Lost in the Mist of Time

by Karen Michelle Nutt

  “Milady? Is all…well?” Teige’s strong voice rang through the air, slapping them back to reality.

  Dougray swore under is breath, wishing at that moment that he hadn’t insisted she be guarded at all times. Aislinn pushed against his chest, struggling to get away. Reluctantly he let her go. “I am fine, Teige,” she shouted back, praying that he would not break through the clearing and see that she wasn’t alone.

  “I thought that I heard ye call out.” Teige sounded unconvinced and Aislinn knew she had to reassure him before he decided to investigate.

  “I slipped is all, but I am all right now.” “I am not far, if ye need me.”

  “Thank you, Teige.” She looked back to Dougray. “What are you doing here?” She had lowered her voice to almost a whisper, but her eyes narrowed dangerously with her accusation.

  “Isn’t it obvious?” He was amused at how quickly her ardor had changed to mounting contempt. With a shrug, he looked around him, indicating that he was bathing as she had been doing.

  “Well, yes….” She knew that he could not clearly see her state of undress for the water hid her well, but the fact remained they were both naked and his hands had held her! That was enough to make her feel extremely uncomfortable.

  “Ye are blushing, Aislinn.” He waded forward, hoping that possibly he could bring her back into his embrace. He wanted her, and he knew by way she had clung to him that she had wanted him too.

  “That’s far enough.” Panic was laced with that demand.

  “I only want to speak with ye, Aislinn.” A smile spread across his handsome face, not making her feel any better. She felt like she was being hunted and he was the hunter. “I have not seen ye fer days. Ye are either with Hamish or with Grania, and I fear Teige and Dermot converse with ye more than I do.”

  His strange mood, along with the huskiness of his voice, was confusing her. She wanted to feel his strong arms around her, but at the same time she wanted him as far away from her as possible. She didn’t trust him. That wasn’t entirely true. She didn’t trust herself. “Since when do you want to talk to me? You usually scold.”

  “Do I?” He seemed almost surprised at this. “I don’t wish to.” He moved forward again and she had nowhere else to go without coming out of the water and completely exposing herself.

  “I…” Her eyes darted back and forth for a way out. There was none. She looked back finding him just a breath a way.

  “Don’t be afraid,” he muttered as he let his mouth lightly touch hers.

  “I’m not afraid.” She pushed him away before she dived under the water. Dougray waited until she resurfaced. “Not afraid, huh?” He shook his head with a chuckle.

  “Just because I don’t wish for you to fondle me does not mean I am afraid, Dougray Fitzpatrick. I know that you must be used to women falling for your charms, but I am not like them.”

  “For yer information, I do not have droves of women falling at my feet.” “What about big booby?”

  “Big…oh, Fiona? Ye are worried about her? It makes me wonder why.” He swam toward her, only to have her swim back the other way. He stopped and waded in one place. “Is this a game we play?”

  “I for one am not interested in your game. You leave me be. I have no wish to be one of your dalliances.”

  He sighed dramatically. “Mores the pity. I had hoped that with yer fiery temper there might just lie a passionate soul.”

  He sounded like he was teasing, but she wasn’t at all sure and was definitely not going to wait any longer to find out. “Just turn around.” She waved her hand at him. “I want to get out of the water.”

  “Come, come. It is only fair that ye let me view ye, as ye did me that time at the lake.” Her mouth dropped opened and a sound that was very close to a yelp escaped her lips. “Come now, Aislinn. Ye left a long trail of yer hurried departure. How could I not know?”

  “I can explain….” She let the sentence drop. There was nothing she could say to explain her spying, and the grin Dougray wore was proof enough that he darn well knew that. “Oh you! Just turn around.”

  “Seems completely unfair to me, but as ye wish.” He turned around to give her ample time to make her escape. She was behind the trees hurriedly dressing by the time he looked back. This was quite amusing, to find that the great warrior woman was so timid about intimacies.

  Aislinn threw her clothes on without worrying that they clung to her wet skin. She came out of her hiding place with a glare. “Thanks so much for ruining my time alone.”

  “I didn’t chase ye away, did I?” He lifted his brows as though he was shocked that she was upset with him. “Aislinn, there is plenty of water for both of us.”

  “Not when you’re hogging it all. I could barely breathe you were swimming so close.”

  “I take yer breath away, do I?”

  “Ooh!” She stomped her foot. Without another word she practically ran away, calling for Dermot and Teige. Dougray shook his head still smiling. It wasn’t until the quietness of the lake took over that he became sober. What game had he been playing here? His mind easily recalled the touch of her bare skin sending desire coursing through him once again. It had felt so right, didn’t it?

  “Bah!” He hit the water with his fist over his stupidity. Of course it had felt right. He had not been with a woman for months, and Aislinn had been there, like a vision, wet…naked. “Dar Dia!” With this line of thinking, he was going to drive himself mad with want.

  Dermot and Teige, worried, exchanged glances as they tried to keep up with Aislinn. She hadn’t said a word, but seemed to be in a great hurry to get back to where the old woman was waiting. When she arrived she threw down her pack and stood before the fire trying to warm up. Her clothes were drenched, her hair dripping down her face.

  “Ye look out of sorts,” Neala commented innocently. “He was there,” she whispered.

  “He?” she whispered back. “Dougray.”

  “Why are we whispering?” Neala asked.

  Aislinn covered her face with her hands, trying to stop herself from trembling. She nervously glanced at the old woman who was eyeing her curiously. “You knew.” It just dawned on her that he would have passed by here first.

  “Aye. He wanted to swim. Said he was hot.”

  “But….” The old woman looked at her so innocently that she didn’t know what else to say. “Never mind.”

  Teige nudged Dermot when he saw Dougray walking toward them. “His hair is wet.” Dermot spoke the obvious.

  “He was there at the lake?” Teige’s eyes sought out Aislinn’s. She looked away seeming ill at ease at seeing their lord’s approach.

  Dougray nodded toward her before he took a seat by the fire, too. “Ye had a nice swim, milord?” Neala leaned forward.

  “Aye. Most refreshing.” Again he looked at Aislinn. She just wanted to die. She could feel Teige and Dermot’s gaze upon her as they wondered what exactly had gone on down there.

  “Ye look a bit damp, Aislinn. Were ye there too?”

  She knitted her brows wondering why Dougray was putting up this farce when it was obvious to everyone concerned that she had been there with him. She just nodded her head.

  He rose from his seat. Removing his mantle, he draped it around her shoulders. “There ye go now. Ye’ll be warm soon enough.”

  “Thank you.”

  He knelt down on his haunches beside her. He had noticed the sword earlier that she had attached to her girdle and now he took a closer look at it, since she had placed it next her. “May I?” He pointed to the weapon. She nodded and he inspected the quality of the piece. “Where did ye come by this?”

  “I asked Padrig to make it for me.”

  He chuckled as he spoke, “What on earth for?”

  She frowned and nearly tore the weapon from his grip. “I am learning how

  to use it. Protection, I thought it would be quite obvious. Why do you carry one?”

  “I have offended ye yet again, I see.” He sat down n
ext to her. “And who is training ye?”

  Teige stepped forward. “I am, milord.”

  Dougray stared at the man for a moment then nodded his approval. “Teige can handle the steel well enough.”

  “Milady learns quickly,” he offered his praise.

  “It does not surprise me.” His eyes gleamed over her completely confusing her.

  “You aren’t upset then?”

  “Why would I be?” he said as he came easily to his feet. “I need to be heading back.” Aislinn started to remove the mantle, but he laid a hand on her shoulder. “Nay. Ye keep it. Ye may return it to me later.” He bowed slightly toward her, as his silvery gray eyes seemed to caress her. When her color rose to a near crimson, a smile touched his lips. He turned then and nodded his farewell to the others.

  “I just don’t get him.” Aislinn watched Dougray mount his horse in one graceful move.

  “What do ye nah understand?” Neala’s wrinkled brow rose. “He was actually civil.”

  Neala shook her head. “So much conflict ye two have that ye can nah see that ye are the balance for each other’s life.”

  “You do jest. Ever since I have met the man, nothing has ever been right. He adds pandemonium to my life that I once thought was in order.”

  “Hmm, strange that ye say this. For ye are alone with no mate.”

  “Neala, I see no mate for you here,” she accused. “And who says that I want one or need one?”

  “I am one with nature now. I have no need of a person fulfilling what nature has already done for me. Ye are made differently. Ye seek exactly what is in front of ye, but refuse to take hold of it.” She shook her head sadly. “Cailte le cuimhne na seacht sinsear. Lost in the mist of time. That is what is wrong with ye, wrong with both of ye. Stubbornness will be yer undoing.”

  “I don’t want to be lost. Tell me how to get back home and I’ll go.” “Ye hear, but ye do nah listen.”

  “But ye said I was .”

  “Aye, but ye only have to see and ye will not be lost. It’s there, but nah as yer thinking.”

  “I don’t understand. Explain it to me. Show me what you mean.”

  “Ni thig liomsa dada a dhéanamh faoin scéal.” She walked away leaving Aislinn wondering why she had said that to her. She turned to Dermot and Teige.

  “She is helpless in the matter?” Dermot repeated with a shrug not understanding why the old woman would say that.

  Aislinn had about enough of this visit and rose to her feet to gather her belongings.

  Chapter 33

  Grania O’Malley had become Aislinn’s shadow of late. The little girl had a quick wit and could carry on a conversation far beyond her years giving Aislinn an inkling of how she would one day become a leader commanding her own fleet.

  When Grania was elected to be team captain, she was able to quickly assemble an order that would allow them the best advantage to win. If there was a quarrel, she was able to hear out the problem and solve it without a fight. She was fair in her judgment and did not show favoritism. She was proud of the would-be pirate queen.

  Grania also became close friends with Hamish, which did the boy’s confidence wonders. She enjoyed helping him with his training, hunting for the largest rocks that she could find. He then would do his track running, using the rocks as weights to strengthen his upper body. She even joined in on occasion running alongside him.

  “I can well imagine what my mother would say if she saw me running with ye both.” Grania would then throw back her head and laugh.

  “Yer mother is a fine lady,” Hamish told her as he kept pace with her. “She is not used to such things.”

  “I’m never going to be like her. She doesn’t know how to live, always locked up inside worrying and praying all the time. Look about ye, Hamish.” He followed her gaze skyward. “We’re free!”

  Aislinn chuckled at that too. “I’d look where you’re going before you end up sprawled on the ground.” Grania turned her head toward her with an impish grin.

  “Do ye know, A.J., what I have decided?” “And what is that, Grania?”

  “I am going to be just like ye. I will answer to no man.” “That’s silly.” Hamish shook his head. “Ye’re a lass.”

  “And what is that supposed to mean?” Her blue eyes snapped with fury. “Just that. Ye’ll marry and have children. That’s what women are destined

  to do. Ye best get those fanciful ideas out of yer head.” “I will not. Look at A.J. and how old she is.”

  “Hey, watch it,” Aislinn shouted back.

  “I don’t mean it as an insult. Ye are strong and no man has forced ye into a marriage ye do not want.”

  Aislinn knew that Grania would not have that choice while she was young and relying on her father. But one day she would call the shots. She was a woman before her time. Who knows, maybe it was because of her influence here at Dunhaven that enabled Grania to grasp for her independence while giving her strength to stand up to men who would have otherwise dominated her.

  They had come to a stop, making the final lap. Aislinn shook her arms to loosen up the muscles, as did the two children imitating her movements. “Grania, I am going to tell you something that is going to sound really strange, but in the future you will recall my words and understand.” She stopped moving around and put her hands on her hips. “Remember that things will not always be the same. You will probably one day marry….”

  “I will not,” the stubborn little girl interrupted.

  She smiled patiently. “Just listen. You might marry. It may not be all you would have imagined it to be, but it will work out. You are a strong-willed person. That is what you must remember first and foremost. Not that you are a woman, but you are a person, a human being who deserves to have dreams come true. Don’t ever be afraid to reach for them. You have the ability to lead. Men will listen to you and respect you, as long as you return that respect.” Hamish and Grania exchanged glances, wondering why Aislinn had said these things, but they were still young and didn’t dwell long on the matter. Grania still had grand ideas of what her life would be like, but when Queen Elizabeth ruled, reality would set in. It will be then that she may recall the Scathach, the warrior woman’s strange words.

  Teige ushered Dermot forward so that they could start the next lesson. Aislinn’s sword fit in her hand well. As her strength increased from running with the weights, it began to feel as light as a feather.

  Teige gave her pointers, while Dermot became primarily Hamish’s teacher. Grania wanted to get in there and try it herself. Why not? She one day would be the Pirate Queen. She might as well start now.

  “Ye’re improving.” Teige complimented Aislinn as he barely defended himself with a blow that she sent him.

  “I have a good teacher.” She barely blocked his attempt. “Are you trying to distract me, Teige?”

  “Only making it as it would be if an opponent was actually after yer blood.” He jabbed and she jumped out of the way. “Good, A.J.” And so it went on every day.

  Teige liked the idea of being her teacher, as well as her friend. He took over most of the duty of guarding her, relieving Cormac of the task. Cormac didn’t mind. It freed him so that he could actively court Fiona. Teige tried to warn him that the woman was a waste of time, but he wouldn’t listen. He was head over heels for her, and there wasn’t a thing anyone could do about it. Teige just hoped that when Fiona found herself another man to warm her robes, that his friend would not be crushed.

  Fiona waited until she was sure that she could approach Dougray without having anyone send her away. She knew that on occasion the man liked his solitude and would go to the gravesite of his beloved Ella. She saw him standing there, entranced as if he could see Ella’s ghost. Fiona shivered at the thought. She took a deep breath and moved forward. Her movement caused him to turn around, hand on the hilt of his sword. He relaxed his stance when he realized who it was. “Fiona, what brings ye here?”

  “Why ye, milord,” she purred in he
r sweetest voice and purposely rubbed her breast over his arm. “I missed ye,” she told him in all honesty. “Why have ye not been to see me?”

  “I was under the impression that Cormac shared yer bed.” The rumors had reached his ears, but instead of being angered by them, he was almost grateful that she had moved on.

  “A lass gets lonely and ye have neglected me.” “I have been busy.”

  “I have not been blinded, milord. The foreigner ye have brought back with ye seems not to know how to conduct herself.”

  There seemed to be a tinge of malice behind those words, causing him to frown. “It does not become ye to act as though ye are jealous.”

  She didn’t like the idea that he did not even bother to deny the fact that he was with Aislinn. “Well, I am jealous. I cannot help it. I thought ye and I had something special.” She hugged him close, resting her cheek against his hard chest.

  “Did we?” He had never thought of what they had as anything but two people enjoying each other’s bodies. They never spoke but slept together, giving release to the more animalistic qualities that every human being possessed.

  “I thought that we did. Ye are the only one that has ever made me feel…”

  She growled low and seductively. “…like a woman should.” Her hand boldly caressed him, but when she roamed to a more private area, he halted her attentions. She looked up at him with almost a stunned expression.

  In all fairness, he felt that he owed her at least something for she had seen him through times when he thought that he would die without Ella, but it had all been physical and nothing to do with healing of the mind. In all truth, he would have never sought Fiona out if she had not been the one who was persistent. It was a weak excuse at best, but it was the truth.