Page 58 of A Highlander's Vow

“This is a very serious matter. The planned death of a Clan Chief will not be tolerated.” He looked at the two guards in the room. “Throw them into the dungeon until I can further consider this.”

While they were being dragged off, Gunn screamed at Sinclair, “He will get all her money now.”

Gregory looked at her. “Ye have money?”

She shrugged “It appears so.”

The king turned and frowned at Gregory. “You need to handle your own problems in the Highlands. You are squabbling all the time. I don’t like being annoyed with your problems.”

Gregory smirked. “Your Majesty, had I handled it myself, both men would be dead.”

The king waved his hand. “However you wish to deal with it. For now, you may go, Mackenzie.” He looked at Megan. “And take yourlovely wife with you.”

Gregory grabbed her hand and hauled her out of the room. He waved to his four warriors who were waiting for him in the outer room to follow them.

They all left as quickly as possible. They went to the stables and Gregory tossed Megan on the back of his horse and swung his leg over. The rest of the men did the same.

“Let’s get out of this place as quickly as we can.” He tucked Megan onto his lap and moved forward. “We can stop at an inn right outside Edinburgh for the night.”

She shook her head. “Nay, husband. I want to go home. I doona want to stop at all.”

Gregory looked down at her. “We canno’ go straight through. Ye canno’ last and neither can the horses.”

She sighed and slumped in his arms. “I just want to go home.” He could hear the tears in her voice which was ripping him apart.

She wiped her face and looked up at him. “I want to get out of these clothes. And then burn them.”

He leaned in closer and said, “I’ll be more than happy to get ye out of yer clothes,mo chridhe.”

She slapped him on the arm. “I mean it, husband. They smell terrible, like someone doused them with perfume.”

“Then I have a suggestion. We stop at the inn where ye left yer necklace. Ye can have a bath and I ken Mrs. Bruce would be able to get ye a new set of clothes. Then after a meal, we will stay one night and then we can travel straight through each day until we reach home, if that is what ye want.”

Megan closed her eyes and sighed. “Aye. That is exactly what I want.”

*

Megan felt safeand protected for the first time in weeks. She’d had her bath, and just as Gregory had said, Mrs. Bruce had clothes for her to wear.

She was in bed, watching her warrior husband remove his clothes and climb into the bath she’d just finished. She loved admiring his strong body, the way the muscles flexed, and…

“Do ye approve of what ye see, lass?” Gregory grinned as he took the washcloth and after rubbing soap on it, washed his body.

“Aye. I do, husband. Now finish up.”

He took the quickest bath she’d ever seen anyone take. Of course, she hadn’t really seen other people taking baths, but she was sure no one was faster.

After drying, he tossed the linen on the floor and climbed into the bed. “Come here,mo chridhe.”

She immediately slid over and he gathered her into his arms and held her snugly, his flesh meeting her flesh. “I missed ye.”

“Aye. And I missed ye. There was a time I was afraid I would ne’er see ye again.”

He pushed the still damp hair off her forehead. “Nay, Megan Mackenzie. Ye will be forced to look at me for the rest of our lives.”

She closed her eyes and whispered. “Aye.”

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, which immediately had her body softening and warming for him. Her flesh prickled at his touch. Within minutes his hands were everywhere, as were hers.