Page 31 of A Highlander's Bride

His mouth was as dry as a virgin’s cunt. He sat up and held his head, trying to remember if he’d had a good enough time to make up for the pain.

He stumbled to the door and shouted, “Jesse!” He immediately regretted yelling like that and almost brought up whatever was left in his stomach as the pain in his head increased.

The lad from the kitchen rushed into his room a few minutes later, panting. “Aye, my laird. What is it?”

“Lower yer voice, lad.” His own sounded like a frog had taken up residence there.

“What is it laird?” Jesse whispered.

“Get me as much ale as ye can carry. Then send Gregory in here.”

Jesse nodded and left, walking on the tips of his feet.

Gregory knocked, then entered his bedchamber a few minutes later, a grin on his face. “How are ye feeling, my laird?”

“Likeshite.” He moved to sit on the bed. “I think I remember coming home this morning on Atlas. Was Lady Beth with me?”

It was obvious Gregory was attempting to hold in laughter. “Aye, she was, and wasna too happy with the way ye kept touching her and suggesting she join ye in yer bed.”

“Devil’s bones, so it was as I remember? Was she mad e’ough to leave for home?”

“Nay. She dinna seem upset. More like she was embarrassed and verra tired.”

Jesse raced into the room, and handed Daniel a jug of ale which he gulped down, feeling a tad better. He held the jug back to the lad. “More.”

Daniel turned to Gregory. “What is the time?”

“About an hour past supper. I think it would do you well to have something to eat.”

“I need to clean up and then I will be down. I’d like to speak with ye after I eat.”

Gregory nodded and Jesse returned with another jug of ale, the poor lad completely out of breath. “Thank ye, lad. This will help a lot.”

Once he cleaned up, changed clothes and began to feel like a human again, Daniel headed for the great hall.

Beth was nowhere in sight, but, unfortunately, Lady Chisholm was still seated at the dais, almost as if she waited for him. “There ye are, laird. Lady Alice has been looking for ye all day.”

He doubted very much if the lass had been looking for him, but he merely nodded. On the other hand, he was quite sure Lady Chisholm had been waiting for him to appear. “How can I help ye, Lady Chisholm?”

He took his seat and one of the serving maids brought him a trencher full of wonderful smelling stew with a loaf of warm bread, butter, and a chunk of cheese.

Lady Chisholm moved from her seat to the one next to him. “Lord Chisholm has been wondering if ye need to speak with him before the Beltane festival.”

The woman’s push had gone from amusing, to uncomfortable, to downright annoying. “Nay. I dinna need to speak with yer husband.”

Her lips pursed and she glared at him. “I just wanted to give ye a chance now rather than leaving it to the last minute.”

When he continued to eat and ignored her, she leaned in close and said, “We all ken that Lady Beth is no’ suited to be yer wife. She doesna have the necessary ladylike manner about her and she seems a bit loose with her favors.” She nodded as if imparting a secret.

Daniel placed his eating knife carefully on the table. He didn’twant to have to explain to the elders why he’d committed murder. “Lady Chisholm, there is nothing wrong with Lady Beth’s manners and if ye dare to repeat what ye just said about her favors, which is completely untrue, I will personally put ye out of the castle in a verra uncomfortable manner.”

Chapter Eleven

The preparations forBeltane had been going on for what seemed like days. Beth had been forced to put up with Lady Chisholm during all the planning, decorating, and deciding on the food to be served, almost as if she was Lady of the Manor.

Louise, the chatelaine, had given up, literally throwing her hands in the air when Lady Chisholm interfered once too many times.

Beth and Daniel had been spending time together, mostly playing chess in the evenings. He had been out most of the days tending to problems with his clan. Although, she thought, he was merely avoiding Lady Chisholm.