by Lily Harlem
He’d felt her hymen and known she’d been telling the truth. He also believed he’d broken through it at the moment she’d climaxed, making it a painless process for her and paving the way for their first time together.
“Which has to happen soon.” He frowned at his engorged cock. The tip was shiny and his balls ached so much he could almost have believed he’d taken a swift kick to them.
Groaning, he sat and spotted the sage poultice on the bedside table. He reached for it, the familiar scent filling his nose. It reminded him of home and of his mother, but that thought was fleeting. His mind was as full as his heart of Isla. The beautiful, fascinating, healing woman who slept somewhere close, but not close enough.
“Tomorrow,” he said, applying the poultice to the stubborn wound on his shoulder. “Tomorrow I will make her mine, officially. We’ll never have to worry about being apart again.” He sighed and lay back down. “And there’ll be no more maid duties for my love. She is worth more than that.”
Chapter Eight
The next morning Isla woke early despite it being her day off. She had a plan to walk to her aunt’s house as she sometimes did. Her aunt didn’t have much money so a few of Isla’s spare coins would be gratefully received. As would some woodland herbs and plants Isla could collect on the way.
Isla stretched then sat. There was a sudden rapping on the door.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me, Una.”
“Come in.” Isla stood and reached for a shawl.
The door opened, bringing with it a cool draught. Una stepped in, then quickly shut it. She turned to Isla.
Isla gasped. “What happened?”
Una sat on the bed. A sob bubbled up and caught in her throat as she hung her head.
“Una?” Isla sat next to her. She placed her hand on Una’s shoulder and ducked to look at her face.
Una’s eyes were black, her left cheek swollen and her bottom lip split. She was shaking, her hands trembling and her breaths shallow and stuttered.
“Tell me what happened?” Isla said again.
Still nothing.
“Did you go home last night?”
Una nodded.
“You saw Rabbie?”
“Aye.” Una sniffed and twisted to look at Isla. “Can’t you tell?”
Isla gasped. “He did this to you?”
Rabbie was a bad egg, a nasty bit of work, but would he stoop this low?
“He was nay happy I was so late. Had to have a day without ale. His temper was as foul as a wild boar’s when I got there.”
“Bastard,” Isla said, reaching for a blanket to place around the poor battered woman. “How dare he.”
“He’s my husband. He can do what he wants.”
Isla thought for a moment, then, “There’s a difference between a Highlander disciplining his wife for misbehaving and a big brute of a husband beating up a lass. This is not acceptable.”
“I ken, but what can I do?”
“Leave him.”
“But my bairns live there. While I work here, to put food on their table, they live with Rabbie.”
“I’m sure the laird will help. Haps they can come and live here at Fifths Castle. They’re old enough to take on a few chores now.”
“Aye, maybe.” She sniffed and touched her lip. “It hurts. Everything hurts.” With her other hand she held her ribs and groaned.
“I’ll get something for the pain.”
“Can you?”
“Aye, of course.” Isla dashed to her small cupboard and set about soaking a cloth in clove oil to tend the wounds and bruises. She’d get a wee toddy of willow bark for the pain too. Poor Una.
“Here.” Isla handed Una a small cup of pain-reducing medicine. “Drink this. It will help.”
“I have to be down in the kitchen soon, to help Mrs. Humphrey.”
“I’ll go and explain that you’ll be a wee bit late.” Isla paused as Una sipped the drink. “In fact you can have my day off. I’ll do your work today.”
“No, no, I canny let you do that.” Una frowned, creasing the darkened skin on her brow.
“Of course you can.”
Una shook her head. “No, I’ll be glad of your help to tidy me up a bit.” She took another sip of her drink. “Then I can do my shift. I’m not an idler.”
Isla tutted. Una needed to rest but she knew the other woman was stubborn, strong too. If Una wanted to work then that’s what she’d do.
When Una had finished her drink Isla began to clean her split lip.
Una winced a couple of times but didn’t complain.
“Do you have a pain in your head?” Isla asked as she moved her attentions to the broken skin on Una’s left cheek. The skin beneath both her eyes was swollen and purple.
“A wee bit.”
“Then you should rest up here for a while. It’s not good to work in this state.”
“I told ye, I’ll be right as rain to do my chores. The last thing I need is the laird laying me off.”
“He wouldn’t, you’ve been the victim of a horrible attack.”
“Aye, but no one will say anything to Rabbie, will they?”
Isla was silent as she dabbed at Una’s face with arnica.
“He’s too free and easy with his fists. He’s got a musket too, I don’t ken where from.” Una paused. “I guess I should be thankful he didn’t pull that on me.”
Isla shivered. “I wish there was more I could do to help.”
“There is something.” Una set down the mug and reached for Isla’s hand.
“What?” Isla stared at Una’s narrowed, puffy eyes. “I’ll do whatever I can.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Aye, of course.”
“Will you make me an ill wish?” Una’s eyes widened.
“An ill wish?”
“Aye, I ken you have the ability, your sort have.”
“My sort?” Isla managed a small laugh. “What does that mean?”
“You ken…” Una leaned closer. “One in cahoots with the fairies and the devil.”
“I’m not cahoots with fairies or the devil.”
“But you ken stuff other folk don’t.” She nodded at the shelf of small bottles and jars. “You ken what plants to use, what will help each condition.”
“That’s called healing. I’m interested in the power of nature, that’s all.”
“Ah, I ken what you’re doing. Very clever.”
“I’m not doing anything.”
“Isla, I’ve seen you collecting strange things with those cats at your feet, seen you sneaking into the forest on several occasions on nights when the full moon shines like a silver coin.”
“But—”
“Ye can nay fool me.” Una shrugged. “Your aunt is one and so are you.”
“I’m one what?” A strange itching sensation crawled over Isla’s scalp. She didn’t like what Una was insinuating.
“A witch.”
“I’m nay such thing.” Isla plopped the cloth into the water, creating a splash. “Just because I understand the power of Mother Nature does not mean I’m a witch.”
“But ye can make an ill wish, can’t you?” Una reached for her hand again. Her eyes were pleading and her breaths rasping.
Isla said nothing.
“I’ll naught ask anything of you ever again. I might not have been the best friend in the world to ye, Isla, but I’ll make it up to you.”
Isla swallowed. “What do you think an ill wish would do?”
“If I’m lucky it will kill him,” Una huffed. “Have him fall off a cliff, stumble into a deep bog when he’s drunk, or have a meeting with the wrong end of his musket.”
“An ill wish creates a cloak of bad luck; it doesn’t make things happen on their own.”
“Aye, I ken that.”
“And without something of his it can’t be made.”
“I have this.” Una tugged a round brass pocket watch from her apron. “It’s his. Does nay work, hasn�
��t for years, but usually he has it with him.”
Isla eyed it. If ever anyone deserved an ill wish it was Rabbie Finlay. But should she do this favour for Una? Doing so would be admitting she ken how to.
“Please,” Una said. “I promise I won’t tell anyone about it. I’ll hide it under Rabbie’s bed next time I go to see my bairns, in a few days probably if my ribs hold up to the walk. He won’t find it. Lazy good for nothing wouldn’t ken the right end of a broom to hold. Never cleans the place up. That’s what I do on my day off.”
Isla shook her head. “I don’t ken about this. Ill wishes are serious things.”
“Aye, I ken.” Una gestured to her face. “And this is a serious situation.”
“I can’t argue with that.” Isla took the watch. “Aye, okay, I’ll do it.”
“You will?”
“As long as this stays between us. Forever. You can’t tell a soul.”
Una drew a cross on her chest. “Absolutely. Cross my heart and hope to die. I’ll take your secret with me to my grave.”
Isla nodded and wrung out the cloth. “I’ll just tidy up here then I’ll set to it.”
“That quickly?”
“It won’t take long.”
“Ah, good.” Una sighed. “And fill it with as much ill luck as you can.”
* * *
Half an hour later Isla sat at the far end of the walled kitchen garden. She’d explained to Mrs. Humphrey that Una would be late to work owing to a bad night with Rabbie, then excused herself to get on with her task.
What Isla had really wanted to do was head off early to visit her aunt. It was a long walk so unless she was going to have a full afternoon there it didn’t seem much point going.
She sighed and strung together three yew twigs with two yards of string soaked in ale. Rabbie was very partial to ale so that would make the ill wish more personal for him.
As Isla then threaded three long black crow feathers into the mesh of string, thoughts of McTavish came to her mind. Quickly she pushed them aside. She needed to only think of Rabbie Finlay and how he deserved bad luck for as long as possible. That would also make the ill wish more personal for the man who deserved it. The last thing she wanted was for Trevor McTavish to have bad luck—she only wanted good things for him. Unlike Rabbie he was a good man; salt of the earth, her aunt would call him.
Isla began to thread sprigs of parsley through the string along with the pocket watch, which had a small rusting chain. Parsley was the devil’s plant. Growing so slowly, it had to visit the devil seven times to ask permission to sprout. Parsley therefore was on speaking terms with the devil. The fluffy leafed plant would ensure the devil was within the ill wish, and therefore never far from Rabbie.
When the ill wish was complete, Isla cursed it with a few lines taught to her by her aunt.
“Upon this day may Rabbie Finlay learn not to toil with evil. And if he does act or think with hate and rage then cast this ill wish curse upon him, to render him ill of luck, ill of health, ill of happiness. Thou shalt be punished. May the devil himself live within these strings and feathers, so mote it be.”
She held the ill wish up, allowing the easterly wind to tickle through it. Then satisfied her work was done, Isla slipped it into her pocket and walked quickly back to her room.
Una was lying on the bed, sleeping.
Isla placed the ill wish on the bedside table, adjusted the blanket on Una’s resting form, then quietly left her be.
Isla made a point of avoiding everyone in the castle and again sneaked from the kitchen garden and into the meadow. The sun was shining and the grass still held a hint of dew. To her right a skylark sang his frustration at her sudden appearance and in the distance a small herd of deer grazed.
But before heading off in the direction of her aunt’s village, Isla paused and looked back at the castle. Was McTavish still in there? Had he set off for Edinburgh yet? And if so when would he be back?
It was then she spotted a horse coming at speed toward her. A large bay with a flowing dark mane and tail. Upon it sat a huge Highlander, his kilt flapping and his tunic trailing behind his wide body.
Her heart rate picked up and a delicious sense of excitement settled in her chest. “McTavish.”
The ground beneath her shuddered as the thud of the horse’s hooves got closer. She stood there, staring at him, her body seeming to come to life in his presence.
Eventually he drew level, pulling his horse to a halt as he did so. “Where are ye going?”
“To visit my aunt.”
“Is she expecting you?”
“No, I just drop in every wee while. She lives about five miles yonder.”
“You’re not going now.”
“I don’t ken what you mean.”
His previously stern expression softened. “I have something to show you. You’re coming with me.”
“I am?” She couldn’t deny the thought of spending her day off with McTavish thrilled her.
“Aye, give me your hand, lass.”
She did as he’d asked and found herself pulled quickly up onto his horse so she was seated in front of him. He wrapped his left arm around her waist, holding her close to his body.
“Oh.” She gripped both the horse’s mane and McTavish’s thick forearm. “I haven’t ridden for a while.”
“Just hold on,” he said against her ear. “It will take us a wee while to get there but it will be worth it.”
“Get where?”
“You’ll ken soon enough.”
He dug his heels into the horse and Isla found herself hurtling forward across the long meadow. The wind whisked through her hair and stroked over her cheeks. But she felt safe and secure in McTavish’s embrace and the big horse was surefooted and strong.
They came to the end of the meadow, passed to the west of the forest where she’d created her love potion, then navigated around a bog. When the landscape changed to one of rocky outcrops and a winding river, McTavish slowed the pace to a walk.
“It’s a fine day,” he said.
“Aye, I love the springtime.”
“Was my mother’s favourite time of year.” He spoke against the side of her head. “She said it was the best for collecting the flowers she needed.”
“She needed?”
“Aye, she was a natural healer. Good with plants, ye ken?”
“I do.”
“The way you are,” he said.
“I try to use what Mother Nature has given me. It’s her gift to us.”
“And it would be rude not to make the most of it, right?”
She twisted to look at him. “That’s what I believe.”
“Me too.” He set a kiss on the side of head. “We’re nearly there.”
“I haven’t been here before.”
“Good, I wanted it to be new for you. I wanted to make this special.”
Chapter Nine
Isla’s eyes widened as they rounded the meander of a bubbling stream. Set into a deep curve in the rocks was a waterfall tumbling down and frothing at the base. The air was full of the scent of moss and the sun-heated grass.
“It’s beautiful.”
“It’s known to very few,” McTavish said. “Hidden from view, most ride past it and never ken it’s here.”
“How did you find it?”
“I stumbled across it one day. I wasn’t expecting to find something so lovely but I did.” He drew the horse to a halt then dismounted. With his hands held up to her he said, “Just like I hadn’t expected to find you at Fifths Castle. Someone so beautiful my breath is stolen every time I look at you.”
Isla’s heart swelled as she looked down at the ruggedly handsome Highlander who, it seemed, had well and truly fallen under her spell.
“And my soul,” he said, “it has always been but a half until you came into my life. Now it’s complete.”
Isla slipped from the horse into his arms. “You really believe that?”
“Aye, lass. I do.” He dipp
ed his head and kissed her.
She melted against him, all the desire and passion of the night just gone flooding her veins and creating a pulsing need inside of her.
Eventually he pulled back. “I have food in the saddle pouch. Are you hungry?”
She’d felt his growing erection beneath his kilt and was surprised he’d changed the direction things were going between them. Haps he couldn’t act upon his lust with an empty stomach.
“A wee bit hungry.” She stepped away and began to undo the lace on her bodice. “I believe a swim would work up an appetite.” What she’d like to have suggested was he put his head between her legs again to use up energy but Isla wasn’t that bold.
“A swim ye say?”
“Aye. Looks good.”
She removed her bodice, then slipped down her dress. Again she wore no panties so the sun-warmed air breezed over her now naked form.
“God above, give me strength.” He raked his hand through his hair and drank her up with his gaze. “You are but a nymph of utter delight.”
She giggled and turned to the deepest part of the stream. She held up her arms.
“Isla, it will be freezing cold and—”
She didn’t listen to what else he had to say, because Isla dived into the water, adoring the sensation of the air then wetness on every inch of her body.
But it was really cold. As she plunged into the dark depths it stabbed at her skin and caught the breath in her lungs. She kicked out and surfaced, pulling in oxygen when she reached it.
“Hey, are you crazy?” He was standing on the side of the bank staring at her.
“You’re crazy not to be in here.” She laughed. “Come on, or are you too scared?”
“Nay, lass, I’m not scared of the water.”
“What then?”
“You really want to ken?”
“Aye.” She treaded water as she stared up at him.
He didn’t answer, instead he removed his tunic, his boots then his kilt. When he stood there naked, hands on his hips and cock at half mast, he said, “What scares me most on this earth is something happening to you, and not being with you.”
“So come and get me.”
“You asked for it.” He took to the air then with a big splash plummeted into the water.