Page 111 of My Notorious Highlander

"Flora says 'tis likely. I've had the morning sickness for four mornings. Isobel has this ailment also."

"Saints, Jessie!" Torrin pulled her close and kissed her lips. 'Twas a quick but fierce kiss. His gaze searched hers for several seconds, his excitement as obvious as hers. "I cannot arise from this bed as of yet, nor get down on one knee. But, Lady Jessie, will you marry me?"

"Aye." She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him close, and he did the same, near squeezing the breath from her. She found herself laughing and crying at the same time.

He pulled back and brushed her tears away with his thumb. "Shh," he hissed but she detected a hint of moisture in his own eyes. "I love you," he whispered, then kissed her.

"And I love you," she said.

"Let's get married today." His eyes were alight with more eagerness than she'd ever seen.

She frowned. "Today! Are you mad?"

"Aye, why not? I believe I can stand." Moving his injured leg a bit, he grimaced.

"I don't want you to overdo it."

"I won't. But a man must stand for his own wedding."

"Nay. You do not have to. The minister can come in here."

He shook his head, looking disappointed. "That won't do at all. I'm the chief. The whole clan will want to witness our wedding."

"We'll wait until you're a bit better, then," she said, trying to calm him.

His eyes lit up again. "Tomorrow."

"Are you certain 'tis not still too soon? You must not injure yourself further."

"Nay. For you, Jessie, I could climb that mountain to the north of the castle. Let me get up."

"'Tis too soon, Torrin. In truth. You might start falling and I wouldn't be able to hold you up."

"I'll hold onto the bed."

She stood two feet from the bed, while he threw back the blankets. Today he wore a long-tailed shirt that came to mid-thigh and naught else. He slowly moved his injured leg. When it slid over the edge, he winced and clamped his teeth together. His knee bent and he growled, his face going white.

"Torrin, I told you, 'tis too soon!" Jessie said, grabbing onto his arm.

Flora rushed in the door. "What on earth are you doing, m'laird?"

"Getting married," he said through clenched teeth.

Flora gave Jessie a wide-eyed quizzical look, and Jessie's face felt scalded.

"I told him," Jessie said. "And this is what I get… Torrin trying to kill himself."

"Och! I'm not trying to kill myself. You said yourself my wound is looking better this morn," he told Flora. "The swelling is going down."

"Aye, but…"

"Nay. I intend to stand while I marry Lady Jessie." He lowered his healthy leg to the floor and pushed himself up. Holding onto the bed, he stood for a moment, getting his bearings, then he took a step, a loud growl of pain issuing forth.

Jessie draped his arm around her shoulder so she might act as a sort of crutch for him. He made it to the end of the bed and grasped onto the tall, carved post, but he wasn't done there. He rounded the foot of the bed and limped along to the other post.

"What in blazes is going on in here?" Iain asked from the open doorway, shock written upon his face.

"He insisted on walking," Jessie said.