Chapter 9 #2
“And no other will ever touch you but me,” he said and softened the grip at the back of her head as he kissed her again, his hunger tempered. He ended the kiss abruptly again and turned his head. “You better pray this interruption is important.”
Heather looked to see Pitt standing there. She had not heard him approach, but then she had been too occupied with his kiss to hear anything.
“Your uncle awaits you in the Great Hall.”
“I will be there shortly,” Rhys said and turned to his wife.
She slipped out of his arms. “We must hurry. We do not want to keep your uncle waiting and I am eager to hear news of my family.” A strong tug to her arm stopped her abruptly.
“He is not here to see you.”
“But surely, he will expect to see me if only to share news of my family. You would not deprive me of that, would you?”
“What possible news could there be with you gone barely two days?”
“There is my da’s illness and Emma’s pregnancy and with Patience’s impatience there is no telling what she has gotten herself into. And there is the summer harvest that needs to be prepared for winter and—”
“Enough!” Rhys said with his hand raised. “I will grant you a few moments with him and then you will leave us.”
He started walking and she hurried to keep step with him.
* * *
Rhys spotted the look of relief on his uncle Ewan’s face when he saw Heather. This was more than a visit to speak with his nephew. It was to see how Heather was faring.
“It is good to see you looking well, Heather,” Ewan said, having stood as the couple approached the table.
“I am quite well, thank you, and adapting nicely to my marriage,” Heather said with a smile. She was aware that Ewan would report all he saw to her sisters, and she did not want them worrying about her. There were far too many other important things to concern themselves with.
“Your sisters send their regards and hope to visit soon,” Ewan said with a glance to his nephew.
But it was Heather who answered. “Please tell them I look forward to their visit and will send an invite as soon as I settle in here.”
Rhys admired his wife’s intelligence and love for her family. She made it clear that her sisters were not to visit until she sent word and she did that not to obey his command, but to protect her family. She no doubt feared they could possibly be attacked as she had been on her journey here.
“I am sure they will be pleased to hear that,” Ewan said, the news seeming to please him as well.
“Please sit and tell me how my father is faring and how my sister Emma is feeling.” Heather summoned Nessa with a wave and instructed that more food and drink be brought. “And how is Patience.”
That brought a laugh from Ewan. “She prepares to rescue you if necessary.”
Heather smiled. “She would do that, but then I would do the same for her. Please make it clear that I am not in need of rescuing and that I am quite safe with my husband.”
“That will be a message I will gladly deliver,” Ewan said.
Conversation flowed as easily and steadily as the wine and after Heather learned what she wished about her family, she stood.
“I will leave you gentlemen now so that you may discuss the matters of men. I am also pleased that my husband will be able to deliver an important message for my family to you in person instead of sending a messenger. Do take care, and I am sure we will see each other again soon.”
“They say Emma is the most intelligent of the three Macinnes sisters, but I believe it is Heather,” Ewan said as he watched her leave the room.
“Is that because you are just realizing she got more information out of you than you intended to share?” Rhys said a smile stirring, though it did not reach his lips.
“And that she made certain I know that she was well aware of this important news.” Ewan turned to his nephew. “Does this mean you trust her enough to tell her who attacked your troop on the way here?”
“You received my message.”
“I did and I did not share it with anyone as you ordered. Did you tell her?”
Rhys shook his head. “There is enough for her to think on. I will not burden her further.”
“Heather is a strong woman and would not shy away from burdens.”
“You are right about that, but I am her husband now and will carry the burdens,” Rhys said.
“I doubt she will let you carry them alone, no matter what you command.”
“Enough about my wife, did you know that Rab and McDolan are not far from the Macinnes keep?”
Ewan shook his head. “I did not. Macinnes will not be happy with this news, and I do not see Patience agreeing to surrender Saundra to her husband. I myself would not want to. Rab means to see her dead.”
“So, I learned. I think little matters to McDolan and McLaud except their unquenchable hunger for power. Greer will not tolerate that his brother’s marriage to Patience and mine to Heather align Hunter more closely with the Dark Dragon than with Greer himself.
And no doubt Hew McDolan will be disappointed as well, for Greer and his plans would be for naught. ”
“That could prove dangerous, for I do not see either man accepting defeat easily. Greer planned the immediate demise of Hunter after he wed Patience and he intended to blame it on the Clan Macinnes. When that did not work, his wife’s dead body was found on Macinnes land.
And no doubt he intends to ask me, the Dark Dragon’s uncle, for your help in his revenge on the Macinnes for supposedly killing his wife.
When he learns that that is no longer possible, I do not know what he will do, but he will do something. ”
“I hope he does. It will give me a good reason to take his life and be done with him.”