Page 65 of A Fearless Rebel

Needing time to think about what he’d say to Ava, Keithen went out the back door to where Ava had begun a small garden. The rain and chill in the air did not seem to affect the herbs that grew tall now.

Ava was hunched over the patch, putting down wood shavings around the plants. Sensing his approach, she looked up and then jumped to her feet. “Ye are up. I am not sure ye should be about.”

“I am fine.”

Rubbing her hands on the apron she wore, his wife looked around. “Ye should sit.”

“I would rather stand. It feels oddly good to do so.”

“Ye have been avoiding me the last two days. We should talk,” Keithen started. “There is much to discuss.”

Ava nodded. “Other than admitting my blame for everything, what else do we have to speak about?” She looked everywhere but at him. “I must accept my fate of not being liked. Other than that, I suppose ye wish to speak of where I will sleep from now on.”

“Where have ye been sleeping?”

She motioned up to a window. “Catriona has been kind enough to share her room with me. I have a cot in there.”

“Ye will return to our bedchamber,” Keithen said. “Ye are my wife, Ava. Nothing changes that.”

When her shoulders rounded, and with a look of defeat, Keithen knew she carried a heavy burden. “Ava, there is nothing we can do to change the past. We must move forward.”

Ava swallowed but didn’t respond.

“Ye didn’t answer my question before about what happened after ye fell behind. Why did Gallant return here?”

“I prefer not to speak of it.” Ava rounded him and raced into the house.

Last meal was subdued. Esme, Ruari and their guards had left earlier that day. There were guards seated at the tables since villagers and farmers who’d come to speak to his father had hurried home when storm clouds converged.

Beside him, Ava was quiet, but ate everything he’d placed on her plate.

“I am happy that ye join us for last meal,” his mother said, smiling in his direction. “Ye must accept help getting back upstairs.”

Keithen nodded. “I will.”

Several guards began having a loud discussion followed by laughter. His father called out for them to share what they spoke of. One was voted spokesman and he neared the high board.

“Laird, there was an occurrence while we rode back from the southern borders of the land,” he recounted. “We stopped for Finn to relieve himself. Ye see, a wee beast appeared out of nowhere, a rabbit perhaps. It scampered into the woods. Whatever the beastie did, it must have been terrible because Finn ran out screaming, his trews half-down.” The man began laughing so hard, he could barely recount the rest of the story. Apparently, the small creature had scared Finn so badly, the man had tripped over his own clothing and then crawled to his horse.

Everyone joined in the laughter, much to poor Finn’s expense. But the man took it with good nature and, after a while, he began telling his version.

Keithen noticed that although Ava listened, she didn’t laugh. His mother wiped tears of mirth from the corners of her eyes and even Catriona chuckled softly.

“Over time, things like this will be what the people remember. Ye will have to be patient.”

Ava turned to him and nodded, but there were doubts in her eyes.

At the end of the meal, she helped him maneuver the steps, which he hopped up. By the time they’d managed the last couple, both were out of breath.

Keithen had to take shallow breaths to keep from hurting, but it did not deter him from knowing he’d go back down the following day.

Once inside the bedchamber, Ava helped him remove the tartan, but he chose to keep the tunic on. Lifting his arms was not worth the pain in his opinion.

After undressing, she went to the bed wearing only her shift. Immediately, Keithen wished he didn’t have the confines of a leg brace and aching ribs. His member hardened and he blew out a breath. This wasn’t the time.

“I will help ye lie down. After, some whisky will help with the pain and allow ye to sleep more comfortably.”

Her hands around him as she guided him to the bed was the last thing Keithen needed. He blew out a breath after managing to sit on the bed and swinging his legs sideways.