Black Richard's Heart (The MacCulloughs #1) - Suzan Tisdale Page 0,104

floor. “And that not only makes ye an arse, but a bloody fool as well.”

“Might I remind ye who ye are talkin’ to?” Richard asked as he poured another mug of ale.

“I ken bloody well who ye are,” Lachlan replied. “My first duty is to ye, laird. And as yer second in command and yer cousin, ’tis my duty to point out when ye’re bein’ a fool.”

Richard slammed his cup down. “I am bein’ careful.”

“Think ye she is a spy?” Lachlan asked incredulously.

Richard shrugged. “’Tis a possibility.” Oh, he knew ’twas not just a ridiculous notion, ’twas also an outright lie.

Fed up with Richard’s attitude, Lachlan left the room, shaking his head all the way.

Alone now, Richard stared at the empty table.

Weeks ago, the idea that Aeschene was acting as a spy for her father was quite plausible. But now? Now he knew ’twas as likely as him sprouting wings and flying away.

Still, he felt it was his duty to be cautious.

He hadn’t lied completely when he told Lachlan he was being careful. He simply hadn’t explained his reasons for such caution.

Richard was being careful with his heart.

He was also being careful not to hurt his wife’s tender feelings. Oh, he knew he was hurting her each time he denied her request for a walk or a moment alone with him. He wasn’t completely ignorant in that regard. That hurt would seem miniscule compared to what might happen should he acquiesce and get to know her better, or worse yet, give her his heart.

Richard was not the man he’d been in his younger years. He had changed significantly in the past eight. Changed even more three years ago after being nearly killed and left mangled.

Love made a man do stupid things, could make him weak, could make him blind. And that was the last thing he wanted.

Any notions of a close relationship with his wife were out of the question. She needed, in order to survive what may come, to be just as cold and stone-hearted as he was.

They were on the brink of starvation again, and God forbid, if the Chisolms attacked them again, he seriously doubted they would survive it. In fact, he knew they couldn’t.

Still, he felt a deep sense of loyalty to his father’s memory as well as his clan, to do whatever he could to bring them away from this dangerous edge they were now perched upon. One wrong move and he could end up destroying everything.

And he’d be damned if he was going to allow that to happen.

Not even for his beautiful, caring, sweet wife.

Richard had spent the remainder of the night patiently waiting for his wife and the other’s to return. While he waited, he drank. And the longer they were gone, the drunker he got, and the angrier and more frustrated he became.

Yet even as drunk as he was, he knew he could be dangerous, even to those he had sworn to protect. With a heavy sigh, he stumbled to his study, unrolled his pallet and passed out.

’Twas well after dawn when he woke the next morning. If he dreamt, he couldn’t remember.

With a pounding skull and his mouth as dry as wool, he struggled to his feet. Too hungover, he didn’t even bother to put away his pallet and blanket. What he needed was to wash his teeth and get the awful taste of ale out of his mouth. He staggered out of his study and headed for his bed chamber. He was feeling every bit an ass, his hangover painfully reminding him he was not as young as he used to be.

When he rounded the corner, he came to an abrupt halt.

Sitting on the bottom stair was his wife.

And she was bleeding.

Panic settled around his heart and for the life of him, he could not move.

Chapter Nineteen

Aeschene was embarrassed beyond compare. She had foolishly believed she had lived in the keep long enough that she could make her way down the stairs without help. She had been wrong.

Just three steps from the bottom and her foot slipped off the edge of the stair. ’Twas a miscalculation that sent her tumbling forward, where she landed -chin first- on the stone floor.

She knew at once she had flayed her skin open as the pain radiated from her chin to her fingers and toes. Lying there, the wind knocked out of her, she had been afraid to move. As soon as she got her breathing under control, she was able to sit up,