Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

T ira rested her head against the wooden rim of the tub, the warm bath doing little to soothe the tumult in her heart.

How much longer until she saw Errol again? Had another fierce battle occurred since Bannockburn? Was he wounded? Was he even alive?

Three weeks had passed since an exhausted messenger had brought welcome news about King Robert’s resounding victory over the English, and then he had ridden on after a meal and a short rest to other lairds’ wives awaiting word in Argyllshire.

Cora had told her about them, courageous women all…Magdalene MacLachlan, who had once been known as Mad Maggie, Aislinn Campbell from Ireland, and Lisette Campbell from France, who had become like sisters to Cora and whom Tira hoped to meet one day.

She knew from Errol about his own fearless flame-haired sister, Rowen, who had married Alec Mackay, from the Sutherlands’ long-time enemies of Clan Mackay until sworn to peace thanks to bold intervention by King Robert.

Alec had trained for years with Roger Douglas in north Lanarkshire, his wife, Julianna, an Englishwoman and a healer, and Roger’s youngest brother, David, had married Sorcha, the high-spirited adopted daughter of Aislinn and Cameron Campbell.

All of these women intertwined by their marriages to fierce Highland warriors, and Tira had joined them—ah, God, like all the rest, she wanted her husband safe and whole and back with her!

Tira swatted the water in near despair and sent droplets flying into the fireplace, the glowing logs hissing, while a startled maidservant rushed from turning down the bedcovers for the night to her side.

“Lady Tira, is aught amiss?”

Her cheeks flushed more from emotion than the rose-scented steam rising around her, Tira shook her head with apology.

“Forgive me…I was thinking about my husband. I miss him so terribly.”

Nodding with empathy, the maidservant heaved a small sigh and returned to the bed while Tira sank deeper into the new tub…which made her smile faintly in spite of her heartache.

A tub more than large enough for Errol, who had been forced to kneel in the smaller one, his back so powerfully muscled and his buttocks taut?—

“Och, you’re shameless,” Tira whispered to herself, but why wouldn’t she desire her husband? The past was blessedly behind her and she shivered now whenever she thought of him kissing her, his lips so tender and warm. Their last night together had been spent holding each other close…though Errol had insisted she wear a nightgown to keep his own desire in check?—

“Are you ready for a towel?”

Tira had started, the maidservant’s voice breaking into her heated thoughts. She shook her head, saying over her shoulder, “Not yet, but I need another sliver of soap. This tub is so big I canna find it…”

Groping around her feet, Tira heard the bedchamber door open and the sound of footfalls before closing again, but she didn’t think anything of it for the maidservants that came and went while assisting her.

“Och, never mind, I found it.” Rubbing the sliver between her hands, Tira worked up enough lather to rub her face, though at once her eyes began to sting. “Oh, no, the towel, please!”

She gasped with relief to have one handed to her, murmuring her thanks as she wiped the soap from her eyes only to hear what she would swear was a masculine chuckle…

“That tub looks big enough for two. Would you mind if I join you?”

“ Errol !” Tira’s eyes still stung, but now from tears of joyful relief as she stared up at him, her heart leapt to her throat.

She didn’t think, only reacted—and stood up so suddenly in a spray of droplets that she nearly slipped until he caught her, his hands around her waist steady and strong.

“Och, wife, dinna injure yourself when I’ve returned tae you hale and whole!” Errol laughed again and Tira giggled, too, so elated to see him that she felt giddy as she threw her arms around his neck to hug him—every wet inch of her.

He hugged her as tightly, still laughing when he pulled away to look into her face, only to suddenly grow sober.

“Och, Tira, you’re so beautiful…and shivering, too. Settle back down into the tub and give me a chance tae look at you.”

She did, plopping down into the warm water that helped to still her chattering teeth even as the look on Errol’s face made her heart beat faster.

Bold admiration melded with a quiet intensity…his gaze moving over her as if seeing her for the first time—och, it occurred to her then that he had never before seen her unclothed!

She felt her nipples pucker when his gaze came to rest upon her breasts halfway immersed in the water, and now her shivers had nothing to do with feeling cold—ah, God, she felt afire.

Errol didn’t say anything, only began to undress in front of her, Tira’s eyes widening as she glanced behind her.

“The maidservant is gone, lass. We’re alone, just you and me.”

Tira sucked in her breath as she met Errol’s eyes, and watched in heart-pounding fascination as he stripped in mere moments to step naked into the tub.

She looked up at him standing above her, the powerfully muscled beauty of his body making her jaw drop and Errol to chuckle again.

Yet he wasn’t laughing when he sank down and pulled her close so that she straddled him, the larger tub still not quite big enough for both of them.

“Can you reach the soap, Tira?”

Soap ? She stared at him almost uncomprehending…her senses reeling from his closeness and the hard bulge pressing at the heart of her thighs that made her breath seem to snag in her throat.

“I thought mayhap you would help me bathe. I was going tae stop at the barracks, but I couldna wait another moment longer tae see you—och, here it is.”

Errol held up the sliver of soap in his dripping fingers, but Tira wasn’t thinking about bathing at all…her gaze focused upon his lips.

Without hesitating another instant, she leaned against him to cradle his stubbled face with her hands and press her mouth to his in an impassioned kiss that made him groan, his steely arms enveloping her.

Water sloshed from the tub as he shifted beneath her, making Tira gasp against his lips when she felt him thrust inside her…neither she nor Errol able to deny their desire for each other any longer.

Her flesh still slippery as she opened herself to him, moaning into his mouth as his tongue sparred with hers even as his body seemed to swell and grow harder deep within her.

Errol’s hands grasping her hips with his every thrust as he groaned, too, more water spilling onto the floor from the wild intensity of their passion—until Tira braced her hands upon his chest and cried out at the height of her climax.

Her eyes tightly closed, her head thrown back as she felt Errol’s flesh throbbing inside her and a hot surge that made her cry out again—his own hoarse outcry ringing around them.

Tira could not say how long she remained collapsed atop him, his strong heartbeat drumming against her breast and her breathing gradually slowing.

His hands tenderly caressing her back until he cupped her bottom, his fingers splayed out and squeezing her as a husky chuckle broke from his throat.

“The water has grown cool…but I still burn for you, lass.”

She gasped when Errol rose suddenly from the tub, lifting her with him, her legs braced around his hips and their bodies still joined as he carried her dripping wet to the bed.

She clung to him still when he climbed onto the mattress and settled himself atop her, and she gasped anew when his body swelled hard inside her.

Then his mouth found hers and Tira thought no more, her arms flying around his damp shoulders to hold him tightly as he began to thrust again—his impassioned groans echoing around them.

Her body shaking, her own moans silenced by the intensity of his kiss as she climaxed again beneath him while she felt him shudder and press her down into the mattress…crying out her name.

Now it was Errol who lay collapsed upon her, though only a moment later he propped himself up onto his elbows to stare into her flushed face…Tira certain she had never felt her heart beating so rampantly.

Errol’s gaze so filled with love in the flickering light from a lantern placed near the bed as she stared up at him, too, truly amazed at how richly heaven had blessed her.

Her beloved husband returned safely to her side.

Their twins sleeping peacefully in the nursery…both Isobel and Monroe healthy and growing bigger—aye, Tira couldn’t wait until she and Errol could gaze upon them together.

Yet for now it was enough for her to simply look into his eyes as he gently smoothed a tendril of hair from her cheek, though his brow suddenly furrowed.

“Och, Tira…did I hurt you?”

“No, husband, no!” she murmured fervently, reaching up to caress his whiskered jaw as she laughed softly. “Well, mayhap a wee bit from the beard you seem tae be growing.”

“Then I’ll get up now tae shave it off, for I havna had my fill of you?—”

“Nor I you , so dinna dare tae leave me when you’ve only just returned home!” Tira lifted her head to kiss him so persuasively that he groaned and relaxed atop her…well, except for that part of him swelling again inside her, which made her drop back onto the pillow and stare at him in amazement.

Errol merely laughed and pressed his hips against hers, though he sobered as he looked into her eyes.

“Would it please you tae know I’m a baron now? A reward from King Robert for capturing an English lord, aye, a very rich one tae exchange for his wife’s release. I have lands now and a fortress in north Argyll?—”

“A home for us?” Tira broke in breathlessly, astonished by this news. Again, Errol pressed his hips to hers, and he chuckled at her soft gasp.

“Aye, for the bairns we have already and those tae come…if heaven so blesses us. We’ll pray that the king and his wife will be blessed as well with a future king tae protect Scotland’s freedom?—”

“Oh, Errol, will it be long before they’re reunited?” Her heart aching for the young queen who had been held prisoner for eight years, Tira felt encouraged when he shook his head and bent down to brush a kiss to her cheek.

“A few months, no more. Gavin and I would have remained with the king if he had need of us during the negotiations, but he ordered us home tae our families…aye, my beloved wife, tae you.”

Tira’s breath caught as Errol found her lips to kiss her with such tenderness, she could but sigh against his mouth.

Her heart drumming with joy.

Her arms entwining around his neck as she kissed him back with all the love she possessed for the courageous Highland warrior who had rescued her, wed her, and claimed her sweet bairns as his own.

Errol Sutherland…her hero.