Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

“ T horgren is dead?” Tira was certain she had never trembled so violently as Errol stood before her healthy and whole, and nodded at her.

Dead ! For an instant the bedchamber seemed to shimmer and spin around her, Tira never having known such intense relief, either, Errol reaching for her arm to steady her.

His grip so strong and the squeeze of his fingers so reassuring, though still Tira felt as if her wobbly knees would give way beneath her.

The next thing she knew, Errol had led her to one of the chairs by the fire where she sank down…almost in disbelief still that she was free forever from any threat by Thorgren…as were her precious twins.

“The woman he sent here tae do his foul bidding is dead, too,” came Errol’s low voice as he stood behind the chair, his hands upon her shoulders as if to calm her. “He cut her down without blinking an eye right before I struck him—och, it is all done now.”

All done now , Tira echoed in her mind as she lifted her head to gaze up at Errol, his face so handsome in the flickering firelight.

Well after dusk, Gavin and his warriors and Errol still hadn’t returned—leaving Tira and Cora with little they wished to do other than remain close to their children and wait…ah, God, but that was over now, too!

With a great outcry, Tira jumped up from the chair and threw her arms around Errol’s neck, hugging him close as grateful tears blinded her.

His embrace as fierce and his cheek pressed to hers as they simply stood there and held each other, Tira rejoicing at Errol’s strong heartbeat against her breast.

He was alive and safe, the man she loved!

Gavin was safe, too, Cora having flung herself into his arms just outside the nursery. Their twins tearfully hugging their legs—aye, even Sinclair for all of his childish bluster—while Errol had led Tira to their bedchamber a few moments ago.

Her heart drumming in her throat, though she had guessed his news from the reassuring pressure of his fingers before Errol had even uttered the words.

“None of Thorgren’s men will return tae Orkney, they have all been slain,” he said against her ear, hugging her more tightly. “It had tae be done and I’m glad of it, their deaths the only fate those raiders deserved and their ships burned tae ashes.”

Tira shivered at the harshness of Errol’s words, his hair, his clothing smelling of smoke and charred wood. As if sensing what she discerned, he pulled away to look into her eyes.

“Forgive me, Tira, I reek of the day’s events. I will return after I wash at the barracks?—”

“No, no, dinna leave me,” she pleaded softly, pressing her hands to his cheeks smudged gray with ash. “I will summon a bath for you and food. You must be famished.”

Tira remembered another time when she had stared so deeply into his blue eyes, a year past when they had pledged their love…but today she saw his astonishment, which made her feel sick with regret.

Errol had done so much for her, saved her life, and wed her to protect her and her children, his love for her unwavering, yet what had she done for him?

So little, truly, a sense of shame enveloping her that made her turn away from him toward the fireplace and grab a poker to vigorously stoke the dying flames—aye, anything so he wouldn’t see her tears welling over how she must have hurt him.

“Here, lass, let me do that for you,” he murmured, moving to her side to ease the poker from her trembling hand. “You’ll set the castle ablaze with all those sparks flying and I dinna want you tae strain yourself. It’s not two weeks yet since you gave birth?—”

“Och, Errol, I’m well and healthy again, canna you see?” Tira had rounded on him, her throat so constricted with emotion, she felt she could hardly speak. “Why are you always so good and kind tae me when…when I’ve done nothing for you?”

“Nothing?” he queried huskily, setting down the poker to draw Tira away from the fire and pull her into his arms. “You made me the happiest of men tae become my bride. Isna that something, lass?”

Tira shivered now…not from shame, but from how Errol looked at her with such emotion in his gaze, and hugged her closer.

“You’ve blessed me with the gift of being a father tae your bairns— our bairns. Isna that something as well? What more could any man want than so bonny a wife and a family tae call his own?”

Errol bent his head closer even as Tira felt her breath catch, her gaze falling to the masculine curve of his lips and then back to meet his eyes.

No astonishment there any longer, but a searching look that made her heart beat faster and a stirring warmth race from her flushed cheeks to her toes.

“There’s only one thing I lack, Tira…the words I’ve longed tae hear, but I dinna want tae rush you into saying them. Only when you’re ready, lass…”

Tira had no chance to utter anything as Errol’s lips found hers, a soft sigh escaping her at the tenderness of his kiss that made her feel as if she was melting against him—ah, God, how she loved him!

“What was that, lass?”

Her eyelids fluttered open and she stared up at him as he bent his head to kiss her again, and not so gently this time, but with an intensity that made her knees weak and her stomach to flutter.

Had she said something? Tira could no more be certain she had spoken than of anything at that moment, her heart singing and such joy overwhelming her that she flung her arms around his neck to hug him close.

“I love you, Errol— I do !”

This time Tira knew she had spoken aloud for her words seemed to ring around them, Errol lifting her from her feet and twirling her around as his deep laughter, filled with elation, rang out, too.

He spun her until she was dizzy, her giggling melding with his joy until he slowed to set her down and kiss her again, cradling her uplifted face in his hands.

His lips so warm and tender that Tira felt herself melting again as she kissed him as sweetly, her hands drifting down to cover his and entwine their fingers together.

The love she felt for him so powerful, so immense that warm tears trickled down her face and melded with Errol’s, a wetness glistening in his eyes when he lifted his head to gaze at her.

“I love you, Tira…always, forever.”

“And I, you….always, forever,” she echoed, uttering those words making her feel at that moment as the happiest of women?—

“Ah, God…no.” Errol groaned at a knock upon the door, his reluctance to answer as apparent on his face as what Tira felt as she pulled away from him to hasten across the room.

She barely cracked the door when she began to laugh, and flung it open to admit servants that hustled inside with buckets of steaming water and a cloth-covered tray filled with something that smelled wonderful.

“Laird and Lady MacLachlan said there is no need tae join them for supper and tae wish you a good night,” piped up an older woman with curly gray hair as she set the tray upon a table near the bed, and then turned to the other servants. “Now fill up that tub and let’s leave this fine couple alone.”

Tira felt she had hardly blinked and they were finished with their tasks and hurried from the room, the same maidservant adding with a warm smile, “We’ll bring breakfast for you in the morning, so you dinna have tae rise early. A good evening tae you.”

Tira couldn’t help laughing when the door closed, and Errol grinned, too, though suddenly he sobered when he glanced at the wooden tub set near the fireplace and then back again at Tira.

“I dinna wish tae cause you any unease about my bathing in here. If you want tae go visit the nursery until I finish?—”

“You’re my husband, aye?” Tira cut in gently, though she did feel nervous at the prospect of seeing Errol unclothed for the first time. Last night, she had rolled over in bed to face the other way before he jumped in naked beside her—och, she couldn’t deny she felt more than a niggling of anticipation, too.

Errol had given her only a nod, remaining silent as he watched her move toward him, Tira sensing a tension in him that hadn’t been there moments before.

“Let me help you with your breacan.”

He nodded again, still not saying a word as she untied the garment from his waist, though she heard him suck in his breath when she drew closer to reach up to his shoulder.

“I will get it, wife.”

Errol’s voice grown low and husky, Tira stood still as he tugged off the breacan and tossed it to the floor and then worked at the sword belt around his waist.

She couldn’t seem to move her eyes from his face, Errol holding her gaze as he dropped the belt with a hard thud, making her jump.

Her heart had jumped, too, though the sudden noise seemed to dispel some of the palpable tension in the room as Errol gave a low groan.

“Och, woman, will you watch me undress then? Do you think me made of stone?”

Errol looked so uncomfortable now, a slight grimace on his face as if he felt some physical pain—Tira gasping with understanding when she dropped her gaze to the protrusion beneath his tunic that evidenced his arousal.

“Oh, God, f-forgive me!” Her face afire, Tira scurried away from him and went to sit on the opposite side of the bed with her back to the fireplace as she heard Errol kick off his boots.

A moment more and she heard a splash followed by a muttered curse, Tira unable to resist glancing over her shoulder to see that Errol knelt as he began to scrub himself, the tub too small for him to sit.

With his heavily muscled back to her, he looked so uncomfortable and had sounded so disgruntled, she couldn’t help giggling, though she clapped her hand over her mouth when she heard a wry chuckle.

“Next time it’s the barracks washhouse for me…until we can find ourselves a bigger tub!”

He laughed then, so rich and deep a sound that Tira could no longer restrain her giggles and joined him, their shared mirth ringing out above the sound of splashing that sent droplets flying into the hissing flames.

It seemed no more than another few moments and he was finished bathing, Tira listening with her back still turned as he padded over to the chest filled with his belongings and threw open the lid. She heard the swish of a clean tunic being tugged over his head, and then he moved over to the bed to stand in front of her, Tira looking up at him with her heart pounding.

She had never seen a man more handsome than Errol with his freshly washed hair falling to his broad shoulders and his dampened tunic clinging to his powerfully built body—her face flushing with warmth just to stare at him.

“D-did you not towel yourself dry?”

“Who has time for such nonsense when my beautiful bride is waiting tae dine with me?”

With a husky laugh, Errol pulled her up to hold her close. Tira gulped at the hard bulge that hadn’t diminished at all, pressing against her lower abdomen, her cheeks growing all the hotter.

“I desire you, wife, that’s plain, aye? It’s near killing me, too, but we’ll just have tae pretend it’s not there until that day when you’re ready tae welcome me into your arms.”

“Oh, Errol, I would welcome you now if only?—”

His mouth found hers before Tira could finish, Errol’s kiss so impassioned that Tira clung to him, wishing so desperately that she was fully healed—though she sensed he knew exactly what she had intended to say.

She shook with desire for him…a miracle that never would have occurred if not for the depth of Errol’s love for her.

His caring.

His devotion.

His determination never to give up hope for her…for them…and for the life she prayed they would be blessed to know together.

Ah, God, give her courage and strength, they had only two days before they would be parted from each other. What if he left for battle and never returned?

“ No , Tira, dinna think it,” Errol demanded hoarsely against her lips as if he had sensed the sudden anguished turn of her thoughts. “We’re together now and we will be again, I swear I will come back tae you!”

Tira nodded, fresh tears welling as she threaded her fingers through his damp hair and kissed him with all the love she possessed.

Aye, he would come back to her, she had to believe it.

She did believe it. How else would she ever be able to live and breathe while Errol was gone?

“Our wives watch us still, Errol, but dinna turn around. It will only make it harder for them.”

Grimly, he nodded and forced himself to remain face front as he stood in the prow of the lead warship, Gavin holding to his own advice beside him.

Errol could feel Tira’s eyes upon him just as Cora was surely staring at her warrior husband with Sinclair and Maud at her side.

Their little group standing just outside the castle gates with Lorne MacSween and a host of guards that remained behind, protectively flanking them in the dawning light.

Errol sensed Tira would remain there until the six birlinns had sailed far into the distance, but mayhap Cora would urge her back to the keep for the wind was blustery and the cool morning air laced with drizzle.

He longed so desperately to look behind him for one last glance at her…his beloved, his life, but he needed to show strength now for both of them.

Their moments together before dawn difficult enough when he had gone to the nursery with Tira to see the twins sleeping so peacefully—and like Gavin had urged him, Errol didn’t want to grieve her further.

Both her and Cora’s eyes glistening with unshed tears as they had lifted their chins and courageously said their goodbyes, no final hugs given in front of other warriors who had already bid farewell to their wives and families that resided in the nearby village.

Some of the men wounded during the attack on the raiders had left the infirmary to witness their departure as well, Errol grateful that none of their own had been killed, while servants from every corner of the castle had joined them for a silent farewell.

Who could say how long they would be gone? Weeks or months? A brutal enemy was marching north from the Scottish border, England determined to ground Scotland beneath its heel.

“We will prevail against King Edward and his accursed army and return tae those we love,” Gavin said in a fiercely uttered aside, clearly sharing Errol’s thoughts. “Never doubt it, man. Our resolve will bring us victory.”

“I dinna doubt it,” Errol said with a glance at the formidable Highland warrior who had helped to reunite him with Tira, and to whom he owed so much…just as he owed so much to King Robert.

After all, Errol had sworn.