by Alisa Adams
"I'm no' a lassie," Leann pointed out, hoping the man could not see through her disguise. She looked at the loose woolen fabric in front of her then felt it. It was soft, thick, and wonderfully warm. "If ye dinnae need a loom, whit d'ye use?" she asked, frowning.
The landlord called his wife who came out with a pair of wooden sticks which were pointed at one end and had knobs at the other. Leann took them and turned them around and around in her hands, feeling every surface and frowning in puzzlement.
"I dinnae understaun'," she said, "these wee sticks? How dae ye use them?"
The landlord's wife's good-humored face crinkled with laughter as she showed Leann how to pass the wool around the needles, make loops, then drop them off the points to make the fabric. Leann was fascinated.
"I wid love tae learn that," she said eagerly.
"Aye?" The woman laughed, setting her jowls wobbling. "Ye'd better chop yer pecker aff, son. It's wummin’s work!"
But she had no idea that she was speaking to Leann Muir who never, ever gave up.
16
Back to Dundas Castle
Allana was going home. For the moment, her mission was finished and she was longing to see her family again. She traveled back to Oban by the same route as the one she had taken before but did not stop at Laird McColl's castle this time. She stayed at inns along the way and often rode all day until at last, she was looking at her home.
It was a blustery, stormy day. The heavy gray clouds were laden with rain and Allana knew that if she did not hurry, she would be soaked to the skin. Accordingly, she urged Maddy into a gallop, but the first raindrops were soaking her cloak as she dismounted in the courtyard.
The first person she saw was her father who smiled and held his arms out to her. "The prodigal daughter returns!" he cried, laughing as he hugged her. "I have missed you, Allana. We all have. Come in and tell me all your news."
"I am so glad to see you, Father!" she exclaimed. "I will tell you everything as soon as I have a glass of spiced wine in my hands. I am freezing!"
They went into the parlor and sat next to a crackling log fire. As she sank down into the soft cushions, Allana let out a deep sigh of contentment and slowly closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she was looking into Malcolm's steady green ones.
"What are you thinking, Father?" she asked, smiling.
"About how proud I am of you," Malcolm replied.
Allana's face broke into a wide smile. "I am so glad, Father. I always wanted to make you happy."
Allana and Malcolm sat in the quiet of the parlor for a while and then she began to doze off. The last few days in the saddle had been exhausting, and she was extremely tired, not to mention very dirty.
Malcolm shook her shoulder gently and she woke up with a start. "Ken!" she cried then looked around herself realizing that she had had a fleeting dream that she had instantly forgotten. She flushed and looked at her father, but beyond a slight frown, he showed no reaction to her outburst.
"Time for a hot bath and sleep, I think," he ordered, pulling her up from her seat. He put his arm around her and they went upstairs where he ordered a bath to be drawn for her and a hot stone to be placed in her bed.
"I will call you for dinner," he said with a smile as he kissed her forehead.
The bath was ready in a few moments and Allana gratefully sank under the hot scented water, sighing with sheer contentment. She had almost forgotten about Kendrick with time and distance, so it was odd that he should have popped up in her dream, but she was not a person who regarded dreams as predictions of the future. She shrugged it off, preferring to let her maid dry her and help her into a soft wool nightdress before she lay down between the snowy white sheets of her bed. Then she closed her eyes and smiled as she drifted off to sleep.
When she woke two hours later, she dressed in a loose dress of scarlet silk that set off her dramatic coloring perfectly and went down to dinner. Nevin was there standing with his back to her. She gazed at him for a moment, taking in his considerable height, broad shoulders, and shining fair hair. Suddenly, she realized how much she had missed him.
Malcolm looked over Nevin's shoulder and smiled as he saw her. "Allana! We have a visitor!"
Nevin turned and saw her. It would have been difficult to say who was more surprised as they looked at one another. As Nevin turned around, his eyes widened with disbelief and Allana broke into a little breathless laugh.
"I did not expect to see you here!" Nevin said with a pleased smile.
Allana suddenly felt desperately confused. This was good old familiar Nevin, who was as dependable and steady as the North Star. Nevin was simply a good man which made him one of the rarest creatures on Earth. Kendrick was exciting, but Nevin was always going to be good, true and faithful.
The first moment Nevin laid eyes on Allana again, he completely forgot everything else and when she hugged him, he buried his face in her hair and inhaled her wonderful scent. For the moment, there was no Bettina or any of the other young Lairds' daughters who had beat a path to his door in the last few months. There was no-one but the woman in his arms. It had been wonderful to imagine a future with her sister, but this was the person for whom he was destined... Wasn’t he? Then he saw Bettina once more.
A wave of shock washed over Bettina as she beheld her sister so firmly attached to Nevin before she realized that it was merely a welcoming embrace. Allana, hearing her sister's footsteps, turned around and rushed to gather Bettina into her arms and the two stood, laughing, before standing apart to look at each other.
"What potion have you been taking to put those roses in your cheeks, sister?" Allana asked, caressing Bettina's cheek fondly. "Could it be a love potion?" Her eyes were twinkling with mischief.
If only you knew, Bettina thought, but she only shook her head and smiled. "I have always had them, Allie," she replied. "You have been away too long and have forgotten."
They put their arms around each other and made their way into the dining room. Lady Gwenda arrived and made a successful show of hiding her disappointment at seeing Allana. She was not a spiteful woman, but she wanted the best for her son and she did not think that Allana even came close to the best.
Then Malcolm entered with Edme and another man. He was tall with long dark hair which was slightly touched with gray and drawn back in a tail to hang down his back. He was just a little younger than Malcolm, handsome in a mature way as if a few extra years had etched the laughter lines around his hazel eyes.
"This is my good friend, Laird Gavin Ingram," he announced, "We have known each other for more years than I care to remember and he is going to be staying with us for a while." He proceeded to introduce them all to his friend.
Allana had never imagined finding an older man attractive, but she was drawn to this man. He looked as if he spent a lot of time in the open air and she loved the shape of his strong, long-fingered hands clasped on the table. At one point their eyes met, but he looked away again very quickly and she decided to break the impasse by opening a conversation.
“M’laird,” she began, “how long have you known my father?”
“Since before you were born, Mistress Allana. Our fathers were friends
too.”
“Really?” She was intrigued. She leaned on her elbow and looked into his face. “Please tell me how that happened.”
“They were educated together.” He seemed to be reluctant to discuss the subject, but the nuance of his voice was lost on Allana who was too fascinated to notice.
“Are you married?” she asked.
He nodded silently.
She looked around the Great Hall curiously. “Where is your wife?” she asked.
There was a long pause.
“My wife is dead,” he replied. “She died six years ago now.” Then he looked across the room. “Excuse me, Mistress Allana. I must go.”
“I am s—” she began, but she was speaking to his back as he stood up, gave her a perfunctory bow, and strode across the r
oom and out of sight.
Malcolm, watching him, groaned inwardly. What has she done now? he thought. He strode up to his daughter and pulled her away from the table none too gently. “What did you say?” he hissed.
“I only asked him about his wife.”
Malcolm sighed. “I suppose you were not to know,” he said, “but it is best not to mention her. Go and apologize.”
“But I said nothing wrong!” Allana objected. “He must apologize to me for his rudeness, Father.”
Malcolm looked at his daughter, frowning with exasperation and then walked away. Gavin still felt wretched every time Marion’s name was mentioned and this young woman with her brash, insensitive curiosity had infuriated him. She obviously did not know the meaning of true love.
Allana was not the only one whose feelings were in turmoil. Bettina was watching her and Nevin and it was clear to her that Nevin had fallen under Allana's spell again. She felt a pain so sharp in the middle of her chest that she almost gasped out loud. She wanted to get up and leave the table, but she could not do so without inviting questions from the others and she knew that whatever she said or did, her face would give her away. So, Bettina sat, miserable inside, but making bright conversation and giving the impression that she was happy.
Nevin was by now thoroughly confused. He was quieter than usual, listening to the ebb and flow of conversation around him, speaking only when he was spoken to, and trying to still the turbulent emotions inside him. My feelings for Bettina could not be very strong, he reasoned, since they have been so affected by the sight of her sister. How weak I am! he thought. I am a coward and a fool. I should look for a wife elsewhere for I cannot marry both of them.
At the end of the evening, when Nevin and his family were leaving, he saw the two sisters standing side by side, one so dark, one so fair, both equally lovely. He had been glad to see the back of Allana when she went away, thinking that it would clarify his mind, but now that she was back, things were worse than ever.
Perhaps I should run away, Nevin thought ruefully. But all he did was to bow politely and kiss the hand of each of them and then ride away without looking back.
For the moment, Allana wanted nothing to do with traveling. She planned to stay at home until mid-summer came then she would take advantage of the warm weather to begin again, this time going south, further toward the Lowlands. Now was the time to begin buying the goods her knitters had made then resell them to richer clients. Her father had advised her on how to market her goods, so she was prepared for the rigors of buying and selling. He had also taught her how to haggle and drive a hard bargain and this was the part Allana loved most.
By tacit agreement, Bettina and Nevin were avoiding one another, since it seemed to be the only way to handle the uncomfortable tension between them. Both of them were miserable. Allana, while feeling equally unsettled, was able to put her feelings out of her mind during the day, only thinking of them before she went to sleep.
The girls saw hardly anything of Nevin, but his new friend, Laird Ingram, was with him almost constantly. Allana was caught in the unenviable position of having to avoid both Gavin and Nevin at the same time. Being at home was proving to be much more exhausting than actually working.
Little did she know that things were about to become much, much, worse!
17
The Arrival of Kendrick
Kendrick saw the imposing shapes of the two castles gazing at each other across the great divide miles before he came near them. Kilmunnock Castle, home of the Kirk family, was squat and spread across the whole hillside. Dundas Castle was high and turreted with a graceful silhouette that looked almost like a church. If he had been the kind of man who appreciated beauty in such things, he might have stopped to admire the view for a while, but he was not.
He was in too much haste to appreciate the only beauty he did admire—that of a woman's body and Allana's in particular. He could not wait to feel her soft skin under his fingers again and her lips against his. Perhaps this time, there would be more, but he would have to be clever, much cleverer than he had been the last time.
Unbeknownst to Kendrick, Leann watched him as he sped up his horse and cantered toward the castle and she allowed the distance to lengthen between them. She trailed behind him, occasionally hiding behind a fir tree, but she did not take her eyes off him.
When Kendrick got to the castle at twilight, he asked for Laird Dundas only to be told that he and his wife had gone hunting with a few other local landowners. The butler told him that he would not be home until Sunday evening, which was two days away.
"Misses Allana an' Bettina are here, sir," the man informed him respectfully. "Perhaps ye can speak tae them."
Kendrick felt a leap of excitement in his stomach. "May I speak to Mistress Allana please?" he asked politely. "Tell her Kendrick Muir is calling."
The servant bowed and went to find her. He came back a moment later and took Kendrick to a small parlor off the main entrance hall. And there she was, wearing a simple gray dress with no jewelry or ornament but still managing to look like a queen. She stood up as he came in. Bettina was there too, looking to Kendrick's hostile eyes like a guard dog. He cursed her silently, resenting her very presence, and her look told him that she could see right through him.
Of course, he knew that she could have no knowledge of his intentions toward her sister and he never experienced guilt. All he ever felt was fear of being caught and he was scared now. Bettina was intuitive, although she had little power. I must be wary of her, he thought. But he had no time to think of that now because Allana ran toward him and embraced him. He felt himself becoming aroused as she pressed her sweet body against his.
Over her shoulder, he looked at Bettina. She gave him one venomous glance and walked out of the room. Kendrick inhaled Allana's perfume and kissed the side of her neck. "I have missed you so much," he said huskily, "you have no idea how much."
She closed her eyes and laughed softly. "I do know, Ken. I really do."
He put her away a little so that he could look at her. These eyes, he thought. These eyes... How can I resist them? How can I resist her?
"I love you," he whispered, "tell me you love me too."
She gazed at him with eyes that were brimming with unshed tears. "I think I love you too, Ken," she replied, smoothing back the thick mass of his hair as confusion took hold of her once more in the presence of the man who made her feel so alive.
Then he kissed her, their bodies and lips welded together, tongues touching. When they let each other go, they were both breathless. "Is there somewhere we can be alone?" he asked, "I need to speak to you and I want to... I want to make you mine."
Allana looked around her and took a step back. Fortunately, no-one was looking at them, but anyone could walk in any moment since the parlor was not a very private place.
"Ken, not here and not now," she replied firmly. "Not because I do not want to, but I would want us to be married first. I want your name." She shook her head in exasperation, trying to make him understand. "I have a reputation - every woman has - and it is much more easily damaged than a man’s. Anyway, there are servants everywhere.”
Kendrick was sorely disappointed. He would have made love to Allana on a pile of straw, but he had to keep her happy. Perhaps, if they had a private place to go to she would feel less inhibited. Then one thing might lead to another...
"You are right," he said, sighing but smiling.
"Have a glass of wine," she invited, "then sit down and tell me all your news. We have never really gotten to know each other, have we? It is strange to think of marriage when I do not really know you well."
Kendrick's heart began to beat faster. He was an accomplished liar, but he had never tried such a major deception before. "Well..." He let out a breath and took a sip of his wine. "I live on Mull and I am a tweed merchant, as you know. I grew up there, I own my own house which I inherited from my father and I run it with three servants. I had two brothers, but th
ey both died of putrid throat when they were much younger. My mother died of a broken heart. He paused. "What else do you need to know?"
Allana gazed at him for a moment. "And you’re unwed?"
Kendrick took a deep breath in, and then let it out. Allana began to believe it was a gesture of his when under stress. "I am not married, my love," he said at last, "I was betrothed once, but she ran away with someone else. I have not trusted a woman since—until now." He reached out and clasped her hand in his.
Allana looked away from him and let out a sigh of relief. He didn’t appear to be lying and it made her heart swell. "I am so glad to hear it," she said quietly. But give me until the day after tomorrow, I think I know of a place where we can go to be together, but I will have to see if it is available and I have to make it ready. Will you do that for me, Ken?"
Kendrick was fuming inwardly, but he nodded, his countenance expressing deep disappointment. He was on fire for this woman. "I will wait," he replied, "but do not expect me to like it."
"Neither will I, my sweet," she murmured, "but I do not want to be alone with you in a stable or a barn or some such place."
"Of course," he said, kissing her forehead. "I will only be happy if you are too."
Allana's voice suddenly assumed a brisk tone. "Where are you staying tonight?" she asked him.
"At the Lamb and Shepherd Inn in the village," he replied.
"That is not good enough!" Allana protested. "It is a filthy place! You will stay here and I will have a comfortable room made ready for you."
