A Lesson in Passion

by Jennifer Connors

  “So, when ya and Ian shared a bed each night, ya never...” Maude had more trouble finding the words than she did.

  “Shared a bed? Maude, what are you talking about?”

  “Ian sleeps in his own bed every night. I found him there when Rosalyn had the baby. How dinna ya know that?”

  Like a bolt out of the blue, Ginny finally realized why she suddenly got warm at night. She closed her eyes and began to silently berate herself for being so dumb. She never asked him where he was sleeping after giving her his bed. Well, now she knew where... with her, the whole time.

  Something else occurred to Ginny, “Maude, who knows about us sharing a bed?”

  “Everyone, by now. Broderick was verra angry and had a loud fight with the laird over it. I never heard Broderick yell at the laird before.”

  Ginny closed her eyes and prayed for patience. The prayer went unanswered.

  She strode to the door and slammed it open. There, standing a few feet into the courtyard, were Ian, Alec and Broderick. Judging by the look on their faces, hers must have been telling of the coming storm. Ian just stared at her and lifted an eyebrow. The condescension was obvious.

  “HOW DARE YOU!” Ginny screamed at the top of her voice.

  Calming down slightly, she said, “You've been sleeping in my bed every night. And everyone in this village thinks we're lovers. What's wrong with you?”

  In a calm voice, Ian replied, “It is my bed, Ginny. Ya would do well to remember that.”

  “Fuck you, Ian McKenna," Ginny said while pointing her finger into his chest. "You have the nerve to treat me like some kind of plaything. You can go to hell!” Ginny walked down the steps and through the courtyard. Just then, the stable boy came with a saddled horse. Without considering that she'd only ridden a horse a couple of times, she lifted her skirt, put her foot in the stirrup and pulled herself up. Then, before the stable boy knew what was happening, she kicked the horses flanks and off it rode, out the gate.

  “My horse!” Broderick fairly screamed as she rode off.

  Ginny had no idea where she was going. She headed south, at least she thought it was south. She held on for dear life and hoped the damn horse knew where to go. After a few minutes, Ginny pulled back on the reins and got the horse to slow down. The horse was walking now, so Ginny took some time to adjust her skirt so it wasn't so indecent. She could no longer see the huts of the village, could no longer see the keep. Ahead she saw a field with a small stream running through it. Fortunately, she was able to stop the horse and get off it without killing herself.

  She walked over to the stream and scooped up water into her hands. She rubbed the water onto her face, trying to cool down her temper. Ginny couldn't remember a time when she was this mad. Maybe that time she caught her boyfriend Victor sucking face with her co-worker at the hospital Christmas party. No, not even then.

  Ginny sat remembering their few sexual encounters together. They had been brief, but they had also been passionate. Could Ian have been faking it? No, he wanted what he wanted and as laird, he got what he wanted.

  Ginny was muttering to herself. Why the hell did he continue to insist that she was his when the whole time he knew he was marrying someone else? She knew he wanted her, but why would he use her like that? Ginny guessed it had something to do with an over abundance of testosterone. He simply didn't consider her feelings.

  “Well, well, what do we have here?”

  Ginny turned to face the voice. Three young men, barely no longer boys, were standing there facing her. Judging by the sneers they gave her, there intentions were less than honorable. They were a gruesome bunch. The tallest, who was well over 6 feet, had bright orange hair and a bad complexion to match. The second, was only slightly shorter, and had a lazy eye. The third, who wasn't much taller than Ginny, was missing an extraordinary number of his teeth. The effect made his sneer even more laughable.

  “Yar the Englishwoman, aye?” the orange haired boy said.

  “Yes, I'm Ginny,” was all she said, staying on her guard.

  “Isnae she the laird's mistress? That's what my da told me,” that came from lazy eye.

  “Aye, his mistress. Do ya think she might want to demonstrate her wares?” Orange hair was having a good time.

  “Never had a whore before,” came out of Shorty's mouth and it made them all laugh.

  Ginny had had enough. “Really, what a shock! Although, considering you haven't had any woman, I can see the appeal of having one you had to pay for.” Oops, wrong answer.

  “She dinna just disrespect me, did she?” Shorty took offense to her response.

  “Aye, she did. What kind of whore doesnae like to relieve a man's suffering,” Orange hair looked perplexed.

  “I'm not a whore, gentlemen. The stories of my sleeping with McKenna have been greatly exaggerated,” Ginny did not like where this was going. Three against one was never good odds, but then as a female, with limited strength, it made the odds even worse.

  “If I say yar a whore, then yar a whore, aye?” Shorty was getting bold and Ginny was getting pissed.

  Her morning had started off so promising. She remembered thinking the day would be so much better because she had gotten a bath. It went downhill from there. Finding out about Ian's marriage to a woman only for the sake of an alliance, finding out that the entire village thinks she's a whore, and Ian's obvious lack of repentance over the situation. If anger gives you strength, then call her the Hulk. “Careful, gentlemen, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry.”

  All three started laughing. The loud guffaws made something in Ginny snap. She moved forward to Shorty and clocked him upside his head. The other two stopped laughing and came at Ginny. She was able to kick Orange hair square in the nuts, but lazy eye grabbed her from behind and lifted her off the ground. She couldn't move her arms and her legs were thrown out in front of her, so she couldn't kick his shins.

  Shorty came over, looking particularly pissed. Ginny's heart was beating so fast, she could both hear and feel it pounding in her ears. It was probably why she didn't hear the horse approaching. Shorty stayed out of the way of Ginny's flailing legs, but managed to back hand her. Then suddenly, Ginny was on the ground.

  All three boys were looking toward a frightening sight. There stood Ian, breathing heavy and scowling viciously. The boys ran in different directions, but Ian caught Shorty and proceeded to pound him into the ground. His yell stopped the other two in their tracks.

  “Ya dinna want to make me run after ya. Get over here, Malcolm, Hamish,” Ian's voice indicated that this was one order that wouldn't be disobeyed. As soon as they were in front of Ian, he took their heads and smashed them together. The sound was a sickening thud and both boys crumbled to the ground.

  He stepped over the boys and walked toward Ginny. His face was still frightening and Ginny wanted nothing to do with him. She got up and began to back away. The tears were streaming down her face. Wanting nothing more than to be anywhere else, she quickened her steps and promptly fell over a rock. This gave Ian more than enough time to catch up. Without a word, he scooped her up and walked back to his horse.

  How he was able to climb onto a horse while cradling her, she could not fathom. But there she was, once again in his arms, riding on his huge horse. Before heading back to the keep, he grabbed the reins of Broderick's horse. They were back in the courtyard within a few minutes, since she'd only managed to get over one hill during her flight.

  Broderick snarled at her, muttered something about stealing a man's horse, then quickly climbed up and left, presumably to pick up Ian's bride. Ian dismounted and brought Ginny into the great hall, where he gingerly put her down on one of the chairs by the hearth. Ginny just stared into space, not willing to make eye contact, not willing to listen to anything he had to say.

  “How are ya?” Ian asked, trying to keep his voice low. He was kneeling in front of her, caressing her hands.

  Ginny continued her stare. She knew that men hated it when women went sile
nt. It was her only weapon, so she employed it. She turned her head, not realizing that it would show off her newly forming bruise from Shorty's back hand.

  “Och, Ginny. Yar hurt.” Ian strode over to the kitchen and was giving orders. In less than a minute, he was applying a cold compress to her face. He was being gentle and Ginny knew she was wavering. But, in the end, she held firm. She didn't want to be used again.

  “Will ya no' talk to me?” Ian sounded a little desperate and she really liked that.

  Ginny decided that the only thing better than silence was guilt. “Do you know why those boys were attacking me?” She stared at him with her eyes still wet with tears.

  Ian looked down. Ginny didn't think he realized the extent of his guilt, so she continued to elaborate.

  “They were calling me a whore. Your mistress. They wanted me to show them what I was capable of. I suppose you can't blame them. It is the impression everyone has of me.”

  Ian's head shot up and stared. “Och, Ginny, they can and will be blamed for their actions. And no one thinks yar a whore.”

  “Why not? I'm unmarried and have been apparently sharing a bed with you since Day One. The one boy said he heard I was your mistress from his father.”

  “I dinna mean for this to happen.” Ian's voice dropped to a whisper, so only Ginny could hear him. “I have wanted ya from the moment I saw ya fighting in that keep. When ya thought ya were saving me from attack. Havenae ya known that?”

  “It doesn't matter, Ian. After our few stolen moments, you've had to know that I wanted you too. But that's not how it works here. You know we have to be married to go that far. It's the one thing I have to offer to a marriage. If you take it, no matter how much we both want it, then I have nothing.” Ginny knew she didn't care, but for some reason, she didn't think she'd be in this body forever. And if she couldn't leave that much for Lady Chatham, Ginny would have cheated the life she'd only been borrowing.

  “I dinna take you last night. Even after ya grabbed me,” Ian fairly snarled at her. Obviously, this woman had no idea how much restraint he'd employed. He, after all, was used to getting what he wanted and Ginny was on the top of that list.

  “What? Jesus Christ, I thought I was dreaming. That certainly explains a lot,” Ginny retorted. Well, that would be why she couldn't get laid in her dreams, because she hadn't been dreaming. She did wonder something, though. “You stopped me. Did you know I was half asleep and would regret it. Is that why you stopped it?”

  “Nay, Ginny. I stopped ya because I want to marry ya. I want ya to give me sons. I dinna want this other woman. I havenae even seen her. I marry her only for the alliance.”

  Ginny was weakening. A large part of her wanted Ian to carry her upstairs and make love to her. She knew it would be spectacular and she needed a little spectacular after the day she was having. But that was what she wanted, not necessarily what Lady Chatham would want. On the other hand, it might be all she got. Of course, if this was a romance story, something had to change in her favor. Could she wait just a little while longer, to see what was yet to come? Ginny knew she had to.

  “When will your bride be arriving?”

  “It will take Broderick a few days to get there and back again.”

  “Very well. We have a few days together before you become forever unavailable to me. What would like to do?”

  Ian looked confused. Did she think he would send her away once he was married? “Ya still belong to me, Ginny. I wouldnae send you away after the marriage.”

  “First, stop saying that. It reminds me of things I can't have. Second, I will not sleep in this keep after you're married. I need to find alternative housing. It's not like I can leave, Ian.”

  “Nay, ya willna ever leave.”

  “And what, exactly, will you do if I decide to marry someone else? Or do you plan to just keep me here, unmarried, for the rest of my life?”

  Ian looked like she struck him. He hadn't really thought what he would do if she married someone else. He was fairly certain he would never let her marry anyone else. It wasn't fair, but he didn't care.

  “We dinna need to talk about that now. What did ya want to do today?”

  Ginny bowed her head thoughtfully. When she looked up into his eyes, it occurred to her that it would be nice to spend some time with him. “There is a grove of trees, just down the hill from where your men train that I wanted to look at. I was wondering what kind of plants were growing there. I remember a moss that's great in healing.”

  Ian smiled. “I will take ya there.”

  “Just let me get some things...” Ginny said as she stood and left him in the hall. She called over her shoulder, “I'll meet you in the courtyard in fifteen minutes.” With that, Ginny walked up the stairs to where she kept her herbals.

  * Chapter 17 *

  He was there, on top of his horse, waiting. Ginny decided to make him wait, as she used the disgusting chamberpot, got some water, grabbed her apple and then finally made her way out to the courtyard. He lifted her up to his lap and rode off to the grove she had spoken about. Four of Ian's men followed on horseback, fully armed with swords.

  When they slowed down, Ginny started munching on her apple. Ian stared at her and asked, “Are ya no' going to share yar sweet apple?”

  “No, I'm not going to share. You got to eat your breakfast this morning. I did not.”

  Ian began to laugh. It was a booming laugh that could only make you smile in response. Ginny had to decide how mad she still was at him. She had to maintain some anger, or he would easily convince her to fool around again. Above all else, Ginny could not allow that to happen.

  They dismounted in front of the grove. On the other side of the trees was a steep hill, on top of which, Ian's men trained. “Why are you not training your men today, Ian?” Ginny asked.

  “Alec will handle it. Besides, I am spending some time with ya.” Ian's voice could be soothing and sexy when he wanted it to be. Ginny wasn't falling for it.

  She finished her apple and threw the core into the trees. After wiping her sticky fingers on her tunic, she began to inspect the different varieties of flora. She knew a lot of plants by sight, few by name, often referring to them by their characteristics: yellow leaves, small red buds, etc... She wasn't having much success when she came out to see Ian talking to one of his men.

  As she walked out of the trees toward him, she heard a strange whistle. Not a second later, an arrow hit the tree next to her head. Now, Ginny isn't stupid, but she just stood there staring at the arrow trying to figure out what was going on. Suddenly, she was on the ground, underneath Ian, within the tree line.

  “What's going on?” she asked, as she finally started piecing it together.

  Ian growled at one of his men, “How many?”

  “I canna tell. At least fifteen on the ridge line. The plaid, if I am no' mistaking, is MacBain,” the man turned to Ian with a look like that was some seriously bad news.

  “Damn! Five against fifteen. If it were any other clan, I wouldnae be worried. But not McBains,” Ian took only a second to consider his options.

  He turned his fierce stare to Ginny and said, “Ya need to run up the hill, Ginny. Ya need to get Alec and more men down here as quickly as possible. Can ya do that?”

  “Of course.” Ginny stood up and began to make her way through the trees. As she forcing her way through, she yelled back to Ian, “Stay safe. All of you. Or I will be pissed.”

  She heard their laughter as she made it to the other side of the trees and began running up the hill. The hill wasn't that high, but it was steep. She had always been a quick runner, but never lasted very long. About a quarter of the way up the hill, the stitch in her side started and her lungs began to burn. Ginny pushed past the pain and kept going. Damn Scotland for being so hilly , she thought, but continued to push herself up the hill. She didn't know how long Ian and his men could hold out.

  The rocky slope was killing her feet. The only shoes she had to wear were not very
sturdy. More like ballet slippers with a hard sole. Ginny would have killed for a pair of sneakers at that point, or her reliable hiking boots.

  She saw the top and started spouting, I think I can, I think I can , over and over in her head. When she finally reached the top of the hill, she could barely breathe, so she started waving her arms to catch Alec's attention. Another warrior saw her and ran over, just as Alec spotted her and rode the horse he was still on top of over to see what was going on.

  “What is it, lass?” the warrior asked.

  “Ian... attack... MacBains...” she started pointing toward the grove of trees at the bottom of the hill, like some kind of pantomime. The warrior called out to Alec, then let out a piercing war cry. Men were running down the hill as fast as they could, carrying their swords high and yelling to let Ian know they were coming. Ginny dropped to the ground and was soon surrounded by four of the clan's newest warriors.

  When Ginny caught her breath again, she said to the nearest man, “Go, take care of your laird. I'll be fine.”

  “Nay, we know our duty. We canna let ya be taken or hurt.”

  Ginny stood back up, but the cramp in her side bent her over. One of the men came over and helped her back to the ground. Ginny looked up to thank him and realized it was the boy she'd stitched up after the first battle when she first met the clan McKenna. She smiled at him as he offered her his waterskin.

  “Thank you. Ronald, right?” she asked while taking a big drink from the skin.

  “Aye. I never thanked ya for yar help healing me that day. I am verra sorry about acting so badly,” he looked quite remorseful. Ginny thought Ian could take a lesson.

  “It's alright. I know it was probably a little embarrassing for you. I think we can now be even,” she said, holding up the skin and taking one more drink before handing it back to him.

  “Nay, I still owe ya,” Ronald said with a smile. As Ginny tried to get up again, he helped her and her side didn't burn as badly as before.