“Aye, I have,” Dylan agreed, “but if you’d give someone else a chance, you might find love again too.”
“I think that’s why I need to go do this,” Thomas admitted. “I’ve never been able to move on, and I don’t know if I will ever be able to. Maybe if I get a chance to explain everything to Lorna, I’ll finally be able to do that. She left because of me, Dylan. You know I feel guilty about that.”
“Aye, brother,” Dylan agreed. “I know you do. So do I if I’m being honest.”
“You have nothing to feel guilty about,” Thomas tried to assure him.
“Aye, I do,” Dylan said, “it was me that sent you to Glasgow, and me who urged you to find a leman. You wouldn’t have done either of those things without my urging you to do so.” Thomas shrugged as Dylan continued, “but do you know what I feel the worst about? You having to marry that awful woman.”
“That’s beside the point now,” Thomas told him, he hated talking about his marriage. “The marriage didn’t last long, and although I’m happy not to have had to spend the rest of my days married to Lorraine, I still feel bad about the bairn.”
“Aye, so do I. I still don’t understand why she thought the bairn would survive,” Dylan said. “How could a mither do such a thing to her babe?”
“I don’t know, brother,” Thomas said, “but at least we know the bairn wasn’t mine. Let’s not talk about Lorraine anymore, that’s a part of the past I’d rather forget.”
“Aye,” Dylan agreed, then to change the subject he asked, “if you’re successful, how will you feel traveling for months on a ship with Lorna and her husband?”
“And their bairns,” Thomas added.
“Aye,” Dylan said, “and their bairns.”
“I’ll have to accept that they’re together,” Thomas told him, “especially if they return to live at Castle Sween. I’ll have to get used to seeing them together. The Keeps are too close to never have contact with each other.”
“You know you’ll be missed,” Dylan said, accepting the fact that Thomas’s mind was already made up, and there would be no talking him out of going to America. “I was hoping you’d be here with me when Ava gives birth to our bairn.”
“A bairn?” Thomas asked. “Ava is pregnant?”
“Aye,” Dylan said grinning. “We were beginning to wonder if it would ever happen, but it has, and I’ll be a Da in six months.”
“Congratulations!” Thomas said, “tonight let’s drink and celebrate. Tomorrow I’ll pack my things, and the next I’ll go off on a grand adventure.”
“Thomas, I do hope you find the closure you’re looking for,” Dylan said, filling two cups with whiskey. He handed one to Thomas and took one for himself.
“So do I, brother. To Ava,” Thomas said, and then took a drink.
“Aye,” Dylan said, “to Ava. The woman I love more than life itself.”
“Hang onto her, brother,” Thomas said, “I’d hate you to feel as I do most days.” Dylan nodded.
They drank well into the night, reminiscing and laughing about their childhood. Ava came down and collected her husband after midnight. Thomas watched them go, knowing he would miss his brother and sister by marriage.
Thomas left early two days later. He made the ride to Glasgow before midday. His first stop was at the stables, to make arrangements for his horse to stay there for a few days. Dylan would then have the animal picked up and taken back to Doune. Thomas then went to an inn nearby to secure a room for the next sennight. His last stop of the day was at a tavern next to the docks where he could inquire about booking passage to America.
Five days later, he was stowed away in a small cabin on a cargo ship. He’d have to help the crew now and then on the voyage, moving some of the freight, but that was alright with Thomas.
For now, he’d been told by the captain to stay in his cabin and out of the way. He sat on the small cot in the room, his thoughts on Lorna. What a mess he’d made of both their lives. If only she’d stayed, he would have found a way to earn her forgiveness and married her as they had planned. He thought back to when it all went wrong.
Chapter 4. Lessons in Loving
Glasgow: The Year Thomas Spent There
Thomas looked around the city as he rode through Glasgow. Maybe Dylan was right about the things they’d talked about a fortnight ago in Doune’s hall. Perhaps he did need to have some time away before he married Lorna. Dylan had been very convincing about a lot of things that night.
A Fortnight ago he’d still been at Doune, sitting up late with his brother, and drinking far too much whiskey. Dylan was newly married. He and his wife Ava only being married a little over two months. Dylan was drowning his sorrows, frustrated that his new wife would be untouchable for the next few days.
“Four days,” Dylan complained. “I haven’t gone for four days without a woman since I was twenty summers, the same as you are now.”
“How many women have you been with?” Thomas asked, drinking more.
“Why do you ask?” Dylan wanted to know.
“No reason,” Thomas answered, although he blushed a bit, “I don’t ever remember you sleeping with a lot of women.”
“Truthfully, not that many,” Dylan answered. “I always preferred a leman to a number of tavern wenches. I’d rather a lass only be sharing her charms with me. A few years back, when Da sent me to Glasgow to learn more about the business side of running the Keep, I found myself one by accident, and after that, I kept a leman at all times.”
“You never told me that,” Thomas said.
“Nay,” Dylan answered, “I never told anyone but Da. I liked to keep my personal pursuits private.”
“What did Da say when you told him?” Thomas asked, curious.
“Don’t let your Mither find out, she'd skin me alive,” Dylan answered loudly, imitating their Da, who always spoke loudly. They both laughed.
“Do you still keep a leman?” Thomas asked once they calmed themselves.
“Nay,” Dylan answered, laughing again, “I value my life too much to attempt it.”
Thomas grinned, “Ava wouldn’t accept it I take it.”
“Nay,” Dylan said, “but she does receive the best of what those women taught me.”
“I’ve had too much to drink,” Thomas said, “I have no idea what you mean.”
“In our bed,” Dylan explained, “I know how to give my wife pleasure, and she’s thankful for that. Now answer the same question, brother. How many women have you been with?”
“I’ve never been with a woman,” Thomas admitted, “I’ve been betrothed to Lorna, and I’ve been faithful to her.”
“Good god, Thomas!” Dylan almost shouted. “Never?”
“Nay,” Thomas said. “I’ll not dishonor Lorna that way.”
“Do you even know what to do with a woman in bed?” Dylan asked.
“Aye,” Thomas answered. “Da told me much when I was younger.”
“Not even a tavern wench?” Dylan asked.
“Nay,” Thomas said. “Don’t worry, Dylan. Lorna and I will figure it out on our wedding night.”
“Nay, brother,” Dylan said, “you cannot go to your marriage bed not knowing what to do. Lorna will be frightened, and you need to know how to please her.”
“You worry too much,” Thomas told him.
“Have you ever even touched a woman’s cunny?” Dylan asked.
“Nay,” Thomas answered.
“Not even Lorna?” Dylan asked.
“That’s none of your business,” Thomas answered, blushing again.
“You’ve answered my question,” Dylan said and chuckled. “You need some experience, little brother.”
“So what do you want me to do?” Dylan asked.
“Go to Glasgow, as I did. You can work with some of the businesses we trade with. Learn what happens to the grain, and the meat we sell there,” Dylan told him. “I’ll give you a generous allowance, and if you apply yourself, you’ll learn plenty.”
&n
bsp; “What about Lorna?” Thomas asked.
“She can get by without you for a year,” Dylan told him.
“Do you think so?” Thomas asked.
“Aye,” Dylan said, getting frustrated with his love-sick younger brother, “and for god’s sake, find a leman, learn how to please a woman.”
“Nay,” Thomas said, “I can’t do that. It would hurt Lorna if she found out.”
“The lass never needs to know,” Dylan told him. “Trust me in this, Thomas. Ava knows I’ve been with other women, and it doesn’t bother her, as long as there are no others now that we’re wed.”
“You’re sure that’s what I should do?” Thomas asked.
“You’re only twenty summers, brother,” Dylan told him. “You need some experience; trust me.”
Thomas smiled as he remembered the conversation. He’d rode to Castle Sween a few days later and told Lorna that Dylan was sending him to Glasgow to learn more about the business side of running a Keep. She was sad he’d be gone so long, but understood. Then they’d gone for a ride, and things had gotten out of hand when they’d shared a few kisses.
Thomas was about to change his mind and tell Lorna he couldn’t leave her, until he slid his hand up Lorna’s thigh and touched the hair that covered her cunny. At that moment, he realized he had no idea what to do next. He’d quickly put an end to what they were doing and gently pushed Lorna away from him. Thomas knew then that Dylan was right, he needed some experience, and he was determined to learn so he could do things right on his wedding night. A sennight later, everything was arranged, and Thomas left.
Thomas stopped at one of Glasgow’s stables and was pleased to find a stall had already been paid for to keep his horse. The Grants owned a small house in the city, and Dylan had promised to alert the small staff that stayed there that Thomas would be coming for an extended period of time. After a short walk from the stables, he arrived at the house and was glad to see he’d been expected.
Thomas greeted the small staff and then put his things away in one of the bedchambers upstairs. After he was done, he sunk down on a chair near the window, thinking about what to do next. He had appointments for the next two days with some of the businesses Doune dealt with; there were no problems there. Thomas bit his lip, thinking about the one problem he did have. Dylan told him to find a leman, but he’d forgotten to explain how Thomas was supposed to do that.
**********
A fortnight later, Thomas was at a dinner party with some of the wealthier men in Glasgow. There must have been close to one-hundred people there, many of them members of the King’s court when he was in the city. Thomas sipped on a glass of wine, wondering how he’d gotten into this situation. He didn’t belong here among this kind of wealth. The Grants did well, but would never be at the level of most of the people in the room.
He was amused as he watched a woman a bit older than he was making her way around the room. She stopped and flirted with one man after another. She was pretty, but not beautiful like Lorna.
“Stay away from that one,” Angus McLeary, the owner of more than one of the grain mills located around the city, told him.
“Who is she?” Thomas asked.
He’d been invited by Angus to join the party he now attended. The Grants sold a good portion of their grain crop to Angus’ mills each year. The older man seemed to know everybody and liked to gossip about them all.
“Lorraine Anderson,” Angus answered., “and she’s on the hunt.”
“For what?” Thomas asked.
“A new man,” Angus answered.
“I’ve no idea what you mean,” Thomas told him.
“The woman has been the leman to at least a handful of the men here tonight,” Angus explained.
“She is pretty,” Thomas commented, once more thinking about his conversation with Dylan.
“Aye,” Angus answered, “and if you want her, I’m sure you could get her. I’ve seen her look your way more than once tonight,”
Thomas shrugged and asked, “what does a leman expect?”
“You to pay for everything, lad,” Angus said, slapping Thomas on the back and laughing. “Never forget that,” then Angus turned and walked away.
Thomas decided he’d stayed at the party long enough. He walked outside and stood out front, taking in the fresh air while a servant went to fetch his horse.
“I don’t believe we’ve met,” a woman’s voice sounded behind him. Thomas turned to find Lorraine Anderson staring at him.
“Nay, we haven’t,” he answered, taking a step forward and bowing in front of her as he said, “I’m Thomas Grant.”
“Lorraine Anderson,” she said, offering her hand, and as he took it, she gave him just enough of a curtsy that he could see down the front of her gown. “What brings you to Glasgow, Thomas?” Lorraine asked, putting her hand on his arm.
“Business,” Thomas answered.
“No time for pleasure?” she asked, letting her hand stroke his arm.
“Plenty of time,” Thomas told her. He was nervous but trying not to show it.
“Will you be staying in Glasgow long?” Lorraine asked him, backing him into a darker spot in the trees.
“A year,” Thomas answered, and then groaned when her other hand cupped his cock and balls. The material of his kilt the only thing between their bare skin
“Are you married, Thomas?” Lorraine asked. Squeezing his cock as it hardened under her hand.
“Nay,” Thomas answered. Lorraine put her hand under his kilt, fisted his cock, and stroked it slowly. “I’m betrothed.” Thomas bit his lip to stop a groan.
“Does she pleasure you like this?” Lorraine asked, continuing to stroke him.
“No one’s ever pleasured me like this,” Thomas admitted, beginning to pant.
“You have been with a woman before, haven’t you?” Lorraine asked, beginning to enjoy herself.
“Nay,” Thomas answered truthfully. “My brother, Dylan, sent me here for business.” Thomas moaned as Lorraine squeezed his balls. “He told me to find a leman.” Another stroke to his cock and he groaned again. “He said I needed to learn to pleasure a woman before I wed.”
“I could help you with that,” Lorraine answered. Stroking his cock faster. “You help pay for my expenses, and I’ll teach you everything I know about pleasuring a woman.”
“When would we start?” Thomas asked, his eyes wanting to roll back in his head.
“Tonight,” Lorraine told him. “You’ll follow my carriage back to my home. You’ll learn to pleasure a woman in my bed, but for now, here’s a sample of the pleasure I can bring you.”
Lorraine gripped his cock tighter and began stroking him faster. With her other hand, she cupped his balls, squeezing them almost to the point of pain. With a groan, Thomas climaxed, shooting his seed into Lorraine’s hand.
“And that’s just for starters,” Lorraine said, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping her hands clean on it. Thomas was still trying to catch his breath. Lorraine tucked the handkerchief away and motioned for Thomas to follow her, saying, “come along now; there’s plenty you can still learn tonight.”
**********
Thomas had never been shy, but he couldn’t believe how fast Lorraine stripped off both of their clothes once they reached her bedchamber. She put a hand on his chest, making him walk backward. When the bed was behind him, she gave Thomas a playful shove, making him fall back onto the mattress.
“This is going to be fun,” Lorraine said, straddling him. Letting her cunny rub against his already hardening cock. She leaned forward, licking his nipple until it hardened under her tongue. “Now you try,” she said, leaning forward even more, so that her breasts hung in front of his mouth.
All thoughts of Lorna left Thomas at that moment. He sucked her nipple into his mouth. Letting his tongue swirl around it until it was as hard as his own.
“Bite it,” Lorraine said, “but not too hard.” Thomas did, and Lorraine groaned. “Now the other one.” Thoma
s moved his mouth from one breast to the other.
“The mouth feels good on lots of different parts of the body,” Lorraine said, moving down his body slowly, using her tongue to trace a path. She let her tongue move down his chest, his stomach, and then up the length of his cock. She licked around the tip for a moment before sucking him into her mouth.
Thomas groaned again and thrust his hips up at her, trying to push his cock further into her mouth. Lorraine grinned before taking him deeper and letting the tip of his cock hit the back of her throat. She continued to suck him until his breathing changed, and she knew he was close to reaching his pleasure again. She pulled back slowly, letting his cock pop out of her mouth.
“Not yet, lover,” Lorraine said, laying down on the bed and spreading her legs. “You get up now, and kneel between my knees.” Thomas did. “Give me your hand,” Lorraine told him, and again, Thomas did. Lorraine put his hand on her cunny, keeping her hand on his, she pushed both of their fingers through her folds. “Feel how wet I am?”
“Aye,” Thomas answered.
“That means I’m ready for your cock,” Lorraine told him. She took his hand and pushed one of his fingers up inside her with one of her own. She showed him how to pump his finger in and out of her. “Harder, Thomas, put two fingers in me and do it harder.”
“Like this?” Thomas asked, pumping his fingers in and out of her opening.
“Aye,” Lorraine said, then she took his other hand and placed it on her clit. The little nub was already hard, like Thomas’s cock. “Rub it,” Lorraine said. Thomas did what he was told. “Faster. Now harder with your fingers. That’s it,” Lorraine said just before her cunny gripped his fingers and he felt that little nub spasm under his fingers.
“Did I do it right?” Thomas asked.
“Aye, lover,” Lorraine said. “You did just as I told you. Keep doing that, and your betrothed will be a happy woman on your wedding night.”
“Did I give you pleasure?” Thomas asked, grinning down at her. Lorraine grinned back and nodded.
“Now let me pleasure you,” Lorraine said, pushing him, so he once more fell back onto the mattress.
Reclaiming His Bride Page 4