The Angel and the Highlander(48)
Hester smiled. “Thanks to you I survived. I watched your face as you spoke to the innkeeper. He blanched with each word you spoke and quickly accepted the bag of coins you gave him. He released me right quick after that. I always wondered what you said to him, but I never had the courage to ask.”
“Until now.”
Hester nodded.
Terese grinned. “I told him if he didn’t accept the coins I offered for your release that one night soon or perhaps months from now, he would be paid a visit by a bloodthirsty Bunnock warrior and never see the light of day again.”
“And he believed you, a woman?”
Terese chuckled. “He believed me a Bunnock warrior who had the point of her dagger poking in his gut hard enough to draw blood.”
“You truly are a warrior,” Hester said.
“I am what I have to be as are you, Rowena, Piper, and Megan. We have all tasted the bitter side of life and now finally we get to taste the full rich flavors of life. And I for one intend to enjoy.”
“Then we’ll keep the meeting short tonight,” Hester offered.
“Now, that I appreciate and I assure you so will Lachlan.”
The two women laughed and entered the common room to see to chores.
Chapter 17
The meeting never took place. Another injured mercenary was brought to Everagis that night and the women worked endlessly on him, but unfortunately could not save him. It left them all upset, though oddly enough it was Talon, the recovering mercenary, who praised the women for their efforts and insisted that he would tell his leader how hard they had worked to save the man.
Terese noticed that Rowena went directly to Talon when they had finished and had shed tears on the large man’s shoulders. His thick, meaty hands had stroked her back and he had soothed her with gentle words. It was obvious that Talon cared for Rowena as she did him.
It looked like love had descended on Everagis and had yet to let go.
While Rowena was comforted by Talon and Hester and Megan saw to cleaning up, Terese and Piper went directly into the woods to take the news to Septimus so that he and his men could see to burying their comrade.
She had decided to be honest with Lachlan and tell him that the women were holding a meeting as they usually did to discuss matters of importance to Everagis. Surprisingly, he had understood and remarked that the meetings were probably one of the reasons that Everagis had prospered. However, he did insist that he would be waiting for her, no matter what the hour.
Septimus was waiting nearby and wasn’t surprised by her news.
“I didn’t think he could be saved, but I had to try.”
“You must always try,” Terese encouraged. “You never know, sometimes miracles happen.”
Septimus snorted. “I stopped believing in miracles a long time ago.”
Terese didn’t argue with him. He obviously had faced difficulties that had left him scarred as so many of them had been. Hopefully, in time he would heal. But at the moment she had another problem that continued to haunt her and the only way that she could settle it was…
“I need to speak with your leader,”
“He isn’t here,” Septimus said.
“When will he return?”
Septimus shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“I must speak to him,” she said anxiously.
“Why?”
“That is my concern.”
“He speaks to no one,” Septimus said.
“He’ll speak to me.”
“Such confidence.”
She ignored his sarcasm. “Let me know when he returns.”
“What makes you believe I will follow your edict?”
She grinned. “Because your leader ordered you to.”
Terese was exhausted by the time she and Piper returned to Everagis. Piper went straight to bed while Terese saw that everyone was settled and safe for the remainder of the night.
She found that Rowena slept beside Talon, while Megan slept alone. Hester had waited up for her.
“I was worried,” Hester admitted.
“There was nothing to worry about. Septimus hadn’t believed the man would survive.”
Hester yawned. “Then I retire in peace.”
Terese had thought to retire to her own bed, but she had promised Lachlan she would see him tonight. She knew he waited to make love, yet she merely wanted his arms wrapped around her. Much as how Rowena and Talon slept, wrapped safely together.
She hurried her steps to his cottage and entered quietly so as not to wake him if he should be asleep. She was surprised and disappointed to find his bed empty. She considered returning to her own quarters, but she was tired and she longed for his arms around her.
She shed her garments and crawled into his bed naked, snuggling beneath the blanket and hoping he would return soon.