Taming the Highland Bride

  "Stop moving, Merry, or I'll not be responsible for--" His words ended on a gasp as she shifted beneath him again. Not only did her excitement pulse more sharply through her, but Merry was sure that he grew harder inside her. She raised her gaze to see that his eyes were now squeezed closed as if he was in pain, and his face looked tense.

  Curious, Merry shifted her hips again, this time drawing a groan from his lips and forcing his eyes back open.

  "Wife," he breathed in warning, but it was a warning she chose not to heed. Merry shifted beneath him again, raising her knees on either side of his hips so that she could tilt her hips more and make him surge into her. That was all it took. Alex's control snapped like a twig. A low growl slid from his lips and then he was raising himself up to kneel between her legs, taking her with him so that she found herself sitting facing him in his lap, her legs around his hips and his body filling her so completely she thought she might split from it.

  "What--?" Merry began with confusion, unsure what she was to do in this position, or any position really, and then he clasped her by the bottom and raised her slightly and she breathed, "Ohhh" as his shaft slid partway out of her before he lowered her again and filled her once more.

  Alex did this several more times, the angle rubbing him against the nub of her excitement, and then suddenly he laid her back on the bed. He immediately followed her down so that he could drive himself into her more easily. Merry had no idea what she was supposed to be doing, but dug her heels into the bed and arched herself into his thrusts, her hands moving down to clasp his behind and urge him on as he drove them both back to, and over, the brink once more.

  chapter Six

  Our wedding night."

  Merry slowly opened her eyes to find herself peering at her husband's chest. She didn't fully recall how she had ended up there. While her mere touch had made him spill his seed earlier, once he'd gone hard again, he'd stayed hard a very long time and proven a vigorous lover. By the time Alex had screamed out his satisfaction, she'd found her own at least three more times herself and had been barely conscious when he'd rolled off her. She supposed he must have then pulled her to rest on his chest. Now she raised her eyes slowly to his face and took in his grim expression. It appeared to be time for explanations.

  "On our wedding night," she began, and then paused as his eyes sharpened on her. This was probably going to annoy him, she knew. After all, he--and everyone else--had seen the blood on the sheets and jumped to the conclusion that he'd been overly rough. She truly should have explained matters to him sooner, but--

  "Merry," he growled.

  Grimacing, she lowered her eyes to his chest and began to toy with the hair there as she quickly explained, "When everyone left our room that night, they didna close the door properly. Ye got up to close it, stumbled on yer clothes on the way back, hit yer head on the bed and knocked yerself out."

  "I did?" he asked with surprise.

  "Aye." Merry nodded solemnly and then rushed on, "I kenned they'd come searching fer the bed linens in the morn and ye were unable to...er..." She shrugged and then continued, "So I cut meself and smeared blood on the linens."

  "All that blood was from a cut?" he asked, actually sounding more dismayed now.

  Merry nodded warily, and then gasped with surprise as he suddenly whirled her onto her back on the bed and shifted to kneel beside her, his gaze scouring her naked body.

  "Where is this cut?"

  Merry grimaced but raised one knee, making more of her injured leg visible. Her husband's eyes immediately shot to her thigh and widened with horror.

  "Dear God, woman! What did you do? Stab yourself with a sword?"

  Alex was now bending over to look more closely at the remnants of the cut, so missed the face she made at him. It had been three weeks. The wound was healed and now just a scar, a rather large and ugly scar, unfortunately, but a scar just the same. One that was more likely to remind her of this night than their wedding night, she suspected, as his fingers moved gently over the healed wound, sending a shiver up her back.

  Trying to ignore that his face was down between her legs, Merry cleared her throat and explained, "I didna ken how much blood breaching a veil would cause and thought overdoing it was better than underdoing it."

  Alex's head suddenly swiveled, his eyes stabbing her with accusation. "And you let me think I had caused all that blood on our wedding night?"

  Merry bit her lip. "I would have explained, but ye always seemed drunk and--"

  Her words died when he raised a hand for silence. A moment passed when she suspected he was too furious to speak, but after a moment he ran a weary hand through his hair and shifted to sit at the head of the bed, his back against the wall. Alex then caught her by the waist and lifted her to sit in his lap. Merry peered down at her hands and waited, unsure if he was angry or not. His voice did not sound angry, however, when he asked, "Did I hurt you very badly?"

  Merry glanced at him with confusion, noted that his eyes were on the apex of her thighs, and flushed as she realized he meant when he'd broken her maiden's veil. Feeling her face heat with embarrassment, she shook her head. "It was barely more than a pinch."

  "You cried out," he pointed out quietly.

  Merry shrugged. "'Twas the shock. I kenned what ye were about to do, but it still felt very odd to have ye filling me, and then, too, I was expecting it to hurt like the very devil and was shocked that it didna."

  "I see," he said quietly.

  Merry let out a slow breath and peered at her hands, noting absently that she was wringing them like an anxious old woman. She wasn't terribly surprised. While she was glad he didn't seem angry, Merry was also terribly uncomfortable sitting there in his lap with the two of them naked. She supposed it was silly to feel that way after the intimate things they'd just done, but emotion was rarely logical, and to be fair, she didn't normally sit around naked in front of her maid, let alone in the equally naked lap of a man. Merry was trying to think of a way to remove herself and somehow scoot under the covers without it seeming as if she was too eager to do so when she became aware that Alex was running one hand up and down her back. It was a soothing gesture and really very nice.

  "Merry."

  "Aye?" She glanced at him reluctantly, a bit surprised to see that he was smiling, a soft glow in his eyes that she didn't understand.

  "Thank you."

  Merry glanced to him with confusion. "Fer what?"

  "For seeing to the linens on our wedding night," he said, his words a soft growl. "And for tonight."

  Merry glanced away with a shrug, aware that the blush staining her cheeks had darkened further. She had done little tonight but allow him to do as he wished, as a proper wife should. Well, unless you counted enjoying it. She'd done that, too.

  "I know we started out poorly, but I hope this can be a new beginning for us. We can use the trip to Donnachaidh as a chance to get to know each other better. Will you give us that chance?"

  Merry hesitated. Alex had said earlier that he hadn't been drinking and that he suspected his slurring of words and occasional stagger these last three weeks were the result of fighting off an illness like the men suffered. If so, the symptoms were not ones she'd heard of before. Still, it would be nice if that were the case. She had enjoyed what they'd just done so knew the marriage bed would not be a trial. And Alex had proven himself a hard worker these last three weeks, running about the keep trying to do the work of four men while his soldiers were ailing. That alone showed that he differed from her father and brothers in at least one respect. If he was telling the truth and his behavior these last weeks wasn't the result of drink...Well, she might just have herself a fine husband after all. It seemed only fair she give him the chance to be that.

  Meeting his gaze, Merry nodded solemnly. "Aye. I'll give us a chance."

  Alex smiled and then caught her face in both hands and pulled her forward for a kiss. Much to Merry's amazement, the moment he deepened that kiss she felt her earlier exc
itement stirring back to life again. Even more surprising to her was that she felt his excitement stirring to life as well as he grew hard beneath her bottom once more. Merry had barely begun to wonder if he could manage the bedding again when he caught her by the hips and lifted her, urging her to straddle his lap. He then eased her to sit so that his staff was caught between them, rubbing across her excited flesh.

  "One more time," he whispered, breaking their kiss to trail his mouth across her cheek as his hands began to move over her body. "I have never wanted a woman with such an insatiable hunger as I want you, but only one more time and then we must rest for the journey tomorrow."

  "Aye," Merry gasped as one of his hands found a breast and the other urged her hips forward so that she rubbed against his shaft, the action caressing them both. "One more time and then we must rest."

  "Good morning."

  Merry offered a smile in response to that greeting from Lady Edda as the older woman claimed the empty bit of bench next to her chair. "Good morn, my lady. I hope you slept well."

  "Very well, thank you," Edda assured her and then paused, eyebrows rising as she peered at Merry's face. "You on the other hand, do not appear to have slept well at all. Are you well, dear?"

  "Oh, aye, I am fine. I just did not sleep much last night. Most likely the excitement about the journey today," Merry muttered, and turned self-consciously back to the bread and cheese she'd been eating before the woman's arrival. It hadn't been excitement about the trip that had kept her up, it had been her greedy husband. While they had both collapsed and slept briefly after the promised "one more time" of bedding, Merry hadn't been asleep long when she'd awoken to soft caresses and passionate kisses. There had been at least three more "one more times" last night with bits of slumber between and she was absolutely exhausted this morn. Not that she was complaining. Merry had quite enjoyed every minute of it. In fact, her only complaint was that they had to leave their bed for this journey and could not simply stay abed and continue as they had been going.

  "Well, so long as you are not coming down with what the soldiers had," Edda said, drawing her attention once more.

  "Nay, truly, I am fine," Merry assured her, and then glanced to the door as it opened. A small smile immediately claimed her lips when she saw her husband enter and move toward them. While she knew Alex must be as exhausted as she after last night, he hid it well, looking just as vital and strong as if he'd slept a long restful sleep. He was also smiling, she saw, and felt her own smile widen as he reached her.

  "Good morning, Edda," Alex murmured, but his gaze was on Merry and he immediately added, "The men are ready to go. Are you nearly finished?"

  "Have ye broken yer fast already then?" Merry asked with surprise. Alex had already washed and dressed and arranged for a bath to be brought up for her before he'd awakened her that morning. Still, she'd been quick about her bath, taking only the time necessary for a good washing rather than lounging for a soak, but there had been no one at the table when she'd first arrived below. She'd assumed Alex had gone to see about his men before breaking his fast.

  "Aye, I grabbed some bread and cheese as soon as I came down, and ate it while I checked that all was in order," he answered.

  "Oh." Merry popped the last bit of bread in her mouth and stood as she chewed and swallowed. "I'm ready, too."

  Alex smiled and took her hand to lead her toward the door.

  "I shall see you off then," Edda murmured, getting up to follow them.

  Merry glanced to the woman and offered a smile of gratitude. Edda had been very kind to her these last three weeks, doing everything she could to help her feel comfortable at d'Aumesbery, and she would not want to leave without saying good-bye. When Alex led her outside and to her horse, then started to move as if to lift her onto it, Merry backed away and hurriedly gave the other woman a hug.

  Edda seemed surprised by the affectionate gesture, but patted her back and wished her a good journey before stepping away to allow Alex to lift Merry onto her mount. In the next moment, Alex had mounted as well and they were off, Alex in the lead, Merry behind him, and a small army of soldiers at their back, surrounding the wagon that Alex had insisted they would need. Merry knew it held her small bag with a couple of gowns in it, but had no idea what all the other bundles under the tarp might be. The only thing she could think was that they were gifts for Alex's sister, Evelinde.

  Once they were out of the bailey, Gerhard rode past her with a small nod and moved up to ride beside Alex. They moved at a fast and steady pace for the first three hours, and Merry spent that time running her eyes over her husband's back and wondering what the future held. At that moment in time she was cautiously hopeful about their future together. She wasn't completely convinced that her husband wasn't a drunkard, but was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. She supposed only time would tell. In the meantime, Merry was caught up in the thought that she might already carry their child. They'd certainly performed the bedding enough times last night for it to be a distinct possibility.

  The thought made her smile as Merry recalled Edda's hinting and questions in that regard the last week or so. The first time had been the evening Merry's stomach had been unsettled and she'd feared she might have caught the stomach ailment the soldiers were all suffering. Edda had been sure she hadn't and had suggested it might be something else. Not understanding what she meant, Merry had just let the comment go. It was only later, after another similar comment, that she'd realized the woman suspected, and was even hoping she was with child. That hadn't been possible, of course. Until last night, her marriage had not been consummated. But Edda didn't know that, and Merry hadn't been willing to tell her, so had simply ignored her comments and questions in favor of wondering what on earth would make the woman immediately assume she might be pregnant anyway.

  That question had been answered several days ago when Edda had come right out and reminded her that on her wedding night she'd admitted that she'd had her woman's time two weeks ere the wedding. She had then pointed out it had been weeks since the wedding and yet she had not had her woman's time again. Edda was sure she was pregnant and was cautioning her to be careful and look to her health. She'd even suggested she might wish to bow out of this trip rather than risk the baby.

  Merry had found the entire conversation terribly embarrassing and discomfiting. First of all, still a virgin at that point, she knew there was no way she was pregnant. As for her woman's time, the truth was it had always been somewhat undependable, sometimes not appearing for a month or two, and other times lasting twice as long as it should. Merry had worried over the fact when she was young until her mother had sat her down and assured her there was nothing wrong with her, that she herself had always been the same way. Her mother had said she'd found over the years that her moods affected her woman's time, so that in times of great stress she often missed one or even two. Finding the whole subject rather embarrassing, Merry hadn't explained any of this to Edda, but simply let her think what she wanted and found an excuse to escape the conversation altogether.

  Now she wondered if Alex's seed had taken hold last night and if so, if this journey might not shake it loose. The thought was enough to make her peer down at her stomach and begin to fret.

  "You look worried."

  Merry glanced up to find that her husband had slowed to ride beside her and was eyeing her with concern.

  "Is anything amiss? Are you feeling well?" Alex asked.

  "Oh, aye," she assured him quickly, forcing herself to sit a little straighter in the saddle. She then explained away her mood by saying, "I'm just a wee bit tired."

  "That would be my fault," he said wryly. "I do apologize. I knew we had to travel today and should have been more considerate of--"

  "Did ye hear me complaining last night?" Merry interrupted abruptly to bring his apology to an end. She then reached out impulsively to squeeze the hand that rested on his pommel. "I am fine. I will just sleep well tonight."

  "Aye," Ale
x said, but still looked guilty, and then he suddenly reached out and took her reins from her with one hand, while catching her about the waist and scooping her from her saddle with the other.

  "What are ye doing?" Merry asked with surprise as he settled her sideways in his lap.

  "You may ride with me," he answered, and then retrieved a length of rope from the bag hanging from his pommel. He tied one end of the rope to the end of her mare's reins and then fastened the other end of the rope to his pommel so that her mare could follow comfortably along behind his mount.

  Merry peered over his shoulder at her mare. "I can ride. I'm a good rider."

  "I know you are," he reassured her soothingly. "I have watched you this morning and you are indeed a fine rider, but this way you can sleep if you wish."

  "Oh." Merry shifted a little before him, not at all used to--or comfortable with--being taken care of, and then muttered, "Well, ye must be tired, too, and it seems unfair that I get to rest and ye--"

  "Tell me about your mother," Alex interrupted abruptly.

  Merry blinked at the order and then turned to peer at him suspiciously. "Why?"

  "Because you have great difficulty accepting any sort of assistance and I wish to understand why," he said simply.

  "I doona ha'e trouble accepting--" Merry's denial was silenced when his mouth covered hers in a quick, hard kiss.

  "Aye, you do," Alex assured her solemnly as he lifted his head once more, and then he repeated, "Tell me about your mother."

  When Merry hesitated, torn between arguing the point further and simply answering his question, he added, "I know what your father and brothers are like and that they probably weren't very helpful over the years, but what of your mother? I've been told she ran Stewart until her death."

  "Aye," Merry said at last. "Father liked to pretend he was laird, but in truth he was laird only in name. The servants and soldiers all came to me or me mother with their worries and questions."

  "They came to you even while she lived?" he asked.

  Merry was silent for a moment and then slowly nodded her head. "Mother was ill a long time. She did what she could, but she was often tired and weak at the end. Her mind was always clear, though, and she told me what to do, and I did it fer her."