Page 36 of Hunting for a Highlander (Highland Brides 8)

“I love yer hair,” he murmured after a moment, and she felt him lift it away from her neck and raise it out behind her. “’Tis so soft and fine. Lovely.”

Dwyn stilled, her fingers tightening on her goblet, and then he let it fall back into place and asked, “Ye must be hungry. Would ye like to try a little food?”

“Aye,” she said, relieved when her voice was a little less raspy this time and it didn’t pain her as much to speak. The liquid was helping, Dwyn thought, and then glanced around with surprise when Geordie was suddenly shifting past her to stand. When he took the goblet and set it on the table, then bent toward her, she automatically raised her arms to wrap them around his neck as he picked her up.

“I think we’ll start with something light and then move from there,” he said as he carried her to the table. “Cook sent up broth to start with, as well as meat, cheese and fruit. But why do we no’ see how the broth settles ere we try anything else?”

Dwyn nodded, but her hungry eyes were on the tray with the food on it and her mouth was watering at the thought of eating. The mead had eased her mouth and throat, but it had also made her aware of how empty her stomach was and the hunger gnawing at it.

Geordie set her in the nearer chair, and lifted a small wooden bowl of broth from the tray to set it before her, but then turned to head back to the bed to get her empty goblet and his full one. He was back quickly though, and took the opposite chair.

“Did yer sisters tell ye Jetta delayed the feast until tomorrow so ye could attend?” he asked as he poured more mead into her goblet.

Dwyn swallowed the broth and nodded. “Aye. ’Twas very kind o’ her, but I feel bad that she did. I’m sure everyone else was disappointed, and ’tis no’ as if I could have danced at the feast anyway,” she pointed out.

“Ye might be able to. Rory is going to come up with the bath, and check yer feet while they prepare it. He’s hoping they’ve healed enough ye can put weight on them again and can walk and dance. If no’ tonight, then by tomorrow.”

“Oh,” Dwyn breathed, smiling at the thought. While she loved the excuse of needing to be carried to be in Geordie’s arms, it could also be embarrassing when it came to things like using the garderobe. Fortunately, her sisters had helped her in the garderobe, but he’d still had to carry her there and set her on the wooden bench, and then carry her away after. Most embarrassing, she thought with a grimace, and hoped she wouldn’t have to go again now that she was eating. At least, not until Rory had seen her feet, and hopefully said she could put weight on them again.

“How is yer stomach faring now?” Geordie asked, drawing her attention back to him. “Is the broth bothering it?”

“Nay,” Dwyn said, relieved to be able to say so.

“Would ye like to try some meat, cheese and bread?” he suggested.

Dwyn looked at the food. Her mind was very aware she’d missed several meals and wanted the food, but her stomach was telling her it was starting to feel full from just the drink and broth. Sighing, she said, “Perhaps just a little bread and fruit. I’m almost full already.”

“What about a pastie, then?” he suggested, drawing her attention to the fruit-filled pastries she hadn’t noticed until he now pointed them out.

“Oh, aye,” she said with a smile. “That would be perfect.”

Nodding, he picked one up and set it before her, then began eating as well, starting with the meat, cheese and bread he’d first offered her.

They ate in silence for several minutes, and then Dwyn said, “Una and Aileen told me that yer brother sent Lady Catriona and Lady Sasha away.”

Geordie swallowed the food in his mouth, before saying, “Aye. Rory and Alick were no’ interested in them, and they were just taking up space and being unpleasant, so Aulay asked them to leave.”

Dwyn watched him take another bite of the beef that had been sent up, but after watching him chew and swallow, she said, “Aileen said the rooms were needed, one for a new lass who arrived today?”

“Aye, Aulay mentioned another lady had arrived with her escort,” he admitted, and then smiled wryly. “I think he mentioned the lady’s name, but I paid him little attention. I shall ask him later and tell ye who it is though,” he promised.

Dwyn nodded, but said, “Aileen said that they were taking the other room and leaving me here. Una said it was so that I could rest and recover, but that’s no’ necessary. I should be fine now, and it seems silly for us to be split up like that when you and your brothers could take the other room,” she pointed out.

“Me brothers are sleeping in the barracks until more women leave,” he said, reaching for a pastie now.

Dwyn was silent for a minute, but then said, “I got the feeling Aileen was going to give another reason for why we were being split up before Una interrupted to say it was so I could rest and recover.”

Geordie glanced up at that, his eyes wide and almost guilty-looking, and then relief washed over his face when a knock sounded at the door. Standing abruptly, he hurried over to open it and then stepped back to allow Rory in. The healer was followed by two men carrying a large bathtub, and several women carting pails of water, half of which were steaming.

“How is your stomach accepting food now?” Rory asked, moving toward her as soon as he spotted her at the table.

“Good, thank ye,” Dwyn answered, wishing she’d had more time to question Geordie before the man had interrupted. She had a feeling there was something she needed to know here.

“Good, good.” Rory beamed at her as if she had done something to make herself feel better, when she suspected the truth was whatever had been put in her drink had obviously just moved out of her system.

“Should I carry her to the bed so ye can look at her feet?” Geordie asked, leaving the door to join them.

“Aye,” Rory said at once. “Hopefully they are much improved too.”

---