Chapter 19
Sorcha could not believe what was happening. First Liam had found her in the storm and rescued her from certain death, but now he was calling her “love.” She had heard his words to his uncle. He was never going to love her. “Ye dinnae love me,” she said softly, the words breaking her heart.
His brow furrowed. “What are ye talking about, Sorcha? Did ye hit yer head?”
She drew in a breath, the pain in her chest having nothing to do with her recent brush with death. “I heard ye and yer uncle. I heard ye say that ye loved her more than life itself Liam. I heard ye say that there was no room in yer heart for me.” There. She had said it.
Instead of confirming her words, he drew her close, until she could hear his heart.
“Do ye hear that, Sorcha? That is the beat of mah heart for ye. If ye had eavesdropped longer, ye would have heard me tell him that mah heart now belongs tae ye. I will not deny that Nelia held it for much of mah youth, but it will be ye that holds it for mah future.”
She couldn’t believe the words he was spouting. He loved her? “But what about Nelia?” she dared to ask.
He pressed a kiss in her hair. “I will always love Nelia. She was mah first love. But I have lived in the past for far too long, Sorcha. I have nearly missed out on the one who holds mah heart now, and for that I would never be able tae forgive mahself.”
Each word was like a balm to her broken heart, picking up the pieces that she thought would remain permanently broken and stitching them together. He loved her.
“I love ye,” she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck, and holding him close. “I’ve meant tae tell ye before ye left, but I was afraid.”
“That I would not love ye in return?” he asked lightly. “How can I not?”
Sorcha let the tears fall from her eyes at his declaration, crying into his chest. Liam, her husband, her heart, loved her and had come after her. He wanted her in his life, as his future.
It was too much to take in.
“Och lass, dinnae cry,” he soothed, rubbing his hand over her back. “I cannae stand yer tears.”
“I just, I’m so happy,” she sniffled. “I thought I had lost ye.”
He pulled her back, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Ye have taken years off mah life, love. When I saw yer horse, I thought the worst.”
“I was upset,” she answered, a dull blush coming over her cheeks. “I had tae get away and I rode too far. When the storm came up, I couldnae find mah way home.”
Liam tucked her hair behind her ear. “I should have never left ye, and I wilnae be doing so again. Mah days of going with the warriors is over with. I dinnae need anything but ye.”
“Oh, Liam,” she breathed. He leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. “I’ve missed ye so.”
“And I missed ye,” he said, resting his forehead against hers. “I’ve dreamed of ye, lass.”
“I’m with child,” Sorcha blurted out.
Liam lifted his head, a tender smile on his handsome face. “Aye, I know.”
She frowned. “How?”
He chuckled. “’Tis the swell of yer breasts. They are heavy in mah hands. Yer sickness, ’tis morning sickness.” He then kissed the tip of her nose. “And the glow about ye, only lasses that are expecting have that sort of glow.”
Sorcha nibbled on her lower lip. So, she had not been able to keep it from him. “What do ye think?”
Her husband let out a heavy sigh, his expression tightening. “The truth is that I am frightened, Sorcha. I cannae lose ye nor do I want tae lose our bairn.”
She raised her hand and cupped his cheek. She could understand his fears, but she was not Nelia and this was not the same situation. He had suffered a great loss, but they were meant to be happy and she would do everything in her power to give him what he so richly deserved.
“Ye wilnae lose me.”
He gave her a gentle smile, though the fear lingered in his eyes. “I hope not, or I will take yer horse away from ye.”
She laughed, the dismal moment broken for now. “Dinnae dare, Scot! I will ride yers then.”
He pushed against her. “Why dinnae ye ride yer husband instead?”
Sorcha’s entire body heated at the thought. She had missed him in her bed as well, waking more than once from the delicious dreams only to find out that they were nothing more than just dreams. She straddled him, feeling his length press through the layer of his breeks.
“Did ye miss me?”
He pressed a kiss to her neck. “Like the very air I breathe, love.”
Love. She felt it in his words, the way he was holding her so tenderly. Never before had Sorcha felt cherished but in her husband’s arms; she couldn’t possibly imagine another feeling that would be so heartwarming.
When he shifted and pressed her against the stone floor, Sorcha gasped. “Liam,” she said breathlessly. “What are ye doing?”
“I’m loving ye,” he told her, his hand snaking up her shift. “’Tis been more than a week.”
There was no way she was going to deny him that. Sorcha reached for the hem of her shift and pulled it over her head, baring her body to her husband.
The heat in his eyes was her reward, and he undid the laces of his breeks, not pulling them down just yet.
He started at her forehead, pressing his lips against her skin until he reached her aching breasts, cupping them lightly.
“See?” he said as he rubbed his thumbs over her peaks. “They are heavier.”
Sorcha could not speak, urging him silently on. When he reached the center of her body, she froze. “What are ye doing?” she squeaked.
“I’m loving ye Sorcha. Now hush and let me do so.”
And so, he did.
Afterward, Sorcha lay in the circle of her husband’s arms, her body sated and warm. “’Tis looks like the storm is passing,” she said.
“Are ye saying ye dinnae like the cave?” he teased, biting her shoulder lightly.
“’Tis nice,” she sighed. “But I far more enjoy our bedchamber.”
“I agree,” he answered, rising on his elbow to peer down at her. “Did ye really think I couldnae love ye?”
“I dinnae know,” she admitted, tracing his jaw with her finger. “But I was willing tae remain yer wife just in case.”
His eyes crinkled in laughter. “Because ye cannae get enough of mah loving.”
She swatted at his shoulder, happiness overflowing from her heart. “I love ye, Liam McCallum.”
“And I love ye, Sorcha McCallum,” he replied, capturing her hand in his and kissing the back of it. “But I fear we need tae make our way back tae the keep.”
Sorcha nodded and sat up, reaching for her shift. Because of the fire, her clothes were only damp as she put them back on, pulling the laces tight on her bodice.
“Sorcha.”
She turned and found Liam’s gaze on her. “When we wed, I knew it was only for a business arrangement,” he started out, his voice softer than she remembered. “So, I didnae get ye a luckenbooth brooch.”
“Oh, Liam,” she said, “’tis not necessary.”
He held up a small silver brooch. “This was mah mother’s. I didnae even give it tae Nelia. I believe it was because I knew ye would be coming into mah life.”
Tears crowded her eyes as he walked forward, reaching out and pinning it onto her dress. “And when our bairn is born, we will pin it tae their blanket.”
She touched it. “’Tis lovely.” It meant a great deal to her to have his mother’s brooch, knowing that it meant a great deal to him.
“And this.”
Sorcha looked up to see the small ring on the palm of his hand. “This was hers as well. I want ye tae wear it.”
“But I have one,” she answered, showing him the ring he had placed on her hand the day of their union.
“Aye, ye do,” he said, taking her hand. “But this one will be placed with love.”
Her heart stuttered in her chest and he took the ring, sliding it on her other hand before kissing the gold circle. “May ye always know that mah love is true,” he started, giving her hand a squeeze. “And that tae mah dying day, I will love ye.”
Tears slid down her cheeks as she threw herself at him, gathering him close.
“And I will never love another.” Even if years later they parted in death, she would never love another the way she loved him.
He released her and knelt in front of her, a laird kneeling before his lady, and pressed his lips to her stomach.
“And ye will know that yer father loves ye,” he told her stomach. “Just as much as I love yer mother.”
Sorcha placed her hand in Liam’s hair, watching as he caressed her stomach with his large hand. How was it that she had known a great love such as this? All because she took a leap of faith and came to this land, to marry a Scot who had no interest in marrying again.
He rose and they kissed before he doused the fire, and they mounted the horse, riding out into the calm night. The air was cold, but luckily the rain had stopped, and the clouds parted to show the sparkling stars above their heads.
Sorcha leaned back into Liam’s chest and sighed.
“What is it love?” he asked, his chest rumbling with each word.
“I am happy,” she answered, feeling his arm tighten around her waist. “So happy.”
“So am I, love. So am I.”
They met up with the warrior group on the rise overlooking the keep, with a tired-looking Rhynald at the helm. “So ye found her,” he drawled. “And ye look dry.”
“We found a cave,” Sorcha blushed, knowing that the second-in-command knew exactly what they had done.
“Aye, so did we,” he winked. “But I wager yers was far more entertaining.”
Liam laughed. “Come, let’s go home. ’Tis been a long day.”
Sorcha sighed as they rode toward the keep, knowing that her entire life now hinged on this place. Her husband, her happiness, her future children were here. She had searched high and low for a place to belong, and now she had found one.
They were greeted by his uncle and aunt, who hugged them both tightly before ushering them inside to a warm keep with a warm meal on the table. “Sit, eat,” she said, hovering over them. “And we have water waiting in yer chamber.”
Sorcha glanced at her husband, who was giving her the same look, knowing that the tub would hold two people this evening. She never wanted to be apart from him again.
After a good meal, they sent everyone to bed and climbed the stairs to their chamber, finding the tub filled to the brim. “Och, lass,” he sighed as he shut the door behind him. “’Tis good tae be home.”
Sorcha wrapped her arms around his neck. “’Tis good tae have ye home.”
He pulled away, starting at the laces on her dress. “Come now. That is not how ye saw me off a week ago. I want the same performance.”
Sorcha laughed as she tugged on his tunic. “Then I want mah husband naked this time.”
The bathwater grew as cold as the weather outside before they could use it.