Now it made sense why Jamie was always so hungry when he visited Logan. He was afraid to eat Cook’s food.
Mayhap now things would change.
He would see to it later. Now, he wanted to wake his wife. He thought of their first night together, of looking into her eyes during their most intimate moments, and his heart raced. He’d gone slowly with her untried body.
When they finally slept, he dreamed of slaying a dragon for her.
The dragon’s name was not Roderick. Logan didn’t know how he knew, but he knew. He struggled with it in his slumber, until…until Elspeth appeared in his thoughts and slapped the beast as if there was good sense in her palm and she had one chance to slap some into him.
The hellish beast retreated. Logan had opened his eyes to find Elspeth sprawled over him. He’d crept out of bed without disturbing her and laughed softly at what a deep sleeper she was.
Now, reaching their door, he almost dropped the jug of water when he tried to open it. He tried again and opened it. When he stepped into the room, he smiled again, looking at her. This time, she smiled back. She was awake and lying in bed, waiting for him.
He kept her waiting no longer. “Are ye hungry, Fae?”
“Fae?” she asked, her smile warming on him.
“Ye look like a faerie who dropped into my bed from my dreams.”
“Do ye dream of faeries then?”
“I dream of ye,” he told her, setting down the basket and jug and climbing back into bed with her.
*
“If they seeme, they will know.”
“Then dinna let them see ye.”
Roderick lay back in his bed and closed his eyes. Why had he shackled himself to this imbecile? Still, she did her best to nurse him back to health. He had no one else.
“Go on now, Helen,” he urged a bit more tenderly, mostly because every bone in his face hurt. “Find a way to work in the kitchen.”
She was wise not to question him further. She must find a way on her own.
“Ye have everything ye need, aye, Helen?”
She nodded and patted her skirts, and avoided looking at him. She was afraid of the task before her.
He thought of Elspeth. His sister had not been afraid. She was a stubborn dove. Pity, she had to die. She’d given her heart to a Cameron. What did he care that they were blamed for the massacre at Dunley Keep? Or that they were innocent? His sister deserved more. Elspeth deserved a nobleman, preferably a duke. But she only wanted the Royalist Highlander. He shook his head in disgust. He’d rather kill her.
“Send word to me immediately, Helen. The moment ye have done it.”
She bowed her head. “Aye, my lord.”
He watched her leave, wanting to kick her in the backside to get her moving. He cursed his leg that lay lifeless in bed and made him a prisoner to whatever room he was put into. He wanted to see them suffer, but he had to rely on Helen. The cruelty of it made his belly knot.
All she needed to do was weasel her way into the castle kitchen and poison the main water source. She was not to put enough poison into the water to kill them. Elspeth would find out how much he cared about her when she didn’t die.
Still, if he didn’t get to her in time, he would feel no regret over his sister’s death. She chose her end when she chose that Cameron.
He smiled, closing his eyes. For now, let him sleep and dream.
Hopefully, when he woke up, his sister would be on her deathbed.
*
Elspeth smiled atthe other women who either lived in the castle or close by, now, all gathered to meet the new wife of Logan Cameron.
