Tyler, Lynn - For Her Honor [For Her] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Lynn Tyler

  Jamie’s mouth fell open. “And I had been so sure you would have doubled her guard given the circumstances. So, you have finally come to your senses then?” he asked.

  Robbie’s lips thinned. He didn’t like the decision, but Jocelyn really hadn’t given him much of a choice. “She can go without her guards for now. The Campbells have not done anything in a while. If things get worse, I will reconsider. Besides, she threatened to make me sleep with the men in the great hall if I did not see reason.”

  Robbie turned to speak with Will but found his attention focused elsewhere. He followed the course of Will’s view, and his eyes settled on Sarah. A soft smile had formed on his younger brother’s mouth, causing little lines around his eyes to crinkle. Robbie frowned at the sight of those lines, knowing it had been the intense pain that had carved them there.

  Will held out his hand, and Sarah joined them, allowing him to pull her into his lap. Robbie raised an eyebrow at the action but said nothing. He was happy for his brother and happy to be gaining a sister, even if it was by marriage “I hear we are to be relatives,” he said to Sarah.

  She blushed as Will ran a possessive hand over her back. “Yes, Laird MacGillivray,” she said in a near whisper.

  “Please, call me Robbie. You have certainly known me long enough. Besides, soon you will have me as a brother-in-law. I have just told Will it will take a week to fetch a priest for a wedding. I trust you can wait that long?”

  She smiled and leaned a little closer to Will. “Yes, of course.”

  “Sarah,” Jocelyn called from across the room, “would you help me get Adele and Darroch settled in the nursery?”

  Sarah left to help Jocelyn, the children trailing after them, leaving the three men alone in the great hall. “How has Elizabeth taken the news of your impending marriage?” Jamie asked Will.

  Will shrugged. “She does not seem to mind,” he said. “It is strange though. She seems as if she is far away. Like her body is here but her mind is elsewhere.”

  Jamie cocked his head and grinned at his brother. “Perhaps she is pondering her next conquest. Now that you are no longer available, the women should all come flocking to me.”

  Robbie punched his youngest brother in the arm. “Young Garret might give you some healthy competition,” he commented. “Ever since Jocelyn told him the lassies preferred a clean man in their bed the lad has been bathing every day.”

  Jamie threw back his head and laughed. “Garret? He is just a pup. But perhaps I should have a talk with him about how to control himself around the lasses. We do not need him fathering any bastards.”

  Robbie didn’t think Garret was really stupid enough to lose control of himself, but it never hurt to reinforce the idea. All this talk about fathering had him thinking of the small babe growing in his wife’s womb. It might have been wrong for men to be lusting after their pregnant wives, according to the church anyway, but he found himself even more attracted to Jocelyn.

  Rising from the table, he fixed his brothers with a stare. “I am off to find Jocelyn. Figure out new duties for Garret and Adam. I will see you both on the morrow.”

  “But, Robbie. ’Tis only midday,” Will protested with a knowing grin.

  Robbie simply waggled his eyebrows at him and turned on his heel, marching in the direction his wife had gone earlier. He thought he heard Jamie mutter something about newlyweds but decided any comments could wait.

  He found Jocelyn and Sarah settling the children into the nursery. He smiled at the old crib that sat in the corner. Soon his own child would take up residence in this very room. Perhaps he should have his men add a few rooms to the keep. That way, if his family grew at the rate he predicted, there would be room for all of them.

  Wee Adele was clinging to her eldest brother, her small fingers gripping his tunic desperately. Garret gently tried to pry her fingers off his shoulders to no avail. “Garret, do not leave us,” she whimpered. “Do not go to war with the Campbells. I do not want to lose you, too. I do not want to be all alone.”

  The little girl’s pleas broke Robbie’s heart. As gently as he could, he lifted Adele off Garret. He set her on her feet and knelt down so he was at the child’s eye level. “Come now, pet,” he whispered soothingly. “You will not be alone here. You will always have Jocelyn and myself. We will take care of you,” he vowed, stroking her soft blonde hair. When the little girl whimpered and reached for her eldest brother again, he hugged her close. “Garret is a man now, pet. So is Adam and they have to do a man’s duty.”

  Adele pushed away from him and stared him straight in the eye, the loathing evident in her small face. “A man’s duty is to get himself killed?” she asked, her voice cold.

  Garret looked scandalized over his sister’s attitude with the laird, but Robbie just nodded solemnly. “It is a man’s duty to protect those he loves,” he explained.

  “And I suppose you think that a woman’s duty is to stay home and bear children for her husband?” When Robbie nodded again, Adele sneered derisively. “When I grow up, I will not need the protection of any man. I will be able to protect myself!”

  Robbie grinned and glanced up at his wife. Adele would fit in with their family quite well. Jocelyn grinned back and touched Adele’s shoulder lightly. “I will teach you to defend yourself after the baby is born,” she promised.

  They all glanced around at a scornful snort. Robbie raised his eyebrows at Adam, who was leaning against the door with his arms crossed. Rising to his full height, he crossed the room to look down at his young cousin. “What is your problem?” he asked threateningly.

  “A lass who can defend herself?” Adam mocked. “I will marry the first lass I see who can defend herself.”

  Much to Robbie’s own amazement, he caught himself remembering the tiny Jocelyn swinging around a badly made sword, holding off a pack of horse thieves on her own.

  He had opened his mouth to contradict his cousin when something whizzed past his ear. His eye was drawn to the silver dagger that was wobbling, embedded an inch into the wooden door, scarcely a finger’s width from Adam’s head. Every face in the room turned to find Jocelyn inspecting her fingernails innocently. She looked up at them and smiled dangerously. “If you had been a Campbell, you would have been dead by my dagger,” she promised quietly. “And I am already married.”

  Adam’s face blanched before his cheekbones reddened. “I stand corrected,” he said before storming out.

  “I apologize, my lady,” Garret sputtered nervously. “I will see that the lad gives you the respect you deserve.”

  Jocelyn smiled gently at the young man and patted him on the shoulder. “He is grieving yet,” she said quietly. “Let him be.”

  Robbie caught her eye, and she seemed to see the banked fire of desire in his expression. Clearing her throat, she spoke to the room at large. “Sarah will help you settle in. If you have need of me, I will see you this evening.”

  “You will see her in the morning,” Robbie corrected. Garret laughed and even the twins giggled as he snagged her hand and began pulling her toward the door. As soon as they were in the hall with the door firmly shut, he swept her from her feet and planted a hard kiss to her lips. “I find your ability to defend yourself very arousing,” he murmured, slipping his tongue into her mouth to dance with hers.

  Panting, she rested her head on his shoulder and wound her arms around his neck. “The bedchamber, Robert,” she whispered against his throat. “Quickly.”

  * * * *

  Jocelyn breathed deeply, trying desperately to slow the frantic beating of her heart as Robbie raced them down the hall. She marveled at the effect her huge giant of a husband had on her body. With one kiss he had her breasts heavy and her lower belly tingling. She might have been embarrassed about her reaction but for the fact that Robbie was always just as frantic for her.

  He set her on the bed and quickly jerked his clothing off, cursing loudly when he became tangled in his kilt. Giggling, she helped him to get free of the yard
s of fabric and stood obligingly with her back to him while he struggled with the stays on her gown.

  Muttering swear words under his breath, he managed to push the gown off her shoulders to sag around her hips. “It would be easier if I had some breeches like the stable boys wear,” she said saucily.

  The hands roving over her back stilled, and his breath caught. “The idea of you in form-fitting breeches is very pleasing,” he breathed against her ear. “But I do not relish the thought of every man on God’s green earth knowing the shape of my wife’s legs,” he amended, sliding his hands around her ribs to cup her breasts gently.

  Jocelyn moaned as his hot breath feathered over her ear and neck and tilted her head so she could look Robbie full in the face. “Perhaps I could wear them only for you then?” she suggested, knowing full well what his answer would be.

  “Aye,” he agreed huskily. “Connell, the stable lad, is about your size. I will see if he has any breeches.”

  She sighed and gave herself over to the feeling of his hands roaming over her body. She jumped when he lightly pinched one stiff nipple and rolled it between his finger and thumb. Her breasts had become particularly sensitive since she had gotten pregnant, and she could swear she could come just from the attention he paid to her nipples alone.

  She shuddered when she felt the rasp of his slight beard on her neck when he placed his mouth near her ear. “Jocelyn?” he whispered, the ragged quality of his voice sending shivers down her spine.

  “Mmm?” she murmured. She arched her back, pushing her breast more firmly into Robbie’s hand and was rewarded with a firm tug on her aching nipple. His erection was grinding against her back, the telltale trail of wetness from its tip telling her just how affected he was by their closeness.

  “Try and stay on your feet, loving,” he ordered, sliding his free hand down her belly and pushing her gown off her hips.

  She stepped free of the dress and laughed breathlessly when Robbie kicked it away as if was an offensive item. His hand swept back up her ribs until he was cupping both breasts possessively. Soon he was treating both breasts to the same sweet torture. “Oh,” she breathed, swaying back into him. She clenched her thighs together in an effort to relieve some of the pressure building up at her core but only made it worse.

  “It is all right, imp,” he crooned in her ear. Even the sound of his voice, raspy with passion, fired her desire. She groaned as he let his lips wander over her neck and wriggled when he nipped at her flesh. She tugged at his hands uselessly in an effort to end the sweet torture, but he simply chuckled and bent to nibble on her earlobe. His hands continued to cup and massage her breasts, driving her slowly toward the edge of completion.

  “Robbie,” she pleaded, shocked to hear the whimper in her words. “I need you inside me!” She pushed her bottom back against him, grinding her lower back into his hard shaft, pleased to hear the groan she managed to rip from his throat.

  His caress became more aggressive as he cleared his throat. “Soon, loving. Let me love you,” he whispered against her temple. How could she argue when he said something as sweet as that?

  Swallowing her next plea, she turned her head and managed to capture his lips in a deep kiss. She sucked frantically at his tongue as one of her husband’s hands slipped down her ribs to settle at the responsive skin where her hip met her thigh.

  Worried she would lose her balance, she reached up and hooked one arm around the back of his neck and hung on for dear life. His fingers dipped into her wet folds and fondled the taut nub of sensation between her thighs, simultaneously tugging firmly on her nipple as he thrust his tongue into her mouth.

  Instantly her body jerked in his arms as pleasure shot through her. Her entire awareness was focused on the small ridge of pulsing flesh he was stroking lovingly as he pushed her through her orgasm.

  She became aware of a burning sensation in her lungs and realized she was holding her breath. She let it out with a loud cry and jerked as Robbie slid a finger into her throbbing body. He thrust into her aggressively, and she whimpered as she rode his hand to a higher plane of pleasure.

  Robbie was panting when she finally came back to herself. Smiling, she turned in his arms and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. His big body was trembling as he bent to rest his forehead against hers. His chest was damp with perspiration when she ran her hands down his chest, and she was thrilled to know how much her husband wanted her.

  “Take me to bed, husband,” she said. She walked backward, pulling him with her, until the backs of her thighs bumped into the bed.

  Robbie seemed beyond words as he lifted her so that she straddled his hips. He tumbled them onto the soft mattress, bearing most of his weight on his own arms. “I do not think I can last very long,” he growled in warning. His erection brushed against her, and they both groaned at the sensation.

  She arched her hips to rub against him and tightened her legs around his flanks. She moaned as the very tip of him slid inside her sated body. Instantly her desire flared back to life, burning even hotter than it had before. She knew it wouldn’t take much for her to explode again.

  She squirmed against him and felt his entire body stiffen. With a harsh groan, Robbie buried himself in her and began to thrust almost frantically. She dug her heels into his backside, urging him closer, and caught his wordless cry of pleasure in her mouth. He throbbed within her and stiffened briefly, letting her know he was about to climax. The knowledge sent her over the edge one last time. The orgasm was not as strong as the last, which allowed her to savor her husband’s release.

  His arms shook as he struggled to keep his weight off her through the enormity of his release. She stoked his damp hair out of his eyes and leaned forward to kiss him softly on the mouth. Nibbling at his lips, she pushed him gently so that he rolled off her, landing on his back.

  She curled against him, absorbing his heat, and pulled the bed linens over their nude bodies. She smiled to herself when his arm tightened around her waist, and he anchored her to his side. She lay quietly for a few minutes until a thought flittered through her head. Her husband had asked her to let him love her. Did that mean he returned her feelings of love? Surely he liked her. He certainly desired her. But had he actually come to love her? She gathered her courage around herself, like a protective cloak, and opened her mouth to speak. “Robbie?” she whispered. “Do you love me?”

  Her only answer was a soft snore. She rolled her eyes heavenward and settled down against his side, yawning. The babe was certainly making itself known. She couldn’t remember a time when she was so tired. Sleep stole over her as the memory of his plea to let him love her ran through her mind.

  * * * *

  Jocelyn awoke with a start when her husband sat upright suddenly, sending her rolling onto her back. She sat up, allowing the bed linens to drop into her lap. “What are you about?” she questioned irritably. Before he could open his mouth, she got her answer.

  She was surprised that the walls of the keep didn’t shake with the force of the door slamming down the hall. She turned to Robbie in dismay when they heard a man holler something unintelligible, answered by a female shriek. “Satan and his hellhounds better be at the gates,” Robbie grumbled as he swung his feet off the bed.

  Jocelyn scrambled from the bed and slipped her abandoned shift over her head before she followed her still-naked husband into the hall. She reached his side just as he began shouting. “What in bloody hell is going on?”

  She scanned the hall, trying to make sense of what was happening. The windows bracketed the starry sky, letting her know she and Robbie had been sleeping solidly for a number of hours. A large number of people had rushed upstairs, and from the looks of their unkempt hair, she guessed it was quite late indeed. But what really caught her attention was the couple standing in the hall.

  Will was standing, as naked as his older brother, at one end of the hall while Sarah, also wearing a hastily donned shift, stood at the other end of the hall. “Your brother,” s
he spat at Robbie, “is a dog. He is worse than a dog. He is the flea on the dog! He is just lucky I have not castrated him.”

  Robbie grunted irritably and shifted. Jocelyn, anxious to diffuse the situation and to return to the warm nest of her bed, stroked his arm soothingly. “What happened?” she asked Sarah.

  The woman looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. “He called me Elizabeth,” she said with deadly calm.

  “It was just a mistake, Sarah,” Will said warningly.

  Sarah’s eyes narrowed dangerously as she turned back to him. Jocelyn was ready to put herself between her brother-in-law and his betrothed. She wasn’t sure what Sarah would do to Will if she got too close to him. She was quite sure she would not be able to do anything for Will if Sarah cut off his testicles.

  Robbie’s dark expression reflected his feelings, but he spoke before Jocelyn could stop him. “You woke the entire keep because he called you Elizabeth?” he bellowed.

  “While we were making love!” Sarah screeched, pointing at him accusingly. She marched over to the petite blonde who was standing with the rest of the servants at the top of the steps. “Well, you may have him. I want nothing more to do with him.”

  Jocelyn caught her arm before she could start down the stairs and urged her into the laird’s chamber. Nodding at Robbie, she closed the door quietly and held her arms open to the distressed woman.

  Sarah hesitated for just a moment before collapsing into her embrace. Jocelyn rubbed her back and let the woman sob against her shoulder. “Oh, Jocelyn,” she moaned. “I thought he loved me.”

  Jocelyn’s heart wrenched at the woman’s obvious pain. “Do you love him?” she asked.

  Sarah nodded and sniffled. “I do not know what to do any longer,” she whispered.

  Jocelyn patted her arm and handed her a scrap of linen to mop her face. “Then you should fight for him,” she advised.