Page 41 of The Wrong Highlander (Highland Brides 7)

Conran closed his eyes on a sigh. It appeared he wouldn’t be tending his aching cock any time soon.

“Although, from the looks o’ ye, ye did no’ show her how the mating itself could be pleasurable, but stuck to pleasuring her alone.”

Conran’s eyes popped open and he noted without surprise that his brother was eyeing him below the waist with a combination of amusement and sympathy.

“No’ got that far yet, eh?” he asked.

“Nay,” Conran growled, moving forward again and pushing the door closed behind him. “What did ye want, Aulay?”

“Just to warn ye that Saidh and Greer arrived while ye were about yer business with Evina,” he said solemnly. “I expected them to be the last to arrive, but Geordie rode out to pass on the news o’ yer nuptials and they left at once to ride here with him, so ye may no’ have the two weeks as I first thought.”

“What?” Conran asked with alarm.

Aulay shrugged apologetically and stood up. “I’m sure Dougall and Niels and their wives’ll no’ be far behind, so ye may want to speed up yer efforts with Evina while ye can.”

“Damn,” Conran breathed as his oldest brother left the room. He’d thought he still had a week and a couple days to manage the situation. It seemed likely though that if Saidh and Greer had already managed to get here, he only had a couple of days left, at best. He seriously needed to move matters along with Evina.

He’d take the next step after sup this evening, Conran thought grimly. From kissing to touching. But first he needed to tend to himself or he’d be hard-pressed not to move it along faster than he planned.

“Lady MacDonnell seems an interesting woman. Laird Conran’s sister, Saidh, married Greer MacDonell,” Tildy explained when Evina looked confused, and then continued, “She seems a lot like you. No’ dainty and fussy like a lot o’ the ladies o’ the nobility. She carries a sword as ye do, and I’m quite sure I spotted the bottom o’ braies peeking out from under her skirts as she sat down. She asked to come see ye, and I said I’d check to see if ye were awake. So . . .” Tildy paused, and raised her eyebrows. “Are ye up to meeting yer soon-to-be sister-in-law?”

Evina opened her mouth, closed it again and then sighed and started to sit up.

“Let me help ye, lass.” Tildy rushed forward at once, but Evina waved her away.

“I can manage, Tildy. Thank ye,” she murmured, shifting the pillows and furs back into place behind her back to lean against. Her wound wasn’t as painful as it had been at first and her breathing was much improved. She was actually feeling well enough that she was beginning to chafe at being stuck in her bed all the day long, and was thinking she may go below stairs the next day. Or mayhap tonight for the sup. If they had company, she should really make an effort to be a proper hostess.

“Ye’re looking better,” Tildy commented out of the blue, and when Evina glanced at the maid with surprise, she said, “Ye’ve got some color in yer cheeks and seem more . . . I do no’ ken . . . relaxed?” she suggested.

Evina felt her cheeks heat up at the words, knowing exactly what had brought about the color and her relaxed state. Conran’s “kisses.” Dear God, the man was . . . well, one hell of a kisser. Her body was still giving off little intermittent pulses of something that wasn’t quite pleasure now, but like an aftershock, and her limbs were all shaky and quivering still. Yet it had to be a quarter hour since Conran had left.

“I’ll bring up some mead, and mayhap some pastries fer the two o’ ye if Cook has any, shall I?” Tildy suggested as she watched Evina rearrange her furs to cover the tunic she’d redonned just before Tildy had arrived.

“Aye, I suppose,” Evina murmured, frowning as she felt an unusual nervousness beginning to creep over her. She had no idea why she was suddenly nervous. Evina had never before been a shy lass when it came to meeting people. But then this was Conran’s sister, who might actually become her sister-in-law if things continued as they were going. Conran’s “kisses” had gone a long way toward convincing her that perhaps the marriage bed was not the trial and chore she’d thought it must be after her experience in the field. She wasn’t completely convinced, but truly, she was leaning that way.

“I’ll go tell her ye’re awake and happy to see her,” Tildy announced once Evina was situated.

“Thank ye.” Evina managed a smile, and watched the woman leave, then sat and watched the door anxiously. She didn’t have long to wait. Conran’s sister must have been waiting in the hall, for it seemed that Tildy had barely closed the door behind her before it opened again and a beautiful, dark-haired woman swaggered in. That was the only way to describe it. Saidh Buchanan MacDonnell did not take mincing, little, ladylike steps as most noble females did. She strutted into the room, hips swaying, and the sword strapped to her waist swaying with them.

“Ye must be Conran’s Evina!” was her greeting, and it was accompanied by a wide grin. “I’m here to give ye all the dirt on him, so ye can blackmail him as needs be.”

Evina’s eyes widened at the words, and she reached up weakly to pat the other woman’s back when she stopped at the bedside and bent to hug her.

“Welcome to the family, sister.”

“Oh.” Evina forced a smile and nodded as the woman straightened. This didn’t seem to be the time to tell her that she hadn’t totally made up her mind to marry Conran. Not that she’d probably tell her anyway. She wouldn’t tell anyone if she decided not to marry him. She’d pack her few belongings in a bag, saddle her horse and leave. Evina had no idea where she’d go, but she wasn’t going to marry if she wasn’t ready and if she wasn’t sure the man would not abuse her. She’d cut her hair, bind her breasts, dress as a man and work as a mercenary if she had to. She could handle a sword as well as every man here at Maclean.

Well, if she was pregnant that could be a problem, but she’d worry about that later. At the moment, she just had to get through this visit.

“I ken ye’re no’ sure about marrying Conran, and are no’ convinced o’ the pleasures o’ the marriage bed, but I promise, while the first time is painful, after that ’tis much better.”

Evina stiffened, her eyes shooting to Saidh’s face with shock.

“Ye can no’ keep a secret in a castle, Evi,” she said gently, and then asked, “Is it okay if I call ye Evi?”

“Aye,” she muttered, wondering if she’d heard Conran refer to her as Evi. He was the only one who called her that.

“Good.” Beaming, she dropped to sit in the chair next to the bed, and added, “I also understand ye’ve some fears about the husband’s right to beat ye and such, and I want to assure ye, Conran would ne’er beat a woman. None o’ me brothers ever would. And I can say that with complete certainty, because if they were o’ the temperament to beat women, I’d ha’e been beaten long ago, several times over.”

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