“To see me?”
The maid hastened to add, “Not the Lady MacDonell, but the one from the farm down the road.”
Jenny was halfway to the door with a welcoming smile. She had known Duncan’s mother since she and Duncan had played together as children. She was almost a second mother. After she and Duncan were married, she would be. Jenny gave Elspeth a hug, and drew back to find a face drawn with worry. Jenny’s smile faded. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but she could guess what it was. Instead, she invited her into the sitting room.
“You’ve got things to do, Jenny,” said her mother as she joined them. Jenny nodded and excused herself while her mother took over. Jenny guessed it had something to do with the rent.
Upstairs, Jenny pulled off her arisaid and leaned against the closed door. The faint scent of Duncan, fresh air and pine wafted from it. He had wrapped it around them when the night air had grown chill. Now she held it to her face and breathed in.
*
“Jenny!” her mother called up to her from the stairs.
The guests had arrived, and now Jenny would have to act as though she were not heartsick from missing the man she had given herself to. With a sigh, she went down the stairs to face a long evening. Her mother whispered, “They’re in the sitting room. Go and make conversation.” When Jenny hesitated, her mother nudged her on. A pleading stare got her nowhere, so Jenny took a fortifying breath and went in to join her father and his guests.
As she stepped into the doorway, the conversation halted. Tavish MacLean stood first, followed by his father and hers.
“Good evening,” she said, looking at the three MacLeans. She looked from one to the other. “Father.” She nodded and started to sit, but her mother arrived and, with a flurry of movement, ushered Jenny to Tavish’s side. Jenny gave her mother a discreet, panicky glance, before turning to Tavish. “I thought you would have gone away with the others this morning.”
A pointed look from her father let her know that he disapproved of her question. It was not her place to pry into decisions Tavish had made. Her job was to make him feel welcome and at ease. Jenny held her tongue, but she thought of Tavish’s actions the evening before. He had not been such a gentleman when he had grabbed her and tried to force her away from the sword dance. She still felt his grip on her wrist, and resented him for it.
Tavish seemed immune to her dislike for him, as the conversation drifted along. It did so without Jenny, until she felt her mother’s sharp gaze. Jenny tilted her chin up and feigned interest. As she did, her thoughts wandered once more. How had her father managed to entice the MacLeans to accept his invitation for dinner? Andrew MacRuer had long sought to renew the old friendship as a means with which he might elevate his own social standing, but his efforts had always been politely overlooked. Malcolm had been a childhood friend. When he married above his circumstances, he deliberately distanced himself from his past. However, as so many had gathered to see their men off, it made sense that they might renew their old acquaintance on this one occasion. Yet, if they had come to see Tavish off with the others, then why was he still here? As she observed him, Jenny decided she did not care enough to waste further thought on why Tavish was here. Instead, her thoughts would be better spent wishing him gone.
Tavish did know how to smile. He had all the right features to render him handsome. Unscathed by doubt or tender emotion, his face was composed of clean planes and confidence, which most women found quite appealing. Jenny was an exception, which seemed lately to draw him more fervently to her.
He turned his smile toward her. “I’ve delayed my departure by a day. I’ll leave tomorrow to join the others.”
“Oh?” Jenny nodded, eyebrows raised to approximate interest. She inadvertently met his mother’s eyes, which darted along with her grin to Jenny’s mother. Then the fathers joined in, glancing at each other as if they all shared an unspoken secret.
*
After supper, Jenny stood in the hallway with her parents. Her mother hissed, “Talk to her, Andrew. I cannae leave our guests all alone.” With a swish of silk, she was gone.
“Father, no,” Jenny whispered.
His stern face forbade opposition. “In a few minutes, Tavish MacLean is going to offer to escort you outside for a walk.”
Jenny began to protest.
“Once outside, he will ask you to marry him.”
“But I cannae–”
“And you will say yes.” Andrew would not be moved.
“Please dinnae ask this of me,” she begged quietly.
Ignoring her, he went on. “He fancies you, Jenny. You’re a lucky girl.”
“I am quite certain I am not the first girl he has fancied, nor will I be the last.”
“But he is marrying you.” Andrew smiled as he lifted her chin. “And there is no one as lovely as my wee Jenny.”
She smiled but not without effort.
Andrew said, “He looked for you last night to ask you then, but he could not find you. Where were you?”
Jenny thought of just where she had been, in Duncan’s arms, giving herself to the man that she loved. “I cannae marry Tavish.”
“He delayed his departure because of you, Jenny. He was going to ask you last night.”
“Last night? Did you know about this then?” Jenny had, of course, heard of such arranged marriages, but she had never thought that her own parents would arrange a marriage without her ever suspecting it.
“Of course I knew. Now stop all this nonsense. It’s all been arranged, and he’s waiting for you in the sitting room.”
“I cannae marry him,” she said meekly.
“Oh, but you can, and you will.”
“No.” Jenny felt physically ill. She had never been able stand up to her father. What he saw as respect was, in truth, simple fear. It was easier to obey than to lose his approval. But now she had to risk it. What choice was there?
She had wanted to sound firm, but her words came out breathless and hushed. “I am promised to someone, to Duncan. We are handfasted.”
Andrew’s face grew red as he spoke with quiet restraint. “You promised yourself? To him?”
“I did.” Jenny felt the same fear she used to feel as a child, when she had done something wrong.
He stared at her. “Duncan? That drunkard’s son?”
“Father, please don’t be cruel.”
“Pardon me. Farmer. One who is too busy tipping the bottle to farm his land so he can pay his rent. Is that the life you want?”
“Duncan is not like that.”
“He sent his wife over to beg your mother for more time to pay rent.”
“His father did that, not Duncan.”
Andrew shook his head. “I’ll not have that for my wee Jenny.”
“I’m not your wee Jenny anymore.” She spoke too quickly, and revealed too much. Too late, she reined in her emotions.
Jenny’s mother slipped back through the sitting room door as Andrew said, “When was this handfast?”
“Last night.”
Andrew drew close and gripped her jaw. After a long silence, he forced her chin up. With dread, Jenny lifted her eyes.
“Did he bed you?”
“Andrew!” said her mother, signaling for him to hush.
“Look at me and tell me the truth.”
In her father’s eyes, she saw not only anger but fear mixed with disgust, which grew stronger with each moment she failed to answer him.
“No,” Jenny lied.
The deep sigh of relief that came from him nearly frightened her more than his anger. He let go of her chin.
“And who witnessed this handfasting?”
“No one. But it’s still just as true.”
Andrew leveled a gaze of cold steel. “If no one saw it, it cannot be proven.”
“No one needs to prove it! He knows, and I know. Nothing will change that!”
Andrew’s quiet words belied his seething anger. “He’ll most likely be gone for more than a year and a day, so
your handfast means nothing.”
“It means everything to me.”
Andrew went on as though he had not heard her. “Right now, you are going to walk into that room and smile sweetly. And when he invites you for a walk, you will smile again and go with him. And when he asks you to marry him, you’ll say yes. For if you do not, I will throw Duncan’s parents out of their miserable hovel.”
“Father, you cannot!”
“How do you think they will manage? I’ll tell you. They won’t.”
Jenny asked, “How could you do such a thing?”
“I will do anything to protect my daughter.”
“I dinnae want protecting from Duncan. I love him.”
“Then think, Jenny, for you will bear the weight of the consequences.”
“You ask too much of me.”
“I ask you to do what is best.”
Andrew was calm. He had won.
Jenny knew he would do it, and she knew it would kill Duncan’s mother to lose her home. The poor woman had suffered for years with a husband who did little to keep the farm going. Now, with Duncan away, her life would be even harder. The land would be hers to farm nearly alone.
“Duncan will not stand for this,” Jenny protested.
“Duncan will not know.”
“Och, do you not think I’ll tell him the moment he’s back?”
“Yes, I do.” Andrew paused, a smug smile forming. “But, you see, I am letting them stay there. It’s a generous offer, one which I will withdraw if Duncan ever finds out what I’ve told you. So, my dear one, you are free to tell him, just as I am free to throw the whole lot of them out of their home.”
Jenny was stunned. She knew her father was ruthless in business matters, but she never expected him to treat her like this. If Duncan were here, he would know what to do. He would stand up to her father, take care of his parents, and marry her. But Duncan was gone, and the fate of his parents now lay on her shoulders. If she refused to marry Tavish, Duncan’s parents would lose their home. Without Duncan, they would be helpless. His father would drink, and his mother would suffer. After years of hard work, she was in no condition to travel on foot searching for work and a home.
If Jenny went against her father, he might throw her out, too. Where would she go? She could try to find Duncan, but how? He was in the lowlands, but where? Even if she knew more, she had no idea how she would get there. No proper lady would travel alone, nor would she know how. All of her life had been focused on becoming accomplished. She had learned how to sing and do needlework, neither of which would see her safely through the rough Highland terrain. In her quest to find Duncan, she could lose him forever.
Jenny faced a hard truth. Without a home, Duncan’s parents might not survive the winter. At all cost, she had to keep Duncan’s parents safe until his return. As for Jenny, there would be no wedding yet. Tavish was leaving to catch up with the rest of the men. He would return with the others, Duncan included. After that, she and Duncan would find a way out.
With Jenny now quiet, Andrew smiled and kissed her on the forehead. “That’s my Jenny.” He led Jenny back into the sitting room.
*
Tavish led Jenny outside for a walk. As they went down the garden path, his hand drifted toward hers. To evade it, she reached up to brush her hair from her face. They followed the path around and a birch tree, where Tavish stopped and lifted her hand. She could not make herself to look at him.
“Jenny.” Tavish studied her, seeking her full attention. “They must have told you that we are to be married.”
“Only just.” She glanced at him long enough to be polite. She could not hold his gaze. Her thoughts centered upon Duncan and his family. She reminded herself that she had to buy time until Duncan returned.
“I’ll be leaving tomorrow to join the other men.”
In that moment, the thought struck her. Duncan was one of those men. Tavish would join them and tell them. Then Duncan would know. He would learn of the wedding, but never know why. She had no way to tell him. Even if she could get a message to him, she could not tell him now–not without putting his parents at risk. She was going to break his heart, just as hers was broken already.
Tavish said, “When I return, we’ll be married. Jenny, do you hear what I’m saying?”
“Aye,” her voice broke.
Misreading it as a sign she was moved, Tavish smiled.
Jenny fixed her eyes downward, hoping he would say what he had to say quickly.
“We’ll be married, and you’ll be my wife.”
She inwardly cringed.
He stepped closer and kissed her. She had not expected a kiss, although she supposed that she should have. Nor had she expected his tongue to seek a way past her closed lips. As she drew back, Tavish slipped his palm behind her head and resisted. By reflex, she gasped.
“You’re to wed me. Now gie us a kiss.” His eyes burned as claimed her lips with a devouring kiss. There was no escaping his mouth or his serpentine tongue.
“Tavish.” She pressed her palms to his chest and pulled away.
He released her but appeared bewildered, yet not too much to stare at her mouth. “You’re so very bonnie. You hardly can blame a lad for wanting to kiss his sweetheart before he goes off to war.”
She discreetly wiped his kiss from her lips with her fingers. “It is not quite war that you’re going to, Tavish.”
His eyes narrowed. “Take a care, my love, lest you sound like a harpy.”
Now indignant, Jenny looked up, her lips parted in protest.
To her surprise, Tavish’s mouth spread to a grin. “You’ve a bit of fire in you, girl. I like that.” His hungry eyes bore through her as he leaned down to kiss her.
Jenny started to turn, but he took her jaw in his hands.
“Tavish…” She tried to hold him at bay, but he was strong and insistent. “I pray you, grant me some time.”
He released her with scorn. “Time for what, Jenny?”
“I barely know you.” She wanted to weep or vomit but managed to do neither. “I’ve only just found out we’re to be married.”
“You’ll have your time after I’m gone. Until then, I’ll have a proper kiss.” And he took it.
*
The next morning, Tavish rode off with the handful of men who had stayed behind with him. Jenny donned a brave face and wondered. How long would it be before Duncan found out? A few days? A week? What did it matter? He would find out. When he did, he would be certain that she had betrayed him.
Chapter 3
August 1680
Jenny had had more than a year to prepare for this day. Yet there were times when it seemed like her betrothal to Tavish was just a bad dream. While Duncan and Tavish were away fighting for the king against Covenanters, the days had slipped by with no change. No one knew when the men would return, if at all. The pain of such thinking drove her to set plans for the future aside. She had never intended to go through with the wedding, and yet she had spent more than a year making plans with her parents. All the while, she yearned for Duncan. She had broken his heart, and hers with it. But their love was still true. They would find their way back together. After that, Duncan would know what to do. Until then, the wedding plans remained in place. As the months passed, it seemed less and less real, until Jenny found it easy to set thoughts of marriage aside.
Then the men came home. Word spread quickly as everyone gathered to welcome them. Most of the soldiers would stop here for a meal, a dram, and some rest, before continuing on to their homes, so a growing crowd of nearby families was ready to greet their loved ones. In its midst, Jenny stood, and she watched their arrival with anxious eyes.
From beside her, came a voice. “Hello, Jenny.”
She had not wished to remember the voice, but she did. “Tavish.” She turned, sure she had managed to hide her disappointment, but a fleeting light in his eyes proved her wrong. “I dinnae see you,” she said, forcing a smile. How would she have noticed him?
She had been watching for Duncan.
They talked of the journey, the weather–anything but what was really on their minds. Her parents joined them and took over the conversation, which eased Jenny’s discomfort. Tavish would stay at their house for the night, before riding on to his home.
Jenny spied Duncan’s friend, Alex, and excused herself to go to him. He stood out from a crowd, not for his beauty. He was almost too rugged to be handsome. But his quiet presence compelled those about him to take notice, for he had a strength that was as much mind as muscle.
“Alex!” Jenny put her hand on his arm. When he turned to face her, she saw something was wrong.
“Jenny.”
She continued to smile, but her eyes betrayed her. “Is Duncan with you?”
“No.”
Dread drained the color from her face. Her lips formed the beginning of a question. “Steady, lass.” His chilled manner now gone, Alex grasped her upper arm to support her.
“Are you alright, Jenny?” A concerned Tavish had joined them.
Jenny said, “Yes, I’m fine. Just a bit overwhelmed.”
Tavish studied her.
As Alex released her arm, she said, “Did everyone–is everyone with you?”
“Come, Jenny,” said Tavish. He turned and took her hand to lead her away as though she were a child.
Jenny turned back to Alex and whispered, “Where is Duncan?”
He and Duncan were part of a close group of friends who had grown up together, with Jenny like a sister among them. The men went on to train and fight together.
Alex took note, not only of Jenny’s hushed agitation, but also of Tavish’s watchful insistence. Alex proceeded to fill Jenny in on the news of their friends. Callum stood nearby with a raven-haired beauty beside him. He was the chief’s son, although for years unacknowledged. He had brought home a wife from the lowlands. Tongues had wagged for weeks over that, but Hughie’s mother, Nellie, assured everyone that Mari was lovely, both inside and out, and that Callum was lucky to have found her. Behind Callum, their friend Charlie turned to embrace one of the many young women who seemed to fall under his charm almost daily. It was hard to fault him for his confidence, when his mere smile made women blush. His coarse sand-colored hair and square jaw made them stare, while his powerful build and bearing made knees weak.
Highland Soldiers: The Betrayal Page 2