and awaited the priest’s next words.
Father O’Rourke angled his head and twisted his lips this way and that. He contemplated long moments before he finally responded, “Verra well, then. We will travel to Dunrobin at first thaw.”
Magnus stepped forward and leaned over the desk, intentionally trying to intimidate the man. “Forgive me, Father, but I am not willing to wait so long. We leave on the morrow. And dinnae think I won’t tie ye to my steed, because I will.”
Chapter Six
“Lady Reay! Lady Reay!” Lainie and Laura raced through the kitchen holding their plaid skirts off the flour-dusted floor. “Come quickly. Uncle Maggie is back!”
Oh thank heaven! Effie’s entire being sank with relief. She threw the dough she’d been kneading onto the work table, wiped her hands on her apron and rushed out of the kitchen behind Magnus’ nieces. Now that she knew he was safe, relief shifted to anger. He’d abandoned her for fourteen bleating days and she had no idea where he’d gone. No one knew where he’d gone. Not even Lady Katherine.
Years of insecurity had her fretting from dawn to dusk. She’d tried not to let her worries consume her, tried not to assume he’d left to prepare for Ian’s war, but each night, after she’d made love to him in her dreams, she awoke to the horror that he might never return. That terror had been so familiar, she’d almost taken Lady Katherine’s advice and returned home. Effie didn’t know if she could bear the upset of losing her heart to another warrior, but feared the deed was already done.
It hadn’t helped that she’d suffered her monthly courses. Knowing she’d failed to conceive an heir hadn’t gone unnoticed by Lady Katherine’s maids, which gained her no favor with Magnus’ mam. The woman remained cold and aloof toward Effie, but flaunted her approval of Vanna before the Sutherland kinswomen. The two had become thick as thieves, planning, plotting, preparing for the future. They’d toured the grounds together and were already making arrangements to renovate the lady’s solar in the west wing. Sylvie and Jocelyn had been Effie’s only confidants, and for that she was grateful.
Thunderous footsteps filled the stairwell as Magnus’ kin rushed to the Great Hall. The hum of excitement buzzed in Effie’s ears as she half walked, half jogged through the maze of corridors.
Then a thick brawny arm reached between the blue velvet curtains of an antechamber and snatched her off her feet. Darkness blinded her. Panic stole a beat of her heart, but she quickly recognized Magnus’ scent and the strength of his arms now coiled around her.
“I missed ye fiercely, Effie.” His mouth came down hard on hers and matched the intensity of his embrace.
For a brief moment she succumbed to the power that was him and only him. She surrendered to his kiss, his touch, his demanding hands, then she cupped his jaw and found the thick beard that had grown in his absence. Her temper surged out of the trenches of desire. She pushed him back. “I know about Ian’s war.”
His heavy breathing filled her ears and warmed her face. When he continued to hold silent, she became further incensed. If he thought for one moment she would stand idly by while he played the martyr, then he didn’t know her at all. “I demand to know where ye’ve been.”
“I went to fetch a priest.” He flattened her against the wall then feverishly untied the laces of her undertunic. “I intend to be faithful to ye, but I suspect ye would not believe such an avowal lest I speak the words before God and His clergyman.” He lowered her bodice to her waist. “This pleases ye, aye?”
“Aye.” She smiled, flattered by his intentions. It did please her. She parted her lips to tell him so just as his hot mouth formed over her nipple. Strings of arousal pulled taut from behind her breast to her sex. “Magnus!” She scolded him even as she pulled him closer. He massaged one breast while he drew
Father O’Rourke angled his head and twisted his lips this way and that. He contemplated long moments before he finally responded, “Verra well, then. We will travel to Dunrobin at first thaw.”
Magnus stepped forward and leaned over the desk, intentionally trying to intimidate the man. “Forgive me, Father, but I am not willing to wait so long. We leave on the morrow. And dinnae think I won’t tie ye to my steed, because I will.”
Chapter Six
“Lady Reay! Lady Reay!” Lainie and Laura raced through the kitchen holding their plaid skirts off the flour-dusted floor. “Come quickly. Uncle Maggie is back!”
Oh thank heaven! Effie’s entire being sank with relief. She threw the dough she’d been kneading onto the work table, wiped her hands on her apron and rushed out of the kitchen behind Magnus’ nieces. Now that she knew he was safe, relief shifted to anger. He’d abandoned her for fourteen bleating days and she had no idea where he’d gone. No one knew where he’d gone. Not even Lady Katherine.
Years of insecurity had her fretting from dawn to dusk. She’d tried not to let her worries consume her, tried not to assume he’d left to prepare for Ian’s war, but each night, after she’d made love to him in her dreams, she awoke to the horror that he might never return. That terror had been so familiar, she’d almost taken Lady Katherine’s advice and returned home. Effie didn’t know if she could bear the upset of losing her heart to another warrior, but feared the deed was already done.
It hadn’t helped that she’d suffered her monthly courses. Knowing she’d failed to conceive an heir hadn’t gone unnoticed by Lady Katherine’s maids, which gained her no favor with Magnus’ mam. The woman remained cold and aloof toward Effie, but flaunted her approval of Vanna before the Sutherland kinswomen. The two had become thick as thieves, planning, plotting, preparing for the future. They’d toured the grounds together and were already making arrangements to renovate the lady’s solar in the west wing. Sylvie and Jocelyn had been Effie’s only confidants, and for that she was grateful.
Thunderous footsteps filled the stairwell as Magnus’ kin rushed to the Great Hall. The hum of excitement buzzed in Effie’s ears as she half walked, half jogged through the maze of corridors.
Then a thick brawny arm reached between the blue velvet curtains of an antechamber and snatched her off her feet. Darkness blinded her. Panic stole a beat of her heart, but she quickly recognized Magnus’ scent and the strength of his arms now coiled around her.
“I missed ye fiercely, Effie.” His mouth came down hard on hers and matched the intensity of his embrace.
For a brief moment she succumbed to the power that was him and only him. She surrendered to his kiss, his touch, his demanding hands, then she cupped his jaw and found the thick beard that had grown in his absence. Her temper surged out of the trenches of desire. She pushed him back. “I know about Ian’s war.”
His heavy breathing filled her ears and warmed her face. When he continued to hold silent, she became further incensed. If he thought for one moment she would stand idly by while he played the martyr, then he didn’t know her at all. “I demand to know where ye’ve been.”
“I went to fetch a priest.” He flattened her against the wall then feverishly untied the laces of her undertunic. “I intend to be faithful to ye, but I suspect ye would not believe such an avowal lest I speak the words before God and His clergyman.” He lowered her bodice to her waist. “This pleases ye, aye?”
“Aye.” She smiled, flattered by his intentions. It did please her. She parted her lips to tell him so just as his hot mouth formed over her nipple. Strings of arousal pulled taut from behind her breast to her sex. “Magnus!” She scolded him even as she pulled him closer. He massaged one breast while he drew
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