He closed his eyes, thinking onlyto rest them for a brief moment, but he found he did not have the strength orthe desire to open them again.
A pounding at the door woke Iain. His eyes flew openand he started to sit up when he remembered Marion was lying on him. He easedout of bed, cursing the fool who dared to bang so loudly on his door. Wrapping hisplaid around him, he stalked to the door and threw it open.
Alex stood there grinning at him.“I see ye’re nae ready. Are ye nae coming with us, then? Too tired, perchance?”Alex teased, while trying to peer around Iain.
Iain shoved his friend back intothe hall. “I’ll be there presently.” With that, he shut the door, quicklydressed, then went over to Marion and gently shook her. He was about to give upon rousing her to say farewell when she opened one eye.
“Must we wake already?” she groanedsweetly.
“Nay,” he said and pressed a gentlekiss to her lips. “I’m meant to hunt with Alex this morning. Ye may sleep aslong as ye wish.”
“Mm-hmm,” she responded, her eyeshutting.
He smiled and opened the door,glancing back over his shoulder at his wife, already asleep once more.
Thirteen
“How did you do this?” Marion asked later thatmorning as she kneeled in front of Angus and tended to his foot.
Angus’s face flushed red, and hisgaze flickered from Marion to Bridgette, who was leaning forward to see overMarion’s shoulder.
“I told ye,” Angus grumbled. “I wastrying te help that clot-heid Archibald after he fell into an animal trap, andhe pulled me in with him. When I hit the ground, I hurt my foot.”
Archibald stood facing them, and heglared at Angus. “I told ye three times already, I did nae intend to pull yein, ye stubborn fool. I outweigh ye! I told ye to keep yer footing. I shouldnae even be here,” he growled. “I should be on the hunt, but thelairdonce again sees fit to punish me, though I’ve nae done a thing wrong.”
Marion tried not to take offensethat Archibald considered guarding her and Bridgette with Angus a punishment.She understood he was angry about being forced to stay behind. The two mencontinued to argue as Marion wrapped a cloth around Angus’s swollen, ratherbluish foot.
She paused for a moment, blew astrand of hair dangling in her eyes out of her face, and exchanged a long lookwith Bridgette and motioned for her to follow. “I’ll be back in a moment,”Marion told Angus and Archibald, but they were bickering and neither manacknowledged her.
Once Marion and Bridgette were farenough away, Marion spoke. “Angus cannot join me to visit the seer as intended.And I don’t think going alone is wise, even with the guards about.”
Bridgette nodded and nibbled on herlip. Marion had told her earlier that morning when she borrowed a fresh gownthat she intended to go to the seer. Bridgette had understood and found Mariona thick cloak to take the woman. “I could go with ye again.”
Marion frowned. “I thought Alextold you not to leave the courtyard today.”
Bridgette shrugged. “He did, but—”
“Then you should not,” Marioninterrupted, thinking on her talk with Iain last night about why he gave theorders he did. Alex likely wanted her to remain in the hold because of thepossibility of one of Froste’s men lurking about, which was why Marion thoughttaking Archibald with her to the seer was now the best solution since Angus washurt. She simply had to go to the seer. She could not explain the pull, but itwas there. And as for being safe… Well, guards were now everywhere andArchibald was a fierce warrior. Besides that, she’d borrowed a dagger fromBridgette, which she was wearing in a sheath around her waist. “Would you staywith Angus so he’ll rest his foot and then Archibald can come with me?Otherwise—”
“Aye!” Bridgette exclaimed. “Yedunnae need to say more. I’d do near anything to be rid of Archibald for theday.” The two women giggled as they strolled back to Archibald and Angus, whowere still bickering.
Marion quickly finished dressingAngus’s foot, and then she stood and stretched, her body a bit sore fromyesterday with Iain. The mere thought of the intimacy they had shared heatedher cheeks and made her belly flutter. She’d woken this morning shocked at herboldness. She could not say what had come over her. Well, she could—lust.Her husband made her lustful. And Iain’s kindness and thoughtfulness in takingthe time to tell her about David made her heart throb with pure happiness. Hethought her important enough to have a meaningful conversation with him. Thethought made her cheeks ache to grin, but she managed to refrain. She didn’twant to explain a silly smile to anyone. She sighed with contentment, then gaveherself a shake. Standing around sighing would not do. There was somethingimportant that must be done.
She set her hands on her hips andhoped her expression looked stern as she stared down at Angus, who sat on a loglooking very disgruntled. “You must stay off that foot today,” she commanded.
“Bah!” he grumbled. He promptlystood up and then winced in pain as he stumbled backward and gripped hisinjured foot. He’d have fallen on his bottom if Archibald had not moved quicklyand caught him.
Archibald deposited him, none toogently, back on the log. “Sit there, ye stubborn fool. When ye’re ready to goinside, I’ll help ye.”
Marion scowled at Angus. “If youdon’t stay off that foot, you’ll make it worse.”
He didn’t look as if he cared, soshe decided to lie a bit. “I’ve seen a man lose a foot because it became soswollen that the blood stopped flowing to it.”
Angus went pale as he stared at hisfoot. “Who?”
She waved a hand dismissively. “Youdidn’t know him. Just a man from the village.”
Angus nodded. “If I stay off ittoday…?”
