Page 15 of Never Marry a Highlander

Aside from that issue, which he planned to take care of very shorty since the lass was feeling better, a wife’s place was with her husband.Aye, he had to travel a bit in his duties to Robin, but like the other wives, she would stay at home and do whatever it was women did while they waited for their men.Whether she liked it or not, ‘twas the way of the world.

It hadn’t taken him long to forget the argument with Lorena as he spent the afternoon training the young warriors.Once they finished, instead of making use of the rain barrel of water to clean up, he decided to take a swim in the loch.He would change into clean clothes once he returned to his bedchamber.

The room was empty and so were the trunks he had sent up for Lorena to pack her belongings.He quickly changed into clean breeches and leine and left the room looking for his stubborn wife.

‘Twas more than an hour later, after he’d checked just about every place in the keep he thought she might be, that he found her speaking with one of the guardsmen, laughing away, as cheerful as he was angry.

“Lorena!”He walked up to her, and she turned, her smile for the guardsman turning into a scowl for him.“What is it now Mister MacKay?”

He nodded at the guardsman and rook her by the elbow, walking her over the great hall.He sat her down at one of the tables and sat across from her.“What is yer problem?”

She had the nerve to widen her eyes.“What do ye mean?”

He leaned forward, ignoring the people who were beginning to fill the great hall in preparation for the evening meal.“I mean I told ye to pack yer belongings.”

She huffed.“Once ye ordered me to pack, I told Edith to do it.”

“I just saw Edith in the kitchen.The lass is busy with the evening meal.She told me ye said she could do it when she had time.”

Lorena shrugged.“Then she will do it when she has time.”

“Do no’ think if ye’re no’ packed that ye can stay here.Ye will come with me at first light tomorrow with or without yer belongings.”

“It appears the two of ye are having a verra serious conversation.”Giles strode up to the table and took the seat alongside Craig.Knox soon joined them.

“If ye will excuse me, I have things to do that my husband has ordered.”Lorena flounced away.Craig watched her with narrowed eyes.

Knox wiped his mouth after taking a gulp from the mug of ale a serving lass placed in front of them.“I think ye will have some problems with Lorena.She strikes out without thinking which I why she ended up with beatings from my da.”

“There is no excuse for that,” Craig said.

“Aye, I agree with ye there.”Another sip.“I doona ken her verra well since the lass is a verra private person, but I ken she has no’ had an easy life.Mayhap that is why she snaps so easily.A way to defend herself.”

Lorena never returned for the evening meal, so Craig had a bit of whisky with Giles and Knox before returning to his room.

“Since ye’re off at first light tomorrow, I’ll say my goodbyes now,” Knox said.He stood as Craig did and they grasped each other’s forearms, the traditional greeting and leaving.

“I’ll see that the horses are ready in the morning,” Giles said.

“Aye, and ye better have a wagon, or maybe two ready.See that our men all ken we’re leaving.”

Craig hurried up the stairs and down the corridor to their bedchamber.He opened the door to find Lorena and Edith both standing in the room, piles of kirtles, blouses, shawls, vests, hats and other items strewn all over the room.

“Ye aren’t finished yet?”he asked.

“Does it look like it?”

He gritted his teeth.“First thing tomorrow, whatever trunks are packed and closed will go down to the stable where Giles is having the horses and wagons ready to go.Anything no’ packed stays.”

After running his fingers through his hair, he said, “I will return shortly, and I expect to find everything finished.”With those words, he slammed out of the room.

***

“What will we do, my lady?”Edith asked as she looked around the room at the piles of clothing.

Lorena growled.“We will pack and have everything ready or if I know men, Mister MacKay will definitely leave tomorrow with or without my belongings.”

The two women worked faster than they had before Craig had arrived.Lorena had no doubt that the man would indeed leave her trunks here and toss her onto a horse.