She’s staring right at me when I come to place her feet inside the bowl. She closes her eyes and sighs as my fingers massage life back into her toes and the soles of her feet.
“You don’t have to do all this,” she says, “but it sure feels good.” I get up and put the kettle on, soon making two mugs of steaming hot tea before grabbing a bar of chocolate from the fridge.
“Eat this; it’ll give ye energy,” I say.
She opens her eyes and reaches out for the Galaxy bar. “I’d have to be dead to ever turn down chocolate,” she says with a smile.
I’m relieved to find her in such good spirits. There’s no serious signs of hypothermia and her shivering has ceased. A few more minutes lying unconscious in such extreme conditions and it could have been a different story. I next clean the blood from the wound on her forehead to find it’s superficial. I shake my head in amazement, she’s one lucky lady.
The front door opens and Callum enters the kitchen.
“I’ve brought what I could find,” he says as he lays the clothes neatly onto the kitchen table. “There’s a set of thick PJ’s and a dressing gown. And I’ve brought a pair of hiking socks that are double-knit.”
I glance at Maddie who’s now wearing a grave expression.
Callum goes over and places a hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t touch me,” she hisses and shrugs his hand away.
Callum looks startled. “Maddie, please. I understand you’re upset.”
“Just leave me alone,” and she stares into the fire. “What you’ve done is unforgivable.”
“Please, don’t say anything rash. Let’s talk this through.”
Slowly, she turns in the chair, her eyes dark and serious. “There’s nothing to say. You’re five years too late.”
Callum grimaces, his chin dipping towards the floor.
“I tried, really I did,” he whispers.
Maddie shakes her head. “Don’t stand there and lie. You had ample opportunity to tell me about your son. If you’d just told me from the very beginning, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But no; you didn’t want your perfect life to have a blemish, did you? I bet you didn’t even want him until you realised Isaac would be the only child you’d ever father.”
A flush creeps across Callum’s cheeks, and Maddie looks away. “You should be ashamed of yourself. You’ve betrayed us all.”
I stare at my brother, his eyes now shining like glass. His Adam’s apple bobs up and down as he tries to speak. “I’ll go and pack the rest of my things, then,” he finally manages. “There’s a hotel just down the road. I’ll stay there for the time being.”
Maddie continues to stare into the flames. “Why? Isn’t Ally accommodating you anymore?”
The silence that follows is deafening. Only the fire crackles with life as Callum turns and walks away.
The front door bangs shut and Maddie bursts into tears.
I reach out to comfort her, my arms pulling her close, and she wraps her own around my neck.
“It’ll be okay,” I sooth, and as she lifts her head, I wipe the tears from her cheek. I stare into her eyes. Even upset she’s still beautiful. My breath catches in my throat, then a desperate need wells up in my chest, threatening to overwhelm me. This woman is all I want, right down to the bones of my soul.
I hold her gaze as her dark lashes flicker, and to my surprise, she leans forwards and her mouth crushes against mine. I shudder with delight when I feel her cool lips upon mine, a sudden and intimate gesture that sparks a jolt of desire. I can’t help myself; I pull her closer and we both rise. The ferocity of her kiss is overwhelming; hard, passionate, yet controlled. I lift her up into my arms, crushing her body against mine and the blanket falls away. I carry her up the stairs and into the bathroom. The room is hot and steamy, and I place her feet gently onto the floor, but then she’s taking off my jacket and unbuttoning my shirt.
I grab her hand and hold it tight. “Are ye sure ye wannae do this?” I barely breathe.
She looks up into my eyes and sweeps her finger across my brow then down my cheek.
“Yes. I am,” she whispers.
Chapter 13
Maddie
“Guid mornin’, beautiful,” Jamie whispers into my hair and I look up and smile lightly at him.
“Hey,” I say, huskily. “I hope you slept well.”
He props himself up on one elbow and gently pushes me onto my back, then he lowers his face and his lips glide silkily across mine.
“Hmm,” he murmurs. “It took a wee while, but after ye had ye wicked way with me for the third time, I slept like a log,” and he chuckles.
“I guess I wore you out,” I say.
Jamie lets out a snort of laughter. “Aye, lass, that ye did, at no mistake.”
“Any regrets?”
He slides closer and his eyes search out mine. “Nae, lass. Although, if I’m honest, I wish I’d allowed this thing between us to happen sooner.”
“Me too. And there’s no going back.”
“But what about Callum?”
I squirm under the sheets. “We’re over. I’m asking for a divorce.”
“Are ye sure it’s what ye want? After all, it’s so final.”
I nod and wrap my legs around him. “Yes. I’ll not be his doormat for a moment longer. I guess I saw the train wreck heading my way. Of course, I didn’t think it would be because he’d had a child with someone else,” and then I swallow.
“It must have ripped ye heart out to learn such a thing after what ye went through.”
I push a blond curl behind an ear and let out a sigh. “If it had been anything else, I could have probably forgiven him. But not after such lies and deceit. No. He must be made accountable for such a deception.”
I turn onto my side and lie in the crook of his arm, taking a deep breath. He smells masculine, musky and woody with a hint of Hugo Boss. I kiss his neck and his skin tastes sweet, like honey. He drops his chin and I kiss him again. His stubble tickles my cheek as I sweep my tongue towards his ear.
“I’m crazy about ye,” he whispers.
“You don’t know that much about me.”
“I ken enough,” he tells me, brushing his thumb gently across my mouth, and my stomach lurches. There’s passion in his eyes and I lose myself within them.
An alarm goes off and Jamie reaches over to the bedside table. He picks up his phone and lets out a deep groan.
“Oh, no; have ye seen the time? I should’ve been up hours ago, and we need to go and see granda, too.” He pushes back the covers and dives out of bed. I enjoy watching his naked form clamber into a pair of jeans, my eyes devouring every part of his body, from his rippling torso to his strong muscular legs. There’s so much I’ve yet to figure out, and yet…we’re as one when we’re alone together. My head’s reeling with possibilities. Already, I’ve learned he’s clever, smart and fiercely passionate.
“You’re only a little late and I can help feed the cattle,” I say, punching a pillow and resting my head into it.
He stops and gives me a smile. It’s the way his top lip curls slightly at the edge that makes my heart skip a beat.
“Then get yir gorgeous arse out of bed.”
There’s a noise from downstairs, then a door bangs and footsteps come up the stairs.
I sit bolt upright and grab the covers, clutching them to my chest. Jamie quickly zips up his flies and then rushes to the bedroom door, but he’s too late. Callum comes barging in.
“Hey, bro. Have you seen Maddie? Only her bed hasn’t been—”
Callum stops dead in the doorway. His eyes switch from his brother, to stare at the me, lying in his bed.
“What the—”
My heart pounds at the sight of him, but Jamie tries to push him out of the room. Callum, though, pushes back.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” he cries.
“Get out,” I scream, lifting the bedsheet to hide my face. Although I’m angry with him, I’m also
ashamed at being caught in Jamie’s bed.
“You’ve got no room to talk,” says Jamie, “not after what ye done.”
Callum’s jaw drops. “You conniving sonofabitch.”
The sheet’s ripped from my clutches and I scream as I try to claw it back. Callum pounces on Jamie, his arm drawn back. He throws a punch, but Jamie ducks and Callum hits the door, instead.
“Argh!” he cries, shaking his fist, and Jamie lifts his hands in surrender.
“We dinnae have to do this,” he says, breathlessly. “Just do the right thing and leave.”
Callum’s mouth twists with spite. “Oh, you think you can just take my wife without a fight, eh?”
“I’m not taking anyone,” Jamie says, his eyes angry. “Just do us all a favour and get out before things turn ugly.”
Callum lets out an unexpected peel of laughter. “Oh, you think you can get rid of me that easily? Well, I’ve got news for you.”
I take a deep breath. “Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be,” I say, and his head snaps back towards me. I suffer a shiver of unease, for Callum’s eyes are bulging and it scares me. He points an accusing finger in Jamie’s direction.
“So, you think he’s sweet and innocent, do you? Well, let me tell you—”
Jamie’s taken a sharp intake of breath. “That’s enough,” he yells. “Now, get out!”
Callum shakes his head as a dark cloud crosses his face. “No. Not until Maddie learns the truth of what you did to her.”
“I dinnae do anything,” Jamie says and turns to me, his eyes now pleading.
“Lies. All lies,” Callum shouts, and my gaze switches to Jamie.
“No,” he says, shaking his head. “Please, Callum; dinnae do this.”
“What’s he talking about?” I whimper.
Callum stands tall, his eyes wide, triumphant.
“We had a pact, Jamie and I.”
“A pact? What do you mean?”
Jamie moves closer to the bed and kneels beside me. “Dinnae listen to him,” he begs, “he just wants to tear us apart.”
My eyes flick back to Callum, standing there all smug.
“Go on,” I say.
“It was the night of the pub quiz. We made sure you had a few drinks too many. We planned on getting you drunk.”
I feel my brows furrow. “Why would you want to do that?”
Jamie’s hand creeps up and tries to take mine, but I pull away.
“Please, ye have to believe me: I dinnae go through with it.”
I focus my attention back on Callum.
“What did he do?” I ask, a chill creeping up my spine.
Callum takes a step closer to the bed.
“I asked him to sleep with you, if he’d be willing to take my place, and he agreed.”
I pull the covers closer, suddenly feeling violated. Bile is rising in my throat and I find it impossible to swallow.
“Why the hell would you do such a thing?” I rasp.
“Because I knew you were desperate to have a child. I could think of no other way for us. Jamie’s the perfect candidate. If you fell pregnant, you would never have known the difference, and the child could easily have passed for mine.”
Tears sting my eyes as I turn to look at Jamie. “Is this true?”
Jamie hangs his head. “He asked me and I agreed, but when it came to the crunch, I couldnae go through with it. I wanted ye so badly, but if it was to ever happen, I wanted it for the right reasons.”
I start to shake. I can’t believe what he’s telling me.
“You were willing to take advantage of me?” I cry.
“No. That’s just it: I wasnae,” and he lifts his head and pushes his fingers through his red hair. “I’d ne’er do such a terrible thing,” he cries, and now he’s staring straight at me. “Aye, I admit I thought seriously about it. Stood at the end of yir bed and almost went through with it. But at the last second my heart stopped me. I’ve wanted ye for so long that it killed me to contemplate doing something so despicable to ye. I guess I just wanted ye to love me.”
I pull away from him, wrapping the sheet around me as I do. As I climb off the bed, he stands back, and I scurry past, relieved that neither Callum nor Jamie try to stop me leaving. I hear the bedroom door bang shut as I hurry away, my feet silent on the stairs. I open the front door but then hear a loud crash and hesitate, looking back over my shoulder, a sob escaping my throat when Jamie staggers into view, Callum’s fingers tight around his throat.
“Stop it, both of you,” I cry, and Callum spins towards me, his face white, ashen. He lowers his hands and stares at me, and a shiver creeps down my spine. His chest heaves, his eyes round and wild. When I flick my gaze to Jamie, his arms have fallen to his side, his head bowed low. I turn away, pull the front door towards me and fill my lungs with the day’s cold air, then I step out into the freezing snow, the shock on my bare feet making my teeth chatter. I follow the path to the garden house, rush upstairs and throw off the sheet as soon as I’m in my bedroom. I’m trembling now and draw a shaky breath, scurrying naked into the bathroom. I hit the shower, its burst of hot water erupting against my skin as I run a hand over my wet hair and allow a river of salty tears to pour down my face.
I simply can’t believe what Callum is capable of, to see how far he will go. To ask his own brother to sleep with me, to switch places, for God’s sake. My night with Jamie comes rushing back like a tidal wave, an intense swell that having sex with him evokes, the one that’s swept me out beyond the breakers. My body now floats in an eternal sea of ecstasy. He’s kind and considerate, totally unlike Callum, but then I think back to the night of the pub quiz. Callum came to bed late, and our lovemaking was the best it had ever been, but it was Callum. No matter how drunk I may have seemed that night, I was not drunk enough not to know my own husband.
I dry myself, grab my spare pair of jeans and a warm arran jumper, then clean my teeth and scoop my honey-blond hair up into a top-knot. I go back into the bedroom and hunt down my phone, relieved to see it’s switched off by my bed. I turn it on and scroll through my contacts, hitting a number which then rings three times.
“Hey, Maddie. Finally. I thought you might have left without saying goodbye.”
I try to hold back the tears and my voice crackles with the effort.
“Can we meet up?” I ask.
“Sure; like when?” Bridget replies.
“Like now?”
There’s a pause.
“Maddie, is everything okay?”
“No, and I need to talk to you…please.”
“Of course. Where would you like to meet?”
“Somewhere local. How about in town?”
“Too public, and I sense you need a little privacy. How about coming over to my place? We won’t be disturbed here.”
“That would be perfect. Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“No, not at all. Does your car have satnav?”
“Yes, it does.”
“Good, then write down my postcode and make your way over as soon as you’re ready.”
I hurry down the stairs and into the living room in search of a pen and paper. I’m turning over a pile of old magazines and newspapers littering a dark oak coffee table when I spot a small writing pad and pen by the Trill telephone Jamie insists will be worth a small fortune someday.
“Okay, I’m ready,” I say, and scribble down the directions.
“Just head straight for Allanfearn and keep the Moray Firth to your left and you’ll not go far wrong,” Bridget advises.
“That’s great,” I say. “I’m on my way.”
I grab my handbag and search inside and am soon clutching the spare set of car keys. Hurrying down the stairs, I lift my coat from off the peg, shoving my feet inside the first pair of boots that fit.
Outside, I head straight for the red hatchback and climb into the driver’s seat, and am just spinning the car around when Jamie and Callum come out of the farmhouse. I press my f
oot to the accelerator that little bit harder when Jamie makes a dash towards me. His hand hits the roof of the car as he tries to stop it, but I refuse to slow down, my mind now focused on where I need to be.
***
I drive carefully, slowly, and watch Balinriach Farm disappear in my rear-view mirror. I switch my eyes back to the road ahead and reach a T-junction, indicate, and turn left onto the A96. The sky above me is grey and miserable and I wonder if more snow is on its way.
Switching on the radio, I try to find an upbeat song, something to take my mind off what’s happened at home. Home, what a joke. I glance out of the window, to see a large fold of Highland cattle grazing in a field, the farmer busy dropping off bundles of hay. He’s thickset, stocky, and wearing a flat cap. He reminds me of Alasdair and a wave of guilt washes over me. I should be making my way to the hospital not searching for a shoulder to cry on, but there’s no turning back now. I need to speak to Bridget, to tell her everything.
I find a local station playing the latest top ten hits, but the sound is jarring to my ears, just noise, and I can’t stand such an assault right now. I switch the radio off, grateful for the sudden peace and quiet.
The satnav breaks through the silence to tell me to take the next right. I slide the wheel through my fingers and ease off the accelerator, now heading inland, towards open countryside. A patchwork of dark earth and fallen snow wraps itself around me. In the distance, slate blue water sits peacefully along the horizon.
I drive down the country lanes much more slowly. The snow hasn’t been cleared here, being off the beaten track, and I feel the ABS kick in when I hit a patch of black ice. I suffer a shudder of unease, and for the first time, I wish Bridget didn’t live in such a remote area.
The wind blows wildly as I turn onto a narrow dirt track, a signpost up ahead welcoming me to Achnamara cottage. The moment I draw up outside, I’m in awe of the place. It has large eco-friendly windows everywhere, even in the roof. I step out of the car and the front door opens. Bridget waves and I hurry over.
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