by Ria Cantrell
Just as Morag was about to leave, and the sooner the better as far as Hugh MacCollum was concerned, she turned again to face him and from her spot near the door she declared, “Mark me, Hugh. Ye’ canna’ hide the evil that ye’ have done. It will be found out, I can promise ye’ that. Ye’ will nay pull any wool over our Laird’s eyes.”
“I have nothing to confess, witch and ye’ have nothing to convict me of. Now leave me be. I’ve suffered enough tonight.”
“T’will be nothing compared to what the laird will do when he learns what ye’ are about. I dunna’ know for sure but the harm done to ye’ this night left its mark of evil upon ye’. It is rank and I know there is much ye’ are nay speaking of. Evil of that sort will have its own say, I reckon. It always does, Hugh. It always does.”
Chapter 29
Life in Medieval Scotland had taken such a turn for Sinead. The spirit of Christmas and Yule filled the air and the great fortress was being transformed with sweet smelling boughs from Yews, Holly and Pines. To make herself useful, Sinead sat with a group of young women and she helped string berries through the fragrant greenery that would be used to adorn the great hall. Even though she was far from home, Sinead had to admit she had never felt more Christmassy in her entire life. It was festive and even though the harsh winter was upon these people, there was a sense of joviality that stretched through the inhabitants of the clan.
Sinead had seen very little of Jamie since she had willingly kissed him in the shadows of the hall but she realized that he had much to do especially with the tending of his precious flock. She did not fault him. It actually warmed her heart to think of him taking care of those adorable little lambs. The dichotomy of his strength as a warrior and the gentleness he showed to the little baby animals was something that Sinead could barely wrap her mind around. Still, it was so. While Sinead passed the sharp bone needle through another cranberry, she could scarcely stop thinking about Jamie. Was she falling in love with the man? It seemed like such a waste to think in terms of love when she thought about having a relationship with Jamie MacCollum. Not only did she not belong in this time, but Jamie’s life was not his own to choose as he wished. He would one day be laird of the clan and history usually called for him to marry one of his own.
Marry! Holy God, now you are thinking about marriage, you romantic ninny. You only just met the man and you are thinking about why you can’t marry him? Will you ever learn that those stories written in romance novels weren’t reality…but…you never thought you would fall through time, either. This is as real as it gets and parts are even better than anything I could have imagined.
Sinead jabbed her middle finger with the needle and a bright red droplet of blood beaded on the pad of it. She cursed and sucked her finger into her mouth. The girls sitting near her looked up as Sinead had let go the expletive and instantly she was ashamed of herself. She had to curb her brassy New York ways. She hastily muttered, “Sorry. I stuck myself.”
The girls smiled and then their eyes seemed to rise in unison at something behind her. Sinead did not need to turn around to know what it was, or rather, who it was. It was Jamie. She could feel him before he even sat beside her. He straddled the bench and took her injured finger to his lips. The young women who had been working beside Sinead suppressed their giggles but still Sinead could feel herself blush. Jamie winked at the girls and turned back to Sinead.
“Did ye’ hurt yerself much?”
“It’s nothing, Jamie. I just need to be more careful with the needle. I wasn’t paying attention and I jabbed myself.”
It seemed so inane to be telling a man like Jamie she had pricked her finger. Then a little sheepishly, she added, “I am not that skilled with a needle and thread, I’m afraid.”
“Practice, lass. Ye’ll master it, I suppose.”
“I guess I had better learn, shouldn’t I?”
Jamie looked at her and smiled. “If that is what ye’ want.”
Sinead nodded at the implication. It was as if he was reminding her that staying here in this time was her choice and knowing that he was giving her the option made her want to stay all the more. Jamie kissed her finger again, and he seemed lighter and happier than Sinead had ever noticed since she had first arrived here. He leaned in and whispered, “I have missed ye’.”
Sinead felt herself flush deeper and she said softly, “You have been very busy.”
“Aye. T’is so. And there have been things I had no wish to concern ye’ with that have taken some of my attention, but I wanted to show ye’ something. Can ye’ come with me for a moment?”
Sinead looked at her companions who were still trying to stifle their giggles and their knowing little expressions told Sinead that it was no big secret any longer that Jamie and she were attracted to one another. Glancing toward the girls, one of them nodded and grinned broadly. Sinead was pretty sure they all had crushes on Jamie but he barely seemed to notice them. It was obvious that his eyes were set just on Sinead and that was alright with her. Sinead set aside her garland and she stood up to brush off her skirts. Loosened pine needles and holly leaves stuck into the fabric and with a gentle shake, the remnants were tossed amid the rushes on the floor. If there was any doubt that Jamie had claimed her, he took her hand in his and they walked from the great hall, like a couple of sweethearts.
Sinead said, “Is everything alright? I mean, you said something was afoot. Did something happen?”
Jamie nodded slowly, but he said, “No need to worry, love. Ye’ are quite safe. All is well.”
“Well, what happened?”
“T’is nothing to concern yerself’ with.”
Those words reminded Sinead that this was a man’s world and that women were not always part of the events that took their attention. She was pretty certain that even if she could entertain staying, that it would take some getting used to about the former. She was used to dealing with stuff and handling things. She was not a fragile woman. At least she prided herself on her physical strength and determination. Not wishing to ruin Jamie’s good mood, Sinead pasted a smile on her lips and she said, “What is it that you wish to show me?”
He puffed his chest out proudly and grinned, “Ye’ll see.”
Jamie led Sinead toward another large room near the kitchens. It had tables set up in part of the room and Sinead guessed this was either a servants’ dining space or perhaps it was where the family ate when they wanted privacy away from the main hall. The room was lined with tapestries along the walls and comfortable looking benches near the smaller fire place.
Next to the hearth sat Bronwyn’s harp and Sinead wondered where Jamie’s sister was because she had not seen her in the great hall. As if her thoughts had conjured her, Bronwyn entered behind them and she said, “Oh, brother, I only meant to have a turn on my harp. I shall come back later.”
“Nay, t’is fine. I wanted to show Sinead something, but ye’ can stay.”
Shrugging, Bronwyn seated herself near the fire and she put what looked like a small handle over some of the pegs as she set about tuning her instrument. Sinead was completely baffled as Jamie sat her down on a cushioned bench at the other side of the hearth.
“Jamie, what in the world? The suspense is killing me.”
“Patience lass. I want to do this right.”
As Sinead looked on, Jamie dropped to the floor and he proceeded to do five perfect push-ups. Sinead’s eyes widened and Bronwyn stopped tuning her harp to stare at the odd behavior of her usually very serious brother.
“Have ye’ lost yer’ wits, Jamie? Whatever are ye’ doin’?”
“T’is something that the men do where…well, where Sinead is from.”
“Ye’ mean MacDougal men do this odd thing?”
Perching himself on his heels, Jamie glanced first at Sinead and then at his sister and he said, “Aye. The MacDougal…that’s right.”
“But why? It looks ridiculous!”
Sinead could not hide her grin and she said, “It is to st
rengthen them.”
“It’s absurd. I’m getting Nan, I think ye’ have lost yer’ wits and Nan may need to tend ye.”
Bronwyn put her harp aside and hurried out of the room. Sinead laughed and Jamie reveled at the sound. “She must think you have lost your mind.”
“Aye, ye’ may be right. And ye’ lass, what do ye’ think?”
“Ahem, well, it is a good start.”
“Start? What do ye’ mean? I did them exactly as ye’ have shown me.”
“Well that’s true. You did, but where I come from, men challenge each other to do as many pushups as they can. I mean, while the ones you did were nicely done, it was merely five. I did five with my injured leg and I’m just a girl.”
Sinead knew she shouldn’t goad him so, but the image of his strong back and shoulders rising and falling as he did those pushups was just too good to resist. Besides, she had to get the little dig in about the gentler sex not being part of this man’s world in which she found herself in. She wanted to see more. His body was so toned and strong already, that she could see the muscles rippling under his shirt and across his ribs. God he was so damned gorgeous, that Sinead would be lying if she told herself that she did not enjoy looking at him and when he did those few pushups, she felt desire quickly rising to the surface.
Jamie’s eyes flashed with the challenge and he said, “Oh is that so? Just how many do ye’ wish me to do?”
With a nonchalant wave of her hand, Sinead said, “As many as you want…or as many as you can. Perhaps five is all you can do right now. You do have to work up to more, you know.”
“Really? Maybe the puny men in yer’ time need to work up to more, as ye’ say, but I assure ye’, I have nay need to.”
“Fine, go ahead then.”
Sinead almost felt bad for wickedly challenging Jamie, but she just was enjoying herself so much, even if it was at his expense. She had every confidence that he could easily rise to the task.
Jamie peeled off his shirt and Sinead was pretty sure that was for her benefit. It did not matter what time a man was from, they all knew what women liked, and Sinead liked a well-defined and muscled torso of a man. Tossing his shirt next to her on the bench, Jamie hunkered down and got into position again to do more of those wild things Sinead seemed to like so much.
She counted them off as Jamie did five more. She was glad he was not looking at her because she licked her lips hungrily as she watched him. When he had gotten to seven, the archway filled with Bronwyn, Morag and two of Jamie’s brothers. Ruiri and Shawn stood agape as their brother was doing just what their sister had described. With arms crossed over their chests, the two men laughed out loud and Jamie stopped mid pushup and stood up.
“See, I told ye’, Nan, he has lost his mind.”
Morag smirked. “I think he is saner than he has been in months.”
“But he is doin’ that ridiculous thing that the MacDougal men do.”
“Aye,” Morag said wistfully. She knew whatever the practice was, it was to win over the lass and she was all for Jamie doing that.
To help Jamie save face, Sinead piped up, “It isn’t ridiculous and it is harder than it looks Ruiri and Shawn. I bet you can’t even do five and Jamie has done seven.”
Sinead was shameless to pit the brothers against each other, but how often did a girl get a room full of hunks vying for her attention. She stood up next to Jamie and she said, “Go ahead, Jamie. Show your brothers how to do it.”
Jamie raised one eyebrow at Sinead’s request and he pulled her closer and growled against her ear, “Ye’ are a wicked, wicked woman.”
Sinead laughed and she said, “I know.”
“Alright lads, here’s what ye’ have to do. Ye’ get down on yer’ knees and stretch yer’ legs out behind ye’.”
“Can the lass do it? Is that how ye’ learned,” Shawn asked.
“Aye. She can do it.”
“Well then, how hard can it be?”
Shawn leapt down and got into the stance that Jamie had done. He hadn’t braced his arms properly and he ended up sprawled face down into the woven rug. He spit out wool fibers and Ruiri actually let out a roar of laughter. All heads turned toward him because it was rare these days to see Ruiri smile, let alone hear him laugh. He doubled over and held his side as he thought of Shawn getting a mouthful of wool. “She’s takin’ the piss out of ye’ lads,” Ruiri said between chuckles.
Sinead sauntered toward Ruiri and she touched his arm. She was feeling daring and light hearted at Ruiri’s laughter and she felt a tad powerful, too. She said seriously, “I assure you I am not. It is a way that men get strong. It takes a bit of practice. I would wager you could do it.”
Ruiri shook his head and said, “Nay, lass. Not me. I’ll not be eating the rug this day.” At that, Sinead started to laugh because the expression meant an entirely different thing in her time. It reminded her again how much she wanted Jamie. She said, “Uh, yeah, never mind that. Well, boys are you going to try again?”
Ruiri walked to the bench and grabbed a cushion. He shoved it under Shawn’s chin and said, “There, now go on.”
Shawn was not amused and he flung the cushion to the other end of the room, where it bounced off the wall. He tried to do the pushup again and this time he succeeded. His form wasn’t nearly as good as Jamie’s but Sinead suspected Jamie had been practicing to get it right.
“That’s better. Okay, let’s see who can do the most of them. Ready?”
“Hold on, lass, I’ve already done twelve.”
“That’s true, but it doesn’t count if you stop. The object is to do as many as you can in one sitting. I think you are strong enough to begin again, Jamie. Shall I start to count off?”
That was all Jamie needed to hear. He would not let his brother best him even if it meant he would have to do a hundred; that was certain! So, as both men got into position, Sinead began to count as they did their pushups almost in perfect unison. It was truly a sight for sore eyes. These gorgeous men brimming with testosterone would make most women drool just by their looks alone. With their show of strength, Sinead was in all her glory. When the men got past ten, Sinead could see they were starting to slow their pace, but neither stopped. After about fifteen, Shawn was sweating, but he pushed himself to continue. Jamie was staying strong and Sinead was thoroughly enchanted. As she watched, she no longer was interested in Shawn. In fact, Sinead nearly forgot that there were still others present. The ripple of muscles across Jamie’s back was delicious and the slow rise and fall of his kilt against his perfect thighs was almost Sinead’s undoing. Holding the shirt that he had tossed near her, Sinead rose and went to stand next to Jamie. Shawn said through clenched teeth, “How many?”
“I seem to have lost count.”
Shawn groaned and he let his arms go out from his sides, happy to embrace the woven rug once more. Jamie, on the other hand, pushed for a few more and Sinead stooped down beside him and whispered something to him. The entire time Morag watched alongside of Ruiri and Bronwyn and all three of them were grinning like simpletons.
They should have been scandalized when Sinead actually sat upon Jamie’s back and he continued to give her three more, even with her added weight upon him. Instead, Bronwyn could fairly contain a giggle. She liked Sinead and she loved her brother. Turning to Morag she said, “Seems our Jamie has found his mate after all.”
“Seems so. Now come away. There are things that should be private between a man and a woman and I fear they are forgetting that they are not alone.”
Bronwyn nodded and Ruiri fetched her harp for her, carrying it out after the two women. He called, “Come on Shawn.”
Pulling himself up, Shawn followed his sister and brother, too tired to disagree. He was certain he would get ribbed for his defeat, but it was Jamie’s day, now. His day would come another time; today belonged to Jamie.
When the room had cleared, Sinead, slid off of Jamie’s back. He turned onto his side and looked up at her. He wished he
could look at her like that forever because what he saw was pure adoration. It made a man feel lucky and after he got his breathing back to normal, he said, “Well, did that garner my worth amid the men of yer’ world?”
“What do you think?”
Jamie flashed her a brilliant smile and if Sinead had any doubts that she was falling for him, they were quelled in that moment. “And, am I sexy?”
Sinead laughed and answered with a sultry, “Very.”
She leaned in and kissed him, tasting the saltiness from his exertion on his delicious lips. She pressed herself against him and felt his arm rise to clasp her about her waist. She was being drawn into the kiss and it was sublime. Her heart and pulse quickened. Jamie pulled her against him as he turned fully upon his back and Sinead watched as Jamie’s knees bent to plant his booted feet on the floor. His leonine hair fanned out behind him and she was careful to not catch it under herself and pin him there. She was also very cautious about where she placed her hand. She could see by the way the folds of Jamie’s kilt puckered that he was aroused. As she glanced toward it and then back at him, he said definitely, “I want ye’ very much, lass.”
She nodded mutely; her eyes widening at the thought of making love with him.
“I want you, too, Jamie.”
“Because of the pushups,” he asked playfully.
“Well they certainly didn’t hurt, but not only because of that. Because, I have wanted you from the first moment I saw you…because I wanted you from the moment I read about you and knew I wished to save you.”
It was the truth and now that Sinead had said it out loud, there was no way she could take it back.
Jamie’s brows drew inward and he looked concerned for a moment. He sat up and gently stroked her hair, loving the feel of its softness in his fingers. Kissing her deeply he knew he had to ask the question that had burned within him, almost since he had first seen her as well. “Do ye’ fancy yerself in love with me?”
