Two days of laying in bed was enough for Lucan. On the third day he made his way to the kitchen. He leaned quietly against the doorpost. Meggy was kneeling in front of Riley about to wipe oats from his face.

"You're a messy wee lad aren't ya, Riley." Her hand movements were quick and as she brought the wet cloth towards his face, Riley bucked away, pulled his head back and tried to grasp the cloth with his small hands. Meggy laughed, took hold of the back of his head and rubbed the cloth on his face. "Come here. You'll no leave this room until ya cleaned up."

Covey who was sat at the end of the table with his back to his father laughed. "He's like a wild mule ain't he, Meggy, kickin' and buckin'." Covey thrashed around on the chair, making it buck and rear.

"Enough of that, Covey. I'll whip you good if you wake your father with all this ruckus."

Ignoring her, Covey continued to move wildly on the chair, rocking backwards and forwards so its legs banged louder on the floor.

Meggy stood and was about to turn and chastise him when Lucan spoke, "Covey!"

At the sound of his father's voice Covey instantly stopped. Lucan took a step into the room.

Covey slid from the chair and backed away. It wasn't often his father ever punished him or spoke angrily.

"I don't like ya ignoring, Meggy."

Covey stared wide-eyed. "Sorry, Da."

"Don't be sayin' sorry to me, son." Lucan nudged his head towards Meggy.

Turning towards her, Covey smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Meggy, I was just ..." He twisted his mouth in explanation.

She rubbed the top of his head and said, "It's all right. How about you take Riley outside tae play while I clean up this mess."

Covey looked back at his father to see if he was pleased. Lucan smiled at him and said, "Go on, go play wild horses outside."

Meggy started to clear the table and when the boys were out of earshot, she turned on Lucan. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" Lucan frowned.

She didn't answer immediately but tossed dishes into the water filled basin. Lucan waited. He sat down at the table and said again, "Do what, Meggy?"

She ran her cloth rapidly over the table. "I didn't need you tae rouse on, Covey. He was just playin'."

Lucan raised his eyebrows and scoffed, "Ignoring you more like."

"And you think I could nae deal with that." Meggy stopped wiping the table and leaned across it and stared at him as she spoke.

He frowned some more. "Meggy, I think ya... I just saw... well shite, I don't know... what would you have me do?"

"Just leave me tae do it." Meggy straightened up and folded her arms. "If you keep butting in, they'll never listen tae me."

Lucan held his hands up in surrender and leaned against the chair back.

She stormed across the room and lifted the bowl she used to bathe his wound. "While you're up I may as well tend tae you, so get your shirt off."

Lucan smiled at her back as she filled the bowl with water from the kettle. He lifted his shirt over his head and placed it on the table.

When Meggy was ready she put the bowl beside it. "Sit on the table, Lucan. It'll be easier for me to reach."

He did as he was told. She was still angry so he didn't question her.

Pushing his arm up to undo the bandage, Meggy moved closer so she could unwind it from around his chest. Her hair brushed against his face each time she bent to reach behind him and though she was angry, Lucan felt the same sensations he had every time she touched him. He closed his eyes as she bathed his wound, and then watched silently as she smeared it with liniment. When Meggy's hand touched his bare skin once more, Lucan couldn't hold off. He took hold of her wrist and pulled her closer until she stood between his legs.

Meggy gasped and stared wide-eyed up at him with the clean bandage in her hand. She had sensed the change in his breathing, as she had, every time she touched him. At first, she thought it was to control the pain. They had never spoken of the night he'd had his accident and Meggy wondered if they ever would.

Placing his hand on the side of her neck, Lucan pushed his fingers in her hair. He tilted her face upwards with his thumb. Lucan's blood rushed through his body. His heart beat faster. Lucan wanted her, wanted to tell her how he felt, wanted to touch her. As he was about to pull her closer the back door opened. Lillian stood on the threshold. She gasped. Lucan pushed Meggy away and cried, "Lillian!"

Turning quickly, Lillian ran down the stairs. Lucan slid from the table, looked painfully at Meggy, lifted his shirt and went after her. He caught up with her at the bend in the road. "Lillian!"

She turned on him, her eyes blazing. "So, Lucan, who is she? Have you taken her to your bed? Made her touch you like you made me."

"Lillian, we have to talk. I've tried to tell you, talk to you, but you didn't seem to want to listen."

"Listen to what, Lucan? For you to tell me you have a whore in your house! Because that's what she is! A whore to come and take another women's man."

Lucan's temper rose. "She's not a whore and if you dare call her that again I'll... I'll..."

"You'll what, Lucan?" Lillian looked smugly at him.

Glaring at her, Lucan tried to calm himself. "If you remember rightly, Lillian, we were having troubles well before Meggy came along. If you remember rightly, Lillian, you thrashed me boy so hard he couldn't bend his hand and if you remember rightly, I told you I didn't think we were suited to each other and that I was going away to sort me head."

She huffed. "And how is coming back to town with another woman sorting your head, Lucan? And don't tell me she's your sister-in-law because I can bet, she isn't."

"It's no matter who she is, Lillian. She has naught to do with you and me. I've been wanting to tell you for two weeks that you and I are finished. I didn't want to hurt you. I tried to find the right time but you were always too busy so if now's the time, then I'm tellin' you. It has nothing ta do with Meggy, but just you and me. It's finished."

She slapped him across the face. Lucan ground his teeth and slowly turned his head to look at her red puffy face and the rage in her eyes.

"You treated me like a harlot. You made me touch you, made me feel I had to do those things. I did because I thought you were going to marry me. You've made me a tarnished woman."

Lucan laughed; he couldn't help it and he astounded himself when he heard the chuckle erupt from his mouth.

Lillian's eyes bulged. She raised her hand to hit him again but he grabbed her by the wrist.

"No, you don't. You won't lay that on me. I never made you do anything you didn't want to because everything was always on your terms. I have never been the man you wanted, you never accepted me as I am, always trying to change me, speaking to me like a child, criticizing my dress and speech. If you want to see yourself as a harlot then so be it, but I'll tell you, Lillian, it's what men and women do. No more than that and for a couple it's done in love, not because it's forced upon you. I didn't force you. I thought it was done in love but now I know the truth. I'm glad it's come out." He pushed her away. "Go and find a man who can live up to ya standards. Touch him and see how you feel. If you still feel the same way then I'm sorry for you, Lillian, because you'll never know what it's like to be as one with someone. To want ta be as one out of love and not duty."

She slapped him again, so hard that her fingernails tore down the side of his face. "And is that what it's like with her, Lucan? An unmarried woman giving herself freely to you. Is that love or just some whore stealing her way to another woman's man?"

He gripped her upper arms. She gasped. Lucan held her like that breathing harshly in and out. "I'm not your man. I never was. I felt it wasn't right from the beginning but for some reason, most probably me dick. I kept coming back." Lillian gasped at his use of language and he chuckled. "Oh, that's right I'm talking to a lady, but sorry me grammar ain't right and I'm always filthy and untidy so I'm no gentleman, Lillian, therefore I don't see I have to watch me language in front of a stuck-up miss." He let go of her and strode away.

Oh, I think I dislike this woman more and more, but at lease it's finally ended.

Photo - maxresdefault - Is for all the girls reading. ❤❤ I just had to use it. 😍