Page 17 of To Wed a Laird (English Brides and Highland Vows #1)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Rose had no idea where she was for a moment when she opened her eyes the next morning. Sunlight was streaming through a gap in the curtains, illuminating the room with a soft golden glow.

She was nestled in soft warmth and had an unaccustomed feeling of being sheltered and protected.

She yawned and stretched, and it was only then that she realised where she was as her arm brushed Cormac’s face, and she heard his low rumble of laughter.

It was at that moment that she noticed his arm around her waist, and the events of the previous night came back to her.

She felt a tumble of confusing emotions; joy because she knew the ecstasy of making love at last, fear that Cormac would regret their coming together, and the almost painful intensity of her feelings for him. As well as that, there was the sadness of knowing that he probably did not feel the same.

She turned around to face him, and found his blue eyes waiting for her.

Up close, she could see flecks of green in them, and she realised that his eyelashes were longer and thicker than any other man’s she had ever seen.

She raised her hand to brush it against the growth of his new day’s beard, and loved the pleasant rasping sensation on her palms.

He kissed her, slowly and gently, moving his lips slowly and tenderly against hers. Rose felt the sweet pulse of her arousal beginning again and whimpered in longing, but Cormac drew away from her to look into her eyes with a soft smile.

“Good morning,” he said softly. “Did you sleep well?”

“Better than I have for a long time,” Rose answered.

“I did too,” he replied. “I sometimes have nightmares, but you chased them all away, Rose. Thank you.” He planted a soft kiss on her mouth and ran a hand gently over her hair.

Rose looked at his lips, the lips that had given her so much pleasure, and ran her thumb over them, then gazed into his blue eyes.

“What did you think of the ceilidh last night?” he asked.

Rose frowned. “The what?” she asked.

“The celebration,” he replied, laughing. “I’m sorry, Rose. I keep forgetting these are foreign words to you.”

“It was wonderful!” she replied. “I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed myself so much. And now that I know how to make a toast without making a fool of myself, I feel a little better. When I first came here, I knew nothing, and I felt so stupid.”

Cormac studied her carefully for a moment. “But there are still problems,” he observed.

Rose nodded. “The staff still do not like me much,” she said sadly. “Every time I open my mouth, someone scowls at me. I understand the history between your country and mine, but I would never hurt any one of you.”

Cormac hugged her. “I know, Rose,” he agreed. “I don’t think you have a bad bone in your body, but some of my servants have had very bad experiences with your countrymen. Try to understand.”

“Have you killed any of my people?” Rose asked fearfully. “I know you are a warrior.”

“Only in self-defence. ” Cormac admitted. “But I suppose that makes me a monster in your eyes.” His face was sad, and he looked away from her.

“No, Cormac.” Rose turned him back to face her. “You were doing what you had to do. You had no choice. I could never hate you for that.”

Cormac sighed with relief. “I am so glad to hear that.” He smiled. “You know, Rose, you are the first woman I have been with since Catherine died.”

Rose pulled away from him, shocked. “Really?” she asked. “Why was there no one else?”

He shrugged. “Elspeth wouldn’t speak to me, and the woman I loved was gone. My heart was broken and could hold no love. And even if it had just been to satisfy my body… Well, I have had no desire to be with anyone until now.”

He looked so sad that Rose wanted to say something to cheer him up.

“So I will be your great scandal?” she asked, laughing.

“Only if anyone finds out,” he answered, smiling. “And I am not going to let that happen. I want nothing bad to happen to you, Rose—ever. You have brought light and hope back into this house. It feels like a proper home again.”

“You give me too much credit,” Rose said.

“I can never give you enough,” he replied, smiling. “Now, I have so much to do today,” he said regretfully, then he rose from bed. “I cannot lie here any longer, Rose, much as I would like to. I have work to do.”

“So do I.” Rose sighed regretfully. She climbed out of bed, trying not to look at the masculine perfection of Cormac’s body, knowing she would find it hard to keep her hands off him.

“I will send Nell to collect your dress and bring you another,” he told her. “Ballgowns are really not suitable attire for governesses!”

Then, with a smile, he was gone, leaving Rose feeling quite bereft.

Nell made no comment when she found Rose in Cormac’s room, merely helped her to put on a simple day dress. She also brought her a tray of breakfast and Rose ate it with relish, reflecting that she was extra hungry because of all the exercise she had taken a few hours earlier!

“Elspeth is waitin’ for ye, lass,” Nell said. “Lookin’ a wee bit tired this mornin’.”

“I am not a bit surprised!” Rose said, laughing.

“I havenae seen her lookin’ sae happy for ages,” Nell remarked as she patted Rose’s shoulder. She took the ballgown away with her to hang in her own room where it would not be seen by anyone else.

She walked out, leaving Rose to stand looking at herself in the mirror and wishing she could put on the beautiful ballgown again.

She had no idea when she would have an occasion to wear it again, if ever, and she sighed as she looked at her simple brown day dress, then reminded herself that she should count her blessings. She was luckier than many people.

When she went down to summon Elspeth for her lessons, Rose found her in her bedroom, sprawled along the couch under the window, playing with the lace on her sleeve.

She was obviously distracted, her mind occupied with some faraway daydream, and when Rose approached her, she jumped, startled, before breaking into a wide smile and giggling.

“Rose!” she jumped to her feet and came over to hug her. “I had such a good time last night.” Then her face looked sad as she said, “I don’t want to do lessons today.”

“Neither do I.” Rose was surprised by her own words, but she realised that she meant them.

She wanted to talk to Elspeth properly and in depth, now that she and Cormac had become close in every sense of the word. “Why do we not take a picnic and enjoy it outside the castle? We don’t need to go too far,”

“Yes!” Elspeth cried. “I would love that, Rose.”

“Go to the kitchen and have them pack some of your favourite things, then,” Rose told her, then watched as Elspeth skipped away happily.

Suddenly, she felt on top of the world. She had no idea how Cormac felt about her, but she knew that whatever happened in the future she would carry the memory of him inside her, driving her to ecstasy, forever.

When Elspeth came back, she was carrying a small basket of food and a flagon of milk. Rose had fetched a blanket from her room, and they set off on foot. They went to a spot they knew by a small burn within sight of the castle, and sat down in the shade of a spreading oak tree to eat.

“You know that Hamish stole my tablet?” Elspeth asked as she bit into a slice of freshly baked bread and cheese.

“Why did he do that?” Rose asked.

“He said I was too fat!” Elspeth answered indignantly.

Rose giggled, thinking of the tubby little boy. “And did you get it back?”

Elspeth nodded, a fierce frown on her face. “Yes,” she replied. “Flora and I ambushed him and took it from him.” She dusted crumbs from her hands, looking very satisfied.

“I ate too many sweets last night,” Rose confessed. “And I was very disappointed that there was no haggis.” She assumed an expression of theatrical sadness.

Elspeth took one look at her downcast face and burst out laughing. “Why do you love haggis so much?” she asked.

Rose shrugged. “I just do,” she replied. “I had never tasted it till I came to Scotland, and it is wonderful!”

“Do you like Scotland, Rose?” Elspeth asked suddenly. “Is it nicer than England?”

Rose thought for a moment. “It is… different,” she answered at last. “My home is very flat, with lots of trees. Scotland is mountainous and there are far fewer trees, but I like them both in different ways. Can I ask you something now?”

Elspeth nodded.

Rose took a deep breath. “Why did you not like your other governesses?” she asked.

Elspeth’s face fell suddenly, and she looked away, as if trying to hide the expression of sadness in her eyes.

Tears began to leak from her eyes, and she wiped them away with the heels of her hands.

She was silent for a long while, picking nervously at the edge of the old blanket they were sitting on.

Rose felt wretched. She had obviously touched a nerve, and brought back memories Elspeth would rather have forgotten, but it was too late to take back her words now that they had been spoken.

“I am so sorry, Elspeth,” she said sadly, taking her hand. “I had no wish to make you sad.”

Elspeth turned and looked at her, then shook her head.

“Mammy taught me how to read and how to count, and she taught me how to speak proper English without making mistakes. I wanted to learn how to speak French because I heard that they used to be our friends, but she laughed when I told her that because the French helped us to fight against the English. She could not speak French, so she was going to get a tutor for me. But you can speak French.”

Rose nodded. “Because of my mother. Her name was Juliette.” Rose realised that they were wandering away from the topic, and said, “But we were talking about your other governesses. There must have been something about them you didn’t like.”

Elspeth looked irritated suddenly. “They were all so strict. I didn’t like any of them.

They were not nice, like Mammy was. I wanted her, not anyone else.

Then you came along.” She looked up at Rose, and suddenly, her blue eyes lit up.

“You are just like her in a lot of ways, so… so I let you help me.”

“Are you happy that you did?” Rose asked, smiling. She was fairly sure what Elspeth’s answer was going to be—after all, she had been at the castle for months, but she was still nervous.

“Yes, I am,” Elspeth replied, as she took Rose’s hand in her own. “You are good and kind, Rose, just like Mammy. You don’t shout at me when I throw something, or complain to Da.”

“Why did you want to throw things and break things?”

Elspeth shrugged. “It made me feel better.”

“I understand,” Rose replied. “I felt the same when my mother died, but I had my sisters to talk to.”

“I want to be good for you because I like you, Rose,” Elspeth said, smiling.

“Thank you, Elspeth.” Rose’s voice was warm and husky, and her eyes filled with tears as she reached out and pulled Elspeth into a warm embrace. “Thank you for letting me into your heart.”