Beyond A Highland Whisper

by Maeve Greyson

  A shiver of happiness thrilled its way up her spine. Nessa couldn’t resist a heartfelt sigh. “It’s so beautiful here. I feel like I’ve come home. If it were up to me, I’d stay in Scotland forever.” She struggled to ignore the pang of jealously at the obvious bond the married couple shared. She wished she could find the type of closeness Fiona and Brodie had found. Even though friends and co-workers surrounded her, Nessa always found herself isolated…so alone. It was hard to resign herself to the fact that she’d probably be single all her life. Nessa tried to console herself with the knowledge that at least she’d made it to the land of her dreams.

  Fiona smiled and snuggled closer to her husband. “By the way, we didna introduce ourselves the other day. My name is Fiona and this is my husband, Brodie. Would ye mind if we joined ye? Sat with ye for a while?” Fiona turned and looked about the pub. “We came here tonight at the insistence of an artisan we’ve been seeking to join our shop. But it looks like they’ve stood us up again. Ye will probably think we’re quite the country couple, but we love listening to the way ye speak and would love to hear more about the USA.”

  “Sure, pull up a chair. Trish and I decided to come here tonight with the hopes of making a few new friends.” Nessa and Trish scooted to make room for the couple at their table.

  Trish motioned with her glass in Gabriel’s direction as he stood filling glasses at the bar. “I’ve found my new best friend right over there. I’m just waiting until after dinner tonight to make my introductions.”

  Fiona’s face paled. She took a deep breath, then took a sip of her ale. “Aye, Mr. Gabriel Burns is plenty easy on the eyes. But take care, Trish. A beautiful veneer sometimes hides something rotten beneath the surface.”

  Brodie brought Fiona’s hand to his lips and gazed into her troubled eyes. “Careful now, lass. Ye had best be remembering ye’re a MacKay now and your eyes should no be traveling anywhere but here.”

  Nessa worried with the corner of her napkin as she stared down into her plate. She couldn’t help it. Their closeness was really getting to her tonight. She tried staunching her growing envy at the couple’s bond. She hated herself for not being happy for them and the special closeness they had found. Nessa toyed with the food left on her plate and tried to think of something to say. Wait a minute? Did they say their name was MacKay? Nessa fumbled with her silverware and barely kept it from crashing to the floor. That name kept cropping up.

  “MacKay? Did you say your last name is MacKay?”

  “Aye.” Fiona nodded, glancing over at Brodie as she added, “Do ye know the name? Are ye familiar with any of the family’s history? Or any of the clan legends of lost loves or curses, perhaps?”

  Nessa frowned with a shake of her head. An unexplainable stab of uneasiness nagged at her chest. “No. The name MacKay seems to be popping up in a lot of my paperwork of late.”

  Brodie almost choked as he drained his glass. He fixed his wife with a warning look as he lowered his glass to the table. “Paperwork? If ye don’t mind my asking, what exactly is your business here in Durness?”

  With a theatrical groan, Trish shook her head as she moved her plate and pounded her fist on the table. “I’ll sum it all up in a nutshell. Nessa is a professor of archeology and we’re here on a grant to study the Durness sites and the history around Balnakiel. But I’m begging you, please don’t get her started on Scotland’s history or her career or we won’t hear a word about anything but work tonight. It’s the weekend. It’s time to relax!”

  “Excuse me.” Their waitress for the night stood by the table with a gloriously sinful chocolate dessert in her hands. “Mr. Burns asked I bring this to the lovely lady. He said she looked to be one who might enjoy a bit of a sweet indulgence.”

  With a victorious chortle, Trish cocked a brow at Nessa and reached across the table toward the rich dessert. Her smile faded, when the waitress raised the plate out of her reach and mouthed the words, Not for you.

  The waitress nodded toward Nessa and set the plate in front of her. “Not meaning to hurt anyone’s feelings but Mr. Gabriel was verra clear. The dessert is for the wee blue-eyed lass. The one with the rosy cheeks that show everything she’s feeling.”

  Her mouth dropped open in surprise as Nessa glanced around the table. One hand fluttered to her throat, as she imagined the decadence of the sweet delight. Glancing from the cake to the waitress’s face, Nessa fixed her with a doubting glare. “Is this some sort of joke? Are you sure he didn’t mean the dessert for my friend, Trish?”

  A deep rich voice rumbled just behind her as she stared down into the plate. “Why are ye so surprised? Surely, ye don’t fear a wee bit of chocolate that canna be nearly as sweet as yourself?” Gabriel had appeared out of nowhere and nudged a chair in beside Nessa’s seat. “My name is Gabriel. But ye already knew that since Cordelia’s never kept a secret in her life.”

  With a giggle, Cordelia placed a fork beside the plate in front of Nessa and nudged Gabriel with her ample hip. “Ye said ye like it when I give the pretty ones your name. Don’t feign the put-upon boss routine with me!” She pulled her notepad from her apron and stuffed their tab in Gabriel’s shirt pocket before moving on to take the next table’s order.

  Gabriel clapped Brodie on the shoulder a bit hard and greeted him with a stiff nod. A flicker of malice sparked in his eyes as if the polite smile strained his face. “And you! Ye’ve a lot of nerve showing up in my place after stealing this fine woman out from under my verra nose.”

  Fiona trembled and edged closer to Brodie as she curled her hands to her chest. “I intend to be sure Nessa knows she’d best be running in the opposite direction from the likes of a cur like you!”

  Gabriel’s eyes narrowed just a flicker; his smile cooled a bit as he tilted his head. “Now, Fiona. I thought we agreed it would be best for all concerned if we considered the past over and done. Admit it, my lost love: we’re all better off putting those days behind us.”

  Brodie edged forward, leveling Gabriel with a cold and deadly glare. He scooped one of Fiona’s hands in his own as he leaned farther across the table. His jaw clenched, there was no missing his meaning as his lips curled into a disdainful sneer. “The past is over but it will never be forgotten. Ye would do well to bear that in mind.”

  Nessa watched this interplay. A great wrong had happened between these three. She didn’t know what but from the malevolence hovering in the air, it must have been pretty serious. Nessa nudged Trish underneath the table. Do something, she mouthed.

  Trish fixed Gabriel with a frosty look and stuck her pert nose in the air. “I thought Irishmen liked well-endowed redheads. I know you’ve relocated here to Scotland but aren’t you veering from your ancestral DNA by chasing after little bitty brunettes?”

  Gabriel laughed aloud at the tension-breaking question and stretched out a hand of welcome to Trish. He rested his arm in a subtle sign of claiming across the back of Nessa’s chair. “I’ve been burnt by such a fire many a time before. Let’s just say I feared ye would be too hot to handle and I sought to steer clear of such pain again.”

  “What a line of bullshit!” Trish snorted as she downed her second glass of ale.

  “Ye see?” Gabriel nodded around the table. “The spitfire just proved my point!” He turned to Nessa, picked up her fork and sliced into the decadent dessert. Rich, chewy chocolate cake surrounded a center of oozing dark chocolate swirling into the heavy cream and powdered sugar layered upon the plate.

  “Taste this and tell me ye ever had better. I promise ye. Ye’re going to love it and ye’ll no be able to get enough.” Gabriel’s tone mesmerized Nessa; she had the nagging feeling he implied a lot more than just the dessert.

  Brodie coughed and scooted his chair sideways. He fiddled with his silverware on the table and cleared his throat again.

  “Brodie, are you okay?” Nessa looked away from the bite of cake, grateful for the interruption. Brodie reminded her of one of her students who was in dire need of a dash to the restro
om facilities.

  Brodie cut his eyes across the table at Gabriel with a jerk of his head. “Careful, Nessa. Ye canna be trusting a man who’ll resort to plying a woman with chocolate the first time he sees her. Ye never know what other treachery he might be planning for ye when ye least expect it.”

  Nessa cut her eyes back at the bite of dessert still held just within reach of her mouth. She had the distinct feeling if she took that first symbolic bite, she’d never be able to resist the rest. She stole a glance at the dark depths of Gabriel’s eyes and suppressed a smile. She wondered what his definition of all night long might be.

  Her decision made, she wet her lips and eased open her mouth. Leaning forward, she closed her lips around the bite of dessert, her eyes never leaving Gabriel’s face.

  She closed her eyes. It was pure perfection. Nessa shivered at the rich confection melting on her tongue.

  “Oh, my…this is absolutely wonderful. Please give my compliments to the chef!”

  She had always had a weakness for chocolate. How had Gabriel known? With her past disappointing experiences with men, in her opinion, chocolate was better than sex.

  “I accept your compliments,” Gabriel purred, shooting a satisfied sneer in Brodie’s direction. He scooped up another forkful, holding it once more in front of Nessa’s mouth. His lips curled into a predatory smile as he waited for her to recover from the first delightful taste.

  “You made this?” Nessa gave a delighted shudder as she swallowed the delicious morsel. The rich sweetness lingered on the back of her tongue long after the bite was gone. As she licked her lips, she hugged herself. The sumptuous cake overloaded her mouth with its wicked richness. The dessert luxuriated decadence itself, one bite was almost too much.

  Trish took her own fork and stole a bite from the plate. “The man has good looks and cooks too. That’s just great,” she muttered as she licked the chocolate from her fork.

  Nessa tried to take the fork from his hand. She swallowed hard as Gabriel shook his head.

  “Nay, lass. Ye must allow me to feed ye. That way I don’t miss a moment of the pleasure in your eyes as ye enjoy what I’ve prepared for ye.”

  An uncomfortable stirring rumbled in the pit of her stomach and Nessa didn’t think it was a problem digesting her meal. She didn’t like the way Gabriel’s words insinuated something more than the mere enjoyment of the dessert. Men didn’t come on to her like this. She’d learned that lesson the hard way. She didn’t know what Gabriel’s problem was but there was just something about Gabriel that didn’t ring true.

  Nessa fended him away as she licked the chocolate syrup from her lips. “Oh, no more. It’s almost too rich. I don’t think I can stand another bite.”

  Gabriel barbed the MacKays with a smirk of victory as his self-satisfied laughter rumbled deep from within his chest. “Then tomorrow night, ye must allow me to cook ye a private dinner. I guarantee I’ll fix ye something a great deal more tempting then a simple shepherd’s pie.” Gabriel tossed the fork upon the dessert plate and slid it to the center of the table.

  “Well, I don’t know,” Nessa hedged, sidling a glance over at Trish for moral support. There was just something about Gabriel Burns that set off her warning bells.

  Trish kicked Nessa’s ankle under the table and gave her a determined best friend look. Her eyes snapped as she mouthed the words, Are you kidding me? Go for it.

  Trish pulled a notepad from her purse, jotted down an address, and tossed it across the table to Gabriel. “Forgive her, Gabriel. She’s a bit off her game tonight because it’s been a while since she’s taken the time to forget about work for longer than two minutes at a time. Once you get to know her, you’ll find out she’s great. Here’s the address of the inn where we’re staying and that’s the number to the phone in Nessa’s room.”

  Gabriel smiled and accepted Trish’s peace offering with a gracious bow of his head. Folding the paper and placing it in his pocket, his smile widened as he rose from his seat. “Until tomorrow night then, my dear, sweet Nessa. I’ll pick ye up around eight. How will that be?”

  “That’ll be fine.” Nessa kicked back at her beaming friend beneath the table. Trish had never known when to butt out when it came to fixing her up with men and apparently tonight wasn’t going to be any different.

  “Please excuse me. I must tend to my business though I’d much rather stay with present company. Brodie, Fiona…’twas good to see ye again. I’ll be taking care of both these tabs tonight.”

  Edging his way around the table, Gabriel rested his hand on Nessa’s shoulder. As he spoke, his fingertips caressed the skin at the nape of her neck, and he allowed them to tarry just a little bit longer than necessary.

  Trish whistled under her breath as she watched Gabriel prowl across the room. “You’ve hit the jackpot with that one for sure. Let’s see your dream Highlander compare with that Irishman!”

  “Her dream Highlander?” Brodie’s expression perked as he looked between the two women.

  Nessa kicked Trish under the table again. Time to go. Trish had hit her loose-lipped limit with the alcohol and was starting to spout personal stuff. “Never mind. It’s just an inside joke and Trish has had way too much ale.” Rising to her feet, Nessa grabbed her friend by the sleeve and pulled her toward the door. “Come on, Trish. It’s getting late. We’ve got to let Brodie and Fiona get home.”

  “Fine.” Trish snorted with a roll of her eyes. “It was nice seeing you both again. We’ll drop by your shop one of these days. We both really liked the purple night-light.”

  Fiona choked on a sip of her ale. She sputtered and coughed as Brodie pounded away on her back. “The purple night-light?” Fiona gasped and struggled for air. Her eyes filled with tears and she dabbed at them with a napkin she’d grabbed from the table.

  Nessa nodded as she navigated between the extra chairs crowded around the table. “You know. The one that nearly rattled off the shelf when we shut the door? The one that looks like a crystal ball?” She paused, waiting for the MacKays to realize the object she was talking about. Nessa shifted her bag to the opposite shoulder before following Trish toward the door.

  Brodie continued patting Fiona as a look of realization dawned across his face. “Oh aye…the purple night-light. We know what ye’re talking about now. We’ve had it so long, we rarely think about the thing even being in our shop. We hardly remember to dust it.” Brodie waved with one hand as he babbled away and rubbed at Fiona’s back. “Be sure and stop by and visit us soon. Perhaps we’ll tell ye a bit of the history behind the purple globe. I’m sure ye’d find it truly amazing. Especially since ye have a penchant for the past.”

  Chapter Nine

  Latharn heard the key turn in the lock. It was about time they opened the shop. They were late this morning. They had promised him the search for Nessa would begin today. He had warned them his patience was all but gone. Where in the hell had they been?

  Latharn tensed as he peered through his curved glass walls. Brodie’s downcast face displeased him. He concentrated a bit harder, focusing on Brodie’s aura. The hue did not bode well.

  Brodie tossed his keys as he walked through the door. He grimaced as they landed with a crash on top of the counter. The metallic jangle shattered the morning silence of the shop.

  Fiona entered right behind him. She went around flipping on the lights and opened the shutters to the morning sun.

  Latharn studied Fiona’s aura and his mood darkened. Brodie and Fiona both were troubled. What had happened between yesterday and today that had stirred their auras into such a miserable shade?

  “Do ye think he’s awake?” Brodie motioned toward the globe behind the counter, his voice a cautious whisper.

  Latharn released his aura and rumbled it forth, reflecting the purple light of his essence off the plaster of the white-washed walls. “I am always awake and your emotions are telling me that your news does not bode well.” High upon its shelf, the crystal trembled as Latharn’s wariness filled th
e air. “What happened with you two last night? What has both of you so troubled?”

  Fiona edged closer to Brodie. She shook her head as she mouthed the words, Don’t tell him.

  “Fiona, my dear, sweet lass. It might do well for ye to bear in mind that although ye cannot see within my prison, I have no trouble whatsoever when it comes to seeing you…and I am also quite adept at reading lips.”

  Latharn swallowed against the anger rising in his chest; he clenched his fists at his sides. He struggled to control his emotions when he projected his voice outside the sphere. The light from the orb pulsated faster as his irritation fueled the beams from the witch’s ball. “Now what exactly is it that Brodie is not supposed to tell me? And might I remind ye of my patience growing thin?”

  “We found your Nessa,” Brodie interrupted. “We had dinner with her and Trish at a pub in town last night.”

  “My Nessa.”

  At the sound of her name, Latharn’s entire body relaxed. The thought of her was like a tonic to his being. When his tension eased, he reduced his aura to a contented purr. The hard shafts of lasers merged into a serene purple haze. “Ye have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear someone speak as though she was already mine. Someone other than myself, since in my heart, she’s belonged to me since the moment I first found her.”

  Brodie and Fiona exhaled in obvious relief as they approached the shelf. Fiona almost whispered as she settled the orb on the counter. She stroked the glass as she spoke. “She seems verra nice. But I have to say, she doesna appear too comfortable around men. It’s as if she thinks herself too plain for them to notice her. The lass is quite fetching but she acts as though she thinks herself a part of the furniture.”

  Latharn pounded his fists against the walls of his prison. What had Fiona said? His fury filled the orb with a surge of power that blasted throughout the room. The energy made Fiona and Brodie squint as cutting beams shot from the core of the globe.