Highland Dove: (New Year's)

by Elizabeth Rose

  “Ye are in no condition to fight anyone right now. Besides, it’s late and cold,” said Storm. “And there’s most likely another storm on the way. Wait until first light. I’ll give ye my room upstairs and a nice hot bath as well as food and Mountain Magic for the night. Anythin’ ye want. Just please dinna return to yer clan until first light.”

  “He makes a guid point,” said Angus, licking his lips as another tray of food passed by. “Mayhap we should take him up on his offer.” The room was crowded and noisy. Loud music split the air, making Duncan long for a nice quiet place to rest in front of a warm fire. A hot bath and good meal and some well-needed sleep were tempting. But who was he fooling? He could never rest before he set things straight and saw to the safety of his clan and those he loved.

  “Thank ye for the offer, Storm, but we’re leavin’,” said Duncan, turning to go, only to bump straight into someone.

  Being short, Mari couldn’t see anything over the sea of people who occupied the Horn and Hoof. With the gypsy woman right behind her, she made her way toward the drink board, planning on asking the proprietor if he’d seen Duncan and Angus. But before she even made it across the room, a man bumped into her, knocking her off balance.

  “Och, watch where ye’re goin’!” spat Mari, twisting her ankle. The man’s arms reached out to steady her, keeping her from falling over.

  “I’m so sorry, I didna see ye,” the stranger apologized. Mari recognized that deep, rich voice and her heart skipped a beat. Her head snapped up and she was so shocked by what she saw that she could barely speak.

  “Duncan?” she asked in a half-whisper.

  “Mari,” said the man, holding her by the shoulders now and looking into her eyes.

  “Duncan, ye’re alive!” she exclaimed, hugging him and kissing him on one dirty cheek. Then she pulled back to take a better look. His appearance shocked her. Sunken, tired eyes peered out at her from his dirt-streaked, gaunt face. His clothes were filthy, torn and tattered. The man looked so skinny that, at first, she wasn’t even sure it was him. Her heart about broke to see this hardened, strong, brave warrior looking so meek and vulnerable right now.

  “I’m takin’ this along for the road,” came another voice, gaining her attention.

  Mari’s gaze darted over to see Duncan’s brother, Angus, with a bottle of whisky in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other.

  “Angus?” she asked, having no doubt it was him because of the way he was gnawing at the loaf as he walked. The big man never stopped eating. Since Mari’s sister, Tillie, liked to cook, Angus had spent a lot of time with Tillie and her children ever since the death of Tillie’s husband.

  “Mari? What are ye doin’ here?” asked Angus in confusion.

  “I’ll leave ye now,” Storm broke in. “And my offer still holds. If ye decide to stay the night, ye can use room number one at the top of the stairs.” Storm nodded to Mari and turned and walked away, getting lost in the sea of people celebrating.

  “I came here lookin’ for Duncan. For both of ye,” Mari explained.

  “I dinna understand,” said Duncan. “How did ye ken we were here or that we were even still alive?”

  “I told her. I saw it in the cards.” Malmuira stepped out from behind Mari, making her presence known.

  “Ye’re that old gypsy that used to visit our clan,” said Angus. “I always thought ye were fakin’ it, just to get money.”

  “Hrmph,” snorted the old woman, crossing her arms over her ample bosom. “If ye werena so tight with the strings of yer pouch, ye would have paid for my services and ken that I tell the truth.”

  “Ye could have at least read my palm and proved to me ye werena a fake.”

  “Nay, I dinna work for free,” she spat, glancing over at Mari when she said it. Suddenly, Mari felt as if she’d taken advantage of Malmuira’s talent.

  “Och, I’m sorry, Malmuira. Let me pay ye for helpin’ me find Duncan.” Mari reached for her coin pouch but the woman stopped her with a raised hand.

  “Dinna worry about payment. Ye have enough trouble on yer hands.” She looked over at Duncan when she said it. “Problems that no’ even I can help ye with now.”

  “What do ye mean?” asked Duncan. “What kind of problems?”

  Mari knew exactly what the gypsy meant. She was talking about her marriage to Eideard.

  The old woman looked up at Duncan and sighed. “That’s no’ for me to tell ye.” This time, she looked back at Mari. “I’m goin’ to see if there is anyone here who wants their palm read.” She walked away without saying another word.

  “Duncan, I’ve missed ye,” said Mari, once again giving him a hug. “God’s eyes, what happened to ye?” Her hand covered her locket with the etched doves on it, palming it for strength. Her stomach was in knots and her head throbbed. This wasn’t how she wanted to be reunited with Duncan. If only she hadn’t been tricked into marrying Eideard, everything would be different.

  “We were prisoners of the English,” Angus broke in. “They demanded a ransom but our clan never paid it. If we hadna escaped, we’d be dead right now.”

  “Ransom?” asked Mari in surprise. “But Eideard told me ye two were dead. I dinna ken anythin’ about a ransom.”

  “Eideard told ye that? Does that mean our faither truly is dead?” asked Duncan, looking so distraught that Mari didn’t want to admit it.

  “Duncan, ye should get somethin’ to eat,” she told him, trying to avoid his question.

  “Mari, tell me.” He took her by the arm and looked deeply into her eyes. She’d never lied to Duncan before and didn’t want to do so now. Or at least not about something as important as this. He needed to know the truth about his father.

  “Aye,” she told him, feeling his sadness at her word. “I’m sorry, Duncan, but it is true. Yer faither is dead. If he had been alive, I’m sure he would have kent about the ransom and paid it.”

  “That bastard, Eideard,” growled Angus. “I wouldna be surprised if he kent about the ransom but didna pay it or tell anyone about it because he wants us dead.”

  “Wants ye dead?” asked Mari. “Why would he?”

  “I agree with Angus,” said Duncan. “With us out of the way and our faither dead, it is Eideard’s opportunity to take over the clan. I’m surprised my faither’s men even listen to him.”

  Mari bit her lip, contemplating how much to tell him. She didn’t like being in this position. “Duncan, sit down. I need to tell ye more.”

  “There’s nowhere to sit, lass. Now tell me everythin’ and dinna leave out a thing,” Duncan urged her. “I need to ken.”

  Mari’s heart broke having to tell him, but she did as he requested. “Most of yer faither’s loyal men are dead as well. Eideard brought in men afterward that I’ve never seen before when he took over as yer clan’s chieftain.”

  “God’s eyes, nay! This is worse than I thought.” Duncan’s hand went to his head to smooth back his long, tangled hair. “Mathair must be havin’ a hard time. With Da’s death and her thinkin’ Angus and I are dead as well, this is goin’ to kill her. Is that why ye went to our clan? To comfort her?”

  Mari’s eyes flashed over to Angus and then back to Duncan. They both looked like they were about to fall over from exhaustion. As much as they needed to know the truth about their mother, they also needed rest. A hot bath and a good meal to regain their strength would do them wonders. If she told them now that their mother disappeared and that she thought Eideard had something to do with it, they would leave for the MacLean Clan tonight. If so, they would never survive an encounter with Eideard in the shape they were in. Nay, Mari couldn’t tell them yet about their mother because, if so, she’d be sending them to their deaths. Besides, she didn’t know how to tell him that she had married Eideard. It was going to destroy him, and she couldn’t have that. He’d been through so much already that she didn’t want to make things even worse. One more day might not matter. They couldn’t do anything to change things tonight anyway.

>   “Aye, my sister and I came to yer clan to comfort yer mathair as well as to wait for yer return,” said Mari, not liking the way it felt to hold back the rest. Still, she was only doing it for their own good. Her hand stayed clutched around her heart locket and she fingered it in worry.

  “But didna ye think we were dead as well?” asked Angus.

  “I didna trust Eideard,” she told them.

  “What else has that man done in my absence?” asked Duncan through gritted teeth. “Tell me everythin’, Mari, so when I return I can kill him.”

  She froze. Duncan was so angry that this wasn’t the time to tell him about her marriage to Eideard. She needed to confront her father first, telling him that Duncan was alive and that she wanted to marry him instead. Mayhap he could help her out of this horrible situation. “It’s nothin’ that canna wait until the morrow,” she said, taking Duncan by the arm and leading him to the stairs that led to the upper rooms. “I think ye should accept Storm’s offer. Go up to the room. I’ll talk to Callum and have a hot bath and food sent up.”

  Angus and Duncan exchanged glances. “I think ye should go, Brathair,” said Angus, clearing his throat. “Ye and Mari use the room. I’ll stay down here tonight and get better acquainted with the servin’ wenches.”

  “Leave them alone,” Duncan warned his brother. “I ken it’s been a long time, but dinna touch the lassies.”

  “I’m talkin’ about gettin’ food from them only, Brathair, no’ what ye’re thinkin’,” Angus answered with a chuckle, heading in the opposite direction.

  “All right,” Duncan finally agreed. “But ye’re stayin’ with me tonight, Mari.”

  “Oh,” she said with a nod and lump in her throat. She’d agreed to it only to get him to go upstairs and not leave. She’d figure out what to do about everything in the morning. “I’ll meet ye upstairs,” she told him.

  “Guid,” he said, leaning over and kissing her passionately. Then he whispered in her ear. “Mayhap we can do more than just sleep. After all, we’ll be married in a week’s time.”

  “Go,” she said, flashing him a smile, realizing it was going to be impossible to keep him away from her, but she had to. After all, like it or not, she was now a married woman.

  Chapter 5

  It felt like heaven to Duncan as he sank down into the hot tub of water, gripping the tankard of Mountain Magic in his hand. He had eaten the food Mari brought him earlier, but was still hungry. Hungry, that is, for the love and affection of the girl he would soon marry.

  His eyes closed slightly as he relaxed. It would be so easy to drift off to sleep right now because he was thoroughly exhausted. But thoughts of his father and Eideard taking over as chieftain wouldn’t let him rest. Plus, he was waiting for Mari to join him. Just as he started to wonder where she was, he heard a shy knock at the door.

  “Enter,” he called out, knowing it had to be her.

  The door opened and Mari walked in, stopping in her tracks when she saw him.

  “Och, I’m sorry, Duncan. I didna ken ye were still in the bath. I’ll come back later.” She turned her head and didn’t look directly at him. Neither did she walk away. Instead, she stared at the hearth. The firelight danced upon her smooth skin, lighting up the tips of her red hair, making it glow. She was a beautiful angel and all he wanted to do was hug her and kiss her and never let her go.

  “Nay, dinna leave, Mari. Come here and join me.” He didn’t really think she would, but he had to try.

  “Join ye?” She turned to look at him and her eyes opened wide. “Duncan, ye are . . . naked.”

  “Isna that the usual way to take a bath?” He chuckled at her reaction.

  “Aye, but no’ with a woman in the room!” she told him.

  “Lass, ye dinna need to be shy. After all, we will be husband and wife in a week’s time. Now come here. Dinna be frightened. After all, we havena seen each other in a long time. Plus, dinna forget I almost died.”

  “Aye, and I feel awful for what ye went through.” Slowly, she made her way toward him, stopping at the edge of the tub. He held out his hand to her but she seemed hesitant to take it.

  “What’s the matter, lass? Ye seem as if ye no longer want to be with me.” He chuckled. “Have ye replaced me with another while I was imprisoned?”

  “Another? Another what?” Mari’s heart ached. Nay, she hadn’t replaced him with another, but was forced into doing so. Duncan was the only man she ever wanted but, sadly, she was now married to Eideard. She didn’t even want to tell Duncan this because the whole thing disgusted her. She wished it was all naught but a dream. Instead, it was a living nightmare. She needed to speak with her father immediately, and before she revealed the awful truth to Duncan. Hopefully, Eideard had lied and her father wasn’t off fighting but still at camp back home. Her hope was that with her father’s help she might be able to get an annulment and none of this would make a difference in the end.

  Aye, she decided, that’s what she would do. She’d leave tonight and go back to her clan instead of to MacLean Castle. She’d tell her father that Duncan was alive and she wanted to marry him instead. Once her father found out the horrible things Eideard had done, she was sure he would not turn down her request.

  “Another man,” he said, sounding playful and as if he didn’t really mean it.

  “Duncan, ye are the only one I’ve ever wanted,” she told him, taking his hand in hers. What she told him was the truth. It felt good to touch him again. It felt right. But before she could release his hand, he pulled her to him, wrapping her in his arms. Then he quickly lowered her into the water. “What are ye doin’?” she cried out, but her cries were muffled by his mouth covering hers. She forgot to fight him when his kisses relaxed her, making her feel safe and secure in his arms once again.

  “I missed ye, Mari,” he whispered, his mouth finding its way to her neck and down to her collarbone next.

  His kisses tickled and she giggled. “I missed ye, too,” she told him. “And even though everyone told me ye were dead, I swear I never gave up hope that ye were alive and that I’d someday be with ye again.”

  His hand grazed past her breast and settled at her hip. He continued to kiss her as he reached under the water, his fingers grazing her thigh next.

  “Make love to me, Mari,” he whispered, spreading her legs and placing her atop his lap. She felt his erection pressing up against her, making her body tingle. Mari craved Duncan. Her thoughts were consumed by making love with the man because it is what she really wanted. She wore no braies, having dressed quickly to escape Eideard during the night. Now, she regretted not taking the time to dress properly because his bare skin was touching hers and they were very close to coupling. The thought just about drove her mad with desire.

  His hand caressed her thigh, slipping up higher and higher until she felt his fingers cupping her mound and playing with her womanly folds. She moaned in ecstasy, her eyes closing on their own.

  “I love ye, Mari,” he said in a husky voice, picking her up and pulling her closer.

  Her breathing labored as she felt his engorged form brush up against her. All she had to do was lower herself onto him and her fantasies would be fulfilled. She pushed her breasts into his face, breathing heavily, so excited that she would finally be giving up her virginity to the man she loved. But before this could happen, something he said brought her back to her senses.

  “I’m so glad ye waited for me instead of givin’ yerself to someone else.”

  She jerked away from him. “What do ye mean?” she asked, suddenly frightened that mayhap he knew she was married to Eideard and was only testing her. If so, it was a cruel jest and she didn’t like it.

  “I’m just sayin’ that it looked like I wasna comin’ back and I did tell ye to find another man if that happened. But I am so glad that ye stayed loyal to me.”

  This shook her up so badly that she couldn’t continue now if she tried. “I think we should get out of the tub,” she told him, standing up, sl
oshing the water over the sides. “I dinna have a change of clothes and will have to borrow somethin’ from one of the women below stairs.” She stepped over the side of the tub, her wet gown weighing her down even more than her secret.

  “Ye dinna need clothes tonight.” When he stood, her gaze drifted below his waist, and her mouth dropped open. He was more than ready to make love to her and, now, she was ready to do it, too, but couldn’t. Oh, why had she ever married Eideard? And why had she agreed to spend the night with Duncan after all? “Come here, Mari,” he said, stepping out of the tub and slowly making his way to her. “Ye need to get out of these wet clothes. We’ll dry them by the fire.”

  “I – I.” She didn’t know what to say.

  “Shhhh,” he said, unlacing her bodice and pulling her gown off her shoulders. The wet clothes dropped to her feet, leaving her exposed, naked. His eyes trailed downward, followed by his hands. Then his mouth touched her skin. Mari’s head fell back and she moaned in desire. Next, his hot arms closed around her, pulling her closer until their bodies were pressed up close together. They were so close to making love and, right now, she wanted nothing more than to couple with Duncan.

  Then the door burst open and Angus staggered in with a bottle of whisky in his hand. “I hope ye dinna mind if I sleep here tonight after all.”

  “Angus!” cried Mari, leaning up against Duncan to hide her naked body. Duncan reached over to the pallet, grabbing a blanket and throwing it around her shoulders.

  “Angus, ye fool!” snapped Duncan. “Get out!”

  “I’ll just take this little corner over here,” said Angus, looking like he’d had enough Mountain Magic to pass out. “Ye willna even ken I’m here.” He fell backward, landing on the floor and, immediately, his snoring filled the room.

  “I’ll get him out of here,” said Duncan, storming across the room.