He caught the sudden fear in her eyes, and it tore at his gut. “You are safe. Warriors will be rightoutside the door, and I will not leave until Nessa is here.”
“But you will come back?” she asked anxiously.
“I will return,” he said.
“Promise?”
“I promise,” he said and raised her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.
A smile rose on her face, though a grimace robbed it fast enough and he grew angrier at himself for having hurt her.
This time she cast a slight smile and held his hand tighter. “Thank you for saving me.”
He did not mean to say what rushed into his head. “I hurt you.”
“Not intentionally. You did what had to be done and may have to do so again if the situation should arise, since this matter is not settled.”
“No, it is not, but it will be and this time permanently.”
Heather had no chance to ask what he meant bythis time. Nessa entered the room and her husband called her over to him.
“You will see to getting Lady Heather settled for the night, though you will not let her fall asleep while I am gone and you will stay with her until I return,” Rhys ordered.
“Aye, my lord, I will see to her every need,” Nessa said, nodding repeatedly.
“Will you help me stand before you go so it will be easier for Nessa to assist in undressing me?” Heather asked.
Rhys reached down and slipped his arm gently beneath her back. “I will sit you up first and see if you grow faint.” He spread his hand against her back to support her as he brought her up to sit.
Her head swam a bit, but she remained still once she sat up, giving it a chance to pass and it began to fade.
Rhys could see that the slow movement affected her, and he was concerned she would not be able to remain on her feet. “Tell me when you wish to stand.”
Heather took a deeper breath before reaching out to him and saying, “Now would be fine.”
His arms went around her, and he slowly helped her to her feet.
She looked up at him as he did, her eyes never leaving his face and she whispered, “Do not leave me.”
It was a desperate whisper filled with fear and it felt like it all but tore him in two. He did not turn to Nessa when he said, “You may leave, Nessa, and tell Pitt I will see him in the morning.”
“Aye, my lord,” Nessa said and left the room.
Heather rested her head on her husband’s chest, the strong, rapid beating of his heart echoingin her ear and sounding like a comforting melody to her.
“Let me get you out of your dress and into your nightdress so that you may rest more comfortably.”
“Aye, I think that would be wise, though I do not know how much help I can be.”
“I will see to it, do not worry,” he said and went to sit her on the bed so he could fetch her nightdress.
She tightened her grip on him. “I fear I will not have the strength even with your help once I sit.”
Rhys wanted to be able to slip her nightdress on as soon as he slipped her dress off, otherwise it was not going to be easy to hold her completely naked in his arms. He had waited impatiently for the first moment he would see her naked. He had not expected that when it came he would not be able to touch and kiss her lovely body, but rather he would be dressing her in her nightdress and tucking her into bed and that the whole ordeal would be his fault.
So, with reluctance he said, “Then I will get your dress off first, then you can sit while I fetch your nightdress.”
“I would be most grateful.”
