“That sounds agreeable. I’ll meet you at the large birch near the shore!” Kyla laughed as she urged Cadarn forward into a gallop, streaking down the hill to the shoreline, looking back to see if Finlay was following. He stayed still for a moment, staring at her racing off, but then finally he seemed to collect himself—or Hurley made the decision for him, she couldn’t be entirely sure—and then they flew down to the hill after her.
Together they rode along the shoreline, making quick work of their route on the strength of their well-bred horses. When they had finally circled the area they discussed, they reined in, and Kyla realized they were close to the MacTavish property line. She didn’t know what compelled her, but she surprised herself with the next words out of her mouth.
“I’d like to show you something,” she said, and, at his nod, led him deep into the woodland, to the place she had come so often to contemplate her own life. It had been some time since she’d been here and returning felt like coming home.
When they reached the clearing, she looked back at him, feeling the wide grin on her face. She was surprised at the fact that she was excited to share this with him. This had always been her place, but now, today, it was a place she would share with him forever. He gifted her with a small smile in return, seeming to pick up on her excitement and anticipation.
She pushed back the curtain of leaves that hid the entrance to the clearing, and entered before moving aside for him to come after her. She watched his face as he took in the beauty of this den in the forest. He looked around him, his gaze not missing the long grasses leading to a small pond, a wide rock beside it perfect for soaking in the sun that streamed through the leaves of the birch overhead. The trees cast just enough shade to make this haven private, their leaves now a reddish gold.
“This is beautiful,” he said, looking around at his surroundings, clearly in awe. “How could such a place exist so close to my lands and yet, in all of my years I have never happened upon it?”
“Isn’t it lovely?” she asked as they dismounted and she began to roam the place, her fingers trailing along the grasses. “This is where I come to tune out everything and just focus on my thoughts. Rory knows of this place, but seldom comes here—only if he has a need to find me. Otherwise, it is simply me, the rabbits, the deer, and the ducks.”
She twirled around, her skirts flowing in the slight wind and melding with the grass that became swept up in their rotation. She tilted her head back, closing her eyes as the sun beat down on her face. Her lips curled into a smile as she enjoyed the warmth, her mouth parting to breathe in the crisp air of the day.
Suddenly she stopped rotating as strong, hard arms came around her, fingertips sinking into her hair, which lay around her shoulders, while Finlay’s rough yet gentle hands roamed over her. Kyla pulled her tilted head back to meet his, and smiled into his serious eyes as she planted a sweet kiss on his lips. He kissed her back with equal measure, and soon they were as lost in one another as she usually was in her thoughts when she came here on her own.
Now, instead of being alone here with only her musings and the animals for company, it was a small world that contained only the two of them. Finlay took a plaid from his saddlebag and spread it on the soft ground below them before gently easing her backward.
“What do you have in mind, husband?” she asked with a low chuckle. “Nothing too improper, I hope?”
“Would you rather not?” he asked, as serious as always and Kyla smiled at him.
“I’m teasing. Only… it just may be a little chilly out here.”
“Not to worry, lass,” Finlay replied, now with a mischievous grin of his own. “I’ll keep you warm.”
She loved it when he smiled. The dimple in his left cheek, so often hidden, would appear, and it gave her such joy to see him happy.
Her thoughts soon flew from her head, however, as he leaned down and kissed her once again, his other hand working at pulling her skirts high enough for him to gain access to her most tender of places.
“I think it’s time we had our picnic lunch,” he said, his eyes wicked.
“Oh?” she asked, her mind hazy. “Are you hungry? The bags are on the horses. I think I packed oatcakes and cheese. I—oh!”
She finally understood it wasn’t food he was hungry for.
Finlay found his way underneath her skirts, and attended to her in ways she never thought possible.
She gasped as first his fingers found her, followed by his mouth, making love to her and causing new, wonderful sensations. She was soon riding the crest of the wave, before he returned to her, framing her face in his arms as he moved her skirts aside and slid into her. They swayed with a natural rocking that seemed in time with the tune of the nature around them. His lips gently loved hers as he moved inside of her, soon finding his own release.
They lay together afterward on their backs, the plaid wrapped around them for warmth with the birds circling above them, the wind whispering through the leaves and the grasses, the pond’s water rippling from the soft breeze.
Kyla closed her eyes to the sounds of the forest, reveling in Finlay’s warmth next to her, his strong bicep underneath her head.
“This is heaven,” she said lazily, looking over at him. His brow was unfurrowed, his eyes closed. Even the lines around his mouth seemed to have diminished. He truly seemed at peace here, and it gladdened her soul that he had left behind the worries of his responsibility for a moment to rest.
They stayed that way for some time before he finally rose and actually did fetch food from the satchel on Hurley. Finlay laid out the oatcakes and cheese in front of them, laughing as he fed her, picking up the crumbs that fell off her skirt.
When the time came to continue on their path, they both looked around them longingly, reluctant to leave the sanctuary that had enveloped them, for a few moments at least.
“Time to go,” he said.
“We can come back any day, though,” she said hopefully.
“Yes, but then we may never leave,” he replied with a laugh. “We would have to build another home here.”
She smiled at him as they mounted their horses and left the clearing, which, she realized, would never be solely hers alone again. They had marked it as theirs now, and she was surprised that she was actually just fine with the thought.
“You know,” she said thoughtfully as they rode next to one another, trotting carefully to avoid the branches that stretched out toward them. She reached over and picked a twig out of Finlay’s hair. “There may be a way to create even more efficiencies.”
“You’re thinking business again, after the way we spent our time back there?”
“I’m sorry. My mind is always moving. Actually, what we did gave me an idea.”
“I’m listening,” he said, and Kyla sensed a slight bit of wariness mixed with intrigue at what she might have come up with.
“What if we were to amalgamate the lands of the McDougalls and the MacTavishes?” she said, speaking quickly before he had time to interrupt and shut down her idea before she even began. “Do you think the people would agree to it? Would they live side-by-side, working together? If they would, then we could truly find the best ways to plant, to grow, to harvest, and to raise the livestock and sheep.”
He reined in his horse and took a long look at her. Kyla was somewhat hopeful by the fact that his expression was thoughtful, his lips slightly parted as he blinked at her.
“I’m not sure I’ve heard that done before,” he said slowly.
“And why could we not be the first to try? We are united by marriage now. Perhaps we could take one step further,” she said, becoming more excited about the idea. “Rory certainly will never be able to manage our lands, which you know as well as I do. Perhaps we could manage both of them, together. We would just have to convince our fathers that it is the right move.”
“And convince me,” he said.
“Pardon?” she looked over at him.
“This is your idea, Kyla, n
ot mine,” he said, though his tone was gentle. “I’m not sure yet if I agree with it.”
“But—”
“I listened to you this morning, aye, and many of your ideas are intriguing and we will put them into practice. However, I still make the final decisions here, and I don’t know if this is one I would like to make. I need to think on it.”
Kyla looked straight ahead, ire simmering in her stomach, her dismay growing. Every time she thought they had made progress, that they were getting somewhere together as husband and wife, as business partners, they would take a step backward. For a man who was apparently supposed to lead them all into the present, Finlay couldn’t seem to move out of the past.
It was trying, and she didn’t know how much longer she could keep this up, this playing with her emotions. They were over halfway through her promised three months. There were moments when she wanted nothing more than to stay with him as his wife. Moments like the night before, when they were truly on the same page, with one mind. Or this morning as they worked together, or just now, in the trees. Then he would say something, do something, that would try at her patience and make her question this marriage all over again.
He looked over at her in resignation.
“I’ve done it again, haven’t I?” he asked.
“Done what?”
“Upset you.”
“Aye, of course you have,” she said with a snort. “What do you expect? I never know what to anticipate from you, Finlay. You listen, but then you turn me down. You promise we are partners, but then you tell me you alone are making decisions. It’s difficult to know what is coming next. Sometimes I will be upset. That’s the way it is.”
“Aye, that’s something I’m learning,” he said. “It would be much easier if you would just do as I say, as most wives do for their husbands.”
“And what would be the fun in that?” she asked, the twinkle back in her eye. She would not let his change in moods bring her down.
“I suppose you’re right,” he said, his lips twitching into a slight smile. “Best to keep things interesting.”
She nodded, the smile returning to her face. Finally, he was starting to understand.
17
Finlay was determined that before he made any decisions, before he went along with any of Kyla’s plans, that she better come to know the people of his clan. They were not just workers or people who were to do as they were commanded. She agreed, but protested that she had met them many times before and was well aware that they were more than just names and bodies, but he insisted. She must understand who the people were before deciding whether the two clans could co-exist hospitably.
As there was little daylight left that afternoon, their tour resumed the next day. When they rode along the path by the homes of the crofters, many heads turned, eager to see their new chieftain and his lady, together for the first time since the wedding.
Finlay was not surprised that Lyle Young was one of the first people they saw as they stopped near a cluster of cottages. He gave a nod of his head, an indication that he would not cause any trouble for his clan leader today. Finlay was glad of it. He would prefer they not face confrontation today.
It did, however, spur an idea in Finlay’s mind. These people had known him for years. Many of them had seen him grow up, and still thought of him as a child of the McDougall chieftain. He helped them when they needed it, sure, but how would they see him as a leader with his father still involved?
He resolved that one of his first acts should be showing them who he was now—not Finlay, son of Duncan, but Finlay, chieftain of the McDougalls.
He handed Hurley’s reins to a surprised Kyla and called to one of the boys who stood in front of a nearby home, telling him to run along the cottages and spread the word that they were all to come to hear a message from him.
“What are you doing?” Kyla murmured after the boy ran away.
“What I have to,” he answered, setting his jaw.
Finlay introduced Kyla to the husband and wife of one of the crofts. They were closer in age to Duncan and Jane, but had no children. It was becoming more difficult for them to work the land, he told her, but they survived.
Kyla murmured her understanding.
“Finlay,” she said after they took a few steps away, “I know you are trying to show me who your people were, but the truth is, I already knew. You have to understand that my ideas are for these very people, not to cause any additional hardship.”
He nodded but returned his attention to those approaching.
As the crowd began to gather, Finlay greeted each person by name and typically a handshake. Kyla watched him, her head tilted in interest, though she said nothing besides pleasantries to those she met.
When it seemed most of the nearby crofters had gathered, Finlay stood on a table that had been carried out from a cottage.
“McDougalls!” he called out to all of them, gathering their attention. All eyes turned to him expectantly.
“As you all now know, my father has declared me chieftain over this clan. It is a great honor, and one that I do not take lightly. I have great love for this land, and for you, the people of our clan. What many around us have forgotten is that it is not the ground we walk on or the lochs we swim in or the buildings we live in that makes us a clan. No, what makes a clan is the hearts of the people within it. It’s the fact that no matter whether we own the surname McDougall or not, at our very core we are all of the same family, and we are there for one another in both the good times and the tough times.
“For the past one hundred and fifty years, Highland life has not been what it was in the time of our ancestors. No longer are we the sovereign state free to do as we will. Most clans consist of landlords and renters. We have suffered one crisis after another. We have been hungry. We have been destitute. We have been frightened of what is to come next. But we, the McDougalls, have survived. Through it all, we have supported one another as brothers, sisters, and friends. We let no one be left behind, and we fight this great battle together. Some have chosen to leave us, and we support them in their new quests, ensuring they know they will always have a home with us back here in the Highlands.
“As your leader I will look for ways to keep this clan strong, while honoring the past and all we stand for. Do not fear the change to come. Together, we stand!”
The crowd around Finlay roared in cheers for him as Kyla watched, wide eyed.
He was magnificent. She hadn’t realized this was inside of him, this natural leader who commanded both adoration and respect. These people loved him as they did an immediate family member, yet they also seemed ready to follow him as their leader.
He walked from the table amid pats on the back from the men and warm smiles from the women. When he rejoined her, however, some of his bravado had faded and he looked at her with some trepidation in his eyes.
“Was that too much?”
He seemed to hold his breath while he waited for an answer, and she realized with a start that he truly seemed to care what she thought.
“You were simply inspired,” she said truthfully with a smile. “This is what people need to hear, to feel that their leader is one of them and not ruling over them.”
She thought of her father and the MacTavishes. The people were still refusing to pay their rents, and her father trying to manage them through force only put more space between them rather than drawing them together as clan and chieftain.
Finlay seemed to know what he was doing. He was also visibly happy that she was part of this with him today, a moment she would never have thought would come to pass.
“Come,” he said, taking her hand now. “We’ll visit some of the families you will want to know.”
They visited house after house in the small village, speaking to couples, to families, to single men and single women. The first couple had been unable to bear children, and the land was their love. They tended to the gardens and wanted nothing more than the ability to keep to what th
ey were doing.
The father of the next family tended sheep, and was never home but always out in the fields. He told them he would rather have dedicated land to see to his duties. As it was, their croft was far from the lands where the sheep grazed, with large distances between the fields he had to herd them to and from. He would prefer they were herded on adjoining lands, where he could make his home much closer to them so he could spend more time with his family.
Kyla nodded—this had been exactly of what she was thinking.
The third crofter grew potatoes, and while he had struggled with this year’s crop, he was optimistic that next year would be different.
House after house, clan member after clan member, Finlay was patient and kind. Kyla had thought he would turn down ideas—as he had hers initially, she thought wryly—but instead, he heard out every person and truly listened, whether he actually agreed with them or not. He was practical, and would then explain his thoughts in a logical way. He allowed them to feel heard, which, she realized, was the most important thing.
She thought of her father and brother and the forceful tactics they used in an attempt to reach their clan. Clearly, their methods weren’t what spoke to people, and, if anything, drove them away. Finlay was right—a clan was about the people, and the largest responsibility was caring for one another. She knew he thought her ideas would cause a rift between him and them, but Kyla knew they would actually benefit the clan as a whole. It was a matter of putting her ideas into practice with his methods and values so that everyone approached the change together. She saw now how it could happen, and was energized by the idea.
Finally, he led her to a small croft at the end of the lane. He told her it belonged to a man and woman about his age, who now had five children. The last baby had been a difficult delivery, and they had been worried about the mother, Moira, for some time. Finlay had called on them a few times in the past weeks to see how they were and what could be done to help.
Finlay's Duty: A Scottish Victorian Romance (The Victorian Highlanders Book 2) Page 12
