Highland Dove: (New Year's)

by Elizabeth Rose

  “Of course,” said Storm. “Right away.”

  “I can go to help the wounded at Clan Stewart,” offered Malmuira. “I ken all about plants and healin’.”

  “Nay, I’m goin’ to need ye,” said Duncan. “Ye’re goin’ to help me carry out a plan to stop Eideard from couplin’ with Mari.”

  “What about me?” asked Angus. “I’ll sneak in and slit his throat while he sleeps.”

  “Nay, ye’re comin’ with me and the gypsy, but I have another plan for ye.”

  “What’s that?” he asked.

  “It’s better if ye dinna ask questions, Brathair, because I have a feelin’ ye are no’ goin’ to like it.”

  “Whatever it is, I can do it.”

  “Guid,” said Duncan with a chuckle. “Then right after ye give yerself a close shave, report back to Malmuira.”

  “Shave? What for?” Angus’ hand went to his face and he scratched at his beard. “And why am I reportin’ to a gypsy?”

  “Well, without measurin’ ye, how else is Malmuira goin’ to ken how big to alter her gowns?”

  “Gown?” Angus scowled. “Now wait a minute, Duncan. I’d do anythin’ at all to help save Mari and Tillie and Mathair and to get back our castle, ye ken that. But I’m no’ goin’ to dress like a girl if that’s what ye have in mind.”

  “Ye’ll do it if ye ever want to see Tillie again and taste her cookin’,” said Duncan. “After all, when is the last time ye had haggis or black bun or cock-a-leekie soup?”

  “Stop it,” said Angus, licking his lips. “Ye are torturin’ me, Brathair. All right, I’ll dress like a lass if I have to, but stop talkin’ about food because ye’re makin’ my stomach grumble.”

  Duncan chuckled under his breath, knowing that his brother would do anything for food. Now, if the old gypsy could help him, he needed to find a poisonous root or plant as fast as possible.

  Mari felt as if her life were over. Why hadn’t she just told Duncan what happened instead of him having to hear it from Eideard? That was the worst thing ever. She’d had the chance to do it. If only she hadn’t been so frightened of how he’d react, mayhap she would have. A part of her didn’t want him to know about it until after she’d talked with her father and they’d straightened it out. She thought if the annulment was in progress before she told Duncan, then mayhap it wouldn’t be so devastating to him. After all, he’d been through so much lately that she didn’t want to throw more problems at him before he was rested and healed.

  Riding with Eideard was horrible. He kept his arm around her, and kept kissing her neck and whispering in her ear. She was so disgusted by it that she wanted to turn around and punch him.

  “As soon as we’re inside those castle gates, I’m goin’ to plow into ye like I’m plantin’ a field,” he told her. “I’m so big right now with lust that I think I’m goin’ to burst.”

  Just as he said that, he pressed his erection up against her back. She had to bite her tongue so she wouldn’t cry out. “I have to use a bush,” she said in desperation to get away from him.

  “Nay, just wait. We’ll be back to the castle soon.”

  “I canna wait,” she insisted, hoping to find a way to escape. “I’m tired and hungry and I’m goin’ to wet the horse if ye dinna stop right now!”

  “Och, ye are a troublesome wench,” he complained.

  “The horses could use a rest and I’m hungry, too,” said his right-hand man, Baldair.

  “Fine, stop at the creek,” he finally agreed. “After all, I dinna want an ornery wife when I finally get to bed her. We’ll stop for a short break and somethin’ to eat. Baldair, ye make sure to water the horses.”

  Thankfully, he halted the horse. Mari started to dismount but he stopped her.

  “Nay, let me help ye, Wife,” he said, sliding off his steed and reaching up to her. She had no choice but to accept it. He grabbed her under her arms and slid her off the horse, right down the front of him, letting her feel his bulge beneath his plaid again.

  “After I use a bush, I’m goin’ to need to warm myself by a fire,” she told him, trying to stall.

  “What for?” he growled.

  “It’s cold out here.” She blew her breath into her hands to prove her point. It was a sunny day but, still, the wind was sharp. She was warm under her cloak, but he didn’t need to know that. The longer she could stay here, the more opportunities she’d hopefully have to figure out a way to escape. There was no way she was going back to the castle and coupling with Eideard. She’d die before she did that.

  Sneaking off toward the creek, she kept checking over her shoulder as she headed in the opposite direction of the men. After being gone a while, she was starting to think she’d managed to pull it off when she heard a wagon crashing down the road at an unbelievable speed. She ran toward it to signal for help.

  “Stop! Please, help me.” She waved her arms wildly, realizing it was Malmuira’s wagon. However, the old gypsy wasn’t the one driving the cart. Instead, there was a huge gypsy woman sitting next to her holding the reins that Mari had never seen before.

  “Whoa!” called out the big woman in a gruff voice. Mari ran over to the wagon before it even came to a stop.

  “Malmuira, I’m so glad to see ye.”

  “Mari?” Malmuira looked around. “Where are Eideard and his men?”

  “I managed to escape them. Now please, hide me in yer wagon and turn around and go back the other way.”

  “I dinna ken about this,” said the big woman. Mari jerked at the sound of the woman’s low voice. She was the ugliest, scariest woman that Mari had ever seen.

  “Who is yer friend, Malmuira?” asked Mari. “I dinna remember seein’ her before.”

  “Dinna ye recognize me, lass?” This time, the big woman’s voice sounded higher.

  “Nay, I dinna think so.” Her eyes traveled down the woman’s body. Her shoulders were broad and she had big bones.

  “Och, hell, I dinna think I like havin’ diddies. They just get in the way and never stay in place.” The big gypsy reached out and grabbed herself, hiking her breasts up higher.

  “Pardon me?” Mari’s jaw dropped open at what she’d just seen.

  “Get in the back of the wagon, Mari, and make it fast,” said someone else.

  She turned to see Duncan dismounting his horse behind the cart, walking over and holding open the canvas flap for her.

  “Duncan? What’s goin’ on?”

  “I canna believe this fooled her,” came a deep voice from the front of the wagon, followed by a chuckle. She looked closer at the big woman and shook her head.

  “Angus? Is that ye?”

  “Aye, now listen to Duncan before Eideard returns,” said Angus.

  “I dinna understand.”

  “We’re here to help ye, Mari.” Malmuira got off the wagon, pulling a bottle out of her pocket and holding it up. “I’m sorry about this, but it was Duncan’s idea.”

  “About what?”

  “Ye need to spread this oil all over yer body.” Duncan took the bottle from the gypsy and held it out to Mari.

  “Whatever for? And what is it?” she asked.

  “It’s a potion she mixed up of poisonous herbs, includin’ hogweed,” explained Duncan.

  “Hogweed?” Mari grimaced. “Duncan, that will make me itch and cause my skin to break out in blisters.” She held up a halting hand. “Ye ken how sensitive I am. Dinna ye remember last summer? It took over a week to recover when I just brushed up against the plant.”

  “My point exactly.”

  “I dinna understand. So, ye want me to get blisters?” She wrinkled her brow.

  “The more the better,” said Duncan. “It’ll give us the time we need.”

  “Duncan MacLean, I ken ye are angry with me because I married Eideard, but I did it to save yer mathair,” she retorted. “So please, dinna take it out on me.”

  “Lass, I’m tryin’ to save ye from havin’ to couple with Eideard,” explained Duncan. “Now, g
o with Malmuira to the back of the wagon and rub the oil all over yer body.”

  “Oh, I see,” she said, looking up to him with wide eyes. “Duncan, I’m sorry I didna tell ye everythin’ sooner. I was afraid to disappoint ye.”

  “We’ll talk later. Right now, we need to move fast.”

  Once the oil was smeared all over her body, Mari put her clothes back on and walked out to take another look at Angus. “Blethers, ye make an ugly woman!”

  “Thank ye,” said Angus with a smile, straightening his wimple.

  “Why in the clootie’s name are ye dressed that way?”

  “We’re goin’ to save ye and yer sister and nieces,” said Duncan.

  “Then why dinna ye just take me away instead of spreadin’ poison all over my body?”

  “It’s because I love ye, lass.” Duncan started to reach over to kiss her, but she held up a halting hand.

  “Ye have an odd way of showin’ it. Now, dinna touch me because I am already startin’ to itch.”

  “Make sure to get as much sun on ye as possible,” instructed Malmuira. “That will make yer skin blister as fast as possible.”

  “This better work to keep Eideard away from me.” Mari scratched an itch right through her clothes. “Because if no’, it is goin’ to drive me mad.”

  “It’ll work,” Duncan assured her. “And Angus will be inside the castle walls with Malmuira to watch over ye if ye get in any trouble.”

  “Where will ye be?” She felt a little disappointed that Duncan wasn’t the one in disguise coming to protect her.

  “First, I’m goin’ to yer clan to talk to yer faither. He’s severely wounded by Eideard and I hope he’ll live.”

  “Oh, nay,” she said, not happy to hear this. “I must go to him immediately.” She wiggled and tried to scratch her back.

  “No’ like that ye’re no’,” said Duncan. “Ye need to stay away from everyone so they dinna catch it. I want ye to tell yer sister what we’re up to and mayhap she can help us.”

  “My sister?” Mari scratched behind her ear. “What can she do?”

  “I need ye two to try to find out where Eideard is hidin’ my mathair. I’m goin’ to get a small army together and we’ll attack Eideard and take back the castle when he least suspects it.”

  “And me? Will ye take me back, too?” she asked with hope in her voice.

  “I willna let him have ye, Mari.” Duncan reached out and gently touched her hair. “Now, pretend that Malmuira found ye and brought ye back to Eideard.”

  “I really dinna want to go back to him.” She squirmed, and itched a few more places on her body.

  “Ye have to, lass,” Duncan told her. “If everythin’ goes as planned, we’ll have things back to normal in a few days or more.”

  “And if it doesna work?” she asked him. “Then what will ye do?”

  “I – I’m no’ sure. But I’ll think of somethin’,” he told her.

  “I hope so, Duncan.” She blew him a kiss. “Because I canna live a life being married to a man I despise.”

  Chapter 7

  “What’s this?” asked Eideard, running over to the gypsy wagon when they arrived back where Eideard and his men were. “Mari, is that ye?”

  Mari sat on the seat of the wagon on one side of Angus, trying not to touch him. Malmuira sat at his other side.

  “We found her on the road and are takin’ her back to the castle,” said Malmuira.

  “Ye were tryin’ to escape, werena ye?” growled Eideard. “Get down here anon.”

  She started to move and almost fell off the seat. Angus’ hand shot out and caught her and he slowly lowered her safely to the ground.

  “Thank ye An-” She stopped in midsentence when Angus cleared his throat and shot her a nasty glare. “An-nabel,” she said, hoping to cover her mistake before Eideard caught on.

  “Who are ye?” asked Eideard, peering at Angus.

  “I’m . . . Annabel,” said Angus, trying to make his voice sound feminine.

  “Ye’re the ugliest wench I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

  “Hrmph,” said Angus, sticking his nose up in the air and pulling his cloak tighter around him.

  “We’re headed back to the castle, so I hope ye dinna mind if we travel with ye,” said Malmuira.

  “I dinna think so.” Eideard shook his head. “Ye can go on yer way now since I dinna need ye, gypsy.”

  This was horrible news to Mari. She needed her friends there to help her and didn’t want to be alone with Eideard. She had to do something fast.

  “Malmuira can read yer cards for ye. For free,” she added.

  “She’s already read my cards and I dinna want my cards read again,” he protested. “We’re leavin,” he called out to his men, getting groans in return since they hadn’t been there long.

  “I’d be happy to do it,” said Malmuira, but Eideard wasn’t biting.

  “I told ye, there is nothin’ I want from ye, old woman, now be on yer way.”

  Mari’s eyes shot over to Angus and Malmuira in panic. This wasn’t going at all as planned.

  “Well, I’m sure ye’ve never had yer palm read by Annabel,” said Mari. “She’s so guid, she’ll even be able to tell ye how many children we’ll have and how many of them will be boys.”

  “What?” Angus twisted around so fast that he nearly lost his wig made of horsetail. His hand went to his head to secure it. “Nay, I’m sure he willna want me to do that,” he said in falsetto.

  “Aye, I would like Annabel to read my palm,” said Eideard, walking over and holding out his hand. “Go ahead.”

  Angus shot Mari another dirty look.

  “I’m sorry, but I’m too hungry to work on an empty stomach,” said Angus. “I’ll require nourishment first.”

  “Baldair, bring this fat gypsy some bread,” Eideard called over his shoulder.

  “Bread?” Angus made a face. “I was thinkin’ more along the lines of haggis and cock-a-leekie soup.”

  When it looked like Eideard was about to protest, Mari grabbed his arm. “Oh, Eideard, I would like to ken how many children we’ll have. Canna he – can she come back to the castle? My sister, Tillie, likes to cook. She can make a guid meal for Annabel.”

  “Aye, that sounds guid to me.” Angus licked his lips.

  “All right then,” said Eideard, putting down his arm. “We’ll go. Get on the horse.”

  “I can ride in the wagon with Malmuira,” said Mari, itching her leg.

  “Nay, ye are my wife and ye’ll ride with me,” he told her.

  “But –”

  “Up ye go.” He held her around her waist and lifted her into the saddle. Then he hoisted himself up behind her. As the horse started to move, he leaned up close against Mari, once again kissing her behind her ear. It made her cringe.

  “What’s that scent and that taste on yer skin?” he asked. His tongue shot out to lick his lips.

  “I dinna ken. It must be my rosewater.” She remembered she needed to be exposed to the sun to make the poison act faster. “I’m hot,” she lied, taking off her cloak. That only made him more excited. He reached out and touched her thigh.

  “I’m glad to see I’m makin’ ye just as hot as I am,” he said with a chuckle. He reached out and pushed up her gown, resting his hand on her bare leg. She was about to push it away when she realized he was exposing himself to the poison by touching her. Mayhap she’d let him touch and kiss her just a little. This might work to her advantage after all.

  “Aye, I guess ye’re makin’ me hot,” she said with a sly smile. Holding back the urge to itch herself, she raised her face to the sun and closed her eyes. She hoped this potion started working fast, because she didn’t know how much more of this she could endure.

  Duncan rode into the Stewart Clan with the young man named Tomas, shocked by what he saw. Some of their huts were burned, and everything looked broken and in shambles.

  “Bid the devil. Did Eideard do all this?” he asked.

  “
I told ye it was bad.” Tomas jumped off his horse. “Eideard and his men didna stay long, but they managed to do a lot of damage and even steal some of our birds as well as our livestock. Without them, the clan will starve.”

  “Where is yer chieftain?” asked Duncan, dismounting and handing the reins to a young boy who ran to greet them from the stables. “Take me to Mari’s faither anon.”

  “This way,” said Tomas, leading him into one of the huts that didn’t look to be damaged. He stopped just inside, letting his eyes get accustomed to the dark. A man lay still on a pallet with a woman standing over him, gently dabbing his brow with a wet cloth.

  “Daniel,” he said, hurrying over to the bed. Mari’s father had bruises and stitches everywhere that his skin was exposed. His one eye was swollen shut and his lips were cracked and bleeding. “How is he?” he asked softly to the woman tending to him.

  “I willna lie, he is no’ in guid shape,” said the woman. “I only wish I had herbs to heal him, but our potions were broken when Eideard attacked. Since it is winter, we canna go out to collect more.”

  “I have somethin’ that might help.” Duncan pulled out the bottles of potion that Malmuira had given him. “These are herbal potions made by an old gypsy. Use them and see if they help. The bottles are all marked.”

  The woman’s eyes lit up as she collected the medicine from him. “Thank ye,” she said with tears in her eyes. “These will certainly help and hopefully save him.”

  “What is yer name?” he asked the woman.

  “I am Forba. Daniel was once married to my sister.”

  “Well, thank ye, Forba. When he awakens, send for me at once. I need to talk to him regardin’ his daughter, Mari.”

  “I will,” she said with a nod as Duncan left the hut with Tomas right behind him. He took another look around.

  “Do ye still have weapons, or any able-bodied men?”

  “There are some, but no’ a lot,” said Tomas.