Page 32 of Highlander's Rebellious Affair
“Let us worry about one thing at a time,” Callum suggested and patted his shoulder gently. “I suggest to take Orlaith with ye to the Castle to help treat ye until ye are properly healed, poisons can be dangerous and tricky.”
Ian nodded. “Thank ye, Callum, for every thin’.”
“I owe ye this much,” Callum replied and Ian nodded.
He still felt weak, his fever had dropped, but he didn’t think he could ride back to the Castle right now, so he decided to wait it out. It was already a bright, new day, so maybe by nighttime he would feel stronger.
Now what he had in mind was to find Hope and sleep with her in his arms. “Hope is inside, ye should go meet her,” Callum said, then left Ian alone in the cottage.
Orlaith was still asleep on a mat on the ground, but she stirred slightly as Ian walked slowly into the inner cottage and found Hope sleeping in the bed. He watched her for a few minutes, and sighed, he walked to the bed, and gently climbed it to join her.
Hope slowly opened her eyes, and she gasped when she saw him beside her.
“Ian,” she whispered, and he smiled.
“I was told ye saved my life.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck immediately, bringing him down to her so they could stay in a warm embrace. He heard her sobbing, and tried to calm her tears by slowly patting her back. His heart broke at the sound of her in tears and he did not like it. He never wanted her to feel sorrow, or pain because of him.
“I was so scared thinkin’ the poison will kill ye,” she said and Ian shook his head. “I dinnae want to ever feel that way again,” she added, still sobbing, and Ian nodded and placed a kiss on her temple.
“Ye wouldnae have to.”
Slowly, she withdrew from him, and framed his face with her hands. The softness of her palm made him sigh, and his heartbeat formed a steady rhythm, one he was used to when he was around her.
Hope’s wide eyes reflected everything she felt. Her fear and her joy that he was awake, and Ian felt a string of deep flutters in his stomach rise. “I wouldnae let ye be alone,” he whispered, his voice tight with emotions as a memory of the dream he had flashed in his mind and filled him with sad emotions of losing his father.
Since then, Rhea was the only left he considered so dear to his heart, but that was until he met Hope, and since he did, she had become close to his heart too. He now thought of her as family, she was his wife, and his family now.
He gently used his thumb to wipe away her tears, then lowered her to the bed again so he could lie beside her. The dull ache of his arrow wound still resonated through him, but whatever Orlaith had cooked up and given him was working because it was not intense.
“How are ye feelin’?” Hope asked and he nodded.
“Yer aunt is a good healer, and her herbs are workin’.”
She opened her mouth to ask another question, but he silenced her with a kiss. He kissed her deeply, filling himself with the taste of her lips, the scent of her hair as he lifted a fist full to his nostrils and inhaled.
Hope pushed her body closer to his as she deepened the kiss by parting her lips so his tongue could explore inside of her mouth. His groan of satisfaction was met with her placing her hands on his chest and gently stroking it. Her touch was tender, it made him sigh and relax, and he gathered her close to his heart and closed his eyes again so he could fall asleep, not minding that it was already daybreak.
Ian was feeling weak again, and he hoped that when he woke up this time, he would have the strength to ride back to the Castle. He could only imagine the surprise on Lyall’s face when he returned home, alive.
24
Ian rode back to the Castle with Orlaith and Hope the next day when his sister came for them. They prepared a chamber for Orlaith in his wing of the Castle to make sure she was safe and away from Lyall.
Ian could not risk his uncle finding out who she was, or what she was doing in Galloway. He knew he had Lyall’s spies among his men, so soon, Lyall would hear that there was someone in his wing. Ian hoped to get her out before Lyall confronted him about it.
No servants knew about her, and once he was stronger, he would take her out of the Castle and back to Callum who was keeping her safe.
Days later, Lyall called for a feast as Ian expected, and as he sat there in the midst of the loud men and other respected Lairds from other clans and dined beside Hope, Ian could not wait for everything to be over.
He looked to his side where Hope sat beside him, focused on eating her Cullen skink made from smoked haddock, potato and onion, and Ian smiled at her when she looked in his direction.
Today, she dressed in a special white dress made by the servant’s seamstress, the neckline was just like Ian loved, a low u-cut that exposed just the right amount of flesh and nothing more. The sleeves were puffed, the bodice tight enough to show her slim waistline, and the full flounce of the skirt without pleats flowed down to her feet.
Hope looked prettier to him every day, and as more time passed, he could not imagine her being with anyone else. She was slowly creeping into his heart and carving a space for herself there.
He continued to admire her, aware that Lyall’s gaze also constantly wandered in her direction. It was Lyall’s gaze that made him furious, but he tried so much to not express his anger. Ian finished his meal and drank heartily from the quaich of ale before Lyall stood up and made a toast.
