They rode away from the swamp, tired but triumphant. And though Kay had been here for more than a month now, she reflected with surprise that now, in this moment, she really felt like she belonged with these people.
Chapter 59
Dawn was just breaking when they rode back up to the castle. The men had started singing a victory song — some of them had even broken out little flasks of whisky in celebration, which made Kay laugh. They must have foreseen success — and why wouldn't they have? After all, the whole operation had been planned with great care. There was a flurry of activity when they rode in, and Kay realized with a shock that what looked like the entire castle was waiting for them in the courtyard, their faces tight with worry.
Liam rode forward, raising his burned-out torch in triumph, and roared their victory — and a cheer went up that was so loud and so raucous that Kay, laughing, figured that they had no need of sending a messenger to the village to advise them that their flocks and herds were safe — they'd have heard that cheer all over the Loch.
There was work to be done, of course. The guns were taken from each of the men who'd been assigned one, and Elena and Anna presided over the careful cleaning and maintenance of each one. Anna and Liam took charge of getting the horses rubbed down and packed away, and Brendan took the weapons — guns and blades — up to the armory once they'd been cleaned, stowing them safely away for the next time they'd be needed.
Kay realized she was swaying on her feet as she put the last horse away in its stall… and she felt a comforting hand on her back, gently guiding her toward the door. It was Liam, looking just as tired as her … she gazed up at him plaintively, wondering without words if they'd done enough yet, if they could rest? For the longest time, all she'd wanted was to get rid of the wisps… and now that that task was done, all she really wanted, she realized, was to rest.
Well, she wanted to bathe first. On the way up to their chambers, they asked a servant to deliver some hot water — the young woman's eyes widened a little as she realized that they were both going to the same place, and Kay blushed a little, but Liam was unrepentant.
"I don't mind if they know," he said, glancing down at her with an amused smile on his face. "Do you?"
"Of course not," she said softly, realizing with surprise that it was true. She'd be happy for the whole castle to know that she and Liam were an item.
It felt incredibly good to wash the iron and dust from her body… and though she was utterly exhausted, there was something about the way that Liam watched her bathe, the gleam in his eye, which helped her to find a surprising new reserve of energy. Not enough energy that she didn't need to fall into bed, of course… but enough energy that neither of them, it seemed, needed to go to sleep straight away…
They made love as the sun rose high in the sky, and around midday they finally fell into a deep and dreamless sleep, utterly sated and wrapped in each other's arms. And it wasn't until dusk that Kay awoke to the gentle sound of footsteps moving across the floor… a servant, her eyes deliberately downcast, carrying a huge tray of what looked like every kind of food in the Keep.
"Laird Donal sends his compliments, and his thanks," the servant murmured, bobbing a little curtsey and looking for all the world like she was going to crash into something, so determinedly was she keeping her eyes on the floor. Liam thanked her, his voice blurry with sleep, and once she was gone, the two of them fell about laughing.
"I suppose everyone knows, then." Liam laughed, helping himself to some food.
Kay joined him, surprised by how hungry she was — then again, she supposed they hadn't eaten since the night before, and it had been a fairly taxing evening.
"You may as well move in permanently." He hesitated, a shadow crossing his handsome face. "I mean, if that's… if that's something you want. I don't want to pressure you…"
Kay took a deep breath, looking him square in the eye. It was time to be brave, she decided. It was something that had come to her late the night before, while the men had been stalking through the swamp in search of wisps to shoot. She'd realized, abruptly, her hands full of iron, that there was absolutely no point in being frightened of commitment. In this strange new world she'd found herself in, where dangers stalked at every turn, where supernatural creatures were as common as cattle… the only source of safety, the only source of comfort, the only source of a meaningful purpose was other people.
She was tired of being independent. She was tired of piloting her own ship, defiantly solo, refusing to rely on anybody else to help her. The idea of losing her freedom terrified her… but she knew Liam, now. She knew him well enough to know that he'd never want to take her freedom from her. He wanted to be her partner, that was it. He wanted them to join forces — to work together to achieve more than either of them could alone. She'd seen that in Donal and Anna, the way they worked together, the clear love between them as they ruled the castle together. She'd seen it in the light and spark between Nancy and Malcolm, the way they laughed together, kept each other's spirits high. And she'd even seen it in Elena and Brendan, the way they argued with one another, keeping each other sharp as two blades. Why was she denying herself that kind of happiness? Why was she digging her heels in, clinging to an independence that was only making her lonely… when she could have every bit of that freedom, as well as so much more, if she let herself love and trust the man before her? The man who'd shown her, again and again, that he was more than deserving of her love and trust? The man that the Sidhe themselves had seen fit to match her up with?
"I'd love to move in here," she said finally, smiling at Liam. "If you'll have me."
"Kay Morris, you know full well I'll have you. I'll have you any way you're willing to give yourself to me. I'll have you in the morning, in the evening, at midday, at midnight… Kay, I want to marry you. And I know that that's not something that you want right away, and I know that I might be asking for a long time, but I will ask you every single day for the rest of our lives together until you say yes. That's my promise to you, Kay. And I've never been more sure of anything else in my life." He smiled at her, his eyes dancing with humor. "So here goes request number one. Will you marry me, Kay?"
He was waiting for her to say no — she could tell. So she took a deep breath, then shrugged her shoulders, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "Liam Grant, I will."
And the look of shock on his face was absolutely priceless. She sat back, laughing uproariously, nodding again and again as he breathlessly confirmed that she was serious, she wasn't joking with him, she did want to get married, she'd changed her mind… and then he was on top of her, his arms around her, kissing her face over and over in absolute joy, banishing any lingering doubts she'd ever had that this was the man of her dreams… and that this decision was the absolute best one she could have made.
Even if she might've liked to hear a proposal every day, somehow, she got the feeling that Liam was never going to let her forget how much he loved and adored her.
Chapter 60
It was only with the change of the seasons that Kay realized, suddenly one day and with a shock that reverberated in her bones, that it had been three full months since the wisps had been banished. She frowned to herself, leaning on the pitchfork she'd been using to muck out stalls as she counted backwards, certain that there was no way that could be right — it couldn't seriously have been so long. It felt like only yesterday… the long night of tension, of fighting the wisps, of eradicating them… the week of patrols that were conducted, going over every inch of swamp and bog to ensure that the wisps hadn't returned… of waiting with bated breath for messages from the village each day to ensure that the flocks and herds remained unharmed, that everyone who went out at night went home again unscathed…
And finally, slowly, the dawning realization that the wisp threat had been destroyed — that the creatures were long gone, the swamp once again a safe, if not particularly pleasant, place to visit. The celebrations that had gone long into the night,
the headwoman Blair digging out a few huge casks of ale from the depths of the cellars to really make the celebrations special. Her and Liam, dancing through the night, finally collapsing in bed together close to dawn after a hundred toasts to the role they'd each played in vanquishing the wisps. Him telling her, over and over, how much he loved her, how impressed he was with her and everything she'd done to keep them safe… their long nights together, alone in his quarters, really getting to grips with their love for one another.
She didn't want a baby just yet, that was for sure… and without many other options, she was relying on an herbal tea the other women swore by that apparently was highly effective. Given that both Nancy and Anna were mothers already, she'd been a little bit suspect of the recommendation, and asked Elena instead. The woman had, for the first time since Kay had known her, blushed — just a tinge of pink in her high pale cheeks.
"I mean," she said faintly, as Kay began to put the pieces together. "I did stop taking it before … don't tell anyone, would you? We're keeping it to ourselves for now. Brendan's being insufferable," she added with a roll of her eyes that conveyed so much love and affection for her husband that Kay couldn't help but pull her into a hug, promising to keep her secret safe.
And then… her wedding day. A month after the wisps had been gone for good — and despite Father Caleb courteously offering them the use of the church, Kay knew for a fact where she wanted to say her vows. In the courtyard of the castle, under the clear blue skies… in front of the stables, where she and Liam had first kissed, first begun to fall in love. It was a simple ceremony, for all that it felt like the whole castle was there to watch, and though she didn't understand much of the Gaelic, she knew in her bones that despite all her hesitation, all her doubts over the last few weeks… this was the right choice. The best choice she'd ever make… the choice to swear herself to Liam Grant, for now and always.
It was Laird Donal who presided over the ceremony… but it was his wife Anna who organized the whole affair. Her maid of honor, and one of her best friends here… with Elena and Nancy in tow as bridesmaids, both wearing identical grins — and Elena still not showing, though Kay did notice the careful way she held her bouquet of flowers over her belly — It was an absolutely beautiful ceremony… and the party afterwards was another thing entirely. The Scottish truly did know how to drink.
She remembered slipping outside for a breath of air in between dances… and it wasn't long before Liam was at her side. He always had a sense of where she was, of when she needed space and when she wanted him at her side… he'd never gotten it wrong yet. She remembered him slipping his hand into hers and standing beside her on the steps that led down into the courtyard, both of them gazing out over the now empty courtyard…
"Maggie didn't come," she said softly, voicing something that had been bothering her since the ceremony.
Liam sighed, squeezing her hand. "She generally doesn't come to things, even when she's invited," he said softly. "I don't doubt she appreciated the invitation, though."
"Wait," she said softly. "Wait — speak of the devil!"
Because sure enough, as the sun set, there was old Maggie herself, striding across the bridge that led to the castle as though she had all the time in the world… and every right to gesture imperiously at the amused guards up on the wall to open the gate and let her through. The timing was perfect… had she intended it that way? The two of them strode down the steps to meet her, wearing identical grins, and the little old woman peered up at them with a cheerful twinkle in her eye.
"Darter sends his best," she said brightly, gesturing toward the cottage. "And his thanks for clearing the bog of wisps. It's one of his favorite places to spend the evenings, and he was getting stir-crazy with all those creatures about. It took a few days for the iron clouds to settle enough, but he's able to go back there now and enjoy it."
"Glad to oblige," Liam said, laughing. "Any more trouble with the villagers, Maggie?"
"Not a drop," she said darkly. "And I received a very nice apology bouquet the day after you all went marching into the bog with those infernal noisemakers." It seemed Maggie didn't much approve of the weapons that Kay and Liam had helped devise… but she certainly appreciated that the wisps were gone, so that seemed to balance it out.
Liam grinned down at Kay, and she remembered him going into the village with a very important message a few days after the attack on the wisps. Had the apology bouquet been his idea? She wouldn't put it past him…
But Maggie was all business. "I'm not staying," she said bluntly. "Never did care for weddings. But I'm glad you two have sorted it out. My gift is my blessing."
"Thank you, Maggie —" Kay started, but the woman cut her off impatiently.
"I haven't done it yet! Give me your hands." The three of them held hands, Kay feeling a little silly in the light of the sunset… but she knew better than to disagree with Maggie at this stage. "Happiness," she said firmly. "Happiness, peace… understanding. That's what I'll give the pair of you."
"Thank you," Liam said softly. And just like that, she was gone, bustling off toward the gate as quickly as she'd come.
Kay and Liam looked at each other thoughtfully as the sun set. Kay didn't know much about how Faerie blessings worked… was this just a placebo, like the tonics she sometimes gave to the villagers? She'd once healed the foot of a very stubborn man who refused to rest his injury. She'd given him a salve to apply but told him that it would only work if he held the foot very, very still for an hour after he put it on — three times a day. Whether the salve worked or not was immaterial — he was so busy holding it still that he wasn't able to re-injure it by walking on it excessively. Was that what Maggie had given them? A kind of blessing that would work through confirmation bias? She already felt happy, she already felt at peace… and she certainly felt like she understood Liam better now than she ever had.
They went back inside, smiling at each other, and continued to lead the dancing long into the night. Kay was getting rather good at dancing. For someone who'd always claimed to have two left feet, she was certainly getting the hang of it. It helped to have a partner who was very deft at steering her around the floor, making sure she stepped in the right direction, never complaining if she trod on his toes… she kept smiling up at her brand new husband, still in utter disbelief that she'd gotten so lucky.
To think she'd nearly let herself ruin everything, she thought with a shudder. That she'd nearly let her fear get in the way, stop her from experiencing something so wonderful, so completing, as this marriage. Liam was the best thing that had ever happened to her... the thought that she'd gotten so close to messing it up was deeply frightening. But she hadn't. With the wisdom and advice of her friends, and by trusting her gut, she'd overcome her fears … and here she was, married to the best man in Scotland and happily looking forward to their future together.
Three months, Kay marveled now, straightening up and setting about her tasks again. Three months had changed a lot. She was a married woman… she was settled, she was happy, sharing Liam's quarters in an official capacity now. She had an official position in the stables, a kind of associate stablemaster — technically, she was his assistant, but all the grooms knew that Liam and Kay were equally ranked. She had an army of friends who loved her, and a life that she was proud of.
And as she heard Liam's familiar voice behind her, she turned to smile at him, feeling — not for the first time that day — like the luckiest woman on Earth. In any time, or in any place.
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Chapter 1
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At midni
ght, Audrina James finally laid her head down, gratefully onto her pillow. It had been another grueling day in Trauma One, it was always the worst when the nursing staff and doctors of the trauma ward lost a child. Audrina looked at the ceiling where she had taped pictures of stars, lush green fields, exotic ancient castles and the forests of her ancestral homeland, vowing to herself that she would visit Claran Castle in Scotland someday. Audrina had put the pictures up so that she could clear her mind of the gruesome scenes that she faced in the E.R. day after day, night after night. They’d worked hard to save the boy from the ravages of a car crash, but Donald Nightingale, of sunny northern California, flatlined at eleven-thirty, after half a day’s worth of surgeries, blood transfusions and plasma bags. Audrina didn’t cry much anymore after working in the trauma center. But there were a few patients who tugged at her heartstrings. Donald would be one of them.
“Look at the pictures. Look at the pictures,” Audrina chanted to herself. She used them as a platform to spring her mind into more pleasant thoughts before she drifted off to sleep. Audrina had been fascinated with the stories and lore of her ancestry when her grandfather used to sit her on his knee and recount tales of his youth, roaming the Highlands of Scotland. That was before a potato famine reached his homeland and forced his family to immigrate to the United States. Audrina would spend hours, daydreaming as she roamed the redwoods behind the house, pretending the tall trees were the ancient forests of Scotland. She knew now that Scotland was much greener, and the forests were made of tall oaks, and rowan trees, beech and pine and ash. But she had promised herself she would visit and discover it for herself someday.
That was all a couple of decades ago, when Audrina had been just seven. After high school, she had gone on to nursing school, and now was faced with the ever-increasing violence of the San Francisco Community Hospital that came through the doors. The timing had just never felt right. There was always one more case to oversee, or one more patient to look after and successfully care for until they walked out the door of their own volition, and not in a body bag or stretcher.
Distracted By The Highlander: A Scottish Time Travel Romance (Highlander Forever Book 4) Page 21
