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There was no choice here for him to make. Bliss was his wife and carried his child and, most importantly, he loved her like he had never loved before. Standing by the side of the bed staring at Leora made him realize that and made him question the love he had believed he had for her all the more.
She stirred and turned restless, as if in the throes of a bad dream. He thought of Bliss and how frightened he would get when she became lost in a vision. It angered him that all he could do was sit by helpless, unable to do anything but hold her. And it worried him that she would get stuck in a vision when he wasn’t with her, and what then?
Leora’s fitfulness worsened, and he couldn’t stand there and watch her suffer. He sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked her arm.
“Easy, Leora,” he whispered, “you’re safe now.”
She sprang up, startling him and stunned him even more when she threw her arms around him and pressed her body against his. The soft wool nightdress provided only a thin barrier between her abundant breasts and his chest. And guilt washed over him like a tumbling wave. This was not right; he belonged with his wife.
“I’m so frightened, Trey, please hurry into bed and hold me.”
That was not going to happen. Hewould notbetray his wife; hedid notwantto betray his wife. And as much as he wanted to tell Leora that he was wed and intended to remain so, now was not the time.
Just as he was about to ease her away from him, she tilted her head and planted her lips on his.
Bliss gasped, her hand rushing to press against her stomach.
“Are you all right?” Roan asked.
Bliss forced a small smile to her face. “Yes, a sudden vision that startled.” It was the truth, and how could a vision of Leora kissing Trey not startle her?
“Langward will heal?” Roan asked.
“This wound should have been seen to immediately,” Bliss said, wishing her focus could have remained on the vision so that she could have made some sense of it. But the young Pict needed her attention more at the moment, and so she let it go.
Besides, if she believed and trusted their love, she knew that there was nothing for her to worry about. Though what of that separation she had seen? She shook her head; she had no time for this now.
“The others did what they could for him, and once they arrived here, one of the local women cleansed it and did what she could.”
“There is a small piece of the arrow that pierced his arm embedded in his wound. It must be removed for me to heal him properly. You will need to help me, and you will confirm what I already know, that it is a soldier’s arrow that struck him.”
Roan nodded.
“The soldiers attacked the Picts,” she said, already knowing that it was true.
“Aye, they did just as you once predicted.”
Bliss felt the knot in her stomach worsen and worried over the future, for she could not see it clearly. Had fate yet to decide it?
The cottage was small where Roan and she worked on Langward, but at least they had shelter, Roan explaining that Carmag had offered it to the Picts anytime they passed through MacAlpin land. It sat a distance from the village, alone, with no neighbors in sight. A place no doubt frequented by travelers needing shelter for a night.
It didn’t take long to tend Langward’s wound though it did take longer to heal him. She had sensed that the wound had turned poisonous and had seen indications of it while working on him. That meant she would need to spend more time healing him with her hands.
Battling fatigue, she knew her strength was dwindling, so she placed a shield around herself so that no one could disturb her and she could concentrate on healing Langward. She rubbed her hands together and went to work.
Trey had feared that the kiss would flood him with a wave of memories that would cut deep, but it didn’t. Where had the passion gone? It had been there once; he wouldn’t deny that. But not now, and not for either of them—that he strongly sensed, and he didn’t need Bliss’s ability to confirm it.
He eased Leora gently away from him. “You are overwrought from all you have suffered, and, no doubt, your head still pains you.”
“It does,” she said with a sigh that sounded more like relief.
“And there is much for us to discuss.”
“Like when do we wed?”
“That and much more,” he said, not wanting to start any discussion that could lead to tears and disappointment.
She moved away from him to snuggle beneath the blanket. “Remove your garments and join me as you always did.”
