided on a spring wedding, so ye have at least four months to wait.”
She huffed and stepped out of the water, and padded, naked back to the room. Her words were sneered softly, but he heard them still, “Nay wonder ye are a match for her, ye two are suited for each other.”
Pressing a hand to his heart, Evan looked down at his wobbly reflection. “This ends on the morrow.”
* * *
Lobhdain Castle
It was nearly midnight when the messenger arrived at the Laird’s home, and only because Aidan learned that the message was an urgent matter from Ruthven, did he allow it.
The snow was coming down hard, and there was the clunk of hail on the windows. Knowing it would not be wise to send the man off in dangerous weather, he sent him off to the servants’ hall and instructed for him to have a cot and a warm meal.
Traipsing up to his quarters, his wife met him on the top of the stairs, while tightening her dressing robe. “Is everythin’ all right?”
Before answering, the Laird flipped the scroll over to see the seal and shook his head, “I cannae tell ye, Love, nae until I see what he needs.”
In their bed chamber, he popped the seal, unrolled the letter, and read quickly. Instantly, his heart seemed to expand two sizes, and his exclamation was both happy and mired in disbelief, “He found her, Grace, he found Elspeth!”
His wife nearly tumbled to the floor, but grabbed on a table and managed to get her feet under her. Aidan rushed to her side and wrapped his arm around her, helping her to the bed, “What do ye need, Love?”
