Duncan quickly added, “Aunt Annie would be lost without you, I’d hate for you to leave her and she would miss you too, I’m sure.”
Colleen’s smile faded a little until Duncan stroked her cheek softly. “I’d miss you too,” he whispered. “You know I would. I’m very fond of you and I don’t want you to leave.”
As they gazed into each other’s eyes, Colleen’s smile reappeared. He does like me, she thought happily. Aunt Annie’s right. We just need to work on him and show him that I can make him as happy, if not happier, than any woman from his clan could.
Duncan looked across at Aunt Annie, whose smile reassured him he was doing the right thing.
As Duncan and Colleen continued to gaze silently at each other, Harvey broke open a few bottles of his famous mead and they spent the next couple of hours talking and having fun.
Duncan was thrilled to see how happy Colleen was and her delight at a gift from Harvey, a simple bundle of ribbons, made him love her even more.
At the end of the evening Colleen, with a little help from Duncan, put a slightly tipsy Aunt Annie to bed. Colleen stayed and chatted with her for a little while and giggled as the elderly lady slurred her words. When she returned to the kitchen, Harvey, Richard and Robert had already left and gone back to Duncan’s home.
“They said goodnight, they’ll see you tomorrow,” Duncan told her.
Colleen smiled. She was pleased they were staying for a few days. It would give her time to think about whether she was doing the right thing staying here. She could maybe talk to Aunt Annie, who she was certain would give her sensible advice. She was a wise old woman.
As Duncan bid her goodnight he leaned forward and kissed Colleen on the cheek. Colleen was surprised when he suddenly leaned forward again and pressed his lips against hers. She was shocked and did not respond to his kiss at first. Duncan pulled away and whispered an apology. “I’m sorry Colleen. I don’t know what came over me. It must be too much of Harvey’s mead,” he explained, backing towards the door.
Colleen smiled and shook her head, grabbing his hand to stop him leaving. “No, don’t go,” she whispered, pulling him back towards her. When Duncan leaned forward to touch his lips against hers once more, this time Colleen responded and the kiss lasted a little longer. Colleen held her breath and blushed as they moved apart after the kiss ended.
“Goodnight,” whispered Duncan, “your meal was fantastic, thank you”. He gazed into her eyes as he toyed with the ribbons in her hair, reluctant to leave her. “You look beautiful,” he sighed, stroking her cheek softly before slowly walking away from her.
Colleen watched him until he had gone into his own home then she rushed excitedly into Aunt Annie’s room. All thoughts of a chat were forgotten and Colleen blurted out “He kissed me Aunt Annie. Duncan kissed me!”
Aunt Annie smiled and sat up in her bed. “It’s about bloody time!” the old woman grinned, making Colleen giggle. She had never heard Duncan’s elderly aunt swear, but it made her laugh loudly and she hugged Aunt Annie tightly.
“Is it OK for us to be together, especially as I’m not of this clan?” Colleen asked worriedly.
Aunt Annie smiled broadly. “I’ve never seen a more perfectly matched couple,” she stated. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re Irish, Scottish, English or whatever else you may be. It’s what’s in here that matters,” said Aunt Annie, tapping her fingers against her heart.
“Never forget that and you won’t go far wrong,” she advised the young woman.
Colleen smiled as she tucked Duncan’s aunt into bed and kissed her softly on the cheek.
“Thank you, Aunt Annie,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I disturbed you,” she added, as the old lady closed her eyes and fell asleep promptly.
Colleen went to bed and lay smiling into the dark. He kissed me, she thought, bouncing excitedly on the bed. Duncan kissed me. Her grin widened as she recalled the tender moment as his lips had brushed gently against hers.
Colleen sighed as she closed her eyes and wished she could share the joy of her first kiss with Kaitlyn. Well one thing’s for certain, she thought. I certainly can’t go back to Ireland now!
With a smile on her face, Colleen drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
Chapter Twelve
A few days later Colleen bid a tearful farewell to Harvey, Richard and Robert. Duncan had gone down to the shore with them and as they boarded the boat, Duncan turned Colleen to face him. He looked into her eyes and smiled.
“Colleen,” he whispered, “I want you to stay, I really do, but I understand if you want to go and see your sister. You can come back any time you want. Me and Aunt Annie love having you around, but we understand if you want to go back to Ireland. It’s your choice. You must do what’s best for you.”
Colleen turned to the boat and looked at Harvey, her eyes filling with tears. She gripped Duncan’s hand firmly.
“Harvey, please will you tell Kaitlyn I love her and I’ll see her very soon. Make her understand why I can’t go home just yet,” she told him.
As Colleen turned to face Duncan, blinking back tears, he held his arms out to her and wrapped her in his warm embrace.
“I’ll look after her, I promise,” he told Harvey.
Harvey smiled and nodded. “I know you will Duncan, I have every faith in you. Be happy Colleen. I’ll see you soon,” he said, waving as the boat moved away from the shore.
Duncan lifted Colleen into his arms and carried her back to the village. As they reached his aunt’s house, she raised her head and looked at him. “Have I done the right thing?” she asked, gazing into his eyes.
Duncan nodded before pressing his lips gently against hers. As he put her down on the ground, Colleen smiled brightly. I’ve definitely done the right thing, she thought happily, gripping Duncan’s hand as he led her into the house.
“I have to go out for a little while. Will you be OK here with Aunt Annie?” he asked.
Colleen smiled at him. “We’ll be fine. You get on with your business and I’ll tidy round here, cook a nice meal for you coming home.”
Duncan smiled and kissed her on the lips once more, causing Colleen’s cheeks to flush. “See you later,” he said, warning her once more not to wander out of the village while he was gone. Colleen rolled her eyes as Duncan stroked her hair and gazed at her lovingly, before crossing the room to his elderly aunt and kissing her on the cheek.
“She chose you,” the old lady whispered, and his eyes lit up as he nodded in agreement.
Aunt Annie grinned impishly at him and he laughed as he left them alone. “Be good,” he shouted, closing the door behind him.
Colleen chatted to Aunt Annie for a while, excitedly telling her that Duncan had kissed her again. Aunt Annie smiled brightly. “See, I told you he likes you,” the old lady smiled.
As Aunt Annie was finally exhausted by Colleen’s excited chatter, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Colleen smiled and set about her chores. She had soon finished her housework and she looked at Aunt Annie who was sleeping soundly in her chair. Colleen was bored and she scowled as she recalled Duncan’s words as he had left.
“Do not let me find that you have wandered out of the village again. I will make you very sorry if you do,” he had warned. Her cheeks flushed and her heart fluttered as she recalled his soft kiss on her lips.
Damn the man, cursed Colleen. How can he make me hate him with a vengeance one minute when he’s so strict, then turn me into a love struck teenager the next when he gives me the smallest of kisses?
Colleen sighed and stamped around the room, looking for something to do. She crossed the room to where Aunt Annie was sleeping, kissed her on the cheek and headed out into the village.
Colleen wandered around the village for a while, chatting to the other women, before she looked around furtively to make sure none of Duncan’s men were watching her as she made her way out to the boundary where Duncan had taken her when she had first arrived in his village.
&
nbsp; Colleen sighed and sat down on the grass. What does he expect me to do while he’s out of the village? Maybe I should have gone back to Ireland with Harvey. I miss Kaitlyn so much, and Alroy too, and although I would have missed Duncan terribly, I would have got over him eventually and found myself a man who wanted me as much as I wanted him.
Colleen sighed deeply. But Duncan does want you too, she thought angrily. He’s just too stubborn to marry you, holding out for one of his own clan to marry him, even though Aunt Annie has told him that does not have to happen.
Tears trickled down Colleen’s cheeks as she recalled listening in on a conversation between Aunt Annie and Duncan a couple of days ago. The old woman had been scolding him for dragging his heels and not taking Colleen as his wife, telling him that Colleen would make a perfect wife for him and they were clearly very fond of each other. Colleen knew it was wrong to listen at doors, but she couldn’t help smiling as she tried to imagine life as Duncan’s wife. Duncan had made her even happier when he agreed with Aunt Annie that she was right, but he spoiled the moment by insisting he should really marry within his clan.
Colleen sighed and opened her eyes, erasing her daydreams of Duncan and promising herself she would waste no more time today thinking about him. He is not my husband or my father. He has no right to tell me where I can and can’t go, she thought petulantly, getting up and striding purposefully away from the village.
When Colleen had originally left the house, she had only intended to go for a short walk outside the village, but in her current mood she walked quickly and paid no attention to where she was headed. After walking for a few minutes, Colleen stopped and looked around. Sitting down on the ground, she allowed herself to calm down.
I won’t go too much further, she promised. Duncan will never even know I’ve been out. Although he isn’t my father or my husband, I suppose I did agree to him being my guardian in the absence of Harvey, and I did promise Harvey that I would behave myself if he left me with Duncan.
The landscape reminded Colleen so much of her home back in Ireland and as she thought about her sister Kaitlyn and wondered how she was, Colleen continued to walk away from the village. She hadn’t gone too far when she had a change of heart and stopped. This is childish, she thought. I often wonder why Duncan won’t take me as his wife, and then I act like a spoiled brat. No wonder he’s reluctant to marry me. I need to get back before he notices I’m gone.
As Colleen turned to head back to the village, a pretty butterfly fluttered past her. She smiled and walked quietly to where it had come to rest, only to see it flutter its wings and move on. Glancing back towards Duncan’s village, she thought it wouldn’t hurt to stay out a little while longer. She continued to follow the butterfly, giggling as it continually settled on a flower, only for it to move a little further away each time Colleen reached it.
Colleen continued to walk away from the village even after the butterfly had flown far away out of sight. She smiled as she listened to the birdsong and scanned the treetops, trying fruitlessly to find where the beautiful chattering of the birds was coming from. Colleen was enjoying herself so much she had no idea that she had now wandered over two miles away from Duncan’s camp.
Colleen suddenly stopped in her tracks when a man appeared in front of her. She smiled brightly, believing him to be one of Duncan’s men.
“Oh dear,” she exclaimed. “I think I’ve walked a little further than I intended. Please tell me Duncan isn’t back yet. He hasn’t noticed I’m gone, has he?”
The man frowned. All of Duncan’s men looked very similar, she suddenly realised. They all had scruffy long hair, and many of them were dark haired, as was this man. He was not quite as tall as Duncan, but he was easily as broad as him. He wore the same style of clothing as Duncan and his men, but something was different about it. Colleen couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.
“Duncan MacGregor?” the man queried, aggressively.
Colleen nodded timidly.
“Are you his woman?” the man demanded to know.
Colleen smiled. “Yes,” she lied, hoping that one day soon it would no longer be wishful thinking and she would be Duncan’s woman.
“Seize her,” he ordered his men, and Colleen immediately panicked. “We’ll take her with us,” the man said, leering at her.
“No,” squealed Colleen, “I don’t want to go with you. Duncan will be home soon and he’ll come looking for me. You’ll be very sorry,” she warned, realising with horror that these were not Duncan’s men.
Colleen struggled as her captors dragged her along and through a clearing that led into a village which looked very similar to the one where Colleen had been staying.
Colleen increased her struggles as they headed into the village but the very aggressive Scotsman simply picked her up and threw her across his shoulder. Colleen screamed and thumped her fists against his back, but he barely seemed to notice and continued towards one of the houses where he carried Colleen through the door and tossed her onto his bed.
“You filthy animal,” she screamed at him. Her eyes were wide with fear as the man sat down on the bed beside her and grinned. She looked closer at his kilt and realised that although it was similar to the one worn by Duncan and his clan, it was predominantly blue whereas Duncan’s clan had a tartan which was mainly red. Colleen recalled Duncan’s warning about a clan not too far away. She couldn’t recall their name but they were sworn enemies of the MacGregors. She feared she had unwittingly strayed onto their territory. This was one of the main reasons that Duncan warned her not to leave the village. Oh Duncan, I’m so sorry, I wish I’d listened to you and heeded your warning.
Colleen trembled with fear as the man leaned closer and reached out to stroke her hair. Colleen flinched and pulled away. “No,” she screamed. “Keep your filthy hands to yourself,” she snapped, her memories of almost being raped suddenly flooding back.
Colleen was ready to fight him and was furious when he simply grinned at her. “Don’t worry. I don’t intend to do anything with you – at least not yet,” he told her, his eyes scanning over her body.
Colleen shook her head and laughed. The cheek of the man, she thought angrily, taking a good look at him. You might be attractive in a rugged sort of way, but you’re not Duncan.
“This is no laughing matter,” he told her sternly. “You have trespassed deep into our territory and I need to take you before the head of our clan, see what he wants to do with you. As you were so close to our village, it leads me to believe you could be spying on behalf of the MacGregors, or even the English,” he told her.
Colleen sighed. “I’m not spying for anyone,” she snapped. “I just went for a walk and got lost. Duncan will be furious if you don’t let me go,” she told the man, scowling at him.
Colleen closed her eyes as she thought about Duncan. What will he think when he finds out I’ve wandered away? What if he just assumes I’ve run away and doesn’t come looking for me? What if he thinks I’ve followed Harvey to Ireland? A small strangled sob escaped Colleen’s lips as she thought about the possibility of being stuck with this obnoxious man and never seeing Duncan again.
Stroking her hair again, the stranger held his other hand out to her. “I’m Blayne MacLennon,” he told her. “My father Finlay is the leader of the MacLennon clan. He’ll decide what we are to do with you,” he told her.
Colleen gasped, automatically reaching out to shake the stranger’s offered hand. MacLennon, I remember now, that’s who Duncan warned me about. Oh no, what on earth have I got myself into?
“Wait there,” Blayne told her, turning his back on her and leaving the room. “I’ll go and see if my father is available. Guards,” he called out. Two men immediately entered the house. “Watch her,” he snapped, pointing towards his room as he left the house.
Blayne walked across to his father’s home and was frustrated to find he was not there. As he returned to his own home he was angry to see the young woman climbing out of the wind
ow and his guards nowhere in sight. Sighing angrily, he walked to the window and as Colleen dropped to the floor, he grasped her wrist firmly and dragged her back into his house.
“No,” she screamed, as he dragged her inside. Blayne stopped to glare angrily at his guards. “I asked you to watch her,” he snapped at the two red faced men who quickly disappeared outside.
Turning to Colleen, he dragged her across the room and pushed her into a chair as she struggled desperately to break his firm hold on her wrists. “Calm down,” he told her, grinning as he eyed her once more. “You’re a feisty one, and very attractive too. I can see why MacGregor would want to keep you for himself,” he said.
Colleen glared at him and spat in his face, causing Blayne to laugh loudly as he released one of her wrists and used his sleeve to wipe his face. Seizing her opportunity, Colleen lashed out at him, clawing at his face. She was furious when Blayne simply smirked at her and seized her wrist. “You’re beautiful when you’re angry,” he told her, leaning towards her.
Colleen pulled a face and turned away from him, determined that he would not kiss her. She was relieved when at that moment one of Blayne’s men burst into his home.
“Duncan MacGregor and his men are here,” he announced. “He’s accusing you of stealing his woman and he wants her back.”
Colleen’s face lit up with a huge grin as Blayne released her. He does want me, she thought. He does care. And he cares so much that he’s come to rescue me.
Colleen ran towards the door. “Not so fast,” Blayne warned her, grasping her wrist once more.
Blayne pushed her towards one of his guards. “Seize her,” he ordered, “and try not to let her escape this time,” he sneered, as his guard grasped her firmly by the arms.
Colleen was startled when Blayne drew his sword and asked another of his men to gather together the males of their clan and bring them to him. “We’re going to fight Duncan MacGregor and his men and drive them from this village. After we’ve tasted victory, I’ll take his wench to my bed.”
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