Highland Grace by K. E. Saxon

just become overheated
downstairs, as Daniel had suggested. He prayed so. He walked over
to the table that held a pitcher and basin for cleansing. After
pouring water into the bowl, he tossed one of the cloths that lay
folded next to the pitcher into the cool liquid and brought the
basin over to the bedside. He wrung out the cloth and used it to
cool her, blowing on each section of skin after he’d dampened it
with the cloth. He couldn’t help noticing the changes in her, now
that he was able to see her shape more clearly. The thin material
of her chemise clung to her body like a second skin. He could see
the aureoles of her breasts, darker now than they had been, through
the material. And her bosom was even more full, more rounded, now
that she carried a babe. God, how he craved to lose himself in
them, in her, once more. He doused the cloth again and wrung it out
before skimming it over her arms, down to her hands. His eyes
dropped to her belly. ‘Twas rounded now, her childing state
obvious. Through the clinging fabric, he could see the outline of
her thighs, and at its apex, the mons of her sex. His goddess. His
fertile goddess. His fertile, flushed, goddess. He prayed she
hadn’t caught a fever.
    * * *
    “That feels good,” Jesslyn said blissfully.
She opened her eyes and, for the first time, realized the depth of
worry Bao was feeling for her when she saw the white line of
tension around his mouth. She lifted her hand to his jaw to draw
his eyes to her face. “I’m feeling much better now.” She dropped
her hand to her stomach and continued, “And, thankfully, my stomach
no longer churns. I suppose I’m just a bit more sensitive to the
heat these days.”
    “I hope you’re right,” Bao replied. “But,
just to be certain, Daniel will be here in a few moments to check
on you.”
    Jesslyn tried to sit up, but found she was
still too dizzy. “Hand me my gown! Make haste!”
    “Nay. You need your rest.”
    “Are you daft? I’m not going to lie here
half-dressed with Daniel in the chamber! Now, hand me my
gown! ”
    “I shall cover you with a blanket. Will that
suffice?”
    Realizing she’d lost the battle since she
didn’t have enough strength to put the gown back on by herself,
Jesslyn sighed in frustration and nodded her head.
    “That’s a good lass,” Bao said. Picking up
the basin, he took it back over to the table.
    While Bao’s back was turned, Jesslyn made a
face at him. “ That’s a good lass ,” she mimicked under her
breath.
    * * *
    The Yule celebration came and went without
Jesslyn ever leaving her chamber. Under orders from Daniel, and
subsequently Bao, she was confined to her bed for two days. Daniel
had forced her to drink an awful-tasting herbal concoction the past
morn after Bao had brought her up from the great hall. But it had
mostly been a precautionary measure, since she hadn’t been running
a fever. And now, she was restless and bored. The celebration ended
an hour or two past and she was a bit annoyed that not even her son
had come to see her.
    She nearly jumped out of her skin when the
door flew open. “Oh, ‘tis you,” she said petulantly, crossing her
arms over her chest.
    Her husband grinned and put his hand over his
heart. “Ah, my beautiful, sweet-tempered bride, I’m glad to see
you, too.”
    “My! How merry we are this eve. I suppose
you’ve been nipping into the uisge beatha ?” Jesslyn didn’t
know why she felt so compelled to spew venom at her almost-husband,
but something about his ability to withstand her worst moods
without losing his temper—especially after she’d been subjected to
the darker side of his character for two sennights—just set her
blood to boiling.
    “Nay, my sweet, not uisge beatha , but
your delectable berry tarts.”
    She uncrossed her arms. “Oh,” she said less
forcefully. Picking at a loose thread on the blanket that covered
her legs, she said, “I suppose the whole family was downstairs
earlier, enjoying the minstrels and