Page 81 of The Cruel Highlander's Bride
“But how will she get food?” Ciara asked.
Magnus turned back to her with a smile and a wink. “Another task for us.”
30
“All right over there, lass?” Magnus asked, hiding his smile.
He was watching in amusement as Ciara dug around the loch for plants for their new bird friends. Her face was scrunched up, and with every wet and slimy weed she pulled, a shudder went through her.
When he’d told her what he planned to do to help the duck, she’d looked at him, then the animal, and back to the banks of the loch, where her eyes lingered for a beat. With a quiet sigh, she’d set to work, but her distaste was obvious.
“Aye,” she grumbled, not bothering to look over at him. He could have sworn he heard her gagging over there but chose not to comment on it.
“Ye work with yer hands a lot, then?” he teased.
“Obviously nae,” she shot back, and he choked back a laugh.
It was easy being with his wife like this. A common goal, some teasing back and forth… it all feltgood. Some part of him questioned what he’d done to deserve something like this, something light and joyous. But he did his best to shut that part out and appreciate these moments.
“Do ye want to trade off?” he asked as he cut into the small fish he’d caught.
His wife had gasped when he had quickly caught the animal with his bare hands, but he’d just shot her a wry smile and gotten to work preparing the thing. Inwardly, of course, he’d preened himself on her appreciation.
Ciara finally turned towards him, took one look at what he was doing, and shuddered with even more revulsion.
“Nay.” She shook her head quickly, looking like she might be sick. “Nay, I’d much rather stick with what I’m doin’.”
She mumbled something to herself that he didn’t catch, but he could guess its meaning.
“All right,” he replied, trying to hold in his laughter. “Did yer faither never take ye fishin’ or huntin’?”
“Nay, never.”
“And I presume ye never helped the kitchen maids prepare the food either?” he asked.
“Ye presume correctly,” she said primly.
He laughed deeply then, unable to contain it any longer. The sound that escaped his lips was full and deep and held all the joy he was feeling. Ciara scoffed, but he saw a hint of a smile on her face as well.
“Good to ken, lass. We are almost done anyway.”
“Thank God,” she mumbled with another disgusted look, hiding her smile.
Together, the two of them stocked the nest with enough provisions to last until they could come back out here and check on the mother. Even with all her shuddering, Ciara got her hands dirty just the same as him.
He was learning that his wife was the kind of person who stepped up.
When her village needed someone to teach them how to read and write, she was there. When her family needed someone to marry to end this feud, she took the mantle. And when an injured bird needed someone to take care of them, she dug through the dirt.
If it was possible for him to feel any more pride in his wife, today had done it. And tonight, if he would be so lucky, he would show her just how much he appreciated her…
* * *
Later that day, Ciara flopped down on her bed with a sigh.
When they returned, the Laird had disappeared into his study, and she’d made a quick escape to her bedchambers, where she now found herself on her stomach, stretched out across her blankets.
Her hands still felt slimy after digging around on the banks of the loch, but she needed a rest. Hopefully, Susanna wouldn’t mind changing the bedding before dinner…
