Highland Pull (Highland Destiny 2) (17 page)

“I give you my eternal heart, that from this moment forward, nothing may tear us asunder. Not distance, not time, not death.
One heart, one soul, united for eternity. Destiny has called us forth. We are bound.”

Miranda repeated the words, and on the last word, she felt as though stars exploded around her,
she was blinded by the bright colorful ribbons of light that suddenly swirled around them. Their bodies were pressed together, she felt as though she was melting into him, their bodies became one, no beginning, no ending. Then they became the swirls of light, a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes shifting and merging. She felt as if she was being pulled inside of him, as if he was inside of her.

When at last she could open her eyes, she did so to find Gabhran staring at her, his eyes filled with love, with wonder, with triumph. He laughed at the joy in his heart, and Miranda was filled with the magick his laughter stirred within her.

“That was—”

“Did you feel—
“

“What just—“

He laughed again and held her close to him as they fell over onto the plaid, he was kissing and touching every part of her. Then he was in her, and every sensation was more intense than any she’d experienced before. He kissed her, claiming her as his one true love, gliding in and out, filling her completely.

She felt wild joy, exultant, triumphant, and she realized these were Gabhran’s feelings she was sharing. Her own heart was
complete, she thought no woman had ever been so loved by her man. Gabhran looked into her eyes, their pace intense, both so close, he shifted slightly, the pressure increased, then suddenly they were there, climbing to new heights, falling over the edge, together as never before.

Afterward they slept, napping under the trees, and dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves, Miranda wrapped lovingly in Gabhran’s arm. She woke before him and savored the feeling of contentment she sensed within him.  

*

The sound of the horn blaring from the direction of the castle woke Randi, and she watched for a moment as Gav jumped up and quickly began to dress.

“Get dressed, love. It seems our day will be cut short,” his voice full of excitement.

Spurred to action by his sense of urgency, Randi began to dress. “What’s wrong Gabhran?” she asked worriedly.

He stopped, hurried to her side, and kissed her, but she sensed he was distracted. “’Tis time for battle, love, I was going to tell you at dinner. Ian and I will be taking the men to fight a battle at his father’s estates. I thought we would leave on the morrow, now seems something has changed.”

As soon as Randi was dressed, he mounted his horse, pulled her up, settled her in front of him, and rode for the castle. Randi felt him pulling away, as his mind became engaged in the logistics of the coming battle. Her own sense of panic began to increase at the thought of him leaving her, of Gabhran in danger.

Just before they entered the outer walls of the castle proper, Gabhran pulled his horse to a stop. Randi looked up at him, her eyes full of concern.

“I can sense what you are feeling, lass, as I know you can sense my feelings. Now that we have exchanged the Druid eternal vows, we will always be linked, always be close to each other’s heart.

“What you sense is naught more than my excitement for battle. ‘Tis what I’ve trained for all my life. I am a fierce warrior.” He grinned. “You need not worry about your husband, my wife. I will return to you in a fortnight. When I do, I expect to find you naked, in my bed, and ready to take me in every way necessary to ease the loneliness I surely will suffer when we are apart.”

With her face turned up to his, they kissed with all the desperation of lovers about to be parted for a very long time. He kicked his horse and they entered the inner courtyard. An hour later Gabhran and Ian led the men to the south, under the banner of the King of Scotland.

Just before he rode out, he swept Randi into his arms and kissed her passionately. “Fear not, wife, Ian’s family has many well trained men, as do I. We can subdue any enemy we face together. The MacLachlan’s and the Scots branch of the Worthington’s have been allies a very long time.”

Two fortnights came and went and there was no word from Gabhran. Randi spent her days getting to know the castle and grounds. Gabhran had asked Randi to stay within the walls for her own protection, and she honored his request. With one hundred and eighty-nine rooms, there was a lot of exploring to do. She spent her days looking through the rooms, and her nights in Gabhran’s bed. She loved wrapping herself in the scent of him.

She realized she was becoming enchanted with the idea of living in fourteenth century Scotland when she selected a room near Gabhran’s chambers to serve as a nursery, should she actually be pregnant. She was officially late, and God knew she had enough stress in her life over the last month to make her skip a period altogether. But she couldn’t stop a little part of her heart from hoping she was carrying their child. Well, until she thought about fourteenth century health care. She could do without that!

Lissa had seemed genuinely happy that love had blossomed for Randi and Gabhran. She’d had taken to calling Randi by her first name when the two were alone, which was frequent. The women grew close through their time spent together, Lissa showing her around the castle, answering Randi’s questions, some of which must surely have seemed odd. Randi tried not to betray her total ignorance of everything medieval, but sometimes her incessant questions drew quizzical looks from Lissa.

Randi learned to divert the young maid’s questions by asking her to tell stories of the MacLachlan brothers, and
Lissa had a great many stories about the young men when they were growing up. She had grown up at the castle too, and no one had been fussed when the children of the Laird played with the children of the servants and children of all the social stations in between. Lissa had been educated by the boy’s governess, who had enjoyed having a young girl to teach when she wasn’t riding herd on her charges. Randi found Lissa to be well-spoken and more surprisingly, well-read, a nearly unheard of skill for a maid of that era.

The more she learned about the young MacLachlan boys and
Lissa, the more Randi wanted to know. She hadn’t lost her skill as an interrogator and she was still excellent at reading people. Two things became glaringly apparent. Lissa had been in love with Alexander, and she was very worried about something. Judging by her frequent bouts of nausea, Randi suspected she knew what Lissa was worried about.

She was slowly gaining
Lissa’s trust, and she wanted to make sure their friendship would survive her questions. Randi could be patient, but time was rapidly passing, and if what she suspected were true, Lissa wouldn’t be able to hide much longer.

****

The horn blaring brought Randi and the castle staff running to the Courtyard, hoping for word from the men. The winded messenger jumped down from his horse and shouted “Milady, Milady, a letter for you from the Laird. The battle rages on…”

Randi’s heart fell, she had so hoped he was riding ahead to tell them they were already on
their way. She thanked the messenger for the letter and left him to convey his message to those gathered while she hurried to her room to read in private.

My Dearest Miranda,

I will not lie, the battles we are fighting are fierce, although our losses are small, not nigh as heavy as the Comyn’s. We expect to be joined by Robert’s men at any time, and then we will be able make the final drive to win this battle, and to return home.

I beseech you
, my love, should the gods have blessed us with a child, if that child be a son, and something were to befall me, I count on you to see to his training to serve as Lord of the MacLachlan. Lest you think a daughter would disappoint me, fear not, I would treasure her, for she would remind me of you.

I must go for now, darling Miranda. I hate that we are so far away, but know my love for you grows stronger each moment we are apart. I will be home for you soon
, my sweet.

Yours throughout eternity,

Gabhran

Miranda sat for a long time in the window seat looking out to the sea, her hand pressed against her abdomen. Then she went in search of
Lissa.

****

Lissa sat with her hand on her abdomen and let her mind wander over the past, wondering what she was going to do now. Alexander had been thirty-two when he was lost at sea, Lissa was twenty-three. She had worshiped him since she was a wee lass of three, long before he had first become Lord. Both Alex and Gav had always been nice to the tiny girl, letting her tag along, giving her sweets, and she followed them about whenever she could. Lissa had run a bit wild on the estate, with no father that anyone knew, and her mother having died of fever when she was an infant. Lissa had been a child of the manor, beloved by everyone.

When she was twelve, she had been playing in the orchard when she heard murmured whispers from behind the bushes. Ever the curious lass, she peeked between the branches, only to see Alex and some unknown woman mating like a pair of horses. He had her skirts pushed up, covering her from behind, and was putting his thing in her down there.
Lissa had thought it disgusting.

A year later, as her womanly menses started wreaking havoc on her previously sensible mind, she began to fantasize about finding Alex alone, so she could have him under her skirts. Still, if Alex had left the castle, or if
Lissa had been sent to another estate to work, she might have escaped with her heart unscathed, for until she was sixteen, ‘twas not but a case of hero worship. 

On her sixteenth birthday, Agnes had arranged a small party for her, among the staff. They gathered in the kitchen and shared a cake, and
Lissa was touched by the small gifts each of them had given her. When the party was over, Agnes pulled Lissa aside so they could have a talk, and Lissa’s stomach dropped, fearing naught good would come of this.

“
Lissa, dear, ‘tis time an appropriate station is found for you, and once there you can wed before you get too much older. You have had the benefit of an excellent education here, and I believe you would be far more suited as a governess than a mere house maid.”

“Agnes,”
Lissa wailed, “I don’t want to leave here, this is my home. Please, I doona care if I spend my days doing laundry or cleaning the guarderobes, please doona make me leave. I love all of you so much.”

“Aye, lass, ‘tis apparent you love someone here too much already.” Her voice and eyes softened. “
Och, lassie, I should have kept a closer eye on you, kept you away from those boys. ‘Tis plain as the nose on my face you fancy yourself in love with the Laird.”

Lissa
could still feel the pain of that moment and of the words that came next. “You are a maid, he is the Laird, naught can be betwixt you, lass. Indeed, he must marry soon, ‘tis well past his time to be bringing bairn in this world. You canna stay, for I fear you may be a distraction. He must be married and soon, lass.”

Then Agnes dragged her unwillingly to the Laird’s study and begged an audience. Alexander had been standing with his back to the room, hands on the mantle, staring into the fire, his black hair hanging in waves to his waist. He turned at the sound of Agnes’s voice, his face politely inquisitive. Then his eyes lit on
Lissa, and he rushed to her, grabbed her hands and planted a kiss on her cheek.

“Glad tidings on your sixteenth birthday, wee
Lissa.”

Agnes had cleared her throat meaningfully, and he had released
Lissa’s hands immediately. He dropped into a seat by the fire.

“So, Agnes, what
fashes you, for I can see it all over your face. Has our dear Lissa committed some heinous crime, stolen a birthday cookie, been riding on Gabhran’s horse again? Perhaps, she has been sneaking out to meet a man?” he inquired silkily, but with an edge to his voice, his eyes searching hers. 

“Nay, your Lairdship—”

“Och ‘tis Laird now, Agnes? You have called me by my given name since I was a lad, why so formal now? Is it I who has done something to displease you, and not the lass?”

Agnes had always reminded
Lissa of a mother hen, soft looking and plumped up, and completely capable of pecking you hard on the hand. She positively puffed herself out now.

With a hugely aggrieved sigh, Agnes continued, “No, Alexander, and I can still rap you on your ear if you keep acting the fool. I have come to ask you to make arrangements for
Lissa to serve as a governess in Edinburgh. She is past an age to meet others and she needs to find a man to wed. Your family has been most kind and always treated her well. Because of that, she has been well-educated and is more suited to a higher position than we have here.”

Alex went very still, and eyed Agnes, his voice was soft with a note of danger when he replied, “Are you implying there is something wrong with her position here?”

Agnes put her hands on her ample hips, tried to lean over Alex—patently ridiculous, since he was as tall sitting as she was standing—and said, “You know very well there is.”

Without turning his gaze from Agnes, Alex had asked
Lissa to leave. “One of us will find you later, lass.”

Lissa
had been dismissed without having been invited to share her opinion. She closed the door on her way out and found Glynnis and Helen, the downstairs maids, staring at her, pity in their eyes. Unable to take anymore, Lissa walked out the front door, and didna look back.

She’d walked for hours, thinking, knowing that Agnes was right, she had fallen in love with the Laird, and she knew he would never love her in return. As the words she’d heard and her feelings swirled within her, her feet led her farther away from the castle. As gloaming approached
Lissa was startled to see she had wandered as far as the standing stones, the place she and Gav and Alex had played as children.

She'd fallen to her knees as she finally came to terms with the end of all her dreams. Alex would never love her. She would never bear his children. She must leave the only home she had ever known. She buried her face in her hands and cried, her heart breaking into a million tiny shards.

Then his hands had been on her shoulders, before he gently pulled her onto his lap. “Shh, Lissa, doona cry, ‘tis not all lost, is it?”

She had shuddered with the power of her fantasy, of the feeling he was holding her close. She dried her tears on the hem of her skirt, and rose, knowing it was time to return to the castle.

Or rather, she tried to rise, something was holding her back. She was stunned to realize Alex was here, he really did have her on his lap, his arms like steel bands around her, his face buried in her hair.

She looked up uncertainly, wondering how he had found her, why he had bothered. Was it to tell her she would be leaving for Edinburgh on the
morrow. Had he been able to find her a position that quickly? Did it mean so little to him that she would go?

Uncertain of where to begin, she started with the first question that had come to her befuddled mind. “How did you find me? Or did you mean to find me, I probably just ruined a tryst or something,” she found herself babbling.

Alex burst into laughter, and Lissa felt all funny inside with the sound of it, the way she always felt around him. His hand caressed her hair as he spoke, his gaze fastened on hers.

“
Lissa, Agnes has presented a verra interesting argument as to why I should send you to serve another family in Edinburgh. It seems she thinks you are in danger of developing feelings for me. Is that true?” he asked softly.

Unable to face him,
Lissa looked away, and waited, unwilling to answer.

Alex wound her hair around his hand, and continued, as though
Lissa had given him the answer he expected.

“She also thinks ‘tis time I find a proper wife and mayhap having you around is delaying that blessed event.”

Lissa felt something hard beneath her bottom, and having watched him with the lass four years before, she knew just what that bulge was. She held very still. Her only hope of being allowed to stay was to convince him she did not care, that Agnes was wrong.

“N-no, Alex, ‘tis nothing. We were friends growing up, but I know my proper place. I would prefer to stay here, I doona wish to go to Edinburgh, I doona wish to leave home.”

He pulled gently on the hair wrapped around his hand until she was forced to look at him, and she knew all was lost. He probed her with his intense gaze, the one that had always been able to read her every thought. His black eyes flickered.

“So I see how it is. You would
lie to me, your oldest friend? You have come to care for me in the manner of a woman, no longer as you would care for a brother. You thought to hide this from me, thought mayhap I didna have a right to know?”

Then he cupped his hand over the back of her head and lowered his lips to hers, lightly grazing her mouth, just a promise of a kiss, before he pulled back to look at her.
Lissa thought her heart might just pound clear of her chest, tears welled in her eyes, and her tongue flicked her lips where he had touched them.

With a groan, Alex lowered his head once more and pressed his kisses to her lips, and
Lissa pressed back, unsure of what she was doing. She wrapped her arms around his neck and wove her fingers into his hair. Her lips melted against his, she let him mold her, teach her, unable to stop, even when she heard him moan.