“My head hurts too much for me to sleep. If we talk, it may take my mind off the pain and allow me to sleep.”
“Then talk...of something else.”
“Have you ever truly loved anyone?” Heather listened as her question caused his heart to beat faster.
“I will not discuss love with you,” he snapped.
“Why not? Does love frighten you?”
“Very little frightens me.”
“Then what is it that does frighten you?”
“A wife who nags me with endless questions.”
Her soft laughter turned to a yawn. “See I grow tired already, and I do not nag. Are you not curious about me?”
“I know all I need to know.”
“And what do you know?”
“That you belong to me now and always,” he said, declaring it so.
“You will never let me go?”
“Never.”
“You will never leave me?”
“Never. You will remain by my side always whether you like it or not.”
“You do not have to make it sound as if you must order me. Being wed to you is not the burden I imagined it would be.”
“You say that now, but in time you may think differently,” he said. “Now no more talk. Go to sleep.”
Heather yawned again, finding their conversation had taken her mind off the pain that seemed to have faded. Her eyes grew heavy and began to drift close and just as she slipped into slumber she heard the whispered words that often filled her dreams.
I love you, Heather.
“I love you— always—Quinn,” she whispered as sleep took hold.
Chapter Fourteen
Heather woke alone in bed the next morning and was glad of it. She needed time alone to think and to make sense of last night, to make sense of what she was thinking then and now. She shook her head and winced, the pain reminding her of the bump she had suffered to the back of her head. It also reminded her of the dream and Quinn and when she had woken from it to find...
She shook her head again, though more slowly this time.
It was her imagination, it had to be, and yet somewhere deep in her heart she knew it was the truth. She had seen it in his eyes, felt it wrapped in his arms, when he touched her, and most of all when he kissed her. She shook her head again. She was not mistaken about this.
The Dark Dragon was Quinn.
Her heart swelled with the thought while tears filled her eyes. What had happened to him that had him returning to her a different man and not just in name only? And why had he felt the need to keep his identity from her and force her to wed him?
A tear fell from her eye, for knowing Quinn as she did, he would be doing this to protect her, but from whom?
She wanted to rush off and find Rhys and let him know that she had discovered his secret, but his secret was meant for him to reveal. In the meantime, she would help him the only way she could...she would love him with all her heart and soul.
One thing that weighed heavily on her was what he had said in response to her asking him how many women he had known.
More women than I needed to.
Naturally, the thought of him with other women upset her. And it had sounded as if it also upset him, for she had heard regret and anger in his response. So why then had he been with more women that he needed to? She hoped one day to find out.
Heather felt at the bump on the back of her head and was relieved to feel that the swelling had gone down. It still pained her to touch it, but it was not as painful as last night. Her vision had not been impaired as she had seen happen with some severe blows to the head, and she felt hungry, so she deemed herself fit.
She gave a stretch while slowly working her way out of bed and was pleased that she suffered no adverse effects from the movement, nor did she grow faint when she stood. She actually felt wonderful, but then she could attribute that to finally being with Quinn again.
What if she was wrong?
Heather chased the doubting thought away. She was not wrong. She had spotted something familiar in the Dark Dragon’s eyes when she had been up close to him. And now she knew what it was. It was a tiny spark of the love that had shone so brilliantly in his dark eyes before he had gone away. It had not died. It never could. He loved her too much. It may have gone dormant out of necessity, but it was still there and would always be.
She would ignite that spark and bring Quinn back to her.
A soft knock on the door sounded before it opened and Nessa walked in, balancing a tray on her arm. She stopped abruptly and looked about to say something, but quickly closed her mouth along with the door.
Nessa did not say a word until she stood in front of Heather. “The Dragon has ordered you to stay abed all day. He will be furious if he learns you are up and about. I was sent to see that you were awake, wake you if you were not, and see that you ate something.”
There was no possible way she would stay abed all day. She wanted to spend every moment she could with... She thought about whom it was she would actually spend time with and a smile spread across her face when the answer came easily.
She would spend time with the man who loved her as much as she loved him.
Her smile remained firm as she said, “I feel fine. There is no reason for me to lie abed all day.”
“The Dragon thinks differently and the guards will follow his command and not let you leave the room,” Nessa said, placing the tray she held on the small table near the bed.
Heather reached for her skirt and blouse and Nessa was quick to help her.
“Let me, my lady. You really should rest after the bump you took to your head.”
Heather allowed Nessa to help her slip into her clothes, seeing the concern on her pretty face. “I feel quite well and have less pain than last night. I will be sure not to exert myself today.”
“Please sit and let me attend to your hair, my lady,” Nessa offered. “I will comb it gently and braid it for you, for you surely do not want to pin it to your head with combs and disturb the bump that is healing.”
Again Heather acquiesced to her suggestion and sat while she tended her hair. “You have a gentle touch about you, Nessa.”
“Thank you, Lady Heather, my mum said the same about me and advised that it would be an asset when dealing with a husband.”
“And is there anyone who you favor for a husband?”
Nessa smiled as she said, “Fife. He is plain in features and form. One would never expect him to be a ghost warrior. He is also kind and thoughtful.” Her smile grew. “He picked a bunch of wildflowers and brought them to me. He is easy to talk with and feels the loneliness that I do, having lost his entire family like me.” Her smile faded. “This morning Pitt attempted to engage me in conversation, turning that handsome smile of his on me. But I want nothing to do with the likes of him. A man as handsome as him would only bring a woman trouble. But I have no worries, the Dragon forbids his men from forcing themselves on the women here.”
Heather was glad to hear that, though wondered why Rhys had not mentioned it last night when she had commented to Pitt about not forcing himself on Nessa. That mattered not now. What did was this news only helped to confirm even more that the Dark Dragon was Quinn, for he would never standby while a man forced himself on a woman.
“I am happy for you. You deserve a good man,” Heather said.
“Thank you, my lady,” Nessa said, resting the long braid over Heather’s shoulder and glanced around the room. “Where are your boots, my lady?”
Heather stood and also cast a glance around and smiled. “I believe my husband took my boots and shoes.”
“Oh dear, then you are stuck, for you cannot go barefoot.”
“I will not let a small inconvenience stop me. I have gone barefoot before and I can do so again,” Heather said.
“Before you do, you may want to fortify yourself with some food.” Nessa handed Heather a piece of cheese and bread.
Heather took it and betw
een munches said, “I made no mention that Seamus might possibly have some knowledge of the secret passage.”
“That is good, for Seamus does not trust the Dragon and his warriors. He will tell them nothing. You, a Macinnes, he would trust.”
“I thought the same from having spoken with him, and I do hope he can be of some help.” Heather brushed her hands of any crumbs clinging to them, and wished she could brush away the problems at hand so easily.
“Shall we see what the guards will do when I attempt to leave?” Heather said.
“I would suggest a quick gait, my lady, since they will be expecting me and may not bother to look until too late. I will follow close behind and keep them from you if possible.”
“I do not wish you punished because of me.”
“What do I do but follow you out, nothing more,” Nessa said with a shrug.
“Thank you, Nessa, I appreciate it, but promise me you will do nothing that will bring punishment down on you.”
“As you wish, my lady,” she said, picking up the tray.
Heather nodded, though knew full well that Nessa would do anything to help her and Heather would do anything to make sure the woman did not suffer because of it.
Heather went to the door, opened it, and rushed out past the guards before they realized it was her. She did not stop; she kept a fast pace, Nessa following behind her.
The two guards rushed after her. “My lady, the Dragon has ordered you to remain abed.”
“I am going to speak with him about that,” Heather called back to them, grateful that Nessa was blocking them from reaching out for her.
“You need to return to your room, my lady. We will fetch the Dragon for you.”
Heather rushed down the stairs. “I will fetch him myself.”
“Move out of the way, woman!”
Heather smiled, silently blessing Nessa for keeping the guards at bay, and then she heard a piercing screech that rang in her ears followed by the clatter of the tray and its contents falling and several oaths being shouted. Nessa had done well in stopping the guards.
Servants were the only ones in the Great Hall and Heather asked if any of them had seen the Dragon. They shook their heads and she wondered why they appeared so fearful. It struck her as she reached the door. Her husband had made it known that she was to remain abed and she was blatantly disobeying him. They feared for her punishment.
The sun and a warm breeze hit her as soon as she stepped outside and she drank both in happy she had escaped the confines of her bedchamber. She wished she could go find Seamus and see if he knew anything about a secret entrance to the keep, but now was not the time.
She looked around and spotting Belle near the edge of the woods called out to her as she approached.
“My lady, you are feeling better?” Belle asked with concern.
“I am fine, a bump is all. Have you seen the Dragon?”
Belle hesitated a moment before saying, “He made it known to all that you would spend the day abed.”
“It is too fine a day to lie abed.”
Belle hesitated once again. “Perhaps you should do as the Dragon says, my lady.”
“You would be wise to follow Belle’s advice, least I shackle you to me until I say otherwise.”
Both women turned to see the Dragon and Pitt approach.
Belle gave a respectful nodded and stepped away.
Heather smiled at his remark, thinking it would be a good way of keeping him from ever leaving her again. “Promise?”
Pitt chuckled. Rhys did not.
Rhys turned to Pitt as they stopped not far from her. “Bring me those two fools who were supposed to be sure she remained in her room.”
Pitt nodded and went to do as Rhys bid.
“It was not their fault,” Heather said as she approached her husband.”
“You escaped them. They should have stopped you and that means they did not do as ordered,” Rhys said. His brow arched as his eyes went to her feet. “You are barefoot.”
“You took my boots and shoes.”
“And I see it was for naught.”
Heather stopped in front of him, holding out her wrists. “I would rather be shackled to you than confined to our bedchamber all day.”
He pushed her wrists down and brought his face close to hers. “And I would rather be confined to our bedchamber all day with you shackled to me.” He paused before saying, “You took a sharp blow to your head last night. You need time to heal.”
She heard the sincerity in his strong voice and saw the concern in his dark eyes and her heart swelled with joy once again. This was Quinn. Her Quinn. She was certain of it, though she would give no clue that she knew. “I am attending to my healing the best way I know how. The sun and its warmth would do far more to heal me than the confines of our bedchamber.”
“You disobey me again, wife?” he whispered close to her lips.
Heather brought her lips to where they were almost touching his. “I missed you.”
Her soft, sincere words punched at his heart and damn if he did not want to reach out and slam her against him while he devoured her lips in a kiss. She aroused him much too easily and with her still needing to heal, he took no chances...he stepped away from her. “You will remain by my side without question.” He realized then what he had done. He had committed himself to a day of torture.
She felt his absence as soon as he stepped away from her, though he was not that far a distance from her, and she said quickly. “I will.”
Rhys turned, seeing Pitt approach with the two warriors in tow. He cast a quick look to his wife. “Wait here.” He walked to meet Pitt.
“It would seem your wife had some help,” Pitt said as the two warriors stood off to the side until summoned.
“Nessa,” Rhys said. “Have you befriended her yet?”
“She pays me no heed and keeps her distance as if I was diseased.”
A smile played at Rhys’ lips. “A woman who does not fancy you...that is unusual.”
“And something I intend to rectify. I will have her talking with me soon enough.”
“See that you do. We need to find who among us does not belong.” He gave a nod to the two warriors and they stepped forward, neither offering a word.
He had chosen the two because they had been with him since almost the beginning and he knew their history. They were good, worthy men and he could see that they were upset over their failure to see successfully to their task.
“You both will be assigned a month’s extra perimeter duty.”
Both men appeared surprised by the light punishment.
“It would seem my wife has learned some of the ghost warriors’ skills.”
“Lady Heather is light and fast on her feet like us,” the tall, slim one said with admiration.
“See that this does not happen again,” Rhys said in a tone that had both men bowing their heads.
He dismissed them and saw that Pitt was staring at his wife who had gone to sit on a stump near the edge of the woods and appeared to be talking to a squirrel a short distance from her.
“She has much courage,” Pitt said.
“She will need it for what she will face being my wife.”
“I believe Lady Heather is up to the task,” Pitt said, “And I should be up to mine. I go to speak with Nessa.”
“Have her bring Heather her boots. You know where I had them put.”
“I do, but I see that did not stop her.” Pitt chuckled again and was gone before Rhys could admonish him for it.
Rhys stood watching his wife. The squirrel inched ever closer to the green leaf Heather held in her hand, though he wondered if it was her soft voice urging him to take the food that the animal found more appealing. A few more steps and the squirrel snatched it from her hand, though he did not run off with it. He sat beside her and munched on the leaf while Heather continued to talk to him.
Rhys shook his head as he approached and the squirrel hurried off as he drew near
, running up a tree with his leaf.
Heather went to stand but Rhys said, “Stay as you are.” He hunched down in front of her. “Tell me you feel well enough to be about.”
She smiled, glancing over his face and seeing why she had not recognized him when she had first laid eyes on him. The faint lines around his eyes, the slight scrunch of his brow from frowning so often, the lack of a smile and the fullness of his face from the passing years, concealed the man she knew and loved. But he was there, she knew he was there and somehow, someway she would get him to reveal himself. “I feel good. I have a bit of pain now and then, and I will acknowledge if I do too much and if I am in need of rest.”
“And you give me your word on this?”
“I do,” she said and reached out to rest her hand on his arm, remembering the many times she had done just that while they walked, talked, and laughed. “Besides, I will be with you. What could happen?”
Rhys did not want to think about that, since the prospects would be far too terrifying. And the thought that he would fail to protect her was even more terrifying. Never, ever, would he let that happen. As he stood, he took her hand and she stood along with him.
Once on her feet, she slipped her arm around his and held tight. She intended to make sure she kept him close. “I want to thank you for being so tolerant of me last night. I felt safe with you close.”
“I will not deny you when you need me. I will always be there for you.”
Heather felt her stomach clench. Quinn had said those words to her before he knew he would be leaving. He had never intended to leave her, but things do not always go as wished.
They walked along slowly. “Tell me where you heard of the secret passage.”
She did not want to implicate Nessa and have her subjected to endless questions, but she also wanted to be honest with her husband, so she said, “I believe it was a servant who made mention of hearing of it. Do you think that is how the intruder got into our bedchamber last night?”
“No, I heard the door open.”
“That is why you shoved me aside?”
“It was his light footfalls that let me know he did not want to be detected.”
Highlander The Dark Dragon Page 12