Page 55 of Her Forbidden Highlander Husband

“Of course,” he said quickly as he reached down for the little girl. She reached up to him, a bright smile on her face and he backed away. “Oh. Uh…” He looked around the room for the nurse or anyone else. “Mayhap…”

“Up,” Gwennie demanded, still holding her arms toward him. He lifted her and smiled when she settled in with her head on his shoulder. She was heavy with sleepiness and would be out in no time.

He pressed a kiss to her hair. How much he’d missed her these last days. She held up the wooden rabbit fisted in her small hand, and he kissed the bunny as well, as was the way they did things.

“She’s had a busy day trying to keep up with the lads,” Ev said.

Liam laughed. “It won’t be long before the lads are chasing her. They’ll have to get through me first,” he said protectively.

“I do not doubt it.”

He held the sleeping girl as they ate their meal, then carried her to the solar where Andrew was already sleeping with a nurse on duty.

Evelyn had said Gwennie would be fine in their room, but he didn’t want to risk Gwennie climbing into their bed and causing further injury. The nurse would see to her for the evening.

The woman moved to take Gwennie, but Liam shook his head and carried her to the small bed she used when she stayed here with the other children. He tucked her in and took the rabbit to set it on the small table between the beds. “Sweet dreams, love.”

When he turned, he saw Ev watching from the doorway with a smile.

“She’s exhausted.”

“Perhaps we could go to bed early as well,” she suggested.

“Of course. Your arm must pain you.” He frowned as he led her to their room. He helped her with her gown and settled her in their bed. “Perhaps I should stay in the hall so not to bump it while you sleep.”

“I’m sure that’s not necessary.” She patted the mattress next to her in invitation, but he held firm.

“I don’t want to cause you more damage.”

“But it doesn’t hurt at all. In fact, I’m certain it’s not really broken. I’ll probably be fine by tomorrow.”

“Kenna is a healer. She’s not often wrong when it comes to these things. I’d prefer you be careful. Broken bones are a serious matter.”

Liam sat on the edge of the bed and bent to kiss her. It was meant to be a soft, sweet kiss, but like most times when their lips met, it spiraled into something more heated. When he pulled away from her, he frowned again at her arm.

He’d not be able to make love to her like this. With another quick kiss, he moved to the door. “Rest well. I’ll check on you in the morning first thing.”

As he settled in on a bench in the hall, and the men had quieted from giving him grief for being kicked out of his bed, Liam stared up at the high ceiling above him. He remembered all the years he’d lay in this room sending wishes and dreams up to the stones above him.

Tonight, he didn’t have to dream of his family to come claim him, for he knew where they were. He didn’t need to wish for love, for he felt it growing in his heart for his wife and daughter.

No. Tonight he prayed that his wife would heal quickly. And even hoped that for once in her life, Kenna MacKinlay was wrong.

…

“You were wrong,” Evelyn accused Kenna the next morning when she found the woman in the solar.

“How so?”

“This is a disaster,” Evelyn tugged off the splint supporting her fake injury.

Mari leaned forward. “May I just mention, I warned you of such possibilities.”

“Hush,” Kenna waved Mari’s words away. “It was the perfect plan. I saw him holding and playing with Gwennie while you ate your dinner. It worked splendidly.”

“He cut up my food and fed me,” Evelyn said, flatly.

“He was attentive. That’s not such a bad thing for a husband to be.”