Chapter 21
Eileen could feel every detail of Archer’s hand: the calluses on his fingertips and palm from wielding weapons, the firmness of his grip, the creases in his skin, the individual bones beneath, and the warmth coursing through it.
She had thought briefly of her brother fighting O’Gunn’s men, but her mind had quickly turned to Archer. She’d not seen him fight hand to hand, but she’d tussled with him in bed naked and knew he could take care of himself. With his physique and rage, she didn’t doubt his prowess.
The more she thought of him like that, the more wetness pooled between her legs. If it were not for her brother lying on death’s door down the passageway, she’d have begged Archer to take her to his chambers or any free chamber and make her feel how he had the previous evening.
She rubbed her thumb on his palm as they walked back to the healer’s chambers.
“Thank ye for takin’ me to the council chambers with ye. I ken I’m nae really the lady of the castle, and ye have nay reason to trust me, but I appreciate—” she started.
“I have many reasons to trust ye,” Archer interrupted. “Ye’ve shown me nothing but loyalty and steadfastness. And I ken ye willnae be the real lady of the castle, but ye make a fine addition while ye are here.”
Eileen preened at his compliments, but she couldn’t ignore the pang of sadness in her chest. “Ye’ll have to take a wife eventually, will ye nae?”
They stopped outside the healer’s chambers.
“Is that ye beggin’ me to marry ye?” Archer asked.
“All jestin’ aside,” Eileen scolded. “Ye cannae live alone for the rest of yer life. I’m nae sayin’ that ye should marry me. I’m only wonderin’ why have me pretend to be betrothed to ye when ye could easily wed someone else. Many lasses would gladly marry ye and do as ye tell them.”
“Aye, ye’re probably right,” Archer relented. “I dinnae want a wife, so this is easier.”
“Why?” Eileen asked, curious. “Why do ye nae want a wife?”
“Are ye always so dogged?” Archer frowned. “Ye’re pretendin’ to be me betrothed, and yet ye’re askin’ when I’m takin’ a wife.”
“I see the sadness in ye,” Eileen noted.
“Do ye?” Archer asked, letting go of her hand. “Ye ken everythin’ all of a sudden?”
“I didnae say that,” Eileen protested.
“Well, it sure sounded like it,” Archer hissed, trying to keep his voice down in the hallway. “It’s none of yer business what I do, so let’s leave it at that.”
His jaw was tight, his hands balled into fists.
Eileen knew he would never hit her, but she wouldn’t stoke the fire raging within him. He was right; it wasn’t her place to question what he did.
“I didnae mean anythin’ by it,” she claimed. “Ye’ve made the best decisions for me and me family since I’ve been here, and I cannae ask for anything more. I was only wonderin’, but yer business is yer business. Let’s see how Reid is farin’.”
She pushed the door open and stepped inside to find Reid asleep and the healer sitting by the bed with her book. Her brother was no longer wheezing, but he still slept fitfully and winced every time he moved. A little color had returned to his cheeks, but he was still deathly pale.
A sleeping ghost.
“How’s he doin’?” she asked as she approached the bed.
“Better, Me Lady,” the healer answered. “He’s made it through the night.”
Her eyes drifted toward the window, and Eileen followed her gaze. The sky outside was more purple than black, the stars disappearing with the oncoming dawn. Soon, the sun would rise above the horizon and bathe the castle in a gold glow.
“He’s far from bein’ out of the woods,” the healer continued, “but it’s a good sign. I thought we’d lost him at some point, but he’s a strong one.”
“Aye, he is,” Eileen agreed. “I’ll sit with him for some time. Ye should go and rest.”
The healer raised an eyebrow. “Are ye sure?”
“Aye.” Eileen nodded. “Go to sleep, and I’ll call ye if he wakes up.”
“Thank ye, Me Lady.”
“I’m nae—Aye, ye’re welcome,” she mumbled.
The healer closed her book and got up from the chair. Eileen took her seat, still warm. She looked down at her brother.
He’d always protected her, but it was her turn to protect him. She’d watch over him as the morning dawned, and then for as long as needed.
“Ye fought valiantly, by the sounds of it, Reid,” she whispered. “But ye have to keep fightin’. Come back to me so we can go home.”
Eileen sniffed and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. She looked at her brother’s scarred face. He’d suffered enough already, and now he’d suffered again because of her. She would get him home safely if it were the last thing she did.
She furrowed her brow and glanced over her shoulder to see Archer sitting in the chair they’d slept in.
She felt an echo of pleasure as the warmth of his body came to her mind, but her frustration returned.
She was annoyed at him for being so closed off when she was genuinely concerned about him.
He didn’t need to snap at her like that.
“What are ye doin’ there?” she asked.
“It’s me castle, I can go wherever I please.”
“Ye ken what I mean.”
“I want to ensure Reid’s safety as much as ye do. He was comin’ to speak to me about O’Gunn’s proposal and was kidnapped for it. I want to ken if he remembers anythin’ after his time in the castle. I’m here to make sure that nothin’ happens to him.”
“Aye, so that’s it,” Eileen said. “Ye want to watch over him so ye get information when he wakes up.”
“Aye, I want that, but I’m also here to make sure ye’re all right.
Reid’s a fighter. It’s easy to see where ye get that from.
I dinnae want ye gettin’ hurt either, and if ye’re close to Reid, there’s still a chance of that happenin’.
Yer stubbornness might also cause ye some injury if ye keep pushin’ yerself so hard. ”
Eileen shook her head at his ribbing, but inside, she felt warmth blossom like bluebells when the snow melts and the ground thaws.
Archer was guarded, but she saw through his words. He was there to protect her as much as he was there to get information from Reid. He could have posted guards at the bedside, but he wanted to be close to her—she was sure of it.
“Aye, me braither has always been a fighter,” she said. “When I was old enough to walk, I remember toddlin’ out into the castle grounds and watchin’ him stick his sword into straw dummies or fire arrows at targets. He might have taught me to fight if we didnae fight and argue so much.”
“I cannae imagine that,” Archer joked. “Ye fightin’ with someone else.”
Eileen stuck out her tongue this time. “I’ll admit, he was a lot like ye when he was younger.”
“Aye?” Archer raised an eyebrow.
“Aye, me braither was an utter rake. That was somethin’ we argued about a lot. He also liked to tease me a lot, just like someone else.”
“Ye said he used to be a rake,” Archer stated. “He’s nae anymore?”
“Nay,” Eileen mumbled sadly. “He was attacked and left scarred, and since then, he’s been…
different. He was very charming before the attack—handsome, too.
The ladies loved him. Again, somethin’ ye have in common.
After he was scarred in a fight, he became colder, more reserved, stoic.
He’s still fiercely loyal, and I love him more than anyone in the world, but I want some of the old Reid back.
I dinnae ken how to get that. He’s always fightin’ as if he’s tryin’ to prove himself. ”
“And he has proven himself,” Archer affirmed. “Nay man should have to live scarred like he was and like he will be, but there’s more to life than just women.”
“Aye?” Eileen was surprised to hear that from him.
“Yer braither was scarred. All it took for me to stop bein’ a rake was havin’ ye come to me castle.”
“Aye.” Eileen smiled sadly. “And when I go, ye can go back to that life.”
“Aye,” Archer said quietly.
Eileen looked back at her brother. She could feel Archer wanting to tell her more, but she wouldn’t push it like last time. If he wanted to speak about how he felt, she would not pressure him, even though time was running out. As soon as Reid was well enough, they would both go back home.
After some silence, she asked, “What more is there to life than women?”
“What?”
“Ye said there was more to life than women,” Eileen repeated. “I want to ken what that is.”
“I was talkin’ about family,” Archer told her.
“Yer braither obviously cares about ye, and he put his life on the line to find out what O’Gunn was plottin’—I would have sent him back, actually.
He obviously cares about ye a lot. Maybe he feels ashamed of the scars or gets looks from women and men alike, but he finds purpose in his family. That’s all I meant.”
“And ye?” Eileen asked. “Is family more important to ye than women?”
“Of course,” Archer replied.
Eileen was expecting that answer, but not so promptly. She thought he might make a small joke before giving a straight answer, but he was extremely forthcoming. She stared at him in the dawning light and realized it was the truth.
“I love me maither and sister far more than any woman who’s ever shared me bed. None of them hold a candle to me family.”
“As it should be,” Eileen allowed.
“Aye, as it should be,” Archer echoed. “I still must teach ye to fight with a dirk, however. Yer braither would have meant well with wantin’ to teach ye how to fight, but I assume ye annoyed him too much when ye were kids. Nae many men can take a stubborn and challengin’ woman like ye.”
Eileen almost choked on her giggle. “Aye, is that so? Ye can handle me just fine, but other men cannae?”
“I think I’ve proven that, and if ye find me a man who can put up with ye for more than a couple of days, then I’d call ye a liar.”
“I assumed ye’d come in here to comfort me, but ye’ve come in here to make jokes. Aye, ye should teach me to fight, as there’s someone who needs to be put in their place.”
Archer laughed. “The offer stands. Afore ye leave for home, I’ll teach ye how to wield the dagger.”
“All right,” Eileen said, rising to the challenge. “I’ll take ye up on that.”
Archer nodded and smiled.
Eileen turned to her brother again, monitoring the rise and fall of his chest.
“We grew closer when we grew up,” she continued. “He and I are the only ones of our siblings who arenae married. I dinnae ken if he’ll ever marry, but I hope he does. He’d make a good husband and faither.”
“And ye?” Archer asked.
“I wouldnae make a very good husband and faither,” Eileen drawled.
Another chuckled. “I’m serious. Ye must have plenty of suitors.”
Eileen thought about it. “Bein’ the youngest, there has never been a rush for me to wed, and I think Maither likes havin’ me home now that Faither has passed.
But aye, she’ll want me to get married sometime.
” She took a couple of deep breaths. “I willnae be marryin’ O’Gunn, that’s for sure. Nae after what he did.”
“Nay, stay away from the man,” Archer agreed.
“He’s lonely,” Eileen said.
“Reid?”
“Aye.” She swallowed. “I see it in his eyes often. I saw it when we got the message from O’Gunn.
I ken I’ll have to wed, and I ken Reid will lose me to another man.
He will never admit it, but I see it. He told me how grateful he was to have me by his side, and I feel the same about him, but he needs someone who can be with him. ”
“And ye need someone who can be with ye,” Archer said.
Eileen didn’t reply. She sat in her chair for a while, watching her brother. She silently prayed for him to find comfort with someone, for him not to have to fight so hard anymore.
After a while, she got up and walked over to Archer. He opened his arms wide, and she sat back down on his lap, his warmth enveloping her once more.
She wouldn’t sleep in his arms this time, but she needed to feel that the world was not so grim, and for a while, her entire world was contained by him.
Archer kissed her on the temple and rubbed her upper arm as she rested her head back on his shoulder. She watched as the sky turned from purple to blue, feeling as if she’d escaped the world for a moment.
She felt safe with the Laird, and she hoped Reid would feel safe again when he woke up.
“Thank ye,” she whispered as her body grew lax.
“Ye dinnae need to thank me. I’d have gone after him whether ye—”
“Nay, nae for savin’ Reid. I mean, I’m thankful for that, of course. I want to thank ye for makin’ me feel like everythin’ is going to be all right. With so much goin’ on since I arrived here, ye make me feel safe, grounded.”
“Ye’re welcome,” Archer murmured. “Ye make me feel things, too, Lady Eileen.”
“Och, I do?” Eileen teased with a smile. “I think I can feel one of the things ye’re feelin’.” She shifted on his lap, rubbing herself against him.
Before she could tease him some more, the door opened with a quiet creak. Calum entered the room, looking first at Reid’s sleeping form and then at them.
“Me Laird,” he greeted. “Mack’s in the dungeons.”
Archer nodded.
“And there’s somethin’ else that needs yer attention. We just received a message from Laird O’Gunn.”