The Scottish Bride - Catherine Coulter [56]
The hair at the base of her belly was a deep red, just beautiful, a bit darker than the rich red hair on her head. He looked at her knees, very nice knees, then quickly brought the cold, wet cloth over them and rubbed them longer than necessary, staring at them, just at her knees, nothing either north or south of them.
He wasn’t in good shape. But he was a man, not an immature boy. He would deal with this. He continued rubbing her down until he touched his palm to her cheek and she was once again cool. Thank the good Lord. Then she turned her cheek into his palm and for a moment, just a brief moment, he held her there. He quickly fetched another nightshirt from the ancient armoire and put her in it, smoothing it down over her legs, over her white feet.
He rolled up the sleeves so her hands would be free, covered her to her nose, then rose. She was still looking at him.
“Do you feel better?” He was actually surprised she was still awake, what with all the laudanum he’d put in that glass of water. He took a step away from the bed and prayed that a woman couldn’t see the lust in a man’s mind.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice slightly slurred. “I’m sorry, Tysen.”
“Be quiet.”
He couldn’t believe the harshness of his voice, but she simply smiled at him. “That’s the first time you’ve ever shown impatience with me. Meggie told me that my uncle came here. She said you didn’t have to lie to him because you didn’t realize that I was indeed here, in Meggie’s bed, until she helped me into the laird’s bedchamber. She was afraid her bedchamber wasn’t private enough, that anyone felt free to walk in on a child, but not on you, the laird. That’s why I’m here. I’m s—”
Tysen just waved away her words. “Yes, Sir Lyon was extraordinarily upset that you weren’t here. He knows you didn’t drown, since Erickson searched until he saw that your mare was gone. He assured me that stream was too shallow to drown a goat. Did you ride home and see MacPhail there?”
“Yes. I saw his horse. I didn’t know where to go. I hadn’t intended to come here, truly, but then Primrose just galloped right to your gate. Meggie was out there and she brought me in. Up the back stairs so Pouder wouldn’t see us.” Suddenly she grinned. “I’ve always thought it remarkable that Pouder doesn’t collect dust, since he’s always there.”
“He was collecting dust at a great rate until he realized that I, the new laird, did not have a valet. Since he only has two teeth left in his mouth, his smile at this discovery rocked me back a bit. You see, he’s wanted to be a valet all his life, and now he had his opportunity.” Tysen shook his head. “Only when he said that, he didn’t say ‘valet,’ he said he’d always wanted to be a ‘varlet.’ It took me a while to figure all this out. Now I will find him at the oddest times in this bedchamber rearranging my cravats and straightening my razor and brushes.”
She wanted to laugh, but she was afraid it would hurt too much. “He’s a very nice old man.”
“Yes, he appears to be. He also appears to be very proud of himself. I have told him that we would take his varlet training slowly so as not to disrupt his other, more important duties.”
“You are very kind to him. Tysen, I know you don’t like it, but I am sorry for causing you difficulties. I was thinking that tomorrow morning I can leave and—”
“Oh? You wish to leave? May I inquire as to what you would wear? I chanced to see the remains of your clothes in Meggie’s bedchamber. Did you perchance intend to squeeze yourself into one of her gowns?”
“I will think of something,” she said, his light dose of sarcasm floating through her mind. Her chin went up, a hard thing to do since she was so tired. “It’s possible that Mrs. MacFardle would have something I could borrow. Oh dear, I feel so very tired.”
“No wonder. It’s about time. I gave you a goodly dose of laudanum.” He paused a moment, then the sarcasm was back. “All right, let us say that you are finely garbed in one of Mrs. MacFardle’s castoffs. Where will you go?”
Along with the sarcasm, his voice was sharp, sharper than