Then William had a heart-rending thought.He would become a parent sooner rather than later, especially with how often he bedded Ailith.Could he be that father?One to raise his children to do as commanded and feel pride in doing so?
William swallowed hard, trying to refocus on the issue at hand.That was a concern for another day –a tomorrow problem,as Ailith had quipped before.
Robb spoke, asking the next question that had popped into William’s head.
“When do we leave?”
“On the morrow,” Cormag told him.“The rest of our guests leave, along with Ailbert and Muire.Ye can leave with them.Ye should be gone but a few days.”
Then Cormag’s intense eyes shifted as he looked to William.“I presume ye can survive without your wife for a few nights?”
Robb tried unsuccessfully to hide his laughter behind his hands, and Bernard bit his lips to cover his own smile.
William sighed and decided to play into the taunt.
“Aye, but telling her of it, I might not survive,” William quipped and joined them in their laughter.
Where is it?I could have sworn I left it here.Did one of the housemaids remove it, believing it trash?
Though Ailith could not imagine any of the maids removing something that was not their own, from the mess that was the parchment, she would not blame them.
She was on her hands and knees, searching under the bed in case a draft had blown it into hiding, when a subtle cough from the doorway surprised her.Leaning back on her heels, she popped her head out from under the bed frame.
William leaned casually against the doorway, his arms crossed and a sly smile on his full lips.
“Och, I’d rather ye’d stayed in that position so I might flip up your skirts and pound myself between your flesh, as enticing as your arse looked.”
Ailith brushed her hair out of her face and grinned at him.“Other than the hard wooden floor under my knees, if ye like, I can resume that position.”
His eyes widened briefly, as did his smile.He pushed off the doorframe and entered their chambers.
Their chambers.She was still trying to get used to that.
“Dinna tempt me,mo ruaidh.‘Twould be more than sore knees that ye suffered if ye did.What were ye doing with your head under the bedding anyway?”
He stood at the end of the bed as his eyes remained on hers.
“Ye know the parchments ye purchased for me?I was trying to write on one, and I do meantrying, when your sisters found me and offered better ink and writing utensils in Caitir’s salon.Sine grabbed a new sheet of parchment, and I left the stained one here.Now I canna find it.”
The carefree expression on his face darkened slightly, and Ailith knew exactly why.
“Did she or Muire question ye about the writings?”
Ailith shook her head, her loose, crimson tresses catching against her face again.
“Nay.Or rather, no’ much.They seem to find value in my tracking the toadstools, even if they dinna understand why I do it.”She paused, wondering if she should mention Sine’s comment about using the mushrooms, and decided it would be best.He might have a solution if Teagan did not.“Sine even offered to help me plant, and we are to go out on the morrow.But they also asked about how to prepare the stools, and I was at a loss.I shall inquire with Teagan.She might know something I can do with them.But their import for health was just an excuse I used.I dinna know what to do with them in the here and now.”
William’s jaw worked as he listened to Ailith, then sat on the edge of the bed next to her.
“I credit Muire and Sine for being so accepting of your, uh, eccentricities,” he commented.Ailith rolled her eyes at his comment.It was a good excuse for any of her strange, modern behaviors, but she didn’t love the word.Too often, it was said like she was crazed, not odd.“And while I dinna know anything about puddock-stools, I’ll keep my ears open to anyone who might speak of a health treatment ye can use for them.”
Deciding the parchment must have been tossed away by a maid, Ailith adjusted her brown plaid kirtle and joined William on the bed.
“Will ye be joining Sine and me on the morrow?I know ye dinna care for me to go stool planting on my own.”
William leaned into her and, wrapping his hand around the crown of her head, he kissed her temple.She leaned into him, relishing the warmth that suffused through her when he expressed such tender gestures.He smelled of leather, earth, and his own musk, and inhaling his scent soothed her.
“Ye have no thoughts as to how much joy it brings me to hear ye say that.No’ that ye need me there, but that ye understand my worries and concerns about your and Sine’s safety.”Then he shook his head.A single blond lock spilled across his brow.“But nay, I canna accompany ye.Please bring Wee Brian with ye.I have been tasked by Cormag to pay a visit to the Morays.”
