19. Chapter Eighteen

Craig stared at the startled look on Lorena's face. Was this the reason Gunn was so determined to marry Lorena off to a MacKay brother? Any MacKay brother? Was her brother expecting her to act as some sort of spy, reporting back to him on everything she heard?

He mayhap had been a tad gruff when he asked her about it, but he was in pain, the potion hadn't yet taken effect, and he was annoyed that Lorena left him without a word. She just stormed from the room. He had no idea what was wrong with the lass.

Lorena's eyes flashed and her chin moved up. Aye, he'd managed to annoy the lass. "I ken as much about that missive as ye do." She pointed to the foolscap in his hand.

"What does that mean?"

"Exactly what I said. Now if ye will excuse me, I am verra tired after a long day and I intend to retire early." Without another word, she began removing her clothes, giving him ideas other than spying. It had been weeks since he'd laid with his wife, and the pain in his arm had no effect on the stirring in his body.

He walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, her back facing him. "I'll be happy to help ye with that."

She turned to him. "Nay. Ye are recovering from a wound and I am worn out." Pushing past him, she shimmed out of her kirtle, pulled her blouse over her head, and dressed in merely her almost transparent shift, climbed into bed, turning her back on him.

Was the lass that upset over him asking about a missive? ‘Twas his first night home in weeks. He'd hoped to have the opportunity to refresh his memory on the lovely curves his wife's warm, soft body possessed.

Not one to give up easily, he climbed in next to her and wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her next to him.

"Nay, Craig. Ye are injured and I am tired."

He leaned down and kissed the sensitive skin under her ear. "I am ne'er too wounded to love my wife."

She huffed. Then turned to face him. "Ye mean the wife ye doona trust? The wife whose advice ye are afraid to take until someone else tells ye the same thing?"

He rested his head on his upraised hand. "What are ye talking about?"

She huffed and punched her pillow. "Ye memory has become short, husband. It must be all those suspicions ye have in yer had about the woman who shares yer bed."

The potion had hit somewhere between his memory being short and the woman who shares his bed. Too confused and drowsy, he pushed the argument aside and laid his head down.

Lorena turned from him, but determined to at least have her body close, he wrapped his arm around her waist again and pulled her back to him. She stiffened at first, and then just as he drifted off, her warm body relaxed against his.

***

Lorena awoke feeling warm and comfortable, something she hadn't felt in a while. She pushed her bottom back against Craig and felt the almost forgotten feeling of his morning erection. Slowly, she eased back and was grateful when he didn't awaken. She was still angry with him and didn't want to begin the day with an argument.

The missive from her brother was as confusing to her as it was to Craig. She had no idea what he expected her to do. Did he think she had some sort of sway with the laird? The man who had pushed her aside to marry the woman he loved.

And all the words of caring and affection from her brother that she'd had always ached for were almost laughable. For a moment, she'd forgotten that he still only thought of her as a means to get something he wanted. Whatever that was. Like all men's minds, she was merely a pawn to trade for power, money, alliance, or to re-pay a debt.

She was washed, dressed and almost to the door when Craig said, "Where are ye going?"

Trying her best to remain cheerful, she turned and smiled. "I am off to break my fast. I thought ye would remain asleep a bit longer." The healer in her returned to the bed and sat alongside him. "How is yer arm today?"

"Sore, but the pain is no' so bad." He reached out and touched her cheek. "I dinna mean to act so rough last night about yer brother's message."

She shrugged. There was no point in discussing it since he obviously didn't trust her. His first thoughts had been that she had enough feeling for her abusive brother that she would turn on her new family.

"'Twas no matter. I have no intention of doing his bidding anymore. I had intended to throw the letter in the fire but ye and Gre'gor arrived then, and I forgot about it."

"I still apologize for no' trusting ye." He gave her that grin that released a dance of butterflies in her stomach.

Not wishing to upset herself further by lowering her shield and having it shattered again, she said, "I can check yer bandage as soon as I return. I'll bring some food for ye as well."

"Ah, leannan, I would appreciate a decent meal this time. I refuse to lie about in bed today. Robin needs me and Finn to go over our trip to Castle Varrich."

She nodded. "Verra well. Since ye doona seem to have a fever, I will fetch ye some food and check yer bandage when I return." Before she could make a fool out of herself and have him see the tears that had appeared in her eyes at the thought of him leaving again so soon, she hurried from the room.

As usual the kitchen was a bevy of activity. ‘Twas better if she grabbed some tea and a few bannocks for herself and then fixed a plate for Craig. She also needed to get warm water and clean cloths to check his bandage and could do it all in one place.

Once she was settled at a worktable with a hot cup of tea and a plate full of bannocks with butter and honey, she watched all the activity around her.

She realized with a start that she felt comfortable. And safe. Probably for the first time in her life. No one would chase her away, hit her, insult her, or barter her off. Perhaps her husband didn't trust her, but she didn't trust him, either. He was sweet and caring one moment, then annoyed with her, which immediately caused all her defenses to rise because, from experience, she knew the next thing was a slap in the face, or worse.

"How is Mister Craig today?" Maude asked as she stirred porridge in a large kettle over the hearth.

"He has no fever, which is good. I will check his wound when I return to our room." She licked her fingers and contemplated taking another bannock. Some mornings she couldn't face the idea of food, and others she was near starving, which Helena had assured her was perfectly normal at the beginning stages of pregnancy.

She had full intentions of telling Craig about her suspicions, but with him off again ‘twas probably best to wait until he returned. She sighed. Mayhap with him travelling so much, ‘twould never good a good time to tell him, just present him with a bairn one day when he returned from another trip.

Isn't that what ye wanted when he agreed to marry him?

Maude interrupted her thoughts. "I can fix up some food for ye to bring to yer husband."

"Aye. That would be good. Since he has no fever, ye can put together a tray for him with porridge, bannocks and any sort of meat ye may have." She got up from the table and placed her dirty plate into the wash bucket. While Maude put together the tray of food, she filled a bucket with clean water and soap. She grabbed a few clean linens from under the sink. She had left the basket of medicants in the room the night before. "I will return for the food."

"Nay, lass. One of the maids will bring it up to you as soon as it is ready. Ye have enough to do."

"Thank ye, Maude." Her belly full and feeling more cheerful, she returned to their bedchambers to find Craig attempting to dress himself.

"With one arm, husband?" She rolled her eyes and placed the supplies on the floor near the bed. "Couldna ye waited for me to return?"

"I have to meet with Finn and Robin. I don't have time to lie around in bed."

She shook her head and walked over to him where he struggled with his trews. He'd managed to get his foot into one leg of the garment, but was hopping around, almost in a circle trying to get his other foot in. She helped him finish dressing just as a soft knock at the door caught their attention. "Enter," Lorena said.

A young maid walked into the room, balancing a tray with all the food Lorena had requested.

"Ach, lass. Ye got me real food today."

"God's bones, Husband, ye think I've been starving ye for weeks when all I did was feed ye one meal that was better for yer stomach."

He sat on one of the comfortable padded chairs in front of the hearth. Lorena carried the tray of food the maid had left on the table next to the bed and moved it to the one next to Craig's chair. He immediately dove into the food like a starving man, leaving her feeling a tad guilty that all she'd fed him the night before was sickness fare. Then she sniffed, remembering the perfect Helena had approved.

After another slight knock on the door, Robin and Finn entered. "How is our patient today?"

Craig swallowed and said, "Much better since my wife isna starving me like she did last night."

"I thought ‘twas Helena who approved yer fare for last evening?" Finn said as he gave Lorena a quick wink and settled in the chair next to Craig.

Craig waved his hand. "They both conspired against me." He continued to eat while Robin questioned her about Craig's wound.

"I haven't seen it yet, but I plan to look it over once he's finished with his meal."

Finn reached over and took a piece of fried pork from Craig's plate. Whereupon her husband slapped his brother with his eating knife.

With Robin leaning on the wall next to the hearth, his arms crossed over his chest, the brothers chatted about the upcoming meeting with the MacKay Clan Chief. While they talked, Lorena removed the dirty plate from the table and began to unwrap Craig's injury. It looked very well, no swelling or streaks of red surrounding it. She half listened to their conversation and went about cleaning the wound again, checking the stitches, and smoothing honey over it once more before wrapping it.

As she picked up the supplies she'd used, as well as the dirty bandage, Robin said, "So ‘tis decided, then. We will leave at first light in three days. It shouldna take us more than a day to travel to Castle Varrich." Finn stood and stretched as he prepared to leave.

Craig rose from his chair and moved his sore arm, wincing slightly. "I think I should spend some time in the lists this morning. I need to get back into practice."

Lorena clamped her hands on her hips and glared at him. "I doona think so, husband. Ye need to give yerself time to heal."

The arrogant oaf had the nerve to grin at her like some fetching lad. "Nay, ‘tis fine. I hurt my left arm, but I am right-handed."

"So ye ne'er use yer left hand in battle, then?"

Still smiling, he said, "Doona tell me ye are worried about me, leannan?"

"Of course, no'." She sniffed, much to the amusement of Finn. "I just doona have the time to be sewing ye up again." With those words and his laughter ringing in her ears, she left the room to return the supplies and then went in search of Helena to see about the day's visits.

***

Even though Craig had not asked Lorena's permission, he walked over to the table where the letter from Gunn had been left from the night before. He handed it to Robin.

With eyebrows raised, his brother took the missive from his hand and read. Then he turned it over to Finn.

"What do ye make of it, Craig?" Robin asked when Finn had returned the parchment to the table.

"I doona ken. We all ken that there was no love lost between Lorena and Gunn. He took his fists to her more than once and now this note," he waved at the foolscap, "speaks to me of his attempt to manipulate my wife again."

"What did Lorena have to say about it?"

Craig rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm afraid I was a tad curt with her when I found it and made it sound as though she was mayhap planning on doing some work here for her brother."

"St. Bridget's armpit, brother, have ye lost yer mind, or do ye intend to push yer wife away at every chance ye get?" Finn said.

Craig frowned. "What are ye talking about?"

"I was no' given leave to speak of things yer wife may have confided in me."

In a flash, Craig had his hands wrapped around Finn's throat wincing at the pain that caused. "What sort of things has my wife confided in ye?"

Robin placed his hand on Craig's shoulder. "Be at ease, brother."

Finn rubbed his neck. "No'hing ye need to concern yerself about. What ye should be fashing about is how ye treat the lass. Praise her once in a while, give her credit for how well she's adjusted to life here."

"Are ye no' remembering that I've been away for weeks?"

"But ye're back now. " Finn looked as though he wanted to say something else, but said, "I'm off to the lists. If ye want to get some practice in, Craig, come on down. I promise I'll go easy on yer wee sore body." He slammed the door just as Craig threw a book at him, which bounced off the door.

Craig stared at Robin for a minute. "I want to ask ye something."

"Aye?"

"I would like to take Lorena with us when we go to Varrich. I think we could use some time together."

Robin grinned, leaving Craig as annoyed as Finn had. "Now ye're thinking like a married mon."

Craig growled, which only made Robin laugh. "I'll teach ye yet. Just watch me and ye'll learn."

"Well, can she go?" The more he thought about the idea, the more he liked it. He really dinna want to leave her behind again. Generally when the clan chief arranged a meeting, there were social activities for those who brought their female family members with them.

"Aye. ‘Twould be a pleasure to see some happiness on Lorena's face. She's been working verra hard, ye ken. Helena said she has ne'er seen a lass try as hard as yer wife does. She deserves a reward, for certe."

He was stunned at the amount of pleasure he felt with the idea of bringing Lorena along with him, as well as how happy it would make her.

"Are ye bringing Helena with ye to Varrich?"

Robin shook his head and opened the door. "Nay, she wearies too easily these days. The bairn tires her out. She tells me once she gets past this early part, her energy will return until the last three months when it will ebb again."

Robin was only gone from his room for a few minutes when Lorena returned. "I must meet Helena back downstairs for our visits today. I just came for my apron."

He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her wee body, wincing slightly at the pull from his wound.

Lorena studied him. "What? Ye look strange. Are ye in too much pain to work on the lists. I told ye—"

"—I have a surprise for ye."

She didn't say anything but continued to stare at him.

"I asked Robin and he agreed that ye can come with us when we travel to Castle Varrich in three days for the gathering of the MacKay clan."

To his amazement, stared at him with wide eyes, then burst into tears.

And here he'd thought ‘twas a good idea.