“It is Espy,” Cyra said, resting a gentle hand on Adara’s shoulder. “I sent word to her that you were here.”
Adara smiled with relief and joy that she would see her friend and laid the hoe aside to go greet her.
Espy hugged Adara after dismounting and leaving, Trumble, her stallion to graze nearby.
“You are well?” Espy asked, wrapping her arm around Adara’s and acknowledging her grandmother with a nod before walking off with the petite woman.
“And you?” Adara asked looking to Espy’s rounded stomach that appeared to have grown larger since she had last seen her.
Espy grinned. “I grow bigger by the day and I have months to go yet.”
Adara patted her stomach not nearly as large as Espy’s yet further along than Espy. “I stay small.”
“Be grateful,” Espy said with a laugh, “and do not worry. Some women grow large in the last couple of months and those who remain small deliver the same, some even give birth to larger bairns than the women who round considerably.”
“I worry too much,” Adara confessed.
“You have had reason to.”
“I have even more reason now.” Adara released a sigh and along with it some of her worry. “I did something foolish.”
“Tell me,” Espy encouraged.
Adara told her all even the part about Warrick killing his first wife.
Espy walked over to a bench under a tree whose branches were almost devoid of leaves and sat along with Adara. “First, let me tell you that I have made more than one similar mistake.”
Adara’s brow scrunched in question. “What do you mean?”
“What I tell you, you must promise me you will not share.”
“I promise,” Adara said, pleased that Espy would trust her enough to confide a secret.
“I freed far more prisoners than only you and Hannah and from many different dungeons.”
Adara’s eyes showed her surprise, growing large.
“I never believed anyone should suffer torture or a brutal death, then I learned of things that people had done, horrible, dreadful things, that deserved far more than a quick, easy death. The first time I inadvertently released one such person, I was tortured for days by thoughts of what pain and suffering he would bring to others. Fortunately, he was captured before he could harm anyone and I promised myself to never let that happen again.” Espy shook her head. “But it did happen again, by accident, only this time with dire circumstances. I almost stopped freeing the innocent because of it. After that, I was even more cautious, guilt heavy upon me for the two innocent people would had died.”
Adara did not know what to say. Espy’s courage and unselfishness had come with a tremendous burden.
“I tell you this because we can never know for sure what we do is right. We can only follow what we believe and you believed Maia was your friend and that you had to help her. You did what was right to you and in the end you did what was right for your husband and bairn… you protected them.”
“It could have ended differently,” Adara said, her own words of what might have been, frightening her.
“But it did not and there is no point thinking what if. It does not help, believe me, I know. Espy squeezed Adara’s hand. “As far as Warrick killing his first wife? There was talk that he had wed and that he killed his wife. But there were so many different tales about what had happened that it was difficult to know if any of it was true or simply a tale made up to frighten. Only the brave dared speak of it and few were too fearful to listen. Some say his enemies concocted the tale, others believe he released the devil that night.”
Both women shivered.
“I do not know the truth and so I held my tongue, not wanting to burden you with false tales and fill you with more fear.”
Adara squeezed Espy’s hand this time. “I understand. You did what you thought best for me.”
“Aye, and I always will. Now you will return to MacCara keep with me and wait for your husband there.”
Adara shook her head. “I appreciate that, Espy, but no. I will not bring my burden down on you again. I will stay with Cyra until he comes for me.” She shook her finger when Espy went to speak. “I need to do this for myself. I need to find my courage and face my husband.”
“I will wait with you.”
“No, Espy. You will go home. I will do this on my own.”
Tears gathered in Espy’s eyes and she hugged Adara tight. “You have grown strong. I am proud of you.”
Adara stared speechless, shocked by the praise Espy heaped upon her.
“Do not look so surprised,” Espy said with a chuckle. “The day you fled Warrick’s dungeon is the day your courage began to grow.”
“You gave me strength and I am forever grateful for it,” Adara said and the two women hugged again.
“How about a nice hot brew before I return home?” Espy suggested and Adara nodded happy to spend more time with Espy before she took her leave.
They stood and looked to the cottage where they saw Cyra standing in the open doorway, her hand above her eyes as she stared in the distance.
Adara felt a chill of fear rush over her as she turned knowing what she might see. It was Craven with a small troop of men and she breathed a sigh of relief.
The two women waited together by the cottage while Cyra returned to her garden to work.
“What are you doing here, Adara?” Craven asked, after bringing his horse to a stop in front of the two women.
“I will explain,” Espy said.
“You have much to explain, wife, riding off on your own while our bairn grows in your stomach,” Craven scolded.
“I think I know what is good and not good for our bairn, husband,” Espy said, summoning Trumble to her side.
Craven was quick to dismount and assist his wife to mount Trumble, but before he did, Espy took hold of his face and kissed him. “I am glad to see you, husband.”
“Do not think you can use sweet words on me to avoid the tongue-lashing you deserve,” Craven warned.
Espy pressed her cheek to his and whispered, “I can think of a far better thing to do with my tongue, husband.”
“Then it is best we return home so you can show me.” Craven could not stop a smile from surfacing as he hoisted her up on her stallion.
“I will visit soon, so we can share that brew,” Espy said and Adara nodded and waved as Espy took her leave.
They had not gone far when Craven turned to his wife with a shake of his head and said, “Damn, Espy, you distracted me from getting an answer from Adara.”
“I will tell all when we get home,” Espy said.
“After you show me what better thing it is that you can do with your tongue,” Craven said and they both grinned.
Adara wondered why Craven was shaking his head as he looked to his wife and smiled. Whatever it was Espy would handle it well. She always did.
Adara enjoyed a pleasant meal with Cyra, having expected Innis to join them, but Cyra informed her that Innis was delayed and would not return for another day or so. She wondered over that and thought perhaps Cyra asked Innis to stay away while Adara was there. Or did she fear what may happen when Warrick came for her?
The thought had her saying, “I think I will return home tomorrow and wait for my husband’s return there.”
“You still ache from your walk. It is better that you wait here for him,” Cyra advised.
“I do not want any harm brought down on you or Innis.”
“We have done nothing. Warrick will not hurt us,” Cyra said, attempting to assure her.
“Then it is your concern what he may do to me that makes you want me to remain here?” Adara asked.
“You are more perceptive than you know,” Cyra said with a smile.
Adara returned the smile. “I will leave tomorrow, Cyra.”
“As you wish, but you promise me you will take your time and rest now and again.”
“That I can promise you.”
Cyra refused to let Adara sleep on the floor, insisting she needed a comfortable and good night’s sleep for her walk tomorrow.
“My old bones will not mind another night on the floor,” Cyra said.
Adara gave up arguing and took the bed, falling asleep as soon as her head rested on the pillow.
A crack of thunder woke her with a start, her eyes springing open to see a man standing beside the bed, still as can be, water dripping from his hair and face, and a scowl that would frighten the devil himself.
It was Warrick.
Chapter 19
“Get out of bed now,” Warrick ordered and without looking swung his arm out to the side, pointing his finger at Cyra as she got to her feet. “Not a word from you.”
“Cyra helped me,” Adara said, worried for the woman, as she struggled with the covers to obey her husband.
“I do not care. She will hold her tongue,” he said and stepped forward to rip the blankets off the bed.
Adara stood, a quiver to her limbs. She had thought she had seen her husband angry, but she was wrong.
Warrick grabbed hold of her wrist and yanked her against him. “You not only disobeyed me, you wronged me.”
A shiver of fear ran through her along with a chill from her husband’s soaked garments. “I am truly sorry.”
“An apology will not suffice.” He turned to Cyra. “Some of my men need tending, go see to them and do not return here until given permission.” His finger shot out again when Cyra went to speak. “Not a word, woman.”
The warning was clear. Cyra gathered her healing basket and her cloak from the peg and cast a gentle smile to Adara, in an effort to offer what little comfort she could to her before leaving the cottage.
Warrick released his wife’s wrist with a slight shove and he turned away from her to go to the hearth. He breathed deeply, fighting to control the burning anger inside him. His fury had mounted with each pounding of his horse’s hooves as he had made his way here. When he had received word that Adara was missing along with Maia, he had feared the worse. Then he learned more and everything he had been told pointed to the fact that his wife had freed the prisoner. She had betrayed him.
Was there no woman he could trust?
He turned to face her, his anger so close to the surface, he feared he would do something he would regret. He had thought he had found a woman that he could trust, a woman he could possibly… he turned away from her again. He had been a fool to even allow the thought to enter his head that there was a chance he would find love with Adara. His father had warned him against it, pounded it into his head to never, ever let the ignorant notion of love enter his mind. It distracted and caused more problems than it was worth.
He had let his shield down and had never realized it, but no more.
Adara stared at her husband’s back, her heart feeling as if it were shattering into a million pieces. The anger she had seen in her husband’s dark eyes frightened her, but it was the unexpected hurt that she had seen there that tore at her heart.
Her limbs trembled as she approached him and her hand quivered as she placed it gently on his shoulder. She forced herself not to jump back when he yanked his shoulder away from her touch. She could not blame him. He was right. She had wronged him and she was not sure what to do to make it right, if she even could. But she had to try.
“I was wrong, Warrick, so very wrong for not trusting you.”
He turned with a sharp snap. “You betrayed me.”
A sharp jab to Adara’s heart had her cringing in pain. “I did and I was wrong, though I thought I was right at the time.”
“It does not matter what you thought. I gave you an order and I trusted you to obey it.”
“And I should have.”
“But you did not.”
Adara shook her head. “There is no excuse for my foolishness that will suffice. I believed I was helping an innocent woman as Espy had helped me.”
Warrick grabbed her arm. “Innocent or not, does not matter. You went against my word and that I will not tolerate.”
Fear trembled Adara this time, for she knew all too well what punishment awaited those who went against the Demon Lord’s word. Why had she not given more consideration to the consequences of her actions before she had freed Maia?
Fool. She could not remind herself often enough of it.
“You will tell me where you parted ways with Maia so that my men can go find her,” he ordered sternly.
Adara explained where to find her and when she finished said, “She will be there.”
Warrick shook his head and let go of her arm. “You are a fool if you believe that.”
“I am a fool for believing her, but I know she will be there, for she is dead. I killed her.” Adara shook her head. “She was not innocent. She was not a friend. She used me and no words will ever make up the wrong I have done to you, husband.” She lowered her head. “Though, I hope you will let me try.”
Her confession shocked him and thoughts of what happened between the two women for Adara to take Maia’s life left him impatient to know the details. But first… he rested his hand beneath her chin and raised her head. The fear, sorrow, and tears that glistened there tore at his heart and he warned himself to step away from her or he would take her in his arms and forgive her there and then. And that was not possible. He could not forgive her. She deserved to be punished for betraying him just like anyone who betrayed him would be, and harshly.
But she was his wife and she carried his child, and she had killed the woman who had intended him harm, intended her and their bairn harm. She had defended her family.
Warrick took her in his arms, easing her tight against him, feeling her rounded stomach press into him, feeling her quiver with fear, and feeling her body heave with tears.
“I am sorry, so, so sorry, husband,” she mumbled against his chest while tears rained down her cheeks. “I am a fool, such a fool.”
Warrick felt like someone ripped his heart out of his chest. If anything, this was his fault. His wife was an innocent, having known little kindness, if any at all in her life, and along comes a woman who shows her some. Of course, she would think her a friend and trust her word. And was that not what bothered him the most? That she chose to trust the woman over him?
He cupped her chin, raising it so that she was forced to look up at him. “What matters at the moment is that no harm has come to you and the bairn.”
Adara shuddered in his arms.
Warrick mumbled an oath and stepped away from her. “I have soaked your nightdress and chilled you with my wet garments. You need to get dry.”
Her voice quivered, proving his words. “You must get dry as well.” Her hands went to his plaid and began to unwrap it, but between her trembling hands and the wet wool it made it difficult.
Warrick brushed her hands away and began tugging at the plaid himself. “See to yourself.”
The chill had grown worse, Adara feeling it nearly down to her bones and unable to stop from trembling as her hands struggled to remove her garment.
With his movements quick, Warrick was out of his garments and boots by the time Adara shed her nightdress. He stared at her, taking in the changes in her body from only a couple of days ago. Her breasts were larger, growing heavy with milk for their child, and her nipples slightly darker, her waist still curved at her sides, though her hips held more of a curve, and her protruding stomach was rounder. She was more beautiful than he had remembered.
Adara felt the chill melt away as her husband’s eyes seemed to devour every inch of her and seeing him there naked in front of her, his manhood stirring to life just as she felt her own body stir gave her the courage to step closer to him and rising on her toes to reach up and kiss him.
He grabbed her arms, holding her still, before her lips could touch his. “Is this how you hope to redeem yourself by offering me your body when it is mine to take whenever I please?”
That he should think that upset her. That she co
uld understand why he would think that upset her even more. She took a step away from him, his hands falling away from her, and she turned her back to him to hide the tears that rose in her eyes.
“Adara.”
“Aye, husband,” she said softly, fighting the tears, not wanting to cry again, but finding it difficult.
“Look at me,” he commanded.
She would rather refuse, but that definitely was not an option. She blinked back the tears lingering in her eyes and hoped he would think her wet cheeks were from her previous tears as she turned around to face him, and she kept her chin up trying hard not to appear defeated.
“Why do you want to couple with me now?” he asked his dark eyes still heated with desire.
She shook her head. “I do not want to couple.”
Her response almost deflated his arousal and his own response was filled with anger. “So to repent, you sacrifice yourself?”
She shook her head again and feeling she had been more foolish than she had ever been decided to continue being foolish and speak what she felt. “No, husband, I do not repent, or sacrifice myself, or want to couple with you. What I want is to make love as we did on our wedding night. I ache to share that extraordinary feeling again with you, to feel like you cherished me… to feel that you could—possibly—love me.”
Shock froze Warrick, but only for a moment, then he went to her, scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.
He took her in his arms after pulling the blanket over them, her body chilled, though not for long. Her lips reached out to his as he brought them to her mouth, pleased she was as eager to kiss him as he was to kiss her.
He loved the taste of her. It had lingered in his heart and mind from when he had first kissed her and he simply could not get enough of her. He had been hooked from that very first time and now he could not do without her.
He jumped when her hand settled around his manhood and he recalled how much she had enjoyed touching him on their wedding night. That she continued to feel the same caused him to swell in her hand as did the way she possessively stroked him. It felt as if she laid claim to him. That no one else could have him. That he was hers and hers alone and the thought stirred something deep inside him and grew him even harder.
Highlander The Demon Lord (Highland Warriors Trilogy Book 3) Page 17
