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

by Kirsten Osbourne

  He frowned, not understanding her. “What is a pee stick?”

  She laughed. “Your mother would understand. It’s something from my time.”

  “I sometimes feel like you and me mother have a private language only you speak.”

  “We do, and it’s fun.” She grinned at him cheekily. “I’m glad there is someone from my time here, because it helps me to be able to speak my truths and have them understood.”

  “I ken that. Me brothers and I are the same. We all speak differently than the others because we were raised by Mother, who is from a different time. So, we speak differently than anyone else does. We like to be able to talk to one another.”

  “Makes sense to me. Have I told you I’m glad Dr. Lachele sent me to you and not to some other time? Or some other future laird? I would have hated to become a McPherson.”

  “It would be a fate worse than death,” he said, his face serious.

  She laughed, surprised at just how content she was with no indoor plumbing. At least she wasn’t lugging her own water for her baths. “Now if I can just make it through childbirth, life will be perfect.”

  “Me father willna let you die, lass.”

  “I sure hope not!”

  By the time Heather woke up the following morning, Fiona and her daughter were gone. Annie returned to her everyday activities, and Heather and Beth spent the day together talking books.

  It felt like a celebration to Heather, knowing there was no longer someone in the clan who had such feelings of animosity toward her.

  “The clan takes our day of rest seriously, as you know. I think we should have a picnic for the whole family tomorrow while we’re not working,” Beth suggested. “Wouldn’t that be fun?”

  Heather nodded emphatically. “I’m still trying to get all the names straight, so a picnic might help. There are so many people in this family!”

  Beth laughed. “It’s part of having seven sons. You’ll do the same soon.”

  “I guess I will.” Heather’s hand moved to cover her flat stomach. “It’s strange knowing I’m pregnant. I told Derek last night that his father was better than a pee stick, and he didn’t get it, but I knew you would.”

  Beth laughed. “He is better than a pee stick. But no one will get it but me. I’m so glad there’s now someone I can share weird little comments like that with though.”

  “Me too. I don’t know how you made it in this century for so long before you had someone to share things with.”

  “I honestly don’t either. I love all my daughters equally, of course, but I find myself communicating the best with you. It’s so much easier to talk to someone who gets me and where I’m coming from.”

  “We should do potato salad for lunch tomorrow!” Heather said. “And brownies!”

  “Yes! Do you know how to make mayonnaise?” Beth asked frowning.

  “Not off the top of my head, but I put some really weird books on my iPad before coming here, and it’s in one of them.”

  Beth laughed. “You really put a lot more forethought into the journey than I did.”

  “I had time to prepare and you didn’t. You’d have done the same, I bet.”

  “I would have if I’d believed I was really going to go back in time. I thought it was a big joke. I was wearing slacks and a plaid shirt. Gilly was certain I was going to be in trouble for my clothes, and she burned them all. I was so sad I didn’t get to burn my own bra…”

  Heather grinned. “I don’t blame you. I think not wearing a bra is one of my favorite things about this century.”

  “I can understand that very well.”

  The picnic the next day was filled with family and laughter. Heather and Beth made fried chicken with the help of the kitchen staff, and they had potato salad, devilled eggs, and brownies for dessert. It was a picnic like they remembered having in their time, but everyone in the family enjoyed it.

  The day was a fun one for all of them, and Heather was finally able to get out and spend time by the water. It always felt good not to have to be under guard.

  “We’re going to need to find you another maid,” Beth said, looking at Heather. “I know you don’t think you need one but trust me on this. It will help you to have someone you can completely trust at your side all the time.”

  “I guess,” Heather said, shrugging. She didn’t care to have a maid, and she felt like she’d do better without one.

  “We’ll find you someone this week, and this time we’ll find someone who won’t run away to marry a McPherson.”

  “I canna imagine anyone running away to marry a McPherson,” Annie said, shaking her head. “The woman must have been mad.”

  “Or in love,” Heather said softly, looking at Derek. He had yet to tell her he loved her, but she was sure he knew of her feelings with his power being what it was.

  “Aye, or in love,” Annie said, smiling as she looked at Callum.

  It was too chilly and late in the year for getting into the lake, but they had fun anyway. Gilly and Kennan were there as were Braden and Katerina. Braden entertained the children by making things grow, and the children giggled and clapped their hands.

  Heather had brought along a watermelon seed for that very occasion, and she grinned as the children’s eyes grew wide when the huge fruit grew and grew. Finally, they cut into it and everyone took a piece.

  Little Bonnie walked over to Heather and kissed her cheek after her first bite. “I like this, Aunt Heather.”

  Heather smiled. “I guess I did good with the watermelon,” she said to Beth.

  “You did! Was watermelon a New World food? I never really thought about it, but we don’t have it here.”

  “It was a West African thing. By this time, it was cultivated in both India and China, but it wasn’t really in Europe until the fifteen hundreds. I couldn’t risk not having watermelon, though, so I brought a seed. I knew we’d get a million seeds from that one, so one would be enough.”

  “You’re so right about that. Watermelons for everyone!” Beth chuckled. “We’re making a mess of the medieval diet with all of the new foods we’re introducing.”

  “Do you mind?” Heather asked.

  “Not even a little bit.” Beth shrugged. “I figure a little watermelon can’t hurt anyone, and I sure know that tacos and chocolate won’t hurt! We’re helping people develop distinguished palates.”

  “Which will hopefully be forgotten by the time America is discovered.”

  “Oh, it will be.” Beth shrugged. “How can one new food change the world?”

  “I have no idea, but there are time ripples, right?”

  “That’s what the science fiction writers would have us believe. But we don’t need to worry about time ripples. We like to read romance.”

  Heather giggled, not sure if she should agree or not, but the logic worked for her.

  After the picnic was over, she and Derek walked into the woods. “Was today hard for you?” she asked. “I know there were a lot of people around us.”

  He shook his head. “It really wasn’t. I think you have a calming influence on my gift,” he said softly. “And sadly, I’ve never been able to look at my power as a gift before. It always felt like it was a liability to me.”

  “I can understand that,” she said with a smile. “And you felt none of the bad feelings from before?”

  “Nothing at all. I am sure everything was coming from Fiona and her daughter. Now that they’re gone it should all be good.”

  “Didn’t Fiona have three daughters?” Heather asked.

  “She did, but one is married, and the other is doing fine. I don’t think there will be more problems.”

  “Good. I don’t want to have to worry any longer.”

  When they got back to the keep that night, the couple spent some time just talking about how good the day had been.

  “I loved the watermelon. I hope you have more seeds.”

  She smiled. “I made sure to keep some seeds from the watermelon today. It
is nice that your grandfather can grow whatever we want whenever we want. I think it’s a wonderful gift he has.”

  “It is. It seems a great deal more practical than many of the gifts.” He shrugged. “But now we know why I had mine. To protect you when danger arose.”

  “I hope you’ll use it again. It seems like a waste to use it just once that way, but we’ll see how things go. It will probably really help with our sons.”

  “Do you mind that you willna be getting a daughter?” he asked.

  “I would have liked to have a daughter, but I’ll be fine with sons. I’ll borrow our granddaughters and nieces. It will fill my need to be a girl mama.”

  “I think tis a good way to look at things. If you wanted a girl desperately, it wouldna change anything. Ye would still not be able to have a daughter.”

  “I know. So, I’ll just be satisfied with my lot in life.” She climbed onto his lap and pressed her lips to his. “I am definitely happy with the man I married. I never dreamed I’d end up married to a Scottish laird, though I’ve spent my whole life wanting to.”

  He chuckled. “And it doesna bother you that you married into an odd family?”

  “A family of powerful men, you mean? How could that bother me?”

  He shrugged. “I am sure some wouldna like knowing that their life was set before them simply because of the man they married.”

  “The seven sons thing?”

  Derek nodded. “And knowing your youngest son will have some sort of power that will change him, and he will lead the clan instead of your oldest son.”

  “None of that bothers me even a little bit. With your mother to guide me as well as you, I know I’ll do just fine.” Heather kissed him softly. “Besides, I kind of like you and your family.”

  He chuckled softly. “I have noticed.”

  The following morning, Heather went out on her own to walk around the lake. It was something she’d missed while she was cooped up, and for some reason, she’d always found bodies of water soothing. The lake wasn’t a big one, but it was still an enjoyable place to walk and think.

  As she walked, she heard footsteps coming up behind her, and she turned and smiled when she saw Coira. “How are you today?” she asked.

  Coira frowned. “As good as I can be with me father, mother and sister banished at your hands.”

  “Your mother and sister?” Heather frowned, taking a minute to understand. “Fiona is your mother?”

  “Aye, and ye made sure she was gone just as soon as ye got here, dinna you? Derek was meant to be me husband, you know. Tis why I work in the kitchens. Me mother sent me to work there when I was still a young girl, so that Derek would notice me. It was working until ye came along and ruined everything.”

  “I…I’m sorry you feel like I ruined things for you.” Heather looked around her, wondering if she could run faster than the girl beside her. Surely, there was no danger anymore though. Derek hadn’t felt there was.

  “Ye came out of nowhere and married the man who was supposed to be mine. Ye have no right to be here, or even breathe the same air he does.” Coira made a leap at her, and they both fell into the water. It was much deeper than Heather expected, and cold. So very cold.

  She kicked away from the other woman, trying to swim to shore, but Coira grabbed her ankle, tugging her under the water.

  Heather came up, gasping for breath, kicking her hardest to get away. She worried about the baby she carried within her, determined not to let herself drown.

  Finally, she found the shore and she pulled herself from the water. As soon as she caught her breath, she screamed for help, expecting to see the other woman surface at any moment, but she didn’t.

  Feet pounded toward her and several men were at her side, helping her to her feet. She stood soaking wet, pointing to the water. “Coira’s still in there.”

  “Coira?” Derek asked as he reached her side. “Why is Coira in there?”

  “She tried to kill me. She said you were supposed to be her husband, not mine.” Heather shook her head. “You didn’t tell me Fiona was her mother!”

  Several men dove into the surface of the chilly water to find the woman, but it took much too long. Heather buried her wet face against Derek’s shoulder. “She’s dead. She couldn’t have survived under water for that long.”

  Derek led her away, nodding to his brother to help with the search. “We’re going straight to me father to make sure you and the babe are uninjured.”

  Heather shook her head. “I’m fine. I know how to swim, but I don’t think Coira does.”

  “Not many women do, lass.” His arm stayed around her as he led her away from the loch toward his father’s cottage. He had to be sure she was all right, and then he’d deal with Coira—if she lived.

  Chapter Ten

  Gavin worked on Heather for a few minutes, removing the small amount of water in her lungs and checking on the baby.

  “The bairn is fine.” Gavin’s eyes met Derek’s. “I am thankful things were not worse.”

  “Aye. So am I.” Derek shook his head. “Why did none of us think to tell her that Coira was Fiona’s daughter? We were all sure it was the youngest daughter that Fiona wanted to marry me, but it was Coira. It makes sense in a strange way, but I never did anything to make Coira feel there was something between us.”

  “Dinna blame yourself, Derek. You couldna have known she would go after your wife that way.”

  Beth stared in horror at how wet Heather was. “We need to get you warm, so you don’t catch your death.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Heather said, shaking her head. “I’ll take a hot bath when we get back to the keep. I need it, but I don’t think there will be any ill effects otherwise.”

  “I will make certain to stay on McClain land for the next few days, in case you do take ill,” Gavin said.

  Derek pulled Heather to her feet. “I am taking me wife home and getting her in that hot bath. Dinna worry. I willna let anything else happen to her.”

  As they walked back to the keep, Heather looked at him. “Stop blaming yourself for this. You had no way of knowing it was coming.”

  “Aye, I should have told you everything. The small detail of Coira being Fiona’s daughter would have told you to be careful around Coira.” He shook his head. “I dinna know why her mother was projecting hate to you, but not Coira.”

  “Maybe Coira had no need to hate me. She was simply planning to kill me no matter what it took.”

  “I suppose that could be true, lass.” Derek led her into the keep and called out for a bath for her. “She took a dip in the loch, and it was too cold for a lady who is expecting.”

  Everyone immediately jumped to action, getting the tub, and carrying it up the stairs. “I don’t need to be coddled,” Heather told him.

  “Aye you do. I almost lost ye today, lass. I will not allow that to ever happen again. Ye must be warmed so ye willna catch cold. Me father will be on hand, but what if I canna get to him quickly enough?”

  “I’m not fragile.”

  “Mayhap not, but ye are precious to me. And I willna let anyone hurt you like that again.”

  “That’s the thing, Derek. I’m not hurt, but she is dead. Why are you still worrying?”

  Derek shook his head. “Do ye not see? I thought ye were safe once already, and you almost drowned.”

  “I didn’t almost drown, though. I’m a very strong swimmer. I just got cold in the water. You need to stop worrying about me.”

  “Never. Part of loving me wife is worrying about her. Do ye not realize that?”

  “Wait…you love me?”

  “We are not having this discussion now, lass. Ye are getting into that tub, and ye are going to get warm. Then we will talk, and we will talk as long as ye would like. I canna risk you that way again.”

  “I don’t think I’m at risk,” Heather said, frowning at him. The man was too stubborn to listen to anything she said.

  “Stop frowning at me. Ye will make me bairn
angry with me, and that is not good.”

  Heather laughed at his convoluted thinking, deciding there was no point arguing with him. It would be easier for both of them if she got into the bath and got it over with.

  She took her time in the tub, basking in the glory of knowing she was loved. He may not have told her in the most romantic way possible, but that didn’t matter to her. No, she was simply pleased he cared for her as much as he did.

  When she finally got out of the tub, she went down to the parlor and found him there, pacing the floor. “Why are you still worried?”

  “I am trying to decide who will be a good maid for ye. If ye had someone with ye today, that ne’er would have happened.”

  Heather sighed dramatically. “Derek, you cannot wrap me in cotton.”

  “I can and I will!” Derek shook his head. “I came so close to losing ye. I canna do that again.”

  She walked to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his shoulder. “But can’t you see? I’m fine. And the baby is fine. It’s Coira who was hurt. Not me.”

  “But it may not be the same the next time.”

  “Next time? Do you see members of your clan trying to kill me every day or something?”

  “Nay, of course not, but it happened once. Who is to say it canna happen again?”

  “I can say it.” Heather shook her head. “I’m a strong woman, and I’m capable of taking care of myself. I will have Annie teach me to use a knife, and then you won’t need to worry anymore.”

  He frowned. “Mayhap Annie can continue to guard you…”

  “No! I don’t want to have to have a guard. Let me learn to protect myself. Please.”

  It was the please that undid him. He wanted her to be happy, even in his fear for her. “Ye are really all right?”

  “I really am. I promise. I will continue to be okay, now that Coira is gone.”

  He held her close. “I do love ye. Never did I imagine I would fall for someone the way me brothers did. I thought me power would keep me from loving so much.”