I could see then that this was no less of a struggle for him than it was for me. While I kept people at bay so I wouldn’t get hurt, he allowed so many in that he worried that his happiness would come at the cost of others. We each had our battles to fight. If he would try, then so would I.
“It’s not as easy for you as you make it look, is it? Wanting me—you feel guilty for it?”
He stilled his hand on the horse and looked up as if I said something he’d not thought of before.
“Aye, though I ken now that I canna allow guilt that I shouldna feel to prevent me from having a life of my own.”
“I know.” I moved close to him and reached my hands upward, placing a hand on either side of his face as I kissed him before pulling back to look into his eyes. “Knowing that you’re trying makes me want to try as well. But just know that I’m not good at this stuff. Just ask any ex-boyfriend I’ve ever had—the endings were my fault. If this doesn’t work, just know that it’s not your fault. It’s mine.”
He pulled me into an embrace and rubbed my back as he spoke.
“Why would I think it my fault? Ye’d be a lucky lass to have me.”
He swatted my behind, making me jump as he walked away, untying the horses to prepare for us to continue onward. I laughed as I watched him.
I knew he spoke in jest, but every word was true.
CHAPTER 22
The moment we rode into the village near McMillan Castle, I knew that babies had done little to slow the pace of Grace’s family. They beat us by at least a day—the wailing woman in front of the inn was proof of that.
I wondered how long she’d been waiting for Orick to arrive, for I could see how desperate she was to see him. Orick was off his horse and running toward her as soon as he rode up to the inn.
I dismounted more slowly, my bum no more accustomed to sitting atop a horse than it had been three days ago. I stood back and watched Orick scoop the woman up so that her feet lifted off the ground as she sobbed against him.
“Orick, I couldna believe it when Jane told me. To see ye and hold ye, ach ye canna know the joy it brings me.”
“It brings me joy to see ye, as well. Ye look as if ye feel much better. There’s more health in yer eyes than I’ve ever seen. I’m so glad of it. Where is Gregor?”
As if summoned, another man walked out the front door of the inn, and Orick lowered Isobel to the ground as he walked over to greet the man.
While Orick spoke to him, Isobel made her way over to introduce herself to me, pulling me into her arms right away.
“Jane spoke of ye, but I doona remember yer name. In truth, I’m too happy to feel bad about it. Do ye mind telling it to me again as I show ye inside for a wee bite to eat and a basin in which ye can clean yerself up from the road?”
I grinned as she released me and took off inside.
“Gladly. My name is Gillian.”
“It suits ye. I’ve laid some things out for ye. ’Twill be far tastier than what ye had on the road. Help yerself to it while I bring the men inside.”
She left Cooper, Toby, and me in the dining room. Cooper didn’t hesitate to make his way toward the food. It took me all of two seconds to join him.
Isobel couldn’t possibly understand just how much better her cooking was compared to what we’d been eating the last three days, and Cooper and I dug in as the rest of them made their way inside.
“I doona want to miss it when Adwen finally sees ye. I hope he hurries home soon. We must make sure we’ve chairs a plenty near him when he does, for I fear he willna be able to keep on his feet.”
Isobel paused long enough to point Orick toward the food but continued as soon as he stepped near it.
“I canna tell ye how the man has grieved for ye. No a day has passed without his mention of ye.”
How lucky the two of them were to have such friends. Adwen would be beyond thrilled to see Orick, significantly less so to see me, I imagined. Not after I’d driven him all the way into the village when he clearly needed to leave through the cellar. I wondered how he’d made it back. Had he found another way through, or had I made him walk all the way back to the cellar in the dark, delaying his journey significantly?
I sat there enjoying every bite of food, giving Toby crumbs every few minutes. The pup lay at my feet, mouth open, tongue out as he happily took whatever I would give him.
I enjoyed listening to Orick speak with Gregor and Isobel. The more time I spent around him, the more I could understand why the loss of him had devastated everyone who knew him so completely. He was an excellent conversationalist. He listened and spoke only when his input had value. And nothing he ever said or did was for the show of it.
The afternoon passed by that way, all of us visiting over food and laughter and in comfortable chairs rather than on the back of a horse. Just as evening started in and we readied to go and clean ourselves up, Jane stepped into the inn waving her arms about rather excitedly.
“He’s nearly here, he’s nearly here. A rider just showed up. He was supposed to let me know that Adwen was headed back, but the rider got delayed so he is just a few moments ahead of him. He should be here by the time the sun goes down. Everybody get over to our house now.”
CHAPTER 23
Within ten minutes, we all stood cramped near the doorway of Adwen and Jane’s bedroom in their home. I knew Jane just wanted to talk to Adwen herself before Orick walked out, but it felt as if we were all hiding for a surprise party with each of us straining against the closed door listening for the first sign of Adwen’s arrival.
It didn’t take long before we heard the voice of the person we waited for.
“Jane, I’ve missed ye, lass.”
Once Adwen spoke, we all backed up a step, as there was no need to crowd against the door. We could hear every word of their exchange easily—Jane’s footsteps as she neared him, their embrace followed by a kiss. And then, much to all our awkward dismay, the sound of them moving together and then a thump against one of the walls, as if he’d backed her against it.
Their kissing continued. I looked down at my feet uncomfortably to see Cooper standing in front of me, a finger pointed to the inside of his throat as he made whispered gagging noises.
Eventually, a breathless Jane pulled away, and we all exhaled with relief when she spoke.
“I’m so happy to see you, babe, but this is going to have to wait. I have…” She hesitated. I couldn’t imagine how nervous she must be. “Something wonderful has happened that I need to tell you.”
“Doona tell me Grace is with child again.”
Cooper whirled around in the middle of us and stared at Isobel in question.
She whispered back to him as quietly as she could.
“Doona worry, I doona think she is.”
Cooper’s face visibly relaxed, and he spun to listen to the rest of the conversation.
Jane laughed in answer to Adwen.
“No. At least…geez I hope she isn’t. It’s about Orick. I don’t know how to tell you this. Will you sit down, Adwen?”
Adwen’s voice was deep and stern when he spoke.
“No, Jane. I willna sit.”
“He isn’t dead.”
A noise like a great intake of air that fell somewhere between a growl and a sob traveled through the doorway. My heart squeezed in response to it. Even cold, emotionless me felt something at hearing Adwen’s response to the mere mention of the friend he grieved for so much.
“’Tis no kind nor fair of ye to say such a thing. Doona ye know how badly I’ve wished it? No a day has passed that I have no had to gather every last bit of strength I have to no weep over how I miss him.” Adwen’s voice broke and his footsteps moved toward the door.
I looked over at Orick and saw him swallow, his eyes brimming with emotion at listening to his friend.
“I canna know why ye said what ye did. I believe I’ll see my horse to the stables. I need a moment alone.”
“Adwen,” Jane called after him,
and Orick reached to open the door from inside the bedroom.
“I wouldn’t lie to you about something like that. He’s here.”
At the same moment, Orick pushed the door open and joined Adwen and Jane. The rest of us, determined to not miss a moment of their reunion, crowded into the doorway.
It occurred to me then, watching Adwen’s face transform from one of anger and pain to one of pure shock, that this should have been a private moment between them. It would be right for all of us to step away, but I could tell by the riveted faces of those around me that wasn’t going to happen.
In truth, it didn’t matter whether we were there or not. Adwen didn’t see us. The only person he took in was Orick. I expected them to run toward each other, to embrace as Cooper, Jane, and Isobel had all done at seeing him for the first time.
My expectation couldn’t have been more off from the reality of what happened.
Instead, Adwen did run toward him, but not with arms open. He ran with his head down and charged Orick’s stomach like some sort of really pissed-off bull. Orick fell backward at the impact, sending both men to the floor in a whirlwind of flying fists and feet and grunts of pain.
Both men screamed loudly at the other as they continued rolling around on the floor like animals. Most of what they said was entirely inaudible, but every now and then, one of them would say something that would give the rest of us an idea as to what their conversation was about.
It was absolutely absurd.
“What in the name of Brighid are ye doing in my bedchamber, Orick?”
Orick swung a fist into Adwen’s side causing him to spit up on the floor as he groaned.
“Ye are a damned fool. Doona ye wish to know how ’tis that I’m alive before I tell ye why I’m here?”
“No. I can see well enough why ye are no dead. Ye’ve been tupping my wife, and the two of ye planned this so ye could carry on together whilst I’m away. How could ye do this to me?”
“What the bloody hell are ye talking about, Adwen?”
Orick reached up to block one of Adwen’s swings, but Adwen quickly recovered, moving so quickly that he pinned Orick’s head between both of his arms. Within moments, Orick started to turn astonishingly red.
Just as I started to worry that Orick would pass out, Jane decided she’d had enough and walked up behind Adwen and stood there about two seconds before rearing back and slapping him so hard across the side of his head that he released Orick on impulse as he whirled around to look at his wife with astonished eyes.
“Ye see fit to hit me after what ye’ve done?”
Jane crossed her arms and glared at him before she slowly jerked her head over to the rest of us, allowing our presence to do all the talking.
Slowly, both men, now disentangled, pushed themselves to their feet. Once standing, Orick clasped Adwen on the shoulder. They both stared at each other for a long moment and then, in unison, started laughing. The rest of us stared on in disbelief.
“What possessed ye, man? Why would ye say or think such a thing?”
Still laughing at himself and now smiling ear to ear, Adwen stepped back and pointed to Jane.
“Ye walked out of my bedchamber. If ye doona remember, I witnessed Jane kiss ye once before. I know verra well the effect her lips can have on a man.”
I looked over to see Jane blush, and the jealousy that rose within me at thinking of the two of them kissing surprised me.
“Ye know she only kissed me to get to ye, ye sodding fool.”
Adwen nodded and stifled his laughter as he regarded Orick seriously.
“Aye, but ’twas the only reason for yer absence that came to mind in the moment that I could make any sense of. If ye’ve been alive, why would ye stay away? It hurts me to think of any reason, for no one of them could be good enough.”
Cooper, who apparently had reached his limit of this mess, stepped out from the middle of the doorway and walked straight over in between Adwen and Orick.
“Not so fast, Uncle Adwen. There’s definitely one good reason. He didn’t remember anything, not until he wandered into the future and saw me. So why don’t you just quit being crazy and give him a hug already?”
Adwen looked at Orick in question, the pain in his face easing significantly.
Orick nodded as he reached down to ruffle Cooper’s hair.
“Aye, the lad speaks true. For many moons, I dinna ken my own name.”
Finally, Adwen’s voice broke as emotion overtook him as he moved toward Orick and wrapped his arms around him.
“Why dinna ye say that straight away?”
Orick laughed as they held one another.
“Ye dinna give me a chance before ye knocked my arse to the ground.”
“I’m sorry for it. Christ, I’m pleased to see ye.”
More love passed between the two of them than I’d ever felt in my life. I had to swallow the lump that rose within me to keep from tearing up at the sight of them. Every time I turned around here, my emotions seemed to surprise me.
Apparently, satisfied that they wouldn’t kill each other, Jane did finally decide they needed some time alone and hastily waved all of us from the house and out into the cold.
Cooper laughed as we stepped outside and leaned in to give Jane a hug.
“Well goodnight to you too, Aunt Jane. I’m glad none of us wanted to stay for dinner.”
Jane smiled and took off toward Isobel and Gregor’s inn with us.
“I think I’ll join the rest of you for a little while. Give them a chance to catch up without worrying about filtering in front of a lady.”
“Aunt Jane, you’re not fooling anybody. You’re worse than either one of them. You were born without a filter.”
Seemed to me that a lack of filter had been passed down to another little fellow, as well. We all laughed together as Cooper and Jane continued to tease each other as we walked back to Isobel and Gregor’s inn together.
CHAPTER 24
Very late that night, Orick stumbled into the inn as quietly as his heavy feet could manage. He and Adwen would both feel wretched come morning. Neither of them was accustomed to so much ale or so little sleep—years had passed since either of them had indulged in such a way.
Still, while his thoughts seemed to sift through mud and his footsteps came a little less steady, he imagined he could make it to his bedchamber without waking anyone. Until he made it to the staircase and looked up to see Isobel standing at the top, hastily waving him back down into the sitting room.
“Ye will wake Gregor if ye carry on like that. Go and take a seat. I’ll light us a candle.”
Gregor had a reputation for being unpleasant in his best of moods. Orick certainly didn’t wish to wake the man.
It didn’t take long for Isobel to join him. Once the room was alight with the flame of a small candle, she pulled him aside.
“I dinna know if ye’d come back at all this evening. When Jane left to go back home and ye dinna return, I thought ye might stay there.”
“Ach,” Orick threw his arms up and marveled at how loosely they seemed to move around him. “Well, the thought did occur to me, but Adwen wouldna allow it. Said that no matter how pleased he was to see me, he was more eager to take his wife to bed, most especially after she joined us in a few cups of ale and became rather jolly herself.”
Isobel shook her head, but Orick could tell it was not so much in disapproval but amusement.
“I’m sure she did. I’d wager the lass can outdrink ye both.”
“Aye, she can. I dinna mean to wake ye, Isobel. Ye should be asleep.”
Isobel guided him to a chair and sat down next to him.
“Ye dinna wake me. I slept for awhile and then woke to relieve myself when I noticed the candles still burning in Gillian’s room. I decided to wait for yer return so I could advise ye to no be a fool.”
Orick waited for Isobel to explain.
“She’s a lovely lass.”
The loveliest he’d ever seen
.
“Aye, she is.”
“And ye wish for her to be yers, aye?”
“Aye.”
“Then ye must behave like it. Now, any lad could see her and no ken that ye fancy her. Ye dinna touch her, and ye hardly said a word to her since ye arrived. She likes ye, though a lass needs to ken that she is fancied in return, or she canna open her heart. She needs to ken that ye like her.”
Orick hoped Gillian didn’t doubt his interest. He thought about her every moment.
“I’ve told her that I fancy her. ’Tis why she’s here.”
“Telling and showing are two verra different things, and ye men folk are no so talented at realizing that. She stays awake hoping ye’ll come to her. Doona disappoint the lass. ’Tis why I stayed awake—to keep ye from the fool mistake that most men would make.”
Orick stood and had to reach for the wall to steady himself. His vision was clearing quickly, but the sudden movement threw him.
“I doona think it best tonight. Do ye no see my flushed cheeks and red eyes? I’m more into the drink than I’ve a right to be, and I’m so tired that I canna think well enough. I wouldna know what to say to her. No to mention that I still carry the filth from the road. I worry if I see the lass tonight, I willna behave like a gentleman.”
Isobel smiled and gripped his arm as they walked up the stairs together.
“She willna care if yer dirty. She’s no had the chance to clean up herself. Ye know, I was once a young lass myself, and I ken from my own experience—there is no much that lassies fancy more than a true gentleman who, on verra special occasions, forgets that he’s one. No lassie wants a perfect man, and ye come as close to being one as any man can, Orick. Show her that at times ye can be as weak as any man, and she’ll love ye more for it.”
“Do ye no think it improper for me to go to her bedchamber in the middle of the night?”
Isobel smiled and brought them to a halt as they neared Gillian’s door.
Love Beyond Dreams (A Scottish Time Travel Romance): Book 6 (Morna's Legacy Series) Page 11