Page 41 of A Scot for Bethan (The Welsh Rebels #6)

That night, in bed, Bethan nestled herself against her husband.

The welcome they’d received had been everything she could have wished for.

It had been a good idea to come in person and see the joy on their faces when she told them her happy news.

This time, when she left in a few days’ time, the Hunter family would not worry about her.

They would know she was going exactly where she wanted to go, with the Scot she had chosen for herself rather than the one who had been forced onto her.

“That has been one of the best evenings of my life, but now I’m exhausted,” she said in a yawn.

“Do you…”

Cameron paused. He sounded unusually hesitant and, forgetting her fatigue a moment, Bethan lifted herself onto one elbow to look at him. “What is it?” Had she missed something tonight? It had seemed to her he was getting on well with everyone. Was she mistaken?

“Are you sure you want to come live in Scotland, mo chridhe ? You seem so happy here.”

She smiled, loving him for this question which must have cost him.

What if she told him she didn’t want to leave Wales?

He was laird, he could not leave his clan, even supposing he’d wanted to settle in Wales.

And yet he was giving her the option of remaining in her country. But she would not take it.

“I am happy here. But it’s never really been my home.

I want to build my home, with you in Nead an Diabhail, not here in Castell Esgyrn.

I’m not a young girl anymore, forced to accept friends’ charity but a married woman of some means, and about to become a mother.

I want my own place. Scotland is just perfect for that.

” She landed a hand on her husband’s muscular chest and started to stroke it with sensual gestures.

“Besides, there is something in Nead an Diabhail that I hold very dear, something I would miss too much if I came back to live in Wales, something delicious to eat.”

The growl in her ear sent shivers down her spine. “Stop talking and touching me thus, wife, or I’ll feed that delicious thing to you now, exhausted or not.”

She looked at him, careful to appear full of hope. “Oh, you mean you’ve brought oats all the way here? Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“Oats?” The look of bewilderment on her husband’s face was priceless. “What the devil are you talking about?”

“Why, porridge, of course, which is utterly delicious, and has become one of my favorite things to eat to break my fast,” she answered innocently. “What are you talking about?”

Cameron flopped back down onto the bed with a groan. “Minx. You’ll be the death of me.”

Bethan took pity on him. “I’m tired now, but I swear, tomorrow morning, you can feed me anything you want, as long as it’s Scottish.” Her fingers closed around his shaft, which was already half-hard.

“Aye, well, every inch of me is as Scottish as it comes.”

“Excellent. I can’t wait.”

“My laird. Welcome back.”

“I thank you. Though I am not alone,” Cameron said calmly, removing his gloves. “I have brought my wife with me. Please welcome Lady Campbell.”

“ Wife ?”

“You’re married?

Bethan couldn’t help a smile at the incredulity in the men’s voices.

During the ride back home, she and Cameron had decided on the best way to tell the clan about their laird’s recent wedding and had concluded that surprise would be the best option.

He had taught her the Gaelic she needed to understand what he would tell the men upon arrival so that she would know when to step out of the shadows.

She did as arranged, keeping the right side of her face hidden by the hood of her cloak. She had learned her lesson the hard way in Wales, and knew she needed to warn the people who knew her before revealing her face.

When they recognized her for Dougal’s former betrothed, the men stared, struck speechless.

Angus took a step back, and Hamish’s eyes were in danger of bugging out of his face.

Alone, Murdo didn’t appear shocked. His mouth set in a smirk, he said something to Cameron in Gaelic, unaware that after two months of intense tutelage, she now had a passing understanding of the language.

Why am I not surprised? she thought he’d said.

She reddened. Had he known about her and Cameron? Apparently so.

In any case, even if he had not suspected anything in the summer, he would be forced to see that this wedding had not been a whim when he saw her stomach.

She was now entering her last term, which explained the leisurely pace they had traveled from Wales, and it showed.

Or at least it would when she removed her heavy fur cloak.

“My lady!” Angus exclaimed. She couldn’t help a smile. Finally, he had every right to call her that. “You really married the laird?”

“I certainly did.”

“Lucky bugger,” she heard Murdo mutter between his teeth.

The fact that he’d spoken loud enough for her to hear—and in English—indicated that he’d intended for her to understand what he’d said.

She couldn’t help a smile. Despite an unpromising start, she had come to like the gruff man, who was loyal and honest to a fault.

“Aye. I’m a very lucky bugger,” Cameron said, drawing her to his side and placing a hand on her stomach. The evocative gesture exposed its rounded shape to all present. “And soon to be twice as lucky.”

The hall erupted in congratulations and well wishes. No one seemed to mind that this babe had obviously been conceived before the wedding vows had been spoken. This homecoming was perfect, just what she had wished for.

“And Bethan now has a scar on her face,” Cameron carried on.

Such a matter-of-fact declaration. He could just as well have said: she now owns a second red gown.

Bethan’s insides melted in tenderness. How she loved this man, who always knew how to put her at ease.

“Should anyone make her feel uncomfortable about it, they will soon find themselves sporting the same one on both cheeks, courtesy of my sword. Am I clear?”

“Aye!”

Thinking it best to get this over with, she removed the hood of her cloak and almost burst out laughing when no one so much as blinked. Cameron’s fierceness had its advantages, it seemed.

While everyone went back to their tasks, she drew Angus and Murdo to one side, oddly intimidated. There was something she needed to tell them.

“I wanted to thank you for what you did for me the day Malcolm McDonald wanted to abduct me.”

“Aye, well, as to that, we didn’t do anything, and you ken it very well.” Murdo kicked an invisible stone out of the way, his dismay obvious.

“You did precisely what we agreed, acting as decoys, placing yourselves in danger, escorting the fake Bethan out of Nead an Diabhail and allowing Cameron and me to slip away unnoticed. There was no need to do more. Getting killed would have achieved nothing, Morag would still have been abducted in my stead. Besides, you saw what happened.” She reddened as indeed, they would have seen even more than her, who had left before the couple started rutting in earnest.

More kicking at stones that weren’t anywhere to be seen. “Aye, we did, though we tried not to look.”

“Have you any news of her?” Bethan had worried about the woman over the last few months. How had Malcolm McDonald taken the humiliation inflicted on him? Bold and deceitful as she had been, Morag had saved her and she would be loath to hear she had been harmed, or worse.

The two men exchanged an amused look that instantly set her mind at rest.

“She’s about to give the man a child,” Angus said. “From what we hear, he cannot get his hands off her. Don’t worry about the lass. She took a gamble, and it seems it paid off.”

Well. It would seem that both of them had won the man of their dreams in the end. Bethan relaxed.

“And speaking of which, my lady, I’m sure your husband already told you, but when Angus and I made it back to Nead an Diabhail after Morag’s abduction, we found out it had been McBain allowing Donald McDonald into Crois Dhubh that night.”

Bethan nodded. Indeed, Cameron had told her how his two loyal men had unearthed the traitor who had let the McDonalds in the night of the attack.

He had also told her that Dougal’s friend had recognized her for the woman outside the tavern during their ride to Scotland and had convinced himself she was really a whore and deserved nothing more than to be treated like one, away from his clan.

At the time she had congratulated herself on the fact that Cameron had not been the one dealing with McBain, as she was sure that the traitor’s punishment would have been exemplary, but when Murdo spoke, she saw that her relief might have been premature.

“The fool tried to tell everyone that you were a w—begging your pardon, a woman of ill repute. As if anyone in their right mind would believe such a thing. You’ll be pleased to know that I dealt with him,” he told her, crossing his arms over his chest. “He won’t pose any threat to you ever again.”

Since she wasn’t sure she would like to hear what he had done, she didn’t ask for any more details. That chapter of her life was closed.

That evening Bethan and Cameron stood at the top of the northern tower, the one overlooking the tranquil loch .

In the moonlight, the surface was as smooth and shiny as a pool of quicksilver, the same shade as her husband’s eyes.

All around the hills, as dark and fluffy as pillows, created the perfect…

well, nest for it. It was a breathtaking view, and she couldn’t wait to come back in the morning to see it bathed in sunshine—or wrapped in mysterious fog, or drenched in rain, or blanketed with snow.

It didn’t matter which. Now that she was mistress of the place, she would get to see it every season.

She sighed. “I remember thinking this summer that I could imagine myself living here. I’m so glad I now have the chance to.”

“I’m glad too, my love.”

“In the end, Nead an Diabhail didn’t live up to its fearsome name. I cannot imagine a more peaceful place, or one where I’d rather be.”

Cameron was holding her tight with her back against his chest as protection against the bitter wind, both his hands cradling her stomach in a familiar gesture. “Do you think we’ll have a laddie or a wee lassie?” he whispered in her ear.

Bethan placed her hands over his. She’d been wondering the same thing, though she didn’t mind either way. Besides, she intended to have many more children, so chances were, she would get both sons and daughters. “I think it might be a boy this time, but I don’t know why.”

“I think the same, and I don’t ken why either. Perhaps because, as I told you, my family seems to favor boys.” He landed a kiss on her hair. “Whichever way, it will be the loveliest bairn anyone has ever seen.”