Chapter 14
Although her maidservant had made no comment about the fact that Nicholas had been in her bedchamber, Laura knew it would soon be all over the castle.
The fact that the devastatingly handsome Captain of the Guard had been found alone with a single woman within a few feet of her bed was prime fodder for gossip.
Laura knew that Flora, her maid, would take great delight in spreading the news far and wide!
It took a while for her to calm down after her sensual encounter with Nicholas: she could not help herself from reliving the feel of his rough-skinned palms and fingertips as they fondled one of the most sensitive parts of her body.
She shivered as she recalled the feel of his lips on hers, the hunger in his eyes as he looked down at her, the sheer size of him.
He could have had his way with her there and then, but Laura now knew him to be a man of honour and gentleness.
However, like most warriors, he did his best to hide the latter quality to avoid appearing weak to his men.
Had her maid been a few minutes later in arriving, Laura was certain that they would have been in her bed by now and she would be enjoying the ultimate pleasure that she knew only Nicholas could give her.
She had been looking out of the window, lost in thought, but now she turned away and left the room, intending to finish the walk she had started earlier. It seemed that Nicholas had obeyed her wishes, since he was not following her anymore and there was no longer a guard stationed outside her room.
Laura laughed inwardly as she thought that she might no longer object to him being her shadow as long as he took every opportunity to kiss and fondle her as he had just done.
But no, Nicholas Munro had work to do, responsibilities to carry, and those were some of the reasons she loved and respected him so much.
‘Wait till the Aunties hear about this!’ she thought wryly, because she had no doubt that they would know very, very soon; Flora would make sure of it!
As Laura walked out towards the gardens, she heard her name being called and turned to see Charlotte coming towards her with a beaming smile on her face. Laura did not have to guess the reason why, and her suspicion was confirmed a moment later when Charlotte said: “I have good news!”
“Let me guess,” Laura said, smiling at the woman she now considered her friend. “You’re with child.”
“Yes!” Charlotte cried, her face radiant with joy. “I can hardly believe it!” Her eyes were filled with happy tears.
Laura hugged her friend tightly. “Oh, I am so glad for you, Lottie. I cannot think of anyone who deserves it more, or who would be a better mother than you.” Her voice was sincere: she was genuinely overjoyed for both her and Kenneth, the two people who had been so good to her.
“The healer says the baby will come in winter,” Charlotte told her. “Around the beginning of next year. I have just told Kenneth, he is absolutely over the moon.”
“I can imagine,” Laura said, smiling happily. “He is going to be the kind of father any child would be proud of. This is such wonderful news!”
“I have to confess that making a baby is quite enjoyable!” Charlotte said mischievously, giggling. “Was it the same for you?” She turned to look at Laura keenly.
Laura blushed hotly. Charlotte was asking a very personal question, but they were friends, after all. Yet whatever she said would be a lie. “Yes, it was,” she answered, with a forced smile.
“I will need your advice on some things,” Charlotte went on. “You have experience, after all, and I am quite new to all this. It’s quite terrifying.”
“Indeed, it must be,” Laura agreed, trying desperately to think of some way of changing the subject. After all, it might do more harm than good if she gave Charlotte advice on something about which she knew absolutely nothing!
“When will I start to feel the baby kicking?” Charlotte asked eagerly. “Apart from the birth, it is the one thing I am really looking forward to.”
“It is different for everyone,” Laura replied. “I cannot remember when it started for me, it-it was so gradual. Ask Eleanor, she is also a mother.”
“Of course! Let’s go tell the Aunties now,” Charlotte said excitedly.
“They will be in the yard, watching the men training,” Laura said, laughing. “You know how they enjoy looking at handsome muscular men!”
“Indeed I do!” Charlotte agreed. “Honestly, those two are in their fifties but they act as though they were sixteen! And you, Laura,” Charlotte narrowed her eyes at her looking her up and down, “you look happier somehow. Have matters improved between you and Nick?”
“Yes,” Laura replied, smiling. “Since he took responsibility for the baby things have been much better between us, I’m happy to say.”
“Good,” Charlotte said happily. “He is a fine man, Laura, and I know he likes and respects you. In fact, I have never seen him being more attentive to any other woman as he is to you.”
Laura smiled, but said nothing as they moved on, leaving Charlotte to tell her of her happiness and her excitement about telling her mother and father that they were about to become grandparents.
Doubt had crept into Laura’s heart and again she feared what would happen if Nicholas ever discovered the truth.
When they reached the yard, Eleanor and Fenella were seated in their favourite spot, their eyes glued to the action taking place before them as two muscular young guards faced off against each other in a bout of bare-knuckled boxing.
Kenneth and Nicholas were standing behind them, both men discussing the match and occasionally letting out a cheer as a blow was struck. They turned as they heard Charlotte and Laura approaching, and Kenneth’s face broke into a wide beaming smile as he saw his wife.
Immediately he broke away and crossed the distance between them in a few long strides, and he pulled Charlotte into his arms and kissed her tenderly. Then he whispered a few words in her ear and looked into her face with an expression of loving concern.
Charlotte nodded and smiled at him with such love in her face that Laura felt unreasonably jealous. Kenneth looked reassured, then his gaze fell on Nicholas again and he gave him a challenging look.
“We haven’t had a good fight for a while, Nicky boy,” he said. “Time for a match?” He raised his eyebrows in a mischievous enquiry.
Nicholas tilted his chin, squared his shoulders and nodded decisively, then held out his hand to shake Kenneth’s. “Aye, challenge accepted!” he said enthusiastically. “But be warned, big man, I am in good form!”
Kenneth flicked a glance at Laura and raised his eyebrows. “I’m sure you are,” he said. “But not as much as I am!” Then he grinned at Charlotte, who giggled.
Laura and Charlotte sat down beside Eleanor and Fenella, both of whom were enjoying a cup of ale. However, when Fenella started to pour one for Charlotte, she shook her head.
“Not today, Auntie,” she said. “I’m feeling a little under the weather. In fact, I have been sick every morning for the last week.”
Fenella stared at her wide-eyed as the meaning of her words sank in. “Do you mean what I think you mean?” she asked.
“Yes, Auntie,” she replied, beaming. “I am with child, the baby is due in winter.”
Both the older women let out a great cheer before descending on Charlotte in a fierce hug.
“This is wonderful news!” Eleanor cried. “I am so happy for you both!” Then she turned to Fenella. “There are plans to be made!”
Fenella nodded, and Laura and Charlotte looked at each other, laughing. Neither of them was surprised; whatever the occasion, the Aunties always had a scheme of some sort!
Laura took the chance to look at Nicholas. How much longer could she keep up the charade? And would he ever forgive her? Perhaps if he loved her enough until then he might. But she wasn’t so sure…
Kenneth and Nicholas began their bout by circling around each other before Kenneth landed the first blow against his friend’s shoulder. It was so hard and fast that Nicholas staggered backwards and almost fell down, but he managed to right himself.
He noticed that Kenneth was incredibly focused and energetic, as if something had empowered him with extra strength, and his eyes were glowing with determination as he advanced again.
“What’s got into you today?” he asked, frowning as he dodged Kenneth’s swinging fist.
“I have had some good news,” Kenneth replied, grinning as he jumped sideways out of Nicholas’s reach. “I am going to be a father.”
As Kenneth said the words, Nicholas heard a mighty clamour going up from the row of seats where the women were sitting. He looked around to see them hugging, kissing and laughing: obviously Charlotte had just told them the good news.
He was about to turn to speak to Kenneth again, but was stopped by a blow from his fist that sent him staggering sideways. It did not hurt as much as it might have done, since the two men never went out of their way to injure each other, but it stung, nonetheless.
Nicholas groaned and stood rubbing the sore spot on his jaw, reflecting that it was the second blow to his face that he had received in the last few days.
The one Laura had given him had been more painful, despite being delivered by a mere woman!
Then he turned to Kenneth and laughed: he was happy for his friend, but he knew that he had chosen to distract him with the good news just so that he could score a point.
“You mad bastard, Kenny!” he cried. “You did that on purpose, you will pay for it!”
Kenneth let out a bark of scornful laughter. “Go on, big man. Make me!” he yelled.
Nicholas did just that, striking his friend with an uppercut under the chin, then they settled down to some good-natured, although none-too-gentle sparring.
They had been fighting for about twenty minutes when Kenneth called a halt so that they could have a drink. He handed Nicholas a cup of beer and said: “You are going to be an uncle soon, is it not about time you settled things with Laura?”
“Things? What things?” Nicholas asked. He knew exactly what Kenneth meant, but he was playing for time to think of a suitable answer.
“You know what I mean,” Kenneth replied. “You are not a fool, Nick. Even I, a man without any intuition in matters of the heart, can see that Laura has feelings for you. And don’t try to tell me you have none for her, you give it away every time you look at her.”
Nicholas sighed, frowning deeply in confusion. “What if I cannot love her enough?” he asked.
Kenneth narrowed his eyes as he looked at his friend. “She is the mother of your child, Nick,” he said. “It has to be all or nothing. If you cannot give her enough of your love then at least be honest with her.”
Nicholas looked over at Laura, who was now deep in conversation with Eleanor. He watched her for a moment as she laughed at something the older woman said, remembering the feel of her flesh under his fingers, his lips against hers. Gods, how he wanted her!
And love? There would be no problem at all with that—his whole heart belonged to her, and he was suddenly ashamed of his moment of doubt. He turned to his friend again and smiled, and as if he had read Nicholas’s mind, Kenneth smiled back and patted him on the shoulder.
Nicholas turned to watch the other men who were also practising their martial skills, and saw Duncan, the guard he had punched and humiliated a few days before for flirting with Laura.
Before he could let himself change his mind, Nicholas strode across to him and stopped the fight he was engaged in with one of the other men.
Duncan looked at him apprehensively, bracing himself for another dressing-down from his commander. He saluted smartly then stood to attention.
“I broke my own rules the other day,” Nicholas announced, watching Duncan’s face keenly. “I told you not to show off to the ladies then I did so myself. Now I am giving you the chance to even the score.”
Duncan frowned at him, puzzled for a moment. “You mean ye want me tae hit ye, sir?” he asked.
“Aye, lad. Punch me, as hard as you can. It’s yer only chance to hit me,” Nicholas answered, drawing himself up to his full height and squaring his shoulders.
Duncan looked around at his fellow guards, all of whom had paused their bouts to listen to what was being said. They all smiled and cheered encouragingly, urging him to do as Nicholas had ordered.
Nicholas braced himself as Duncan turned to face him then charged towards him, drew back his fist and smashed it against his cheek.
The blow was so hard that for a split second he thought the bone had broken, and the pain was instant and so intense that he gave an ear-splitting yell and stumbled backwards.
He tried in vain to keep his balance, but landed squarely on his backside on the flagstones, causing another bolt of agony to shoot through his body.
Nicholas deserved everything he got, but he wondered how much more punishment his poor face could take!
A moment later Duncan reached down a hand to help his Captain to his feet. He looked apprehensive, as if expecting some censure, but Nicholas gave him a stiff, pain-filled grin.
“Nice going,” he said, patting his shoulder. “Couldn’t have done better myself.”
Duncan looked surprised, but smiled and saluted again. “Are we even now, Sir?” he asked.
Nicholas nodded, and returned the salute. “Aye, we are,” he replied. He held out his hand and they exchanged a firm handshake. Honours were even, but Nicholas had just earned himself an enormous amount of respect from his men.