“I’m sorry, Ham,” Flora said crying. “I don’t know why I hit you. I shouldn’t have.”
“Nay,” he agreed, “you shouldn’t have.”
“I’m sorry,” she said again.
“Aye, I believe you are now,” he told her. “Let’s finish this spanking up then.”
“My arse can’t take anymore,” she said to him.
“Good,” he said, “because the next thirty are going on your thighs. Don’t fight and struggle and that will be the end of it.”
“Nay, Ham,” she said, struggling to get up, “I can’t take thirty more.”
“Good,” he said, “because it just became forty. I said lay still.” Flora did her best to do as he asked. She had no choice but to let him finish the punishment. There was no one around to help her. Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“It’s done,” Ham said, pulling her up to a sitting position on his lap, Flora grabbed hold of his tunic, turning her head into his shirt where she cried.
“That really hurt,” she mumbled.
“It was supposed to,” Ham said. “You’ll be alright.” As Flora snuggled into him once again Ham felt his cock begin to harden; he was sure Flora would be able to feel it as her arse sat right on top of it.
It was at that time that Fiona realized her trews were still down around her knees. “I can’t believe you bared me,” she said to him.
“What does it matter,” he said. “I’ll be seeing all of you soon enough.”
“What do you mean all of me?” she asked.
“We’ve been alone together in this cave for three days, Flora,” he said to her. “People are going to talk. We’ll have to marry when we get back to Gleann.”
“But nothing happened,” she said.
“Aye, it did,” he replied. “I’ve seen your bare arse.”
“Nobody has to know about that,” she told him. “I’m not going to tell.”
“It won’t matter,” he said. “The villagers are going to draw their own conclusions. Your reputation will be ruined if you don’t marry me.”
“I’m not going to do it,” she said, again starting to argue with him. She jumped off his lap and quickly pulled her trews back up, wincing as she pulled them over her red thighs and arse.
“You will,” he said. “I’m not going to have everyone talking badly about you,”
“I never let village gossip bother me before,” she said, “I’m not going to start now.”
“I’m not going to have people talking badly about you because of me,” he said. “We will marry.”
“We won’t,” she stomped her foot, almost shouting.
“More attitude,” he said, stepping towards her.
“Ham, Flora,” they heard a voice yell not far from the cave.
“That sounds like Eadan,” Ham said, running to the opening and calling out. “We’re in here.”
“Thank God,” Ross said, as he and Eadan appeared on the other side of the downed tree. “Are you both alright?”
“We’re fine,” Ham said. “The tree fell and trapped us in. We couldn’t get the horses out.”
“I’m not sure we have the right equipment to move this with us,” Ross said.
“We don’t,” said Eadan. “We’ll have to ride back to Gleann. We’re going to need more men, and we’ll have to chop off these branches and then try to pull the main trunk out of the way.”
“It’s a big tree,” Ham agreed. “There was no way I could move it myself.”
“Can you get out?” Eadan said. “We could all go back to Gleann together and come back for the horses tomorrow.”
“Take Flora home,” Ham said. “I’ll stay here tonight with the horses, that way they don’t get spooked and hurt themselves. Just come back tomorrow and get me out.”
“Are you sure?” Ross asked. “You gave me quite a scare, brother when we got to Gleann and found out you hadn’t arrived yet.”
“You found them?” Connor called out to them as he rode towards them.
“Aye,” Eadan said. “They’re both fine. We’re going to get Flora out and take her back to Gleann. We’ll come back for Ham tomorrow.”
“I hate to leave you here all night by yourself,” Eadan said.
“I’ll stay with him,” Ross said. “It’s been a long time since the two of us have camped out together.”
“You sure you want to do that?” Ham asked.
“You got any whiskey on you?” Ross asked both Eadan and Connor. Both nodded that they did. “Good, leave the whiskey, I’ll stay with Ham.”
It took a bit of doing, but Flora was able to work her way through the branches where Eadan, Connor, and Ross were standing. “I’m so glad to see you all,” she said to them.
“Jacqueline has been worried sick about the two of you,” Connor said to her.
“That’s sweet of her,” Flora said as Ross worked his way into the cave through the same path Flora had just followed to get out.
“Safe travels home,” Ham called to them. “See you tomorrow,”
“We’ll be back early,” Eadan said. “You two go easy on that whiskey.” He and Connor laughed as the two of them helped Flora onto a horse and headed back to Gleann.
It was a long quiet ride back as Flora thought about the conversation that she and Ham were having when they’d finally been found. There was no way she was going to marry him just because he felt guilty about them being stuck in the cave together. If people wanted to talk, let them, she didn’t care. All she knew was that she would not be marrying Ham McCabe.
“You found them?” Jacqueline said as she came racing down the steps of Gleann.
“Aye,” Connor said.
“Where’s Ham and Ross?” Angela, Ross’s wife, asked.
“Ross stayed with Ham. He didn’t want to leave the horses there all night unattended,” Eadan explained.
“Where are they staying?” Angela asked.
“Ham and Flora were sheltering in a cave when the storm came through the other day. A huge tree fell in front of the cave opening. We’ll need at least twenty men and horses to take back there tomorrow. We’re going to have to chop the branches off and then try to pull the trunk out of the way to get the horses out,” Eadan explained.
“Flora,” Jacqueline cried, hugging her friend as she dismounted the horse she’d been given to ride home. “I’m so glad you’re home and safe.”
“Aye, I’m glad too,” Flora said. “Is Ina still here? Did Nessa have the baby yet?”
“Ina couldn’t leave with you not back,” Jacqueline said. “She was too worried something had happened to you. Nessa hasn’t delivered yet but Ina said it should be any day, she’s a bit worried about the position of the baby.”
“I need to go home to my cottage and bathe,” Flora said. “Can you tell Ina I’ll be back to check with them both after?”
“Aye, I’ll let her know, go home and take care of yourself first,” Jacqueline told her as Flora walked home.
Jacqueline watched her go before turning back to her husband and brother. “Were they stuck in the cave together all this time?” Jacqueline asked.
“It seems that way,” Eadan answered.
“Do you think Ham is going to marry her?” Jacqueline asked.
“He may have too,” Eadan said. “You know how the villagers love to gossip, if they want to, they could make life difficult for Flora.”
“I know Ham wouldn’t compromise her,” Jacqueline said.
“We all know that, but it doesn’t matter,” Connor said. “Just being stuck in the cave together for even one night compromised her.”
“That’s so unfair,” Jacqueline said.
“I agree,” said both Connor and Eadan.
**********
“That was a fine
meal,” Ross said to his twin as they both relaxed in front of the fire. “You’ve been eating like that the whole time?”
“I killed a deer the first day,” Ham said. “There wasn’t much else to do so I skinned it, stripped the meat, and we’ve been roasting it and drying it the last few days.”
Ross took another swig from the pouch of whiskey Eadan had left, before passing it to Ham. “So what are you going to do, brother?” he asked seriously.
“Do about what?” Ham asked, taking a long pull from the pouch.
“You know what I’m talking about,” Ross said. “What are you going to do about Flora?”
“I’m going to do what I have too,” he said. “I’ll marry her as soon as we get back to Gleann tomorrow.”
“You’re going to marry Flora Munro?” Ross asked. Not sure he’d heard his brother correctly.
“What choice do I have,” Ham said. “You know the villagers are going to talk, and I won’t let that happen.” Ross and Ham passed the pouch back and forth many times, not saying anything.
“Does Flora know?” Ross asked.
“I told her,” Ham said; nodding.
“I bet she was happy,” Ross said, knowing Flora had followed his brother around for years.
“You would think that,” Ham said laughing, both were well into their cups by this point. “But you would be wrong.”
“The news wasn’t taken well?” Ross asked, surprised to hear it.
“Nay, not well at all,” Ham answered. “You know what really didn’t go over well?”
“What?” Ross asked.
“Me baring her for the spanking I gave her right before you showed up,” Ham said laughing, “I’d already figured I was going to have to marry her, so I thought, why not.”
“You didn’t,” Ross said, chuckling.
“Oh I did,” Ham said. “Then after I was done I told her we’d be getting married.”
“And you thought she’d agree after that?” Ross asked.
“What does it matter, she’s going to have to,” Ham said, “you know what’s going to happen after we’ve spent all these days alone together.”
“Are you alright about marrying her?” Ross asked.
“Surprisingly, aye,” Ham said. “In fact, I think I may even be looking forward to it. Did you know she’s training to take over as Gleann’s healer when Ina gets too old?”
“I thought everyone knew that,” Ross said. “You didn’t?”
“Nay, I didn’t,” Ham said. “I learned a lot about Flora Munro the last few days, and I have to say, I liked what I learned. I’ll make the marriage work, somehow.”
“Good luck getting her to the kirk,” Ross said, taking a last drink out of the now empty whiskey pouch.
**********
“I’m so sorry, Ina,” Flora said as she entered the bedroom where the healer was checking on the very pregnant Nessa McCabe.
“I’m so glad you’re alright, child,” Ina said, getting up and drawing Flora into a warm tight hug. “I was so worried about you.”
“I know you wanted to leave earlier, but we got stuck in a storm trying to get back, and ended up trapped in a cave,” Flora explained.
“Who’s we?” Ina asked as Jacqueline and Angela joined the women.
“Ham McCabe and me,” Flora answered. “We were trapped for days.”
“Just you and the young man?” Ina asked.
“Aye,” Flora answered, then seeing the look on the other woman’s face she added, “but nothing improper happened.”
“My brother will do the right thing,” Jacqueline said to Ina.
“And what will the right thing be?” Flora asked, turning towards Jacqueline.
“He’ll marry you, of course,” Jacqueline told her.
“I’m not going to marry him,” Flora said. “We were trapped in a cave together, that’s all.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Angela added, “if the people in Gleann are anything like the villagers in Tioram, there’ll be talk.”
“You all sound like Ham,” Flora told them.
“Did he say something to you?” Jacqueline asked.
“He said we’d get married as soon as he returned,” Flora said. “I told him that wasn’t going to happen.”
“Why?” Jacqueline asked. “You used to be so infatuated with my brother.”
“That was before he ignored me for years,” Flora said. “He’s also made it very clear he doesn’t care for the way I dress, or do my hair or even the language I use. The only reason he wants us to marry is to keep the village from gossiping.”
“Or just maybe he really wants to marry you,” Jacqueline said. “I know my brother, he wouldn’t do it if he didn’t want to.”
“But I don’t want to marry him,” Flora told them all. “No more talk about that, tell me what’s going on with Nessa?”
Ina filled Flora in on all the developments of the pregnancy, including the fact that she was worried about the way the baby seemed to be laying. Ina had already told both Nessa and Eadan her concerns; she didn’t think it was right to hide things from any of the people she was called in to help.
“Are you leaving for your daughters tomorrow then?” Flora asked Ina.
“Nay,” Ina said. “I’ve decided to stay until this little one is born, it may take both of us for a good ending.”
“I appreciate that,” Nessa told them both. “Just remember, if anything goes wrong, you save my baby first.”
“You’ve made that clear, dear,” Ina said. “Let’s leave this young lady alone and let her get some rest.”
The woman all left the room and Flora returned to her small cottage. She came to the conclusion that she might as well turn in early and get a good night’s sleep; she was probably going to have quite a battle with that no good, insulting Ham McCabe tomorrow when he returned to the keep. She’d already decided that she didn’t care what anyone said, she wasn’t ever going to be forced into marrying him.
Chapter 5 A Wedding to Remember
“Welcome home, son,” Hamish McCabe said to his namesake as he finally arrived back at Gleann. He had been waiting in front of the castle since the sentries at the gate informed him they had spotted the rescue party heading towards home.
“I’m glad to finally be here, Da,” Ham said as he dismounted, surprised when his father pulled him in for a hug.
“You had me worried, boy,” Hamish said to him.
“Sorry, Da,” Ham said. “I wish it hadn’t happened.” Eadan and Ross both joined them, and the four entered the hall together.
“I’m hungry,” Ham said, “is there anything to eat?”
“Jacqueline told the cook to keep something ready for when you all returned,” Hamish said to them. “It should be brought out shortly.”
“Good,” Ross and Eadan both said. It had been a long day with first the ride, then sawing the branches off the tree before they could even try moving the trunk. Finally, they hooked the trunk up to all the horses and were able to pull it far enough away from the cave entrance to release both horses.
“So what are you going to do about the Flora situation?” Hamish asked his son.
“I’m going to do what I have to,” Ham answered. “I already told her we’d marry when I returned.”
“And she agreed?” Hamish asked. Just like everyone else in the village, he knew Flora had followed Ham around for years, but lately, her admiration of him had seemed to wane.
“Of course she didn’t,” Ham said.
“Well, you can’t make her marry you, son,” Hamish told him.
“Aye, I can,” Ham said to him. “If I have to turn her over my knee first until she agrees, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.”
“Well it won’t be the first time,” Ross said, and Ham shot him a look from across the table.
“You spanked the girl?” Hamish asked.
“Aye,” Ham answered.
“More than once,” Ross added.
“Shut up, Ross,” Ham s
aid, “you’re not helping.”
“Oh, he is,” Hamish said, beginning to laugh, soon Eadan and Ross joined in.
“It’s not that funny,” Ham said.
“Aye, it is,” Hamish said. “Just let me know when the wedding is, so I don’t miss the show.”
**********
“Flora!” Ham called for a second time as he rapped on the frame of the door at the cottage she lived in. “I know you’re in there, open up.”
“Go away,” Flora yelled. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“Aye, you do,” he called back through the door. “I told you what was going to happen when I got back.”
“You can’t make me marry you,” she said.
“Please, Flora, open the door so we can talk,” he said to her. The women passing by were already stopping to watch what was going on at the cottage located almost in the center of the village.
“Aye, you might as well come in,” she said, opening the door and motioning for him to come inside. “Say what you came to say so that you can leave.”
“Why are you being so rude?” he asked.
“You were rude in the cave,” she said.
“Aye, I was, and I apologized,” he replied.
“You did,” she agreed. “So what’s so important that you’re beating on my door in the middle of the day causing a scene.”
“Why don’t you want to marry me?” he asked her.
“Because I want to marry a man who cares for me, and you’re only marrying me because we got stuck in the cave together,” she told him. “That’s not the start of a good marriage.”
“You used to want me to notice you and marry you, what happened to change that?” he asked, curiously.
“You ignored me for years, Ham. When I was younger, I thought you were the man of my dreams, now I know better,” she said.
“Maybe I can be again if you give me a chance,” he said to her. “We won’t know unless we try.”
“I won’t do it,” she said again. “I won’t have a marriage like my parents had. Did you know that they didn’t get along at all?”
“I barely remember your parents,” Ham said truthfully.
“They argued all the time. I don’t think they ever really liked each other,” Flora said. “My grandparents arranged the marriage, and my Mither and Da had no choice but to marry.”
The Man of Her Dreams Page 4