The Twisted Laird

by Cherime MacFarlane

  Pulling her hand from his, Rhona pushed past him. Turning on the ball of his right foot, Edan watched her hurry through the doorway. Slowly, he lowered his hand. Staring out the opening where the door would be, he wondered what had really taken place. Had Rhona finally come to realize he meant her no harm? All the years she had battered away at him, she had fought without reason. Edan learned to respond to her anger by staying out of her way. If she would leave him alone, he would let her be, happily.

  The carpenter's knew their business. Edan was thankful he was not required to devote his full attention to the roof. He could not stop thinking about his conversation with Rhona. Something nagged at him. Sure he must have missed some nuance, Edan replayed the scene in his head several times.

  Finally, coming to the conclusion he was not going to find any fault with his first reaction, Edan tried to put it away. He needed to concentrate on the shop.

  He watched the boys as they went about their duties. Blane was keeping the inside swept up, as Adie worked to remove debris outside. Edan wanted fine shavings hauled from the area to a garbage pile a distance away.

  Fire was the one thing feared by every woodworker. Edan was being doubly careful, as the shop and living quarters were adjoining. Before work started in the morning, Edan issued an order forbidding any tobacco usage by the hired men while work was being carried on.

  There were some angry comments, which Edan ignored. The work would be done his way, or he would find other workers. None of the men of his family had taken up tobacco. They were endlessly teased by men of other clans for their cheap ways. Cost was the least of the reasons for not taking up the habit.

  The foremost reason was the scent. Anyone on their land would have instantly given their positon away while indulging in a pipe. The odor was far more pungent than that of a campfire. Noses unused to the smell would know trespassers were about. MacGrough was too small not to take advantage of every possible tool available to them.

  Calling a short break in the afternoon, Edan allowed any worker wishing to have a pipe, to do so as long as they indulged away from the property. Deciding sufficient time had passed, Edan sent Adie to gather up the men from the far end of the field.

  When the sun fell below the horizon, Edan called a halt to the work. It was time for something to eat and a rest. He also wanted to talk with Daracha. There were two things on his mind which needed to be aired. Edan was not happy about the women deciding to keep Smith's misuse of them quiet. The second thing was Rhona. He wanted to hear what Daracha thought about his latest encounter with the woman.

  They were snuggled up on their pallet of blankets and furs. Edan was mentally tallying up the material he would need to make a bed for them. They would need bedding, something he would leave to Daracha to manage. The frame and the roping for the mattress, he would see to himself.

  It had been difficult to get through dinner without bolting his food. Edan wanted to feel her body beneath his fingers. She interpreted his many yawns correctly and they retired after a hurried meal.

  Now, she lay in his arms, with her beautiful bottom pressed tightly against his body. Edan felt a slight stirring and wondered if he might interest Daracha in a second mating. She wiggled slightly when he kissed the soft skin beneath her earlobe.

  "Lusty wench!" He breathed softly into her ear.

  "An ye're bothered by that?" Daracha turned to face him and slid her leg up over his thigh.

  "Och! I am. So bothered, my belly is never full 'cause it takes tae much time tae eat. I'd rather be up here with my lusty wench an have my belly rumbling. I can always eat when I can nae longer get ah rise up for ye."

  With a giggle, Daracha tweaked one of his nipples and giggled harder at his sharply indrawn breath. "An when will that be? I'm thinking when ye're so old, ye totter."

  "Mayhap. But I've ah thing or two tae speak with ye about before touching those fine parts of yours."

  Her fingers twined themselves into the hair on his chest. "Aye? An what might they be?"

  "First is, the woman came intae tha shop tae talk early this morn."

  "I gather ye mean Rhona?" Daracha's fingers strayed over to one of his nipples and she tugged on the hair surrounding it.

  Feeling the pull clear into his groin, Edan flattened one hand over hers. "Ah moment, lass. Let me tell ye what she was about." He related the conversation to his wife while trying to keep her fingers from straying further down his body.

  "What do ye make of it? Do ye think she means tae abide by tha terms?'

  Removing her hands from his body, Daracha was silent for a moment. "I think she will try, an try hard. Rhona can never support herself here. She would need ah man. I'm nae sure she even wishes tae look at another...after Hamish. Rhona was mad for him."

  Capturing her hands against his chest, Edan leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "We'll see. Only time will tell on that front. On another matter, it seems ye women, tha lot of ye, conspired against me. Ye kept knowledge of Smith's doings with ye from me. I'm nae happy about it. Did ye feel I couldnae protect ye?"

  "There are times I think ye might be, as dense as one of tha blocks of wood ye work! God's teeth, man! Are ye daft? I've seen ye handle ah blade, I ken how well trained ye are. None of us wished tae cause trouble. Tha length of time we were tae be there was short an tha profit worth tha work." She punched him in the shoulder, quite hard.

  Edan grabbed her fist before she could do so again. He threw his bad leg over her body and felt her go still when the weight landed on her. "I've something else these fine fingers can toy with. Ye can take out yur anger another way. Would ye care for ah ride, ye wee hellion? I've ah big stick ye might wish tae feel inside. Would that suit?"

  Daracha giggled again. "Aye. Has it grown enough tae be mounted?"

  "If ye let me suckle ye ah bit, an if ye stroke it somewhat, I think we can give it a go."

  She dissolved into laughter as he lowered his head to her breasts. When Edan took a nipple between his lips and tugged hard, she began to sigh. Daracha would be ready for a ride in jig time.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The days went by swiftly, as they worked to settle into their new holding. Rhona took over care of the children. It was a chore she found enjoyable. Although the wee ones spoke their minds, they had no preconceived ideas of what to expect from her.

  There were more than enough adults in the household to take care of chores, so Rhona needed to keep the children occupied and out of mischief. Turning to education to keep them busy, Rhona found she truly loved teaching.

  As much as she loved teaching, the children craved the information she was able to give them. Drawing in the dirt with a stick, Rhona taught the children their letters. When Edan saw Rhona with the children clustered around her in the yard, he investigated. On seeing what she was doing, Edan sent Adie and Blane out to her for lessons as well.

  Later, in the evening at their meal, he sought her out and praised Rhona for her work. For some reason she was not able to comprehend, his praise caused her to flush. When she went to her bed, Rhona felt content. It was a feeling she had only experienced with Hamish.

  Sleeping through the night was something she had not done in a very long time. Rhona woke rested. With a slight smile, she went downstairs to the kitchen. Taking her tea and bannock off to one side, she looked around her.

  They were still using Edan's chests as chairs and tables. Soon, that would change. Edan would need to see about taking the chests into the city and selling what he could. They were also his samples, in a way, examples of the work he was capable of.

  Adie grabbed a cup of tea and came over to sit on the floor at her feet. They discussed words and how they came together. Blane joined them after a few moments and a discussion of the Sassenach language ensued.

  There was a great deal of laughter over certain words, when Rhona pointed out some similarities. Cat was the same in both languages. There was cu for dog which she pointed out was very similar to cur, a derogatory term for a
bad dog or person.

  The children gradually began to gather around her. It was not long before the youngest toddler was sitting in her lap. Rhona found she was happy to be the center of the children's attention.

  Glancing past the two looms through the windows, she noted the fog swirling around outside. It was probably a morning to stay inside by the fire until it burned off. When Edan called Adie and Blane to him, the two older boys bounced up and ran to his side.

  "Rhona?"

  Edan's voice caused her to lift her head in surprise. "Aye?"

  "If ye're doing sums or reading, will ye send for tha lads? They need tae learn an I've nae time tae do so myself."

  For a moment she was too surprised to reply. Edan was speaking to her as he would to any of the other women there. "Och! Aye, I will. Perhaps later, when we can go outside."

  With a nod of acknowledgment in her direction, Edan exited the cottage. Rhona noted the use of his stick was less for support and more for show, as he hardly used it inside. A small sigh of gratitude to God, for prayers answered left her. She would not admit to anyone here, her shame at having attacked him from behind that day.

  He had not deserved her anger or the cowardly and Rhona did admit it was cowardly, attack on his bad leg. The memory of it still made her squirm somewhat as her cheeks became slightly flushed.

  If he had not spanked her soundly, Hamish would have scolded her for a very long time. The exchange between her and Edan did cause a few sidelong glances. It was quite pleasant to not be glared at by the others around her. Not having her mother or Cadha taking her to task over her vile tongue, was wonderful.

  Rhona understood pregnant women were subject to swings of emotion. She had stayed well clear of pregnant women in the past, not wanting to be subjected to whining and God only knew what else. Pregnancy appeared to sit easily on her. After the first few weeks of throwing up, it all seemed to pass.

  Her nipples were indeed tender and unfortunately, Rhona would give anything to have Hamish so she might keep him chained to her bed. God knew she wanted him all the time. Not having him was trying in the extreme. Were he available, Hamish would be servicing her as often as she could contrive to have it happen.

  Feeling the heat and juices flow between her legs, Rhona knew she must find some relief. Asking Jean's lass, Lara, if she would mind Sim, Kyla's lad for a moment, Rhona explained she needed to go upstairs for something.

  Hurrying up the narrow stairs, Rhona entered the room quickly. She had brought along two books, only one of which was suitable for children, 1an Account of the Islands of Orkney. That one she would take down to show the children.

  First, there was another matter to deal with. Placing herself in the corner of the room where she would be shielded by the open door, Rhona faced the wall and lifted her skirt. With a slight moan, she pushed a finger between her legs and began to diddle herself. Rigid with desire, it took several strokes before she slowly relaxed into the pleasure.

  But, she knew she must hurry. One of the children would come looking for her if she took too long. After she convulsed with the release she must have, Rhona leaned her forehead against the wall for a moment. She wondered if any of the other women toyed with themselves or if she was the only one.

  It was a question she was not likely to have an answer to. She wiped her finger on the hem of her shift, then dropped her skirt. There was no time to do more. Grabbing the book from among her things, Rhona hurried downstairs.

  Gathering up her skirt, Rhona sat back down on a small stool. The children crowded around her when they saw the book in her hands. They eagerly watched, as she opened the cover. With a grin, she unfolded the map secured inside. There were several small sounds of pleasure when the children looked at what she had for them.

  She pointed out places on the map, then looked around the circle of children. Folding up the map and closing the book, Rhona began to tell them of Thorfinn The Mightly, Earl Sigurd's youngest son, the only grandson of Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, Malcolm II of Scotland.

  They listened quietly as she explained how Thorfinn was said to be unusually tall and strong, an ugly-looking man with a black head of hair, a big nose and bushy eyebrows. He did well in battle, for he planned well and was courageous. Rhona pointed out there was nothing wrong with being handsome, but courage and brains took one farther.

  Glancing out the window again, she noted the fog was burning off. It was time to take her charges outside. They would need to run about and burn off some energy before she tried to interest them in learning anything.

  Recalling how she hated to be kept indoors when the day was fine, Rhona understood the children would be more willing to listen when they worked off some of their energy. Watching the children run out of the house into the yard, she smiled. Soon, her own child would be in the thick of it. Rising, she went over to put her cup on the floor near the hearth.

  They needed a table of some sort. It was probably too much to ask of Edan for him to make them a table. Something would need to be done, as it was not good for the older women to be bent over the hearth constantly. Before anything could be done, the shop needed to be completed.

  Rhona put the book into the pouch tied to her belt and walked outside. The shop joined the house on the far wall. The shared wall eliminated one window. Once the glass came out of the casement where the window had been it would be opened to provide an inside door to the shop. Edan was reusing the window glass in one of the openings he had planned for his workplace.

  Walking out to the edge of the front yard, she viewed the addition. The roof was almost finished. The last of the slate tiles were being laid on. Edan was inside the shop and could be seen through an empty window enclosure. She watched as he used a wooden mallet to drive what appeared to be a leg into a wooden top.

  With his shirt off, Rhona was able to watch his muscles flex, as he worked. Frightened at the speed with which her body reacted to the sight, she quickly turned away.

  Edan, ye're watching Edan! Rhona scolded herself.

  Daracha would remove all the hair from her head a few at a time if she knew. The reaction was deep in her gut. It gripped her tightly and refused to let go. Shaking with the force of it, Rhona hurried over to the rowan tree on the far side of the property.

  Seating herself on an exposed root, she took several deep breaths to calm herself, Rhona recited the Lord's Prayer several times. This was beyond anything she could have imagined. How could she react to him in that manner? They hated one another.

  Leaning her head back against the tree's trunk with eyes closed, Rhona tried to make sense of it. It had to be the pregnancy. She was as a cat in heat. Somehow, she must regain control of herself.

  Sitting in the shade, Rhona slowly calmed her breathing. If it was the bairn, it would pass once the child came. She must direct her thoughts toward the wonderful day when her child arrived and all the foolishness would stop. Until then, she would exercise self-control. There was no choice.

  After a little while, the children began to gather around her under the tree. They were red-faced and covered in dust from running through the edge of the field.

  "Och! Tha lot of ye look like toads. Have ye been down tae tha swamp?"

  "Aye, there're toads an funny bugs in tha water there." Isa heaved out between pants. "An Sim nearly fell intae tha mess."

  "Haud yer wheesht!" Lara elbowed Isa as she looked at Rhona from the corner of her eye.

  "Were ye tae stay well away from tha water in tha swamp? I believe Cadha cautioned ye just tha other day against getting tae close. If Sim got intae tha soft mud he might have been sucked down he's so wee."

  "Please dinnae tell. We'll nae go so far intae tha swamp again. Sim got away from me an we had tae follow him intae tha mess. I swear, I'll keep ah tighter hold on tha wean." Lara pleaded.

  "Och! Well, see that ye do so in future. Nae, I'll say naught. Now, Lara, ye go an tell tha Laird we're having lessons an he will send Blane an Adie out for ah bit. Get on with ye!"r />
  Finishing sums, Rhona was just starting on reading with her book, when something caused a shiver to run along her spine. A rider had turned off Broomielaw and was sitting just inside the track to the village.

  The horse danced sideways as a loose bit of branch skittered across its path. The rider jerked the animal's head to one side, causing it to whirl around in a circle. Rhona knew the identity of the rider. Ian Smith had finally come to visit.

  "Adie, was Anderson still working in the field when ye came out?" She gripped his shoulder, as she continued to watch the man survey the village before him.

  "Aye. He was doing weeding in tha neeps."

  She glanced down at him for a moment before looking up at Smith. "Run tae Anderson an tell him there's cruadal on its way. Smith has come tae visit. Blane," Rhona glanced down at the smaller boy. "ye run tae tha Laird an give him tha same message."

  Both boys darted off. Rhona looked at the faces of Lara and Isa. The little girls were frightened. "Ye, take Sim and Lilas. Dinnae go tae tha front door of tha cottage. Go round this side tae tha back. Tell who ever ye see first, Smith is here. Then go intae tha nook behind tha stairs an stay there until someone comes tae tell ye all is well. Ye ken?"

  The two girls shook their heads in agreement. Lara grabbed up Lilas and Isa picked up Sim. They hurried off toward the back of the cottage without a backward glance. Rhona put her book into the pouch, removed it from her belt and left it under the rowan tree.

  She knew this would not go easy. Smith's posture told of someone who was surprised by what he saw. When Rhona first saw him, Smith was slouched down in the saddle. He was now sitting up straight, as he surveyed the scene in front of him.

  There was the sound of hooves coming from the far back of the shop. Rhona knew Anderson was on his way. Taking a quick look at the doorway of the shop, she saw Edan. His shirt was still off and he held a stout piece of wood in one hand.

  Smith was reining the horse in too tightly. It bunched its hindquarters, as it fought the bit. Smith lashed it across the shoulders with the free ends of the reins before kicking it forward. Rhona had an unobstructed view of his face, as Smith passed by the tree. He was in a rage.