Dwyn felt tears fill her eyes at the words, and nodded soundlessly. She didn’t hear or see Aulay call the others over, butsuddenly they were surrounding the bed. Aulay, Jetta, Alick, Rory, Aileen, Una and her father. Their family. They stood witnessas Father Archibald married her to Geordie Buchanan so that they were husband and wife, not just in the eyes of the law, butin the sight of God too . . . until death did they part.
Chapter 13
Geordie opened his eyes, stared at the drapes overhead and then turned his head to the side where Dwyn slept, only she wasn’tthere. That made him immediately cranky. His head was pounding, his mouth was dry and his wife missing. Grand, he thought grimly, and tried to sit up, only to find he didn’t have the strength to manage it, and that trying caused agreat deal of pain in his chest.
Cursing, he flopped back to lie flat and then peered down at the furs covering him. When his gaze caught on something darkon his face, and he realized he had a beard and mustache, his eyes widened incredulously and he wondered what the hell hadhappened. He was still trying to sort through the store of fuzzy memories in search of the answer to that when the door opened.
Turning his head sharply at the sound, he relaxed, and almost smiled when Dwyn came in. But before the smile could fully form,a scowl took its place as he realized Dwyn was walking. Hell, she was practically skipping, and looking pretty damned pleased with herself too. He opened his mouth to berate herfor walking on her wounded feet, but all that came out was a dry and cracked sort of squawk. Geordie’s eyes widened in alarmat that, but Dwyn had heard, stopped walking to gape at him and suddenly hurried to the bed with a squeal of delight.
“Ye’re awake! Oh, I’m sorry I missed it, husband. I only left to use the garderobe.”
Somewhat mollified by her joy at his waking, Geordie grunted when she threw herself on him. She landed with her head on hisstomach, her arms hugging his hips. It didn’t hurt so much as surprise him. As did the fact that the lass’s breasts were pressingagainst his groin, and his groin didn’t care. That was new, he thought with bewilderment, and opened his mouth to ask whatwas going on, only to emit another dry, cracked squawk.
The sound made Dwyn lift her head to look at him, and then she was up off the bed and standing next to him. The next thinghe knew, she had caught him by the shoulders and managed to drag him up a bit so that his face was cuddled against her breastsas she held him there with one hand just long enough to shove a pillow behind his back. Raising him up again, she pressedhim to her bosom and shoved another pillow behind him, and then did it a third time. Each time she did it Geordie stared atthe tops of her breasts just visible above her neckline and inhaled her sweet scent, then frowned when he realized how littlebosom there was visible above the neckline.
“There,” Dwyn said after she’d stuffed the last pillow behind him. Settling her hip on the bed beside him, she then reachedfor a goblet on the bedside table and moved it to his lips, holding and tipping it to help him drink.
Geordie could have wept when the sweet, cool cider slid over his tongue and filled his mouth. It was the best damned thinghe’d ever tasted, he decided, and would have gulped down the entire contents, but she wouldn’t let him.
“Slowly, husband, until we see how yer stomach handles it,” Dwyn cautioned, before tipping the goblet again. She tipped itfour times in a row, but then set the goblet on the bedside table again and turned to look him over with bright eyes. “I shouldgo fetch Rory. He made me promise to get him when ye woke, but . . .” Dwyn sighed and then bent to kiss him softly, beforestraightening to look at him again, as she said, “’Tis so nice to finally have ye awake again. I just want to look on ye fora minute.”
Geordie smiled, and wanted to raise a hand to caress her cheek, but it flopped uselessly at his side when he tried. That broughta frustrated frown to his face until she reached over and clasped his hand, squeezing gently.
“Do no’ fret. Ye’ll get yer strength back quickly now ye’re awake,” Dwyn assured him, and then tears filled her eyes, andshe admitted, “For a while there in the woods I feared ye were done for. I thought I’d be a widow ere ye even married me properly.”
“The waterfall,” Geordie breathed as his memories finally coalesced in his head, filling his mind briefly. Setting out theplaid. Turning to find Dwyn gone. Her scream from the woods that sent him running. The man she was struggling with when hefound them. A short battle with him, and then he’d turned to Dwyn and a bloody sword tip was sticking out of his chest.
Geordie frowned at the memory. He had no idea where the second man had come from. He’d only seen Dwyn and the man she wastrying to get away from when he’d run up on them. So the blow had more surprised him than actually hurt. He would have swornat first that someone had punched him in the back, so was shocked when the blade appeared, slicing out of his chest. It hadhurt a hell of a lot more when it was pulled out, and the moment it was gone, he’d turned on his attacker in a rage and—
Geordie grimaced as he recalled hacking off the man’s head. His aim had been a little off. He hadn’t
