Page 59 of Never Marry a Highlander

Chapter Twenty-One

Lorena‘seyesslowlyopened, and she blinked at the early morning sunlight streaming from underneath the window shutter.Pushing her hair out of her eyes, she sat up and looked at the other half of the bed.The unwrinkled, unslept in half of the bed.She frowned, her early morning fuzzy head trying to make sense of it.

It had been five days that they’d been at Castle Varrich and today was the day they were to return to Dun Ugadale.The time spent here had been a nice break from her duties at home, and she’d certainly enjoyed the company of her husband.They’d gone for walks, had a picnic in the woods, and he even took her for a trip to Kyle Village and bought her a charming gold bracelet.

Each night they’d enjoyed the music and dancing and when they’d grown weary, climbed the stairs, hand-in-hand to end their evening in each other arms.So many times she wanted to tell him about the bairn she was carrying but decided she would rather do that at their home.

Of course, ruining the entire visit had been the constantly annoying Lady Beattie.She popped up everywhere, and Craig had gone from amused to aggravated.However, considering the woman was some sort of relation to The MacKay clan chief, he held his tongue.

Lorena climbed out of bed and wondered why Craig had not joined her the night before.When she’d left him downstairs he was going to spend time with Robin and Finn who were leaving early this morning with half the guardsmen they’d arrived with, while she and Craig would travel with the rest after Craig had one final meeting that their clan chief had requested this morning.

Robin didn’t want to remain for Craig’s meeting, worried about his pregnant wife, so he and Finn chose to leave at first light.

Staring at the bed, her thoughts immediately went to the worse place they could go and her stomach cramped.Certainly, he would not have given in to Lady Beattie.She shook her head.Nay.

After washing and dressing, she made her way to the great hall to break her fast, expecting to see Craig there, but he was not.She had a cup of tea, which was all her unsettled stomach could handle.Then beginning to worry, she decided to go to the solar where Craig and his brothers were going to spend some time last night.

As she started up the stairs, Lady Beattie was just descending.She stopped and smirked at Lenora.“Are ye looking for yer missing husband?”

Rather than give the woman the satisfaction, she ignored her and continued up the stairs.“I just left him in the solar,” she called after her.“’Twas a wonderful night.”

Pushing the woman’s words from her mind, she continued down the corridor toward the solar.She nudged the partially open door and there sat her disheveled husband, his eyes bleary, running his fingers through his hair.He looked up at her and gave her a guilty smile.“Good morn, wife.”

Lorena stared wide-eyed at Craig.“I dinna want to believe it, but yer friend, Lady Beattie just told me where to find ye, suggesting she’d spent the night with ye.It appears the wicked woman has won.I hope ye are verra happy with her.”

Fighting the tears and misery in her body, she fled the room and, head held high, walked to their bedchamber.She slammed the door and then proceeded to finish packing her things.She could not leave this horrid place soon enough.

Within minutes Craig was in the room with her.“What is going on?And what are ye talking about?”

She stopped folding her nightgown that she never wore and stared at him.Brushing furiously at the tears on her cheeks, she said, “How stupid do ye think I am?Perhaps verra stupid because I was just beginning to believe I could trust ye.”

He shook his head as if to clear it and walked over to her.When he attempted to take her in his arms, she moved back.“Do.No’.Touch.Me.”

“Please, Lorena, I doona understand why ye are upset.”

She tossed down the nightgown that she’d attempted to fold three times and placed her hands on her hips.“Where did ye spend last night?”She waved her hand in the direction of the bed.“’Twas for certe no’ there.”

Again, he ran his hands through his already tangled hair.“In the solar.”

“With whom?”

“With no one.Finn and Robin left me there because they had to rise early to leave at first light.I decided to have another drink that turned into more than one and not realizing how weary I was I must have fallen asleep.”

“Alone?”

“Aye.I said I was alone because Finn and Robin left.”

She leaned in closer.“And who came?”

He frowned and she narrowed her eyes.“Ye.Ye were just there.”

She spun in a circle, then raising her hands she looked up to the heavens for celestial strength.“Aye.I was just there.And before I was there, I had the pleasure of speaking with yer Lady Bettie strolling down the stairs, telling me where to find ye and what a wonderful night she’d spent with ye.”She glared.

He began to shake his head, then stopped and gripped it.“Please, Lorena.I must have had more drink than I thought because I have a verra sore headache.”

“Which I am more than happy to add to by smacking ye o’er the head with my boot.”

“Leannan, when are ye going to trust me?”