I couldn’t make sense of it, but some small part of me was saddened by the knowledge that once our ride ended, I wouldn’t see him or Orick again, at least not for some time—until their next visit or the next time all of the clans came together.
Infuriating as he was, I felt my normal self around him; I’d felt that way around very few people during my time in the seventeenth century.
“So you’ve given up then? I’m a little surprised, I have to say.”
He leaned in, speaking so that his warm breath blew down my back as he whispered so that his words wouldn’t carry with the wind.
“Lass, doona think for a moment that I’ve surrendered because I no longer wish to bed ye. Wager or no, I’d like to have a lass as fiery and willful as ye underneath me, Jane.”
For the first time since I met him, I could conjure no witty response. The seduction in his words shot right through, warming me all the way to my toes.
“I have surrendered solely because, for now at least, ye have made it clear that ye willna have me. And in truth, even if ye changed yer mind now, I believe that the parts of myself most necessary for tupping are frozen through.”
I let out a sigh of relief as we reached the front of the castle. Adwen dismounted, and I took his hand as he helped me down. The second my feet touched the ground, Cooper charged me, breaking any sexual tension between us.
“Cooper, what are you doing up so late? You should have been asleep hours ago.”
He grabbed onto both sides of my face, squeezing my cheeks together as I lifted him. “Are you crazy, Aunt Jane? You broke your promise to E-o, and you never break your promises. I thought something really bad had happened to you until that man showed up.”
I pulled him in close, wrapping my arms around him as I walked him closer to the castle door.
“I know. I’m sorry. It was for a good reason though, I promise. And as you can see, I’m just fine.” I lowered my voice to whisper only to him. “Am I in a whole lot of trouble? What man?”
I pulled back and saw his smile before he answered; apparently, I was forgiven. “Nah. I don’t think so. That innkeeper guy—after we finished dinner, some messenger arrived from him to tell E-o what happened. You’ll have to talk to him though, I’m not totally sure.”
“Okay, I’ll do that. Now that you know I’m back, will you go to bed now?”
He grinned and wiggled so I’d release him. “Yeah, I will. See you in the morning, Aunt Jane. Love you.”
I blew him a kiss as his boot-covered feet ran inside, eager to escape the cold. “I love you too, Coop.”
When I turned my attention back toward the men, Adwen had already remounted his horse and slowly brought the beast over to me. Once I stood at his feet, he stopped.
“Until next time, sweet Jane.”
Without another word, he turned the horse and left, leaving me to stare after him with a mixture of aggravated yearning and confusion.
Eoghanan’s voice spurred me from my thoughts.
“Jane, would ye have preferred to accompany him back to the inn?”
There was humor in his tone, but I responded defensively.
“What? Of course I wouldn’t. He’s the most ridiculous man I’ve ever met.”
“If ye say so, but I have no ever seen such a look in yer eyes before, Jane.” He waved a dismissive hand, changing the subject quickly. “’Tis no my concern. I have news for ye.”
My stomach dropped instantly.
CHAPTER 11
“I needn’t go today if ye need me here, Isobel. I doona care to leave ye; I know that I must speak on Jane’s behalf, but it doesna have to be this morning.”
Adwen hesitated at the bottom of the stairs, not intending to walk up on the innkeepers’ conversation. They saw him immediately.
“Adwen. How did ye sleep, lad? I hope well.”
Adwen smiled. In truth, he’d slept little, his mind filled with thoughts of the golden-headed lass who’d denied him. But he nodded as he spoke, knowing how much pride they both took in their establishment—his poor sleep was no fault of theirs. “Aye, verra well. Forgive me for intruding. I’ll leave the two of ye alone. I was just going to check on the horses.”
Isobel spoke to him once again. “Ye doona need to leave on our behalf. Gregor has already seen to both of yer horses. They are warm, fed, and happy.”
She turned from him briefly to address her husband.
“Aye, Gregor, ye must go to the castle this morning. I shall be fine, I assure ye. I willna allow Jane to fall into trouble for our sake.”
Adwen stood uncomfortably in the doorway watching Gregor’s weary and worried expression as he leaned in to kiss his wife on the cheek, squeezing her hand gently before turning and leaving them alone without another word.
Isobel exhaled and turned to face him once her husband was gone, her smile friendly despite the dark circles under her eyes. She was ill and, by the sound of her coughs during the night, Adwen doubted she had more than a few moons left in her life. He’d seen the same symptoms once before, and just thinking about them brought up memories he and his brothers had spent years trying to forget.