The Hart and the Harp

by Sorcha MacMurrough

  “I think I can safely say, my dear, I’ve never met anyone like you. Pleased wouldn’t even come close to describing what I feel.”

  Shive was uneasy at his comparisons between her and other women. But she fought back her worries, and slid down to the mattress again. She turned away from Tiernan, however, so that he wouldn’t see her sad face.

  “Tired, my dear?” Tiernan whispered in her ear.

  “No, just getting comfortable,” she said quietly, unable to fall asleep after all the excitement they had shared.

  Tiernan put out the flickering candles, and he too snuggled down in the bed, spooning himself around Shive so that she could feel him from head to foot.

  Shive wriggled her bottom into the space left by his body below the waist. Soon Tiernan couldn’t bear the nearness of her any longer. He entered her again, and ran his hands lovingly down her hips, breasts, and belly. He parted her thighs and caressed the sensitive whorl as he pressed even more deeply. Now it was Shive’s turn to lose control. She turned her head to Tiernan, and felt as though she were completely possessed. Tiernan’s every touch was like a burning flame of ecstasy. As she spiralled out of control the words came to her lips unbidden. “Tiernan! I love you!”

  After they were both fully satiated, Tiernan was alarmed to feel dampness on her cheeks when he finally turned her around to hug her to him once more.

  “Did I hurt you?” Tiernan asked, holding her close.

  “No, I’m so happy.” Shive smiled tearfully, and gave him a tender kiss.

  Tiernan wanted to tell Shive what she had told him, how happy he was. Somehow the words stuck in his throat. He was almost afraid that if he said them aloud, he might lose everything. Foolishly, he reasoned that there would be all the time in the world to say them.

  In that he would be dreadfully mistaken.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Shive and Tiernan awoke midmorning the next day. Shive was astonished that she had slept so long, and was even more surprised that Tiernan was still in bed beside her.

  Maybe he does care after all, Shive reflected, as she stroked his broad chest, unwittingly fanning the flames of his desire once more.

  Tiernan made love to her on a bed bathed in sunshine. Shive was convinced she had died and gone to heaven, her bliss was so breathtaking.

  No act was too daring, no caress so thrilling, as they explored one another in the daylight. For once Tiernan didn’t hold back, and Shive met his passion and matched it with a fierceness which only stoked the flames higher.

  After another hour of enjoying each other and lounging lazy in their private haven, Tiernan sighed. “Damn, I wish I didn’t have to go away. But it’s my silly fault for organizing the expedition, so I suppose it’s time I was heading out.”

  He stood up and splashed some water in the basin and then washed himself all over with a cloth. Then he went into his room to get a fresh set of clothes, while Shive performed her ablutions, and reached for a shirt and breeches.

  “Nay, I would see you in that lovely black velvet dress of yours today,” Tiernan requested.

  Shive returned his torrid kiss eagerly.

  At least he notices what I wear, Shive thought to herself happily.

  Once they were ready they went down for breakfast, but in the whirlwind of preparations and last minute consultations, Tiernan and Shive soon became separated.

  Their leavetaking, when it finally came, could not have been more brief and unromantic.

  He hurried out into the courtyard and up onto his mount. Surrounded by prancing warhorses, he could say little other than, “I’ll see you in a fortnight. Look after the castle for me,” to Shive and Cian. Irial and the O'Hara champion Oisin surged forward, and Tiernan disappeared into the distance at the head of his troop of men.

  “I will, Tiernan! Look after yourself!” Shive called back, but her words were drowned by the clatter of the horses’ hooves upon the cobblestones.

  Cian patted her arm reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Shive, he’ll be back soon.”

  But it was hard to feel glad of that when she would have to endure the separation in the meantime. And he had never even looked back once.

  Shive gazed across the courtyard and saw Orla deep in earnest conversation with Lasaran, who had also been left behind to attend to castle business.

  As she watched them together, Shive felt a finger of fear touch her for the first time. She recalled her concerns regarding Orla’s ambitions. The older woman looked at her with something akin to hatred, then stalked away.

  It must be apparent to her that our marriage is lasting longer than anyone would have thought possible, Shive reflected. She’s desperate to get support for her family. Lasaran is the only one left through which she can fulfil her dynastic ambitions, unless of course something happened to Cian.

  Shive looked over at Cian sharply, and blurted out, “Cian, I think you should marry as soon as possible. I know you and Ailbhe want to wait until the end of the year now, until you're sure your business ventures are a real success, but it isn’t as if we’re poor. There’s no real reason to wait. The money from the businesses is coming in steadily. Why don’t you and Ailbhe wed? I’d be happy to help with all the arrangements.”

  “What’s wrong, Shive?”

  “What do you mean? It was just a suggestion,” Shive answered in clipped tones.

  He glared at her impatiently. “I know you, Shive. Something is troubling you. Tell me what it is.”

  Shive shrugged. “This may sound silly, but I get the feeling that Orla is a bigger threat now than ever. She's tried to wreck my marriage and failed. Therefore, she can only forge an alliance with the O'Haras through yourself or Lasaran. Lasaran is strong and steady enough, but he hasn’t the same character traits as yourself. He's cold and sullen, and has never been popular with the men here. He could never lead the troops in Tiernan’s stead, for example.”

  “Listen, if you think Orla has a chance with me, you’re completely mistaken,” Cian hissed angrily, storming away towards his workshop.

  Shive ran after him quickly. “No, I don’t. But that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t think so, now does it? I saw her looking at you just now in an odd way. It made me feel uneasy. Next to Irial, Oisin and myself, you're Tiernan’s right hand when it comes to the troops. Lasaran is a good soldier, but not nearly as good as yourself, though you’re very modest about your accomplishments and don’t really enjoy it.

  “I fear she'll try to play off one brother against the other somehow. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just prey to some moonstruck madness. Sick fancies in which I can’t help but worry about the future.” Shive shook her head as though trying to clear it.

  Cian suddenly looked straight into her violet eyes and said, “You’re with child, aren’t you?”

  “But how did you-- I wasn’t even sure myself until last night, when you gave me the cradle, and I suddenly realized I had missed my monthly courses again. I’ve been so busy, it sort of slipped my mind.”

  “Women in your condition often have odd flights of fancy. Don’t let things which are harmless enough worry you. How did Tiernan take it when you told him? No wonder he looked so odd when he saw the cradle. He must have thought you had told me before him, and was annoyed.”

  “I haven’t told him. Nor do I want to, at least not yet,” Shive insisted.

  Cian began to protest, but Shive held her hand up for silence. “Please, Cian, I know I should have said something to him before he left. But I didn’t want to worry him, with him being away for the next few weeks.

  “At any rate, there’s time enough yet. According to my calculations, I must be four months gone. I couldn’t bear another five months of Tiernan looking after me as though I were the child. I’m healthy and well, as you can see. Never better, in fact. You know he’s far too overprotective. He’d force me to sit in a chair sewing baby clothes until the infant arrived. So please, by all you hold sacred, swear to me you won’t tell him, Cian,” Shive implored.
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br />   “All, right, I promise, Shive, but you'll have to tell him soon,” Cian said, looking at her figure. “I know you don’t show yet, but you will sooner or later, and of course he has a right to know.”

  “I’ll put it off as long as possible, so I'm not a burden or distraction. In the meantime I shall go on as before, wrong, training the men, making the bread...”

  “Shive, you can’t be serious! Don’t you want this baby?” Cian stared at her, horrified.

  “Sitting around won’t get the work done, and as I said, I’m fine! If I feel poorly, I’ll slow down.”

  Cian recalled his promise to his brother that he would look after her while Tiernan was away. “Shive, just be very careful who you tell your news to. An heir to both families would be construed as a threat to some people.”

  “Don’t worry, apart from yourself and possibly Mairead, who's starting to get suspicious about my loss of appetite in the mornings, I won’t tell a soul.”

  Cian nodded then and wandered off to his workshop thoughtfully, leaving Shive to make her way up to her loom. Once there she continued her cloth making diligently, allowing her mind to form all sorts of fantasies about the life she, Tiernan, and their child would one day have together.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Over the next fortnight Shive rose early and worked late. She felt remarkably well despite her pregnancy, and wanted Tiernan to be impressed with her efforts when he got home.

  At last, seventeen days after Tiernan had gone out on a survey of his lands, he finally arrived back at the castle. Shive was not inside at the time, having gone out to the milking shed to help with the cheese making, but it wasn’t long before she noticed all the men running towards the castle.

  “What is it? What’s happened?” Shive asked, wiping her hands on her apron as she went over to the door to observe the commotion.

  “You’re husband is home!” Padraig called cheerfully as he trotted past.

  Shive stripped off her apron, and went running to the great hall, where the servants were serving the dirty, tired and hungry men.

  Tiernan called out to Mairead, “A bath in my room please, with plenty of hot water, and supper for two.”

  Then his eyes lit on Shive, and he simply held out his arms. Shive ran into his embrace, and he carried her out of the hall and up the ladder to their chamber.

  As they ascended to the second story of the castle, Shive tugged impatiently at the fastenings of his clothes. By the time they reached the bed they were fully naked. Tiernan entered Shive with a hoarse cry, and within a few seconds both were in raptures.

  “God, it’s good to be home,” Tiernan sighed some time later, as he lay sprawled on his back with Shive tucked closely against his side.

  “Did you have a good journey, my lord?”

  “Cold, dusty, and gruelling. I’m getting to old for all of this,” he said, pecking her on the cheek. “The cattle are doing well, though there seem far fewer than last year. I hate to say this, but I'm going to have to go away again tomorrow, to see if I can discover where so many of them have got to.”

  “Surely we can manage without so many this year now that we have revenues coming in."

  “It’s the principle of the thing. if I let the neighboring two clans steal from me, they would only get more and more greedy, and think us weak,” Tiernan reminded Shive.

  Shive noticed that Tiernan did not mention her father specifically, but his name hung in the air unspoken, casting a gloom over them. “But, I'm sick of cattle and sheep, a thaisce. Tell me what you and Cian and Mahon have been up to since I last saw you.”

  Shive smiled at his endearment, ‘treasure’, and began to tell him all about the most recent events at Castlegarren. She and Tiernan chatted amiably about all she had done whilst he was away, until there was a tap at the door.

  “Lie still, I’ll go,” Shive insisted as she pressed him back onto the pillows and pulled her bedgown around herself hastily.

  Two of the men brought in the tub, and a bevy of others brought the hot water. Another servant brought Tiernan’s bedroll. Finally Mairead arrived bearing a heavily laden tray, and winked knowingly at her mistress.

  “Enjoy yourselves,” she whispered, and then left the pair alone together once more.

  Shive prepared Tiernan’s bath, putting in plenty of hot water, and gathering up several bars of strong-smelling soap.

  “You have a good soak. I’ll get some more clothes and things prepared for your journey tomorrow. You’re sure you have to go back out into the field again?” Shive asked, not being able to keep the ring of disappointment from her voice as she began to unpack the bedroll and put the dirty things with some of her own to be washed later.

  Tiernan smiled at her lazily as he soaked in the tub contentedly. “I’m afraid so. I’d like nothing better than to stay here, but duty calls. But thank you for taking it so well. I’ll just sit here for a while, if I may. I’m bone tired. And you, you look a bit weary,” Tiernan observed, gazing at her narrowly.

  “I’ve been working late now that the days are getting longer, that’s all.”

  “Well, I have a few more arduous chores for you. As soon as you get me my things, I want you to come over to this tub and scrub my back until it’s raw. Then I want you to get into that bed and warm me up the way only you can. I’ve been freezing for the past fortnight without you by my side,” Tiernan confessed, before shutting his eyes wearily.

  Shive, not knowing what to say in light of Tiernan’s remarkable confession, hurriedly went into his room to get him some clean linen and breeches, and finished packing his bedroll for another extended journey.

  Once Shive was sure she had put in everything necessary, she returned to Tiernan’s side. “More hot water?”

  Tiernan merely nodded, and then reached up to undo the fastenings of her bedgown.

  “Get in here with me,” Tiernan commanded softly.

  “Really, Tiernan, the water will get all over the floor, and...”

  “And?” Tiernan prompted.

  “It’s, well, broad daylight.” Shive blushed.

  Tiernan finally opened his eyes fully and looked at her.

  “I want no secrets between us, my dear. Everything out in the open, not concealed in darkness. As it was before I left.”

  Shive felt her throat go dry. He had worked hard to trust her in the time they had been married. She now felt acutely all the guilty secrets she had stored up. Her illness, the murder of her brother, the baby...

  But Tiernan was not about to wring any confessions from her. He simply stood up and lifted her into the tub, and sat back down again. He pulled her on top of him, and began to lather her all over. Shive responded in kind, and soon the only sounds in the room were the sighs of delight, and the splashes of water all over the flagstones.

  Early the next morning, Shive sensed a small movement by her side, and felt Tiernan give her a nuzzling kiss on the cheek.

  “Oh no, you’re leaving again,” Shive sighed when opened her eyes sleepily and saw he was fully dressed and ready to go.

  She tried to rise from the bed, but Tiernan insisted, “No, stay there where it’s warm. I’ll see you at the end of the week, I promise.”

  “Tiernan, there’s something I need to speak to you about,” Shive said quietly.

  Tiernan silenced her with a kiss before she could tell him about the baby she was carrying.

  “Time enough for that when I get back. I too have something I need to speak to you about. Take care of yourself, my dear. Look after things for me until I get back,” Tiernan requested, ruffling her burgundy hair, which had by now grown down to just brush the tops of her shoulders.

  “I will, I promise.”

  “I know you will, Shive. I’ve come to rely upon your good judgment and commonsense above all else, my remarkable wife.” Kissing her tenderly once more, he marched out the door with his bedroll.

  Shive heard his footfalls descend the ladder. The clip-clop of the horses’ hooves in th
e courtyard suddenly brought home to her the reality that Tiernan was leaving again.

  Her uneasiness began to grow. She jumped out of her bed and threw on her bedgown, not even bothering to fasten it as she scurried down the stairs and out of the castle in her bare feet.

  “Tiernan!” Shive called. “Tiernan!”

  Tiernan turned his head, a puzzled frown on his face. He waved and blew her a kiss as he rode out of the castle precincts, leaving her standing there alone, clutching the thin fabric of her bedgown to her tightly.

  “Oh well, time enough to tell him I love him when he gets back.” Shive shrugged despondently, and returned sorrowfully to her lonely room.