The Twisted Laird

by Cherime MacFarlane

  Ailene wanted to be put down. Rhona placed the little girl on her feet and the child went directly over to where Cadell and the twins were.

  Rhona turned to Edan. "I'm truly amazed ye got tha Parson tae agree so readily."

  With a shrug, Edan reached out to give her a one armed hug around the shoulders. "I ken tha manner of man he is. He's nae ah bad sort, just tae intae tha letter of tha law an nae well acquainted with tha spirit."

  "Now then, do ye need something new tae be married in? Ah shawl, or suchlike?" Edan asked as he turned to the table and sat down at its head.

  With a shake of her dark head, Rhona came to sit beside him. "Nae. I'm wearing ah bit of clothing from all here." Her cheeks were rosy from a blush. Rhona was not used to being taken in hand by the other women.

  With a grin, Edan looked around at everyone in the room. Kyla smiled at them. Rhona's gaze dropped to her hands, as she was overtaken by emotion. Rhona was no longer going to be allowed to hide behind her prickly mask.

  Everyone in this house knew Rhona MacGrough was a woman who loved children. A woman who stood with her people and did not shirk duty. She might be a bit on the quiet side, but his Rhona was loyal and trustworthy. The thought filled him with warmth. He did trust her. Things happened at times and one was not always able to control situations.

  The yard, the clan, everything he had deserted while in the grip of rage and revenge, was safe because of Rhona and Jamie. They had taken on the duties he was not able to carry out while gone.

  A sudden wail of anger alerted the mothers to the fight which was taking place over the blocks. Jumping to her feet, Rhona ran over to help Rut get the children under control.

  Callum appeared at Edan's left side. "Sir, I need tae speak with ye, if ye would."

  "Aye. What do ye need?" Edan straightened in the chair. Callum didn't often approach him. "Please, might we go intae tha shop for ah wee while?" The boy's dark eyes met his for a moment before they slid away.

  "Come along, lad." Edan rose and walked to the door. Callum was right behind him. Something was obviously bothering the boy. Edan wondered if he might be unhappy because of the marriage arrangements. Perhaps he should have spoken to Callum about it before going to see Parson James.

  Edan unlocked the door and he and Callum walked into the quiet of the shop. Pulling out his stool, Edan turned and leaned his hip against it. Callum stood just inside the doorway. The boy was looking at his feet with his hands clasped together tightly.

  "Shut tha door, there's ah good lad. What do ye need?"

  Callum shut the door and leaned against it for a moment before turning to Edan. "It was me. I'm tae blame."

  "For what? I dinnae ken what ye're speaking of." Thoroughly baffled, Edan shifted off the stool and took a step toward the child. Callum flattened himself against the door and gazed up at Edan. Fear seemed to flow from the child into the room.

  "Callum? Lad, what's wrong?" Retreating back to the stool, Edan waited for the boy to speak.

  "Tha three of us, Adie, Blane and me, we were in tha shop that night. We opened tha door. I didnae shut it right, 'tis why Sim was able tae open it." The child's breath hitched in his throat and his breathing was far too fast.

  Feeling as if he had been punched in the stomach, Edan clamped down on his first response. It was all over, nothing would be served by berating this child. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to remain where he was.

  "Why do ye tell me this now?" His hands clenched around the edge of the stool's seat, yet he was able to keep from yelling at the child.

  "I dinnae want her hurt. I should've come tae ye afore this." Looking down at the ground, the child seemed to be waiting for something. Edan realized the boy thought he was going to be thrashed for his part in Daracha's death. Callum was speaking up because of his love for his sister.

  God, help me here. Edan prayed. "Tha culprits have been punished. I care for Rhona, tha last thing I wish tae do, is hurt her. Do ye ken, hurting ye, would hurt Rhona?"

  The child looked up at him with eyes brimming with tears. "Nae, sir. I'm sorry, sir. I didnae ken Sim was in tha shop."

  Callum blinked as he tried to keep from crying. "An, it seems Sim's mither didnae ken he was in here, either. Callum, do ye ken God gives all free will tae make decisions?"

  Shaking his head slowly, the boy was still staring at him. Edan let go of the edge of the seat, closed his eyes and shook his head. Opening his eyes, Edan watched as Callum slowly slid to the floor.

  "Smith an his crew had ah choice. They could've left us alone. Tha men who came here an burned tha yard were drunk. They choose tae drink an were unable tae control their mounts. Ye chose tae open tha door tae look. Daracha choose tae try an save ah wee one. None kens what ah particular choice will bring tae them. There are some things 'tis better tae nae do. Ken?"

  Hugging his knees to his chest, Callum was watching Edan intently. There was a knock on the door between the shop and the cottage.

  "Aye?" Edan called out. At this moment, neither of them needed an interruption.

  "Edan, 'tis almost time tae eat." Rhona called out to him through the door.

  "Callum an me are needing ah wee bit o' time before we're ready. Let everyone start without us. We'll be along later." he called out, never taking his eyes from the child huddled by the door.

  "As ye wish. But, do ye think ye might be long?" she asked.

  "Cannae say. We'll be along when we can. Nae worries, Rhona."

  She didn't reply and Edan took a deep breath. He could not turn the clock back. What was done was done. Beating the boy with the thing, would not change where they were now. On Sunday, he would be married to Rhona. They were starting a new life. It seemed to Edan, it was time for Callum to shed some things as well.

  "What ye need tae learn, is how tae look at tha choices ye have before ye. Tha things Tally Smith did for profit, unlawful profit, were wrong. He was willing to hurt anyone tae put ah bit of coin intae his pocket. Coin is nae tha right measure of things. I'm nae saying ye can make ah business decision without considering money. We'll speak on this later."

  Something the child had never experienced was love. It was time for Callum to learn how important love and forgiveness were. "Come here, lad."

  Callum's eyes got wide again, as he scrambled to his feet. Edan held out one hand. "I'm part of yur family. Take my hand, I'm nae going tae hurt ye, I swear it."

  The boy gulped and took one very small step toward Edan.

  Edan kept his hand extended to the boy until the child finally walked close enough for Edan to grip his wrist.

  Flinching, when Edan took hold of him, Callum pulled back slightly.

  "Have ye ever seen me hurt ah wean?" Edan asked.

  Callum only shook his head. By tugging on him gently, Edan finally got the boy close enough to pull him into his embrace. Callum buried his face in Edan's shirt and began to sob.

  "Wheesht, lad. It was ah very bad thing they did tae all of us. It wasnae yur fault. I'm sad, aye. But I'm nae angry with ye. Ye were ah brave lad tae tell me, I ken ye didnae want me tae blame Rhona. I dinnae blame her or ye."

  A tiny squeak made Edan look up at the door. Rhona stood there. Edan shook his head. She quietly closed the door and left. When the child ceased crying, Edan took a rag from beneath his bench and gave it to the boy so he might blow his nose.

  Everyone had gone to bed. Edan got both of them some of the stew from the pot on the hearth. Taking his stew upstairs, Edan went up to tell Rhona what had transpired.

  Chapter Fifty - Seven

  With a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, Rhona sat up in bed waiting for Edan. Whatever had taken place in the shop between Edan and Callum was of major importance to the both of them. The look on Edan's face conveyed that information to her. This was not a simple matter.

  At last, she heard his distinctive tread on the stairs. The flame of the candle sitting on the top of the chest next to her fluttered from the breeze of the opening door. Noting th
e cup of stew in his hand, Rhona waited.

  As she watched, he drank the liquid, reached into the vessel with two fingers and retrieved the chunks of meat. Tossing the mutton into his mouth, Edan placed the cup on the bedding chest against the wall at the end of the bed. His face was haggard when he finally turned to look at her.

  Drawing in a deep breath, Rhona took the blanket off and spread it over the bed. Leaning over, she flipped the end of the bedding over Edan's side of the mattress "Are ye going tae tell me? I ken something is wrong." She smoothed the covering over her body as she spoke without looking at him.

  "Let me get undressed an intae bed, then I'll tell ye. Do ye mind if we put tha candle out?"

  With trembling fingers, Rhona pulled the cover up to her chin. She found herself praying whatever the trouble was, it would not put an end to their marriage plans. "Nae. Come tae bed. I'll put tha candle out when ye're settled."

  She watched Edan sit on the side of the bed and pull off his shirt. He tossed it to the end of the bed. Unfastening his trousers, he stood, pushed them away from his body and reached down to gather them up with his left hand. They followed the shirt. Spreading both arms out, Edan braced himself as he sat nude on the edge of their bed.

  "Snuff tha candle, if ye would." he asked.

  Wetting two fingers in her mouth, Rhona turned to pinch out the flame. Sliding back under the covers, she waited. Every muscle in her body was tense as Rhona waited for the trouble to come out of his mouth. Fear caused her mouth to go dry. She did not want to lose this man. Thinking about being alone for the rest of her life terrified her.

  "Och, come here, sweeting. I've an need tae hold ye." Edan's words loosened the hard knot of fear inside and she almost began to cry in relief.

  She wiggled up next to his left side and sighed in relief when her head settled on his shoulder. Edan's arm went around her and Rhona tucked her head against his neck. She hugged him lightly when she placed her left arm across his chest.

  "Sorry, lass. I didnae mean tae frighten ye. It'll come right in tha end, but it woke all tha cac inside me again. Poor wee laddie. It was Callum, he left tha shop door open that night. He was tha reason Sim got out."

  "Sweet Jesus!" Hugging him tighter, tears welled up and Rhona began to cry.

  "Wheesht, love. We'll weather this."

  "Are ye going tae send him away?" she managed to ask as the tears slid down her cheeks onto his skin.

  "Nae. Tha lad was terrified. Tha reason he finally said aught was because he feared I was angry at ye over it, still. He didnae want ye hurt for his misdeeds. 'Twas ah brave thing tae do." Edan lapsed into silence.

  Turning his head, Edan kissed her forehead. Rolling onto his left side, he brushed the tears from her face. "Thinking on it brought back tha hurt. But, I've ah cure. I'm going tae luv on ye until my body refuses tae move."

  Searching fingers found her face. One finger feathered across her lips before Edan's mouth closed over hers. A palm cupped her cheek as his other hand brushed over Rhona’s skin and came to rest on her breast. Warm lips left a tingling trail over Rhona’s neck. Then Edan’s mouth found the nipple his hand was pushing upward toward his lips.

  Drinking in his scent as Edan's mouth caused a fire to begin inside, Rhona cataloged the difference between the brothers in her head. Edan smelled of wood, wax and a musky fragrance all his own. His hands were not as big as Hamish's, but his fingers were longer.

  When he tugged her nipple out and held it while teasing the very tip with his tongue, Rhona gave up the comparison. He was no longer Hamish's brother. He was Edan, the man who was causing her to come alive again.

  With one hand, she loosened the leather tie from his queue so she might run her fingers into his hair. Edan gently pushed her left shoulder back onto the mattress. Warm lips closed over her other breast and Rhona caressed his broad back.

  "Luv on me all ye please." she whispered into his brown hair.

  His response was a sucking kiss on one nipple that brought an instant response inside. Bringing her left leg up, Rhona rubbed it across his tight buttocks. Long fingers parted her and stroked across the tingling nub of flesh between her legs. Edan stroked Rhona in time to the rhythm of her leg stroking his buttocks.

  Finding one of his taunt, hard nipples, she flicked a finger across it in time to what he was doing to her body. Inserting a finger into her, Edan kept up the thing they had begun, playing each other like instruments. His fingers stroked inside her, even as his palm rubbed across her in a dance that caused her legs to fall open.

  Stopping, Edan lifted himself away from her. Rhona tried to pull him back, but he bent his head to whisper to her. "I'm going tae roll over ontae my back. I want ye tae mount me. Ken?"

  "Aye." Rhona replied as she rolled over Edan's hips.

  "Lass, nae. Come up here." Taking hold of her hips, Edan urged her up even as he slid down. His tongue flicked across her and Rhona sucked in a breath as he buried his face within her. Edan's long fingers fastened on her nipples and Rhona rolled her hips across Edan's face.

  Her fingers gripped his wrists.

  "Spread yourself for me." he mumbled.

  Rhona reached down and did as he asked. It was sinful. That was Rhona's first thought as she opened herself to Edan. What he was doing was causing her to shake with the force of the desire she felt.

  Flattening his tongue, he drew it slowly across her flesh and she shuddered. Had his hands not been holding Rhona up, she might have collapsed on Edan. Hands squeezed her breasts as she was being sucked into his mouth. Rhona felt as if she might burst into flame when she finally obtained release.

  Feeling as if her bones had melted, Rhona felt powerless to stay upright, but he was not finished with her. Taking her by the hips, Edan forced her body backward even as he slid upward on the bed. When Rhona was in place, Edan released her long enough to push up into her.

  Then those strong hands were back on her hips again. Long fingers held Rhona in place as he pushed up into her. Riding him brought the tension back again. Edan's right hand reached for hers as Rhona spread her fingers and flattened her hand between them. Feeling the hard ridges of him as he pushed up into her, Rhona clung to his hand.

  Grinding her hips on his, as he came apart inside her, Rhona bit her lip to keep silent. Edan was breathing hard as he pulled Rhona down on top of him.

  Still stroking her back with his hands, Edan whispered into her ear. "Tell me, did Hamish ever use his mouth so?"

  Rhona stiffened a little in his hold. Edan shushed her as he continued to stroke her sweaty skin.

  "Did he?" Edan asked her again.

  "Nae. Nae, like that."

  "Good!" He huffed out into her hair. "I never did such like with Daracha. It was just us, Edan and Rhona. There were nae others in tha bed this night. Do ye ken, lass?"

  Sliding up his body, Rhona took Edan's head between her hands and kissed him. "Och! I do ken. 'Twas only us."

  Rhona understood perfectly. And Edan slid, like one of his wooden wedges, into a place in her heart which was his alone.

  When they wed on Sunday, all the family celebrated with them. Edan did not allow Callum to hide on the sidelines. The cottage on Wood Lane rang with laughter and joy as the MacGroughs celebrated.

  Epilogue

  Their anniversary would be in a few days. Edan was buffing the chest he had been working on to a high shine. Early in the morning before anyone else was up, he finished the inscription on the inside of the top.

  With a smile, he thought about the last two lines of the MacGrough riddle again. "Beloved husband, beloved wife." Rhona most certainly was his beloved wife. And for all her reserve, Edan knew she loved him.

  Speaking it was not something the woman did often. Rhona had other methods, a light touch of her fingers on his hand for no particular reason. As tall as she was, there were times she simply put her head on his shoulder and they stood there, drinking each other in.

  His beloved thought this was a commission. Callum, Adie,
and Blane had helped in the subterfuge. Rhona certainly would be surprised. It pleased him to no end that he had managed to get something past his sharp eyed woman.

  A shadow slid across one window and Adie whispered. "'Tis Rhona!" Edan closed the lid of the chest and pulled his stool in front of it. He looked up just as she opened the door.

  The smile Rhona gave him brought an answering smile to his lips.

  "Edan, would ye walk with me tae tha rowan tree? I've ah matter tae discuss with ye."

  Rising from the stool, he moved to take her hand and kiss her soundly. As she looked at the boys who were concentrating on their work, Rhona blushed slightly. Chuckling softly, he took her arm as they walked out into the spring sunshine.

  "I ken ye enjoy causing me discomfort round tha lads." Rhona tapped him hard on the forearm with a knuckle.

  "Lass, I only like tha color that comes intae yur cheeks. Ye get all pink an rosy."

  Leaning into him, Rhona pulled his arm against her. "Well, laddie. I mean tae pay ye back ah bit tonight for picking on me. Mayhap I'll nae wash my fingers after rubbing tha leg an rub something other of yurs."

  Edan shuddered in mock horror. "Nae! Please, lass, spare us both tha pain. 'Cause sure as God made ye, I'll be forced tae share."

  Her peal of laughter warmed Edan's heart. He loved hearing it. When they reached the tree, she flattened her skirts over her behind and sat down under the budding tree. Reaching a hand out, Rhona tugged on his fingers, not allowing him to simply lean against the tree.

  "Ye'll need tae get me up from here, ye ken?" Edan commented as he turned to sit down next to her.

  "Certainly, MacGrough. Nae bother ahtall. 'Tis ah wife's duty tae help her husband among other things."

  "What other things, might ye have in mind?" Edan asked as he reached a finger out to brush it across her bottom lip.

  "Bearing his weans comes tae mind." Rhona sucked his finger tip into her mouth, nibbled on it lightly then grinned at him as he stared at her.