Black Richard's Heart (The MacCulloughs #1) - Suzan Tisdale Page 0,125
didn’t give my heart to him.”
Confused, she stood up and stepped toward her. “But-”
“But nothing. That was yer dream, not mine.” There was no denying her frustration or her deep hurt.
“What do ye mean my dream?”
“Lift yer arms,” she told her. “We dunnae wish to be late to sup.”
“I am nae going anywhere until ye tell me what ye meant,” she replied as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Marisse let loose a frustrated breath. “’Twas ye who believed I loved yer brother. ’Twas yer dream that we become sisters by marriage. ‘Twasn’t my dream, Aeschene, but yers.”
Aeschene was stunned. “But I thought-”
“Nay, ye hoped.”
She was right. Deflated, her shoulders sagged. “I am so verra sorry, Marisse.”
Marisse took in a deep, fortifying breath. “’Tis all right, Aeschene. I ken ye meant well.”
“Ye ken my only desire is to see ye happy,” she said.
“And my only desire at the moment is to get ye in this dress and to nae miss the evening meal,” Marisse said teasingly.
Not wanting to upset her friend any more than she already had, she left the subject of love and hearts alone. She’d not bring up the subject again until Marisse did.
Marisse was doing her best to keep her temper in check. She loved Aeschene like a sister and the last thing she ever wanted to do was bring her a moment of pain. For more than two years, they were tucked away in the attics of the MacRay keep. The only thing that kept either woman from going completely mad were their dreams.
“Tiberius, he is a good man, Aeschene. And I know ’twas yer wish that we would someday marry. But I didn’t love him.”
“But why did ye nae say something before?”
She pressed a soft palm against Aeschene’s cheek. “Because there were so many times when yer day dreams and stories were the only thing that kept us from flinging ourselves from the highest window. Yer day dreams, those were the things that kept each of us alive. I could no more crush yer spirit than ye could mine.”
Aeschene’s shoulders fell. “I made a fool of myself.”
“Nay! Nay, ye didn’t make a fool of yerself, Aeschene. I swear to ye, had Tiberius asked, I would have said yes, if only to take ye out of those attics. I would have insisted on our own little cottage, just like we dreamed. A place as far away from yer father as we could get.”
Smiling wanly, Aeschene said, “I remember those dreams.”
“They were what kept us going.”
“’Tis true,” Aeschene agreed. “But now, now ye need new dreams.”
Marisse giggled as she pulled her friend into a warm embrace. “Dunnae worry over me. I will be fine.”
“Ye cannae stay my maid for all the rest of yer days, Marisse. Ye deserve happiness. Ye deserve a husband and bairns, and yer own wee cottage. Just as we always dreamed of.”
“What on earth would ye do without me to keep ye out of trouble?” she asked sarcastically. “Now, enough of this. Let us get ye dressed. Richard will be here soon enough.”
She was glad she had been able to turn the conversation away from Rory. She didn’t want to discuss her confusing feelings towards the man.
Richard tried to kiss his wife awake, but to no avail. Apparently, he had loved her to the point of sheer exhaustion the night before. Typically, all it took was one kiss or the slightest touch to stir her awake. But not this morn. He smiled proudly, as many men do in similar situations.
He left her to sleep as he slid from the bed. Lighting one candle from the embers in the hearth, he tended to his morning ablutions and dressed as quietly as he was able, careful to not disturb her. If his gentle kisses and warm caresses didn’t wake her, then she most assuredly needed to sleep.
Pausing at the door, he looked back the vision of beauty. Burrowed into the covers, the fur drawn up over her ear. God has certainly blessed me, he mused. More than I deserve.
He hurried below stairs, with a skip in his step and a proud smile.
Raibeart and Colyne were already seated at the table. Lachlan and Rory came in from the other side of the hall just as Richard was entering. They bid each other good morn.
“Where are Aeschene and Marisse?” Colyne asked as he took a hardboiled egg from the platter.
“Aeschene is still asleep,” Richard said as he ruffled the boy’s hair.