“I heard the screams of the woman who was giving birth and it made me think of Adara and when she gets with child. She is a petite woman. Will she have difficulty giving birth?”
Was that concern she heard in his voice? Could he possibly care for Adara? Or was his concern for the bairns he feared Adara might not successfully deliver?
“I have seen petite women like Adara slip their bairns out with ease and large women struggle. No one can say for sure until the time comes. But Adara is stronger than she looks and thinks. I believe she will do well.”
A knock sounded at the door.
“You were not to disturb us, Craven,” Warrick shouted.
“It is I, Roark. You are needed in camp. It cannot wait.”
Warrick looked to Espy. “You can tell me no more?”
“There is no way to know for sure, my lord. It is a chance every woman takes when she gets with child.”
He nodded, turned, and walked out the door, Craven slipping in the room after him.
“All is well?” Craven asked.
“I hope so,” Espy said, though wondered.
Chapter 7
Adara woke, her eyes wide, thinking she heard a sound. She was not sure how long she had slept, though a glance at the fire that had dwindled down to barely a flicker let her know quite a bit of time had passed.
She had not seen her husband again after he had sent her to their bedchamber yesterday. She had been relieved when she had received word that he would see her on the morrow, and more relieved that she had been allowed to have her supper alone in the room.
The noise suddenly sounded again and this time she recognized it. It was the door creaking open slowly.
Was Warrick returning? Had he changed his mind about joining her in bed? Or was someone else sneaking about? The thought had her hurrying out of bed and rushing to the fireplace to grab a log from the pile stacked nearby. She padded swiftly, though quietly across the room to stand behind the door, log tightly in hand, instinct having her ready to protect her bairn.
The door continued to open slowly and Adara’s stomach churned nervously with every creak.
“Adara,” came the soft whisper.
Adara sighed with relief hearing Espy’s voice and stepped from behind the door, causing Espy to yelp and jump in fright and causing Adara to do the same.
With a hand to each of their chests to calm their racing hearts, the two women looked at each other and laughed.
At that moment, Adara was grateful for her friendship with Espy. She had never shared laughter with anyone, never had known the kinship of friendship, and she cherished it with all her heart.
Espy nodded at the log in Adara’s hand. “Ready to protect yourself?”
Adara’s hand went to her stomach. “I will keep him safe.”
Espy nodded. “I believe you will do just that, though I think the log would serve better in the hearth to chase away the growing chill in this room.” She reached out and took it from Adara and went to the hearth to add it and two others to the dying flames.
Adara closed the door and joined Espy by the hearth, holding her hands out to the heat of the growing flames. “What brought you here, Espy?”
“I thought you might want to freshen yourself and eat before you take your leave this morning.”
“It is close to sunrise?”
“It is and since mornings have been treating you poorly, I figured you could eat a light fare and see if it sits well with you before it is time to go,” Espy said.
“Thank you for thinking of me and the bairn. I appreciate it more than I can say.”
Espy reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. “That is what friends do for each other.”
Adara smiled softly. “I never had a friend.”
Espy’s brow wrinkled. “Never?”
Adara was about to shake her head and stopped. “There was a woman I got to know, at this one croft I lived at for a few years. I met her one scrub day by the stream. Her name was Maia. I assumed her a servant as well since she would bring things to scrub. I did wonder though since she was so very knowledgeable about so much, if she was not more than a servant. We would talk. She loved to talk of different places and things I never gave thought to. She made me think far beyond the mundane. To me, she was more a teacher than a friend, though I was sad when I unexpectedly was given to another family, never to see her again. So perhaps, she meant more to me than I had thought.”
“I wondered how you had gained such wisdom, having been treated so poorly through the years. Maia taught you well.”
Adara chuckled. “I am far from wise.”
“You are wiser than you realize and I believe you will grow even wiser. Now we better hurry and get you all set to return home.”
Adara turned a troubled glance on Espy. “If I am wise, why do I fear what is to come?”
“Strangely enough fear often helps. It tells us to be aware, more alert, and calls on strengths we seldom realize we have. Fear was my ally when I treated you in the dungeon and helped you escape.”
“You were fearful? You did not appear fearful. To me, you were confident and courageous which helped me greatly.”
“I was fearful, more fearful of failing you and Hannah than I was of being discovered, just like you were fearful of your bairn being harmed so you took up a weapon—a log—and were ready to protect your unborn child. You are stronger than you know, Adara. Hold on to your fear and let it give you courage.” Espy reached out and hugged Adara tightly. “And know that we will be friends forever.”
Adara wiped the few tears away from her eyes after Espy stepped away and watched as her friend did the same.
“Now some food, a quick wash, and some fresh garments I managed to find that should fit you and you will be ready for your journey home.”
A bit of confidence poked at Adara, making her feel somewhat less fearful of facing what was to come, not only today but beyond as well.
In no time, Espy had heated water brought to the room and fresh garments laid on the bed in wait. The pale green shift was of the softest wool and the tunic was just as soft, though a darker green. Dark stockings waited as well, but Adara would not use them. Never having had them to keep her warm, she had grown accustomed to doing without and could not stand the confined feel of them.
Espy helped hurry her out of her garments and got busy helping her wash, the water losing its warmth fast.
Adara placed a hand to her rounded stomach. “I worry he does not grow as strong as he should. You grow larger than me yet you are not as far along as I am.”
“I am not that far behind you. Do not worry. I have seen some women who barely grew round and they delivered fine bairns. Feed yourself well and your bairn will do well.”
“I will eat more,” Adara said determined to see her bairn grow strong.
Espy got busy helping Adara to dry, her naked body running with gooseflesh.
First light was breaking through the window as Espy hurried to the bed to grab the shift when the door burst open.
Both women stilled in fright when Warrick walked in.
His eyes settled on Adara, but not on her face, her rounded stomach. He stared for a moment, then pointed to Espy. “Leave us.”
Espy went to give Adara the shift and Warrick’s sharp command stopped her.
“Go now!”
Adara did not want any harm to come to her friend or the Clan MacCara because of her. She sent Espy a brief nod, letting her know she should go.
Espy wisely took her leave without saying a word.
Warrick shut the door behind her and approached Adara, his eyes on the bump in her stomach.
Adara wanted so badly to cover herself, but the threatening look in his dark eyes warned her against it. He stopped in front of her, his eyes settling on hers and it was as if she knew his thought and spoke before he could. “The bairn is yours.”
“No one touched you since last I did?”
She shut her eyes, recalling the way
the guards had stripped her naked and groped at her breasts, though would not touch her below the waist, Espy having been far too convincing of what would happen to them if they did. They had, however, used the hot iron on her thighs and buttocks.
“You need to think about it?” he asked harshly.
She shook her head, not sure if it was fear or shame of what was done to her that had kept her from responding. “Your guards squeezed my breasts until I shouted with pain and—” She clamped her lips closed when she saw the fury that rushed into his eyes.
“Tell me,” he ordered.
“They were too fearful to touch me intimately below my waist, Espy having told them that their manhood would shrivel and die if they did.”
“They believed her without question?”
“They did after two of the guards, thinking to prove her wrong, had their way with the woman who died before Espy could free her. I do not know how Espy did it but the two guards had something happen to them that had the other guards throwing them out and not allowing them back. After that, the guards no longer touched me anywhere. Instead, they took a hot iron to me.”
Adara braced herself as he drew in a deep breath and his hands fisted tightly at his sides. His fury was tangible, coming off him in heated waves.
“Show me,” he demanded, a low snarl following his words.
Adara pointed to a spot near her right inner thigh. She startled when he dropped down on his haunches to see the scar the hot iron had left. She did not have to point to the other three. They were clearly visible.
She jumped when his finger brushed over the one scar lightly.
“It still pains you?” he asked.
Her brief response rushed from her mouth, “No.”
“My touch disturbs you?”
She managed only one word. “Unexpected.” His gentle touch was not the only thing unexpected. Her reaction was as well. A tingle stirred within her at the gentle brush of his finger and it was growing as he continued to stroke the other scars. She recognized the mounting sensation. It was the one he had stirred to life in her on their wedding night and just as she was surprised by her response that night, she was so again now.
“Are there more?”
She had hoped he would not ask and keeping her eyes straight ahead, she said, “My backside.”
His hands went to her hips and he turned her around gently.
Adara thought she heard him growl low like a feral animal and she jumped once again when his finger skimmed one of the two scars on her backside. She jumped again when he sprung to his feet.
“Get dressed. We leave shortly.”
His quick departure shocked her. She should be glad he left, glad that he knew of the bairn, of her scars. So why did she feel upset? Had she expected, or perhaps hoped that he would be pleased that she would give him a child? Or was it that he did not believe her? That he thought the child was not his. If that was so, what would he do to her?
Warrick stood outside the closed door for a moment, fighting to contain his raging fury, something he never had trouble with before. He had been taught since he was young to keep control of his feelings, never showing what he felt, but seeing what had been done to his wife made him raw with a fury that was difficult to contain.
He intended to find the bastards who had made her suffer horribly and make them suffer until they screamed and begged for him to let them die, but he would not let them die… yet.
“Come over here, Espy,” he ordered. He had known she would not leave Adara completely. She would wait nearby and go to Adara when he finished with her. He respected her strength and her conviction to help Adara and for that he was grateful.
Espy stepped out of the darkened corner, her chin up and her shoulders back, ready to do battle if necessary.
“You were aware Adara was with child?”
“She kept it from me until recently.”
“It is why she has been feeling poorly?”
“Aye,” Espy said with a nod.
“There is no cause for worry?”
There was that touch of concern again in his voice, but it was difficult to tell with Warrick. He rarely showed an ounce of emotion. “A sour stomach is natural, though it is more prevalent in the early part of being with child, it can last longer or even throughout the nine months. It is nothing to worry about, though Adara should make certain to keep herself and the bairn nourished.” Craven showed constant concern for her and their bairn, sometimes to the point that she would need to tell him not to worry, she and the bairn were fine. Would Warrick do the same with Adara? She spoke without thinking. “You should see that she does.”
“You should mind your tongue.”
She paid no heed to his words, her thoughts on Adara. “She is your wife.”
“You will do well to remember that.”
“She needs a gentle hand.”
“Whereas you need a firm one,” he snapped and held up his hand when her tongue went to challenge him again. “Enough. Tell me what you did to the two guards who had their way with one of the women prisoners when you had warned them against it.”
“Norella,” she said softly and shook her head. “That was her name and she had been badly abused before she arrived at your dungeon. There was little I could do for her but protect her from further suffering. I was furious when I discovered what they had done.”
“How did you find out? How could you be sure it had not happened to Adara? That she kept it from you.”
Her chin went up a notch. “One of the guards kept me aware of what went on at all times.”
“How could you be sure he was truthful with you?” Warrick demanded.
“I was tending his ill son and the lad was improving, slowly, but improving, growing stronger. He was grateful and felt it was a way to repay me, especially when his son healed completely.”
“You will tell me his name,” Warrick ordered.
Espy made a demand of her own. “Why?”
“You are impossible, woman,” Warrick said with a snarl to his words. “If you were not Craven’s wife I would—” He shook his head at Espy or was it that he was about to answer her that so annoyed him? “I will see he is not punished along with the guilty ones.”
“Torrin. His name is Torrin,” Espy said quickly.
“The two guards,” he reminded, having detoured from his original question.
“Poison ivy,” Espy said. “I offered them each a brew that I told them might help slow the inevitable. I coated the rim of the one tankard with it. One took it, the other laughed at me. The one who laughed at me got the infected tankard. The other was spared… for the moment. I told them it would start with their lips, spread to their hands, possibly other places as well, till it finally reached their manhood. As soon as the one guard’s lips broke out in hideous sores, the other came to me and sealed his fate. After that, the other guards refrained from even touching Adara and Hannah when they tortured them.”
Warrick admired the healer, though he did not tell her so. “Did you journey with her after the escape?”
“No, Adara and Hannah fled, as I fought one of your guards for my freedom.” She pointed to the fading scar on her face. “That is how I got this. However, Adara has told me that she and Hannah traveled together a good part of the way.”
“Get my wife ready. We leave shortly,” he ordered and walked past her to the stairs.
His abrupt dismissal worried Espy. “Tell me you will keep Adara safe and no harm will come to her.”
He stopped and turned a glare on her for a moment, then, without saying a word, he disappeared down the stairs, leaving his silence to run a chill through Espy.
Chapter 8
Adara sat cradled in front of Warrick on his stallion, a soft wool blanket tucked around her. That and her wool cloak kept her warm against the sharp chill and strong wind. Autumn had made itself known. Winter would not be far behind and with it the birth of the bairn.
“When will the bairn arrive?”
“Shortly after winter arrives.” She could not help but think that he had doubts the bairn was his. Though, could she blame him? He had only her word and how did he take the word of someone he barely knew? She understood his need to question, for there were many questions she wished to ask him. Fear, however, of his answers held her tongue prisoner. There was one issue that made her anxious enough to speak up. “Espy will tend my delivery”
“We shall see,” he said.
That he did not look at her but kept his eyes straight ahead made her feel as though he paid her little heed. She was where she had always been… with her fate in someone else’s hands. She should have known her freedom would not last, nothing lasted.
“When did you realize you were with child?”
“Shortly after arriving here.”
“Once you discovered it was not me who sent you to my dungeon, did you ever give thought of returning to me… your husband?”
“I thought many things, but the only one of importance was keeping the bairn safe.”
“The bairn is safe now and so are you.”
Am I? she wondered. Every time she had ever allowed herself to believe she was safe, something would happen to prove her wrong. She wanted to hope, dream, wish he was right. That she was finally, truly, safe, but she could not allow herself that pleasure.
First and foremost, though, there was the bairn to consider and he was reminding her of his presence by churning her stomach. She had not eaten much before leaving MacCara keep, a bit of porridge was all she had managed, and she had hoped the bairn would tolerate it and leave her in peace for the journey home. Her hope grew slimmer as her stomach’s upset increased.
Warrick felt her shift in his arms and watched her face pale. “You do not feel well?”
Highlander The Demon Lord (Highland Warriors Trilogy Book 3) Page 6
