“Sleep now, my laird.”
“Stay by me. Ii doesnae hurt so much when ye’re near me.”
He heard a faint rustling, and then felt her body press into his uninjured side. She was soft and warm, her body fending off the chill that grew stronger with every passing moment. He was engulfed in her sweet scent, and he dragged it into his nose.
She was his comfort. The feel of her next to him soothed the wildfires of pain. Her radiatingpresence made it easier for him to breathe. Yes, this was his own sweet guardian angel, who had come to protect him from the agonies of hell. He didn't want her to leave, so he wrapped his arm around her and drew her closer to him. He cocked his head to the side, burying it in her hair, and the strands tickled his nose. He inhaled deeply and surrendered to the peaceful darkness that washed over him.
* * *
Jane was in a dilemma. She was engulfed by Darach Robertson, his arm like a band of steel encircling her waist. She’d been stuck against his body for hours. She’d hoped that his hold would loosen after he fell asleep, but it hadn’t. She was merged so tight against him that she could feel every tremor of his body.
Whenever he mumbled in his sleep, she swept her hand over his chest up to his face in an effort to comfort him. She murmured calming words into his ears in low, soothing tones. He responded each time she spoke, seeming to settle and relax into his sleep once more.
Jane had rested her head in his arm's crook while her cheek lay against his broad chest. In her head, she felt like she should feel shame at the profanity of how much enjoyment she gained from lying against him, but in her heart, she felt none of that.
A glance at her window had her grimacing. Dusk was upon them, and it was growing chillier with each passing minute. She needed to get up before the healer came in to check on him. Shehad insisted on staying with Darach rather than the healer's apprentices, and when the healer moved to deny her, Lorna had stepped forward and demanded that she be allowed to stay with him until they knew who had attacked him.
Staying with the laird alone was suspicious in itself; finding her snuggled in bed with him might cause an uproar she would be wise to avoid. She also needed to stoke the fire if he was to stay warm through the night. Her body’s warmth would not be enough to keep him comfortable after the sun was down. With a sigh of regret, she set about extricating herself from his grasp—a hard feat to do without waking him. He frowned in his sleep and even mumbled a few words, but Jane remained gentle in the process, and in the end, she managed to slip underneath his arm and roll free.
She stumbled to her feet, stretching her tense muscles before heading to the window to pull down the covers and secure the sides. The wind had increased in strength and whistled through the air. Winter was on its way, and it was likely to snow in the coming weeks. She quickly retrieved her shawl and wrapped it tightly around herself before stepping outside and searching for the guard. Wiley was standing right outside the door, much to her surprise. She could see the lad's concern for his master in his eyes.
“My lady,” he greeted smoothly.
She patted his arm. “He’s well. And I’ve nae doubt ye would be sparring with him in the courtyard in a couple of weeks.”
“I’m glad tae hear that, my lady. Thank ye for caring for him. Where are ye headed?”
“I want tae fetch some wood for the fire in his chamber.”
Wiley nodded. “I’d go with ye.”
“Nay,” Jane shook her head, looking around. “Stay. Ye’re the only one I trust with him except for Lorna until his brother is back. He needs tae be protected while he regains his strength.”
Wiley nodded at her. With one last pat, she left him and went east to fetch more wood for the fire. The pile in the room was dwindling, and in the morning, she’d need to find some more if she was to keep her fire ablaze. She shivered when the wind howled over her, picking up the ends of her shawl and pulling it closer to herself. When she had gathered enough logs, she hurried inside and stacked them by the hearth, making sure the door and the window were both secure before she added more logs to the fire and poked until the blaze burned high and bright.
A soft rap sounded at the door, and she walked toward it and pulled it open to find Lorna and Blair staring at her from the door.
“My lady,” the man nodded and immediately headed toward Darach. Jane knew the man had only grudgingly accepted that she stayed with the laird during the days. Little did they know that she sneaked in at night just to be with him too.
After examining Darach for a moment, seeing to his wound and checking his breathing for a moment, he turned to Jane. “I reckon ye have tried yer hands at healing in yer lands?”
“Aye,” Jane nodded.
“‘Tis obvious. I am pleased with yer work and the progress of the laird’s health. Yer care would help him recover faster than I thought, lass. ”
Jane felt a deep thrill of happiness in her body, a thrill so strong she was afraid to acknowledge its immense power.
“I thank ye for staying by my brother,” Lorna whispered and hugged her before leaving, and with a relieved smile, Blair closed the door behind them.
The maid soon delivered her food before Jane barred the door again, expecting no other visitors for the night. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since she’d broken her fast before dawn.
Jane took up the plate of salted fish and a fresh heel of bread and sat cross-legged by the sleeping Darach as she ate in the warmth of the fire. As she absently chewed, she stared down at his handsome features illuminated by the orange glow of the flames. Her ever silly mind began to paint images of her belonging to Darach and living with him.
The images were pleasing. She sighed as she imagined the two of them eating at the grand hall table after a long day's work, or her welcoming him home after a battle. Of course, he would have won, and she would have greeted him as a hero. He'd be relieved to see her after all the lonely nights. He'd sweep her into his arms and kiss her until she couldn't breathe anymore. He'd tell her how much he missed her and how often he thought of her while fighting.
Jane’s chest ached with longing, and a faint smile crossed her lips at the memories.
Aileen had often daydreamed as a girl about the day she’d marry a noble, and she’d often pushed Jane into the grand discussions. She’d known that such dreams had been torn away from her when her father started ignoring her.