toes through the woolen bedcover. Her hair was freshly washed, the scent of her soap a welcome fragrance. A whiff of floral herbs wafted from the hearth, a trick that told her Morag was near, caring for her.
But where was the one person she wanted to see most?
“Finn?” Her throat cracked on a dry note, making Inna jump, Morag hurry over.
And Finn Mac Néill rose like mountain from a chair beside the door.
She could not have held back the smile that came from deep within. Her brain told her that Inna and Morag clucked and chattered, asking questions about her health and her appetite. But she couldn’t seem to think about anything except the man who had saved her.
The man who had come to mean so much to her in such a short amount of time.
“Leave us.” Finn’s command was quickly obeyed, though Violet noticed he did not need to shout it the way her father would have.
The thought of her surly sire sent a prickle of worry down her spine.
“My da would not approve of us being alone… .”
Did she hear smothered feminine laughter as Inna and Morag departed the chamber? But that was not possible when all of Caladan feared the earl’s temper and dark moods.
“He is well accustomed to me being alone with you,” Finn assured her, taking a seat beside her on the bed.
Edging back against a pile of pillows, Violet raised herself to sit. The kitten, she noticed, had not been banished with the others and continued to hop about and chase its tail.
“I do not understand.”
“You remember what happened?” He stroked her cheek with a gentle hand.
It amazed her that a man of his size and strength could treat her with such tenderness. Would he continue thus now that he’d captured his brother’s killer?
“Aye. John Miller poisoned your brother.” She had dreamed about it while she’d recovered, piecing together the bits she knew of Finn to try to understand how he’d known to find the man at Caladan. “I’m sorry you lost your kin.”
She had never been fortunate enough to have a sibling, but she imagined the pain of losing a brother would be devastating. It was amazing how quickly her heart had become entwined with this man’s. His pain was her pain.
“Your father has brought the man to justice. His mind was far more twisted than his leg. He worked to create deadly poisons so that he could one day return to Caladan and take vengeance on your sire.” He shook his head. “Apparently, he only came across Fergus by accident, and my brother was thirsty after a strenuous hunt. He asked Miller for a drink, not knowing the container carried a foul brew. Miller grew scared when Fergus began to suspect the drink was tainted. When Fergus accused him of sorcery, Miller stabbed him.”
Violet’s heart ached for Finn. She squeezed his hand.
“But Fergus is avenged,” Finn said, clearing his throat. “Miller will harm no one else. You needn’t worry about him.”
He lifted a lock of hair from her shoulder and twined it about his finger, a gesture she recalled from other times together. A touch that made her toes curl beneath the blanket, made her long to climb back in those strong arms—arms that had saved her earlier.
Before she could thank him for saving her from such a deadly menace, Finn continued.
“Do you recall what happened before the outcast arrived at the mill?”
Warmth suffused her skin, making her aware of the thin night rail she wore. Precious little linen separated her from her handsome Highland warrior.
“Of course.” She wondered how long she’d been recovering from her bout with the toxin. “My memory is perfectly fit.”
Finn’s grin soothed her, assuring her his memory of that time was just as pleasurable as hers.
“Good. Because I considered what happened that night to be a pledge, of sorts.”
“A pledge?”
“Aye. A promise. A commitment.” His blue eyes twinkled with mischief.
She nodded, wondering if he’d made a promise to visit her bed many more times. But even as she formed the thought,
But where was the one person she wanted to see most?
“Finn?” Her throat cracked on a dry note, making Inna jump, Morag hurry over.
And Finn Mac Néill rose like mountain from a chair beside the door.
She could not have held back the smile that came from deep within. Her brain told her that Inna and Morag clucked and chattered, asking questions about her health and her appetite. But she couldn’t seem to think about anything except the man who had saved her.
The man who had come to mean so much to her in such a short amount of time.
“Leave us.” Finn’s command was quickly obeyed, though Violet noticed he did not need to shout it the way her father would have.
The thought of her surly sire sent a prickle of worry down her spine.
“My da would not approve of us being alone… .”
Did she hear smothered feminine laughter as Inna and Morag departed the chamber? But that was not possible when all of Caladan feared the earl’s temper and dark moods.
“He is well accustomed to me being alone with you,” Finn assured her, taking a seat beside her on the bed.
Edging back against a pile of pillows, Violet raised herself to sit. The kitten, she noticed, had not been banished with the others and continued to hop about and chase its tail.
“I do not understand.”
“You remember what happened?” He stroked her cheek with a gentle hand.
It amazed her that a man of his size and strength could treat her with such tenderness. Would he continue thus now that he’d captured his brother’s killer?
“Aye. John Miller poisoned your brother.” She had dreamed about it while she’d recovered, piecing together the bits she knew of Finn to try to understand how he’d known to find the man at Caladan. “I’m sorry you lost your kin.”
She had never been fortunate enough to have a sibling, but she imagined the pain of losing a brother would be devastating. It was amazing how quickly her heart had become entwined with this man’s. His pain was her pain.
“Your father has brought the man to justice. His mind was far more twisted than his leg. He worked to create deadly poisons so that he could one day return to Caladan and take vengeance on your sire.” He shook his head. “Apparently, he only came across Fergus by accident, and my brother was thirsty after a strenuous hunt. He asked Miller for a drink, not knowing the container carried a foul brew. Miller grew scared when Fergus began to suspect the drink was tainted. When Fergus accused him of sorcery, Miller stabbed him.”
Violet’s heart ached for Finn. She squeezed his hand.
“But Fergus is avenged,” Finn said, clearing his throat. “Miller will harm no one else. You needn’t worry about him.”
He lifted a lock of hair from her shoulder and twined it about his finger, a gesture she recalled from other times together. A touch that made her toes curl beneath the blanket, made her long to climb back in those strong arms—arms that had saved her earlier.
Before she could thank him for saving her from such a deadly menace, Finn continued.
“Do you recall what happened before the outcast arrived at the mill?”
Warmth suffused her skin, making her aware of the thin night rail she wore. Precious little linen separated her from her handsome Highland warrior.
“Of course.” She wondered how long she’d been recovering from her bout with the toxin. “My memory is perfectly fit.”
Finn’s grin soothed her, assuring her his memory of that time was just as pleasurable as hers.
“Good. Because I considered what happened that night to be a pledge, of sorts.”
“A pledge?”
“Aye. A promise. A commitment.” His blue eyes twinkled with mischief.
She nodded, wondering if he’d made a promise to visit her bed many more times. But even as she formed the thought,
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