“So you had to bond. That or die,” Tara said.
Amber pushed away from the window and moved to her sister’s side.
“I chose to die. I couldn’t ask Gavin to bond to me. His loyalty to us, his honor would have forced him to bond. I couldn’t let him.”
“But you didn’t die.”
“No. I left his side one night but only made it as far as the attic. I’m told when they found me I was on my last breath. Gavin took hold and spoke the vows.”
Lora sucked in a breath. “To a dying woman?”
“Aye, mother. My gift crippled him while I slowly began to heal. So you see, when I woke I had to save him. I couldn’t let him die—not after all he sacrificed for me.”
Lora stood and walked to her side. She lifted a hand to her cheek and pulled her into her arms with a sob. “I’m so sorry for your pain.”
Her mother’s sorrow struck her gut as the emotion leaked through Gavin’s shield. Instead of fighting it, Amber let the feeling in. “I’m well now. We simply need to determine how we will live our life together.”
“At least he’s cute,” Lizzy said evoking a laugh from all of them. Lora and Amber pulled away from their hug and the grief in her mother’s heart started to mend.
“He is handsome, isn’t he?” Amber asked with heat filling her cheeks.
“I’m happily married,” Tara said. “But I’m not blind. He’s hot.”
Myra started laughing while holding her belly. “You’re going to make me wet myself.”
Lizzy curled her legs under her skirt and leaned her elbows on her knees. “So if he couldn’t let you go until after you bonded…that means you guys slept together…bathed together?”
Tara’s eyes widened. “Oh, yeah, how did that go?”
Amber gauged her mother’s reaction to the question before answering. “We didn’t have a choice.”
“I’ll bet that was scary.”
“At first.”
“Didn’t you say the two of you haven’t been intimate?” Myra asked.
“We haven’t.” If she didn’t take into account the moments in the bathtub, they had very little knowledge of each other.
“Do you want to?” Lizzy asked.
Amber blinked several times, not sure how to answer the question. She moved her gaze to her mother and chewed on her bottom lip.
“Don’t hold back for me. Intimacy is part of a marriage.”
“I never thought I could stand the touch of anyone, let alone—”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Lizzy said with a laugh.
Tara stood and arranged her skirts. “Well if Gavin is as considerate with your body as he was with your life, I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
“She has a point,” Lora said. “But if you have any questions—”
“Nay, Mother. I’ve heard all of you speaking of intimacy, and dare I admit when I couldn’t control everyone’s emotions from taking root in my brain, I have more knowledge than I probably should.”
Lizzy giggled. “Our own little voyeur. Who knew?”
“The men are back,” Tara said. “Duncan is suggesting we make ready for dinner.” Tara and Duncan’s bond was as seamless as walking. She was obviously speaking to him in her head where Amber felt the need to pause her thoughts before connecting to Gavin.
“I think we should dress you as a bride.” Lora played with a strand of Amber’s hair as she spoke.
“What a grand idea. I know just the gown.” Myra waddled toward the door, and Amber trailed behind with Lizzy at her side.
“Uhm, Lizzy?”
“Yeah?”
“What does the word voyeur mean?”
****
Please tell me you’re on your way down. Kincaid pushed the words into Amber’s head long after he had returned to the Keep with all the MacCoinnich men. Well, again, Cian wouldn’t join them, but Duncan, Finlay, Todd, and Ian had insisted on spending time with him away from the Keep and away from the women.
Kincaid wasn’t a father, and could only imagine how difficult it was for a medieval man to meet his daughter’s husband after they’d already wed. If not for the fact that Kincaid’s gift saved Amber’s life, he thought Ian would have forced an annulment and banished him from his home.
Their ride in the Highlands had been a testing ground. Apparently, Kincaid passed the riding test, and the sparring, because at one point Duncan suggested a friendly fight. There was not one word of praise or acceptance, just a nod before they returned to the Keep.
Todd seemed the most accepting and offered words of encouragement.
“At least you married his daughter before sleeping with her.”
“You didn’t?”
“I’m sure Amber will tell you the story. But no. And without any powers, I was completely out armed when I ended up here.”
The hall was filled with family, servants, and knights. Many an eye followed Gavin as he and Todd spoke.
Kincaid drank ale from the goblet one of the servants gave him.
“If Ian didn’t approve, you’d already know it. It killed him to leave her with Simon and Helen.”
“Seems he’s testing me to see if I can keep her safe.”
Todd nodded. “Wouldn’t you? If you had a daughter?”
“I guess I would.”
Todd nudged his arm and said something, but he didn’t catch it because Amber’s words filled his head.
Is my father being difficult?
Kincaid caught Ian’s eyes on him before looking away.
I believe I’ve passed all his tests. Are you on your way?
We’re nearly done.
“You’d think I’d be used to this thing by now,” Todd said as he scratched his knee under his kilt.
Kincaid wore one identical to Todd’s and since there wasn’t a threat looming, no sword accompanied the costume. Not that Kincaid didn’t have one of his modern weapons hidden in the layers of the plaid. He was a warrior, and being unarmed was against his nature. “I’ll be sure and tell Jake about your distaste for a kilt.”
The grin on Todd’s face fell. “Do you think he’s okay? His kids?”
“When we go back, I’ll try and return close to the time we left,” he said under his breath to avoid anyone overhearing him. “If there’s something I can do, I will.”
Todd patted him on the shoulder. “I appreciate it.”