Heather's Highlander: Book Club: Heartsgate (Heartsgate Highlanders 1)

by Kirsten Osbourne

  “Nay, not at all. I enjoyed them last night. I am certain from the way you and Mother talked that I will continue to enjoy them.”

  “Your parents are coming over for supper again tonight,” she said, finally willing to let the subject of his training drop. There was something going on, though, and she wished she knew what it was.

  “I am not surprised. I believe me grandparents will be here as well. They do love those potatoes of yours.”

  Chapter Seven

  They fell into an easy routine over the following days, though Heather still worried that Derek was hiding something from her. She had no idea what it could be though, so she didn’t keep bringing it up.

  Many of the members of Derek’s immediate family discovered what Heather did for a living, and Heather found she was constantly busy giving a massage to someone. The women all paid her by sewing her garments or baby clothes for the sons they all knew would come.

  Beth became a close companion, with the two of them enjoying one another’s company, and sharing the iPad Heather had brought with her. They both treated it as a precious object, afraid to drop it or hurt it in any way, even with the LifeProof case Heather had put onto it before going back in time.

  Heather enjoyed getting to know everyone around her, and she found she had little difficulty settling into the role of lady of the clan with Beth there to help her.

  She’d been there less than two weeks when Derek came home after training one afternoon, looking particularly agitated. “What’s wrong?” she asked. He’d seemed more and more upset every day as he came in at the end of his training.

  Derek shook his head, looking over his shoulder as if he expected to see someone there. Of course, there was no one behind him.

  “Derek, we’re not going to be able to have a good marriage if you don’t tell me what’s bothering you so much. I know there’s something, and there has been since I arrived.”

  He wasn’t sure what to tell her. “I just feel anger from someone, and I feel like it has to do with our marriage. Tis anger, mixed with sorrow. I thought it was coming from one of the men, but I canna be certain.”

  “Have you told anyone?” Heather felt fear trickle up her spine. “No one in our clan would hurt you, would they?” Already she felt as if she belonged there because of how kind everyone had been.

  “Nay, I dinna think so.” He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the tension spread through him. “I have felt it every day since your arrival, and I dinna know what to do. I talked to me Uncle James, and he has his sons and me brothers on the lookout, but we have found nothing.”

  Heather bit her lip. “Should you be training with the men knowing that? Shouldn’t you stay somewhere safe?”

  “I dinna think I am the one to worry about, lass. Tis you I worry for. I would like one of me brothers to start guarding you.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Guarding me? I don’t need someone watching over me all the time. I’ve taken self-defense classes.”

  “I dinna know what a self-defense class is, but whatever, I still want me brothers watching over you.”

  She sighed. “I suppose I don’t have a choice.”

  “I canna give you one.”

  Heather couldn’t help but notice that the more nervous he was, the more he spoke in his Scots accent instead of his mother’s New York accent. It was strange to watch him transition back and forth so quickly between them. “Then I guess I will have a guard starting tomorrow. Will that guard stay outside the room when I’m giving a massage?”

  “Aye. Ye can have your privacy when ye are massaging someone.”

  “Good. What about when you’re with me. Do I need a guard then?”

  He shook his head. “When you are with me, then I will care for ye.”

  “I see.” She sighed. “I suppose that’s what we’ll do then.” She wanted to protest and scream and yell that she could take care of herself, but she knew better. She wasn’t in twenty-first century New York where she could call 911 on her cell phone if there was a problem. She’d never really realized what a great equalizer technology was.

  “Is tonight Irish nacho night?” he asked.

  Heather couldn’t help but smile at the change in conversation. “Yes, it is. And yes, all of your grandparents, brothers, nieces and nephews, as well as your parents will be here in a few minutes. We’re feeding potatoes to an army centuries before they came to Scotland.”

  “Aye. And me family loves it.” He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him, kissing her softly. “We will get through this together.”

  “I know we will.”

  They were interrupted by someone calling out to them. “The sons will come in time. Now tis time for potatoes!”

  Heather pulled away from Derek and looked to see who was there. His parents stood there with silly grins on their faces. “The sons will be here soon, I’m sure.” Heather sighed. Too soon for her. She needed more time with Derek. They had to find out who was so angry with him if nothing else. Or her, but she had a hard time believing she could be the target of anger, when she’d barely gotten to know anyone yet.

  Gavin walked to her as he did every time they were in the same place, his hand automatically going to her abdomen. This time, he smiled and nodded. “Your first son.”

  Heather frowned. “Already?”

  Beth laughed. “I told you it would happen quickly. At least you have Gavin to help you through labor and childbirth.”

  “I guess I’ll have to be happy with that.”

  “There’s no choice, lass,” Gavin said with a smile. “The future of the clan is with you.”

  As others piled into the keep for nacho night, nothing more was said about the baby Heather was carrying, and she was glad. If there was some sort of danger for her and Derek, it didn’t make any sense at all for her to have a baby then. Of course, it wasn’t about her timing.

  Late that night, after everyone had eaten their fill, Heather lay in Derek’s arms. “Do you think the baby is in danger?”

  Derek hesitated a moment too long. “Nay. No one would do anything to me wife and the lady of this clan.”

  Heather knew the answer he’d given her was the one he thought she wanted to hear. He didn’t think she and the baby were safe. She lay awake deep into the night, wondering who wanted to hurt her. She hoped she never had to find out.

  The following day one of his brothers appeared just after breakfast, and he was her shadow for the rest of the day. Heather didn’t appreciate having a guard over her every move, but they had to be as protective of their baby as they could. Maybe she wasn’t quite ready to be a mother yet, but that didn’t mean she didn’t love her child with everything inside her now that she knew he existed.

  By the end of the day when Derek joined her, Heather was ready to scream. She’d disappeared into her room to use the chamber pot at least a dozen times when she hadn’t needed to. She wasn’t even allowed to sit in her room and read without his brother standing over her.

  The brother was nice enough. Broderick was the second brother in his family, and she had a good relationship with his wife. She just didn’t want to have to answer to every second of her day with someone looming over her. It was starting to make her crazy.

  Broderick said little, but he was always there. Always.

  Derek came to her just before supper, and he nodded at his brother. “Thank you for watching over her.”

  Broderick nodded. “Any news on who it is?”

  Heather didn’t have to ask what that meant because she knew. And she needed Derek’s answer just as much as Broderick did.

  Derek shook his head. “Nothing.”

  “I’ll keep listening for something.” Broderick nodded to Heather and left.

  As soon as he was out of earshot, Heather said, “Please don’t make me endure another day with a guard. Let me go stay with your Grandmother Campbell. I just cannot deal with someone looming over me every minute of every day.”

  Derek shook his
head. “I’m sorry, but I need ye close. I hate it as much as ye do.”

  “I don’t think that’s humanly possible,” she said, plopping down in one of the parlor chairs, glaring at him. “There has to be something else we could do.”

  “If there was, we’d do it. I promise ye this.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Just a little while longer, I hope.”

  “I hope so too, because I’m going to be absolutely batty in another week of this.”

  “I’ll double me efforts to find whoever it is.”

  Heather sighed. “I wish I could explain how much it bothers me to have someone hovering around all the time.”

  “What if I found a lady who could protect ye?” he asked softly.

  She laughed. “Like that exists in this century.”

  “Actually…me brother Callum’s wife, Annie. She is better with a bow and arrow than most men. And she has skills with a knife and sword. Would you prefer it if she guarded you?”

  Heather blinked a few times. “Annie? She’s a tiny little thing. She couldn’t hurt a fly.”

  “Aye, she could. I once saw her slay a wolf. Annie or another of me brothers. You may choose.”

  “Annie. Definitely Annie.” Heather had a hard time believing the tiny woman could be skilled with weapons, but if she was, it would make things a lot easier for Heather.

  “I will talk to Callum tonight. Mother will take Annie’s bairn for the day.”

  “Bairn? I don’t want to take her from her child.”

  “Bonnie is three summers, and she loves to spend time with me mother. It will be fine.”

  “I haven’t seen Aileen lately. Do you know what happened to her?”

  “Aileen? Your maid? Nay, I havena seen her in a while, now that ye mention it. Did she not tell ye where she would be?”

  Heather shook her head. “I expected her to come back after we were married, but she never did.”

  “Odd. I will talk to Kirstine about her and see what is happening.”

  They ate alone that night, which was rare. She had taught the kitchen to make her favorite recipe for baked potato soup, and Derek said he enjoyed it. “I usually prefer more meat in me meals, but this was tasty.”

  She smiled. “You did have chunks of bacon on top of it.”

  “Aye, and that made it taste better.” He took her hand and led her from the keep. “Let us go and talk to Kirstine together.”

  As they walked, the back of Heather’s neck prickled as if someone was watching them. “I can feel people watching us.”

  “Everyone is curious about the new Lady McClain.”

  “I’m not quite certain that’s it,” she said.

  When they reached Kirstine’s cottage, Kirstine herself answered the door. “Derek. Tis good to see you. Come in.” She opened the door wide for them.

  “Is Aileen here?” Heather asked.

  “Aileen? Nay of course not. She moved into the keep right after ye married.”

  Heather’s eyes widened. “No, she didn’t! I haven’t seen her since the day of the wedding.”

  Kirstine frowned. “I havena heard a thing from her. Where could she have gone? I will go and ask her sisters about her. If she went anywhere, she would have told one of them. They are all verra close.”

  Together the three of them walked to a cottage across the small village. Kirstine knocked and a young woman who looked a lot like Aileen came to the door with a baby against her shoulder. “Mother? Laird?”

  “Have you seen Aileen?” Kirstine asked.

  “I should have known ye would come.” She opened the door wide. “She ran off to marry one of the McPhersons.”

  Kirstine shook her head. “Why dinna she tell me?”

  “Because she knows how the whole clan feels about their clan, and she dinna want to disappoint you.”

  “Fiona, why dinna ye tell me?” Kirstine looked very disappointed.

  Fiona shrugged. “Because me sister asked that I keep her secret.” She sighed. “She is fine and off living with the McPherson’s clan now.”

  Kirstine frowned at Heather. “Well, the mystery of where me daughter is has been solved, but that leaves ye without a maid. I’ll help ye until ye can find another.”

  “Thank you,” Heather said, “but I don’t really need a maid. I’ve been doing just fine on my own.”

  “But when the bairns start coming…”

  “I would like it if ye would see to her needs, Kirstine,” Derek said. “She is already expecting according to me father.” By this time, they were on their way back to Kirstine’s cottage.

  “Then she is expecting. I’ll be there in the morning to help.” Kirstine ignored Heather’s protests. “And I apologize for me daughter. I never would have thought she would run away like that. I suppose she thought she found the perfect time for it when I thought she was moving into the keep and ye thought she was still living with me.”

  “I’m not upset even a little bit,” Heather said. “You’re not responsible for your daughter’s actions.”

  “I suppose not, but it still pains me to know she married a McPherson.”

  “And that’s why you weren’t told of it in advance,” Heather said with a smile.

  After leaving Kirstine at her cottage, Derek took her to his brother Callum’s house. “Callum is the brother who is just a year older than me, and he is the brother I feel closest to. I want to talk to him about Annie being your guard. He is supposed to take on the duty tomorrow.”

  “Can the laird not send messages to all these people instead of walking around?” she teased.

  He shrugged. “I guess I am not used to being laird yet, now am I?”

  Together, they explained the situation to Callum, and Annie overheard. “As long as I can carry me bow, knife, and sword, I will happily watch over ye, Heather. I am anxious to do it. Bonnie will be content with Beth. She loves her grandmother.”

  “Tis settled then,” Derek said. “Heather would prefer to be guarded by a woman, and ye were the only one who came to mind who could do it.”

  Callum shook his head at his wife. “I never thought your manly skills would be helpful to anyone.”

  “Well, they are.” Annie smiled at Callum. “I am happy to be of service in any way I can.”

  “I will want the two of ye to stay inside the keep.”

  Heather wrinkled her nose. “Yes, we’ll stay inside.”

  Annie sighed dramatically. “Aye. And to think I was looking forward to a spot of hunting while I was out and about with me bow and arrow.”

  Derek shook his head. “I am not certain the two of ye should be trusted together, but I pray ye will follow my rules.”

  Callum nodded. “I will join you in prayer, me brother. There is little hope for them without God’s intervention.”

  Heather grinned at Annie. They would do much better together than she had done with Broderick. That much was for certain.

  Chapter Eight

  Having Annie as her guard was much better for Heather than having Broderick watching her every move. Annie was armed, but she was also a friend, and the two women laughed together as they went about their day.

  With Annie at her side, it was much easier to forget about the danger surrounding her, and Heather was more relaxed. Annie peppered her with questions about how life was in the future, and Heather actually pulled out her phone and showed her pictures of New York City.

  “I dinna know how people deal with so many others pressed up against them that way,” Annie said. “That looks awful. And where do ye hunt in a place like that?”

  Heather explained about Central Park. “You can’t hunt there, but it’s like an oasis in the middle of the city.”

  Annie sighed. “It seems odd to me that people would live on top of one another and then need a park like that. Why wouldn’t they just live where it’s open and green to begin with?”

  “There are lots of jobs in New York,” Heather said. “Sometimes it’s hard to find work when you don’t live in
a city.”

  “But why do they need a job? Can’t they just do their part within a community?”

  Heather smiled. “Life is much simpler now than it will be then. It’s called progress.”

  “It doesna sound like progress to me.”

  “Maybe it doesn’t. But it’s considered that. All the things that make living easier also seem to make it harder.” Heather shrugged. “This phone I carry gives me access to unlimited knowledge, but it also costs money. I pay for the phone, and then I pay to use the phone. So, I’m working hours every month just for the right to use this object I’ve already paid for. I never really looked at things that way until I came here.”

  Annie frowned. “We all work hard here, but we are working for our clan. We dinna need to worry about whether we will eat, because the laird will provide when necessary. Our clan has always been blessed…well, since we became Clan McClain, anyway.”

  “What was the clan before it became Clan McClain?”

  Annie shrugged. “I dinna know all the details, but I do know that the clan was starving, and Braden McClain came here with his wife and his parents. When he arrived, he made all of our crops grow overnight, and we agreed to have him as our laird.”

  “No one questioned how he made the crops grow?” Heather asked. She had to wonder why people didn’t think the family was made up of witches.

  “Nay. They were too hungry to care. Many thought he must be a witch, but they believed if he was, he used his powers for good, and that was good enough for the people here. Each of his sons has been as blessed as he was in many ways.” Annie shook her head. “Gavin McClain was there at me birth, when me mother was moments from dying with me, and he put his hands on her, and she lived, and so did I. He gave her potions after, but she felt the life force flowing from within him, and she always knew there was more to his healing than he was willing to admit.”

  “And she didn’t think badly of him?”

  “How could she? He saved her life and that of her child. It was a good thing, not a bad one.”

  Heather thought about that for a moment, finally nodding. “And what about Beth? No one thought it was strange she suddenly appeared and married their laird?”