22. Chapter Twenty-One

Lorena ‘s eyes slowly opened, and she blinked at the early morning sunlight streaming from underneath the window shutter. Pushing her hair out of her eyes, she sat up and looked at the other half of the bed. The unwrinkled, unslept in half of the bed. She frowned, her early morning fuzzy head trying to make sense of it.

It had been five days that they'd been at Castle Varrich and today was the day they were to return to Dun Ugadale. The time spent here had been a nice break from her duties at home, and she'd certainly enjoyed the company of her husband. They'd gone for walks, had a picnic in the woods, and he even took her for a trip to Kyle Village and bought her a charming gold bracelet.

Each night they'd enjoyed the music and dancing and when they'd grown weary, climbed the stairs, hand-in-hand to end their evening in each other arms. So many times she wanted to tell him about the bairn she was carrying but decided she would rather do that at their home.

Of course, ruining the entire visit had been the constantly annoying Lady Beattie. She popped up everywhere, and Craig had gone from amused to aggravated. However, considering the woman was some sort of relation to The MacKay clan chief, he held his tongue.

Lorena climbed out of bed and wondered why Craig had not joined her the night before. When she'd left him downstairs he was going to spend time with Robin and Finn who were leaving early this morning with half the guardsmen they'd arrived with, while she and Craig would travel with the rest after Craig had one final meeting that their clan chief had requested this morning.

Robin didn't want to remain for Craig's meeting, worried about his pregnant wife, so he and Finn chose to leave at first light.

Staring at the bed, her thoughts immediately went to the worse place they could go and her stomach cramped. Certainly, he would not have given in to Lady Beattie. She shook her head. Nay.

After washing and dressing, she made her way to the great hall to break her fast, expecting to see Craig there, but he was not. She had a cup of tea, which was all her unsettled stomach could handle. Then beginning to worry, she decided to go to the solar where Craig and his brothers were going to spend some time last night.

As she started up the stairs, Lady Beattie was just descending. She stopped and smirked at Lenora. "Are ye looking for yer missing husband?"

Rather than give the woman the satisfaction, she ignored her and continued up the stairs. "I just left him in the solar," she called after her. "'Twas a wonderful night."

Pushing the woman's words from her mind, she continued down the corridor toward the solar. She nudged the partially open door and there sat her disheveled husband, his eyes bleary, running his fingers through his hair. He looked up at her and gave her a guilty smile. "Good morn, wife."

Lorena stared wide-eyed at Craig. "I dinna want to believe it, but yer friend, Lady Beattie just told me where to find ye, suggesting she'd spent the night with ye. It appears the wicked woman has won. I hope ye are verra happy with her."

Fighting the tears and misery in her body, she fled the room and, head held high, walked to their bedchamber. She slammed the door and then proceeded to finish packing her things. She could not leave this horrid place soon enough.

Within minutes Craig was in the room with her. "What is going on? And what are ye talking about?"

She stopped folding her nightgown that she never wore and stared at him. Brushing furiously at the tears on her cheeks, she said, "How stupid do ye think I am? Perhaps verra stupid because I was just beginning to believe I could trust ye."

He shook his head as if to clear it and walked over to her. When he attempted to take her in his arms, she moved back. "Do. No'. Touch. Me."

"Please, Lorena, I doona understand why ye are upset."

She tossed down the nightgown that she'd attempted to fold three times and placed her hands on her hips. "Where did ye spend last night?" She waved her hand in the direction of the bed. "'Twas for certe no' there."

Again, he ran his hands through his already tangled hair. "In the solar."

"With whom?"

"With no one. Finn and Robin left me there because they had to rise early to leave at first light. I decided to have another drink that turned into more than one and not realizing how weary I was I must have fallen asleep."

"Alone?"

"Aye. I said I was alone because Finn and Robin left."

She leaned in closer. "And who came?"

He frowned and she narrowed her eyes. "Ye. Ye were just there."

She spun in a circle, then raising her hands she looked up to the heavens for celestial strength. "Aye. I was just there. And before I was there, I had the pleasure of speaking with yer Lady Bettie strolling down the stairs, telling me where to find ye and what a wonderful night she'd spent with ye." She glared.

He began to shake his head, then stopped and gripped it. "Please, Lorena. I must have had more drink than I thought because I have a verra sore headache."

"Which I am more than happy to add to by smacking ye o'er the head with my boot."

"Leannan, when are ye going to trust me?"

"After I doona see women falling all o'er ye and claiming to have received yer attentions while my bed remained empty."

"'Tis no'hing but a wishful lie meant to hurt ye," he said dismissing her anger and hurt. "Now we have to ready ourselves to leave for Dun Ugadale. I doona want to argue with ye. I'm going for a swim in the loch to clear my head for my meeting with The MacKay and we will leave when we are finished." He grabbed clean clothes and left the room. If his head hadn't hurt, he probably would have slammed it.

She picked up the discarded nightgown and continued her packing. Truthfully, he dinna seem like he was filled with guilt. The soft smile when she found him could very well have been guilt over drinking too much and not making it to their bed.

And Lady Beattie was definitely one to lie if it suited her. Unsure what she felt, she finished up the rest of the packing and went downstairs to have someone bring the satchels down and attach them to their horses.

***

The MacKay wanted to offer a position to Craig as his second in command since with his two sons lost in a battle, he had no one he trusted, he said, to claim that spot. He thought since Robin had Finn to assist him, he could spare Craig. The offer he gave him was very nice and came with many boons. Even though he told the man that he would give it serious consideration, he had no intention of accepting the position.

Once he left the clan chief, he stopped by the kitchen and ate a few boiled eggs, several bannocks and a strong cup of tea, which helped his stomach and headache. While he ate, he ruminated on the dilemma he was facing.

Bluidy hell, that Beattie was a nuisance. He'd tried his best to keep her away from him, but the lass was determined. This mess was his own fault for falling asleep in the solar. He'd never even seen the lass, but she somehow saw he was in the solar instead of his own bed and decided to torture Lenora with the information. He never had too much drink that he didn't remember tupping a lass.

In some way he resented his wife for not trusting his word, but his inner voice reminded him that she held no trust in men. And now she felt as though she'd been betrayed again. What a mess!

He returned from his meal and found Lorena already downstairs, standing near the stables. "Are ye ready to leave?"

She nodded and looked past him, her eyes growing wide. Beattie ran up to them. "Are ye leaving without saying goodbye, Craig? After last night?"

Relation to The MacKay or not, he couldn't hold it in any longer. "Beattie, I've told ye since I've been here that I have a wife. I doona break my marriage vows. And ye ken there was no ‘last night'. Ye are a mean woman, and ‘tis sorry I am that I e'er had anything to do with ye." Before he said anything more, he stormed off to the stable to make sure everything was ready.

Women! ‘Twould be good when they left here. His idea of bringing Lorena with him was supposed to bring them closer and show him that he was a good husband and cared about her feelings. They had good times during the gathering, but one persistent, forward woman had ruined it all.

Assured that all their belongings were packed and snugly fitted on the pony carrying their luggage he walked out to the outer bailey while the stable lads brought out their horses.

The guardsmen who were to travel with them had already mounted and sat waiting for him and Lorena. Beattie was nowhere in sight, and he breathed a sigh of relief for that. He walked up to Lorena, and she regarded him in a cool way. "Are ye ready, lass?"

"Aye." She walked to her horse and Craig was right behind her and grabbed her around the waist and settled her on her horse. She nodded, her expression the same, then he jumped onto his own horse and maneuvered his way to the front of the group. He raised his arm. "We ride."

***

Lorena was miserable on the way home. After several hours her body reminded her that she was no longer able to tolerate long rides. Her morning nausea hadn't left her, and she felt tired and more than ready to return to the brooch.

Craig rode up alongside her and studied her for a few moments. "I had planned to ride through the day and reach Dun Ugadale before full darkness, but ye look a tad weary and I'm thinking ye might prefer to stop for the night. There is a small village to our east, which will take us out of our way a bit, but there is an inn there we can secure a hot meal and a bed."

Tears filled her eyes at his consideration. Was he trying to make up for Beattie's words? After his comments to her when she mentioned ‘last night' she was almost certain he hadn't betrayed her. "Aye. I hate to inconvenience yer guardsmen, but a hot meal and a bed sound wonderful."

"The guard is under my command. They do what I say, so there is no reason to feel as though I care what they want."

She nodded. "Thank ye."

He passed the word among the men that they were headed to the small village Craig mentioned. I took only about an hour before they rode over the hill to where the village lay.

Although small, in addition to the Inn, it contained a couple dozen thatched roof bothies as well as a blacksmith, a bakery, and a couple of vendors set up in front of the kirk selling soaps, needles, pins, and pretty bright ribbons.

Craig led them to the inn. He helped her off her horse and regarded her with concern. "Are ye sure ye are well, lass?"

"Aye. I just need a meal and bed."

He took her arm and they walked up the steps to the front door of the inn. The room was filled with the smell of ale, and unwashed bodies. She was so tired she would gladly lie down on the floor and sleep.

Craig requested their meal be brought up to their room. Once he closed the door, she stripped off her clothes and put on the soft, comfortable nightgown she'd brought with her, but seldom wore since they generally slept without clothes.

It appeared to her the bairn was starting to make its presence known. She would soon have to tell Craig, but since they would be home the next day, she could tell him then. For some reason it seemed that was the best place to let him know he was to be a da was in the privacy of their own bedchamber.

A surprisingly good mutton stew and warm bread was sent to their room. They enjoyed the fare, and soon she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open.

"Leannan, I think ye need to climb into bed." Craig pulled her up from her chair by the hearth where they'd eaten their meal and walked her to the bed. He shed his clothes and climbed in behind her. Pulling her back against his chest, he wrapped his arm around her and within minutes they were both asleep.