Page 78 of The Lion

Stuart huffed but remained silent.

Amis continued, “I advise that those who planned to be leaders in this be whipped and jailed for a minimum of six months.”

Darach nodded. “Thank ye, Amis. I plan to speak to Duncan and discuss both this situation, as well as him coming here to stay when I am away at the MacNeil’s. Mother and Isobel are accompanying me. Keep our home safe in my absence.”

“Catriona is near to giving birth, I will not be here as much as I would like,” Ewan said with a wide grin.

The men all congratulated his brother.

“I am happy for ye brother and cannot wait to meet my niece or nephew.” Darach said.

“Catriona insists it will be a boy,” Ewan said, still grinning.

After the council members left, only Stuart remained to help him review the assignments for guardsmen, a letter of invitation to the MacLeod, and several other items that had to be seen to before he left.

It was late before he walked out of his study because he’d taken time away from his duties to spend part of the day with Isobel.

And yet, he had no regrets because the more time they spent together, the stronger he felt for his wife. She was not only beautiful, but extremely caring, kind, and intelligent.

His mother had insisted she would agree to travel to Barra with them and he hoped it was true.

Perhaps getting away from the keep would help her warm to him more.

Never had he missed a woman so much as he did Isobel. Although he knew it was his right to take her body, he would wait for her to be willing. Forcing himself upon her would only make things worse and no matter how much he ached for her, he was not willing to make a second mistake.

The corridor loomed long as he headed to the bedchambers. He stopped in front of Isobel’s door and then turned to the one they’d shared. Still undecided, he reached for the door handle to Isobel’s chamber.

Upon entering, he couldn’t see anything. The room was pitch black, with no fire in the hearth. He lit a candle that was on the table next to the door, giving him enough light to see.

The room was bare, empty of his wife and her items.

Panic squeezed at his chest. Had Isobel left without him knowing? No, it was impossible. The guards would have surely stopped her and informed him.

Just then Ramey turned the corner toward him. “Good night, Laird. Do ye wish assistance?”

“No, go seek yer bed.”

When the man turned away, Darach called his name. “Do ye know where my wife is?”

The valet gave him a strange look. “I cannot say for certain, Laird. Have ye looked in yer bedchamber?”

“Sleep well,” Darach said, dismissing him. The last thing he needed was a witness upon learning his wife had left or moved farther away to keep him from joining her at night.

When he opened the door to his bedchamber, he immediately looked to the bed. On his bed was Isobel sleeping soundly.

He then gathered the courage to look around the room. Her comb and ribbons were on the dressing table, her robe over the trunk at the end of the bed. He walked to the wardrobe on the far side and opened it to find all her gowns had been returned.

Unsure of what to do since for the last several nights, his routine had been disrupted, he sat down for a moment.

“Darach?”

Isobel was sitting up looking at him. “Are ye coming to bed?”

“Aye.” Overcome with emotion, he couldn’t formulate any other words in that moment.

The light from the fire reflected about the room, casting a wavy pattern across the space. Isobel looked like a siren, her hair loose about her shoulders, and nightdress untied at the throat so that the tops of her breasts were revealed.

“I cannot keep from ye,” Darach admitted. “I desire to make love to ye until the sun rises.”