Kaitlyn and the Highlander
Page 24
“Aye, Kaitlyn.”
We stayed quiet for a few moments. The sounds of the room surrounding us, the soft hum of the air conditioning, the beep of his heart monitor, a light with a barely distinct buzzing sound was driving me crazy, so it must have been driving Magnus mad.
He said, “I knew I wanted tae spend my life loving ye, but my life is from three centuries past. I am here in this hospital, but I am nae alive this year. There may well be a gravestone with my name etched upon it, yet tis improbable — an airport has been built atop, burying me more still. I am a dead man, tis nae done in fairness tae bind ye tae my life when I am nae alive.
“Don't Magnus, don't speak of it — you are. You're flesh and blood in my arms, and I don't know what kind of magic it is, but I know you're really here. I can feel you. Please don't talk anymore of fairness. I married you, and you married me, and you promised to give me your full life. You promised. I mean to hold you to it.”
A chuckle rumbled low in his chest. “You hae used my words.”
“I did. I may have signed a contract. I may have agreed to marry you through your mother. I may have entered it without knowing you at all. I still don't. But I mean to hold you to it. I find myself tied, heart and soul, and I can't bear the thought of being without you.”
“I canna bear it either, mo reul-iuiel.”
I turned my lips to his hair and breathed in his scent. It made more sense now with the truth between us, that lingering smell of dust and wine. I had discovered it the other day in a candle with the scent of musk, patchouli, ylang-ylang, and frankincense. It had taken me back to Magnus or brought him forward to me. He smelled of the scents of a deep dark past.
He burrowed his face further in under my arm and quietly said, “I want ye, Kaitlyn.”
“Jeez Magnus, you're incorrigible — here, in the hospital?” I glanced about me. A nurse would be in here any minute, plus Magnus could barely move. “What are you thinking—”
He chuckled.
“Oh, you're joking! I half-believed you for a moment.”
“From my scalp tae my feet I am either in screaming discomfort or, thankfully, numb. I'm in nae condition.”
“Your heart monitor would probably alert the nurses anyway.”
“Tis what this incessant noise is?”
“It's to make sure your heart is pumping, because it stopped earlier.”
“I must hae scared ye.”
“You did.”
“What else happened?”
“Your back is terribly cut up, you're bandaged. You have many bruises internal and external and your heart — you're dehydrated. On your other arm there is a tube for dripping liquids into your blood stream. You may be missing part of an earlobe.”
“I will be far uglier. My other parts though, they hae made it unscathed?”
“If you're asking about your family jewels, yes. You were naked when you arrived and they were present and accounted for. I would assume that in a few days they'll remind you of their existence.”
“Good, I hae future plans for them with ye, but for now I am verra tired. I am going to fall asleep but worry I might crush ye.”
I kissed the top of his head. “I'll climb out.” I shimmied out from under him. “I'll sleep right over there on the couch. If you need me just ask, okay?” I pulled an end of the couch from the wall so that I was angled to see his face better. “I'm glad you're home.”
But from his deep breaths and still body it sounded like Magnus was already asleep.
The end.
Also by Diana Knightley
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