Highland Devil (Murray Family #22)(21)

She turned onto her unwounded side to look out the window and found  herself staring into Gybbon's eyes. They were mostly green this morning.  Mora had not yet made up her mind about why or how they changed at  times. Then she became fully aware of the fact that he was lying in her  bed. She squealed softly and pushed away, catching herself just in time  to save herself from the humiliation of falling out of bed.

"What are ye doing in my bed?"

"Waiting for ye to wake up. We leave today for Gormfeurach, ye ken."

She found the thought of him watching her sleep a little alarming and  hoped she had not done anything too unappealing. "But 'tis barely  sunrise."         

     



 

"Sun has already cleared the horizon. It is a bit of a long journey to my home."

"How long?"

"Twa days, mayhap three. Ne'er made the journey with a cart before."

"We could wait until I can ride a horse."

"Nay. 'Tis best if we can slip away from here as soon as we can. The  sheriff and his men are looking hard for ye and Andrew. Sigimor rebuffed  Robert, too, who now leads more than just his brothers. I say ten men,  but Sigimor said twelve."

"They still hunt for me and Andrew?"

"Aye, I believe his brothers do as he says, but they are afraid of him.  Others only see that he is their laird's firstborn son and should be  obeyed. I have ne'er understood why, but a lot of people seem to think a  firstborn son is just like his da."

"Do ye ken if Colin and the housekeeper are still weel?"

"Och, aye, they are, and they remain close by the laird. I think some of  the men protect them as weel, and as much as they can, but the place is  ne'er going to be verra safe for them until Robert is gone. Seems they  have tried to warn the laird about his son, but he isnae heeding them.  They stopped because they didnae wished to be pushed away and leave the  old mon unprotected."

"There is naught we can do?" She tensed a little when he reached out to toy with a lock of her hair.

"Nay. We did all we can and he is getting better. What needs to be done  now is getting ye and Andrew far away from Robert and here, where the  sheriff can reach ye, too."

"Weel, if we are to be traveling soon, ye best get out of here so that I  can get ready." She shivered as he slowly stroked her neck.

"I could help," he said as he shifted close enough to wrap his arm around her waist. "I am verra good with laces."

"So am I. I believe I can manage without aid despite my infirmity," she  said as she placed her hands on his chest, intending to give him a  little shove. "And that may be something ye shouldnae say to women as  they then wonder why and where ye got such skill."

He grinned. "Your infirmity? And the skill can be picked up easily  enough if one has a family that includes a lot of women and girls,  unlike the Camerons or the MacFingals." He laughed softly as he tugged  her closer.

Mora had the feeling that she should stop him as he lowered his mouth to  hers and held her close. Instead she let him kiss her, and this time it  was not an innocent, light brush of the lips. This time he put some  urgency into it. Slowly, making very certain she caused herself no pain,  she reached up to put her arms around his neck and hold him close,  savoring the feel of his strength and warmth. When he lightly nipped at  her bottom lip, she gasped, and suddenly his tongue was in her mouth. He  stroked the inside of her mouth and she began to warily mimic his  actions as a strange fever began to grow deep inside her.

This is desire, she thought, and was both fascinated and tempted. The  embrace he held her in tightened and he pulled her even closer until  their bodies were hard up against each other. She was just sinking into  the pleasure of another kiss when a sharp pain caused her to cry out.

Gybbon pulled away from her and cursed himself for being so impatient.  He had wanted her from the moment he had set eyes on her, but her wound,  as well as all her other troubles, had worked to hold him back. Knowing  that her stitches were out had loosened the reins on that control.  Kissing her had snapped them completely.

"I am so sorry," he said as he tried to lift the hand she had clapped over the wound. "I wasnae thinking …  ."

Mora pushed his hand away. "'Tis all right. Truly," she reassured him  when he looked doubtful. "'Twas mostly surprise that it could still  hurt."

"And so it should when some braw laddie is clutching you tight and tossing you round the bed."

Covering her face with her hands so that she hid what she knew was a  fierce blush stinging her cheeks, Mora wondered why they had not heard  Jolene enter the room. Now she could add the embarrassment she felt at  crying out like a child over what had only been a brief, if painful,  twinge to the humiliation of being caught abed with a man by the lady of  the manor.

"How do ye keep sneaking up on people?" asked Gybbon as he hastily  checked his clothes to make certain they were not too badly disordered  and stood to frown at Jolene as she walked to the side of the bed. "Ye  have a true skill for suddenly appearing to make your opinion known."

"And it is a skill I do not wish to share with anyone. I get too much  pleasure out of stating my opinion. Now, shoo. I have come to help Mora  dress for her journey."         

     



 

"I could probably do it myself," Mora said quietly, trying hard not to laugh at the way Jolene had told Gybbon to "shoo."

"Aye, but the less you twist and turn and lift your arms, the better it will be for you on your journey."

Gybbon walked to the door and ignored the way Freya trotted in as if he  had opened the door just for her. Then he frowned at Jolene's back. "Did  ye just tell me to shoo?"

Jolene's lips twitched into a quick, faint smile and then she raised a  hand to make a shooing gesture at Gybbon. "Aye, so shoo," she repeated,  then grinned widely when she heard the door shut behind him. "They hate  when I do that. Now, are you really all right?"

"Aye, I really am. It just startled me. Ye had taken out the stitches  and removed the bandage. Despite the fact that I had dutifully noted all  ye said about being careful, I still just thought that I was healed, so  when there was a sudden small pain, I think it shocked me a bit."

"I suspect it did." Jolene held out a hand. "Best you get dressed now. Time to break your fast."

"Oh, I do find myself really hungry," said Mora as she took Jolene's hand and let the woman tug her to her feet.

"That is good. You did not have the fever for long, but it is good if you eat as well as you can for a while."

"Thank ye kindly for the use of the shift."

"Keep it. I am pleased it served and I fear yours is now gone. I used it for bandages."

"That was what I was doing," said Mora as she unlaced the shift.

"I will send the last two home with you. I was just thinking it might be  a good idea if I put a loose one on you for the journey. 'Twill help  keep the area clean and keep the healing salve off your gown."

"Are ye giving me some of the salve?"

"Aye. It will help the wound and I think it also may ease a bit of the scarring that will be left."

"I am trying nay to think about scarring." Mora walked over to the bowl  and, grabbing a cloth, gave herself a quick wash. "When do ye think it  would be safe to have a bath?"

Jolene laughed. "You could have one now save I dinnae think you would  then have time to break your fast. Have one when you reach Gormfeurach.  They are verra efficient at it and have lovely baths to lounge in. 'Tis  one of the many improvements Lady Annys has put in and I fully approve  of it."

"Ye have been there?" After drying herself she accepted the shift Jolene held out for her and pulled it on.

"Aye. Sigimor likes to keep on good terms with the Murrays. They are a  large clan with a lot of allies from the Armstrongs, near the border to  England, to Sir Simon Innes, who used to be called the King's Hound. I  swear, there must be dozens between there. E'en if Sigimor didnae like  Gybbon and his brothers Harcourt and Brett so much, he would still make  certain that alliance stood."

"Oh my." She had just been kissing a very important man.

As she tugged on her hose and tied the ribbons to hold them up, she had  to wonder what her parents would think about a flirtation with such a  well-placed man. Her mother would have danced around making plans to  bring him to the altar, and her father would worry. He had been happy  with just what he was. A younger son with few duties who did not have to  bother with allies, alliances, or even hordes of relations that you  were expected to keep on your side. Her father had just wanted to raise  his family and carve his wood.

Jolene walked up and held out her gown. "We cleaned and mended it. ‘Tis  not too rough now and will suit to riding in a wagon all the way to  Gormfuerach."