Besides, he could be patient when he wanted to. When he wanted something he thought worth having. And though he had already waited for a year to make Olivia properly his, he was prepared to wait a little longer if it pleased her. Because he thought this beautiful, feisty, little wife of his was certainly worth waiting for.
So, five outings it is.
Turning his thoughts to the business of the day and the so-far unpunished perfidy of his councilmen, he got up, washed briskly with freezing cold water, and dressed. After running a comb through his hair and tying it up, he pulled on his boots, buckled on his sword belt, and strode out of his room, heading for the Great Hall, and breakfast with his man-at-arms and best friend, Zander Hendry.
He regarded Zander as the brother he never had and trusted him completely. They had saved each other’s lives on the battlefield more than once.
Edan was halfway to the hall when Zander appeared out of nowhere and fell in at his side, slapped his back, and grinned at him.
“Ach, ye look weary, man,” Zander said with what Edan knew was fake concern. “Ye must have worked awfully hard last night. Tell me, do those dark circles under yer eyes mean we should expect an heir soon?”
“Damn ye, Zander,” Edan muttered, not prepared at that point to admit anything about the true state of affairs between him and his wife to his friend.
The mockery would never end. Under normal circumstances, he would take it and give back as good as he got. But not now.
There were too many other pressing things to deal with. Taking the upstart council to task, for one. And now, a possible threat from Nurkirk too. Edan knew the insolent, strutting peacock would not have taken kindly to being ejected so unceremoniously from the castle.
But Zander did not know about any of that yet. When they had returned from the fighting, he had wanted to spend some time with his family before resuming his duties at the castle. Edan had not had the chance to tell him about what had happened in their absence but intended to fill him in at breakfast, before the council meeting.
“Hmm, I cannae help noticin’ that ye seem awfully grumpy for a man who’s just had his weddin’ night with his beautiful wife. Did it nae go as well as ye had hoped?” Zander teased as they strode along the hallway.
“Shut yer hole, man. I’m nae in the mood,” Edan retorted, stoically putting up with more of Zander’s teasing remarks until they were seated in the hall at the Laird’s table, with a substantial breakfast in front of them.
“So, what’s eatin’ at ye?” Zander asked over a bowl of thick porridge, this time with genuine concern.
“’Tis nae what, but who,” Edan replied caustically between mouthfuls of ham and warm bannock.
Zander nodded. “All right. Who’s eatin’ at ye? ’Tis nae yer wife, I hope.”
Edan shook his head. “Them,” he said, jutting his chin to indicate the several councilmen who were drifting into the hall in search of sustenance.
When they noticed him, they were visibly shocked. Several of them turned around and left, clearly too frightened to face him. One of them was Findlay Pearson, one of Edan’s most valued advisors.
Edan had always considered Findlay a friend as well as a wise counsel, so his betrayal had an extra sting to it.
Zander glanced at the men and then back to Edan with a puzzled expression. “Them? Why? What have they done?”
Edan briefly explained the council’s plan to declare him dead and get Olivia to wed Nurkirk, so he could take over the clan and add the title of Laird Aberfeld to his existing one.
When he finished talking, Zander stared at him open-mouthed, his eyes full of anger, which Edan knew was on his behalf.
“Why, those connivin’ bastards!” his friend exclaimed. “Ye’ve only been away for a year, fightin’ to defend one of our allies, and this is what they cook up. What a treacherous bunch of dogs.” He started to get up, his hand on the hilt of his dirk. “I have a good mind to go over there right now and?—”
Edan grabbed his arm and pushed him back down. “Sit down, ye fool. This isnae the place. Wait until the council meetin’. Then,ye can do whatever ye like. I have a few choice words to say to them meself. They’ll nae be gettin’ away with it lightly.”
Zander sank back into his chair, but not without casting dark glances at the few councilmen who were brave enough to stay.
As they continued eating their meal, with Zander seemingly brooding over what he had just heard, Edan pushed aside thoughts of the upcoming meeting and instead allowed his thoughts to drift back to Olivia. He could still feel her pliant, warm body beneath him when he had unknowingly climbed into her bed the other night and been forced to get on top of her to stop her struggling.
He shifted in his seat as he recalled her heated gaze when she had looked down at him the previous evening when she was sitting on his lap. He found the fact that she did not appear to be terrified by his beastly appearance as compelling and arousing as her body.
And what a body.I remembered she was beautiful, but me memory didnae do her justice at all.
For a few moments, he let his mind dwell on the enticing, round curves of her breasts and her plump, pear-shaped behind, of which he had caught tantalizing glimpses through her filmy nightdress. He thought of her thick, bouncy blonde hair, which surrounded her face like a nimbus of light, wondering how it would feel to run his fingers through it.
He understood that she had been scared, it being her first time and all, but they had to consummate their marriage. But last night, it had taken every bit of his restraint not to simply seize her, throw her to the floor, and ravish her. That was what he had wanted to do. But he had restrained himself for her sake.
He recalled how he had felt when he thought he had things under control and went in for the kiss but she had stopped him. His heart had sunk.
