A Highlander's Home (23 page)

             
She was leaving this life behind and returning to her own world where she belonged. 
They both knew that. 
But never had she met a man like Leith MacGregor, and she knew now that she never would again.  They just didn’t make men like him anymore.

             
He sat on the edge of the bed watching her.  He could smell the desire pouring out of her.  He smiled because he knew it was directed at him.  He had wooed her, and he had won.

Three nights later they
lay in bed,
Raine firmly tucked under his shoulder
with
her leg
laying
possessively over his while her fingers wrapped themselves repeatedly around one of his stray curls.  She had taken it easy on him tonight due to his thigh wound even though she had wanted to show him how glad she was that he was alright by taking charge and leaving her mark on him.
 

             
He spoke, breaking their silence.  “I know ye’re thinking about him.”

             
She did not need to move.  She knew exactly what he meant.  Sighing, she buried her face in his shoulder, enjoying the male scent of him. 

             
“I did not want to.  It wasn’t even a thought in my head at the time.  I just thought I needed a way to fend him off, hurt him enough to get away and run.  I never wanted to…to…” her voice trailed off as she turned
onto her back and threw her arm over her eyes.

             
“I’ve never seen someone die before.  Well, except on TV, but that’s not real.  I certainly never thought I’d see someone die especially at my hand.”

             
He rolled over and leaned on his elbow.  “What is tee veeee?”

             
She opened one eye and looked him, his brow furrowed in confusion.  He had not a clue what she was talking about.  In this land, in this time, war was on their doorstep constantly.  Killing was part of their livelihood.  Killing the enemy is how they survived.

             
She cupped his face with her hand.  Whispering more to herself than him, she said softly, “I don’t belong here.”

             
He asked, “Why? Because I cannot provide you with a tee veee?”

             
She laughed and gave the best explanation she could as to what a television was.  His open mouth and bugged eyes conveyed his amazement.

             
“Och, ‘tis magic?!” he exclaimed.

             
“No, no, it’s just technology.  But don’t worry.  I don’t care for it anyway, so it doesn’t matter that there is not TV here.”

             
He scratched his head, befuddled at the world she came from.  No wonder she wanted to leave his land.  It was prehistoric to her.

             
“We might
not
have ye’re tee veee but we have things called
plays
.  I have no doubt that they are better,” he said proudly.

             
Time was passing quickly. He had promised to take her to the stones at the winter solstice.  That time was coming soon.  Too soon if truth be told.
  He kind of enjoyed having her body glued to his through the night.  She had more than enough body heat to keep them both warm through the winter. 

             
He smoothed her hair away from her face. 
“Lass, death is not embraced here.  But my men and I are charged with protecting my people from invasion.  If we did not do what we did
in battle
, we would all be dead or prisoners.”  He shrugged.  “It is our way.  But it does not make us barbarians.  Just determined to survive.”

             
She looked at him, the candle light casting a warm glow over his face and body.  She knew every inch of that glorious Scottish body.  There was not an inch she had not explored, that he had urged her to do with as her
curiosity
dictated.

             
Nodding, she replied, “I know.  But in my time, things are so different.”

             
“Ye have no war?  Ye’re
men do not defend their women against the enemy who would strike terror into their hearts?” he asked.

             
“Oh, yes, we do.  There are wars.  Horrible wars that are being fought.  Yes, to defend those who cannot fight.” 

             
He pulled the cover slowly downwards to reveal a globe of breast.  He ran his finger lightly over it, making little circles.  “Then why is
ye
r land so different than mine
?
”

             
She stared at the wall over his shoulder.  That was a question that she could not answer.

             
“Does it bother ye that ye killed a mon?” he asked, changing the subject.

             
She folded her arm under her head, giving him better access to her breasts.  Sighing, she replied, “Yes, it does.”

             
“Why?”

             
“Because it’s not something that I ever envisioned myself doing.  I can still see his face
.
” She
shuddered. 

             
She felt his shoulder lift as he shrugged. 
“It had to be done.  It is done.  Do not be ashamed
, and fret about it no more
.” 

             
Watching his finger circle her nipple and then rolling the tight bud between his fingers, she answered, “Where I come from, we don’t just kill each other.  Peace is tried for regardless of the situation.  War is avoided at all costs.”

             
Leaning over, his mouth switched places with his fingers.  Through his teeth, he countered, “But war had already been declared.  Alisdair would have killed me, my brother, and my mother if he had not been killed first.”

             
He kissed her lips lightly.  “Do not fret, lass.  Ye did no wrong.  Ye saved my family and my people from destruction.”

             
He rolled on top of her, situation himself
snuggly
between her legs.  “And for that I am truly grateful.”

             
Smiling she purred, “Just how grateful are ye?”

             
Enjoying her attempt at mimicking his acce
nt, he growled, “Let me show ye
.”

             
And he did. 
Several times
.

Chapter 19

             
To avoid pregnancy, Raine had asked one of the local midwives for an herbal remedy that would prevent a child being conceived.  The midwife was confused
,
then offended
,
that the lady of the keep would not want to give their beloved laird an heir.  Raine finally convinced the old woman by explaining that they preferred to enjoy being newlyweds, if only for a few months before trying to start a family.

             
The midwife conceded and gave her a pouch of leaves, showed her how to grind them up and add them to her tea every morning.  She made Raine promise her that she would be with child by Christmas.

             
Raine had agreed, though she hated herself for lying but felt that it was a necessary evil.  She would not be here by
Christmas
.  As soon as the winter solstice came, she would be taking her leave of this place, the keep, and the people.

             
It was already October and the days were growing shorter.  After finishing her tea, Raine smoothed her skirts, fluffed her hair, and made her way to the great hall.  She was going riding with Lady MacGregor today and did not want to be late.  The landscape was absolutely beautiful
,
and she was eager to see it. 
Autumn had come fiercely changing the landscape from green to vibrant golds and reds.  The breeze was still warm, rustling the fallen leaves and creating little whirlwinds.

S
he
also
wanted a little time away from the keep.  With as large as it was, she and Leith had fairly secluded themselves to their rooms and she was feeling a bit of cabin fever.

             
They met at the stables.  Lady MacGregor mounted on a sleek, black mare with a white star between her eyes and Raine on a slightly smaller, younger white mare with a sprinkling of brown on its right hindquarters.

             
As they rode, Lady MacGregor gave a brief history of the lands and sights, of which of her ancestors had dug this out or built that, what patch of trees had served as a trysting place for young lovers of long ago.

             
Raine listened and smiled as she enjoyed the guided tour of the lands. 

             
“So,” began the Lady after a brief pause in her oration, “do you still plan on leaving my son when the snow falls?”

             
Slightly startled at the bluntness of the question and rash change of subject, she opened her mouth several times, trying to form an answer but not able to.

             
“Oh, please, lass, close your mouth, you look like a fish,” Lady MacGregor laughed.

             
Taking a deep breath of the brisk air and enjoying the burning of it in her lungs, she let it out in a deep sigh.  “You know I have to, my lady.”

             
“Do I?”

             
Raine met her gaze.  “That has been the plan since my arrival here.  Being married has not changed that.  It has simply….complicated
it -
slightly.”

             
Lady MacGregor tsked.  “Och, now!  Plans change, lass.” 

             
Raine thought how much she sounded like her son and smiled.

             
“You know how infatuated with you he is.  How he dotes on you, how he watches you when you’re not looking.  And don’t think I haven’t seen the way your stare lingers just a little too long on his backside when he passes by.”

             
Blushing to the roots of her hair, she lied, “Oh, my lady, I do no such thing!”

             
Echoes
of laughter resounded through the hills.  “You are enjoying being married to my son.  That is all I am saying.  It is perfectly natural to enjoy bedding your husband and letting him bed you in return.”

             
Turning an even deeper shade of magenta, Raine tried to stifle a shocked laugh. 
She was enjoying the marriage bed, perhaps a little too much.  But she had not thought that it was that noticeable.

             
“He is a good man.  I hate the thought of hurting him when I leave.”

             
Lady MacGregor grabbed her wrist, their mares side by side.  “Then don’t,” she said with urgency, all laughter gone.  “Don’t hurt him.”

             
Biting her lip, Raine said softly, “I have to.  I have to go home.”

             
“This is your home!”

             
“You don’t understand.  This life – this world – it’s not mine.  The wife of a laird in Scotland of ancient times?  I learned history lessons about this place when I was in school! 
But
I can’t
live
here.”

             
Lady MacGregor took her hands in squeezed them.  “You are the keeper of his heart.  He has had many lovers in his time, but you
- you
are his soul mate.  That is a very difficult thing
to find.”

             
Fighting back the tears that had started to form against her will, Raine replied, “I’m not his soul mate.  I’m not even really his wife.  Please understand,
Lady
MacGregor
that
I have to go home.”

             
Giving her hand a final squeeze, Lady MacGregor turned away and took a deep breath, trying to hide her own unbidden tears.  This wee girl was going to destroy her son when she was supposed to save him.
  The curse may have been lifted with Alisdair’s death, but the curse of a Laird with a broken heart would soon be upon them.

Chapter 20

             
Time began to fly.  The days grew shorter, the leaves turned brilliant colors while the breeze grasped a cooler chill, and the nights turned longer.  That was perfectly fine as far as Leith was concerned.  Longer nights meant more time to perform all the wild and wicked pleasures upon his wife that he could think of.  He smiled crookedly.  She did not seem to mind very much in the least.  Each night as he undressed while she watched, she would ask him, “What are you going to do to me tonight, my lord?”
  And he had discovered that it was usually the only way to calm her when she awoke in the early morning hours from a nightmare that caused her to relive the killing of his cousin.