“You must be tired, after that fever and all,” he said, reaching for her shoulder. “I suggest you lie down.”
“Oh?” she sighed, as he pushed her gently over, rolling her onto her back.
“Yes,” he whispered, gently pushing his knee between her legs. She wore a flimsy night dress, and she felt him unfastening it behind her neck, then gently lowering it.
“I think,” she whispered, as he knelt up and she felt the delicious urgency of him pushing against her, “that you have reason for wanting me to lie on my back..?”
“I think,” he whispered, kissing her, then kneeling up again as he slid slowly, delicious, into her. “That you might be right.”
She gasped. He entered her and drew out, then pushed in again, harder and faster than before. She closed her eyes and felt the sweet wonderment of his presence in her, even as he pulled out and re-entered her again, harder and faster than before.
As she felt her body start to blank out from wonderment, she heard him gasp and cry out and felt that she would never have imagined this joy.
As they lay together, drowsing after the passion, she nestled closer.
“I am so glad you’re here,” she whispered.
“As I am, that you are here,” he said. He stroked her hair, slowly and fondly. She stared into his eyes.
“We must always be sure to tell the truth to one another,” she said softly.
“Aye,” he agreed. Their eyes met and held. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “When you were so ill…I didn’t think I could tell you anything. I didn’t want to risk…” his voice stopped. “I couldn’t lose you.”
“Oh, Alexander,” she said gently. “I wasn’t going to die. It was a little touch of fever. Nothing more. You were so anxious.”
His eyes were tight in the corners. “I know how deadly a fever can be,” he whispered. “She…” his throat tightened. “She died of one, Adeline,” he whispered into her hair. “My first wife. I couldn’t have borne seeing it…seeing you…”
He was crying, Adeline saw. She felt her heart almost stop. She reached up and drew him to her, rocking him as he sobbed.
“Was that why you couldn’t bear to tell me that Tam summoned you?” she whispered, as he stopped crying. “You thought I would relapse?”
“Yes,” he said, stroking her hair slowly. “I couldn’t have lost you, like I lost her.”
Adeline propped herself up, so she could look into his face. “You should have told me,” she said, softly. “What was her name?”
“Brenna,” he whispered.
“There,” she said, gently stroking his hair. “You see? Nothing happened. You must have truly loved her.”
“I did,” he whispered. “And now, I truly love you. I am the luckiest man alive. My life has been blessed by love.”
“And mine,” Adeline whispered, voice choked in her throat. “And mine.”
They lay side by side for a long while.
“You know,” Alexander said, stroking her arm gently, as she slowly became aware of things again. “I reckon we could go and live near Liston…”
“I don’t intend to leave Dunrade Village,” Adeline said, turning over so she looked at him. “I know…I know Tam’s reputation could be harmed by us. But, you know? I reckon the lad is strong enough to overcome my choices. And besides, I’m proud of you. You’re a brave, upright, wonderful man. A soldier. A gentle soul. I would rather stand beside you, whatever form you took, than by a king. You are a king, to me.”
Beside her, Alexander went quiet. She waited, terrified she’d offended him. When he still said nothing, she sat up.
“Sweetling?” she whispered. “I didn’t intend anything offensive. I…”
“Oh, sweetling,” he whispered. To her astonishment, she noticed he was crying.
“Alexander!” she said, shocked. She rolled over and kissed him, tasting the wet salt of tears. “What is it, sweetling? Why are you crying?”
“I…you said I was a king, to you. A good man. You don’t know what that means to me.”
“But you are,” Adeline said, frowning, reaching for a handkerchief she’d left on the dressing table chair. She couldn’t quite reach it, and gave up, turning toward him. What is it?
“I can’t tell you what that means,” he said. “When I was told, by my own uncle, that I was too much of a disgrace to take the barony.”
“The barony?” Adeline stared at him. She shot upright, amazed. “You mean…you are intended to inherit from a baron?”
“I would be,” Alexander said quietly, a grin twisting his lips. “If my uncle hadn’t taken it instead.”
“Alexander!” Adeline was laughing, holding him tight against her chest. She was crying, laughing, disbelief and surprise making her astonished.
“What?” he gently stroked her hair.
“You were so quiet about all of this. You never told me anything of it. Why not?”
“Well, it doesn’t really matter, anymore, does it?” he asked.
“No,” Adeline smiled. “All things considered, it doesn’t. It never meant anything, not really. A man can be a baron, or a beggar. It’s the nature of him…or her… that makes him noble.”
Alexander looked up at her, eyes wide. “Really, Adeline?”
She smiled into that soft brown gaze. “Absolutely, completely, really.”
They kissed.
EPILOGUE
The sky outside was dark, the clouds heavy with rain. It was warm, though, the air dry and arid with the promise of hail.
Adeline twisted round from the windows, looking into the room. Alexander crossed to her, placing a glass on the table with a click.
“Are you still thirsty?” he asked.
Adeline looked at the glass of cool cordial and smiled at him, thankful.
“You are a sweet man.”
He blushed. “You think so?”
“I know so,” Adeline nodded. It was late in summer, and the child was almost grown inside her, making her ache. She felt heavy and drowsy, but content.
Alexander sat down across from her.
“Well?” he said. “What do you think?”
Adeline smiled. “I think they will be happy,” she said.
“I do, too.” Alexander nodded. “And, after all, we know it works – we are, and look at us.”
“Yes,” Adeline agreed. “I am happy.”
Alexander came to sit beside her on the settee, his arm around her. His hand rested on her belly, and she felt her heart fill with tenderness, and joy at his care for her, for them both.
“They seem happy,” she agreed.
Outside, on the lawn, Tam walked with a woman. If they listened, they could hear the sweet laughter of her son, and a woman. The sound mingled on the dry air, carrying up in the silent garden to the open windows.
“Aye,” Alexander agreed. “She’s settling in well.”
“Yes,” Adeline agreed softly, “she is.”
Barra’s family had moved onto the farm that she had purchased from the funds recovered from the merchants. It was a farm she had intended to take over with Alexander, where they could live in comfortable obscurity until they died. However, as it happened, it had another purpose.
“There’s no reason for him not to wed a wealthy farmer’s daughter,” Alexander agreed, kissing her hair.
“No,” Adeline agreed. She felt her cheeks lift in a grin. “No reason whatever.”
Alexander chuckled, and they shared a special smile.
As she lay back so that she rested beside him, Adeline studied the handsome profile of her husband. He was the very essence of a brave man – upright, strong, kind. She couldn’t have cared if he was a baron or a bowyer or an outlaw. He was her most wonderful man. The person who had shown her love from the first moment, and who cared for her, as she cared for him.
“My sweetling,” she whispered into his ear.
“My everything.”
They kissed.
As they lay there, with the soun
d of Tam and Barra laughing together beyond the windows, the light joy of first love, and the sound, somewhere distant, of the wind stirring the leaves, Adeline knew she had never been so happy.
Love, that unexpected guest, had found her heart, in the most unusual way she had imagined. Now, her life was full and wonderful in a way she had never thought possible.
Because we can’t guess when love will find us, or how it will look. All we can know is that it is a treasure beyond what we can ever imagine.
Join My VIP Readers’ Club List
Who Else Wants to New Cover Reveals, Short Flash Fictions, Characters’ Interviews and much more…
Emilia Ferguson invites you to join her VIP Readers’ Club List. CLICK HERE TO JOIN NOW!
ALSO BY EMILIA FERGUSON
* * *
Lairds of Dunkeld Series
Book 1 Link -> Heart Of A Highlander
Book 2 Link -> The Highlander’s Challenge
Book 3 Link -> The Highland Hero
Book 4 Link - > The Cursed Highlander
Book 5 Link - > The Highlander’s Dilemma
Book 6 Link -> The Highlander’s Awakening
Book 7 Link -> The Highland Secret Agent
Book 8 Link -> A Highlander’s Terror
Book 9 Link -> Soul Of A Highlander
Book 10 Link -> Courage Of A Highlander
* * *
Blood of Duncliffe Series
Book 1 Link -> The Highlander’s Trust
Book 2 Link -> Destiny Of A Highlander
Book 3 Link -> Highland Love Prevails
Book 4 Link -> Love For A Reluctant Highland Lass
Book 5 Link -> Shadowy Highland Romance
Book 6 Link -> The Highlander’s Runaway
Book 7 Link -> The Highlander’s Healer
Book 8 Link -> The Highlander’s Widow
Book 9 Link -> A Highlander’s Gifted Love
Book 10 Link -> The Highlander’s Brave Baroness
* * *
.
Acknowledgement
Thank you for taking your time and energy to read “The Highlander’s Brave Baroness”. Without your continuous support, I would not have written this book.
Wherever you are, I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart. I also want to thank my wonderful Facebook fans, my advance copy reviewers and beta readers in advance for making this series a success.
~ Emilia
If You Have Enjoyed This Book…
…. We would really, really appreciate it if you would help us tell other readers how much you have enjoyed this book by leaving us a review. To us, reviews are like little gold pieces and they help persuade other readers to give the novels a chance. More readers will encourage our authors to write more quality novels, and that means we will continue to produce highly-entertaining stories. Please give your unbiased reviews by CLICKING HERE.
Publisher’s Notes
Copyright © 2017, 2018, 2019 by EMILIA FERGUSON
This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real or dead people, places, or events are not intentional and are the result of coincidence. The characters, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the author/publisher. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
The Highlander's Brave Baroness (Blood 0f Duncliffe Series Book 10) Page 21
