Chapter Eighteen

In a daze, Freya watched as her uncle arrived and there was a flurry of conversations and activity. The entire time she remained tucked beside Gavin, his presence filling her with confidence that all would be well.

Tasgall had continued to demand the marriage take place and that he was due the lands and home as her husband.

Her uncle was like the calm in the storm.

"The terms of a marriage to Freya will change," her uncle stated looking from Tasgall to her and finally to Gavin. "Ye may live here in the house. However the property and lands now are all Ignall's."

Tasgall, who continued to hold his injured side huffed. "Ye cannae do that."

"I can," her uncle looked around the room. "This is all rightly mine. I donnae have to abide by my dead brother's agreements."

The constable cleared his throat. "That is true."

"What say ye?" Tasgall asked the priest.

"I am nae authority over agreements," the tired looking clergy replied.

There was a long silence.

"If ye demand it happen, and ye marry Freya, I will ensure ye will never own anything on these lands," her uncle stated.

Tasgall stood, bending slightly at the waist. He gave a shaky step, so the men who'd come with him had to help him out.

"I doubt this will be the last we see of him," Ignall stated what Gavin thought.

"That can be taken care of," the constable stated. "I will speak to the laird and demand Tasgall be sent away."

Gavin met her uncle's gaze, both understanding that there were other ways to keep Tasgall away. The man would die if he ever came near Freya again.

Her aunt came and took Freya's hand. "Come ye need to wash up."

Seeming too overwhelmed to argue, she allowed herself to be lead from the room.

Why had he come?

The last time they'd spoken, he'd not been inclined to help her anymore, but had agreed with the laird that she go to Uist to work at his cousin's keep. She'd thought never to see him again and yet he'd arrived there at her home, with considered perfect timing and professed to not only being her betrothed, but the father of a child they'd conceived.

Nothing made sense.

Freya stood in the center of her bedchamber and peered down at her trembling hands, noticing for the first time the blood on her right hand. Dark droplets on her hand, forearm, and the front of her blouse. She scratched at it wanting it gone.

"Freya." Her aunt pushed a goblet into her hand. "Drink it. Ye are shaking."

She lifted the cup to her lips and sipped the honeyed mead. "I dinnae know what to do."

"For now we wait. Then ye will have a hot bath and rest. Yer uncle will speak with the priest and constable," her aunt said in a soft soothing voice.

Perhaps it was the honeyed mead, or the soothing tone in her aunt's voice, but suddenly she felt very tired. Freya nodded and went to sit on the bed to await the bath to be brought.

Freya's eyes flew open. Through the open window, she could see it was late in the day. Next to her bed, Gavin sat in a chair, his eyes trained on her.

For a moment neither said anything.

"Why did ye come?" Freya asked. "Why are ye here?"

His Adam's apple bobbed. "For ye. When I found out that ye had been taken by force, I had to ensure ye were nae harmed."

"Ye are nae responsible for me." Freya fiddled with the blankets, more to keep her hands busy as she wasn't sure what to do.

Gavin let out a long sigh. "Ye left because of what I said. I should have listened to ye. I was prideful and refused to listen to ye. Instead of ensuring yer well-being, I told ye to go."

"I was a burden to yer clan. I could have explained more. I do nae blame ye for thinking I could bring danger. Perhaps I did," she said.

After a moment, he met her eyes. "Why did ye nae tell me everything? I would have protected ye."

"How was I to know ye would nae send me back here? Yer clan is large. I was afraid ye were friendly with Tasgall's family."

His gaze fell. "I suppose there's naught to be done about it now."

There was something more she wished to know, but the questions became lodged in her throat. Finally she fortified herself.

"How do ye feel. Ye should nae be traveling so far after yer injury."

Gavin shrugged. "I am well enough to be here and ensure ye are."

"Why did ye say we were betrothed and that I could be with child?"

The corners of his lips twitched. "Both are a possibility."

"We are nae betrothed, and I am nae with child." Freya crossed her arms. "I do, however, thank ye for standing up for me."

Gavin nodded.

"When will ye go back to Skye?" Freya didn't want to know the answer. What she wished was to ask him to stay. There was nothing more she wished for than to spend time with him. Just his presence alone made her feel safe and protected.

"Do ye wish me to go?"

The question was not a complicated one, but in so many ways so very hard to answer. Freya decided to be honest.

"I dinnae." She looked at him. "I wish for more time with ye."

He reached for her hand, taking it in his much larger one. "I-I… err…" He stumbled over the words. Was he about to divulge something horrifying?

"I came because I am in love with ye, and I found that I cannae survive without ye in my life." He closed his eyes as if in pain, then opened them, the deep green had darkened as they met hers. "That day in the forest. It cannae be the only time."

Her cheeks warmed at the reference and immediately their intimate moment flashed in her mind. The gasps. The joining of their bodies. The way they'd kissed with a combination of desperation and desire. It had been perfect and passionate. Two souls finding each other after a lifetime of searching.

Her heart began to pound. "Thinking that I'd never see ye again has been physically painful. I thought it was this place, that I didn't feel at home because everything had changed. My family. Me. But now that ye are here, it is as if the heartbeat has returned. The house has come back to life. Ye brought my heart with ye."

Gavin's lips parted in surprise and then curved before he asked, "Can I kiss ye?"

All Freya could do was nod and instantly his lips were over hers. It was as if she'd been holding her breath since the day she'd left Ross keep because every ounce of her being came to life. A lightness engulfed her as she clung to him. Her arms surrounded his neck, bringing him closer.

"Gavin," she whispered into his ear when they broke the kiss. "Ye came for me."

"I did." He pressed kisses to the side of her face, trailing his lips down her throat. "I could nae breathe."

He pulled back but continued to hold her. If she were to die in that instant Freya would not mind. Being in his arms was as close to heaven as she could get while still on earth.

After everything she'd been through was he to be her reward? Was life making up for all that had been taken from her?

Tears flowed freely down her face. "Promise never to leave me. Tell me ye will always be with me."

"I promise to remain by yer side always," Gavin whispered. "Unless I go to battle, or have to visit my brother, or do my duties as guard."

She pulled back to look at the sly grin on his face. He teased her.

Freya laughed.

It had been so very long since she'd laughed.

Last meal was a somber event, everyone seeming to be in his or her own thoughts. Freya slid glances to Gavin who spoke with her uncle. They discussed the differences between Skye and Eigg. Every so often Ignall would join in adding information about where they worked.

Freya leaned to her aunt. "Uncle speaks as if he plans to return home. What about this house and lands? What will happen, will Ignall remain?"

Her aunt smiled and patted her hand. "William and I will return home Freya. Ignall will remain here." She slid a look to Gavin. "He is quite bonnie. Do ye plan to live here or on Skye?"

At Freya's confusion, Sorcha spoke up. "He did say ye are betrothed. Ye will have to decide where to live."

"Let us give it a pair of days. We've had enough excitement for one day," her aunt stated.

Gavin looked toward their end of the table as if trying to decipher what they spoke about. Freya couldn't help the flush of heat to her cheeks when their eyes met.

"We may have to plan a wedding soon as possible, lest there truly be a bairn," her aunt said with a soft chuckle.

"Mother!" Sorcha exclaimed a wide grin spreading across her pretty face.

When the meal ended, Gavin took Freya's elbow. "Would ye like to walk?"

"I do need air," Freya agreed much too quickly. Questions were swimming in her head since they'd kissed. There were decisions to be made and regardless of Gavin's proclamations of love for her, there was the issue of him being a laird's brother. He could not marry without his brother's permission. She knew Gavin enough to know that his first loyalty was to the clan.

The air was cool, but Freya barely felt it. Walking beside Gavin, her skin immediately heated. They walked to a garden area, and he looked around. "I can see why ye love it here. The lands are beautiful."

She followed his line of sight to the horizon where the sun was setting and then across to where a stream meandered around a grouping of trees and on into the forest. It was indeed a lovely view.

"What happens now?" Freya asked while attempting to keep her breathing even. "I imagine ye will have to speak to yer brother."

Gavin nodded. "Aye. I must return to Skye. There are matters that have to be dealt with."

There was something akin to trepidation in his expression, as if he expected she would rebuff him.

"Freya," he began and took her hands. "I have nae asked. Are ye willing to marry me then?"

She couldn't keep from smiling up at him. "I wish for nothing more than to be yer wife."

"I sense there is a condition," Gavin stated.

"My aunt and uncle wish to know if we marry where will we live. They wish to return to their own land and not live here. A decision will have to be made about this house and land, if we go to Skye, Ignall will have to come here to live. Or perhaps the lands will be sold. I donnae know. It is ironic since I've fought so hard to keep them and now…" She wasn't sure how to finish the statement.

Gavin's brow furrowed. "My clan needs me Freya. There is the matter of the men attacking and…" He stopped and looked around, his eyes moving past her. "I dinnae wish to take ye away from yer home."

Blinking back tears, she nodded. "I understand. Of course I do. I do ask that we marry here. After, then we can go."

She was thankful when he pulled her against him, his strong arms like a harbor. Freya lifted her face, offering him her mouth. Gavin pressed his lips to hers, kissing a trail across her mouth before prodding at the crease with his tongue.

When his tongue delved into her mouth, Freya's knees weakened, the intrusion a reminder of their more intimate time together.

A moan escaped when he lifted her guiding her to wrap her legs around his waist. He turned to the wall of the house, her back pressing against the solid stone as he continued to kiss her, his hands sliding down her sides to cup her breasts and pushing them to free them from the confines of her blouse.

Everything disappeared except for Gavin. Birdsong was overtaken by the sounds of their kisses and gasps of breaths. The hardness of his body crushing hers was like a balm to her soul. Once again a lightness filled her competing with the heat of passion that pooled between her legs.

When his mouth closed over the tip of her breast, Freya had to bite her bottom lip to keep quiet. Each time he sucked harder, throbs of desire shot to her center, filling her with so much need, she began to rub her core against him.

"Oh," Freya hissed. "Ye must stop. I cannae take more."

Suddenly, he lowered her to the ground, shoving her skirts down. Freya swayed and was about to ask why he stopped when a man appeared. It was the guard Hendry.

"Her aunt walked out to find ye," he said looking at Freya. "I volunteered to complete the task." He gave Gavin a knowing look.

Freya's hands flew up to her blouse thankfully, the top had fallen down and covered her breasts.

"Thank ye. I will go inside momentarily," she replied in a breathy voice.

Whether the man heard or not, she couldn't tell as he was already rounding the building back the way he'd come.

"We best go inside," Freya said pushing past Gavin and then stopping short. "We didnae decide anything."

He guided her toward the front of the house. "Will ye return with me to Skye?" He gave her the choice and for that she'd follow him anywhere.