“I did,” he said. “I spent a very nice part of the night with ye.”
River said nothing as Archer opened the door to leave. Before he left her for the night, though, he leaned closer and whispered in her ear.
“And I promise to spend the full night with ye soon. Once ye beg for it.”
8
“Good mornin’!”
Layla’s drawn out, sing-song greeting was the first thing River heard that morning, followed by the sound of curtains opening. Even before she managed to peel her eyes open, the light almost blinded her. It seemed that it was going to be another rare, sunny day, and she couldn’t help but wonder when the storm would come.
When she opened her eyes and sat up on the bed, her dark hair an unruly tangle around her head, the first thing she saw was Layla flitting about the room, getting her clothes and washbasin ready.
How long has she been awake to be so cheerful?
Layla was brighter than the morning sunlight, humming to herself as she worked. By the time River managed to drag herself out of bed, Layla had already finished all her tasks and workedon getting her ready for the day, dressing her and combing her hair. When she was done, River could hardly recognize herself in the looking-glass. Where her hair was often a mess that needed to be combed again and again, only to be tangled again the moment she stepped out of the room, now it was pulled into a beautiful, intricate updo that none of her previous maids had been able to create.
“How did ye do that?” River asked, amazed by Layla’s skill.
“I told ye, me lady, I have many siblings,” Layla said. “I used to do this for me sisters all the time. I’m the oldest, ye see, and every time they wanted me to do their hair?—”
A knock on the door stopped Layla before River could, though River was certain she could have kept talking forever. When she called for the visitor to come in, the door opened to reveal Arya and Colby, who rushed to her and hugged her, followed by Finlay.
Finlay was anything but a morning man, but he seemed to be just as restless as Layla every single morning. River could only assume that the man slept early and woke early, but whenever she was awake, he was somehow always around.
“Ach, ye wee rascals!” River said, ruffling Colby’s hair. The gesture gave her an idea immediately, and she turned to Layla. “Layla, could ye do Arya’s hair, as well?”
“Why, of course, me lady!” said Layla with the sort of excitement usually reserved for far more interesting tasks. River stood fromthe chair and Layla pulled Arya into it, running her fingers through her long, dark hair. “Such a bonnie lassie! What do ye want?”
“I want River’s style,” said Arya, and River’s heart melted just a little more.
As Layla worked on Arya’s hair—something they had both inherited from their father—River sat on the bed and occupied herself with Colby. No matter how much she tried to focus on their clapping game, though, thoughts of the previous night kept popping into her mind—how Archer had spoken to her, how he had touched her so intimately, how he had assured her that he was attracted to her. The more she thought about it, the more flustered she became, until her cheeks were flaming with the memory.
“Are ye alright, me lady?” Layla asked, and when River looked at her, she found her staring at her with worry.
“A-aye!” said River, stumbling over her own words. “Why wouldnae I be?”
“Ye’re red all over.”
“Och aye, so ye are,” said Finlay. “Are ye feverish?”
“I’m fine!” River shrieked, and then took a deep breath. “I was simply thinkin’...last night, the Laird came to me chambers and we spoke for a long time.”
“Och, isnae that wonderful!” said Layla. “It’s always good to see young couples talk...truly talk. Did ye talk about bairns? Will ye have any soon?”
It was an innocent enough question. After all, everyone expected the Laird and the lady to have an heir, if not multiple. And yet that question was what made River realize what had been bugging her all along.
Archer did want to have a child with her now. But the only reason he wanted a child was so that he could have an heir, someone to step into his shoes if something happened to him. There was no real sentiment behind it. There was no love, there was no real desire for a child; only for a pawn. He was trying to seduce her just so he could secure his clan.
And then there was another problem. After everything that had happened with her mother, River didn’t feel worthy of having children of her own. She had failed to protect so many other children; who was to say she could protect her own?
No matter what, River wouldn’t give Archer the satisfaction—or the heir he so desperately needed.
“I daenae wish for bairns,” she said. “I understand it’s me duty but I willnae have them.”
Layla turned to her with a confused frown. “Why is that?”
River didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t want to reveal the truth to anyone, especially to someone she didn’t know so well. Layla probably meant well and she was nothing but a sweet girl. If there was even the slightest chance she would use this against River or the clan, though, she didn’t want to share the truth.
