Tarnished Honor
Page 8
They needed to get out of this storm! It had taken more than two hours for him to jog the distance but the snow was deeper now. Glancing at his wife’s blue lips, he knew he had to hurry. Reaching behind the saddle he pulled out his spare plaid wrapping it about the both of them to share their body heat. Putting his spurs to his horse, he urged him forward as fast as they dare travel.
* * *
She was warm…too warm, she thought as she struggled to kick off the blankets. Sweat trickled through the valley between her breasts.
“Cease love, ye must nae lose the blankets.”
“Connall? Are ye attempting to cook me? I am hot!” she protested. Her eyes flew open as her stomach roiled. “And I am going to spew!” She rolled to her side where he held a bucket ready for her. Holding her hair out of the way, he realized that her fever had finally broken.
“Praise God! Ye are finally on the mend.” He wiped the sweat from her brow with a cool cloth, then her mouth as she lay back down. “Ye have given me quite a scare these past few days. I feared ye might die without me telling ye just how much I love ye, Brighde.” His voice choked.
He does love me! She stroked his brow, tenderly erasing the furrows creased there. “Nay, husband. I could nae die before hearing ye speak the words that have lain across my heart unspoken. I was nae certain ye would wish to hear them. Now I am.” Her eyes misted as she recognized the love shining through his own. “I love ye, Connall Canmore…husband…Earl of Caithness…Enforcer…Blacksword. All that makes ye who ye are…I love.” Her eyes widened. “Did ye say ‘days’? How long have I been ill?”
Connall’s heart was near bursting as he heard her avowal. He could see her sincerity in her aqua gaze as she spoke the words. His wife loved him! His elation new no bounds as he grinned widely. “Ye have been feverish for three days, my love. Ye must be thirsty for certain. I was nae able to get much water down your throat.”
She nodded weakly and drank her fill of the snowmelt he offered. After drinking some broth he had simmering near the hearth, she drifted back to sleep…contented.
For the next sennight, Connall saw to her every need as he nursed her back to health, leaving her only long enough to hunt some hare and grouse. When she was well enough, they traveled back to Halkirk.
The entire castle turned out to greet them as they entered the gates to the inner bailey.
“My God, Connall! I thought ye dead! We searched high and low for ye two. Where have ye been? The little mistress is beside herself with grief.” Robbie bellowed in his excitement.
“I will tell all once I get my lady out of this cold. Fetch Amy!” He dismounted then carried Brighde into the great hall. “And food! We have nae had a decent meal in a sennight or more.”
Connall fussed over his wife like a mother hen once the food was before them, making certain that she ate her fill. Desire filled his eyes as he watched her chew slowly. He had not touched her during her illness. This eve he would.
“Mama! Da! Where have ye been?” Amy pouted with her hands on her wee hips. “Ye had Lassie worried sick!”
Connall raised a brow in question. Who was Lassie? “Who is this ‘Lassie’ ye speak of Poppit?”
“My puppy, Da. Did ye forget her already?”
He chuckled. This was the fifth time she had changed its name. It must be thoroughly confused by now. “Nay, Amy. I just was nae aware of the name of the day.”
“Ye would be if ye would quit running off. I missed ye both so very much,” she cried as she ran to them, giving them numerous tiny kisses.
As Connall wrapped his arms about his family he knew that his honor was not dented. Only a wee bit tarnished. And what is a little tarnish compared to a castle full of love.
* * *
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If you enjoyed this story you may want to check out “Blessing The Highlander” by J. Lee Coulter available at major ebook retailers and in print.
Coming soon!...“The Reckoning”
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