by Sarah Hoss
She turned and glared at him. “Why are ye telling me this? Do you think I’m rude?”
He stopped again and turned to her, taking her other hand in his, also. “Ye know I doona think that. But, I doona want ye to offend anyone because ye aren’t prepared.”
She glanced over his shoulder in thought. “Thank you.”
He brought one of her hands to his lips and placed a kiss on it. Her skin was cold and he brought both of hers together and rubbed them, trying to warm them up. “There’s one more thing.”
She focused her attention on him. “What?”
As he began to speak, he turned to start walking again, this time back toward the keep. Her nose had also turned red and he wanted to get her back inside where it was warm. Checking his surroundings, he noticed something off to his right. It looked like material. He let go of her hand and hurried over to it just as the wind picked it up again. A woman lay on the ground and as he got closer, he recognized her.
“Rebecca,” he called out in surprise. He heard Gillian coming up behind him, but he kept his attention on the still form on the ground.
He shook her. “Rebecca.”
Gillian squatted down beside him and placed two fingers on her throat. After a second, she said, “She’s still alive.”
He noticed the red marks on her throat when Gillian removed her hand. “Someone has strangled her.” He stood quickly and scoured the woods looking to see if there was anyone still in the area. Seeing no one, he scooped her into his arms and began walking quickly. “We have to get her inside where it’s warm.”
Once inside, they took her straight to her room and he laid her on the bed. “Stay with her. I’ll be right back.”
Ten minutes later, he returned to find that Gillian had placed blankets over her and was now rubbing her feet to help generate warmth in them. James and the chief’s son, Ewan, were right behind him.
James walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. Gently, he pulled back the material and examined her neck. Red irritation marks were being overtaken by deep purple bruising. He glanced back over his shoulder. “Explain to me what happened again.” He turned back to Rebecca and began to feel for broken bones.
Hamish watched as he worked. “We were walking through the woods. On our way back, we found her lying there, unconscious. I picked her up and brought her here.”
“Was there anyone else in the woods?” Ewan asked, looking over James’s shoulder as he checked on the woman.
“I searched the area several times and I never saw anyone. I don’t know how long she lay there.”
Rebecca began to stir. As she became more aware, she began to fight and scream.
“Shhh,” James said, but to no avail. Her eyes were open but he doubted she saw anything but her attacker.
Hamish placed his hand on James’s shoulder. “Let me sit down.”
They traded places and Hamish tried to calm her. “Rebecca, tis me, Hamish. Tis all right.” He grasped her wrists to keep from being hit. Gillian had stepped away from the bed when Rebecca began kicking and now stood watching.
“Hamish?” Her breathing was labored and with a sore throat, her words were barely audible. She focused, finally seeing who was in front of her.
“Aye. Yer in yer room. Everything is all right.”
She glanced around to see who all was there then sat up. Throwing herself in his arms, she sobbed. He rubbed his hand up and down her back trying to console her. “Yer safe now.”
Leaning back, he placed her face in his hands. “Rebecca, look at me.” Her body shook with her tears, but she opened her eyes to look at him and wiped her nose.
“Who did this to ye?”
He saw everything she was thinking cross her features. Her brows furrowed in dismay and a new tear fell from her lashes to slip down her cheek. She tried to sit back away from him.
“Do I have to talk about it right now?” She shook her head no over and over again. “Please, doona make me.” Sad and frightened eyes stared at him. He caressed her cheek. Her hands were gripping his sleeves so tightly, that her knuckles were white.
Ewan squatted next to the bed. “Nay, ye doona have to right now. But soon, okay? We need to catch who did this to ye.”
Hamish settled her back in the bed and covered her up. “I’ll come back in a bit with some food and check on ye.”
All four left the room and Hamish quietly shut the door. He huddled in conversation with James and Ewan. When he came to his senses and remembered Gillian, he turned left then right, finally peering behind him to find her leaning against the wall. He took the few steps needed to reach her.
“Forgive me.”
She smiled and nodded. James and Ewan came to stand beside him, all eyes on the new guest. He turned to be at her side as he gave the introductions.
“Gentleman, this is Gillian Meadows. She’s a friend of Marlana’s and came from America to visit.”
He turned and smiled at her. Holding his hand out, he first motioned to James. “This is my older brother, James Macpherson.”
James bowed to her. “My lady.”
He then motioned to Ewan. “This is Ewan Macpherson. He is the son of the clan chief.”
Ewan bowed, also. “Tis my pleasure.”
“Thank you. I’m very happy to meet you both.”
James glanced over at his brother, but quickly looked back at her as he spoke. “Why did ye bring her here and not leave her with Marlana?”
He smiled, for he couldn’t help himself. “Marlana had the baby.”
His brother gripped his arm. “Truly? And everything went all right?”
He nodded. “Aye, mother and baby are well. They had a girl.” Eyeing his brother, he added. “Alexander named her Margaret.” The brothers shared a silent understanding.
Ewan patted them both on the back. “As it should be. We will toast to the safe delivery, then hasten to tell my father what has happened here today.”
“Give me a moment and I will meet ye in the chief’s study,” Hamish said.
He took Gillian by the elbow and steered her toward James’s room. Once inside, he shut the door. “I know this is unconventional, but I must leave ye for a moment. I wish ye to stay here for the time being.”
“Okay.”
She wandered around the room, examining things here and there.
“I’ll have some wine and food brought up for you.” He approached her as she stood near the one window of the room. “I’m sorry.”
“Hamish, really, it’s okay. I understand. Go, do what needs to be done for that poor woman. I’ll be fine right here.”
He gently held her chin in his right hand and leaned in to kiss her. Her eyes closed and he loved that look of expectation on her face. Her lips were soft and as she parted them for him, he took the advantage and kissed her deeply. Letting go of her chin, he slipped his arms around her waist as she brought hers up around his neck. Their bodies touched from knee to breast. Every time he kissed her, his pulse quickened with such need. When one of her hands entwined through his hair and massaging his neck, he thought he would come undone. He had to leave the room before he stripped her of her clothes and made love to her. He was amazed at how easily he could lose himself within her embrace.
He broke the kiss, most reluctantly, and stepped back. Her lips were swollen and her eyes held a look of desire that matched his own. They stood for a moment, staring at one another. No words were needed.
He pivoted on his heel and left the room before he changed his mind.
Gillian sat back on the window sill as he shut the door. Her heart pounded in her chest. She loved him, there was no denying it. The feel of his kiss still lingered and she raised her hands to lightly touch her mouth. She almost called out to have him come back and make love to her,
but the other woman crossed her mind and she knew he needed to go.
He had called her Rebecca and her heart went out to her. How unimaginable it must be to have been strangled and left for dead. She hoped they found the person and soon. Being a stranger in this new world was scary enough, let alone have a murderer running loose.
Someone knocked on the door, startling her. Quickly, she strode over and opened it. A young girl of about thirteen years old stood holding a tray.
She stepped out of the way and let her in. The girl had mousy-brown hair pulled back into a low bun on the back of her head. Tiny little wisps of hair surrounded her face. Her dress was made of brown, homespun wool and fit loosely on her. Everything was brown and gave her the impression that the girl was to be useful without being noticed.
“Thank you.”
The girl just looked at her blankly, curtsied, and left. She turned in a circle scouring the room.
“Now what?”
Chapter 22
Hamish sat on the edge of Rebecca’s bed, watching her. She sighed. For a week now, he’d come into her room three times a day, checking on her. And though she absolutely loved the attention and was happy to know he cared, it was starting to wear on her nerves.
“The bruising is almost gone.”
Gingerly, she touched her neck. It wasn’t sore anymore and her voice was almost back to normal. She swallowed.
“Ye were verra sick after the attack. We doona know how long ye lay outside in the snow and cold. Ye were fevered and we couldna wake ye.”
“I’m sorry if I worried everyone.” She had followed everyone’s advice and stayed in bed longer than needed to avoid the stares and questions.
“Good, I’m ready to get out of this bed.” Glancing over at him, she gave him her best flirty smile. “Unless, there is a reason to stay in this bed?” Her hand came out of the covers to lie on his thigh.
It had been a long time since they’d been together. He’d left to fetch the woman for Marlana and had been gone for a whole month. She’d missed him.
“I can’t.”
Pouting, she slid her hand further up his thigh so that it rested under his kilt. She held his gaze in a battle of wills.
“Rebecca, no.” He removed her hand and rested it on the blanket over her stomach.
She turned her head to glare out the window. “I need ye, Hamish. I haven’t felt safe since,” she paused and sniffed her nose, “since that day. Every time the door opens, my heart stops until I can see who it is.”
She threw the blankets back and started to sit up.
“What are ye doing?”
She tilted her head and glanced at him before swinging her legs over the side of the bed. “I need to get out of this bed.”
He stood, and turning to her, bent down to lift her into his arms. He strode over toward a chair.
“Hamish,” she laid her hand on his cheek, “Kiss me.”
When he reached the chair, he stooped to place her in it. “Who did this to ye?”
His hand stroked slowly up and down her back, soothing her. She kept quiet. How did she tell them it was her brother that had done this? She’d changed her last name to Macpherson, to hide who she really was, a Murdock. She hadn’t cried when Fergus died because there was no love lost between her and her family. But never, ever, did she think that Archibald would try to kill her. Hamish hated him, so how would he feel if he knew that she was one of them? She had to keep quiet.
She became restless, guilty at keeping secrets from him. As she tried to remove herself from his inquiring gaze, he gripped her arms and held her in place. The need to keep her privacy warred with the need to keep Hamish in her life and the battle was a tough one to fight. She didn’t like to lie because it was something her family had done well and she wasn’t like them. But deep in her soul, she knew that if Hamish found out the truth, he would leave her. That wasn’t something she could bare.
His hands came to cup her face and he looked directly into her eyes. “Ye doona have to talk about it until ye are ready.”
He seemed so sincere.
“Just know, the longer ye wait, the longer this person is out there to do it again.”
More guilt. She opened her mouth to tell everything, but quickly held her tongue. Lowering her gaze, she toyed with the edge of his plaid near his chest. This man was her world and she could not lose him. If she lost his trust, she didn’t have anything. There was a war raging inside her and it caused her chest to tighten.
They sat in silence for a moment.
“Please, kiss me.”
His jaw worked as he contemplated his decision and she began to wonder if he would or not. Then, slowly, he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Closing her eyes, she gave into it. She accepted his tenderness after experiencing such brutality. She clung to it and she accepted the friendship and love in a world filled with hate and it was all wrapped up in this man’s arms.
She tried to deepen the kiss, but he backed away. Her face was still held in his hands and he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
“I have to go. I must train with James and the men. They await me in the practice yard.”
She rubbed her lips together and nodded.
He stood and went to place her back in the bed, but she stopped him.
“I would like to stay in the chair, please.”
He smiled at her. “As ye wish.” He went back to the bed to gather a blanket and brought it to her. She held a book in her hands and opened it. He walked over to the door and she smiled as he glanced back at her before closing it behind him.
After reading six pages, she sat the book down and stood. Stretching her back, she heard every vertebrae crack and she sighed at the pleasure. She was so stiff lying in the bed all the time. This room was beginning to feel small and it was making her edgy. She walked over to the window that looked down upon the men’s training area. She was lucky enough to have gotten this room, and though it was a small window, she had found herself here many times secretly watching them.
She enjoyed their display of strength and power. Wielding a sword, wrestling, and once in a while, learning how to take a man down from a horse. Their sweaty bodies, half-naked, glistened in the sun and it excited her. A few times, she had envisioned one of them as they were saving her from the ravishings of a dreadful kidnapper. More often than not, it was Hamish who was the hero.
She leaned against the small window sill and spied out amongst the field. There was a blanket of snow on the ground that had fallen in the middle of the night. All the men were there, chatting and getting ready. Off to the left, she saw Hamish coming around the corner, followed by the new girl. She tried to remember her name. Gillian. They stopped just on the edge of the field. A stone wall enveloped the area in a square but the sides came short from meeting the castle. This is where they entered and exited.
And this is where they stood, just at one of the entrances. Gillian was bundled and their breaths came out in little puffs of smoke as they talked. His hand lay at the small of her back and he was pointing here and there. He was most likely telling her who people were and what would be happening. It all seemed innocent and she let go of the breath she’d been holding. A couple of the men came up and he introduced them. After a brief welcome, the men bowed and she curtsied.
Then . . . Rebecca’s fingers curled and tightened into fists. Anger began to boil within her, for as Hamish began to walk away from Gillian, he leaned over her hand and placed a lingering kiss. She could almost see the blush on the woman’s cheeks from her window. There was a moment passing between them and she knew then that Hamish’s heart was no longer hers. As they parted, their hands lingered in the air until he stepped away and their arms fell to their sides. It was such an open display of affection.
She turned away and lean
ed against the stone wall. It was cool on her back but did nothing to sooth her. She placed her hand over her mouth in thought and breathed deeply. He’d only known this woman for a month. She, on the other hand, had known him for a year and a half. They were friends and they were lovers. Had he not just sat in this very room and kissed her before going outside? Yes, but because ye asked him to. He felt sorry for ye.
Rebecca shook her head. No, she couldn’t think things like that. They had a connection. This was the man she was hoping to marry someday.
She turned back to the window and glared at Gillian. There was no way she was going to lose him, especially not to someone like her. She walked quickly to her bed and stripped off her sleeping gown. Putting on a new shift and dress, she combed her hair and pinched her cheeks. She couldn’t stay in this room any longer. If she did, she could lose everything. She jogged back to the window and found the woman still standing there. She clapped as Hamish defeated one of the other men in a hand-to-hand competition.
It was time to set a new plan in motion. Gillian wouldn’t stand in her way and she didn’t care what she had to do to win. She paused halfway to the door. Realization stopping her.
What she’d tried to avoid all along had happened anyway. “I guess ye canna run from yer family after all.”
Rebecca spent the last three days watching and learning. Now, as she ate breakfast, her mind began to plot. She knew what she had to do.