Raine panicked. He was leaving! Where was he going? Wait, she was the one who was leaving! The breathtakingly handsome lord of a castle in ancient Scotland had professed his love for her and she was leaving him? Was she crazy?
“Wait!” she yelled, running towards him.
Lady MacGregor gasped, her hand going to her throat. As Raine ran past her, she noticed the tears streaming down her cheeks and felt a stab of guilt.
“Leith!” she called again. The snow was deep and her skirts were hindering her. She grabbed two fistfuls and hiked them up as far as she could hold them and ran to him. Her face was buried in the flying material so she didn’t notice that she had closed the gap between them so soon. She slammed into him, causing him to stagger backward and lose his footing. He tumbled backwards, grasping her to him as he went down.
They landed with a huff and a billowy cloud of powdered snow rose around them like a large cotton ball.
“What are ye doing, lass? It’s almost time,” he told her, his voice confused.
She shook her head and said in quick breaths, “I can’t go. I can’t leave. I don’t want to leave you. I don’t want to go.”
Her lips found his and she gave him a hard kiss while holding his face with her hands. When she came up for air she said through tears, “I love you. I love you, you big Scottish oaf. I don’t want to leave you. You make me crazy, but I love you.”
She covered his face with kisses, periodically landing on his lips.
He pushed her off and rose to his feet, pulling her with him. “Do ye mean it? Lass, ye must be sure.”
She stepped towards him, her gaze deep. Through her tears, she informed him strongly, “I can’t go home.” She looked at the stones.
“Lass…” he began.
“Because I already am home,” she finished.
Lady MacGregor, with the energy of a woman half her age, screamed in joy and jumped up and down, smacking Mac repeatedly on the arm. Her laughter echoed through the silence.
Leith and Raine smiled as she hiked her skirts up in a very unladylike manner and hopped through the snow. Raine held out her arms, anticipating a smothering hug. Lady MacGregor stopped short of Raine’s arms and dropped to her knees and threw her arms around Raine’s middle.
“Oh, thank the Lord! I’m going to see my grandson!!” she said through more tears.
Leith laughed and helped her rise to her feet. “Easy, Mother. Ye’ll get a grandchild sooner or later.”
Raine’s eyes twinkled as she exchanged glances with Lady MacGregor. Through her lashes, she gave Leith a secretive look. “It might be sooner than later.”
It took a moment for her words to sink in as he stared at her blankly.
Mac slapped him hard on the shoulder and shouted, “She’s with child, mon!”
Leith cocked his head at Raine, looked at her abdomen, then back to her eyes. “What?”
She giggled. “You’re going to be a father in about five or six months.”
Still in shock, he scratched his head, frowning. When he finally spoke, he only said, “Really?”
Lady MacGregor threw her arms up and punched him in the arm. “Are ye daft, son? Ye got her pregnant! I’m going to be a grandmother!” She took a step towards her horse, and threw over her shoulder, “Finally!”
Chapter 25
The guards came forward and offered their congratulations to him, their pleasure showing on their faces. The laird was to have an heir. Finally.
They rode the rest of the way back to their Scottish castle in a lighter mood. Leith insisted that Raine share his horse and kept one arm securely wrapped around her middle with his hand possessively cupping her belly.
“Are ye sure, lass?” he asked for the hundredth time.
Once more, she laughed and assured him, “Oh, yes. Even the midwife confirmed it.”
“Oh? She did?”
She nodded her head. “I had asked her for some herbs that could prevent pregnancy since I thought I would be leaving eventually. But she gave me minted breath leaves instead.”
He chuckled. “Aye, that sounds like the old hag. I once fell off my father’s horse after he told me not to ride him, of course. Well, I didn’t want to get myself a whipping so I went to her and asked for something to ease the pain and quicken the healing.”
“What did she give you?”
“Minted breath leaves.”
They both laughed.
“I’ve never felt such a burning in all my life as I did that day as I rubbed those blasted leaves over my open wound. I’ll never forget that.”
“What happened after that?” Raine asked.
“My father came running when he heard me screaming bloody murder. When he found out I had ridden his horse against his wishes, I not only had a scraped, minty fresh, swollen knee, but I also got a very red and sore bottom from his hand.”
Lady MacGregor had ridden up beside them and had listened to the story with a smile. She added, “And he was almost in tears after he punished you. I had to force him not to give in to you and let you get away with it.”
“Och, Mother! Ye were the culprit then. I could have been emotionally disturbed from that act of cruelty.”
“Pfff! Act of cruelty, my arse! You deserved that whipping and then some for being such a willful child,” she sniffed.
Raine laughed at the exchange.
Leith winced at his mother’s harsh choice of words and answered, “Mother, ye had best not be using such language when the babe comes. I’ll not have him cussing like a common criminal.”
“Ha! I’m his grandmother. I can do whatever I wish. I will shower him with all the love that I have to give, even more than I gave you and your brother,” she promised.
Leith shook his head. To Raine he whispered loudly, “The child is doomed.”
She kept to herself the midwife’s prophecy that she was carrying twins. That would be a surprise for later.
They reached the castle a few days later and were all relieved to be home and safely back in Scottish territory. A boy came running up to Leith before his feet had barely touched the ground.
“What is it?” Raine asked.
It was a large folded piece of parchment with a large wax seal. He held it, almost gingerly, before breaking the seal.
“It’s from the Queen,” he announced.
Lady MacGregor asked, “What does it say? Is she coming for a visit?”
He shook his head. “No, she will not visit this Christmas. The risk is too high for her with the instability of the realm as it is. It is not safe for her to leave her lands.”
He turned to Raine, his eyes hard. “She is sending her army to the north to aid me against my uncle. We are to meet up in three days time.”
Mac spoke up. “But that means you must leave immediately in order to reach them.”
Raine grabbed his hand and breathed, “No. Don’t go.”
He said nothing, but stood there holding the Queen’s summons and looked her.
She pleaded, “Please. We just arrived home.” She put his hand to her stomach. “The baby.”
His gaze lingered along with his hand on the child they had unknowingly created. He looked at their surroundings, the people with the their clothes that were getting to be threadbare, their cheeks slightly sunken in, the dogs that were once fat and lazy now were lean and on the lookout for any scraps that might befall them, the children with their runny noses and red tipped fingers from the cold.
“Lass, I have to go. We will not survive if I do not. By spring, it will be worse. We are dying here.” He willed her to understand.
Her tears were frozen streaks on her cheeks. She tried to bargain with him. “But I stayed for you. Won’t you stay for me? For us?” She motioned to her belly.
Slowly he shook his head. “What I do, I do for us. I go to save us. Understand that, lass.”
Robbie emerged from the great hall. Jovially, he exclaimed with outstretched arms, “The prodigal Laird returns!”
&n
bsp; When he saw Raine was still with them, he stopped short and corrected himself. “And he brought her back.”
The people had heard that their lord had returned from the dreaded and feared English territory and were cheering his safe arrival. Since they were not aware that he should have returned wifeless, they cheered for her safe return as well.
He held up his hands to silence them all. “I have an announcement for ye.” He turned to Raine and took her hand, pulling her towards him. “We have an heir!”
The sound was like a slow rumble of thunder, growing louder as the news was passed to the people in the far back of the crowd until it exploded and echoed off of the walls so loud Raine had to cover her ears.
Leith beamed at his people and they loved him back. He would give his very life for the safety and survival of them, she knew that now. In this one moment, the revelation came to her. He was these people. They were one and the same. If they hurt, he hurt. If they lived, he lived. His gaze met hers and the joy on his face cut her deeply. She had almost taken this away from him. She had almost left this wonderful place and these people, she had almost left him, and taken this hope, this joy from them.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply, throwing propriety to the wind, not caring that they were standing in front of the largest crowd of people there could be at the moment.
“Thank ye, lass,” he said against her ear.
She pulled back and looked at him, confused. “For what?”
His smile, though dazzling, was tinged with sadness. “For staying.”
She tiptoed and kissed his lips lightly, then turned to the crowd, and smiled, putting on a brave front. They cheered and clapped their approval of her. Lady MacGregor stepped forward and took her hand and led her through the throng of people towards the castle. The crowd slowly dispersed but not before stopping her to wish her good luck in the birth of their new heir. Raine looked over her shoulder at Leith and he smiled and waved her on.
Once they were inside, seated by the fire, Lady MacGregor rubbed her hands over Raine’s and told her, “Warm yourself. You have a long night ahead of you.”
She told one of the nearby servants to bring them some warm apple tea and some food. They ate and warmed their blood, chatting idly, each watching the door and waiting for the men to enter.
The great doors opened and Leith and his soldiers entered en masse, large and dark, dressed in full armor, swords at their sides. Raine had seen only pictures in books about these types of men, and now her husband led them in front of her own eyes.
She went to him. She didn’t know what to say, or what not to say so she remained silent. She smoothed his armor and pushed a lock of his black hair out of his eyes.
“Lass,” he began, his voice strained.
She held up her hand to silence him. “Come back to me.”
He frowned at her, not sure what she was saying.
“Come back to me. You must go and fight. You must save us. But then,” she bit her lip and steadied her voice, “come back to me.”
Leaving her was one of the hardest things he was ever going to do in his life. They had had so precious little time together. He wanted to sit by the fire and hold her in his lap. He wanted to lay next to her naked in their bed and feel his child kick against his hand. He wanted to stay with her forever.
But he could not. He looked around the room at his battle hardened men. Some were anxious to go, ready for war, ready for adventure. Others were tired and battle weary. Their women were crying, telling them to stay safe, fight well, and return soon. He met the gaze of some of the older warriors who knew their chances of a safe return were slim at best.
“I will do my best, lass,” he said huskily. “I promise.”
They looked at each other, memorizing every feature of the other one, hoping it would hold them through until they were together again.
Leith fell to his knees and buried his face in her stomach. He pulled her skirts back tightly, trying to get as close to the child inside as he could. He whispered, “Tha gaol agam ort.”
He rose and stood tall before her like a warrior in one of her many books. She watched him proudly. He was her Scottish warrior and father of her child. She would show him that she was strong, too, and worthy to be called his wife.
He cupped her face in his hands and repeated in English what he had told his child. “I love ye.”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
He raised his sword above his head, and shouted, “Men! We go to war!”
The men responded in kind, raising their swords and clanking their armor together, filling the great hall with as much noise as they could.
Leith took one more look at her, turned on his heel, and marched out of the castle. His men were not far behind. Some of the women followed the large group of warriors outside and waved to them until they were out of sight. Raine did not want to watch him go. She had said goodbye to him too many times already. She gazed into the fire. Closing her eyes, she thought desperately, “Come back to me.”
Chapter 26
The days passed, one by one, each blurring into the next. The scenery outside Raine’s window that had once fascinated her with its ancient beauty no longer held her interest, its soft white wonderfulness only reminding her that the deeper it became marked the increase in number of days that Leith had been gone.
Lady MacGregor found her sitting in the overstuffed chair by the fire in the great hall one day.
“That was the chair that my husband used to sit in when he was pondering something of great import. It is also the chair my son uses for the same purpose. Is that what you are using it for now?” she asked, sitting in the smaller chair covered in a dark blue velvet.
Raine smiled at her absently, returning her gaze to the fire. “I’m just trying to keep warm, that’s all,” she answered vaguely.
“I know you are worried about him, my dear, but you mustn’t upset yourself. It is not healthy for you or the child,” she warned.
Her hand moved over her belly instinctively. As if they knew they were the topic of discussion, they kicked. Raine smiled sadly.
“It moves? Already?” Lady MacGregor said incredulously.
Raine nodded. “It started right after the men left. It almost never stops.”
Clapping her hands in front of her, Lady MacGregor couldn’t contain her smile. “That means that it will be healthy and strong, just like its father. And headstrong just like its mother,” she added.
Cocking an eyebrow, Raine returned sarcastically, “Oh, yes, because stubbornness could never come the father’s side of the family.”
Feigning indignity, Lady MacGregor sniffed and retorted, “Shame on you for suggesting such a thing.”
They sat by the fire in their chairs, enjoying the warmth of the fire, in comfortable silence. Lady MacGregor concentrating on her needlework and Raine watching the red and orange flames lick at the oversized logs and turn them to ashes.
“When will they come home?” she asked in a small voice.
Lady MacGregor’s hands stilled, but she did not look up. “I pray it is soon.”
“It has been a month already. Shouldn’t they be back by now? We have not even had so much as a messenger.” How she missed the use of telephones right now.
Her hands moving again, perhaps a little too quickly, Lady MacGregor tried to offer some comfort and hide her own fears. “Men go to war. Women stay home and pray for their safe return. My husband was gone to war once for six months. My sons have only been in battle for a few weeks.”
Raine’s face turned ashen at the thought of Leith being gone for that long. Lady MacGregor patted her hand and apologized. “I am sorry, my dear. I did not mean to frighten you. He will be home soon. I’m sure of it.”
Excusing herself, Raine made her way up the long staircase and through the maze of corridors to her room. She thought briefly at how it was second nature for her to roam these narrow passageways now and not get lost. She had
become familiar with nooks and crannies of the stones, of the smell of the rushes on the floor, where the sunshine shone the brightest in this large stone castle.
Once in her room, her ladies helped her into her night clothes and let them tuck her into the massive bed that she now shared with Leith. She still claimed her rooms, but he had demanded that they share the marriage bed together. He did not like sleeping without her, he had explained.
She turned into his pillow and inhaled deeply, letting the tears fall freely. Had she made the biggest mistake of her life? She had had the opportunity to return to her own time, but she had forfeited that opportunity to make a life here with the man she had fallen in love with. Then he had left her to go to war. What if he did not return? What if she had stayed only to lose him anyway?
She turned to other side, causing the baby to move and kick her. “I know. You miss your daddy.” She sniffed his pillow once more, taking in his scent that still slightly lingered. “So do I.”
The days went by and winter settled in around them. Only the brave ventured outside and even then only when it was absolutely necessary. The women, children, and elderly that had been left behind by the warriors preferred the warmth of the keep than that of the crystal cold world outside.
The seamstress had been called twice already to adjust Raine’s gown and let them out a few inches around her midsection and her bodice. She noticed one day that she had so much cleavage she didn’t know what to do with it all.
She kept as active as she could so as to keep her mind occupied with thoughts other than those of Leith. She often went to the stables and helped brush down the horses or helped in the kitchen. She tried to go outside to get fresh air and take short brisk walks but more often than it the weather was not hospitable enough to do it on a regular basis. So she enjoyed it when she could.
Like today. She had thrown off her dresses and their confining torture, and she donned some of Leith’s clothing. His pants had to be rolled up a few times but the waist was just about right. Doubling up on wool socks and a few layers of his shirts with a wool overcoat, and she was set. Lady MacGregor had thought her daft to want to go outside on a day like this, but all of the days were like this of late. Cabin fever had settled in, and she was in desperate need of a change of scenery.
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