AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Now,” Darragh said. “Yer family now and it is tradition for the men of this clan to gather for a hunt the mornin’ after the ceremony as a means to get to ken each other and bond. Let the women chatter among themselves today. I’m sure ye’ll nae want to hear about how ye displeased Elena last night wit’ yer diplomacy.”
Gabriel chuckled as his heart skipped. “Best to go then before she wakes.”
“Aye, the ire of a woman is nae somethin’ I’d want to experience. Especially the ire of that woman.”
Gabriel stood as Darragh rose to his feet. “The hounds are ready. We go.”
Glancing over his shoulder, Gabriel hoped for one more glimpse of Elena. His heart cleaved to the idea of staying with her if only to be in her presence, but he knew he had to go. Duty after all called him.
“Yer rifle is loaded, is it nae?” Darragh asked with a twinkle in his eye. “If nae, ye can use mine.”
Thrusting a rifle into Gabriel’s hand, Darragh laughed. Gabriel stared at the old rifle wondering if it would even work.
Dear God, allow me to return unharmed. For only ye ken how much liquor that man has consumed. And I daenae want to be a victim of his blurred vision.
Chapter 6
Elena rubbedher face into the pillow, trying desperately to block out the chirping of the birds. The sound grated on her nerves adding pain to her throbbing headache. She tried to face the sunlight and open her eyes, but it was too much. The blinding light seared her eyes making it virtually impossible for her to see.
Throwing her arm over her face to block the light, she grabbed the pillow beside her and tossed it to the window. The thump of the feathered pillow landing hard on the divan caused her heart to skip.
A rush of sights and sounds flooded her mind as she jerked up.
“Gabriel? Oh I’m so sorry,” she said, remembering he had taken that spot last night. Slowly her eyes adjusted to the bright room. Scanning the area, she found the room empty.
She dropped her shoulders and exhaled sharply. Confusion flickered through her as she tried to piece together the moments from last night. Looking at her hand, she noticed the gold ring around her finger and gasped. Everything she thought was a dream suddenly became very real.
“I’m married... Oh, Lord. I got married. Gabe. It was real, all of it,” she mumbled to the vacant room. Her eyes shifted to the fireplace where the ashes glowed red through the remains of the logs.
She scooted to the headboard and ran her fingers through her tangled hair. Images of Gabriel flashed before her eyes. Pointing to the divan she tried to remember if he had stayed there the whole time.
A brief fragment of memory suggested he had slept with her, but she didn’t feel different. Her body wasn’t sore as her sisters and mother warned her it would be. Nor were the sheets stained. The room didn’t have the musky scent of salt and manliness but was more earthy from the burning coals.
The slight knock on the door rattled her and pulled her from her thoughts. Jerking the blanket to her chest, she cleared her throat. Uncertain of what to expect, she found her heart pounding frantically in her ears.
“Come in,” she called. The door opened slowly as the anticipation crippled her. Rolling her shoulders back, she was certain Gabriel would come storming into the room disrupting her.
“There’s the happy bride,” Iona said in such a soft, tender voice that Elena found soothing. “I’ve come to check on ye. Tis nearly mid-day and yer still in bed. Thought ye might be hungry.”
The aroma of roasted chicken and freshly baked bread filled the room. Elena’s stomach turned as she scooted to sit straighter. Iona moved into the room and swiftly closed the door behind her.
“And how are ye feelin’? I ken the first time for me was somethin’ I wasnae expectin’ and thought ye’d like time alone.”
“Actually,” Elena said, double-checking her legs and stomach. “I feel fine. Bit wobbly in the head, though.”
“Aye, ye did take to drinkin’ a wee bit too much. But suppose that is to be expected,” Iona said, setting the tray of food next to Elena to munch on.
“But ye must nae stay in bed all day. Yer body will heal better if ye move around some. And I promise ye, it’ll get better in a bit. The first time is always the hardest.”
Elena looked at the piece of white meat in her hand and picked at the frayed edges. Her lips twitched as she dared to steal a glimpse of her mother.
“What is it? Ye look as if the whole world is against ye dear.”
“We,” Elena started before clearing her throat. It seemed as if the words were lodged in her chest and refused to come out. Although she was thrilled she was still intact and herself, she wasn’t sure what to make of it. Was Gabriel repulsed by her? Did he sleep with her and she not realize it?
Elena remembered how her sister Georgia described the following day. How Georgia wasn’t certain if anything happened to her. Yet, nine months later, Georgia was carrying a bouncing baby boy.
“Aye,” Iona said, trying to encourage Elena to continue.
