My Heart's in the Highlands by Angeline Fortin (best english novels for beginners .TXT) 📗

head, Hero wrapped her armsaround his neck, burying her cold nose in his neck. “I’m sorry Imade you come down here.”

Ian laughed, hugging her to him. “I wasanxious to get you alone. At least we’re not locked in theicehouse, right?”

“Probably warmer,” she said with a tinysmile. “You don’t have to hold me. I know I must be gettingheavy.”

“You’re as light as a feather,” he said andshe shook her head but at least she was still smiling. Ian lovedher smile. It carried warmth and caring and was bestowed frequentlyupon everyone around her. He’d never met another woman like her,and Ian doubted that there was even another to be found. Thoughhe’d known her only a few days and knew there was much more tolearn about her, he felt that he truly did know her.

For once, the insanity of it all sat wellwith him. Ian rested his forehead against hers and whisperedsoftly, “I know it’s madness to say this. I must tell you. I loveyou, sweet Hero.”

He felt her chilly fingers gently touch hisface and he lifted his head to meet her eyes. They were shiny,filled with happiness at odds with their current circumstances. “Ilove you, too.”

Ian kissed her tenderly, then rubbed his noseacross hers, earning a soft smile.

“Daughter! Where are you?”

Dropping his forehead against Hero’s, Ianreleased a relieved laugh. “I doubt I’ve ever been so happy to hearthose words.”

“Neither have I.”

Hero squeezed his neck and Ian returned thehug, feeling a rush of joy that she would be all right. “If I hadknown all I had to do to get us rescued was create a moment worthinterrupting, I would have done it long ago.”

Hero grinned tiredly then, and afterinsisting Ian let her stand on her own, joined him in calling forBeaumont’s attention and verbally guiding him to the door. Theyheard Simms’s voice as well as they argued about the keys andeventually managed to open the door.

“Hello,” the duke said with a broad smile asthe door swung open.

“Hello, Papa,” Hero said, leaning forward tokiss his cheek. “I’m so glad you found us.”

Taking Hero by the hand, Ian urged theirsmall party farther up the passage and away from the water. He waseager to get her out of the cold and into a warm bath.

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere,”Beaumont said, as if he were unaware that they were wading throughseveral inches of water. “How was your day?”

Sharing a droll look with Ian, Hero saidonly, “Fine, and yours?”

“I milked a cow!”

Hero and Ian both turned to Simms, who wastrailing them, lifting his trouser legs to keep them from thewater. The nurse shook his head defensively against the silentaccusation. “I was there, my lady. It seemed to cause no harm tohis grace … or to the cow,” he added as an afterthought.

Slowly they climbed the many flights ofstairs while Beaumont rambled on about the cow. Ian held Hero’sarm, assisting her along the way as the dungeons connected to thecellars until they reached the door that opened to the servant’shall outside the kitchen. Ian shut the thick door, finally blockingthe cold drafts away, and called for his staff, ordering the firstto appear to prepare a hot bath for Lady Ayr.

Ian turned to Beaumont and gave him a quickhug, pressing a hard kiss to the side of his head. “Thank you,Harry. We owe you our lives.”

“My feet are wet,” was the duke’s onlyresponse.

“Come, your grace,” Simms rushed to performhis duties. “I’ll get you some dry stockings and shoes.”

“You should put on some dry stockings aswell, Daughter,” Beaumont said as Simms led him away. “I shall haveyour mother bring you some and a nice cup of tea as well.”

“Papa …” Hero started to remindBeaumont—again—that his wife had died, but Ian stopped her with agentle hand.

“It can wait, Hero. Come now,” Ian said.“Harry is being taken care of. Now it is your turn. Let’s get youwarmed up.”

Hero nodded tiredly, weakened by the climb upthe narrow stairs, but when Ian led her to the servants’ stairs,which were closer, Hero just stared up at them with a sigh. “Noneof that now,” Ian said, sweeping her into his arms once more. Hestarted to climb. “The quicker you’re out of those wet clothes, thewarmer you will be.”

“You need to get out of your wet clothes aswell,” Hero said, her words bringing a warm suggestive light toIan’s eyes, and Hero blushed becomingly. He was glad to see somecolor flow back into her pale cheeks.

“I would be happy to accommodate you, mylove,” he whispered in her ear as he reached the top of the stairs.Still he didn’t release her, carrying her the short way to theState Room. The door was ajar, and Ian kicked it the rest of theway open, bearing Hero through the bedchamber and straight to thedressing room, where Mandy was already drawing a hot bath.

“Get her warmed up and into bed with some hotbricks,” Ian ordered the maid.

“Yes, my lord.” Mandy bobbed a curtsey,waiting expectantly for Ian to leave and then frowning fiercelywhen he did not.

As much as he knew that he needed to leave sothat Hero could bathe, Ian found himself reluctant to go. He longedto stay and see to her recovery himself but he knew that wasimpossible.

Hero smiled and shrugged out of his jacket.“Give Dickson my apologies for its condition,” she said. “He’d besthave a bath waiting for you as well or he will hear from me.”

“I’m sure he would never risk your wrath,”Ian said lightly before finally turning away. “Get some rest, my …Lady Ayr.”

Ian left to the sound of her equally properfarewell and strode wearily across the hall, eager for his owncomfort now that he knew Hero was being taken care of. He needed tospeak with her about his confession but it could wait.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Daughter!”

“I think that might be the first time yourfather hasn’t completely bollixed up a romantic moment for us,” Ianteased Hero a couple days later as they rode side by side throughthe estate’s parklands far south of the castle.

Hero couldn’t help but smile, not