Page 62 of The Laird’s Lost Wife

The rest of the keep would have gone to sleep by now. He could tell, almost as if he had his ear to the castle’s heartbeat. Once dinner was done, the servants would have cleaned up and retired to their rooms.

And yet he was still awake. No matter how much he tossed and turned, he just couldn’t fall asleep. The problem wasn’t his bed. He usually had no trouble falling asleep, since he rolled into bed long after the castle had gone to sleep, so exhausted that he was asleep before his head touched the pillow.

Not tonight.

After a moment, he rolled back onto his back, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

It was her. She was the reason he couldn’t sleep.

I thought I’d put Daphne behind me.

Oh, and he’d tried. It was sensible to avoid encounters like that, considering his vow. So, there weren’t many memories to compete with Daphne’s. And even those he could remember paled into insignificance.

What was it about her that drove him wild? He couldn’t get her out of his mind. That was his fault, wasn’t it? She just wanted to live her life and take care of her daughter.

Me daughter. Our daughter.

He sat upright, running a hand over his face.

Me daughter. I have a child. What am I going to do?

When he closed his eyes, he could still see Willow’s bright, excited face smiling up at him. He was already thinking of the swords he would commission for her. Maybe a nice knife set. A fine set of bow and arrows, if she turned out to have a knack for archery. And why shouldn’t she? He bet she’d have a real knack for combat.

A warrior, he thought with a smile.

Sliding out of bed, he stretched his arms above his head, his spine cracking as he did so. He usually slept in as few clothes as possible, and cool night air goosepimpled his skin. He wandered over to the window, yawning.

Movement caught his eye. At first, he thought he’d imagined it. Leaning forward, he narrowed his eyes.

A small figure was trotting across the courtyard, the glimmer of a lantern in her hand.

Daphne. Now, where is she going at this time of night?

There was only one way to find out.

Daphne paused in the little doorway, the one that Elspeth had told her led outside. It wasn’t unguarded.

A sleepy-looking sentry was leaning against the wall, smothering a yawn.

“Ye want to go out?” he enquired, eyeing her nightdress and robe with obvious disapproval.

“Am… Am I allowed?” she managed weakly.

The sentry nodded. “The main gate is closed after dark, but people can come in and out through here as they please. It’ll be locked after ye, but ye can knock to get back in. Assuming ye ken what ye are doing, of course.”

She flinched. “What do ye mean?”

The sentry grinned, revealing a missing front tooth. “It’s dangerous outside the keep at night, ye ken. Especially for a woman alone. Wild animals out there, ye ken. And wild men, too.”

For a moment, Daphne considered going back inside. But then what? Lie back down, unable to sleep, thinking of him all the time?

“I need some fresh air,” she said firmly.

The sentry smothered a belch. “There’s air within the keep walls.”

Daphne sighed. “Are ye going to let me out or nae?”

For a moment, it seemed that the sentry wouldn’t let her out. Then he sighed, rolling his eyes, and unlatched the door. She slipped out into the dark, her lantern casting a weak yellowish light.