Backing the cart out of the space by hand, Edan and Jamie quickly harnessed the horse. Cadha loaded the stools into the bed and Jamie hopped up into the driver's position at Edan's request. While Jamie drove, Edan removed the day's take from the inside pocket of his leather buff coat. A bit at a time, he transferred the money to his bag.
Once all was tucked away, he used the flap of the leather container to conceal his movements as he took a quick count.
"Och! What say ye, Laird?" Anderson inquired after a quick glance into the bag. "Were yur expectations met?"
"Aye. But, nae be bandying tha title about! I've nae wish tae be looked at tae closely by tha authorities. After all, what am I laird over, ah cottage an ah bunch of women?"
Jamie glanced at Edan and laughed. "Aye. Nae be forgettin tha lads and meself."
Edan put the leather bag into the inside pocket of his coat and grinned at Anderson. "Certainly, I'll nae be forgetting ye. As tha only male follower I have, I'll tell ye straight out, we did well. On tha morrow, we shall go on ah resupply mission."
Turning, Edan glanced back at Cadha. "I need ah list of tha things most necessary. Until tha other chest is finished an tha money in hand, we need tae be careful with tha coin."
"I'll see tae it, Laird." Cadha drew out the last word slightly, with a grin for Edan.
He blushed and turned away from her with a growl. Silently, he sat on the bench seat next to Jamie as he thought it over. It was true, he was the Laird. But of what, was the question. Would they prosper here or die off? It was unfortunately, in his hands.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he amended his first thought. It was in the hands of God. He could only do the best he could. All else was up to providence.
Turning back to Cadha, Edan called out softly. "Mayhap we should alert tha village as tae fact that the best midwife in all Scotland is on their door?"
Color bloomed on her cheeks as she glanced up at Edan. "Ye have me there, laddie! Nae, please! What I've tae deal with at tha moment is enough."
Edan began to laugh. He shook his head as the absurdity of it all careened through his mind. Surely, it was not funny, it was nearly tragic. No, for the widows, it was truly tragic.
Gaining control over himself, Edan looked into the questioning eyes of Jamie. Cadha was staring at him from the bed of the cart.
"I'm nae daft! All took ah strange turn in my brain. Pay it nae mind." Edan tried to reassure the other two.
How much control did God assert over his handiwork? Would the Lord of all keep him on the right path? Then Edan remember the concept of free will. Mankind asserted it's free will daily. Nor was he any different.
As he considered what might be in store for them, a bit of gooseflesh walked its way up his spine and across his arms. A chill took Edan and he folded his arms across his chest, tightly. The bright sunny afternoon faded and in its place, a gray haze seemed to overlay the area they were traveling through.
Nearly back at the cottage, the dirt track shimmered and a huge building hung over everything like a ghost. Sucking in a breath, Edan shook his head to clear it of the image which faintly overlaid everything he knew to be real.
Sweat broke out on his forehead. Before he succumbed to the urge to have Jamie halt so he could jump out of the cart and investigate, it all vanished. Taking a deep breath, Edan let it out slowly. He did not see the look Jamie and Cadha exchanged.
Cadha felt something had touched Edan. The exploration of what would wait until she could get him alone. She needed to talk with Edan. The tail of his coat was dangling behind him into the bed of the cart. Cadha tugged on it until he turned to face her.
"We need to speak." Saying no more, the old woman waited for him to acknowledge the need. He only nodded. It was sufficient.
Now her grandson by marriage, Cadha hoped the young man would not find it difficult to speak with her. If what she suspected, a vision had appeared to Edan, they needed to discuss it fully.
A residue of sorts, lingered in Edan's thoughts. It was as if whatever had happened was waiting to descend on him again. How, or what to do about it was another question. Cadha was correct, they needed to talk about what had just happened. The goose flesh again crawled up his spine and feathered across his forearms.
If this was what Hamish dealt with, it was something Edan did not want any part of. He remembered vividly his half-brother staring off into the far distance, unable to break free. Whatever Hamish was seeing, exerted a hold on him. Edan tried to pull him out of it without success.
Cadha guided Hamish, perhaps she would help him. But tonight was not going to be the night. Everyone was ready to hear all about the market. As soon as everyone had eaten, questions flew at the three of them.
How many people had viewed Daracha's material? What had sold first? What had gone last? What kind of people had purchased the material?
Which chest had gone first? Adie was the one who asked that question. Then Blane asked why the last chest had not been purchased. Edan smiled to himself, as he explained to his apprentices about the chest being sold contingent to modification. Both boys nodded solemnly.
Adie asked if Edan thought there might be a market for stools. With a slight smile, Edan replied he was not sure. They had used the stools, not put them up for sale. Adie nodded and a broad smile split his face. The boy was proud of his contribution and Edan was proud of his chief apprentice.
Another thing Edan needed to do was check with Rhona about Adie and Blane's lessons. He wasn't sure how the boys were doing. There was so much to do and the hours allotted were not enough. As it was, he needed to rest.
In the morning he needed to begin working on the design for the chest. The buyer had given him directions to his place of business. If Edan could finish the job before the following week, he could take it to the city and get paid.
The money from the chest would go toward more lumber. If the completed chests he had brought with him sold quickly, he needed to be able to restock. For that he needed lumber.
Exhausted, he slumped back against the wall. A conflicting array of things needing done and others needing to be purchased, threatened to overwhelm him. Closing his eyes, the young laird sighed in frustration. Two warm palms closed over his cheeks.
"Daracha!" This sigh was one of pleasure.
She pressed her lips to his forehead before turning to glance at those behind her. "We're away now. 'Tis been ah long day, an my lad is tired."
There were murmurs of agreement from the others. Daracha urged him to his feet. Tugging Edan over to the stair case, she moved to one side to allow him to go before her. "Up with ye. If they have more tae ask, tha morrow will be here soon enough."
Without a word, he climbed the stairs to their room. Lowering himself to the floor, Edan removed his clothing and wiggled out of his pants. After removing the brace, he slipped under the blankets and furs.
"Ah bed, we need ah proper bed. God's teeth, tha floor is getting further down with each night!" Edan grumbled.
Daracha turned her back to him and Edan struggled up onto one elbow to pluck at the laces of her stays. Loosening them enough for Daracha to slip them over her head, Edan lay back down with a groan.
"Shall I put tha salve on yur leg?" She had turned and was leaning over him.
"Nae!" Edan tugged on her hair. "Come tae bed. I dinnae think I've energy enough tae give ye ah good pleasuring. But, I've ah need tae hold ye."
"'Tis ah long day ye've had, my darlin." Daracha turned into his embrace. "Rest. Who kens? In tha morn, mayhap ah bit of energy may take ye by surprise."
Unable to keep his eyes from closing, Edan's last conscious thought was of how wonderful she felt pressed against him.
The early morning light barely touched their faces and the young couple was awake. As his wife had predicted, he did find the energy to wake her with a kiss. In the predawn light, Edan and Daracha made love on the pallet on the hard floor.
Slowly, they took delight in each other. Her hair shone in th
e growing light as he loosened the braid and tugged the strands out of confinement. The contrast of the red-gold locks against her creamy skin never ceased to entrance him.
Being without a bed and mattress, Daracha mounted Edan to keep him from causing his leg to ache. As much as he would have liked to have her beneath him, having her on top was satisfying. Being able to watch the play of light on her breasts, as her nipples flirted with him through the strands of hair, caused his body to flush with desire.
Wanting her so greatly, he could hardly understand how he had done without before. Panting, they lost track of everything. The noises they made while he drove upward into her, her gasps of pleasure, did not register, as they sought release.
Another did hear. The creak of the old floor joists caused Rhona to wake. Immediately, she knew what was going on in the room on the other side of the thin wall. 1Deliberately having placed her pallet against that wall, Rhona was always half hoping to hear Edan and Daracha.
One hurried look around the room in the dim light told her no one else was awake or aware of what was taking place. Placing her head as close to the wall as possible, Rhona pulled the covers around herself before seeking her own pleasure. Biting her lip to keep silent, her body became rigid as she flicked the hard nub again and again with a wet fingertip.
Allowing her imagination to play on the sounds of the couple making love, she was able to tease her own body into the release she needed1. The easing of the tension within, was worth whatever sin she was committing.
Today she would be able to tame the bitch inside easier. The day always went better when she was not a seething mess of unfulfilled need. It did not matter how she obtained a small measure of peace, the peace itself was the goal.
Closing her eyes, Rhona allowed herself to drift back into sleep. Isa would wake her soon enough. Glynis' wee girl had taken to waking Rhona. Glynis was an early riser and the little girl was not. As soon as Isa got too cold lying by herself in the bedding, she would crawl in beside Rhona.
They would cuddle for a bit before getting up and beginning the day. After the excitement of the day before, Rhona wondered if Isa would say anything. By the time mid-morning arrived, Rhona was well aware of Lara's hold on the children. No one even mentioned the trek through the swamp. If was as if nothing had happened.
Rhona hoped nothing came of it. She was not frightened of Tally for herself, but he could cause them a great deal of harm if he so chose. The man had power and influence, two things in very short supply in the MacGrough household.
In the bright light of a new day, she was able to banish her unease to the far corner of her mind. There was no way Tally Smith could know who she was. Further, she did not think he had seen her closely. Rhona prayed he had not.
Chapter Twenty - Four
The new cloth on her loom was shaping up nicely. Daracha liked the pattern she was weaving into the edges near the selvages. The border in pink and cream was an intricate pattern, not easy to make. The tiny diamonds it created would surely tempt a buyer. Daracha hoped for a large sum from the sale of the cloth. The weave was tight, but not so close as to make the material dense. The fabric would drape well once it left he loom.
Smiling, she continued to throw the shuttle across the threads. On reaching the edge where the diamonds were, the four smaller shuttles carried the different colors across creating the design. Beating the woof once hard, she beat it again half as hard. If she was making a tighter weave, she would beat it tighter.
Rhona came to sit beside her on a low stool. Taking a glance at the other woman, Daracha shifted to the other shed and threw the shuttle to the other side. Again, she beat the threads one time hard and a second time half as much.
"It's lovely!" Rhona sighed as she watched Daracha work. "I dinna understand how ye can keep it so perfect."
Daracha formed the next shed and let her arms fall to her sides. With a sigh, Daracha dropped her hands into her lap. "'Tis easy when tha first sound ye hear is tha shuttle flying back an forth an tha beater setting the woof. I woke tae it an went tae sleep tae tha rhythm."
Rhona nodded. "Aye. For me, 'twas different. As soon as I could crawl, I got away from tha cottage."
Daracha turned sideways. "Yur da was ah bastard, says my Granny."
"Och! I was truly happy when he never came home from tha city. He near killed my mither."
A warm hand patted her forearm gently. "Life is often difficult. I lost both my parents who were good people. But, yur da, tha wee bastard, stayed round tae make yur life ah living hell."
With a shudder, Rhona agreed. "Aye, there's nae accounting for it. An now, I'm alone. Alone, an pregnant. I've nae idea how tae deal with it all."
"Tha first thing, is tae understand ye're nae alone. Ye've never been alone. Laird Birk took yur Da tae task. Gara looked after yur mither until she was well. Hamish was there for ye. We all would have rallied round ye, if ye would have let us."
Bracing her elbows on her knees, Rhona laid her face in her hands. Turning her head slightly, she looked up at Daracha. "I was ashamed. I thought ye were talking about us behind yur hands."
"Nae, lass. All we wanted tae do was help ye. Ye're family." Daracha turned to look out the window. The light was perfect for working at that moment. Who knew what the balance of the day might bring.
Right at this moment, Rhona needed her. Daracha didn't know Rhona's reason for choosing her to bring her concerns to, but she would put the work aside for now. As the Laird's wife, Daracha felt a responsibility toward the women.
There were things only another woman would notice. Daracha kept a close eye on Edan's flock of ewes. Between her own observations and conversations with Edan, Daracha knew Rhona was changing from the angry young girl she had been. How far the change would go and how long it would last was impossible to gage. If what was taking place was only a reaction to the changes in her body due to the child...? Shifting her gaze to the dark eyes staring at her, Daracha took a chance.
"Any talk ye might have heard from tha elders was centered round how tae help ye. Tha weans, they can be brutal. I heard my share of taunts on account of having nae da nor mither."
Moisture pooled in Rhona's dark eyes. "Aye. I heard as well." Blinking her eyes, Rhona worked to stem the threatening tide.
She had dipped a toe in, the foot might as well follow. Daracha continued. "Och! An I certainly recall tha nastiness ye directed toward Edan. Do ye ken what that was about? It would seem ye have given thought tae what I told ye regarding him."
Rhona straightened up and looked away from Daracha through the window to the yard. She could not tell Edan's wife how she felt a growing bond with her. At times it was almost as if he were making love to the both of them. Hamish was somehow with her when she was able to fly away on the wings of their desire.
"I'm nae sure. I didnae want tae share Hamish. It was as if he was all I had an I didnae...couldnae give up any of him. I had tae hold my tongue when he did those things required of tha laird. But...Edan, he was another matter."
Rhona would not meet Daracha's gaze. Eyes firmly placed on the view out the window, the other woman's fingers were clenched around the fabric of her skirt.
"Jealousy is nae ah pretty thing. It blinds tha one caught in its snare tae all else." 1The weaver spoke softly.
Dark eyes flew back to the eyes of the wife of Edan. Rhona felt as if she was caught in the blaze of blue. Her breath hitched as she forced herself to take a deep breath. "Aye, jealousy is ah thing that eats away at ye from tha inside. 1It's as if ye’re always hungry an can never get enough. Yur gut is always growling away."
"Rhona, I think ye might have first-hand knowledge." Daracha's smile took the sting from her comment. "I love Edan with all I have. It pains me tae see him worn tae ah nubbin as he was last eve. I ease his burden any way I might, but tis never enough. It will never be enough. I could easily grow angry an jealous of tha time Edan must give tae MacGrough. Then he would be toiling in another field he has nae need tae be. I wo
uld be making his life that much harder. Ye ken?"
Tears threatened still. Rhona picked up her skirt and pressed the material to her full eyes. Daracha was silently waiting for her to gather herself. "An I did cause Hamish more grief than was necessary. I wasnae ah good wife tae him."
The fingers that manipulated the small shuttles to create beauty, reached out to clasp Rhona's hands in hers. "Och, hen! Now why would ye be buying heartache over something ye cannae change? Ye suited Hamish. He understood ye. Had there been time, ye two would have grown into each other, eventually. Ye're here now, thinking on things ye never considered before. ‘Twas nae yur fault tha war happened. ‘Twas nae Hamish's fault he was caught in tha middle between tae great beasts an bore tha brunt."
"I ken. But Daracha, I hurt! Tha loss of him is almost more than I can bear. I need him, I want his hands on me. How can I go through another night without?"
Sliding over to the end of the bench, Edan's wife moved her hands to Rhona's shoulders. As she rose, Daracha tugged the other young woman up and took her into her arms. "Oh, luv, I ken. Were I tae lose Edan, I might go mad. I had no notion until he took me, luved on me. I dinnae ken how tha others do without ah man's touch. 'Tis why we'll lose some here. We need love, as we need food an air."
Slightly taller than Daracha, Rhona 1buried her face in her shoulder. The tears refused to stop no matter how much she wished them to. Finally, Rhona was able to pull away from the warm arms that held her close.
Lifting her skirt, she wiped her face and shook her head. "Well, now. Look at me, ah weepy thing, tae be sure. Perhaps it's tha bairn. I've cried more in tha last few months than tha whole of my childhood."
"There's naught wrong with tears. But, tha day is getting on. I've ah length of cloth tae finish here an I'd best be about it. Nae be feeling guilty, now. I'm always here for ye an I'll nae begrudge ye any time ye wish tae talk. I want tae be yur friend, if ye will let it happen."
Taking another step away from Daracha, Rhona smiled. "An I need ah friend. Ye ken, I've never had ah woman friend. Be patient with me, I'm liable tae bollix tha whole thing up at some point." Her smile wobbled. "I'm trying. Really, I am."
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