Page 64 of Bride of the Wicked Laird
“And I shall miss ye.’
Leveling her glance at him, she met his eyes. He saw the sparkle there and his heart leapt.
“I have business in the village on the morrow. Will ye come wi’ me? I ken ye have business of yer own. Ear bobs? Ribbons?”
Laughing, she nodded. “Ye’re right. I will accompany ye, I have a purse tae spend.”
“Ye’ll nae be afraid tae cross the bay?” With his newfound understanding of her aversion to water in its many forms, he had to ask. To say nothing of how the last attempt on her life made by MacKinnon may have left her even more terrified than before.
She shook her head, offering a shy smile. “Now I ken why I have had such a fear, I believe it will help me tae overcome it. Aileen was showing me how tae sail the bay. Mayhap if I accompany ye, ye could give me another lesson.”
He bowed from the waist. “Happy tae give ye yer second sailing lesson, melady. And happier still tae keep ye close, where we can safeguard ye. Aileen and Maxwell will be there and I shall leave ye with them while I entertain me business.”
She threw him a curious glance, but he was not yet ready to speak of the business he had with the tinker. That would depend on what news the lad brought him.
They walked together to her cottage, Everard holding Feather’s basket. His senses were thrumming at her nearness and hewould have wished nothing more than for her to spend the night in his bed. But she spoke wisely. He didn’t wish the servants to spread gossip. A shadow encircled his heart as he thought of the gossip reaching the ears of Murchadh MacKinnon.
He handed her his candle as they entered the cottage and with it, she lit the wick of another small candle by her bed. Taking her in his arms, he dropped little kisses in her hair and one on the tip of her nose.
“Sleep tight, little enchantress.” He reluctantly released her from his embrace
He was about to turn and take his leave when, to his delighted surprise, she stood on tiptoe and, as he dipped his head, managed to land a playful kiss on the tip ofhisnose.
“And ye also, me laird.”
His heart was full as he walked across the courtyard and entered the keep. He understood now the depths of sadness and pain she’d endured and determined to do all that was in his power to see to it that her life, from now on, was filled with naught but sunshine.
Despite his wish for sunshine, the clouds had gathered and the morrow dawned in grey light, with asmirrquite settled in – the very rain that slowly dampened every bit of one’s being. This wasa poor day to attend the market, but Everard was not diverted from his plan to visit the tinker, Jacob.
He found Davina in the Infirmary preparing a list of the herbs and salves Broderick wished her to procure. She swiveled as Everard stepped through the door and her face lit with a smile. He felt his own smile creasing his face. He only had eyes for Davina and he’d almost forgotten Broderick’s presence when the lad cleared his throat.
“Me laird, I’d be much obliged if ye could stretch yer purse tae purchase the items on Mistress Davina’s list.”
Everard nodded. “Of course, lad, I see ye’ve little remaining on yer shelf.”
“I am much obliged, as I’ve nay a surfeit of goods tae trade wi’. He grinned, “Mayhap when next he visits, I’ll have a jar or two and a packet of tisanes tae trade.”
With her cloak fastened, Davina hastened after Everard, shutting the door before Feather could scamper after them.
Davina looked around with a soulful expression on her sweet features. “I dinnae like leaving her.”
Everard laughed. “She’ll dae well. Broderick and Ailis will see tae her.”
Once they’d arrived at his small boat, Davina insisted on untying the mooring rope. Stepping in she wobbled, clutching his sleeve, but her satisfied smirk did not falter. As they were pushing out, Maxwell and Aileen came blustering down the slipway to follow them across the bay.
Reaching the shore, Everard plied his oars so that the flat-bottomed craft was almost on the sandy shore before he lowered them. They were close enough for Davina to leap over the side without wetting her boots.
He hauled the boat onto the beach and Davina insisted on tying the knot to moor them to the post. Everard breathed a sigh of relieve at her bonny humor and the sparkle in her eyes. He’d been afeared she might not be able to face up to the trip across the water after what she’d been through only days before.
He took her hand and pressed it to his lips. “I am proud of yer bravery lass.”
She met his gaze, her green-gold eyes holding steady. “I thank ye, me laird. Now that I understand where me fear started, I can face it. Before I thought it was a weakness in me. Some imp that had entered me soul and made me afeared.”
He snaked an arm around her waist, drawing her close. “I understand,” he said gently. “Dinnae be afeared again. Ye’re courageous and strong.”
Maxwell and Aileen appeared beside them, having already moored their boat. They were both grinning, eyebrows raised, directing their gaze to the way Everard was holding Davina.
As they walked along the path to the village, he took her arm and placed it in the crook of his elbow, so that they proceeded like any high-born lad and his lady.
