Chapter Eleven
They arrived in Aberdeen late that evening. Maisy was nearly swaying with exhaustion as the carriages were loaded to take them up the coast to Kesson Castle.
She looked for her husband to find him unloading their trunks himself. She was not na?ve enough to think there weren’t plenty of men on that ship who could have seen to their luggage.
It was clear, her husband was avoiding her.
She’d not thought him a coward, but the way he’d managed to evade her the rest of the day after she’d raised a topic he clearly wasn’t comfortable discussing, proved otherwise.
She’d only wanted to know what to expect. After their kiss the night before, she’d waited in his bed for him to come to their room. She’d hoped to have a proper night with her husband, but he’d not come to her.
“Capt’n says you and Jack are to ride ahead. He will settle The Rue out from the docks and be along shortly,” Hodge said.
“Please tell my husband, I am happy to wait for him to join us.” She tried to sound stern but yawned.
“Ye are a stubborn one. He’d have his hands full with you,” Hodge said. She might have been offended, but she could tell by the humor in the older man’s eyes he’d meant no disrespect. And, at the moment at least, she was being stubborn.
“Very well,” she agreed. “I’ll go. I’m not one to force my company on someone when it is obviously not wanted.”
“Things are not always as they seem,” the man said more to himself this time. She didn’t have the strength to explore what he’d meant. The earl didn’t want her. She was not a wave throwing herself upon the shore over and over.
Perhaps the Captain wouldn’t even come to Kesson. For all she knew, he might have changed his mind about overseeing the repairs, and simply turn around and leave them there without a care.
Even Jack lacked his usual energy to see where they were going.
Perhaps it was because it seemed so dim after how big the moon had been the night before.
There was nothing for them to see out the windows except for trees.
Eventually the sound of the carriage wheels shifted to gravel and the conveyance slowed before coming to a full stop.
The doors were opened and there was the castle. With torches lit on the walls, and the light from the moon, she was able to get a feel for its size just as a formidable woman bustled closer.
“Good eve, to ye Lady Kesson. I am pleased you’ve arrived safely. This must be Lord Jack. I’m Mrs. Sutherland.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Sutherland. I’m afraid a tour of the castle will have to wait until morning. My brother and I look only for our beds.”
Jack gave her arm a tug and signed to her.
“Apologies. My brother could also use a bit of food.” She should have warned the woman that her brother would always need a bit a food no matter the time of day or night, but the housekeeper would find out soon enough.
“I’ll have something sent up to your room,” Mrs. Sutherland said, and Jack nodded having been able to understand her.
Maisy’s room was well appointed with a sitting room and a large bed.
The windows faced the ocean. She could see the much smaller moon glimmer in the water.
The seat there would no doubt offer a lovely view of the sea in the daylight.
She promised herself she would never spend a moment sitting there looking for a ship with yellow flowers painted on the hull to return.
She would go on about her life as she wished and be glad for it.
Maisy was settled in her bed, when she heard voices and a few thumps coming from the room adjoining hers.
Her husband must have decided to see to the castle after all.
She shook her head at her uncharitable thoughts. Her anger with Iain was unwarranted. He’d been an honorable man. He’d kept his promises. She could not ask him for more. Kissing had been a bonus, not part of their arrangement.
Since her debut, she’d been waiting for some unnamed man to want her. She’d not spend another minute waiting for a man. She’d live her life. And Captain Iain Douglas was free to live his.
She closed her eyes and tried to think of other things, but everything seemed uncomfortably quiet and much too still. She’d only spent a few nights on a ship and already she missed the soft echo of the waves against the ship and the gentle sway of the sea.
How did Iain manage it after years of sailing? Was that the reason he didn’t plan to stay very long?
It didn’t matter. He was free to do what he wanted. She’d not try to stop him from leaving.
But it seemed there was something she needed before he left.
It was time to renegotiate their arrangement.
Iain tossed once again on his huge bed. When he’d first set eyes upon the monstrosity taking up one whole wall of the room, he’d laughed. Only an earl with an over-indulgent sense of worth would need a bed so large to rest his enormous head.
Now, though, he was grateful for the extra space for it gave him plenty of room to flop about in his unsuccessful quest for sleep.
He could blame many things on his restlessness. It was too quiet. Too still.
He’d opened the window so he might hear the waves and smell the ocean, but the night air was chilled. It made him recall the coolness of the night before when he’d offered his coat to Maisy.
Then he’d kissed her.
Thinking of their kiss was possibly the biggest reason he couldn’t sleep. The kiss and their conversation earlier in the day. When she’d hinted at taking a lover.
Another toss, and an unnecessarily hard punch to his pillow.
He settled again and squinted his eyes closed as tight as possible. As if he’d be able to sleep through sheer force of will.
His eyes were still closed when he heard a click and then soft footsteps.
He opened his eyes and there, in the moonlight coming through the open window, he saw what he first thought was a ghost. A specter would have been a more fathomable explanation than that Maisy had come into his room wearing only her shift.
But it was not an apparition.
He sat up and tossed the covers aside in his hurry to get to her. Something must be wrong if she would come here so late, but looking down at his nakedness, he pulled the blanket back to cover himself.
“Is something the matter?” he asked.
She came closer and shook her head. The light coming through the open window cast her thin garment to nothing. The night air pulled her nipples to tight buds he’d gladly give his ship to taste.
“There’s no danger or injury, but yes something is the matter.”
“What is it?” he asked as he looked to the chair next to his bed. It would have been too much to hope Hodge had left a robe nearby. Not Iain’s because he didn’t own such a garment, but surely the earl would have left one behind?
Maisy began pacing, looking at him through sidelong glances.
“I am not able to sleep. It is so quiet here and… still.”
He couldn’t help but smile.
“I understand too well. But you will get used to it again in time.”
“I’m sure I will get used to a great many things in the near future. It is only…”
He waited, allowing her a moment to gather her thoughts. Why did he feel so eager to hear them?
She cleared her throat and stood straighter.
“By law, a marriage is not considered binding until it is consummated. And while we both agreed this union was in name only, I have concerns. About the legality of our agreement. What if someone were to challenge the validity of our marriage while you are away? Jack and I could be turned out.”
Again he wanted to go to her, to comfort her worries.
“I assure you, no one will challenge anything. And even if they did, no one knows what has happened in our bed but us.” She was a smart woman, she wouldn’t openly tell everyone they’d not lain together. Unless… was she using this as a reason for them to solidify their marriage vows?
“That’s just it. I know,” she all but shouted.
“I know it’s not real. And I understand.
A man of the world, such as yourself, would not be interested in an awkward spinster.
But I once had dreams of romance and passion, and while I left many of those silly thoughts behind, I do still wish to know a man’s touch in that way. ”
This time he didn’t think about scandalizing her. He flung the linens aside and stood to go to her. She looked toward him, then gasped. He worried for a moment he’d scared her.
“Caroline has surely deceived me,” she muttered.
“Pardon?” He’d heard her clearly, but didn’t understand her meaning.
She was staring at him. Or at least one specific part of him. The part that grew harder and lunged like a proud peacock. He worried for a moment she’d been stunned into a statue, but then she answered.
“My friend Caroline, Lady Harding that is, assured me the first time I saw a man’s member I might worry it would not fit into my body. She said it would. But perhaps Lord Harding is not of a size? He is much older and rather soft in the middle, maybe that is why—”
“Might we stop talking about Lord Harding?” He stepped closer and rested a hand on her arm, hoping his touch might calm her some. That didn’t seem to work. A tremor seemed to go through her.
She was probably cold. No, she was definitely cold. He once again looked at the tight buds of her nipples poking through the thin silk of her nightgown.
His cock pulsed again, catching her attention.
“The window.” He turned from her and went to close it so she would be more comfortable.
When he turned he saw her taking in yet a different part of his body. He realized then she hadn’t trembled from the cold and her nipples weren’t hard just from the chill air.
“You’re wrong,” he said as he looked her over. Her hair falling over her shoulders like dark curtains against her pail skin and gown. “I am more than interested in you.”
She was lovely, her body lush, and he’d not been with a woman in some time.
But that was not what drew him to her. She was not just a frilly lady of the ton.
She was a sensible lass, who did what was needed to save her brother.
How many other women would have simply married the most suitable gentleman without another thought?
His wife was loyal. He realized now, she would be unlikely to take a lover. This was her chance. She was asking him to be her lover.
And damn if he’d let her down.