He squeezed her hand a little. “Where is the rest of it?”
“I gave it to Master Amos, the merchant, to sell.”
He had to keep himself from smiling. “Oh? And what will ye do with the coins ye make from it?” Breckin hoped she’d be more forthcoming but she was being evasive.
“What do you mean? Do you need coins? I told you to keep the coins my father sent. Oh, and there is a small coffer of jewels, too, that I found with my belongings. I really should send them back. Surely my father did not mean to send them.”
He released her hand and drew in a heavy breath. “There was no message?”
“No. As to the coins that I receive from Master Amos, I am afraid that I have given them away.” She kept her gaze on the far reaches of land in the distance, avoiding his gaze.
Breckin couldn’t withhold his humor at the situation. He chuckled and drew her furrowed brows. “Master Amos told me and that ye directed him to buy foodstuff for the ailing. Ye are tenderhearted, lass.”
“Someone should look out for them, Breckin, the ailing. They believe you are their benefactor and I did not correct them when they told me they thought you most kind to give them food.”
His shoulders sagged at that. “I should have thought of it, och ye did a kindness for them and me. Is there anything else ye have not told me?”
She shifted her head in small shakes but he disbelieved her. He was sure on the morrow, he’d find out something more about his bonny wife and the care she’d dealt out to his clan.
“Can we stay here for a little while longer?”
He nodded and moved closer to her. Breckin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. With his drawn-in breath, he smelled her sweet fragrance. She always smelled of flowers. Holding her close, he eased and stroked the softness of her arm until he reached the underside of her breast.
“I missed ye, lass. Will ye give me a welcome home kiss?”
“If you wanted a kiss, you should have found me right off instead of gallivanting around the island.” She giggled after a moment of quiet. “I jest, Breckin.” Eva pressed her mouth on his.
Breckin allowed her to lead the kiss but he became impatient. Passion overrode his good sense and he used his tongue to spur her to respond. The motions of their mouths sent him to groan and to an unsatiable state. It had been some time since he’d been with her and now that he had her in his arms, he wanted nothing more than to enjoy her body.
Eva pulled away from him and tried to get up but he pulled her back onto his lap. Breckin didn’t speak but found her mouth again and kissed her longingly. When he was satisfied with his welcome home kiss, he drew away.
“Lord, I missed ye. Come, we should return to the house. This night, we should seek our bed a wee bit earlier,” he said teasingly. Breckin helped her to stand and took her hands in his.
Eva gasped and peered at the sky. “Oh, look. The sky is beautiful this eve.”
He turned and glanced at the duskiness of the sky but it wasentwined with various shades of green, red, and purple. The colors weaved in a remarkable pattern that often held him spellbound. “Ye know, lass, that most believe the lights in the night sky predict a bad omen. Och, I do not agree.”
She held on to his arm but kept her gaze on the sky. “What do you believe?”
“Others say it is a sign from the spirits of the dead.”
“Like ghosts?”
Breckin shrugged. “I deem it is a sign from God sending his blessings to us. Aye, because I was most fortunate when Alexander forced me to marry ye.”
Eva laughed with a scoff. “Forced you to marry me? Hah, I think he forced me to marry you. That seems so long ago, does it not? I find that I am not as displeased as I thought I would be.”
“I was blessed that day and every day since. Aye, ’tis gladdened I am that ye are not displeased, Eva, because I thought ye would have a difficult time adjusting to the Highland way of life.” He kissed her lightly on her cheek.
“There are days when it is difficult, especially when I have no one to talk to. But now that you are home, I find I am most content.”
Breckin wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her back toward the bridge. “This night, ye can show me just how content ye are.” He hooted a light laugh when she smirked. Breckin pressed his hand on her face and a smoldering yearning came. He needed her more than she knew.
She leaned her face against his palm and smiled. “Perhaps you should show me how much you missed me.”
He stopped in the center of the lane, holding her face in the palms of his hands. With a serious gaze, he stared hard at her. “If it means anything to ye, I thought of ye often when I was away. I missed ye more than ye know. Ye have no notion what ye do to me, lass.”
Chapter Twenty
