Kate Robbins - The Highland Chiefs Series (24 page)

“Well come on dear, you look like you could use a good meal on those bones.”

It was like she hadn’t eaten in months. The morning meal smelled so good. She heaped mounds of food onto her plate and noticed Iain nodding to his wife.

“What? What is it? Has something happened?”

“Hush, lass, let me collect my thoughts before I begin. I went to see the sheriff earlier this morning to ask some advice on how to help you. I recounted your tale as well as my memory would serve. He stopped me mid sentence and I didn’t know what to make of it. He told me that James MacIntosh is here in Peebles and had just left him. Turns out he and his party travelled all night to get here.”

Aileana shook her head. Who was James MacIntosh?

“Yes I see. I’m getting ahead of myself. Where do I start? The story you told me was different so I want to get this right. Laird MacIntosh was betrothed to an Aileana Chattan through an arrangement between the man and her Uncle Iain. It seems the uncle died and his last wish was for the lass to be married to that chief. They were married at Linlithgow Palace in Edinburgh three months ago. He, the MacIntosh, appeared at a trial for Fergus MacKay at Edinburgh Castle and when he returned to the palace where they’d been staying, he learned his wife had been taken.

“The man was convinced she’d been taken by Gawain Chattan, a distant cousin of hers who expected to inherit the uncle’s estate and marry her. This part may come as a shock, lass, if the rest of it has not. It turns out, the MacIntosh had good cause to be sure this Gawain had captured her because he’d done it before, but she had come away from that first time unscathed.”

Aileana’s hands moved to her face. She stroked her forehead and covered her mouth as she listened. If true, it meant everything Gawain had said was a lie. Which tale should she believe?

“I told the sheriff your story. We compared yours and the one he was told and we think you must be this Aileana Chattan, lately married to James MacIntosh, Earl of Moray and chief of his clan no less. The sheriff said he’d like to come here to speak with you himself. He’ll make his own judgment whether or not to hand you over to anyone. He wanted me to assure you of that, lass, you’ll not be forced to go with this or any other man if you choose not to.”

Her head was about to burst. It was too much for her to take in without any memories to confirm if any of it was true. She put her head in her hands and sobbed.

“I don’t know what to think, or what it is I must do.”

She must place considerable weight on what she overheard Gawain plotting, though. It was enough for her to run away from him, but who was this other man? The MacIntosh? What did she know of him? Could he be telling the sheriff a made up tale meant to draw her out?

“Come lass, let’s get you cleaned up. You’ll have a visitor here in an hour and we need you looking decent,” Shauna said.

One part of Iain’s account struck her. “Iain? I’ve one question.”

“Aye, what was it?”

“Where is he? This Laird MacIntosh, where is he right now?”

Iain glanced at his wife for a moment before answering.

“He’s at an inn across the way. Don’t worry though, he doesn’t know you’re here. The sheriff assured me no one would hear about you until he had the opportunity to see you for himself.”

The room spun around her. Shauna led her into the back room so she could lie down again for a bit. While she lay there, she thought about the story. She tried to remember something, anything, but instead her head pound harder.

Shauna left the room and returned a short time later with a simple but beautiful cream coloured gown. She helped Aileana up and out of her tattered woollen dress and fit her into it.

“My daughter, you see is a wonderful seamstress. This was a gown she’d made a long time ago and must have forgotten it when she packed up to move into her own home with her new husband. Now there’s a fine gentleman if I ever saw one, you know one time
—”

Shauna prattled on about her daughter and as she did so the image formed of a young woman working on the most exquisite blue gown. She strained to picture the full image of it and realized it was a wedding dress, the most beautiful one Aileana had ever seen.

“Dear, are you all right?”

“Oh, yes, I’m fine thank you. I sometimes drift off like that. I don’t know if I’m imagining something or remembering something.”

She was excited by the new image, but frustrated that she was unconnected to it.

Shauna paused as she tried to fit the dress around Aileana’s frame.

“Oh dear, I can only imagine what that must feel like. There, you’re all ready except this stubborn clasp at the back. It doesn’t seem to want to close up. And here I thought you were the exact same size as my daughter.”

The floor rushed up to meet Aileana. She was in a large room surrounded by servants busying themselves, In the centre of the room, stood a woman in a stunning dress. The seamstress made small adjustments before turning the woman in the dress toward the mirror. Aileana saw her reflection and gasped.

She came to with a start and a concerned Iain and Shauna hovering over her.

“I don’t think she’s fit to see anyone. I’ll go and send him away.”

“No, wait, don’t leave. I promise I’m fine. I want to meet him.”

Iain sputtered a bit, but didn’t disagree. He left the small bedroom to sit with the sheriff.

“How often do you faint dear?”

“Not a lot, only when I get a real flash or an image of someone.”

“Hmmm. And you get sick?”

Aileana nodded.

“And how long have you known you’re pregnant?”

“Awhile.”

She had realized a while ago. She somehow knew through instinct now that the babe didn’t belong to Gawain. A fleeting sense to her then, it was a relief to her now. She couldn’t process it any further than that. Who the father of this child was at this point was still a mystery.

“I see. That certainly
complicates things doesn’t it?”

The two women proceed to the sitting room. Aileana was surprised by the sight of the man to whom she was introduced as the sheriff of Peebles. Malcolm MacDougal did not have the imposing countenance of a sheriff. He was quite stout and when he stood for introductions Aileana found he was no taller than she.

“Good morning to you, lass. My name is MacDougal. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance. Please sit and tell me everything you remember. Don’t tell me about any dreams you may have had. I just want to hear about anything you’re certain of.”

She did as she was asked and told of waking in a cottage with blood soaked cloths on her head, of Gawain’s care, and her early vertigo when moving about. Aileana told him every detail she could remember right down to how often they’d picked berries and cooked.

When she was done, MacDougal didn’t speak right away, but when he did it was with caution.

“You’ve a vivid memory but it only goes back to a certain point. Gawain told you that you fell from a horse and that’s how you hurt your head?”

“Aye.”

“Well, you had a serious bump of some sort. And you don’t know how long you were unconscious?” he asked.

“No, I’m sorry I don’t. But I remember him saying he was relieved when I finally woke.”

“Now that we’ve established what we know, let’s talk a little about what we do not. Have you dreamt or had visions of certain people?”

“Oh aye! There are three people in particular I’ve been dreaming about. One, I believe, was my Uncle Iain. I’ve seen him in a coffin which leads me to believe he may be deceased.”

MacDougal said nothing so Aileana continued.

“I also dreamt about a woman with dark hair and hazel eyes wearing servant’s clothes. She appears friendly, but I cannot tell any more of her.”

“Aye. Go on.”

“And there’s a man. He’s not old or young. And he appears to know me well.”

Her cheeks grew warm and she lowered her head.

“Please describe him for me.”

“Well, he’s tall. He has brown hair and green eyes and he’s quite handsome. He wears a brooch
centreed with a wild cat and surrounded with rubies. In my dream he kisses me like we’re lovers.”

No one
acknowledged her embarrassment.

MacDougal arose from his seat and moved to the window. He paused there for a few minutes before turning to Aileana.

“I must admit, in all my years I’ve never encountered a situation quite like this. Up until you described James MacIntosh, I was about to say you should consider taking some time before meeting him. However, I am now quite convinced of his account and can do no more here than to urge you to see him.”

Aileana’s belly flooded with tremors. Did he just confirm that James MacIntosh was the man in her dreams? That meant they
were
married and she
was
taken! What had Gawain done to her to make her forget so much?

Meeting her husband was nerve racking and the absurdity of it was not lost on her. She knew she must see him and asked those present if they would come with her and they agreed.

“So ’tis Lady MacIntosh we should call you is it? Well, Lady MacIntosh I have a suggestion and if you are in agreement with it, I believe it might make this unusual circumstance a little easier.”

Iain suggested MacDougal go and tell MacIntosh she was safe, but more importantly that she may not know him. They all agreed it was a good idea and the sheriff left at once.

The three sat without speaking as they awaited his return. Aileana tried hard to maintain some composure despite her fragile emotional state. What should she say to this man? She assessed he at least wanted her back since he had been looking for her, but she was desperate to find out what the nature of their marriage had been. Was theirs a cordial relationship, did they share any common interests, how well did they know one another—were they in love? Before she could assume answers to any of those questions, MacDougal returned.

“He knows. It was all I could do to convince him not to tear over here. Aileana, your husband is waiting for you.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Fergus and Calum had to restrain James from MacDougal. The man’s face was ashen. James wanted to squeeze the words from his lips for they would not come fast enough. His mind could only register two words. Aileana. Found.

“You’ll do more harm to her! I say man, you must listen to me!” MacDougal said; his tone insistent.

MacDougal shifted his attention to Gwen. “Are you with these men? Can you talk some sense into this one?” he said, motioning toward a fuming James.

“Aye, stranger I can try, but you must first explain why he wants to see your insides spilled upon the floor.”

“My name is MacDougal, I’m the local sheriff. A man came to me early this morning with your story. I’ve come here to tell him that I believe I have found the woman you seek.”

Gwen approached him and grasped his shoulders. “Well, why didn’t you say? Come now, where is she? Why isn’t she with you? Come on man speak!” Gwen shook the man hard enough to make his teeth chatter.

James experienced a small satisfaction at the sound.

Calum released his hold on James and went to Gwen. He grasped her arms and turned her to face him. “She has been found, but she is damaged. We may have to go slowly with her. She’s confirmed to MacDougal here that she has been with Gawain these past three months. She appears unable to remember anything from before her time with him, though. She’s safe and is with a couple who found her just yesterday. It seems she was running away from Gawain. If we all tear off to where she is, who knows what it may do to her? She has shown some signs of remembering, but it may be a while before she regains her former self, if she ever does.”

Hearing the news again from his brother’s lips made James want to hit something. Gwen moved toward him with tear
s in her eyes and embraced him.

“She has been found and that’s all that matters. Do you hear me? She has been found!”

He heard her and returned the embrace, though he couldn’t speak and his eyes stung.

Gwen released James and forced him to look into her eyes. “This is why you brought me here, remember? I can help with this. We can all face this together.”

James nodded and Gwen faced MacDougal again. Her voice trembled. “You say she cannot remember anything from before her time with Gawain. What has she told you about her time with him? It would be good of you to tell us.” Gwen pointed her thumb towards James. “Don’t you think it best if he hears it here before she arrives? Believe me, if Gawain has harmed Aileana it will be better if she doesn’t see her husband’s reaction.”

MacDougal swallowed.

“It appears, apart from whatever injury befell her initially, he’s not laid a hand on her. She appears in good health. She said this Gawain told her they were married and running from her uncle who was going to marry her off to some barbarian. I can’t imagine who he meant.”

James grunted.

“We’ve a physician here in town, but I’m certain this is not his specialty. You may want to consider some of the surgeons in Edinburgh, however, I shall summon him straight away, in any case. Shall I retrieve her?”

James looked to Gwen and nodded his approval. He still could not speak.

“Aye,” Gwen said for him.

Malcolm MacDougal heaved a sigh of relief before he left the inn. James paced, Calum wrapped his arms around Gwen and they waited.

“I think we should all at least sit down so we don’t frighten the wits out of the poor woman when she arrives,” Fergus said. Calum raised his eyebrows.

“What?” Fergus raised his hands in the air.

Gwen smiled. “I have a better idea. We should let James have the first few moments alone with Aileana before we all descend upon her.”

James smiled at her in thanks. Calum, Gwen and Fergus left the room. The silence allowed him to absorb the information he’d received. In all his imaginings, he never considered she would not know him and had great difficulty understanding what it would mean. Even without the memories, would their attraction to each other still exist?

* * *

Aileana opened the door and stepped inside, followed by Iain, Shauna, and MacDougal. She looked all around as she moved into the dark tavern. Her eyes took a few moments to accustom to the difference in lighting.

Then she saw him.

She recognized him and gasped when she locked eyes with this stranger she must call husband. Her first impression sent sharp tingles down her spine as she realized it was the same handsome man from her dreams. She was drawn to him. He didn’t move, allo
wing her to take all the steps.

As she drew closer, she could see the physical signs of fatigue. He looked much older than in her dreams. Before she could help herself, she reached her hand up to touch his face and viewed the lines and scratchy beard. She searched every last inch of it before looking into his eyes. She couldn’t blink or move and her breath caught in her throat. An image floated up of them dancing together. She raised her hand. He did the same and pressed his palm against hers.

They stood like that for long moments. They belonged together. He was her husband.

“My name is Aileana. I believe I am your wife.”

Aileana’s whispered declaration caused James’s breath to rush out through his teeth. He scooped her up into his arms and swung her around in a crushing embrace. They laughed together at his outburst.

He put her back down and smiled. His eyes held neither cruelty nor deceit. All would be well. She remembered enough to be with him and if they had to start all over, well she would be satisfied. She watched his eyes mist until light tears trickled down his face.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he whispered. “I don’t care if you don’t remember everything. We can start from the beginning if you like. I’ll even court you again if you wish.”

His smile was infectious prompting her to laugh out loud at his suggestion.
This man could charm any woman.

“May I ask you a question?” She was a little wary about asking, but if she was going to trust him, how he answered would be helpful. “Were we, I mean, are we in love?”

His answer was simple and prompt. “Yes. Very much so.”

She smiled and he embraced her again and held her tight. Here, she was safe.

In the other room an impatient voice called out. “Can we come in?”

James laughed again. “Aileana, there are others here anxious to see you. Are you well enough?”

She was so happy at that moment she was certain she would have agreed to just about anything. “Of course,” she said.

Three people entered the room. A giant hulk of a man moved to her first and introduced himself as Fergus MacKay. Something about the look of him was familiar, yet she was unable to place it. Barbarian? No.

A second man appeared and introduced himself as James’s brother, Calum. He embraced her much longer than James appeared comfortable with and broke them apart. “Hug your own woman,” James said.

James’s comment brought a chuckle from both Calum and the woman standing behind him. The third figure from her tormented dreams moved into view.

“I’ve seen you. I mean, I’ve dreamt about you. Are we well acquainted?”

The woman nodded, tears filling her eyes. As they spilled onto her cheeks, she rushed into Aileana’s arms. To her surprise, Aileana embraced her back.

“I am Gwen MacGregor, my lady. Your maid and dearest friend,” she whispered. “I’ve missed you so much.” Gwen sobbed into her hair.

Aileana pulled back from the embrace and looked at all the eyes fastened on her. She caught a flash of Fergus’s brooch pin and focused hard on
it.

The room went dark.

She was in a small crofter’s cottage with several men and one wearing a similar pin. She was tied to a chair and a man placed a woollen blanket over her.

She awoke sometime later in a warm, soft bed covered with many blankets and James sitting beside her and speaking to another man she didn’t recognize. Her eyelids were too heavy to keep open so she closed them again.

“The shock of seeing everyone at the same time was too much, but I assure you she appears in full health. The bairn appears to be growing fine as well and that may add to the fainting.”

“A babe?” James’s voice cracked.

“You weren’t aware of her pregnancy?”

“Can you tell? I mean, do you know how long she’s been with child?”

“I can’t say exactly, but I would suspect about three months.”

Boots hit the floor and moved across the room. Aileana opened her eyes a crack as Gwen entered. The mattress dipped as the woman sat on the bed and stroked her hair. The motion was soothing.

“How is she? How is she really?”

“Well, as I just informed her husband, besides being pregnant, I would say her body is perfectly normal.”

Aileana’s eyes opened a little seeking James. His fists were clenched and his teeth bared. He looked like hell.

“Three months. You don’t have to ask, I’m guessing you didn’t know either. The lass has been through an enormous ordeal to be sure, but I see no reason why she won’t make a full recovery in time. It appears by all your accounts she may have only recently begun remembering events and people. That’s because she’s had no exposure to anything which could trigger her memory. Now that she has all of you in her life again, it should only be a matter of time before most of it comes back.”

“How much time do you think it will take?” Gwen asked. James still said nothing.

“There’s no way to know that. It could be months or years. Some parts of her memory may never come back, but as I said, her prospects are good.”

The physician left the room and she fell back into a deep sleep. When she woke again the sky was much darker and James was nestled into her.

“Do you want me to sit up?” he asked.

“No, you’re warm, please stay.”

“Aileana, I know you don’t remember much of our time together but you remember me right?”

“Aye, I think so. I dreamed of you. I dreamed you kissed me and we walked with our daughter. Where is she? She’s so beautiful and I want to see her.”

His brows drew together.

“My love we don’t have any children. A babe grows in your belly. Maybe it is of that child you’ve dreamed.”

There was sadness in his expression and she an
ticipated what he was thinking.

“Gawain never touched me. Not once. I don’t know why he didn’t bed me, nor do I care as I am glad he didn’t. He convinced me I was his wife and if he’d insisted, I couldn’t have refused him. I knew I didn’t want him, especially after I started dreaming about you. The child growing in my belly is yours.”

She wiped her tears away as she told him all about her time with Gawain. She wanted him to know every detail, but she needed him to know that she had not been invaded by another man.

“Hush, love, you don’t owe me any explanation. You’re not to blame for anything that happened. ’Tis I who was careless. But I will make you a promise. I shall never be careless with you ever again. You, our child and our future children will always be protected. This I vow to you.”

“I trust you.” She poured conviction in those words. She trusted him. Everything made more sense when he was near. She inhaled and caught his scent of leather and her insides flipped over. Though she did not remember all of their time together, she
knew
him or rather, her body did.

“Will you kiss me?” she asked.

He raised his eyebrows. “Aileana, you don’t have to do this. We don’t have to do anything until you’re ready.”

“I know, but I need to know something and the only way I can find out is if you kiss me.”

He moved his face to just inches above hers, turned and brushed his lips against hers. Aileana’s lips parted as she responded to his touch. He pressed his warm mouth onto hers and wrapped both arms around her, pulling her closer.

She curled her hands around his neck and sank her fingers into his hair as she pulled him even deeper into the kiss. She had to find out if it was the same. When his tongue stroked hers, all doubt fled. James MacIntosh was her dream, her fantasy, and her husband.

She awoke alone the following morning, remembering his arms around her all through the previous night. She frowned, not wanting to be away from him even for a few minutes.

Aileana dressed and descended the staircase toward the tables in the tavern. When she arrived, she discovered several men including James, Calum, Fergus and MacDougal together with several clansmen and members of the King’s Guard engaged in heated discussion and hovering over some sort of drawing spread out on one of the tables.

“I say we re-trace her steps, it makes the most sense and is the only way we can hope to find any clue as to which direction he may have gone,” James said, pounding his fist on the table.

She froze in place as she comprehended the context of his statement. James intended to seek out Gawain. Her heart thumped hard in her chest as the room spun all around her, Aileana took a step forward to protest, but her words would not be voiced.

“The old lady said Aileana had reacted when she saw the man, and later told the couple she had seen him conversing with Gawain. We must find him also. He may know where Gawain would go.”