Page 20 of Her Reluctant Highlander Husband

Dorie blinked. She had no doubt that whatever Kenna had in mind would not please her husband.

…

Bryce was exhausted as he walked through the gates with the other men. The only thing he wanted to do was eat a good meal and fall into his bed.

He wondered if his wife was still tucked under his covers wearing nothing but a shift.

His body declared its interest in something other than food and sleep, but Bryce brushed the thought away quickly.

When Liam met him in the hall looking anxious and confused, Bryce knew his plans for the evening had changed. “You’re supposed to be looking after my wife. Why are you here?”

“Your wife is a bloody ghost, I swear it. She’s vanished on me three times today, and this last time I haven’t been able to find her anywhere.”

“Did ye ask the other women where she may be?” Bryce nodded at Kenna and Mari sitting at the head table looking for all the world as if they were up to no good.

“Aye. I did. They told me they saw her in six different places. I went to all six and didn’t find head nor hair of your lass. I think they’re mocking me.” Liam gave them a disgruntled look and they burst into giggles.

“I’ll take care of it. Go find a meal.” Bryce frowned as he approached the table. Lach and Cam hadn’t arrived yet so he was on his own.

“Good evening, Bryce,” Mari said sweetly.

He wasn’t falling for her feigned innocence.

“Aye. Good evening to you as well.” He rubbed his forehead, not hiding his exhaustion. “I’m almost too tired to eat after having spent the day working on building your new home. I surely hope my efforts please you, Mari.” He held out his blistered hands casually.

The smile slipped from her face as a guilty expression seeped in.

“I didn’t mind spending my day doing hard labor for you…though I might have used the time to check in with my sick wife. I asked the lad to watch over her and keep her safe, and it seems she’s missing. I hope she hasn’t been kidnapped.”

He turned to a serving lass to address her with a grim look. “Lass, please bring food for my men. Despite our exhaustion from the day’s labors we must go back out and search for my wife, who’s been stolen away from the security of the castle. I hate to think who else might be in danger if someone was so bold as to—”

“Stop,” Kenna said and shook her head. “She’s well and safe,” she added when the serving lass looked startled. Kenna sized up Bryce with a glare. “Your wife is back in her home. If you’re as worried over her as you say, I expect you’ll want to go check on her immediately.”

“Why would you not want her to be protected?” he couldn’t help but ask.

“Your men apparently do not understand the difference between protecting someone and keeping them prisoner in their own home. Dorie’s beast will protect her from any direct threat, and she has food and drink from the kitchen that’s safe enough.”

Bryce sniffed at the thought of the small dog protecting her. But before he could point out their error, she went on.

“We even have Millie’s sister and brother-in-law keeping an eye on her. Their cottage is just below Dorie’s. She’s safe.”

Bryce couldn’t argue with that logic. It seemed they’d taken care of things.

“Having a person looked after like a sheep being herded is humiliating,” Mari added. “It might make you feel better, but it obviously makes Dorie uneasy to be confined.”

Another point he couldn’t argue. He’d seen it the first day he’d taken her to the cottage—her terror of being locked inside.

He bowed. “Thank you for your counsel and for looking after my wife.”

Bryce blew out a breath as he made his way to the cottage. The women had chastened him into shame over the way he was treating his wife. They’d made it quite clear what they thought of his having her guarded. Especially by someone other than himself.

However, it was his duty as war chief to make sure no danger came to anyone in the clan. And it was also his duty as Dorie’s husband to make sure no danger came to her.

He couldn’t help but think his day just kept getting worse.

As he turned up the lane to the cottage, he tried to rein in his frustration. While he knew he was wrong, and he even knew Dorie had done nothing to earn his hostility, he couldn’t change his heart.

He was angry at life and the way things had worked out.