by Reece Butler
“Did Lovat tell ye Fiona was to wear a kerch?” asked Angus, ignoring Anna’s censure..
“Aye. To cover her head as a wife should.”
“Anna,” warned Iain.
“Too late,” replied Angus to the guard captain. “If Lovat said Fiona must cover her hair it means she is my wife. And as her husband, I will touch her as I wish.”
“And what do ye wish, husband?” asked Fiona pertly.
“To show ye yon tower.” He let the heat of his gaze show her exactly what he would do in the tower. Her nostrils flared, her eyes widened, and she licked her lips.
“Nay, my lady,” said Iain gruffly. “Anna will go inside with ye. The laird said ye shant be alone together.” He turned to Angus. “The women will tell Lord Lovat what is needed for a lady to live there.”
“What lady?” demanded Gillis.
“The laird sent for the dowager Lady Ceana,” replied Iain. “Keep in mind she is old,” he said to Fiona. “And cranky,” he added under his breath.
Angus turned Fiona to face the towerhouse. He let his hand slide down her back to grip her bottom. She gave a breathy gasp. He held back a groan.
“Ye are a tease,” she whispered.
“Well, then, lassies, ye must get about it,” said Gillis. “We men will work.” He narrowed his eyes at Iain and the rest of the guard. “Are ye men to work or are ye Sassenachs to sit on yer arses and watch?”
“No MacDougal will show up a Fraser,” replied Iain. “We’ll show ye how real men work.”
Iain set his claymore down. He slipped his plaid off his shoulder, tucked it in his belt, then hauled his shirt off. Anna choked, averting her eyes. Her face turned pink. Iain flashed a heated glance at her.
Oho, thought Angus. If he could get rid of the guards and get the two would-be lovers together he might get Fiona to himself.
Chapter Fifteen
Fiona reluctantly trudged across the bailey, away from Angus and Gillis. She was not used to having her thighs rub together as she walked in a skirt. As she had nothing underneath but boots it was extremely arousing. She needed a hard cock inside her to scratch an itch she’d known nothing about until dropping onto Gillis. Walking up the outside stairs to the entrance was even worse.
She had to find a way to get alone with at least one of her men!
She and Anna waited for their eyes to adjust to the gloom. The room was maybe fifteen feet wide by twenty long. High windows to the south and east lit the vaulted stone ceiling rising high above. There was a fireplace halfway down on the north wall. Wood had been piled beside it. As the night had been clear her husbands had likely slept outside. The ground would be softer than the stone floor. Other than the wood there was nothing but dirt.
“Well,” she said brightly. “This room is simple to figure out. It needs everything.”
“Starting with a broom,” replied Anna.
A shout outside had them both peering out the door. Four half-naked men carried heavy stones toward two breaches in the wall. The last man, the one Gillis had smashed in the jaw, stood guard at the gate. They ducked their heads back in before they were seen.
“I hope there’s at least a cooking pot in the kitchen.” Fiona pointed to an arch of wood at the far end of the Hall. They looked in, finding it stocked with the basics.
“So,” said Fiona in a teasing tone. “I’m not the only woman who wishes to be alone with her man.”
“‘Tis a fine, sturdy table,” said Anna, ignoring Fiona’s words. She thumped it with her fist. “A good height for rolling dough.”
“And for lying on while yer man lifts yer skirts. Or bends ye over…”
Anna brushed at her gown, making it obvious she was not listening. Too obvious.
“Anna, yer face turned pink when Iain pulled off his shirt. And he made sure ye looked. He even rolled his shoulders a wee bit to show his muscles and scars.”
“I dinna ken what ye mean, my lady.”
“Please, Anna, call me Fiona.”
“Ye are a highborn lady.”
“‘Twas an accident of birth. I told ye I dressed, acted, and was treated as a lad until I met Gillis.” Fiona grimaced. “‘Tis a lot of work to be a lady. Though you be a widow we are of an age. I’ve not had a friend.”
Anna twisted her hands in front of her. “Well,” she said hesitantly. “Mayhaps when ‘tis just the two of us.”
She made a show of looking around. Wooden cups and plates were piled on shelves set into the stone walls. A cooking pot hung over the fireplace. The pot contained nothing but water.
“Have ye taken Iain to yer bed yet?”
“Nay!” Anna’s dark hair contrasted with her pale face. Only it wasn’t pale now, it glowed pink. “I am a widow.”
“Which means ye ken what ye are missing.” Fiona put her hand on Anna’s arm. “Pardon. Mayhaps ye are still grieving yer loss.”
“Grieving? Och, nay!” Anna gave a look of disgust. “Big James was a lazy drunk who used his fists on me. He showed none of that until months after we handfasted.” She rested her hand on her lower belly. “His boot made me lose my bairn,” she added quietly.
“Did ye slit his throat?”
“Iain did it for me.”
“He killed yer husband?”
Anna’s eyes widened. “Nay, not like ye are thinkin’. ‘Twas a boar hunt. Bein’ slow, Big James got in the way and was gored. A tusk in the belly brings a terrible death. He kenned it and begged for his throat to be slit. Iain came to tell me, as he’d done the deed.” She pressed her lips together, but the corners turned up. “I let him console me. Mayhaps a wee bit too much for a new widow.” She sighed with satisfaction. “‘Twas my first gentle kiss. It made my heart, and other parts, tremble.”
“And ye’ve not taken him as yer lover?”
“‘Tis not from lack of tryin’.” Anna scowled. “He says he’s too old. That I could do better. That he has naught to give me but a scarred carcass.” She shook her head. “I sleep on a pallet in the kitchen with the rest of the women. Would sleeping on a pallet with Iain be any worse? Nay,” she said, answering her own question. “He feels guilt for makin’ me a widow, while I wish to be his wife.”
“Ye wish a home of yer own.”
“And a man in my bed.”
“I wish to have two in my bed,” said Fiona.
“Two?”
“Gillis and I handfasted, and a few days later Laird Cameron had me marry Angus by a priest. So I married them both and was pleased to do so. There are fourteen more MacDougal brothers wanting wives. Women are scarce so pairs of bonded brothers share.” Fiona gave a wistful sigh. “They make me scream. In a good way.”
“I want just one,” said Anna quietly. “Iain.”
They drifted down the stairs to the cellar. Fiona shivered though not from cold. The dark, dank room reminded her too much of the dungeon pit. Here, light and air entered through arrow holes. A thick stone wall divided the space into two rooms. The first one would be used for food storage, but other than a well, was empty.
“If ye opened yer body to Iain, would he then marry ye?”
“Aye for he is an honorable man. But he wishes to give me more than his pallet in the armory. ‘Tis all he has, now.”
“What if ye had a place here, in this towerhouse?”
“Ye mean, if Iain was captain here, and I worked the kitchen?” Her face lit up, and then fell. “Iain may well be here, but Lady Ceana will bring her own women. I will never see him then.” She looked away. “They call her the Dragon as she is not easy to work for. Yet if I could stay here, with Iain, I would. My womb aches for a babe.”
“I never expected to have a babe. Since I met Angus and Gillis I have wished for it. Only my womb hasn’t ached.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively. “It weeps whenever I think of them, or they touch me.”
“I ken what ye mean. I never felt it with my husband, but when I look at Iain. Oh my.” Anna hugged herself, sighing.
“Laird Fraser is my
uncle. I could ask him for a boon. Ye being with Iain should be no great change to his plans.”
“Ye need to get yerself fixed afore ye think of me.”
“Nonsense! Why canna we do it together? I help you get alone with Iain, and you help me get alone with Gillis and Angus. Like sisters.”
Smiling, she linked arms with Anna, who reluctantly returned it. They crossed to the second room. A narrow shaft of light streaked across the room. It lit up a grate set in the floor. A stone lid sat beside it. Fiona stumbled to a stop.
“A pit? Oh, no. No!”
She backed away, shaking her head, then turned and ran to the stairs. Heart pounding, she kept going past the ground floor to the second. The stair continued up but, winded and shaking, she stepped into a passageway and leaned a shoulder against the cold stone.
There was a pit in the cellar!
She forced herself to calm. She needn’t go down there ever again. Once the wall was done they would go to Duncladach. If she said anything about her fear Lord Lovat would use it as an excuse to keep her in camp. She would be fine. She had a job to do. Anna knew what was needed. Fiona would ask her on the way back.
One arrow-slit window lit the passage, which widened to show a choice of two chambers divided by a narrow wall of stone. The one on the left had a fireplace and a small window straight ahead. She went into the chamber on the right. Again, it had a window to the east. There was also a wide window to the south. The wall had been hollowed out around it, creating almost a small chamber. With the fireplace lit and the addition of wooden shutters, rugs on the floors, and tapestries to slow the cold seeping in, the room would be quite pleasant in winter.
Lovat said Lady Ceana enjoyed creating tapestries. No doubt she’d spend most of her time here.
She leaned out to look into the bailey. From the way Gillis slammed down the rock he held in both hands, it looked as if he wished someone’s head was underneath it. As was common with men they must have turned it into a competition. If so, her two men were keeping up with the two Frasers. The third remained at the gate, watching for intruders. Or perhaps he watched to see no one told Lord Lovat the Frasers were helping.
“This chamber will also need many things before a great lady could stay here,” said Anna.
“I was kept in a Campbell pit overnight,” said Fiona, her voice tight. “They dropped me onto Gillis, who was already a prisoner. We escaped, saving each other. Otherwise we’d be dead, or worse.”
“Ye dinna have to say a thing, my lady. None like a pit. Can ye see far?”
Fiona turned back to the window. “I can see four braw men working. Yer Iain is doing well.” She turned sideways to give Anna room to see. “He may be older, but he’s strong and fit.”
“He’s not mine.”
“Then why is he looking to see if ye are watching?”
“He looks to see ye are still here.”
“Oh, nay. My hair is red. He’s lookin’ for a dark head. Wave, and ye’ll see.”
Anna did. Iain grinned and waved back, uncaring if the other men saw.
“See,” said Fiona smugly. “He wants ye.”
Anna giggled. A small sound, yet it transformed her face.
“This room needs everything for a bedchamber,” said Fiona. “Though if ye put a pallet on the floor I’d be wanting to use it.” She nudged Anna, who blushed once more.
“I canna ask ye to speak to the laird about me,” she said softly. “It may shame Iain, and I dinna wish that.”
“If that is yer wish.” Fiona shrugged, “My uncle said someone must cook for these men, and if ye are the one teaching me, ye’d best go with me each day. We dinna need three guards to protect us. I could ask for just the guard captain.” An idea formed, making her grin. “I could call out this window to Iain that I needed him and then hide in the kitchen. He’d run upstairs and find ye. Maybe ye sprained yer ankle, and he has to sooth ye. Or ye fell and scratched yer knee. He’d have to lift yer skirt to look, and—”
“Lady Fiona!”
“I thought we weren’t going to call me that.”
“Huh! ‘Twas more polite than what ye should be called for thinkin’ of that.” Anna tossed her head, her face bright pink. “We’d best see the last floor.” She stomped out, leading the way up the stairs. It opened right into the room.
“Oh, no,” said Fiona.
Pigeons had enjoyed the living quarters for many years though someone had cleaned out most of the birdlime. There were no partitions though they’d be easy to add. The floor was wood, which meant the heat from the room below would warm it somewhat. One fireplace, on the south wall, would add additional heat.
“This needs a wee bit of scrubbin’.”
“‘Tis good to have birdlime for the mortar.” Fiona tried to think positive about the white splashes.
“This would be servant’s quarters, and the nursery,” said Anna. “Though if Lady Ceana is here there’ll be no need for a nursery.” She drifted to the south facing window. Again, it was hollowed out.
“I shall tell my uncle that Lady Ceana will need almost everything,” said Fiona. “If she’s like the dowagers in my father’s castle she will demand rugs and tapestries, padded chairs, and other luxuries. She willna be happy here.”
The castles Fiona had been in were far too big for her. She got lost in them, and there were too many people to hide from. She didn’t know how big Duncladach was, but this towerhouse suited her. Living here would be something to dream of, thinking of what to put inside to make it feel like a home. She wasn’t sure what a home felt like, but it would be wonderful to find out.
“Mayhaps the laird is doing his duty by her and doesna wish her to be happy,” said Anna slyly.
“Ye mean he’d offer it to her while making sure she’ll say nay?”
Anna nodded. Fiona grinned back. There was a lesson she could learn from this. Was her uncle used to women who could think? If not she might be able to outsmart him. Play the part of a dutiful lass while doing what she wished behind his back. And what she wished was to get naked with Gillis and Angus!
They retraced their steps to the bailey and then looked at the garden by the north wall.
“Chives, parsley, garlic, and onions,” said Fiona with satisfaction. “A kitchen garden. And those look like apples, plums, and pears.”
The trees, their branches trained to lie flat against the walls, were in bloom. Tiny pink-and-white blossoms fluttered to the ground. The buzzing of bees suggested they’d been well pollinated.
“I could be happy here,” said Anna softly. “Even alone, if I could have bairns.”
Fiona agreed about being happy. She also wanted children, but she was selfish. She wanted her men as well.
Chapter Sixteen
“We’ve worked from sunup to sundown!” roared Gillis. “The bedamned wall is done, as is the roof. We emptied the laird’s wagons. We put the tables and benches where the women pointed. And then we moved them. And again. And then back to the first place!”
“I was at the other end of those tables and benches, aye?” replied Iain mildly.
“Ye only did it to keep yer eye on Anna,” said Gillis, still grumbling. “If she wasn’t here ye’d have sat on yer arse in the bailey, watchin’ us work.”
“Ye can start building the stable,” said Iain as if they were merely chatting.
“Stable? There’s nay horses!”
“Then build an alehouse, smithy, or bakehouse. Take yer pick, but ye must work.”
Gillis fought to find a calm he did not feel. Angus was the one who thought things out and planned. He was a man of action. He wanted some action with his wife!
“We want our wife here,” demanded Angus.
Iain’s left eye twitched. Did the man want Anna as much as they wanted Fiona? Though the widow was Fiona’s age she’d looked back at the much older, well-scarred man and blushed. He’d seen longing on both their faces. Yet they made sure not to touch each other. Because if they did they’d want to do
far more?
“Ye are not to leave these walls,” said Iain.
“Did the laird tell ye Fiona was not to visit?” continued Angus.
“None will escort her from the laird’s camp.”
“‘Tis not what I asked.” His brother’s words were a softly spoken order.
“My orders are to keep ye here.”
“We gave an oath,” replied Angus bluntly. “A MacDougal’s word is true. Ye trust us, so ye return to the camp each night.”
“I return to report to my laird. And I bring ye food and whatnot each morn.”
“And just why are ye here, watching two men who vowed to do a job, work? Are ye the captain of the guard or a lazy recruit?” taunted Gillis.
The tendons in Iain’s jaw stuck out when he clamped his teeth tight. “Lord Lovat wishes my second in command to gain experience,” he said without opening his jaw.
“Ah,” Gillis nodded knowingly, showing great pity. “Yer laird thinks ye are an old horse, to be put out to pasture. Did he geld ye as well?”
Gillis ducked but Iain’s quick fist connected with his jaw. He went down, hard, landing on his arse and sprawling back.
“Thank ye,” said Angus with satisfaction. “I’ve been wishing to do that fer days.”
“Why didn’t ye?” asked Iain. He flexed his fist, stretching out his fingers.
Angus silently held out his hands in answer. They were well scabbed from working with rocks. They’d both skinned their knuckles many times a day. Gillis groaned. His entire body had already been sore before this. He sat up, carefully, then massaged his jaw.
“‘Tisn’t broken,” he mumbled.
“Ye couldna work if it was.” Iain tilted his head toward the pile of boards. “Get workin’.”
Gillis hauled himself to his feet. “Ye are like Dubhmor. Old and scarred but still a warhorse. Bein’ put to pasture is nay a bad thing, ye ken. ‘Tis time for ye to sire a few colts.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Mayhaps with Anna?”
Iain looked away. “The lass is half my age.”
“Does Anna say that?”
“Nay. But I have naught to give her. Why would she want me?”