Page 92 of When the Laird Conquers

They had just reached the edge of the meadow when men emerged from the shadows. Buchlann men, led by Keith.

“Bury the body,” Gordon instructed. “And keep an eye on the lad until he’s ready to leave.”

“Dungeons?” Keith asked.

Gordon shook his head. “He can have me room in the barracks. I daenae think we’ll have any trouble from him now.”

With that, he continued to lead Agnes back through the woods and toward home.

35

Agnes ran straight to the nursery, scooped the sleeping baby into her arms, and held her close, kissing her soft hair. She inhaled Lizzy’s baby scent, barely holding back her tears. She was so grateful that nothing had happened to her.

“What’s the matter?” Iona asked sleepily from the corner, pushing up from a reading chair.

“Edwin came. He’ll no longer be a problem,” Gordon answered from the doorway, watching Agnes.

“The Duke?” Iona squeaked. “Och, what happened? Is all well?”

“I’ll tell ye about it later,” Gordon assured her. “For now, go downstairs and inform the guests that me wife and I willnae be returnin’ to the festivities. But they’re welcome to stay and enjoy themselves.”

Iona hesitated, clearly not wanting to leave, but Agnes gave her a small nod of encouragement.

Furrowing her brow, Iona nodded and took herself out of the nursery, leaving Agnes and Gordon alone.

If he’s not returning to the festivities, does that mean he wants to stay with me?

Perhaps it was the rush of gratitude that he had come to her rescue, perhaps it was the relief that she would never have to worry about Edwin again, perhaps it was merely the fact that she longed for comfort to chase off the unpleasantness, but she very much hoped that he would stay. And that they might wander to her room and forget the awful evening in her bed.

“Are ye well?” he asked, though he did not move toward her, lingering in the doorway. “Do ye have any injuries?”

She shook her head. “Only a few bruises. Nothing I won’t survive.” She set Lizzy back down in her cradle, the baby entirely oblivious to the events that had transpired. “Thank you for what you did tonight.”

“Ye daenae need to thank me, lass,” he told her. “I swore I’d keep ye safe. I meant it.”

Smiling at him, she made for her bedchamber. “I think I’ll rest now. I don’t know how much ether Samson put on that rag, but it has fogged my brain.”

“Do ye want me to sleep beside ye?” he asked.

“Just sleep?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Aye, Sunshine, just sleep.” A grimace twisted his mouth. “Nothing has changed, lass. If anything, after what happened this evening, I’m all the more resolute.”

Oh…

It was a blow to the heart that she did not need, not after the terror of what she had just endured. Even now, he was rejecting her as a wife. A true wife.

“In that case, ye may leave,” she said tartly. “Snout will protect me throughout the night.”

He huffed out a breath. “Lass, I can stay with ye.”

“No, thank you.” She flashed him a tight smile and climbed into bed. “If we ever lie in the same bed together again, it will be to consummate our marriage. Until then, my bed is my own, husband.”

He nodded sadly. “Then ye’ll be waitin’ a long time, Sunshine.”

“Very well,” she replied, and turned her back to him.

A short while later, she heard his footsteps cross the room, followed by the soft click of the chamber door. As she squeezed her eyes shut, she wished she had asked him to stay instead, for in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to be held.