Cooper batted his hand away, spun on his heel and walked away. Leith’s fist curled around his dagger so tightly his hand went numb. He stood there, wondering if he had made a massive mistake all because of his love for Mary.
Ye dinnae ken how to spot a real enemy if one was in yer face. “What the bloody hell does that mean?”
24
After nearly cutting herself twice with knives, Mary let them alone and went to wash the goblets. It was the time of day when the kitchen lulled. It was just her and two other washers in the kitchens. Last night had changed her life. Her hands stilled in their movements as she remembered how Leith had looked down on her as she lay below his naked form. His eyes had gone dark, so very dark, but somehow held a fire. A shiver ran down her spine and branched out to every limb.
The heat of his touch, the desire in his eyes, the pleasure he had given her were all seared in her memory. Her eyes went to the window with the hope that she would feel all of those again. Her face brightened when she remembered what she had done to Leith, how she had used her mouth on him.
She’d woken this morning shocked at her boldness. Never in her life had she ever imagined using her mouth on a man much less on his member. Mary feared to admit what had come over her—lust.
Lust was a sin, but how could she not succumb to it? Inches away from her face, his eyes were glowing, deep and ethereal. His look made her feel beautiful and wanted. When their gaze met, her heart thundered in her chest and her belly shivered with desire. She briefly wanted to lift her hands from the water and touch where his kisses were, but the marks on her neck were still raw were still raw and sensitive—but she could not.
No one needed to know about her and Leith. Well, someone did but Rinalda was one she trusted. She had been her help from the day she had arrived and lay in the infirmary bed. That morning, she had given Mary a high-necked gray dress to wear to hide the kiss marks on her neck.
The day was coming to noon, and she had not heard from Leith since that morning when Rinalda had come for her.
She rinsed a goblet with her head canting to the side. A smile crossed her face. This was one of the few places she felt safe, the other was in the servants’ house and lastly, when she was resting in Leith’s arms.
Leith…God, what a man he was. He took almost everything to heart. When he was in pain, she felt it; when he was distressed, she ached inside. When he was happy, she delighted with him; and when he was conflicted, she wished she could reach into his mind and sort out the problem for him.
It came to her as plain as the clear blue sky she was looking at. She did not just love Leith—she was in love with him—a warmth of a different kind cloaked her chest.
A sudden crash in the great hall beyond had her jumping nearly a foot in the air. She spun in time to see the doors shoved aside and Mister Cooper stride in. She barely had her hands out of the water before he grabbed so hard, nearly yanking her arm out of the socket and then his grip went vice tight on her elbow. The pain was so intense that her body curled over her hand.
“Listen here, woman, I ken who ye are…” his voice dipped, “ye are a whore. If he dies, I’ll be coming for ye. Leave.”
He yanked his hand away and then was gone as quickly as he had come. Mary sank back cradling her hand to her arm. She glanced down at her wrist, it was beginning to turn black and blue. Someone came over and touched her shoulder too but she could not stay. Gripping her hand to her chest she ran out and collided right into Leith.
Large hands grabbed her but she began to twist away. Leith’s happy face sobered and his eyes went dark. “Mary, what is it?”
Again, she tried to pull away but Leith grabbed her, on the same hand Cooper had nearly broken in half. She cried out and sank to the ground with how intense the pain was. Leith dropped with her and reached for her. She shied away.
“What the devil!” Leith yelled. “What happened?”
“‘Twas Mister Cooper, Sir,” someone said timidly, “He came in and grabbed her arm. Told her something too but I dinnae hear it.”
Mary was then in his arms and her head found the dip of his neck. He was carrying her but to where. Was he carrying her to his bedchamber? In plain daylight? She wanted to twist out of his hold. This was not right, no one could know. Then, she realized he was not taking the stairs; sunlight met her face and she knew he was carrying her to the infirmary.
She did not look but when she inhaled the soft smell of burned herbs, she knew she was right. Her panic lessened. She was rested on a bed and Leith called out. “See what ye can do to ease her pain.”
“Aye,” a woman said, “we will.”
“Good,” he said. “I have something to take care of.”
It was his tone, so dark and brimming with tightly bound rage, that she opened her eyes and reached for him with her other hand. She nearly spoke but clamped her lips in time. She looked around to see that no one was within earshot and whispered. “No, Leith, no, please don’t do anything foolish. Don’t…don’t kill him.”
“I wish I could promise ye that, but he deserves it,” Leith said.
“Please no,” she whispered, “find another way.”
A healing woman was coming in and Mary pulled away,
