The Country Wife

by Temple Hogan

  “That’s a lie,” she cried.

  “Then where’s Lilli? Who are you?” Waite demanded.

  Lilli fell silent. She dare not reveal her true identity.

  “Didn’t I tell you?” Waite cried triumphantly. “She’s naught but a whore come among decent folks to steal and cheat.”

  He grabbed at her breast and squeezed painfully. She twisted away, slapping ineffectively at his hands. Her actions only brought more pain to her head and laughter from the crowd of on-lookers.

  “Leave her be,” Addie shouted, waddling forward to lend her support.

  One of the men grabbed hold of her, bending her arms high behind her back. Waite slashed her across the face with his fist then wrapped his arm around her neck, squeezing cruelly so she gasped for air.

  “Let go of my mam!” Addie’s son, who couldn’t have been more than six summers, launched himself at Waite and was sent flying with a cruel backhand. The boy landed in the dust, a line of blood running down his chin from a cut lip.

  “Are you all right, Wynne?” Addie struggled to break free of the man holding her, which only occasioned more laughter from her capture and some of the onlookers.

  Wynne got to his feet and stood hesitantly, watching his mom.

  “Go find her man, Wynne. Hurry,” his mother instructed and he took off like a shot.

  Lilli guessed the crowd hadn’t much liked Waite’s striking of the valiant little boy for they moved back a step or two as if to disband. Sensing he was about to lose his audience, he grabbed hold of Lilli’s arm and yanked her forward so she couldn’t escape. Her face grimaced in pain. Waite laughed and tightened his grip, so she bit her lip rather than giving him the pleasure of hearing her cry out.

  “Why don’t you pay the price if she’s so willing, Waite?” one man called. “Even for a coin she won’t have you.”

  “Throw down a coin and I’ll show you how quickly she opens her legs and sells her wares,” he called. He glared around the group and finally one of his cohorts reluctantly dug a coin from his vest and threw it down.

  “There, woman, you see that? You’ve been bought. I’m about to plant my seed in your belly and you’ll have another brat on your hands.” He reached for the bodice of her gown, ripping it down the front so her breasts were exposed. A groan went up among the men when her breasts were exposed.

  Shamed, Lilli couldn’t hold back the tears of anger and humiliation. She clamped her torn bodice to her chest and lashed out with her foot. She caught him midway on his thigh, which brought a grunt of pain but did nothing to release his hold on her hair or the cruel intent in his eyes.

  “Help me, someone, please,” she begged. “His words are all lies. ‘Tis not true, I swear. Don’t let him take me in such an evil manner.”

  Some of the men turned away, shame-faced to witness what was about to happen, but none offered their help. They were obviously too afraid of Waite’s retaliation.

  “Please,” she beseeched, reaching out to them.

  Waite’s laughter rang in her ears as he bore her to the ground, fumbling with his breeches. She couldn’t breathe. Terror tightened her chest and clogged her throat. Had she escaped the horror of the hanging fields to come to this?

  Suddenly, Waite’s weight was yanked from her. Callum was there, his fist doubled and swinging for Waite’s chin. Lilli heard the impact although she didn’t see the blow. She was scrambling to find her shawl and cover her exposed bosom. Callum delivered another blow that laid Waite out on the ground. Drawing his sword, Callum stood over him, his blade at Waite’s throat, his foot planted firmly in his chest while he glared at the onlookers.

  “What manner of people are you that you’d watch an innocent lass ravaged by the likes of him?” Fists clenched Callum glared at the circle of onlookers.

  “She’s not so innocent,” one of Waite’s men stated. “She’s nothing but a whore for she’s had a bairn without a proper husband.”

  “She’s married to Thom Hardy,” Callum said.

  “Thom Hardy was an old man. He couldn’t have won himself such a bride. Besides now he’s dead, and she’s claiming the name of his daughter. She’s not what she claims to be.” Waite jeered from the ground.

  Lilli’s face flamed with humiliation and alarm at their accusations, but she couldn’t refute their words without revealing the truth and putting Rose in danger. Her proud head drooped. Callum released Waite.

  “So it is true, lass. You’ve no husband.”

  “Aye,” the whispered reply came. Her head came up and her eyes were luminous with tears. “You’ve no need to ride back with me if you’re ashamed to be seen with me.”

  “It’s time we ride home. I’ll hitch up Doire,” he said, and Lilli felt a flare of gratitude. He turned away, and Lilli caught a movement from the corner of her eye.

  “Callum!” She gave a half strangled cry of warning.

  He ducked and Waite’s blade skimmed by his neck, burying itself in his shoulder. Lilli screamed. Callum staggered backward against the cart, a gush of blood trickling down his side. He fumbled for his blade hidden in the cart beneath the straw.

  Waite struck again, raising his claymore high overhead and charging forward for the deathblow. Lillie screamed. Callum withdrew his sword, twisting aside at the same time. Waite’s claymore buried itself in the wooden cart where Callum had stood only moments before.

  “Rose,” Lilli whispered and rushed to gather the baby in her arms.

  Callum cast her a quick glance and Lilli shook her head, signaling that Rose was uninjured. Gaining confidence at Callum’s hesitation, Waite whirled to face Callum, Waite’s small piggish eyes bright with anticipation of a quick kill, but Callum had regained his balance and stood facing the man, Callum’s eyes flat with anger.

  Callum’s sword slashed out, leaving behind a thin red line across Waite’s chest, which quickly grew. Waite looked at the wound in seeming astonishment as if unable to comprehend it had been so artfully administered.

  “Give up while you can,” Callum advised. “I am a superior swordsman. You haven’t a chance against me.”

  “So say you!” Waite sneered and leaped forward.

  Once again Callum eluded his clumsy charge, his sword cutting through Waite’s waistcoat and leaving a bloody swathe across his back.

  “Heed my warning and retreat, man. I’ve not yet cut you deep,” Callum warned.

  Sullenly, Waite regarded him. His gaze went beyond Callum to one of his cohorts. Waite gave a barely perceptible flicker of his eyes and Callum heard the rush of movement behind him as two men charged him, their claymores at the ready. The crowd roared its disapproval. Callum charged Waite who had obviously planned to attack Callum from the rear as he defended himself against the other men.

  Waite’s eyes widened as he was faced instead with Callum’s sword. Steel clanged and Waite barely had time to fend off Callum’s blade. Callum moved quickly behind Waite, and in the passing, slashed at the man’s arm. Waite’s sword fell to the ground. His men, who had charged Callum, suddenly found themselves in danger of impaling their leader. They drew up short, thrown into confusing. Waite’s chest heaved with his exertions yet he held out a hand for a sword and one of his men handed over his blade.

  “Have a care, man,” Callum said. “My sword will bite deeper next time.”

  Waite glanced down at his blood soaked coat.

  “Get him,” he commanded and his two friends leaped forward.

  Callum parried their awkward strokes, the point of his blade flicking here and there, leaving behind bleeding wounds. The two men threw down their blades and took to their horses.

  “Come back, you cowards,” Waite bellowed.

  “I prefer to think of them as wise rather than cowardly,” Callum replied. “Which is it to be with you? Will you not put down your weapon now?”

  Waite wavered then defiantly sheathed his sword and stalked to his horse. Once mounted, he glared down at Callum.

  “You’ve not heard the l
ast of me,” he bellowed. “You and your whore.”

  “Not another word against the lass. Begone!”

  Callum’s fists clinched menacingly. His face twisted with anger. Waite prodded his horse into a gallop and, followed by his men, soon disappeared into the woods that edged the meadow.

  The onlookers were silent. No cries of encouragement came from them. Their set faces said it all. They believed Owen Waite’s words. Callum glanced around the circle of suspicious faces,

  “Come, lass.” Callum took Rose and settled her back in her basket, then held out a hand and lifted Lilli onto the cart before climbing up himself.

  “I can’t let you go without giving you a warning.” Addie came alongside the cart and looked at Lilli with anxious eyes. “You’ve made a great enemy here. Waite is a favorite of Robert Lister. They’ll hunt you down for no other reason than revenge over what your ma—over what he done.”

  Lilli clasped Addie’s hand. “Thank you for your help,” she said. “You and your son saved me.”

  “It weren’t nothing,” Addie said stepping back.

  Callum slapped the reins over Doire’s back and the cart began to roll forward.

  Lilli cast a quick glance at the faces of those they left behind. She could see the condemnation in their eyes and the way they drew apart as the cart passed. They thought her a loose woman and she could not explain without giving herself away. In a small country community, such a woman would not be tolerated among decent folk. As if to lighten the pall that had settled over them, Callum laughed and nudged her with his shoulder.

  “If I can’t milk a cow or dig peat what good am I?” he said, eyes twinkling with mischief.

  His deep chuckle filled the air dispelling some of the tension. She was so surprised that for once, she could think of nothing to say, but she understood finally that she couldn’t continue as she had. She must tell someone of her dilemma. She must trust someone and who better than Callum.

  Chapter Nine

  “How can you jest when you’re wounded?” Lilli stared at Callum with amazement.

  “Nothing else to do at a time like this,” he blustered but she saw the white line of pain around his lips.

  She’d come to know his moods too well in the past weeks of tending him. “Let me look at your wound.”

  “It will do until we reach the cottage.”

  “Are you sure? I could bind it and you could rest in the hay with Rose while I drive the cart home.”

  “Nay!” he said more sternly, leaving her with her mouth open on the next argument she’d planned to voice. Seeing her expression, he grinned.

  “Close your mouth, lass. If it was raining, you’d drown yourself.”

  “Humph,” she answered, pert nose in the air and arms folded.

  Callum laughed. “Aye, Lilli, I’ve come to love your spirit and even your sharp tongue, but I love it even more when I managed to leave you speechless.” He began to whistle, a lively little ditty.

  “Ah, lass, I’ve tormented you enough. You don’t know anything about a man’s pride. I’ve huddled in the back of your cart whilst you dragged me home like a stray cat. You’ve nursed my wounds and cooled away my fevers, undressed me and looked on my body without a thought in your head you were looking at a man in his prime. ‘Tis enough to shame any man.”

  Her cheeks grew hot and pink with embarrassment. “I never—”

  “Well I know you never,” he said, “and that’s what hurts a man’s pride. That you never once thought of me as a man.”

  She remained silent. How could she tell him she had indeed noted his manly attributes, every one of them and had many a troubling fantasy about him? She refolded her arms and looked straight ahead.

  “Now you want me to resubmit myself to your ministrations without a thought to my pride. I can’t do it, lass. I was a soldier, an officer, in point of fact, and I’ve endured worse than this little puncture and fought all day at that.”

  “If you’ve no wish for my help, so be it,” she answered tartly. “Seems to me that as with all men, you set a mighty store in your pride. So bleed to death if you must and I’ll not even bury you lest I offend your manly pride.”

  “Now you’re being hard, lass. I’ve offended you and I’m sorry to do so. I was but trying to explain the way of things with a man.”

  “I know well enough,” she snapped.

  They rode along silently, and the anxiety from their encounter with Waite faded somewhat until Callum spoke again.

  “‘Tis time you told me the truth of it,” he said quietly. “I’ve a right to know what happened and why?”

  “‘Tis nothing. Soon you’ll be gone, and you’ve no need to worry over me.”

  “I’ll always worry over your problems, Lilli. Have you forgotten I’m your new laird? Or am I? If that ruffian was right, your name is not what you claim.”

  She couldn’t look him in the eyes, not with the lie so heavy on her conscience.

  “Let’s start with the simple things first. Is it true, you’ve no husband? You must answer me, lass.”

  “Why must I? If you hear the truth, you’ll throw Rose and me off the land, then where will we go?” Tears clogged her throat, and she looked away so he couldn’t see her cry.

  “I’d never banish you from Tollis Hill if that’s what you want,” he answered quietly. “I’ll give you a deed to the land.”

  “You’d do that?” She looked at him with tear-filled eyes.

  “How little it takes to please you. Don’t be distressed, Lilli. If that’s what you want, lass, it’s yours,” he answered roughly, his voice deep with some unnamed emotion.

  “The thought seems a bit of heaven, indeed. To have some land of my own, that none could take from me. To never have to worry about leaving Tollis croft would make me very happy.” She glanced at him. “My clan was broken and has no land. I grew up shifted from one clan to another, barely tolerated by some, spat upon by others. I grew up running wild and free in the Highlands wondering if beyond the next crest would be MacGregor land.”

  “You’re a MacGregor then?”

  “Aye, a MacGregor.” She drew a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Her chin jutted proudly. “Lady MacGregor.”

  “A lady now,” Callum repeated softly. “So how did you come to call yourself Lilli Hardy and what is your given name, m’lady?” Though his expression was somber enough, his eyes glinted briefly with a bit of humor.

  “‘Tis a long story, but my name is Lillianne MacGregor.”

  “M’lady, ‘tis honored I am to make your acquaintance.”

  “Likewise, m’laird.” Suddenly, the long years of training even as a wretched, poor relative returned to her with all the aching familiarity and she smiled.

  “Why did you run away from your clansmen and who were the men chasing you?”

  The timid smile died away, and she glanced at him with a wary eye.

  “To save the life of my brother’s child.” She looked away, unable to tell him more yet longing to unburden herself from the lies and deceit that held her fast. “I can’t tell you more. I-I can’t afford to trust—”

  “You can trust me, Lilli.” His voice was a deep rumble that filled her aching soul.

  “How do I know that?”

  “Because you saved my life, and I would never betray you,” he answered simply. “And because I love you. I want you as my wife, Lilli.”

  He waited as if he had nothing more to say. What happened next depended upon her. She blinked against tears that sprang to her eyes, and without thinking, she threw her arms around his shoulders.

  “Whoa,” he cried at Doire, pulling on the reins then turning to take her into his arms.

  His mouth settled on hers, gentle and possessive. Joy swept through her as she parted her lips. His tongue stroked hers, his taste heady. He pulled her onto his lap, cradling her against his broad chest.

  She was dizzy with happiness and with a wakening need she’d barely held in check these past weeks. His
hand swept across her breasts, cupping first one then the other. She mewed with pleasure. Her hands swept across his broad shoulders and down his chest to touch his penis beneath his britches. Too long she’d thought of that part of his body.

  “I’m sorry I chastised you so for wanting me. I was afraid of what would happen if I ever gave in to my own feelings.”

  “You convinced me you had no care for me.”

  “It was all a lie, hard enough to tell.”

  He laughed and kissed her again, pressing her close, then reluctantly, set her back on the seat.

  “Lilli,” he murmured her name. “I would take you here and now, but ‘tis too dangerous on the open road with Waite and his men about.”

  She drew back, nearly too breathless to speak, but she nodded in understanding and straightened her clothes. A light-heartedness had claimed her. She was not alone. Callum would protect her and little Rose. She could put her trust in him. He slapped the reins and guided the complacent mare along the empty road. She must tell him everything, Lilli thought, and cleared her throat.

  “There’s more,” she said softly.

  “I know,” he answered.

  “My brother, Edward, loved Jane MacDougall and she him, but Sir Archibald Campbell wanted Jane for his bride. Jane was betrothed to Sir Archibald against her will so she ran away and came to Edward at Strathclyde. I was to be their chaperone, but I didn’t do a very good job of it. When Jane discovered she carried Edward’s child, they were married. Sir Archibald was furious when he heard and word came to us that he intended to kill Edward. Jane was beside herself with fear and she persuaded Edward to go into hiding while she returned to her home. She insisted I come as her friend and companion. I think she believed Edward would come back to her if I were there, but he didn’t.”

  Lilli drew a deep breath against the pain of reliving those painful times. “My brother became an outlaw, much like Robert Lister, but Sir Archibald captured him.” Her knuckles were white as she gripped the edge of the seat but her words went on, uttered in that toneless sound that said more than tears would have.