A Minx for the MacKenzie [Highlanders Love #2]

Chapter 19

People always made such a big deal of being married. Amhuinn had never been to London, and she personally never wanted to go, but Evie had told her many stories of how the Season was considered the hottest of the year, and they had something called the 'marriage mart' where men and women alike hunted for marriages. A women, in London, was apparently considered 'on the shelf' if they were unmarried by Amhuinn's age. With the stories, and even before, Amhuinn had always considered if being one's wife would change anything, but now she realized, two weeks after their ceremony, that it really didn't change much.

Once the ceremony on the hill had been done, they had all retired to the great hall where they shared the communal meal, and everyone then broke up for the rest of the day. For the day, Amhuinn had been busy moving what little belongings she had to the new chambers she was supposed to share with Hammond, before she went to the kitchens with Mrs. Griselda and was reintroduced as the new lady of the keep. Amhuinn had wanted to skip that part, but the old housekeeper was insistent. 

From then on, she had learned that her duties included the upkeep of the great hall while the maids and Mrs. Griselda would deal with the rooms. Meals would be planned by her, as would any celebrations. Amhuinn had also made it her wish to continue as the healer of the clan, but other then that, not much had change.

Well, not everything. She thought to herself, as she rolled awake, groaning when the sun hit her still closed lids.

As she turned to her left, Amhuinn tried to ignore the sinking sensation that her bed was, once again empty. Oh, don't get her wrong. Hammond was a very attentive husband. Her cheeks would still flush when she thought about their wedding night. To his credit, Hammond knew of her story, and had been very gentle to her. He had calmed Amhuinn's nervous jitters, and kissed her till she melted into a puddle in his hands. Only then did he slowly peel off her clothing, and proceed to show her why exactly her mother had said that one's wedding night was to be wonderful. Just thinking about it made her skin tingle with excitement.

But therein lay the problem.

While Hammond was attentive as a husband, Amhuinn was beginning to realize that that was the only time she ever got her husband's full attention. And for someone who had come to terms with the fact that she had fallen quite irrevocably in love with one's spouse, it was becoming quite difficult to accept the fact that her husband would only devour her with her eyes when the sun set and they were alone in their chambers. Outside of their doors, he may as well have been an acquaintance, for all that he spoke to her. He came to her without fail every night for the past two weeks since they had been married. Under the covers of the night, Hammond clung to her like he couldn't imagine being apart. He loved her till she was sore whenever she woke up. But whenever she woke up, he was never to be seen, not until the final meal of the day where he would enter the Keep, disheveled and looking tired.

They had sent Evie off to London with Connor just two days after their wedding, and Tristan was now acting as first-in-command. Tamhas had been taken under Hammond's wing to be trained, and Adair was happily with the page boys. Amhuinn made it a point to check on him everyday, and it heartened her to see that her son no longer shied away when she asked how was his day. He actually gave her a proper answer yesterday! At least one person is excited to see me, she wryly thought to herself, as she got up to dress. She had denied the need for a maid. Amhuinn just didn't see a point, since she's been fine for the past four years herself.

Putting on her serviceable brown dress and pulling her new MacKenzie clan kilt under her belt, she picked up her basket and headed out, intending to replenish her collection of herbs. But all of that was done on autopilot, as her head ran with ideas, trying her best to figure out what was going on with her husband. After all, Hammond looked to be a willing groom, did he not? They had shared tender moments where she was almost sure he looked at her with love in his honey brown eyes. And he had ask her to marry him, for she was quite sure she did not dream up the past two weeks.