Page 61 of The Icy Highlander's Bride
The guard he had ordered to stand watch saw him coming from down the hallway. The man seemed to be in the same position Daniel had left him in, and Daniel couldn't keep the satisfied smirk from his face as he saw the guard's eagerness to show off.
"Very good." Daniel nodded once.
He reached around the man to open the door and stepped inside quietly. The room was dark, the only light coming from the moon that was now high in the sky. He let his eye adjust as he made out Lana's curled-up figure on the far side of the bed. Shewas asleep on her side, and Daniel watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest.
She had kicked the covers so they were around her knees, and he felt a rush of warmth in his stomach as he took in the soft nightgown that left little to the imagination. Seeing the garment made him think of the day she tried it on and everything that came after. That day at the lake when his fingers had fit so snugly inside her…
Daniel crossed to the bed and sat down, feeling the mattress dip beneath his weight. He looked over his shoulder to see if Lana would stir, but he didn't catch any movement. He thought of scooting closer to her, of letting his legs touch hers or his hand brush her shoulder. Would she curl into him? Would she respond in the quiet peace of the night?
But he pushed the thoughts aside. Instead, he turned his body to the door, giving her his back as he squeezed his eye shut. He knew he wouldn't sleep. Not when her presence was so strong.
Though there was barely space between them in the large bed, he felt a charged tension that made his body raw with desire.
"I have a council meeting."
Lana blinked sleep away as the bedroom came into focus. She slowly opened her eyes to see Daniel standing over her side of the bed.
"Ye and Skye can take breakfast in the kitchens."
Seeing him brought back all the harsh words they had hurled at each other last night. She sat up, instantly frustrated with him as she glared at him through her grogginess.
"Aye," she uttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "A good start to a thrilling day locked in the castle."
Lana saw him stop and consider her angry words. As she blinked him into focus, she noticed a softness in the lines of his face. For a moment, she wondered if he was about to smile.
"Perhaps ye can take Skye to the cows," he offered. "If ye think she would like that."
Of course, the words surprised her. She had half expected him to keep her in the bedroom all day. So the offer of a trip outside was a welcome one.
Still, Lana couldn't bring herself to show gratitude. She simply frowned at him.
Daniel looked at her from the corner of his eye, as if he were waiting for her to speak. When she didn't, he let out a frustrated sigh and stormed out of the room.
"A dinner, perhaps? Something to show the man ye respect him."
Daniel had to hide his disgust at the suggestion. He shifted his shoulder toward his ear, struggling to loosen the knot in his neck. After a sleepless night, the last thing he wanted to do was sit at this table with his council.
"And why must I be the one to concede?" he asked, keeping his tone even. He had promised Cameron he wouldn't get upset this morning, so he was working to keep himself under control. "Laird MacDougal has nay claim over Skye."
"'Tis true," Angus agreed. "But ye ken these older lairds. If they feel disrespected, there is little that can be done. The best way to appease him will be to apologize."
"It willnae be enough," Cameron said. "He'll want something more public. A private dinner willnae be a large enough display."
"So ye go there," Seamus added enthusiastically. "Ye can visit MacDougal Castle—show off Skye and Lana to the clan."
"A wedding procession of sorts!" Groth clapped his hands together. "Ye could visit the neighboring Lairds and some of the major landowners. Bring gifts and introduce yer new bride."
"That was what the ceilidh was for," Daniel sighed, but suddenly his council was buzzing.
"It's the best thing," Seamus said. "Show Skye her maither's home and let MacDougal show off his granddaughter."
"Ye are forgetting the real problem," Daniel told the group, diverting the conversation before he grew too angry with his council. "Someone told the Laird about the wedding. What are we doing to track them down?"
"We've sent men to question those in the village," Cameron told him. "And we've gone through the guest list, looking for anyone who's had problems with the clan in the past."
"It may be impossible," Seamus stated. He said it with such dismissal that Daniel wanted to toss the man out of the room. He sighed deeply, turning to him with a dark stare. "Even if we find the person who told MacDougal, it does not resolve this conflict. Our best chance of restoring peace for the clan is to make amends with MacDougal."
Daniel sighed as the men launched into plans about the proposed reunion between Skye and her grandfather. He let his mind drift to Lana and Skye eating breakfast in the kitchen. He had sent them down there a short while ago, content that they were hidden in the bowels of the castle under the watchful eyes of numerous servants.
