Page 68 of When the Laird Claims
His smile widened from ear to ear. “If ye faint, lass, I’ll catch ye. And this isnae any dream.” He leaned in. “I love ye. So stay.”
“I loveyou,” she murmured, reaching for him, her hands grasping the soft fabric of his linen shirt. “But… what about my father?”
“He needs to rest in Ingrid’s care anyway,” Arran said with a smirk. “Ye can both come back. Send for yer sister. The more, the merrier.”
Victoria gazed up into his eyes. “Just when I thought I could not be more in love with you.”
He smiled… and kissed her, his hands coming up to cradle her face. She had thought she would never feel this again, but perhaps lightningcouldstrike twice in the same place if a person was very,verylucky. And right now, she felt like the luckiest woman alive as she kissed him in return, melting into his embrace as he pulled her closer.
Their kiss deepened, her tongue seeking out the flick of his, her hunger growing with every moment she spent there in his arms, justbeingwith him once more. The novelty would not fade; she was certain of that. Rather, she would be grateful for this, grateful for him, for the rest of her days: a daydream thathadcome to life.
She completely forgot that they were not entirely alone as she indulged in the man she loved, smiling against his mouth as his hands wandered over the curves and contours of her body. Just grateful to be held by him again and to have those hands exploring her once more, making her feel truly alive when, moments ago, she had been so miserable that the very world had seemed so dull and gray.
From within the carriage, there came an awkward clearing of the throat. A reminder that she wasnotat liberty to do exactly as she pleased. Not yet, anyway.
Victoria pulled away from Arran, smiling giddily. “I think that means we ought to return home.”
Arran grinned back. “To the south and yer strange English ways, or to where ye truly belong, among us Scottish heathens?”
His wink brought a bright laugh to her lips. It was peculiar to think that, so very recently, she had thought she belonged to that gaudy world of balls and etiquette and scandals and the fear of losing one’s entire reputation in an instant. She had been the Diamond of the Season, and now she did not care if she ever glittered at a society ball again, for cèilidhs seemed like much more fun… as long as no one uninvited came to intrude.
“Was I not clear?” Victoria replied, lifting on her tiptoes for one last kiss. “I said I should like to return home.”
“Aye, but I wouldnae want any further misunderstandings,” he teased.
She chuckled. “Well then, my love, I should like to go back to the keep with you. Whereveryouare, that is my home.”
“In that case,” he murmured, his arm around her waist to usher her back into the carriage, “let’s nae waste any more time here.I’ve had ye out of me sight and out of me arms for too long already.”
31
“Ye came back!” Kristin practically shoved Arran out of the way to reach Victoria. “I kent ye would! Och, braither, did I nae say that ye’d be a fool to sit on yer arse and do nothin’?”
Rolling his eyes in partial defeat, Arran nodded. “Aye, ye did. I’ve never been gladder to have got off me arse.”
Any hope he might have had of sneaking Victoria into the keep without being noticed had evaporated the very instant they had come back through the gates. Like the welcome parties that usually preceded soldiers returning home, Kristin, his mother, and Neil had been waiting at the gates. Almost as if they had known he might attempt to deny them their jubilant salutations to Victoria.
“So, you are the one responsible for this unexpected rescue?” Victoria said to Kristin, withdrawing her arm from Arran’s to hug the woman. “For an awful moment, I really thought I would have to return to England.”
“As did I,” Kristin gushed, while Ruby, forever in her mother’s arms, attempted to grab at a lock of Victoria’s dark brown hair.
We’re going to be here all day…
Arran had specific plans for Victoria, and none of them involved her being monopolized by the rest of his family and the people who had grown fond of her. They could enjoy her good cheer later once he had shown her just how much he loved her. But how could he explain that to his mother and sister, particularly, without embarrassing his beloved with the indelicacy of his intentions?
To his surprise, it was Victoria’s father who saved his plans from ruination. “My Lady,” he said to Sophie, “I do not suppose you could do me the charity of helping me back to the healer’s quarters, could you? And I believe that I may need paper and ink and a quill, if such things could be found for me? I have a very important letter to write to my youngest daughter.”
Arran’s mother seemed to understand. “Kristin, be a dear and fetch the things for letter writing for Victoria’s father. Give Ruby to Neil for a while; you know how he dotes on her.”
“The last time I let him carry her, he took her to the trainin’ yard,” Kristin protested.
“What of it?” Sophie countered. “One day,shewill be out there, trainin’ with a sword in hand. She should get accustomed to the noise and activity while she’s still little. Now, go on—the quickerye fetch everythin’, the quicker ye can have Ruby back in yer arms.”
“Why can a servant nae…” Kristin began, then seemed to realize. “Oh. Right, I see how it is. I get ye back together and I have to wait to celebrate. Is that it?”
Sophie sighed. “Dearest, just fetch the writing things.”
Kristin flashed a glare at Arran and pouted a little as she handed her baby over to the man-at-arms, who, indeed, seemed delighted to be left in charge of the sweet child.
