Chapter Sixteen
Long after Megan had snuggled up against him and fell into a deep sleep Gregory lay on his back, his hands behind his head, and thought about their recent lovemaking. Until he talked to Megan, he didn’t want to make any judgement on what he had begun to believe by her actions and comments.
It had appeared to him that his wife, having been married for almost two years, had never experienced an orgasm. It was true that it had taken him longer to get her ready for him than most lasses, but it hadn’t been impossible.
Was it that Robert did not have the patience to prepare his wife properly?
Is that why she thought it would hurt? It was true that he hadn’t seen much of the man over the years since they’d trained together, but it would never occur to him that a man who was so active with the lasses when he knew him would be so neglectful of his own wife.
It took some time, but eventually he fell asleep with the questions still on his mind.
*
Megan awoke with a smile on her face and for a moment didn’t know why. Then she felt an arm, a very strong arm, covered with wiry hair, wrapped around her middle, pulling her snug to warm, muscled flesh.
Her husband.
She smiled again. Last night’s bed activities were nothing like the ones she shared with Robert. When they were first married, he had been gentle, but after a couple of weeks he told her she was lacking something that other women had.
She’d tried to find out what she was missing, and after a few months of nothing changing, and bed activities still hurting, she’d worked up the nerve to speak with one of the kitchen lasses who seemed to enjoy the lads very much.
She said that since Megan had not produced a bairn, she was probably barren which could prevent her from enjoying the marriage bed.
So, barren women did not enjoy the marriage bed, and whatever dislike she’d developed for the activity rested with her inability to conceive a bairn.
After her night with Gregory, she was very confused and if it was not such an embarrassing matter, she would ask him about it.
Not having had a mam growing up, mayhap she would talk to the midwife here and see if she thought the same thing as the kitchen lass.
She had been reluctant to speak with the midwife at Sinclair Castle Girnigoe because ’twas her husband’s home and she felt uncomfortable speaking with her.
Emma, the Mackenzie clan healer, however, was young and easy to speak with. Maybe she would seek her out and see if she could explain why she had a problem with Robert, but not Gregory.
She became distracted by something soft and moist nibbling on her neck. She grinned and turned to face her husband. “What are ye doing?”
“Bed activity is sometimes better in the morning.” He continued to nuzzle her and his hand lowered to her breast and squeezed. “Ach, lass, ye have such perfect breasts.”
She closed her eyes as warm feelings swept through her. “That feels good.”
“’Tis happy I am to hear that since I doona intend to stop.”
And he didn’t stop. His hand left her breast and ran over her back to her bottom where he squeezed. “And yer arse is perfect, too.”
She could feel the heat rise from her middle to her face. In a moment of daring, she slowly slid her hand down to wrap it around his male part, which she was surprised to find already hard.
“Aye, mo chridhe, keep doing that, it feels good.”
Happy that she could do something that made him feel good since he’d done so much for her the night before, she continued to squeeze and slide her hand up and down.
Shortly, he put his hand over hers. “Ye better stop now or I won’t have time to get ye ready for me.”
Confused by his words, she shifted as his fingers once again moved to her woman’s part. “Aye. I like that.”
“Good, because I intend to do this until ye scream my name as ye come apart in my arms.”
Whatever that meant, she was happy when he did similar things to her that he’d done the night before. She could get used to such things.
*
Megan’s nose led her to the kitchen where the cook was busy removing loaves of bread from the oven.
The woman grinned at her as she wiped her hands on a kitchen cloth. “How is the new bride this morning?”
Her question had the heat rising again from Megan’s middle to her face.
The woman continued to study her. “Such a bonnie lass. Yer Gregory must be quite pleased.”
To remove the attention from herself, she said, “I ken we are late to break our fast, but is it possible to get some food for us?”
“Of course. I ken Gregory will be training in the lists all day so he needs food. I will send in some porridge, oatcakes and ale for the two of ye to the great hall.”
“Thank ye,” Megan said and returned to the great hall where Gregory was waiting for her.
He was sitting at one of the tables with Daniel, the Mackenzie laird. From the short time she’d been at Castle Leod, she’d heard the story of how Beth Mackenzie had been thrown into the dungeon by a woman who’d wanted Daniel to marry her daughter instead.
Meanwhile Daniel had been frantically looking for Beth and had the entire castle searching as well.
It sounded like a very scary experience, but Beth was a sweet woman who welcomed her. Megan was very grateful for the lovely wedding Beth put together for her and Gregory.
“Good morning, Megan,” Daniel said. “I was just discussing yer husband’s role now that he’s a married man.”
She was quite surprised by the laird’s statement since Anthony would never speak with a woman about what he was planning.
Did the laird know it had been an understanding between her and Gregory that he was marrying her out of duty and once the deed was done, he would go his way and she would go hers? Had Gregory not told him?
She had definitely changed her mind since then, and the thought of Gregory riding off and being gone for weeks, or even months, brought a heavy feeling to her stomach.
Before Daniel spoke again, a lass from the kitchen walked up to them and placed food on the table for her and Gregory. As they ate, Daniel spoke.
“We have problems with our borders, which all clans have. Reivers are expected, but when it gets too out of hand, we have to send men there.”
Megan nodded as she ate, struggling to keep her food down as she waited for Daniel to tell her Gregory would be leaving soon to take care of this border problem. She braced herself for the news.
“Gregory will remain here. At least for a while, so he can see ye settled in. I hate to separate newly married couples, so for now my other second-in-command, Evan Mackenzie, will lead the men to the border.”
Tears immediately flooded her eyes. She blinked quickly so no one at the table would believe she was such a weak lass. She was shocked at the laird’s words. He would allow changes in his assignments to give them time together?
Anthony would never allow such a thing.
*
Even though Megan seemed quite surprised by Daniel’s words, he wasn’t. His cousin was a kind, caring man, but would deny such a title even if held to sword at his neck.
Despite their initial agreement to marry and go their own way, he was reluctant to leave Megan. He glanced over at his wife when Daniel spoke and saw the tension on her face until the laird told her of his plans.
Then she seemed quite relieved and even grinned after blinking away her tears.
He wasn’t sure what that meant, but since this was a new home for her, she was probably glad to have at least one person in the keep that she knew.
She knows Beth and Daniel.
He blew out a breath of annoyance. So then now she knew three people.
Beth turned to Megan. “I could use help here at the keep. ’Tis a big place and at the end of the day I never feel that I finished all my tasks.”
Megan nodded and swallowed her food. “Aye, my lady, I would love to help ye.”
Beth smiled and placed her hand over Megan’s. “Nay, lass, no ‘my lady,’ please call me Beth.”
“Aye. Thank ye, my lad…” Megan grinned.
Daniel turned to Gregory and stood. “When ye’re finished with yer meal, join me in my solar. Evan is at the list already, but I will summon him to join us.”
Beth nodded at them and hurried off in the direction of the kitchen after being summoned by a lass. As the laird strode off, Gregory pushed his plate away and looked at Megan. “Are ye happy to work with Beth? She is a verra nice lass.”
His wife smiled. “Aye. She is a wonderful woman. I am only too happy to help her.”
Gregory cupped her chin in his hand. “Are ye happy I’m staying, even though that goes against what we agreed on at the beginning?”
Megan nodded. “Aye. ’Twill be more comfortable until I can settle in.”
The redness that crawled up her face told him that might not be the only reason, but he wouldn’t embarrass her by suggesting that.
He stood and kissed her on the top of her head. “I am off to meet with the laird.”