Chapter 34
It felt strange to wake in a huge bed surrounded by granite walls—not that it lacked colour; opposite the bed hung a beautiful tapestry—a hunting scene with touches of the dark-red the curtains had been dyed, and Ainsel had but a moment to wonder which of the two came first.
“How are ye feeling?” Rory’s voice came out of greyness in a corner of the room.”
Ainsel pushed up, sitting, her weight supported by her hands, and only a shift lay betwixt her breasts and his gaze, but then he had seen her without aught covering them, if not that first night then the second and third. “I feel much better. I think that holding Axel again helped.”
“That and some decent food inside ye.”
“Aye, that and yer family. I felt nervous that yer family might want to keep my son.”
“Our son,” he muttered and Ainsel nodded in agreement, surprised when he continued with, “What made ye pick me—last year during the Gathering?”
She studied him. The setting sun had limned him in gold frae the dying light outside the narrow window, the way the bonfire had done when she saw him alone, isolated frae the revelry. Had it been his aloneness that attracted her? She had known he was at Caithness, known but hadnae seen, since Nils had denied her any part of the celebration of solstice, including meeting her grandfather’s visitors. “I told ye, at the time, I saw ye standing on yer lonesome and thought ye were a god come down frae Walhalla. Because of that, I decided I would make a sacrifice to ye and hoped the gods would reward me for it.”
“A sacrifice,” he smirked, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I didnae think I was that bad.”
“We both know ye were more than good.”
He moved closer, stood looking down at her frae the end of the bed, which made his reply easy to hear. “I just wanted to hear ye say it. Apart frae that, what reward had ye looked for?”
Ainsel sat forward and dipped her chin. She wasnae ashamed of how she felt, but saying it to the man she still loved was difficult. Aye, she had realised she still loved Rory when they were in the Great Hall and she had watched him with Axel, that and the way his youngest brother and sister, along with the swarm of wee lads and lasses reacted to him. “I wanted them to hurt Nils, the way he was always hurting me.”
“I’m sorry I frightened ye that day. I regret grabbing ye more than I’ve ever regretted aught and, at the same time, ye gave me such a shock—to know that the lass I’d been looking for and the one I’d fallen in love with were one and the same. It felt as if ye had taken my sgian duhb and twisted it in my heart. I would ne’er do it again. I do still love ye.”
“Enough to give me a second chance?” The words came out of her mouth with nae planning or forethought, but when they were out she found she didnae want to take them back.
“Do ye mean that?”
“I wouldnae have said it otherwise, but…” she felt sensible enough not to dive into this head-first, the way she had watched Rory swimming and diving amongst the waves in the Ness. That was the first time she had seen him naked, had set eyes on the body that had driven her wild and tempted to pay Nils back at his own game of being unfaithful as well as hurtful. “I’m not saying I want to get married straight away…”
“We could be hand-fasted, until ye are sure.”
He came out with it so swiftly she knew he felt as desperate as she did but would settle, compromise, to make sure they got it right, for Axel’s sake. “I believe that would be more than satisfactory.” She couldnae hide her smile, her pleasure. Nor did she want to when he climbed up on the bed and pulled her into his arms as she pushed up on her knees eager to meet him. Soon his weight sent her sprawling backward his mouth following her down their tongues tangling, straining as the mattress caught them. Winding her legs around his waist, sighed at the welcoming pressure of the round tip of his erection pressing into her damp folds, demanding entrance.
It felt as if his kiss would ne’er end, she ne’er wanted it to end, then he dragged his mouth away from hers with a groan. “They’re waiting for us in the Great Hall.”
She tightened her grip round his neck and waist, rubbing herself against him. “We can be quick. Ye know we can. Ye dinnae even need to undo yer belt. Just pull up yer plaid and push me down onto ye.” Ainsel hated having to plead, but she hadnae another thought in her head than having him inside her, filling her up like only he could. “I love ye, Rory. Take me up where the gods go afore I have to come back to earth.”
“I ne’er can resist a bonnie lass whau wants to please me, as long as I can pleasure her in return.” He did remove his belt, and plaid, and shirt. Her shift he tore frae neck to hem afore he thrust inside. She had asked for fast, swift thrusts to drive her up to that plain the gods dwelt on until she floated, more lightheaded than she had felt that morning yet safe because she had Rory to hang onto as her womb seemed to gasp and threw them both into Walhalla and, unlike that first time, each crying out the other’s name.
The Great Hall was full. The boards running the length of the Hall already had ale spilt on them as folk juggled bread and meat, elbows jostling. Rory took Ainsel’s hand as they walked into the Hall, taking the straightest route to where his father and mother sat at the high board—the Chieftain and his Lady.
“Here Rory,’ his father called and with a wave of the hand indicated the two places opposite him and Kathryn. “Sitting back to the hall,” he told them, “but it cannae be helped with so many important guests.”
“Ah, well, we are tardy,” he said with a wink at Ainsel that made her blush.”
“Sit down, sit down. Ainsel, what will ye have to drink, lass, wine or ale?”
Rory watched her look at the dark red wine with a slight curl of her lips. “She’d probably rather have her wine watered, but afore we sit down we have something of import to say.”
His mother’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped slightly while Gavyn grinned. “So mayhap we should be getting out the quaish and the Uisge beatha?”
“Nae, not yet.” Rory pulled Ainsel closer to his side and took her hand, slipping his fingers betwixt hers and lifted them to chest height so all could see. “In front of all these witnesses, Ainsel and I would like to say that we have become hand-fasted.”
“I too confirm that this is true,” Ainsel said in clear voice that all at the high board could hear as ale tankards were banged atop the board at the announcement.
His mother was the only one whau appeared disappointment. “Ach, I thought we were about to have a wedding. There’s Axel, my grandson, to consider.”
“Kathryn,” he said in a tone he’d occasionally heard his father use. “Ainsel has only been at Dun Bhuird one day—nae one afternoon. She needs a chance to get used to all of this, us.”
“I’m certain it willnae take o’er long,” Ainsel whispered almost apologetically.
Rory felt a growl ripple up the back of his throat. “It will be as we wish, marriage or nae marriage, Dun Bhuird or Caithness. The choice will ours but I’ll tell ye for naught, whatever happens it will be our decision, Ainsel’s and mine.”
His father had the last word, “Will ye listen to that, Kathryn? I always said Rory took after his mother.” Afore Kathryn could say aught, Gavyn got to his feet and with his hands making wee circles encouraged all at the high board to join him. “I give ye Rory Farquharson, my son, heir, and biggest rebel, and the lass brave enough to take him on.”