Page 43 of To Charm a Highlander

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They’d been married more than three weeks and Callum was growing frustrated.He’d gotten further with his wife, but not far enough.He would never force her, but he would have to push her a bit more.It seemed like she was settling into married life quite nicely but was happy with just their cuddling and slight touches at night.

He was not.

He received sympathetic looks from Conall and Haydon who apparently kenned his dilemma.Most likely Ainslee and Maura kept them up to date on what Donella told them each day as they did their chores around the keep, and she worked with Dorathia.

The poor lads he was training were worn to the bone at the end of the day on the lists.But no matter how hard he pushed himself, he still needed a dunk in the loch’s cold water each night after Donella fell asleep.

He dragged himself back to the keep as he was considering taking a dunk before the evening meal and then again later.He would be the cleanest warrior in the Highlands.Probably all of Scotland.

“Callum.”Malcolm headed toward him with a missive in his hand.“A rider just brought this for ye.Are ye able to read it?”

Callum took it from his hand.“Aye.My da made sure me and my brother could both read, write, and do our sums.‘Tis been verra helpful.”

Malcolm continued past him, most likely headed to his own house where his wife Christine would be preparing the evening meal for them and their bairn.As cousin to Haydon, Malcolm had been given a piece of land from the laird when he’d married Christine, which Malcolm used to build a small, comfortable house for them.

It had also come with tenant farmers who supplied Christine with her eggs, milk, and meat, which left Malcolm free to continue to work on the lists every day.

Haydon had told Callum that soon he would gather a group of warriors to help him build a house for himself and Donella on the land that had come with Donella’s dowry.He would earn his living working on the lists, and they would take their meals at the castle where Donella would continue to work with Dorathia to learn healing.

The thought in the back of his mind nudged him again about speaking with Dorathia.He hoped mayhap she could give him some advice, or even speak with Donella to ease some of her fears.But that he would leave until the time came—which he hoped would not—when he could think of nothing else to do to consummate his marriage.

He walked to the edge of the loch and dropped his clothes alongside his sword and dove into the water.‘Twas not as cold as the nighttime when he generally took his swim.It felt good and mayhap a swim before he took Donella to bed each night might work better than just cleaning himself up with soap and water.Hell, he would swimandwash with soap and water if it would please his wife.

“Husband, you’re going to miss supper if ye doona drag yerself out of that water.”Donella stood alongside his clothes, her hands on her hips, a smile on her beautiful face.

Ach, he loved the lass.He would work harder to make her comfortable and at ease with him.He strolled out of the water and instead of turning her head, she continued to stare at him.Actually, one part of him had seemed to garner her attention, which he found quite odd given her fears.

“Why is yer,” she waved her hand at his middle, “so small?”

He shook as much water off himself as he could and took his plaid from her hands.“I assume ye mean my man parts?”

She nodded and watched him fold his kilt and wrap it around his waist, fastening it with his belt.After gathering his sword and other weapons he carried on him, he threw his arm over her shoulders and tugged her to him.“Well, ye see, lass, the cold water does that.”

“How verra interesting.”They started to walk toward the castle when Donella stopped.“What is that on the ground?”She pointed to the missive he’d forgotten about.

He bent and picked it up.“’Tis a missive a rider brought for me today.I forgot about it.”

“Ye receive so many, then that ‘tis hard to keep them all straight?”she said with a smirk.

“Aye, ‘tis quite popular I am.”He opened it and stopped as he read the words.He looked up at her with a frown.

* * *

“What is it?”Donella asked.The strangest look had come over Callum’s face.

“I’m not sure.All it says is there is an old midwife who lives on the edge of Gunn land—apparently not too far from here—who I should speak with.”

Donella looked at the parchment in his hand.“Who sent the note?”

“It doesna say.”He took her by the hand, linking their fingers together as they walked to the castle.

“How verra odd.”

He frowned at her.“What is odd, lass, is why ye think ye have my permission to leave the castle to come fetch me.”

“’Tis a short walk,” she said.