“Good, for I plan for both of us to be around for a long time,” she said with a tender smile and kissed him.
Rannick hugged his wife close, several blankets tucked around them since she still suffered a slight shiver. Though it was mid-afternoon, he and his wife had gotten no sleep last night. He had known there would be no stopping her once they returned to the keep from seeing that Damia and the bairn did well. They both slept with Bram keeping an eye on them when he wasn’t snoozing himself on a nearby chair in Damia’s cottage. Lady Helice had managed to stop the endless questions coming from Lord Lochlann, once in the Great Hall, insisting Bliss needed rest as well as Rannick. He had given her an appreciative hug before escorting his wife to their bedchamber.
He was right where he wanted to be, in bed with his wife in his arms safe, though she truly was not safe, not yet.
Bliss said what he’d been thinking, her voice heavy with fatigue. “It isn’t over yet, is it?”
“I am afraid not. I had hoped Jaffee would tell me who hired him, but realized that by him keeping it from me, it left the chance he would get what he wanted… you and me dead.” He kissed her brow when he felt her shudder. “Worry not, I believe we will have time to try and figure out who is behind the scheme since he will need to hire others to see his plan succeed. With Jaffee defeated that will not be easy. Others will be fearful and reluctant to take on the mission. What troubles me more is what Jaffee said about it being family.” He shook his head. “It is not possible. No one in my family would do such a thing.”
“Family spreads far and wide. We need to look beyond our immediate family,” Bliss said and yawned. “Or perhaps Jaffee lied to make our search more difficult.”
“A possibility,” Rannick said, “Enough about him for now, tell me how Damia and her son do.”
Bliss turned a wide smile on her husband. “They both do wonderful. Damia named him after his da, Finn. She was very brave being forced to deliver her son in the dark woods and with the snow falling and equally as brave to chance the escape.” Her smile faded. “Her sister’s betrayal pains her, and she worries you will punish her for it. I assured her you would never do such a thing.”
“Damia proved herself when she escaped as you urged her to do, and she wasted not a moment in delivering your message. She has nothing to fear.” He faintly touched her bandaged arm. “And your wound?”
“As I thought, not serious enough that it will not heal, though extra healing time may be required.”
“Then you will be wise to follow the healer’s advice,” he said with a smile and a gentle kiss, relieved the wound was not as bad as he worried it might have been. His hand went to rest at her stomach. “The bairn does well?”
“He is tiny and well-protected. He does good,” Bliss assured him.
“You will give birth in this bed where you and the bairn will be safe, though I will worry terribly about you.”
“I will be fine, Rannick, especially with Lana not here to hurt me as she did your other wives.”
Rannick shook his head. “Since you shared that news with my father and mother—”
Bliss quickly interrupted him. “I thought it would reassure him, knowing the person who had betrayed the clan was dead.”
“I fear it did the opposite,” he said. “He’s having all the servants watched and to be honest, I am relieved he is. We have no idea who else may be among us that continues to believe the cursed lords and their wives need to die.”
Bliss offered some hope. “That will fade as the months go by without anything horrible happening.”
He wished he could feel as confident as she sounded. “You are so sure, wife?”
“I believe it,” she said on a yawn. “And with things going so well, it will make it even more difficult for the person responsible for this mess to convince people that the curse still exists.”
“The question is, does it?”
“Another thing I believe we will soon learn.” Bliss yawned again.
“You need to sleep,” he ordered and kissed her cheek.
“Later when we wake, you will make love to me.”
“Is that an order, wife?” he asked with a smile.
She chuckled. “Must I make it one?”
“Never,” he said and kissed her lips lightly.
She sighed. “I do not believe I can wait until tonight.”
“You are too tired,” he said, though wished she wasn’t since her teasing demand had stirred his desire.
“A quick one,” she said with a playful grin. “Then we can both sleep well.”
“I can see to that,” Rannick said and gently rolled his wife on her back and did as he said and, afterwards, they both slept very well.