Box Set - Knights of Passion (7 Novels)
Page 54
“Why no’? After all, Jacob from the Bible used the stone as a pillow and had dreams o’ angels, and thet’s exactly what happened te me.”
“Ye dreamt o’ me, no’ an angel,” she reminded him.
“Thet’s why ye are me angel, Effie.” He ran his fingers softly over her cheek, and she closed her eyes and shuddered slightly. “Isna it hard te believe thet stone is so auld thet it was used in the coronation o’ e’ery king o’ Scotland, fer the last five hundred years?”
“So this must be the stone me grandmathair used te coronate Robert the Bruce, after King Edward stole the fake stone,” said Effie in admiration.
“Yer grandmathair?” asked Aidan, pushing up to a sitting position on the pallet. “Effie, are ye sayin’ ye are related by bluid te Isabel MacDuff?”
“Aye,” she answered with a nod of her head. “So ye’ve heard o’ her?”
“Me angel, e’eryone kens aboot Isabel. If it wasna fer her, Scotland would most likely be ruled by those English bastards right now. Ye should be honored te be her kin. I heard the poor lassie was kept in a cage fer four years out in all kinds o’ weather, and in view of all fer what she’d done. I canna even imagine a lassie put in a cage. Thet is horrible. But I didna ken she had bairns after thet. I thought once the English released her, she died.”
“Thet is what she wanted e’eryone te think, Aidan. She went inte hidin’ and lived with the gypsies, birthin’ me mathair before she truly passed away.”
“Did ye e’er have a chance te meet her?” asked Aidan with wide eyes.
“Nay, but I wish I had. She was a strong woman who stood up fer what she believed. She even went against her own husband, John Comyn. When he sided with the English, she came back te Scotland te crown Robert the Bruce king, since it was her birthright, being a MacDuff and all.”
“I kent there was somethin’ special aboot ye, Effie. Now thet yer sister is deid, ye are the only one te carry on the honors o’ yer grandmathair. I am proud te say I ken ye.” He reached over and kissed her, but she seemed suddenly tense. “What’s the matter, angel?”
“Nothin’,” she said and her head dropped down, almost as if she were ashamed of something, though at this moment she should be very proud. “I . . . guess I’m jest missin’ me sister, thet’s all.”
“I am sorry fer yer loss,” he said. “It’s no’ easy te lose a loved one. But at least ye didna have te watch her hang in a cage, like what the English did te yer grandmathair.”
Effie tried her hardest to keep her emotions hidden, but it wasn’t easy with the way Aidan was praising her as if she were a hero when she was about to be one of the biggest traitors Scotland ever had.
She wanted more than anything to carry on her grandmother’s legacy, and be the savior of Scotland so to speak. But because of her actions, instead the MacDuff name would go down in history as being blackhearted, traitorous and an ally of the bloody English.
“Is thet a tear I see?” Aidan reached out and brushed away the tear from her cheek with his thumb. “Lassie, what’s the matter?”
“Aidan – I was jest thinkin’ aboot what ye said, and how horrible it must o’ been fer me grandmathair te be in thet cage and all.” She couldn’t stop thinking of Coira, and hoped she was all right. “If ye had someone ye loved hangin’ in a cage – a lassie – what would ye do?”
“I’d free her and kill those English bastards in a heartbeat.”
“But . . . what if there were too many o’ them, and ye would possibly lose yer life in the process?”
“If it was someone I loved, and she were a helpless lassie who had risked her own life te help her country, the way Isabel did, I would gladly give me life te save her.”
“Thet’s what I thought ye’d say.” She knew now she couldn’t tell Aidan about her sister, or that she, herself, had been imprisoned in a cage. If so, he’d be a madman enough to try to go after the bastards, and would surely lose his life in the process.
“I dinna want ye so sad on yer birthday, me angel.” He got up and walked to the table to get the bowl of food. “Reid, get away from the birthday meal I’ve prepared fer Effie. Ye dinna eat cabbie claw, now shoo.” He brushed the squirrel away from the food, and the animal scolded him in return, flicking his tail. “Well, I’m glad te see ye are back te yer ornery auld self.”
He brought the food to the pallet and settled down beside her. “Try this, I made it meself.”
She felt so awful right now, that a knot formed in her stomach. She looked back to the Stone of Destiny, knowing this stone would be her destiny after all. “I dinna think I could eat right now,” she told him.
“Then let me help ye.” He took a spoonful of food and popped into her mouth. Wonderful flavor exploded on her tongue, and she realized this man was talented with cooking. “It’s . . . really guid,” she said, swallowing and licking her lips. “I had no idea ye had such talents.”
“I’ll show ye more talents as soon as we’re finished. I am goin’ te practice me caber toss this mornin’ so I can beat Storm at the Highland Games competition. He has held the title fer the last ten years.”
“I’d like te see thet,” she said, feeling better, and digging into the food.”
“Then ye will join us at the festival.”
She stopped chewing and looked up slowly. She wanted to be there more than anything, but she knew her stay here was going to be short. Any day now, Tasgall would show up with the English and her time with Aidan would be over.
“I . . . dinna ken if I’ll be here then,” she said.
“O’ course ye will, Effie. As soon as I ask Storm if ye can be a part o’ our clan, ye’ll be one o’ the MacKeefes. Ye’ll have a new family te replace the one ye lost.”
She just looked down and shook her head. She knew this would never be.
“Och, I’m sorry, lassie. I didna mean te make ye sad aboot yer family.” He took her hand in his and with the fingers of his other hand, he raised her chin and looked into her eyes. “I ken this is crazy, Effie, but I have always been a madman, so I’m jest goin’ te say it. I think I love ye, angel, and I dinna want ye te leave me side. So please, stay.”
“Love?” She jerked back so quickly that the food fell off her lap to the pallet.
“Did I say somethin’ wrong?” he asked, scooping the food back into the bowl.
“Nay . . . I jest didna expect thet.”
“I ken it is crazy, lass, but I feel as if ye’ve been brought te me fer a reason.”
“Oh, I can say thet is probably true.” Little did he know the real reason.
“The stone brought us together,” he said with a smile, rubbing his hand over the smooth rock.
“Again, I’d have te agree with ye there.”
There was a knock at the door, and Effie looked up quickly. “Dinna let yer friends in afore I’m dressed,” she said, reaching for her torn and worn clothes. “I dinna care te let them see me naked a second time.”
“Aidan, are ye in there?” came a girl’s voice from the other side of the door.
“Kyla, ye ken I told ye ne’er te come in unless ye knock and are invited.”
“Thet’s why I’m knockin’, now can I enter?”
“Dinna come in unless ye want te see yer brathair naked.”
“Is thet yer sister?” Effie asked.
“Aye,” he said, pulling on his clothes hurriedly. “She must o’ come back from the fair early.”
“Is Ian in there with ye, brathair?” His sister’s muffled voice was heard from the other side of the door.
“Nay, he and Dagger are huntin’ fer food.”
“Why do ye call yer friend, Dagger?” asked Effie curiously. “And why does he have such odd eyes?”
“I dinna ken why his eyes are two different colors. He was born thet way,” said Aidan, pulling his clothes into place. “Dagger is what Onyx’s close friends call him, e’er since he was found in a box with a dagger when he was a bairn.”
“He was?” asked Effie.
“I’ll have him tell ye the story sometime.” He didn’t bother to wear shoes, and stood up quickly. “Get dressed and meet me in the field outside the cottage, and I’ll show ye how I toss a caber.”
“All right,” she said, starting to don her old clothes. He reached out and grabbed the new MacKeefe clothes and held them out to her. “No’ those auld clothes, wear these instead.”
She looked up to him and saw the hope in his eyes. Wearing them would be like accepting the fact he’d just said he loved her and wanted her to stay with him. It would be like saying she wanted to be one of them – which she did.
“I dinna ken, Aidan.” When she looked up to him again, she saw sadness in his eyes, and his face took on a dour disposition. Something tugged at Effie’s heart and she felt as if she were going to cry. She didn’t want to disappoint him, but neither did she want to lead him on with hopes of something that could never be. She couldn’t wear his sister’s clothes when she was about to betray them. The MacKeefes were the family she always wanted, but she didn’t deserve these wonderful people in her life.
Her eyes went to her old clothes and settled on the MacDuff brooch, and she felt a whole new aching within her heart. How could she wear them after Aidan had told her how proud she should be after what her grandmother had done? She didn’t deserve to dress like a MacDuff either. Not with what she was about to do. The MacDuffs stood for the heritage of Scotland - pride, determination, and doing anything to show their loyalty to their king and the land they loved, not betraying their king and country.
Either way, she was doomed. She only wished she had a third option right now. Perhaps she should just walk around naked. She sat there just staring at the clothes, not knowing what to do.
“Aidan, what are ye doin’ in there?” came Kyla’s voice from outside the door. “I’m comin’ in.”
Effie quickly grabbed the MacKeefe clothes from Aidan and held them in front of her body when his sister opened the door and burst inside. The girl stopped, and jerked backward when she saw Effie.
“Ye werena jestin’ aboot all thet naked stuff, were ye?” she asked her brother.
“I told ye no’ te come in,” he said, scowling at his sister. “Why dinna ye go find and pester Ian and Dagger like ye usually do?”
“I’m Kyla,” the girl said, ignoring her brother and smiling kindly at Effie.
“I’m . . . Effie.” She felt very awkward.
“Are those me clothes?” she asked, looking first at the clothes in Effie’s hands and then back to her brother.
“She disna have anythin’ te wear, Kyla. I didna think ye’d mind.”
“Well, then I suppose ye willna mind thet I gave yer horse te Wren’s brathair, Madoc, either, will ye?”
“Me horse? Madoc? What are ye talkin’ aboot ye mischant lass?”
“I got a ride here with Madoc and came back from the fair early. He jest came te check on his birds and he is leavin’ again right away.”
“Ye canna give away me horse, Kyla. Why disna he use his own?”
“His horse went lame jest as we arrived, and he said he disna have time te wait and see if it’ll heal. His wife, Abbey is birthin’ their third bairn any day now, and he wants te get back te Blake Castle te be with her.”
“Bid the devil, ye are always causin’ trouble, Kyla. Where is Madoc? I’ll go talk with him.”
“He’s gone te the pigeon roost te take care o’ his birds.”
Aidan collected his squirrel from the table and rushed out the door, leaving Effie and Kyla there, just looking at each other awkwardly.
“So ye’re Aidan’s sister,” Effie said, surveying the girl. She looked to be around the same age as herself, and had light brown hair that was tied back and trailed down to her waist. Her big, brown eyes were round with wonder as she surveyed Effie as well.
“I am,” she said, closing the door behind her. “And who exactly are ye? Another one o’ me brathair’s hoors?”
“I’m no’ a hoor,” Effie snapped, though she felt no better than one lounging naked on the pallet with a bowl of food at her feet.
“Then why did Aidan bring food te his bed, no’ te mention give ye me clothes?”
“It’s me birthday,” she said. “He was jest tryin’ te be nice te me. He saved me from English curs who were goin’ te accost me. I’m a gypsy who jest had me whole clan killed by the English. I may be a lot o’ things, but I assure ye, I am no’ a hoor. This was me first time te e’er lay with a man fer yer information.” She jumped up from the pallet and threw the clothes at Kyla, and turned back and started to don her old, ripped and dirtied ones.
“Och, I’m sorry. Me brathair and his friends usually have a lot o’ lassies, and I dinna like it. I didna mean te judge ye.”
“It disna matter.” She pulled on the dirtied clothes and fastened her brooch into place.
“What is thet brooch?” asked Kyla.
“What does it matter?”
“Let me see thet,” she said, walking forward, but Effie held out her hand and stopped her.
“Ye may as well ken. I am Effie MacDuff, and this brooch was me grandmathair’s,” she said, running her hand over it lovingly.
“Ye’re a MacDuff?” Kyla asked. “The MacDuffs are revered by the rest o’ the clans becooz o’ a lassie named –”
“Isabel MacDuff,” said Effie. “I ken. The lassie was me grandmathair, but I assure ye I am no’ te be admired like her.”
Kyla walked over and held out the MacKeefe clothes. “Wear these,” she said. “Ye shouldna wear those torn and dirtied clothes. I would be honored fer the granddaughter o’ Isabel MacDuff te wear me clothes.”
Effie stopped and looked at the girl. She was smiling now, and her features reminded Effie a little of her own sister. She missed Coira so much and worried about her every minute. She had always confided in her sister when she was feeling sad, and it felt good to have another woman around right now.
“Are ye sure?” she asked. “They are yer clothes, and I really dinna deserve them.”
“I’m sure o’ it. I like ye. Ye are different than the rest o’ the lassies me brathair usually beds. I can see why he likes ye. Put them on and let’s go find Ian.”
“All right,” she said, taking the clothes gingerly and doing as the girl suggested. “But dinna ye mean let’s go find Ian and Onyx too?”
“Och, aye. Thet’s what I meant.” The girl’s face blushed and she looked the other way.
“I heard ye ask fer Ian at the door as well.”
“It was nothin’, she said. “I jest wondered where they were.”
“Does Aidan ken how ye feel aboot his friend, Ian?” She busied herself dressing in the MacKeefe clothes, liking the way they felt. Then she took her grandmother’s brooch, and carefully placed it on the table. There was no way she could wear it right now.
“I didna say thet.” Once again, Kyla’s face blushed.
“Ye didna have te say it. I have a younger sister, and ye remind me o’ her. I’ve seen her act this same way o’er a laddie she once liked.”
“Ye have a sister? What’s her name?”
“Coira.”
“Where is she? Is she here too?”
“Nay, she’s been taken captive by the English.”
Suddenly, Effie realized her mistake. She’d been so distracted with the clothes and the fact she actually had another female to talk to, that she’d accidentally told Kyla about Coira. And it was too late now to take it back.
“She has?” gasped Kyla. “Thet’s terrible. Mayhap Aidan can help ye get her back.”
“Nay. Kyla, dinna say anythin’ aboot this te anyone. Please.”
“Why no’? she asked. “I’d think ye’d want some help in tryin’ te free her.”
“I dinna need anyone riskin’ their life fer me or me sister. Now, please promise me ye willna say a word aboot it. Especially te Aidan.”
“But I’m sure Aidan would want te help ye.”
“How would y
e feel when Ian went with him, and if neither o’ them came home alive?”
“Och, I see yer point.” The girl’s head lowered and she looked to the floor.
“Ye keep me secret aboot me sister, and I’ll keep yer secret thet ye have eyes fer Ian. Is it a deal?”
Kyla looked up and smiled. “It’s a deal. I dinna want ye te lose yer sister, but neither do I want te lose Ian or me brathair or any o’ his friends.”
“Neither do I,” she said, looking over to the Stone of Destiny. “Neither do I.”
AIDAN
CHAPTER TEN
Aidan was delighted when he saw his sister and Effie opening the door to the pigeon loft, and coming inside to join them. Effie had donned the clothes he gave her after all, and she looked good wearing them. Almost as if she were a MacKeefe. But for some reason, she hadn’t used her MacDuff brooch.
“Me angel,” he said, holding out his hand. She took his hand in hers and joined him and Madoc at the roost. Madoc raised homing pigeons, and also raced them.
“Your angel?” asked Madoc, laughing. “Now that’s the first I’ve ever heard that.”
“She is me dream angel,” said Aidan. “I saw her in a dream, while I was sleepin’ on the Stone o’ Destiny.”
“You sound so smitten with the girl. But if you really saw her in a dream, then I guess she is your destiny,” said Madoc. “Just like my wife, Abbey, was my destiny the day I robbed her on the road.”
“You robbed someone?” asked Effie.
“I used to be a thief,” he said, walking forward to greet her. He let go of one of the pigeons in his hand and it fluttered up high to the rafters. “My name is Madoc,” he said. “And who are you?”
“Effie.” Effie held out her hand and the handsome man took it and kissed it. He was tall with long, dark hair that fell around his shoulders. His eyes were bright green and mysterious, and he had a sword at his side, and the crest of an eagle on his tunic.
“Effie, this is Wren’s brathair,” said Aidan. “He used te be a thief afore he found out he was really o’ noble English blood.”
“I see.” She pulled her hand back quickly, hearing the part of him being English.