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“Ye cannae tell me that the two of ye havenae mended the fence between ye,” Scott said.
“Very well,” Noah replied, defeated. “But all I did was ask for forgiveness.”
Scott clapped him hard on the back. “Och, ye auld dog! I take it ye took my advice about getting’ on yer knees and beggin’, then?”
“I wasnae on my knees,” Noah muttered, studying the shape of Saoirse’s retreating figure as she strolled in the opposite direction, plucking petals off the flowers he’d picked.
Scott’s impish grin stretched wider. “Was she?”
“Speak of her so coarsely again, and I’ll let ye spend a night in the dungeons,” Noah warned, feeling suddenly protective.
Scott put up his hands. “I guess nae, but ye definitely did somethin’ to her.”
“Answer a question for me.” Noah paused in thought. He couldn’t stay angry at Scott for long. “How daes one have passion without love?”
Scott shrugged. “Ye cannae.Yecannae, anyway. ‘Tis a gift that I’m afraid ye were nae blessed with. If ye think ye’ll be able to separate yer body and yer heart when it comes to that lass, ye’re goin’ to be in for a rude awakenin’.”
“She makes me… I daenae ken, but I feel somethin’ I havenae felt in years. Nae even Caitlin had me feelin’ this way,” Noah admitted, more to himself than to his friend. “It’s like I cannae breathe without her.”
“One sly clinch with yer wife and ye’re suddenly a poet?” Scott said with a chuckle, as he gave Noah a small shove.
Noah let himself grin. “What can I say? She’s fast becoming my muse.”
Now that he had confessed his affections, Noah felt like the thorn in his heart had receded, pulling away with every move he made to be closer to his wife. The memory of Caitlin McDullogh might’ve caused him to see things on the side of the forest road, but with Saoirse at his side, he was certain that Caitlin and her cruelty would never be able to haunt him again.
CHAPTER18
Noah didn’t attemptto batter down Saoirse’s chamber door that night. She’d have been lying if she’d said she hadn’t wanted him to knock, but therewassomething waiting for her that soothed the disappointment. A note, slipped under the door.
To my wife,
Let us play sweet music again.
Affectionately, your foolish husband.
It was enough to send her contentedly off to sleep, chasing away any of the doubts that had lingered after he’d left the music room so abruptly. In that slumber, she dreamed of him… and they did not stop at the overture they’d already enjoyed. Or, rather, that she’d already enjoyed.
* * *
Having awoken long before dawn to help Leah bake the bread for breakfast, Saoirse felt like she’d already been awake for an entire day, and it was not yet mid-morning. Leah had sent her away, in the end, leaving her with nothing to do.
“Ye’re awfully distracted this mornin’, M’Lady. Maybe, it’s the heat of the kitchens. Ye should take some fresh air,”the cook had urged.
Saoirse was no fool; she knew she was getting in Leah’s way. It was Noah’s fault entirely, as Saoirse couldn’t go more than a few minutes without the memory of the music room and her thrilling dreams of him popping back into her head.
Eventually, her aimless wandering took her to the gardens. There, she searched the flowerbeds and orchards and shady corners for the flowers that Noah had picked for her. She wore a vivid purple bloom in her hair, but she couldn’t find it among the more manicured flowers. It was a wild bloom, and she rather liked the idea of that.
“M'Lady, is that ye?” Scott’s voice drew her gaze away from a patch of roses, beautiful but dangerous with their hidden thorns.
She smiled as he approached. “Have ye forgotten what I look like already, or do ye only ken me in the dark, where ye can frighten me?”
“Och, I just wanted to be sure. It’s fatal for a lad to see a goddess that doesnae want to be seen, and I mistook ye for such a goddess for a moment there.” His eyes glinted with mischief.
Saoirse burst out laughing. “Tell me that doesnae work on any poor lass who ye take a fancy to?”
“Now and then, but rarely.” Scott grinned. “I should’ve kenned ye were too wise to fall for it.”
“And too married,” Saoirse pointed out, not sure if Noah would be too happy about his friend flirting with her.
