Tyler, Lynn - For Her Honor [For Her] (Siren Publishing Classic) (21 page)

“They are well,” she answered.

He grabbed hold of her hand. “Robbie is a good man. He cares for you, Jocelyn. Do not hurt him,” he said as he began to slip into sleep.

She watched him fall into a restless sleep as she tried to digest his words. Robbie cared for her? She had always thought it took men such a long time to develop feelings for their wives, if they ever developed such feelings. And their marriage had been one of honor, not of emotion or feelings of love. Of course he felt lust for her. She had been told all men lusted after women.

She was still chewing on Will’s words when she felt a hand land lightly on the back of her neck, massaging gently.

Robbie stood behind her, gazing at his brother. He joined her at the bedside and helped her arrange the blankets around Will.

Sarah arrived and settled into her post, smiling slightly at Jocelyn as Robbie led her past.

“You need to rest,” her husband said into her ear. “You can do no good for Will if you fall ill yourself.”

He led her to their room and she stood docilely as he removed her dress before carrying her to their bed and settling her in the middle of it.

The mattress dipped as he climbed in next to her, and she settled against him, feeling reassured by his presence.

Will’s words came back to her, floating through her mind hazily. Could Robbie really care for her already? She fell asleep to the idea that Robbie might actually come to love her.

* * * *

Robbie held her close, cherishing the small bundle of woman sleeping in his arms. She had melted into him trustingly, and with that small move, she had effectively ripped his heart out of his chest and held it in her small palm.

She had come to mean so much to him in the past few days. She was just what he had needed.

He shuddered when he thought about what could have happened to Will if she hadn’t have been skilled at healing.

A smile curved over his lips as Jocelyn shifted in his arms and murmured his name. He had not thought it possible he could ever love a woman this much, but every passing hour had him falling deeper and deeper in love with her.

Robbie’s throat constricted as he wondered if she would ever feel the same way about him. She enjoyed his body. That much was apparent. She adored the pleasure he could give her and seemed eager to give him pleasure in return.

Perhaps over time her feelings of lust would transform into feelings of friendship, even love.

He fell asleep to the rhythm of her gentle breathing, the thought of her loving him warming his heart.

Chapter
13

Will felt as if he was boiling from the inside out. Logically he knew he was in the grips of a terrible fever, but he couldn’t help but wonder if he was really in the depths of Hell. Surely no man would ever survive the pain and then the terrible burning sensation ripping through his body.

He had opened his eyes to confirm his descent into Hell, although he wasn’t really sure what he had done to deserve being banished there, when he met the eyes of Robbie’s Jocelyn.

So he wasn’t in Hell after all. In the background he could hear the gentle voice of another woman. It was Sarah, he guessed, although her voice sounded different, slightly deeper and huskier than normal. She sounded as if she were fighting back tears.

He tried vainly to make his voice work and was disgusted with himself when he realized he was too weak to even make his jaw move.

Actually, he was furious. He didn’t want Sarah to see him like this. He didn’t want her to view him as helpless and feeble. For some odd reason, he wanted her to see him as strong and capable. It was silly, really, because they had known each other for so long and she had certainly seen him at his worst before. But knowing she was in love with him made him want to make her see him in the best light possible.

He tossed his head restlessly, the pain radiating from every part of his body. He was icy cold and burning hot by turns and it wasn’t something he knew how to deal with. What the hell was wrong with him?

“Sarah?” he croaked.

“It is good to see your eyes again. Hush, Will. I know you burn,” Jocelyn was saying. “’Tis the fever. It has been raging for two days. Here, drink this.”

She lifted his head, and he bit back a groan of pain as the flesh on his chest stretched painfully. He drank deeply from the cup she offered, pulling back deep mouthfuls of cool, clean water.

* * * *

Robbie sighed as he walked through the crop fields. The MacGillivray clan was in for a lean winter. It would help if the remaining crops survived, but they were a long way off from being harvested, and anything could happen between now and the harvest.

He was grateful that Jocelyn and Caleb had rationed the stores. He felt better knowing something positive was being done for his clan.

He climbed onto a large boulder situated at the edge of the field and observed the surrounding area. The fields to the left of the keep were a total loss, burned completely to the ground. What a waste of time and energy. At least the crops to the right of the keep had escaped relatively unharmed. He’d increased the guard again but his people were being stretched thin. There wasn’t much more he could do in the area of securing his property. The tree line, where the heavy forest started bordering the fields was especially hard to secure during the night. Anybody could hide in the thick trees and observe the guards until they were distracted and slip on to the property undetected.

He could hear his men practicing in the lists behind the keep. Hiring them out as soldiers and guards was a major source of their coin. He could allow them to stay home and guard the keep but the damage it would do for their coffers would be catastrophic. How was he supposed to support the occupants of his keep and the surrounding villagers if he lost that important source of income?

He could see the villagers coming down the road immediately in front of the bailey gate. He couldn’t stand to see the looks of concern and outright fear on their faces. They were all clearly worried about something if their hushed tones and furtive looks were any indication. Robbie just wasn’t sure what his people were more worried about, their safety or their lack of crops. Mentally calculating the coin he had stored in a chest in his bed chamber, he thought about purchasing some additional cattle and grain to help them get through the winter.

It disturbed him that the raids and attacks were becoming more frequent. He still couldn’t prove who it was but hopefully whoever was behind the attacks would make a mistake soon and reveal themselves. He just hoped that no one else would get hurt before then.

His thoughts wandered to Will. He had joined Jocelyn at his brother’s bedside that morning and had helped her wipe his big body down with icy water to cool his raging fever. He hadn’t realized just how big his brother was until he had to spend an hour running a cold cloth over his dry, hot body.

Sarah had come in then to help Jocelyn so Robbie could go about his day.

His heart ached for poor Sarah. It was obvious she was deeply in love with Will. The way she looked at him left little doubt to her feelings. Sarah had spent many days here as a child and he remembered the sweet little girl she had been. He’d always considered her the baby sister he’d never had and he didn’t like the idea of her in pain, physical or emotional. He made a note to talk to Will about it when he was well enough to listen.

He turned around and glared in the direction of the keep, one hand on his hip, the other on the back of his neck. He gazed at the keep critically while he waited. The stone building had been expanded upon over the years to accommodate the growing clan. The original structure had become the dining hall and was large enough for the entire keep’s population to eat comfortably at once. It also served as the great hall twice a year when Robbie and his brothers invited the villagers in to celebrate Christmas and Easter, though the tables had to be pushed up against the wall to have enough room for everyone to participate.

Previous lairds had added rooms to the keep here and there, adding a second floor for the bed chambers, nursery and the apothecary. Battlements had been added by Robbie’s grandfather, the tall walls enclosing the inner bailey and providing extra protection should they ever be attacked.

Robbie’s father had towers built, complete with the narrow windows where archers could stand and shoot arrows down onto attacking forces. There was nothing Robbie could add to help ensure the safety of his people and yet here they were, fearing for their safety.

He shifted impatiently, glaring at the door of the keep as if it could produce the one he was waiting for. He was to meet Jamie here so they could organize a watch, but his youngest brother was late. Just as he was about to shout from frustration, he spied Jamie as he made his way down the stairs of the keep’s entrance, though the inner bailey and out into the fields.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting,” he apologized before Robbie could shout at him. “I was helping Sarah, Jocelyn, and Caleb move Will to a cold bath.”

Robbie softened the moment he heard those words. “His fever has not subsided, then?” he asked almost inaudibly.

“Nay, it has not.” Jamie sighed and held his fingers just a scant distance apart. “We could only fill the tub this deep so his burns would stay dry.”

Robbie nodded and turned back to the fields so Jamie wouldn’t see the expression on his face. He wasn’t surprised, though, when he felt Jamie’s hand on his shoulder. “It is not your fault, Robbie,” he said quietly. “You could not have been aware the field you sent Will into would flare again. We all thought the flames had died.”

“I should have checked for flare-ups myself. It should have been me,” he roared.

“Robert, you were still battling with flames from the midfield. There was nothing you could have done,” Jamie said reasonably, trying desperately to calm him down.

Robbie turned to face his brother and saw Jocelyn coming down the stairs. She had surely heard his tirade and now knew that he had sent Will into the field instead of going himself. He waited for the disgust to cross her face when she realized he had sent his brother into probable death, but the disgust never came.

Instead, she walked right up to him, and looked him straight in the eye.

“You did nothing wrong, Robbie. You need to control yourself,” she shouted, ignoring his look of shock as she chastised him, poking him in the chest. “We could hear you from Will’s rooms. Now, get a hold of yourself and quit yelling.” She turned on her heel and walked away.

Robbie stared after her, his mouth hanging open. She had scolded him. She had actually scolded him! He had half a mind to grab her and warn her for talking to him, a man, and her husband no less, like that. The other half wanted to grab her and haul her to his bed so that instead of scolding him, her mouth would issue only pleas for more.

He heard Jamie in the background, roaring with laughter. He turned to glare at his brother but ended up throwing his own head back and laughing with him. His Jocelyn had spirit. That much was certain.

Robbie caught his breath as his laughter died off. Lord, it felt good to laugh. As soon as Will was well enough to hear him, he would tell him of Jocelyn’s rant. Robbie was sure his brother would find the image of his tiny wife standing on a rock, shouting her lungs out at him quite amusing.

He was still grinning when Colin rode up to them on a great chestnut gelding. He looked down at them and dismounted, looking grim. “I have news, Robbie,” he said in a dark tone.

“What now?” Robbie asked, his good mood evaporating like the morning dew.

“Eileen’s father died. His son, Henry, has become chief. Unfortunately for you, he has always blamed you for his sister’s death,” Colin recounted, handing the reins over to a stable lad.

“Have they taken responsibility for the raids and the fire?” Robbie asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Aye,” Colin said. He looked at Robbie’s chin for a minute before continuing. “Henry knows you have married, and he vows to take your second wife’s life in the same way that Eileen took her life. It gets worse, though. I have heard word that Henry Campbell was one of Jocelyn’s suitors. Her father chose you over him. You know how much he hates to lose anything. If he can take her from you, he will.”

Robbie paled and jerked around to stare at Will’s window, where he knew Jocelyn would be nursing his brother. “I must keep her safe,” he stated. “Jamie, post two men to guard Jocelyn at all times until this mess is cleared up with Henry. I will speak with her and let her know the reason behind my decision.”

“She will not like that, Robbie,” Jamie protested. “She is used to freedom, remember?”

“And her freedom is what will get her killed,” Robbie shot back, his heart growing cold at the thought of his wife, the woman he had begun to love, being taken from him.

“Tell her to stay within the walls of the inner bailey,” Jamie said logically. “She will be safe with everyone about.”

“Do you know what they say of Henry Campbell’s predilections? It is said that he prefers his women to fight him while he rapes them. Nay! I will not take chances with her. She will have the guards, even if I have to shadow her every movement myself!” Robbie threatened, although he knew the threat was quite impossible to follow through with. He was laird. He needed to take charge of situations, not follow around after his wife like a puppy.