Page 39 of The Seer

The door opened and Guiles’ stomach pitched. A red-faced Fiona flew from the doorway and straight into his arms. He flinched, as his injuries remained sore, but didn’t mind at all having her so close.

Sliding his hands down her back as she cried into his tunic, Guiles noticed the door closing. His sister would keep guard to ensure them privacy.

“Don’t cry Fi. Please don’t. I am so sorry.” Since she kept her face hidden, he could only rub her back. “I missed ye so much.” Now he was beginning to sound like a love struck adolescent.

“How coo ye isss? Oooo have a deer?” Her words were muffled, and he strained to understand.

“What did ye say darling?”

Her head jerked upward butting him on the chin. The hit so hard, his eyes must have crossed.

Fiona pushed away and began wiping her mottled face with both hands. “How could ye do that to me? I have been going mad with worry and sorrow. I was sure ye were dead.”

When he tried to hug her, she kicked his leg. “I mourned ye.” She crossed her arms, her gaze moving over him. “Why?”

“Please sit. I will explain it all to ye. Would ye like some honeyed mead?”

After a few moments, she slowly nodded. “Very well. But don’t look at me. I know I present a frightful sight. It’s yer fault.”

Guiles fought not to smile. She looked adorable. Wet lashes framed her pretty eyes. A pink flush on her cheeks and the tip of her pert nose was red.

“Ye care for me. Ye care a great deal,” Guiles chided her.

Fiona stuck out her chin. “I did, but now I am not so sure.”

“I more than care for ye, fair one. I am besotted.” He waited for her eyes to meet his. “I hated every minute I could not see ye.”

Once again Fiona rushed to him clinging to his tunic as if her life depended on it. She was angry, would probably remain so for days. Guiles would accept any punishment she would dole out as long as she remained betrothed to him and soon became his wife.

“Do ye understand why we had to keep my condition a secret, love?” He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. “It was the only way to find out who was behind my attack and stop the possibility of another. If we’d not known it was Donall, he may have come after me when ye were there and I couldn’t risk it.”

Although she nodded, her mouth formed a tight line. “I would have kept the secret. All yer father had to do was ask. I wouldn’t have told a soul.”

“Perhaps not. At the same time, it would have been a huge burden on ye to have to deal with all the questions and demands of what happened.”

She let out a huff. “I did. Everyone wanted to know why I also remained in the dark about what happened. Most began to think yer father had gone mad with grief. I considered it as well. If not for yer door constantly being guarded, I would have barged in.”

Fiona looked about the room. “How were ye kept fed? Yer father was the only one who entered, and he never carried anything.”

So she’d been watching.

“A secret passageway. My father had me put here in case there was a need for quick access to the outdoors or kitchens.”

“Oh.” Her dejected expression brought worry that she was on the brink of changing her mind.

“Fi? We shall marry next week. I have recuperated enough. Ye will be my wife and I swear to ye never to keep a secret from ye again.”

Her eyes narrowed. “If ye ever do, I promise to leave ye immediately. I won’t give a hell about any repercussions. Believe me, I will not hesitate to return to my home.” She put her hands up to keep him from touching her. “And I won’t care if there are bairns or not.”

Guiles’ lips twitched. “Ye will take my bairns from me?”

“They will probably be an unruly bunch, so no I will not. As further punishment, they will remain with ye.” Fiona fought to keep from smiling and turned away to face the hearth. “I wish you to understand how horrible this was for me. Don’t ever keep me in the dark again. I suffered so.”

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck. “I give ye my vow to never do it again, unless yer life depends on it.” His hands slid up from her waist to cup her breasts. “I cannot wait to have yer lushness under me. Fully open to take as my own.”

Fiona gasped and her head fell back onto his shoulder. “Neither can I wait to be yers.”

Chapter 14