The Highlander’s Challenge (Lairds of Dunkeld Series) (A Medieval Scottish Romance Story)

by Emilia Ferguson

“It is good of you to come,” Amabel said.

  Alina looked round. She had not had to travel anywhere, she lived in Dunkeld now. She saw where her sister stared and her own face creased with smiling.

  “Well, it beats freezing to death in the north wing,” a dry voice said.

  “Aili, it is wonderful to have you,” Alina smiled at her diminutive aunt, who had made the journey over freezing ground in the winter's cold.

  “I like being here,” Aili said firmly. Neither Alina nor Amabel seemed to believe that statement, with reason. Aili had not left the turret for almost fifteen years. She had done a remarkable thing, coming into the world again, and they both felt awed.

  “I'm...glad,” Amabel said, tensing. Alina saw how her teeth clamped, biting her lip. She turned to Aili and they exchanged a nod.

  “”Now, when the next pain comes like that, tell me,” Aili instructed calmly. “When they're close enough together, I'll call your sister over and we can hold you up. That'll make things easier.”

  Amabel nodded, face flushed with perspiration. Alina looked into the fire, feeling worried. She stared into the flames. As she watched, her sister's breath rasping in the quiet behind her, she slowly felt herself drawn into the flame, the world becoming quiet, as it did before she had a vision. In the flame, a face stared out at her, a face framed with long, straight auburn hair. The face was a grave oval, the mouth firm, and exactly a replica of Broderick's. The eyes were wide and heavy-lidded, something like her own. The color was striking: mirror gray, grave and tranquil, they hit Alina with a jolt that pained her. Mother!

  The girl in the vision had eyes just like those of a mother Alina had not known she remembered. Until now.

  “Alina...”

  A strained gasp from the bed broke the vision and sent Alina crossing the floor with great haste, taking a seat on Amabel's left on the great dark oaken bed.

  Aili looked up briefly, blue eyes glowing. “There, now,” she said, smiling. “The next one like that, we'll lift you up and you can push. Ready? One, two...”

  “Aaah!”

  Amabel screamed as the next contraction ripped through her and Alina felt all her weight press down on her shoulder. She bit her lip, struggling to support her sister, trying to ignore the cries and grunts of pain, the gasping breath.

  She will be safe. She will be well. Let her be well...

  The litany chased itself round Alina's head, as her sister struggled, panted, cried out, wept, and screamed.

  Alina felt her own heart breaking, wishing she could do something, anything, to relieve pain.

  Let her live. Let her live.

  A great scream rent the air and Amabel tensed. Alina grunted with effort, holding her while she pushed, and pushed.

  “Ah. There we are, lass. I've got the shoulders. One more push like that and...”

  Amabel groaned and shuddered, then lay still. Further down the bed, Aili was smiling.

  “Well, you can welcome your daughter into the world,” she said. Her voice was rich with wonder and Alina could hear the trace of tears in it.

  She herself was gasping, feeling a relief that made her weak. She looked at her sister, who lay, spent and sweat soaked, on the bed. At the word “daughter,” she smiled.

  “Daughter?” She turned to Alina, eyes shining with love for the new baby. “Can I see her? Let me see her!”

  Aili chuckled. “I'm just washing her, dear,” she said. “Patient.” Alina could hear the sound of water and the coughs and then a harsh cry. Aili was bent over, her solid form strong as she cradled the babe under the water.

  Two minutes later, she turned back to the bed. Alina was sitting with her hand in her sister's, squeezing her cold, pale hand, smiling at her as she smiled back, eyes bright with wonder.

  “Here we are,” Aili said. She was at the bedside, holding in her arms a bundle that seemed to Alina impossibly small to cradle human life. She looked, staring as if transfixed, and found herself looking into a flushed, rumpled face, the eyes wide in wrinkled lids, their depth a deep, unwavering gray.

  “Oh...” Amabel let out a gasp. She sat, though Alina held out a hand to try and stop her, and the expression on her face was a mix of wonder, longing, and such aching, painful love that it made Alina's heart stand suddenly still.

  “Here we are. Now, hold her this way, easy with her head...it's not firm yet.” Aili chuckled gently as she placed the baby in Amabel's arms.

  “Oh...” Amabel looked at her little daughter, her hand wavering before her face. The babe reached out and its hand met her finger, the tiny shape of it so perfect Alina's heart rose in her throat.

  The babe gripped Amabel's finger and she breathed out with awe, and then started, suddenly, to cry. She rocked back and forth, holding the baby. She was crooning to her, a huge smile on her face, her lips tracing the baby's forehead with kisses.

  Aili had turned away, taking the stained sheet from the bed. As Alina watched her, she saw her shoulders shake and knew her aunt cried.

  She felt her own heart twist painfully, and looked back at the bed. She smiled at Amabel, who smiled back, the smile all wonder, joy, and love.

  Alina looked at the babe, and the babe looked back. As their eyes met, the child let out a little cry. Alina smiled at her.

  Joanna, she thought. Welcome, Joanna.

  The baby made a little noise and then was still, her eyes unfocused but wandering in the direction of her aunt.

  Then Amabel moved to feed her and the room grew quiet.

  Alina looked into the fire, thinking that, after all, her heart might actually break, it was so full.

  EPILOGUE

  EPILOGUE

  Alina nestled beside Duncan where they lay in their warm bedchamber together. It was late morning, the sun low in a winter sky. It was cold outside, but here in the bedchamber it was warm, a fire roaring beside them in the grate.

  “Well, my love?” Duncan smiled at Alina. She smiled back.

  “Well what?”

  He chuckled, stroking her hair. “Should we leave our chamber, or stay longer yet?”

  Alina felt delight and fullness in each part of her. They had woken early, the first bird chorus calling them to wake. They had not risen for hours, had not moved from the bed and the warm coverlets. The mornings were their favorite times – a time of slow exploration, of learning, and knowing their bodies in new, pleasurable ways.

  Now, Alina stroked Duncan's hair, still not quite believing he was as perfect a companion as he turned out to be. She looked at his straight profile, the firelight playing down that firm nose, and kissed his lips.

  “If you allow me to decide, we won't leave.”

  Duncan opened his eyes and looked down at her, a slow grin.

  “Oh?” he twisted round so that he lay on his side, his arm over her. “Well, then. In that case, I delegate all decisions on rising to you.”

  As he spoke he slid in behind her, moving so that his arm held her to him, her body against his chest.

  She chuckled as his hands caressed her chest, gasped as they moved lower.

  “Well, then. I think we have a satisfactory schedule for the years onward,” she said, moving back so her buttocks pressed his hips. He hissed in a breath and she smiled happily.

  He was moving against her, letting his body slide against hers as his hands held her breast and his lips sought her throat.

  She laughed and pressed back against him and they moved together, her held firmly in his arms, his body questing to enter hers.

  “Oh. Oh!”

  She cried out, pressing back against him as they coupled once more. She gasped and let her body take over, moving against him as he pressed against her, deeper and deeper and...

  When they lay, sated, beside each other once again, his hand on her chest, her hand stroking long fingers down his arm, he looked down at her.

  “What?” he asked again. She was looking up at him, her eyes wide.

  Should I tell him? She thought. Wait.

&nb
sp; “What?” the voice was teasingly insistent and he moved lower to kiss her. He looked into her eyes, tawny ones searching her dark ones, trying to read her message.

  “Duncan, I...” she bit her lip. She had no idea how to say this. How he would take it. She looked into his eyes, suddenly uncertain.

  “What is it, dear?” he said, eyes tight with concern. “Whatever it is, do tell me. Nothing is so bad that we can't overcome it together...” he trailed off. He was frowning, eyes looking into hers deep with concern

  He thinks it's something bad! She almost giggled, then, and bit her lip again, schooling her face to calm.

  “Duncan, I...” she sat up, propping herself on one elbow, blanket around her waist, hair tendrils of darkness on her pale skin. “I think I am...expecting...I am with child.”

  She said it in a rush, and then looked up at his face.

  His eyes were wide. His face was a picture of wonder. Then he laughed.

  “Alina!” he exploded. “You dear, wonderful...” he ran out of words. “Why didn't you tell me?” he asked, laughing all at once. “Why hesitate? I thought it was something bad! It's the best news in the whole wide world.”

  She lay down, smiling, and he leaned over, his mouth kissing her hair, her brow, her neck. His hands sought her belly and tickled it, making her first giggle and then, as his hands grew more insistent and deft, shriek aloud.

  They lay in each other’s arms, sobbing, chuckling, and laughing.

  As Alina lay there, looking up at the ceiling, a vague face flashed before her eyes; a strong, homely face – a little boy – with hair she could not yet see, and a broad grin. Beside it was the face of the girl of her vision, little Joanna.

  Welcome, son, she thought, knowing the cheerful, smiling face to be her son's by the way her heart leapt just to see him.

  Beside her, Duncan stroked her hair and she lay in his arms, smiling happily. They were completely content.

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  ALSO BY EMILIA FERGUSON

  Lairds of Dunkeld Series

  Book 1 Link -> Heart Of A Highlander

  Book 2 Link -> The Highlander’s Challenge

  Acknowledgement

  Thank you for taking your time and energy to read “The Highlander’s Challenge”. Without your continuous support, I would not have written this book.

  Wherever you are, I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart. I also want to thank my wonderful Facebook fans, my advance copy reviewers and beta readers in advance for making this series a success.

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  Publisher’s Notes

  Copyright © 2017 by EMILIA FERGUSON & MOUNTAINSKY HOUSE PUBLISHING CO.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real or dead people, places, or events are not intentional and are the result of coincidence. The characters, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the author/publisher. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.