The implications cast shivers down his spine. Conall had whispered such to his wife many a day. Yet each time, she had cringed at the notion of being more than a simple woman. He turned away from the ruler to behold his wife. Her enticing hair blew in the day’s breeze and his body felt her nearness. With each heartbeat, he knew most would have caved to the Bruce’s demands, whether out of fear or for reward, it mattered not. Yet he had stayed at her side, their love had taken the shape of a warrior never to be defeated.
Conall returned his focus to Robert, who waited for a response. “All clans have tales to tell before the fire. The Draig have mayhap more than most. His lips quirked up at his final thought. “Sarah is my legend.” Let him decide if I speak truth or merely make light of clan tales.
For several moments, Robert remained silent. A sly grin covered his face. “Then I wish you well and good fortune. Few men may claim such women, if I heard correctly.” The Bruce straightened in the saddle and called the chaos into order.
The tangle before him became organized lines of warriors ready to depart. Hooves clomped to the gates and wagons creaked as the party made for the gates. Robert turned back and patted his saddlebag. “My edict shall stand as law of the land. Tell your descendants to provide strong heirs to guard my borders. Let none wait so long to wed and bed.”
Conall raised his hand in parting, certain that Robert had just contradicted himself. In one breath he wishes me well and acknowledges my wife, in the next he attempts to decree our children’s hearts to love on a schedule. I have had enough of rulers and kings to last a lifetime. Thank goodness none will ever see more than a jest from the Bruce.
Jacqueline and Colette called farewells from the carriage as it meandered to the open gates. Peter and Lena stood in silence and he knew their eyes focused only on Evan, their would-be son, at least within their hearts. With Sarah at his side, they followed the procession and stood within sight of the village to send the younger Draig on to meet his future.
“Evan will be fine. He’s married and off to take part in the life you helped prepare him to lead.” Sarah attempted to comfort Peter and Lena from her seat before the fireplace in the hall. Once again nursing, first Rachel and then William, with Bella resting at her feet.
“I know,” Peter said without enthusiasm. “He’s only been gone an hour and this place seems so quiet without him.”
Lena echoed the sentiment. “What shall we do with the hours we would spend tracking him down? No longer will we hunt for the lad who hides from duty.” Even Conall chuckled as Lena retold several stories that involved seeking Evan, and most involved a young woman. Sarah preferred Peter’s stories of an adolescent escaping drudgery to play and explore.
“Now we focus on these two.” Peter gestured to the twins, one attached to her and the other snug in Conall’s arms. “We raise the next generation to carry on.”
That they attempted to concentrate on the future rather than the hollow emptiness left by Evan’s departure didn’t surprise Sarah. We all need to find our own path to accept change. Differing focus to new life seems incredibly positive. She had her own thoughts on how to move past the loss. With a quick glance at Conall, she only needed a bit of cooperation to pull it off.
“Lena, would you mind taking Rachel and William upstairs. They need a change and should sleep after the commotion earlier.” The housekeeper chided her for throwing off the start of a sleeping schedule.
“Our wee ones needed to say farewell, to be seen as part of the clan,” Conall added in her defense.
“Yeah, they were a big help,” Peter mocked. But he held out his arms for Rachel, with Lena already coaxing a burp from William.
“You could sleep too. Or at least rest your eyes in the chair,” Sarah suggested to Lena. “You barely slept with the late night and early morning preparation for everyone leaving. In fact, make that an order. You sleep while the babies sleep.”
“Mayhap my eyes will close as I sit with them,” Lena agreed, for once not arguing her need to handle every task.
“I’ll walk you up,” Peter offered. Sarah shook her head at the offer, given he held one of the parties that needed to rest. “Where will I find you later?”
Whether speaking to her or Conall, it didn’t matter. If she had her way, they’d be together. “One guess.”
Peter laughed as he made his way to the stairs with Bella at his heels. The dog went where the twins went. Conall silently questioned her, which amused her. When they had the hall to themselves, she leaned forward and placed her hands on Conall’s knees. He always sat facing her when she fed their children, never wanting to miss a moment. “Care to join me in a bath?”
In the mid-morning, the time away from duty would be an indulgence, one they hadn’t taken since before the twins were born. Instead of agreeing, Conall shifted his gaze to the massive fireplace. “Such temptations are to be avoided.”
She caught the despair in his denial and rose before him. “And why is that?”
His large, calloused hands gripped hers. After a kiss to each palm, he held her hands to his face. “You still recover from the childbed and your strength is needed for the bairns.”
A tsk left her lips and she shook her head, an exaggerated pout pushing out her lips. “Sometimes you really disappoint me.”
“What?” Conall demanded with his potent green gaze finally locked on hers. “I seek to place your needs first.”
“Oh, sweetie. You are assuming rather than asking me.” When his expression shifted from confused to one she could only call intrigued, Conall rose to his feet. He cupped the side of her head with his fingers tangled in her curls.
“I would ask you a question.” His voice shifted to the enticing undertones that she had missed. “Are you recovered from childbed?”
Building up the expectation, Sarah pretended to ponder the question, her head tilting and shifting in his hands. “Brenda was here yesterday. She thinks I am.”
Playful shifted to shocked. “A whole day ago? Why would you delay in sharing such with me?”
On tiptoes, she brushed a kiss over his incredulous mouth. “Last night you were with Evan, as you should have been. You two needed time to talk and I was asleep when you came to bed.” She had learned that Jacqueline had been correct about a great many concepts. The primary one being sleep when the babies sleep. “Was there another question?”
Conall pondered and then said, “I have been told a nursing woman needs all for only the bairns. ‘Tis true or false?”
“Finally, the right question.” She brushed another kiss over his lips if only to reward. Yeah, so willing to make this Pavlovian. Positive reinforcement rocks.
Sarah’s hand latched onto Conall’s and she led him from the hall. “But to answer your question, we may not have as much time as we’re used to, as the babies will only sleep for about two hours.”
A low rumble came from Conall’s throat. “We have much to rediscover. So much time has passed since I shared a bath with you.” Before she knew it, he had pulled her down the corridor.
Without breaking stride, Conall threw open the door to their favorite bathing chamber. Sarah stopped at the threshold and let the reality wash over her. When his eyes questioned the halt, Sarah only saw the new terms of their world. An unseen weight fell from her shoulders and she breathed in the life they had to build.
“We’ve never been in here like this. We don’t have to pretend we have forever. No one is going to come to take you away from me. There isn’t any threat lingering in our world. Can you feel the difference?”
“Aye, sweet Sarah,” Conall whispered as he pulled her inside the chamber, his arms wrapping around her. “For the first time, we are free to live as we would choose.”
With her nose rubbing against his neck, she kissed the beating pulse. “We have our whole lives ahead of us.” She stilled in his arms. “I almost don’t know how to accept that no one is trying to come between us.”
His low chuckle rumbled in her hair.
“I have many a thought on how to relish the day.” As if to emphasize his point, a hand dipped between them to tug at the laces of her gown. “Some thoughts may need wait for another day. Our time alone is brief. But ken I will seek hours alone with you on the morrow and each and every day yet to pass. You are mine for every morrow. I plan to make the most of our life together.”
Sarah lifted her head and held his gaze that twinkled with the certainty of their love. “You are finally all mine.”
Conall frowned and then laughed. “Aye, none would ever present me with a lass who calls as you do to my skin, my heart, and my soul.” His gaze shifted to bore into hers with such intensity. “I dinna ken how to speak of what you mean to me, of how you complete my life. For the rest of my days, I will love you.”
“And I’ll love you,” she whispered, her voice choked with love. “I swear it, Conall.”
“Aye, Sarah, I ken it. You are my legend.” The phrase washed over her, along with his love, and Sarah let it settle on her like a warm blanket. Peace and tranquility mixed with the longing his body created while pressed against her.
She answered with her soul alive with the certainty they were unique. “You’re right, Conall. Our love is legendary.”
Chapter 48
Epilogue
May 4, 1318
Sarah rubbed her hands over her eyes as sunlight crept over the grounds. Standing between the keep and the cliffs, her gaze remained on the three-year-old twins who threw the knotted rags for Bella. With each small toss, the dog glanced at her to seemingly ask: why are they up so damn early?
I have no clue, but this phase needs to end quickly.
The two children bore the expected Draig traits: dark hair and bold green eyes. Neither of them had Sarah’s coloring, for which she remained grateful. No sunburns here. But Rachel had a few freckles dotting her nose and adored it when her father traced their pattern.
Rachel remained the smaller of the two, with William already big for his age. The clan saw him as a leader in the making, even if everyone recognized Rachel’s innate ability to problem-solve. Let’s not forget she’s the mastermind who had William drag a chair from the study to the kitchen so they could reach pastries set out to cool. Together they were strength and cunning and likely to wear out even the most intrepid watcher.
When the pair began struggling over the knotted rags, Sarah moved to intercept. Taking away the source of conflict, she threw it far enough to give Bella a short run. “If you can’t play nice with the dog, you won’t play with her.”
“William stealed it from me,” Rachel whined.
“William stole it,” she corrected and then amended, “I was watching the whole time and it was his turn. You have to share.”
When her son stuck his tongue out at his sister, she groaned with early hours of parenting. “That’s enough. We don’t behave that way.” Bella came back and Sarah again threw the rags. “Each of you apologize and promise to play nice.”
Small murmurs that might have been a sorry flitted on the breeze. “Thank you very much. You each may have one more throw and then we’ll go inside and break our fast.” As the kids begged for more time outside in the crisp air, Sarah wondered when she stopped saying breakfast.
Bella barked before she ran back to Sarah’s side. She heard the rag drop and then her heart skipped several beats as she bent to pick up the toy. Instead of chewed up rags, a pristine yellow tennis ball lay on the new spring grass. The dog whined and pranced around the ball that shouldn’t exist, her tail practically moving her body. Sarah’s balance wavered with the sight as waves roared against the rocks below the cliff’s edge.
“Where did you get that?” Her voice was a pale whisper at the impossible ball.
“I want it,” William yelled as he lunged for the ball. Bella grabbed the ball first and ran. Sarah could only stare as the dog ran to the stable.
Turning in circles, she searched for a reason for the ball. With nothing out of the ordinary in sight, she walked slowly forward, towards the keep, and then circled again. Sarah froze at the sight of a woman standing in front of a tennis court dressed in what her brain said were running clothes. We don’t have a tennis court and no one dresses like that here.
The shorts revealed toned legs and the bright teal tank screamed of color she hadn’t seen in years. Tanned skin and tied back brown hair filled her vision as Sarah took hesitant steps closer.
Holy shit, another door.
Boyish shouts rang in the distance and Sarah surmised they had to be from the tennis court. Another bright yellow tennis ball flew through the air and landed at the woman’s feet, not that she flinched at nearly being struck. Her gaze followed Sarah’s every step and wandered the keep at her back.
Rachel ran in front of her. “Greetings,” the child shouted as she ran to the opening.
“No!” Sarah screamed as she darted forward to catch the girl before she could reach the impossible opening. With her arm pinning Rachel to her side, her gaze frantically flew to William who stood one step behind her. Unwilling to let him get too close, her arm snagged his and pulled him close.
“What. . . who are you?” the woman asked as her eyes bulged without blinking. The lack of a brogue surprised her, given everyone she talked to, except Peter, spoke with inflection. She sounds American.
Sarah swallowed back her panic knowing her children were safe. “I was about to ask you the same question, plus, when and where are you?”
“What?” the woman questioned, her head shaking enough to sway her ponytail. Then the woman’s eyes left hers and widened in surprise just before her feet stepped closer to the door opening.
“Sarah!” Conall roared. She turned to see him running full speed toward them. His dark hair flew in the breeze and his incredible physique flexed with every lunge of his powerful legs. “Stay with me!” Then Bella flew from the stable with the new ball secure in her jaw.
Sarah turned back to the door and screamed at the woman who stepped dangerously close to the threshold. “No! Stop!”
Before she could cross over into their world, an arm hooked around her waist and yanked her back several steps. Sarah blinked at the man who had captured her, the sight familiar and disturbing all at the same time. No freaking way.
“Nay,” Conall said as he reached her back and wrapped his arms around her. “Dinna even think of leaving me. . . Forgive my harsh words this morn. . . They carried no meaning. . . You are my life.” He panted the litany into her ear while he clung to her.
For several seconds, Sarah couldn’t even recall about what they had argued. Then a harsh breath left her mouth. “I’m not leaving you. I really don’t care about it. I swear.”
Conall pressed several kisses to her head and tightened his grip. Who gives a damn about his leaving me to deal with the twins too early in the morning? He wanted to witness the foal being born. Conall loves new life. I lost my shit with the sleep deprivation. We stayed up too late and the kids were up too early.
Sarah locked gazes with the man on the other side of the threshold, whose eyes resembled Conall’s, not to mention the same dark hair. She glanced back at her husband and then forward, certain the men could have been related. While Conall remained massive in stature and build, the man before her carried the same height but with a more slender, yet still muscular, build. But Conall is practically a mountain.
“Who are you?” the man demanded, his voice gruff with the oddity before him. “Where are you?” There’s the Scottish brogue.
Conall cleared his throat before he spoke, his voice harsh but carrying an edge of a tease. “Dinna raise your voice to me, lad.” Sarah winced at the use of lad, given the man had gray peppered into his professionally trimmed hair. In her estimation, he was likely closer to a decade older than Conall.
Sarah’s eyes couldn’t decide on a solid target and flew between the woman and the man at her back who resembled a Draig. The man before her narrowed his gaze at Conall before they wandered over her and the child
ren she gripped tight.
Bella broke the stalemate by dropping the ball at the base of the door and barking her delight over the found treasure. When both of them paled and tensed at the barking, Sarah found her voice. “She’s friendly, no need to panic, I promise.” With a quick command, Bella sat before the doorway and whined at the ball.
“Don’t you dare move,” Sarah told the children as she released them to throw the tennis ball with all her might, much to the dog’s enjoyment. Standing with her arms again gripping the children and Conall enfolding her against his chest, she faced the shocked pair and uttered her only thought. “It doesn’t matter, the door only works one way.” But then she wondered if that were a constant truth or only a fact that held for her and Peter. “I think.”
The woman bent, and the man at her back followed her slow movement with his arm still tight around her waist and lifted the other ball from the ground. With a light toss, Sarah’s hand rose to catch. Testing the theory, she threw it back and heard it thud on the ground in her time and reality rather than reaching the pair in the doorway. “One way only seems to be the rule.”
“What the hell is going on here?” the woman muttered with a glance up at her companion.
His head shook and for a second, his eyes lost their focus. “My grandmother used to tell me the most fantastical stories, but they were only tales.” His voice lacked conviction, even as it spoke with the telltale brogue.
Conall answered for them. “If she spoke of tales of travelers in time, women and men from your time coming back to ages past, she spoke true, lad.”
The replying curse came out as an unintelligible whisper.
“When are you? Where are you?” Sarah asked, with thoughts of the pair being able to send a message to her family. But given the family resemblance, she added, “Who are you?”
The Draig's Choice Page 54
