The Twisted Laird

by Cherime MacFarlane

  Sinclair coughed up some phlegm and spit it into the embers of the fire. "'Tis ah canker in my soul. At times it eats away at me. I tried tae kill it with drink, but it'll nae stay gone. However, I've come tae ken, I must live with it."

  They fell silent, each man was lost in memories of the recent past.

  Jamie spoke first. "Did ye ken tha bloody butcher, Cumberland, he wrote on ah filthy playing card, tha nine of diamonds, there was tae be nae quarter given?"

  "Tha curse of Scotland." Edan spoke softly. "Tha card is doubly cursed, first it was Glencoe that tha card brought on, now Culloden. I dinnae think I can play cards again."

  "Och! Truly, Edan. But on tae other matters. Tha balance of tha land is mine. Deeded over to me by my uncle shortly before tha debacle. Before he gave Ian ah bill of sale. An, tha bill of sale only covers the house an backland. Tha fields are all mine. I mean tae grow vegetables for sale. But, I'll need access through tha property surrounding tha cottage. Give me access an I will either give ye money or produce or both, for use of access."

  Rising, Edan nodded. "Ye have my word on it, Sinclair. An after tonight, I'll never again address ye, as aught but Jamie Anderson."

  Jamie rose and the men clasped hands. "Well then, on tha morrow, I'll hire ah few hands an get tha fields planted. If ye have need of muscle, ye've only tae ask."

  Daracha waited for him in the quiet of their own room. When he managed to lower himself to the floor, she got up on her knees and helped him remove the bindings which kept the brace tight to his leg.

  With a small sigh, Edan lay back on the bedding. Strong fingers found the knots in his muscle and massaged them.

  "Have ye come tae an understanding with tha lad?" Daracha asked.

  "That one is nae quite as he seems. I think he is far older than his actual years. He kens ah bit more than I care for. Jamie kens I was at tha battle."

  Her fingers clamped extra hard into Edan's leg and he jerked in response.

  "Och! Sorry, luv!" She leaned forward to kiss him. "Is he ah danger, do ye think?"

  Leaning over him, her long hair brushed across his chest. Edan reached up and fastened his fingers into the hair at the base of her head.

  "Nae. For I ken ah few things about our new partner, as well. But enough of that. I have ye in bed an there are none tae hear what we do. I have ah few things I wish tae reconnoiter. My dearest wife, I think it will be ah bit longer before we are ready tae sleep tonight."

  Stilling her laughter with a particularly demanding kiss, Edan pushed her against him with his other hand.

  "Ah room of our own." Daracha whispered against his chest. "'Tis pure heaven!"

  Edan did not reply, as he had better things to do with his mouth than talk. Quite soon, there were only the sounds of two people deeply involved in exploring each other's bodies in the dark room.

  The days passed in a flurry of activity. Edan fell into bed exhausted, but Daracha's hands on his body always drew a bit more from him than he thought he possessed. Being alone in the room seemed to awaken lust in her as never before.

  Grinning, as he worked alongside the two workmen erecting the walls of his new shop, Edan felt his trews begin to get tight. He tried to turn his thoughts to something else, as he did not wish to broadcast his need.

  It was necessary to delve into the gold in order to get the materials and workmen to erect the shop. The coin itself was enough to bring questions from the banker. Edan told the man his grandfather had stumbled onto a hoard of coins buried beneath an old cottage. As such things did occasionally surface, the banker thought nothing further of it.

  Concealing his relief, Edan then opened an account with the bank. He had no intention of placing all of his assets in their control. Things were best spread around in the present economic situation. Promptly, Edan purchased what he needed, then began work on the new shop.

  He and Jamie conferred on the best possible place to put the new access path to the fields. In order to keep from cutting into the market garden area, Edan gave Jamie permission to erect a shed for his tools at the edge of the cottage's backland.

  This did infringe into the backland belonging to the property. If Jamie kept his part of the bargain by providing them with vegetables, they would still have sufficient land to pasture the horses and keep some fowl for eggs and the like.

  Another matter was that of household waste. As a farmer, Jamie understood the need for manure. He was willing to take the clan's waste matter and use it for growing the vegetables he intended to take to market. This suited Edan, as he would not need to deal with it personally. They determined the dunghill was to be at the far end of the field.

  As he gave up their garden area, Edan and Jamie drew up a document which stated Jamie would be supplying all vegetables to the MacGroughs. The written agreement was simply a guarantee.

  Alerted by his wife, Edan watched Jamie with Rut. Daracha was correct in her assumption, as far as Edan could tell. He thought once the infants made an appearance, Jamie would be coming to him to ask for the young woman's hand in marriage.

  The Highlander was besotted. With a slight lift of his eyebrow, Edan hefted another stone into position on the wall of his new shop. As he felt the same about Daracha, Edan had quite a bit of sympathy for Jamie.

  But what did Rut think about the man? That was another matter on the growing list of things he must attend to. Rut was not going to be forced to enter into a marriage she did not want. Then, there was the matter of the children she carried.

  Cadha assured him, Rut carried twins. No matter what the gender configuration, they were MacGroughs. He and Jamie would need to discuss the clan affiliation thoroughly before any marriage. Edan was not willing to give up one child, let alone two.

  Stepping back from the growing walls, he turned to look across the fields being tended for Jamie. It was clear Anderson had a bit of money with which to work. Four men were engaged in turning the soil along with Jamie. Come Sunday, the day of rest, he and Jamie would have another conversation.

  Turning, Edan walked back around the corner to view the looms through the windows of the downstairs shop area. Daracha and Cadha were busily dressing the looms in preparation for weaving. He was not quite sure what they planned, but was confident it would be something that would sell well.

  One major worry was Ian Smith. The man had not turned up for a visit. Edan dreaded the day when he appeared. There was likely to be a violent confrontation between Jamie and Ian. Unfortunately, although it did not actually involve the MacGroughs, Edan knew he would take Jamie's side.

  He was well aware of what type of man Ian Smith really was. Greed drove Smith. Ian had felt it necessary to come out on top of the agreement they had. Besting the other man was a necessity with Smith. Fair dealing was something he had no concept of.

  Again, Edan wished he had never met Ian Smith. But, had they not met the man, they would never have this lovely house and land. Nor would Jamie Anderson have come into their lives. Jamie knew what he was about when it came to farming. If the man's efforts at producing vegetables for market succeeded, they would all benefit.

  It seemed to Edan that good things were often laced with bad, and bad things with good. He did not die at Culloden, so he had Daracha. On the other hand, he did have a huge family to see to.

  That thought brought him back to Rhona. She had been quiet since their short conversation in Smith's yard. The woman went about the business of taking care of the household without a murmur. Edan felt like an abused dog, waiting for a blow and wondering why it did not come.

  All his introspection would not see the shop completed. Edan returned to the workmen and the wall which they were erecting. He would deal with Rhona when necessary.

  Chapter Sixteen

  After the conversation with Edan in the yard, Rhona thought it best to leave the man be. Daracha was correct, she needed to curb her anger at him. Quite soon she would be totally dependent on Hamish's half-brother. Once the child came, things were likely to rema
in the same. There was little she could do to support herself and a child in the city.

  One or two ways existed, but neither of them appealed. Being a whore and trying to raise Hamish's child was something she refused to consider. The other possible ways would mean little to eat and miserable living conditions. If there was no child to consider, Rhona knew she would probably leave.

  Being around Edan on a daily basis was very difficult. So many things about him reminded her of Hamish. The width of his shoulders, the way he stared off into space when considering some thought, the size of his upper arms, all brought Hamish to her mind.

  Considering it might be God's way of punishing her for the nastiness she inflicted on Edan as a child, Rhona felt her anxiety build. She wondered if Edan might finally take revenge for it all. One sure way to make her suffer would be to take the child and turn her out.

  A change had taken place within her. Rhona knew she wanted the child. The life growing within was all she had left of Hamish. She did not want to lose their son. Finding herself on the receiving end of fear was something she had not felt, since her louse of a father vanished.

  In the past, her reaction to fear was to meet it with aggression. Attacking that which induced fear in her was no longer an option. She must learn to keep her violent nature under control. To not do so, could be far more costly than she could bear.

  Daracha's words to her had struck deep into her heart. Rhona's entire childhood had been one of excess. She had given herself up to violence with ease. Curbing it would be difficult. It was already proving to be hard.

  She wanted to be kept abreast of the decisions Edan was making. Not being told everything was an irritant. Rhona knew there had been a bargain of some sort struck between Anderson and Edan. It galled her to be forced to go to Daracha for information. It was doubtful Edan would be willing to discuss anything with her.

  Daracha was easily found. Opening the conversation was another thing entirely. The other woman was busy pulling warp threads through the reed of the loom. Rhona quietly waited for Daracha to acknowledge her presence. Each thread must be placed in the proper hole or the cloth might be flawed.

  Edan's wife took a quick glance at Rhona out of the corner of her eye. "Go help Jean with tha wash an I will find ye later. I've nae time now."

  "Aye." Rhona fled. Her heart was thumping in her chest. A strange brew of embarrassment and anger caused her cheeks to heat. But, doing as Daracha had said, Rhona went to find Jean.

  The Clyde was not far, but it was far enough to make hauling their washing tub and the dirty laundry to its banks, a chore. The well on the property seemed to produce sufficient water for the household needs at the moment. As close to the river as they were, plentiful water should not be too far below the surface. Sustaining both the clan and the market garden was questionable. It was possible Anderson would not need to tap into the well to water his enterprise. Rhona wondered if the well was deep enough to support both.

  So far, no one from the burgh's council had approached them. The cottage and the field were at the very outskirts of the village, nearly to Broomielaw Street. It was possible they were considered too far out to be within the limits of Grahamston.

  Would Edan even tell them if the authorities did make contact with him? He was laird. Edan could pick and choose who to confide in. As Hamish had confided in her, Rhona assumed Edan would share with Daracha.

  As she and Jean tread on the clothes in the tub, Rhona's thoughts again turned to the need for clean drinking water. Water in the glen had never been a concern. The corrie burn provided all they needed for man and livestock.

  This was so far removed from anything she had previously experienced, Rhona was not sure what would take place. The combination of blows, losing Hamish and leaving the glen, had knocked her back sufficiently to cause Rhona to question everything.

  A memory came to her. Once, she, Hamish, and Edan attempted to damn the burn. They had been trying to create a moat around their imaginary keep. It was one of the few times she and Edan had worked together without her becoming angry with him.

  It was the MacGrough who lost his temper with the three of them. Birk had punished them severely. Another flash of memory reminded her of the fit of anger she then released on Edan. Rhona blamed him for the whole incident. Her embarrassment at being publically chastised by the Laird was the reason for her anger.

  When Hamish admitted to his father, he and Rhona were the chief instigators, Rhona lost control. Regardless of what Hamish said, she insisted on full punishment for Edan as well. Hamish had ignored her for days afterward.

  When Rhona begged him to speak to her, his terms were simple. Rhona found herself begging pardon from Edan in order to regain Hamish's favor. The pattern was set. She began to torment Edan whenever Hamish was not watching.

  Certainly, Hamish knew what she was doing, as he cautioned her often enough to cease. He loved Edan. Rhona knew Hamish loved his half-brother. She had begrudged Edan every smile, every pat on the shoulder and every hug. Now, Rhona wished she had listened to Hamish when he cautioned her regarding her treatment of Edan.

  Edan's statement, that he told Hamish he might have to "hurt" her was lodged in her heart. She would give anything to know what Hamish replied. Getting an answer from Edan was not likely.

  Rhona was silent as she worked with Jean to rinse out the clothing and lay it over various bushes around the perimeter of the cottage. Her thoughts tormented her, as she had once tormented Edan.

  It was late in the day when Daracha finally sought her out. By that time Rhona was not sure she should even broach the subject which had originally driven her to find Edan's wife.

  Unsure what to say, now that she had the other woman's attention, Rhona twisted a fold of her skirt in one hand. "Has Edan said aught of tha agreement between himself an Anderson? Do ye ken what we are about here?"

  "There's been little time tae discuss matters. I'm nae sure of all. Come tha Lord's Day, I think we'll have time tae talk. Edan near falls intae bed, wearied past caring if his clothes are off, or nae."

  Daracha reached out to touch Rhona on her shoulder. "He's tryin tae do what's best for all. That includes ye an tha bairn. Ye can trust Edan tae do as Hamish bid him."

  Head bowed, Rhona turned away. She had expected Daracha would feel that way. Edan was her man, he certainly could be expected to be kind to his woman. Kindness toward her and the child was another matter entirely. As the following day was Sunday, perhaps she would have answers then.

  Rhona woke before the other women she shared the room with. The day was gray and it looked as if rain had fallen during the night. They would not be going to church this morning. Edan had announced the previous evening he needed to call on the parson before they descended on the congregation. But he had confirmed that today they would all discuss the state of the clan.

  She dressed hurriedly, hoping to get downstairs before anyone else was up. Rhona wanted to walk a bit by herself. She was not entirely sure it was a good idea to walk alone to the village. Rhona hoped a short walk, along the edge of the field away from the main thoroughfare, might be managed without danger.

  Slipping out of the house, Rhona pulled the plain 1arisaid over her head as she sniffed the damp air. Agitated, the woman played with the edge of the material dangling over her shoulder as she walked.

  Rhona had counted on being in the same room with Edan and Daracha. Since the cottage was far larger than she ever imagined it might be, the couple had their own room.

  All night, dreams of Hamish had her tossing about on the pallet. She wanted to feel his fingers on her body. Rhona needed release. Being confined in the small room with the other women was not helpful. Nothing could be done about her situation in broad daylight and the possibility of release at night was small.

  It was all Hamish's fault, as he was the one who introduced her to the joys of lovemaking. Regardless of what anyone thought about physical matters between men and women, Rhona enjoyed sex. For some reason she
was unable to determine, since becoming pregnant, she wanted it even more.

  Picking her way over the uneven ground of the newly turned field, Rhona softly cursed Hamish, honor and men in general. They fought their horrid wars and left their women and children to pay the price.

  A small voice inside chided her, reminding her Hamish had taken great pains to make sure she and the other women were not alone.

  "Aye, well. Edan does me nae good when it comes tae tha luving." She muttered as she dodged a large rock at the side of the field.

  The inner voice asked what she was going to do after the child was born. It was a question she did not wish to consider.

  "I've some time before I need tae think on it. And how am I tae support tha lad alone? I'm penned here as surely as any cow that ever lived."

  It was an apt comparison, she decided with a nod of her dark head. "Ah breeding heifer. I've been bred an now I'm tae nurse tha wee bairn an care for it. At tha least I should have tha comfort of ah man!"

  Kicking a rock out of her path, Rhona heaved a sigh. It was all too much to bear. She felt caged. As far as she could see, there was no end in sight to the life of woman's work ahead of her. It was doubtful Edan would let her remarry, even if she found a worthy candidate.

  Hamish's lad, the new laird, would be all Edan gave thought to. Her wants and needs would surely be secondary to the infant. Would he even allow her to name the child? That was another question that poked away at her, much like a nettle under a blanket. Naming the child was her right and she did not intend to relinquish it to anyone else.

  So, what would she name the lad? It was a good question. Birk she ruled out immediately. Naming him after his grandfather was impossible. As much as she had disliked being hauled before Hamish's father, then taken to task for her misdeeds; no, not Birk.

  Hamish was also out of the question. Hearing the name or calling the name on a daily basis would rub her soul raw. She would need to give it more thought. The lad did need a family name.