Outlaw King by Julie Johnstone

Author:Julie Johnstone
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Historical Romance
Publisher: Julie Johnstone
Published: 2018-08-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Elizabeth rowed out to the summer cottage on the island that stood separate from the castle because she desperately wanted to be alone. So much pressed on her. Worry for Lillianna, and she could not rid herself of the image of Robert bending the knee, nor could she shake the worry that one day he might grow to resent her for the choice he had made. And in addition to that, they were to be married and no words of love had been exchanged between them. It was the last thing that made her gut twist.

She loved him deeply. She had suspected it for a while, but when she had seen him on bended knee for her, she had known it, without a doubt. She longed to hear if he felt the same, yet she could not ask. She wanted him to tell her of his own free will.

She sat in one of the four chairs in the tiny, sparse cottage, and looked out the window at the twinkling stars. She should not be here; it was not proper and likely unsafe. She glanced at the dagger she had brought, which rested on a stand near the door. Luckily, she had come prepared.

Behind her, the door creaked open, and she scrambled to her feet, ready to lurch for the blade. Her breath hitched when she saw Robert standing there, holding her dagger in one hand and a torch in the other. His eyes narrowed upon her as he strode into the room, kicked the door shut, and set the torch in a holder.

He turned to her, his face like a black cloud. “If ye are going to be so foolish as to take to the water alone at night and to spend time alone in a cottage, at least keep yer dagger by yer side and nae at the damned door to invite whoever wants to ravish ye to use it on ye.”

She smiled that he cared so much. Surely, he loved her, too. If he would only but say it!

“Why are ye smiling?” he demanded, his brow knitting.

“Because you care about my safety,” she said.

“Of course I care,” he said, looking suddenly uncomfortable. She suspected Robert was not accustomed to speaking of matters of the heart.

“How did you find me?” she asked.

“Gloucester, actually. He saw ye go to the water and row away.”

Elizabeth frowned now. “He should not be spying on me.”

Robert closed the distance between them and pulled her gently into his embrace. “He was not spying on ye. He happened to be having an…er…dalliance, and he saw ye. He came to find me immediately, knowing I’d wish to keep my own eye on ye.”

She ran a hand over Robert’s chest, feeling his muscles flex beneath her fingertips. “I can fend for myself.”

He grunted. “Ye will need many lessons on how to be a proper Scottish wife.”

“And why is that?” she asked, her lips twitching at his disgruntled expression.

“Proper Scottish wives allow their husbands to fend for them.

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