Never Seduce a Scot: The Montgomerys and Armstrongs

by Maya Banks

  Rionna blew out her breath in frustration. “What am I to do? What am I supposed to do? I know nothing of kissing and coupling or … anything. ’Tis a sword and fighting I have knowledge of.”

  Mairin’s expression softened and the amusement fled from her eyes. She covered Rionna’s hand with her own and squeezed. “ ’Tis the truth that not too long ago, I was in your same position. I sought out the counsel of some older ladies of the clan. ’Twas an eye-opening experience to be sure.”

  “Aye, as did I,” Keeley admitted. “It isn’t as though we’re born with such knowledge, and none of us had mothers to guide us through such things.” She cast an apologetic look to Rionna. “At least I assume your mother never discussed such delicate issues with you.”

  Rionna snorted. “She despaired of me from the time I grew breasts.”

  Keeley’s eyebrows rose. “You grew breasts?”

  Rionna flushed and glanced down at her bosom. Her flat bosom. If Keeley—or anyone—actually knew what lay beneath the wrappings … Her husband would know soon enough, unless Rionna figured out a way to consummate a marriage fully clothed.

  Mairin smiled. “ ’Tis not so difficult, Rionna. The men do most of the work, as they should in the beginning. Once you learn your way around, well, then you can certainly do all manner of things.”

  “Alaric is wonderful at loving,” Keeley said with a sigh.

  Mairin colored and cleared her throat. “ ’Tis the truth I didn’t think Ewan overly skilled at first. Our wedding night was hastened by the fact that Duncan Cameron’s army bore down on us. ’Twas an insult Ewan took exception to and made great effort to remedy. With very satisfying results, I might add.”

  Rionna’s cheeks warmed as she glanced between the two women. Their eyes became all dreamy and soft as they spoke of their husbands. Rionna couldn’t imagine ever having such a reaction to Caelen. He was simply too … forbidding. Aye, that was an apt description.

  A knock at the door interrupted the discussion and the women went silent. Mairin issued a summons, and Gannon stepped inside, a disapproving look on his face.

  “Thank you, Gannon,” Mairin said, as he set the flagon and the goblets on the small table beside Keeley’s bed. “You may go now.”

  He scowled but backed out of the room. Rionna glanced up at Mairin, curious as to why she accepted such insolence from her husband’s man. Mairin simply smiled smugly as she poured the ale into the goblets.

  “He knows we’re up to mischief and it’s killing him to say nothing.”

  She handed Rionna a goblet and then carefully placed one into Keeley’s hand.

  “ ’Tis the truth it will dull the pain,” Keeley said.

  “I’m sorry, Keeley. Would you like me to go? I have no wish to cause you further distress,” Rionna said.

  Keeley sipped at the ale and then leaned back against her pillows with a sigh. “Nay. I’m about to go mad being sequestered in my chamber. I welcome the company. Besides, we must ease your fears about your wedding night.”

  Rionna gulped at her ale and then extended the goblet to Mairin for it to be refilled. She had a feeling she wasn’t going to like this conversation.

  “ ’Tis no reason to fear,” Mairin soothed. “I’ve no doubt Caelen will take care with you.” Then she wrinkled her nose. “Give thanks you don’t have an army bearing down on you. ’Tis the truth I had no liking for my wedding night.”

  Rionna felt the blood drain from her face.

  “Hush, Mairin. You aren’t helping,” Keeley chided.

  Mairin patted Rionna’s hand. “All will be well. You’ll see.”

  “But what do I do?”

  “Exactly what is it that you know?” Keeley asked. “Let’s start there.”

  Rionna closed her eyes in misery and then downed the entire contents of her goblet. “Nothing.”

  “Oh dear,” Mairin said. “ ’Tis the truth I was ignorant, but the nuns at the abbey did see fit to provide me cursory information.”

  “I think you should be honest with Caelen about your fears,” Keeley suggested. “He’d be a brute to ignore a maiden’s worry. If he has half of Alaric’s skill, you’ll not be left wanting.”

  Mairin giggled at the boast, and Rionna held out her goblet for another round of ale.

  The very last thing she wanted was to talk to Caelen about her maidenly fears. The man would probably laugh at her. Or worse, give her that cool, indifferent gaze that made her feel so … insignificant.

  “Will it hurt?” she strangled out.

  Mairin’s lips pursed in thought. Keeley’s brow wrinkled a moment.

  “ ’Tis the truth it’s not overly pleasant. At first. But the pain passes quickly and if the man is skilled, it’s quite wonderful in the end.”

  Mairin snorted. “Again, as long as there isn’t an army bearing down on you.”

  “Enough with the army,” Keeley said in exasperation. “There is no army.”

  Then the two women looked at each other and laughed until Keeley groaned and went limp against her pillows.

  Rionna just stared at them, never more certain that she had no desire to indulge in this marriage bed business. She yawned broadly and the room spun in curious little circles. Her head felt as though it weighed as much as a boulder, and it was harder and harder for her to hold it up.

  She stood from her perch on the edge of Keeley’s bed and started for the door, disgusted with her cowardice. She was acting … Well, she was acting just like a woman.

  To her utter dismay, she ended up at the window and she blinked in confusion as a blast of cold air hit her in the face and the corner of the furs blew up.

  “Careful, there,” Mairin said in her ear.

  She guided Rionna to a chair in the corner of the room and eased her down.

  “Perhaps ’tis best if you sit here awhile. It wouldn’t do for you to navigate those stairs, and we don’t want the men to know what we’ve been about.”

  Rionna nodded. She did feel a bit peculiar. Aye, it would be best if she sat awhile until the room stopped spinning in such spectacular fashion.

  Caelen looked toward the stairs for what seemed like the hundredth time, and Ewan looked impatient as well. Rionna and Mairin had been gone for some time. It was late into the night and Caelen was ready to have done with the entire wedding celebration.

  Some celebration. His bride had been stiff and distant throughout the entire ceremony, and afterward she’d sat silent while the room celebrated around her.

  If her demeanor was anything to go by, she was even less thrilled than he with the match. It mattered naught. They were both bound by duty. And right now his duty was to consummate his marriage.

  His loins tightened, and the surge of lust took him by surprise. It had been a long while since he’d had such a strong reaction to a woman. But it had been thus since the day he’d laid eyes on Rionna.

  He’d been shamed by his reaction to his brother’s betrothed. It was disloyal and disrespectful to feel such a keen burning in his gut.

  But no matter that he damned himself, it didn’t change the fact that she had only to walk in the room and his body leapt to life.

  And now she was his.

  He searched the entrance to the stairs one more time and then sent a pointed stare toward Ewan. It was time to collect his wife and take her to bed.

  Ewan nodded then stood. It didn’t seem to matter that the king was still heartily enjoying himself. Ewan merely announced that the festivities were at their end and that everyone should seek their beds.

  Everyone would reconvene in the morning and talks would begin. Ewan had a legacy to claim on behalf of his daughter and there was a war to wage against Duncan Cameron.

  Caelen followed Ewan up the stairs where they were met by Gannon.

  “Lady McCabe took to her chamber an hour ago when the babe awoke for feeding,” Gannon said to Ewan.

  “And my wife?” Caelen drawled.

  “Still within Keeley’s chamber. Alaric is in K
eeley’s old chamber, but he’s losing patience and fair itching to get back to Keeley.”

  “You may tell him Rionna will be gone within the minute,” Caelen said as he strode toward the door.

  He knocked, only because ’twas Keeley’s chamber and he had no wish to alarm her by barging in. ’Twas an insult for Rionna to have spent so much time above stairs, missing most of their wedding celebration.

  Upon hearing Keeley’s soft summons, he opened the door and entered.

  His expression eased when he saw Keeley propped haphazardly on her pillows. She looked as though she was about to slide off the bed, and he hurried to prop her up. Exhaustion ringed her eyes and she grunted as he positioned her better.

  “Sorry,” he muttered.

  “ ’Tis all right,” she said with a small smile.

  “I’ve come for Rionna.” He frowned when he realized she wasn’t present.

  Keeley nodded toward the far corner. “She’s there.”

  Caelen turned and, to his surprise, saw her propped in a chair against the wall, sound asleep, her mouth open and her head tilted back. Then as he took a closer look around the room, he saw the tankard of ale and the empty goblets.

  With a suspicious frown, he peered into the tankard only to find it empty. He glanced back at Keeley, whose eyes looked precariously close to rolling back in her head, and then back to Rionna, who hadn’t stirred a wit. He remembered all the ale she’d consumed at the table below stairs and how little she’d eaten.

  “You’re soused!”

  “Maybe,” Keeley mumbled. “All right, probably.”

  Caelen shook his head. Foolheaded females.

  He started toward Rionna when Keeley’s soft entreaty stopped him.

  “Be gentle with her, Caelen. She’s afraid.”

  He stopped, stared down at the passed out woman in the chair, and then slowly turned to look back at Keeley. “Is that what this is about? She got herself soused because she’s afraid of me?”

  Keeley’s brow wrinkled. “Not of you particularly. Well, I suppose that could be part of it. But, Caelen, she’s frightfully … ignorant of …”

  She broke off and blushed to the roots of her hair.

  “I understand your meaning,” Caelen said gruffly. “No offense, Keeley, but ’tis a matter between me and my wife. I’ll be taking her now. You should be resting, not consuming ridiculous amounts of ale.”

  “Has anyone ever told you that you’re too rigid?” Keeley groused.

  Caelen leaned down and slid his arms underneath Rionna’s slight body and lifted her. She weighed next to nothing, and to his surprise, he liked the feel of her in his arms. It was … nice.

  He strode toward the door, barked an order to Gannon whom he knew to be standing on the other side, and the door quickly opened. In the hall Caelen met Alaric, who raised his eyebrow inquiringly.

  “See to your own wife,” Caelen said rudely. “She’s probably unconscious by now.”

  “What?” Alaric demanded.

  But Caelen ignored him and continued on to his chamber. He shouldered his way in and then gently laid Rionna down on his bed. With a sigh, he stepped back to stare down at her.

  So the little warrior was frightened. And to escape him, she’d drank herself into oblivion. Hardly complimentary to Caelen, but then he supposed he couldn’t blame her. He hadn’t been … Well, he hadn’t been a lot of things.

  With a shake of his head, he began peeling away her clothing until she was down to her underclothes. His hands shook as he smoothed the thin linen garment over her body.

  He could see nothing of her breasts. She was a slight woman and she didn’t have much in the way of a bosom. Her body was lean and toned, unlike any other woman he’d ever encountered.

  He ached to lift the hem of her underdress and pull it away from her body until she was naked to his gaze. It was his right. She was his wife.

  But he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

  He could wake her now and assert his husbandly rights, but he had a sudden desire to see her eyes flame with the same want he felt. He wanted to hear her soft cries of pleasure. He didn’t want her to be afraid.

  He smiled and shook his head. When she woke in the morning, she’d likely have a raging headache, and she’d wonder what the hell happened the night before.

  He might have a conscience about taking what was rightfully his until she was prepared to surrender herself body and soul, but that didn’t mean she had to know it right away.

  He slid into bed beside her and pulled the heavy fur over the both of them. The scent of her hair curled through his nose, and the warmth from her body beckoned to him.

  With a muttered curse, he turned over until he faced away.

  To his utter dismay, she murmured in her sleep and then snuggled up against his back, her warm, lush body molded so tightly to his that he hadn’t a prayer of sleeping this night.