Highland Menage: A Perfect Wife Part 6

"I add my pardon, Bessie," he said as humbly as possible after being caught behaving like a lad needing a whipping.

"Aye, well, then, no harm done." She clutched her hands in front of her. "I hope ye are gentlemen."

"Aye," replied Malcolm, motioning for her to continue.

"'Tis just that I've not seen my lady so..."

"Tired? Sore? Fashed?"

"That, and more." She shuffled her feet. "I ken ye have the right as her husbands to do as ye wish, but what my lady needs is to be held. It's all a bit much for her, aye?" She bobbed again. "'Tisn't my place, but-"

"But Kinrowan is far bigger than Castle Leod, and 'twill take us all a wee bit to settle," said Malcolm. "How long have ye been with my lady wife?"

"I were but a tweeny when I came with her mother, Lady Elizabeth Stewart."

"We care for Kiera but know little of women. Speak up if it would help my lady. But dinna lie, stretch the truth, or speak of only part of it."

She looked at Malcolm and then transferred her shrewd eyes to Duff.

"Laird Kinrowan, may I show my face?" asked Duff.

Malcolm c.o.c.ked his head in question. Realizing what Duff meant, he nodded. Duff reached behind his head, undid the strap, and removed his mask. Bessie gasped. She looked from one to the other. Neither of them spoke.

"Aye," she said, "ye are right to hide and speak of scars. If aught happens ye must be laird for yer twin."

"Ye ken it." Malcolm nodded with respect.

"None will hear of it from me. Thank ye, laird, for yer trust."

"And thank ye for caring for our lady."

"She is my life. 'Tis why I rode that wagon for more days than I wish to count." She rubbed her bottom as if it was still sore. "I didna do it for ye, laird or no!"

Duff was pleased to see Malcolm share a laugh with her. He joined in with a chuckle.

"Kiera as well, though?" asked Malcolm. "The journey wasna too much for her?"

"'Twas hard, I'm sure, and 'tis partly the babe what makes her tired. But the worst is she fears Kinrowan people learning of how she was at Castle Leod."

"It may happen," replied Malcolm. "But if she shows the woman Duff met at her sheiling they will care for her and believe in the woman she will be here. I canna blame her for being bitter. She was alone. 'Twas a surprise to learn what that meant when Laird MacKenzie sent Duff from me. I canna think on being alone all yer life."

"'Tis no more. She has the both of ye now," said Bessie.

"And ye," added Duff. "Bessie, we wish ye to ken that ye can say anything to me. It is my duty and honor to make my brother's life, and that of our new clan, as best as possible. If ye ken there's sommat I could do, especially if it be for our lady, then speak up."

Malcolm took her hand in both of his. "Bessie, I wish to thank ye for all ye've done for our Lady Kiera. I am certain ye've been a good friend to her, guiding her as best ye can. I wish ye to keep doing so."

"But laird, I be but her lady's maid."

"There were no ladies, or maids, at Duncladach, so I dinna ken yer duties. What I do wish is for ye to be whatever Kiera needs, even a scolding auntie. Keep her safe and well, and our bairns."

Bessie drew herself up, which brought her head to just over Malcolm's middle. "Tisn't sommat ye need ask, laird. Kiera is my life and always will be."

"Ours as well."

Duff's jaw dropped when Malcolm bent and enfolded the tiny woman in his arms. After a shocked moment she hugged him back.

"Sometimes," he said, "lairds and lady's maids need a wee hug. Duncladach didna have aunties."

"Ye come to Bessie if'n ye need a hug or a talkin'-to, laird," she said, patting his back as if he was a lad.

When he stood and released her they were both stiff and self-conscious.

"My turn," said Duff. He hadn't held many women. Bessie was far different from Kiera. Only when he relaxed did he realize how tense she'd been. She patted him on the back as well.

"Och, ye may be laird and steward but inside ye be just laddies, missing yer mam."

"We never knew her," admitted Duff. "We had Mary for a bit, but she died of a fever long ago."

"Well then," she said, "any time ye wish, I'll treat ye like an auntie." She attempted a scowl, which didn't work well as she also smiled. "And that means smacking yer fingers if ye reach for too many sweets."

"We've had few sweets in our life," said Malcolm.

"I heard Cook say something about apple tarts," said Duff.

Bessie backed away. "Ye're laird here," she said to Malcolm. "Ye'll get the best of everything."

"Only if it doesna harm others, or make them do without," said Malcolm. "If there isna enough apple tarts for all, we will wait."

"Even the pot boy?" questioned Bessie.

"Aye, even the pot boy."

She eyed him for a moment. "I'd best tell Cook."

"Yes, ma'am," said Duff, laughing as she gave him a pretend glare and bustled off to the stairs.

"It felt good to hold her," said Duff. He nodded to himself. "Our bairns will grow up knowing a mother's touch as well as a fathers'," he added. "And Bessie will be as a granny to 'em."

"And our wife will be held often, starting now."

Duff was closer to their chamber door so reached at first. It was worth it just to see Malcolm's frown. Duff opened the door but instead of pus.h.i.+ng through, bowed for his brother.

"After ye, my laird." Malcolm pa.s.sed through regally. "Inside this chamber ye're just the groom while I am the best man."

Kiera opened her eyes to the sound of heavy breathing. She'd woken to roars and yells a while ago, then silence, so had drifted back into sleep. She was awake now with two highly aroused men standing by her bed. Her wonderfully soft, warm, perfect-for-sleeping bed. But four blue eyes gleamed with determination and two eager mouths grinned in antic.i.p.ation.

"We just want to hold ye," said Duff.

She looked at the matched set of what pointed at her. No, they didn't quite match. One curved more than the other. She'd have to give the matter more attention when the time was right.

"Aye, we wish to do more," admitted Malcolm. "But all we'll do is hold ye."

"While ye sleep," added Duff.

Their hard c.o.c.ks bobbed as she thought it over. Her hind end had recovered fairly well with the hot bath, but she'd gone without sleep for too many nights to be wild about waking now, no matter the reason.

"Are you saying you'll hold me if I sleep, but if I wake there's something else you plan on doing?"

Malcolm jabbed his elbow into Duff. "We wish to hold and comfort ye in our bed, in our chamber, in our castle."

She thought for a moment. "You didn't say 'our wife'."

Duff moved first, sliding into bed beside her. Malcolm walked around the far side and climbed in behind her while Duff tugged her naked body half on top of his. She jabbed her elbows in his ribs to make a chin rest to look down on him. Those blue eyes, tanned skin, and dark hair were all hers. She traced the line under his beard that marked his scar and proved he was not his twin.

Malcolm rested his head on his bent left arm. He used his right to troll his fingers from her thighs over her bottom and up her back to her neck, then back again in a slow loop.

"We are yer husbands and ye are our wife, Kiera," he said. He dropped his chin to kiss her shoulder. "But I didna wish to speak of ye as a possession. Ye are like a dream to me, only one that is still there when I wake." Another kiss, this one gentler. "Ye are yerself, and what we need. Ye could have had far greater men as husbands. I hope we are enough for ye."

She laid her head on Duff's chest to think that one over. His heart beat was quicker than normal but still regular. Hers had sped up.

Yes, she could have had a husband of more power and wealth, yet she could not imagine any of them caring for her even half as much. The three of them had many challenges ahead. She'd seen little of Kinrowan but the stairs and this chamber where Bessie had chattered while she bathed. Though she'd been Lady MacKenzie of Castle Leod she worried one false step would bring her down. She'd destroyed her name while in her father's home. She could not do so here. It would be intolerable to be shunned and shamed in her own castle. She would follow Bessie's guidance, along with Hattie and the other women she'd not yet met. And her husbands, of course.

"If you count wealth and power as being great, then aye, men like that coveted what I could bring them," she replied. "But they didn't want me, Kiera." She rolled her head so her chin rested directly on Duff's chest. He'd complained about her chin being pointed before so she opened and closed her jaw a few times, grinding it into him. He yelped as expected, his eyes laughing at her.

"None are greater men than you, and most come nowhere near. My father trusts you to be for the MacKenzies. He would not trust those more powerful, and greedy, men."

"Are ye likely to find contentment with us?" asked Duff.

"If you hush so I can rest, mayhaps." He patted her bottom in warning. She didn't really want them to be quiet as she was enjoying their time together and didn't know when they'd have another. "Tell me of your visit with my father. What did you do?"

"I watched how he acted as Lord MacKenzie," said Malcolm. "He praised but only where it was deserved. If something was wrong he acted quickly to fix it, not blaming unless it was deserved. The first morning when we all went to train I expected him to stay with the men. Instead he went to the young lads and their wooden practice swords."

"He left you to prove yourselves." She snickered. "I saw the bruises on you. Are you likely to get more?"

"It will take some weeks for all the garrison to test us," said Duff with a groan. "There are dozens of servants, and they all want to have their say."

"Do they have good ideas?"

"Some of them, aye. Others wish to get their complaints in first, or gain something they may not deserve."

She could see having the same problem herself. "What do you do?"

"Nod wisely, say 'I see,' and that I will think it over."

Malcolm's hand stopped, resting on her bottom. "Yer father said to watch the ones who work hard and dinna look to see who is watching. Even better if they do what needs doing afore ye ask for it."

"You learned much from my father."

"He is the only laird I've seen much of, other than Somerled."

"Our oldest brother is dour and harsh," said Duff. "He's had to be as he took over our clan at sixteen because our father was worse than useless. Luckily Niall, his twin, is easier to be with."

"Yer father can laugh with his men, flirt with the women, and cuddle a bairn, yet acts with deadly force when he must. I wish to be like that."

"Bessie said you already showed both sides of being a laird. What did she mean?"

"A woman had brought forward the charge of rape against one of the more prosperous men in the village," said Duff. "The man said he'd paid her before and expected the same services. She said she'd only accepted coin when her children were starving in the late winter and tried to fight him off. Others heard and came, but 'twas too late."

"They were witnesses to the act, but not the reason," said Kiera. She waited to hear what Malcolm had ordered done. It would say so much about him as a laird, a man, and a husband.

"I sentenced him to ten lashes and said he must provide her with enough coin to buy peat for the winter," said Malcolm. "He would pay double for what he'd taken, but as a fine to help her little ones get through the coming winter."

Kiera s.h.i.+vered at the thought of the whip. It only happened once. She had scars, though they were light. She never wished to see a whip in use again, though she agreed with the punishment.

"She wouldna have taken the coin otherwise," she said.

"He complained that a whipping would injure him too much and so would take food from the mouths of his own bairns. His wife just birthed his seventh daughter, which is why he couldn't demand his marital rights," said Duff. "His words, not mine. Mistress Hetty said there were whispers he'd done it afore but none came forward, as they, too, had been forced to take money here and there."

"So all he lost was some coin."

Duff's chuckle made her bounce on his chest. "Not at all. Malcolm took the lash to him. He can make a man scream in pain without cutting his back to ribbands. His body was punished yet he could still work."

"And the woman? Are the villagers angry with her?"

"Nay doubt, but one of yer father's guards asked if she and her bairns could return to Castle Leod with them. Laird MacKenzie liked that she spoke well, stood up for herself, and didna ask for too much."

"I carried her wee la.s.sie on my horse most of the way to Castle Leod," said Malcolm softly. "I've not seen many bairns, and she made me think of the babe ye be carrying."

"You wish for a son, aye?"

"Yer father wishes for a son. I'd like a wee la.s.sie with yer eyes and smile."

She lifted her head, smiling at the praise.

"See, Duff. I told ye Kiera's smile lights up the room more than a fire."

The bolt struck her heart, and she knew.

During the day Malcolm seemed harsh and unyielding. He needed to be. But in here he showed his true self, one that understood why a woman could be forced to act the wh.o.r.e to save her children, and not judge her harshly for it. A man who could carry a little one on his saddle for days and find joy in it was one to love.

She laid her head on Duff's chest and closed her eyes. She couldn't tell them, or let them know she loved them both. They'd made it clear they knew nothing of love. What her father and mother had was unusual, though she doubted either of them had ever spoken of it.

She would be the perfect dutiful wife in public. Modest, obedient, and calm. In this chamber she would be as she chose, which was a totally different person. If the three of them could get along well, respecting and caring for one another, it would be enough.

No, it wouldn't. But it would have to be.