Page 34 of The Veiled Wish of a Highland Bride

He clutched his head in his hands. He had fallen in love with a married woman, one married to the man who so graciously hosted him at the moment. Of all the women he had known and shared his bed with,whydid Mia hound him?

What is it about her that makes me want to go back on everything I stand for?

He was going to go and find her.

* * *

Mia had just about drifted off when she heard a knock at the door to her chamber. She remembered vividly that she had instructed all the servants to leave her be. Perhaps, she hoped, it would be Bram coming to see how she was doing.

Mia realized that her feelings for Archibald meant she shouldn't think about Bram—or his approval—too much. It did not, however, mend her broken marriage.

In a raspy voice she cried, “Come in!”

Her eyes widened as the candles illuminated the face of the person who had just entered. Archibald strutted in, and he looked even more handsome than ever with his weary eyes and disheveled hair.

“Laird Macnab,” she whispered, adjusting herself into a sitting position. “Why are ye not sleeping?”

“I could ask the same for ye.” He was smirking, although the way his smile reached his eyes whispered words of silent affection to her. He seemed to have softened since first they had met, and she liked it.

Archie sat on the side of her bed. “How are ye feeling? How is yer leg?”

“I am completely fine, Laird Mac–”

“Mia, call me, Archie. I keep telling ye. Sometimes ye do, sometimes ye dinnae. I cannae understand ye.”

Mia looked away from him. She had tried her best to feel comfortable with calling him by his given name, but every time she did guilt pooled in her stomach.

“What if I cannae?”

“I guess we must never speak again then.” He leaned closer with a smile. “We need names between us, Mia.”

Mia scoffed, her smile deepening to match his.

“Did anyone see ye?” she asked.

“Of course nae,” Archibald replied incredulously. “There was a maid I ran into on my way up here, but she dinnae see me come in.”

Mia's face fell. “Ye saw a maid around at this time of the night? Probably returning from warming my husband's bed.”

She barely cared anymore who Bram shared his bed with. She just wished he would not cause her further shame by doing so when there were so many Lairds in the castle. He talked so much about the Murray legacy but cared naught for it when it involved his own pleasure.

“What did the healer say about her leg?” Archibald asked. Mia noticed that he was careful not to touch her, possibly for fear of causing her more pain.

“It will be healed in a few days. I have to make sure that my feet remain off the ground for now.”

“I did nae ken ye were such a warrior, Mia.”

“Well, I doubt ye believe anything I say.” Then she added for emphasis, “Archie.”

His laugh caught her off guard, causing her insides to flutter in a funny way. This man, whom she had made love to at the loch, was in her chambers alone with her at night. What could go wrong? Mia knew the answer deep down.

She cleared her throat. “Can I ask ye a question?”

“Anything,” he said with a small smile.

“Why have ye never married?”

Archibald regarded her for a moment before speaking. “I almost did, once. She was a woman I loved very much, but she was taken away from me.”

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