“I had to go to the garderobe and ye were sleeping so soundly I did no’ wish to disturb ye,” Dwyn said quietly.
“The garderobe is the other way,” he pointed out dryly.
“I spotted her coming out of the garderobe, realized she was hopping around without her foot bandaged and had Rory come upto me study to bandage her up,” Aulay said before she could respond. When Geordie glanced to him, he added, “And then herfather and I lectured her on leaving the room again without someone to accompany her until we are sure the attacks on herperson have ended. She will no’ be hopping around without ye again. Will ye, Dwyn?” he added sternly.
Dwyn didn’t seem at all upset by his brother’s lecture, Geordie noted. In fact, she seemed more amused than anything, thoughshe did promise, “I shall no’ hop around alone.”
“Well, then,” Laird Innes said brightly. “Now that’s settled, I guess we should leave these two to . . . er . . . Good sleep,”he said abruptly, and turned to head for the stairs.
When Geordie raised his eyebrows at the man’s odd behavior, Aulay said dryly, “I believe Laird Innes is a bit uncomfortablehaving his daughter’s handfasted husband waving his manhood around quite so boldly. Especially with his daughter’s blood onit. Speaking o’ which, the sup has been over fer a while, and the women shall soon be retiring. Ye may want to take that—”he nodded toward Geordie’s groin “—and yer wife back to yer room ere ye scandalize the lasses.”
Grunting at the suggestion, Geordie turned and carried Dwyn back up the hall toward his room.
“Good sleep,” Aulay called after them with amusement.
“Aye,” Geordie called. “Good sleep to ye too.”
“I am no’ like to sleep this night, m’laird,” Dwyn said apologetically as he carried her back through the door he’d left open.
“Nay,” he agreed wryly, kicking the door closed. “After sleeping the day away, and then the short nap I had after beddingye, I’m no’ likely to sleep this night either.”
“It was an hour at least. More like two,” she corrected.
“What was?” Geordie asked with confusion.
“Yer nap after ye bedded me,” she explained.
“Aulay and yer father were lecturing ye for two hours?” he asked with raised eyebrows.
“Well, I did no’ leave the room right away, and I had to dress first, and then hop there and then Rory bound me foot againand . . .” She shrugged. “But I’m sure ye slept for a couple hours at least.”
Geordie groaned at this news and sat on the end of the bed with her in his lap. “I will definitely no’ be sleeping tonight,then.”
“Nay,” Dwyn agreed, and said apologetically, “And I fear I’m hungry and thirsty.”
“So am I,” he said, his gaze dropping to her breasts.
Dwyn chuckled at his expression, and leaned up to kiss him lightly on the cheek, but said, “For food, m’laird. I will be morethan pleased to address the other hunger after that, but first I must eat. And I fear do we no’ go down soon, we will no’be going. Once everyone lies down for the night, we’ll no’ be able to get to the kitchens,” she pointed out solemnly.
Geordie frowned at that observation, knowing she was right. Once the castle settled for the night, they would be stuck abovestairs, unable to fetch more food or drink later did they desire it. Considering his new wife’s appetite for loving, he suspectedhe’d want food at least twice this night to keep up his strength, and he’d definitely have to replenish his fluids at leastthat many times too. Remaining in the room was not looking very attractive with those concerns on his mind.
Standing abruptly, Geordie turned and set her on the bed and then moved to gather his shirt from the floor next to the tub.As he donned it, he asked, “Would ye like to see the waterfall I mentioned?”
“Could we?” Dwyn asked with excited interest.
“Aye. ’Twas a full moon last night, so will be almost full tonight still and riding a horse should no’ be a problem,” Geordiethought aloud as he pleated his plaid. “We could go below now, before everyone retires, get some food from the kitchens, anda skin o’ wine, and then take them with us to eat by the waterfall,” he suggested.
“That sounds lovely,” she breathed, and then frowned. “But we are no more likely to be able to get back to our room once everyonehas retired than we are to get to the kitchens.”
“Aye, but we could always nap in the orchard do we tire ere everyone else rises,” he suggested. “That way we would no’ bestuck up here without food or drink at least.”
“Aye,” she decided. “I’d like that, m’laird.”
Smiling, Geordie donned his plaid, and then moved to gather his sgian-dubh, one of his daggers, and his sword. After sliding each weapon through his belt, he turned to walk back to her. His footstepsslowed when he noted where her gaze had gone though, and he glanced down to see that while the erection he’d awakened withhad deflated while they were out in the hall, it was back and poking at his plaid again.
“I’m looking forward to making love to ye in the waterfalls,” he confessed wryly, scooping her up. “And in the meadow wherewe picked the wildflowers, and under our tree in the orchard.”
“Under our tree in the orchard.” Dwyn sighed the words and nestled against his chest, but then lifted her head and asked,“Do ye think we could try in the tree?”
“No’ if ye want to survive,” Geordie said dryly, and then shook his head when she looked disappointed. Heading for
