The Laird's Future Bride (11 page)

Holly ducked under the fence and came to him, stared up at him with her big brown eyes and Duncan knew he was a goner. Sighing, he tore his gaze from Holly’s to look at the horse whose eyes were on her. “Nay, Callam, he can stay.”

A squeal resonated around him and Holly threw herself at him, hugging him fiercely. “Thank you.”

Duncan wrapped his arms around Holly and turned to his brother, frowning to see him staring at Holly with the longing he’d seen last night clear on his face. After a while, Callam’s eyes met his.

“Lady Holly, as a gift to welcome you to the family, I will give ye the black stallion. Ye seem to love him so much.”

Duncan stared shocked at his brother for a moment, but that shock turned into jealousy as Holly let go of him and jumped on Callam. “Thank you. Thank you.” She kissed both sides of his cheeks before she got off him and turned to the horse. “Did you hear that, Midnight? You are mine,” Holly crooned to the horse, and Duncan turned a death stare at his brother who watched Holly with a smile on his face.

His mother, who’d been quiet the whole time, spoke up, “I should have seen something like this happening. I was warned. I’m sorry, me boys.” She gathered up her skirts and walked away, leaving Duncan with Holly and Callam.

Holly was so excited. A horse. She had just been given a gorgeous black horse.
Maybe living in medieval times wouldn’t be so bad.
She hugged Callam again, excited. She eased away from Callam, but he seemed reluctant to let her go. She couldn’t believe the day that she mourned her parents had turned out so well.

“Get yer hands off me wife, now.” The deadly steel in Duncan’s voice had her pushing at Callam’s chest and backing away from him, scared at what Duncan would do.

“I was just thanking him, Duncan. I’m sorry if I acted inappropriately. I’m just so happy. I fell in love with Midnight as soon as he let me stroke him. I’ve never had a horse before. I can’t wait to learn more about them. Will you teach me what you know?” Even with his eyes narrowed, his lips set in a thin straight line, and his muscular arms crossed over his chest, her heart did its usual flips at the sight of him as she studied him.

Duncan looked down at her and ran his fingers through his braid. “Is it me ye want to teach ye?”

“Of course. Who else?” Holly could feel the tension thick in the air. She felt like she’d missed something, or should know what Duncan meant. “If you don’t have the time, could you tell me who I could ask? Maybe Callam could?”

Duncan gathered her to him. “I’ll teach ye. We can start on the morrow if ye’d like.”

“That would be so cool.”

Duncan looked at her like she’d just spoken gibberish. “It is a bit cool. The wind is starting to pick up.”

“No. Not that kind of cool. In my time cool can mean awesome, um…when something is really good.”

“Okay, I’m glad ye think it’ll be cooolll.” Duncan held her hand, and they turned to walk out of the stables. “Come, the evening meal will be ready soon. Let’s head to the castle.”

Holly turned, remembering Callam. “Thank you again for the horse. I really appreciate the gift, especially today.” Callam leaned on the fence and his lips curled up in the corners as his eyes bored into hers.

“Ye’re most welcome. If there is anything ye need, tell me. I will gladly get it for ye.”

“It’s very sweet of you to offer. Thanks again.”

Duncan’s grip on her hand tightened so much that it became almost bruising. Holly turned back to leave the stables, and Duncan practically dragged her away from them.

“Ye are mine. If ye need anything, I will be the one to provide it,” Duncan growled, as he stomped up the castle doors.

Holly tugged her hand from his and stopped before the steps up to the doors. “What is with you? The way you acted with your father and now Callam. Your brother was just being nice. There is no need for you to turn into a growling bear. The way you just acted wasn’t right.”

“Me brother was nay just being nice. He has been lusting after ye since he met ye. He wants ye in his bed.”

Holly rolled her eyes. She highly doubted that was the case. “I think you’re overreacting. Callam is just being a welcoming brother-in-law. It’s nice to know I have a friend. I don’t know many people, and he’s been nice to me.” If Holly had been a weaker woman, she would have run scared from the deadly look on Duncan’s face, but she stood her ground. “I haven’t even been here five full days and you are acting like a giant asshole.”

Holly heard gasps around her, but her sole focus was on Duncan. He turned red, his fists clenched, his eyes glared, and he growled. Holly stood her ground, but when he took a step toward her she flinched, and the look on his face for a fleeting second broke her heart. Shock and hurt flashed bright in his eyes and on his face at her, for thinking he would hurt her. Holly hadn’t known Duncan for long, but she knew deep down that he wouldn’t harm her. She watched as he turned the glare on the spectators and walked into the keep, leaving Holly staring after him.

Not willing to be left outside by herself, she straightened her shoulders and walked into the castle to her seat next to Duncan. His father sneered at her, and Holly blinked back tears. Duncan ignored her and Holly grabbed the wine in front of her and started drinking.
So much for having an awesome day and forgetting the anniversary of her parents’ death
, she thought, as she filled the goblet again.

She was on her third or fourth glass when Callam sat on the other side of her and the food was placed in front of her. Holly was shocked when Callam swapped things on her plate, taking most of the meat and replacing it with the other things.

“Thank you.” A hiccup escaped. “I seems to be saying thats to you a lot.”

Callam shrugged. “Nay need. I noticed ye dinna eat the meat.”

Holly downed the third, or was it the fourth goblet of wine. “I’m not a meat eater. I’z not a fans of how it tastes.”

Callam raised his eyebrow. “Are ye okay, lass? I noticed ye dinna drink the wine either.”

Holly downed another mouthful, proving him wrong, but tonight she was thirsty. “Just peachy.” She went to take another sip but there was nothing in her goblet. Reaching over, she poured more into the goblet and found Callam’s hand on the jug steadying it.

“I think this one should be ye last.”

“Pfff. I’ma fine.”

Callam chuckled. “Aye, I can hear how fine ye sound.”

“I’m allz goodz.” Holly looked around. “Youz better nots talk to me cos Mr. Grumpy Pants will come over all caveman and thinks yous wants me and lust after me.” She waved her hand. “Ha, I’m nothifing special and youz are brothers youz just being a goodz one.”

Callam let out a long, loud sigh. “The thing is, he’s right. I’m not being a good brother. There is something about ye.”

Staring wide-eyed at Callam, she stood, only to have everything come up. Holly covered her mouth and stumbled to the nearest exist. Running out the kitchen door, she let herself outside and brought everything up, wishing she’d remembered another reason why she didn’t drink.

She felt gentle hands rub her back and pass her a cloth. Slowly she looked and groaned at the sight of Callam. “Yours notz Duncan. Hes going tos be so smug when Iza apologize.” Holly was disappointed it wasn’t Duncan.

“Nay, I’m not.”

“I wish youz weres.” She groaned as Callam’s face fell for a moment.

“I’m sure if ye kenned me better ye would nay be saying that.”

Leaning against the castle wall, she closed her eyes for a moment, trying to collect herself. “I’m your brother’s wife. I don’t knows why yous like mes. I don’ts know whys Duncan does, but I knews from these moment I met hims he was special.” She opened her eyes and stared into Callam’s blue eyes. “Yours arent’s Duncan’s stormy blues. I loves his eyes.” She closed her eyes and brought up Duncan’s eyes, they were one of her favorite things about him, how expressive his eyes were. “I’m shinys and new. That’s whys yous likes mes. I’ve heard yourz quite the player.”

“I have nay been with anyone since I laid eyes on ye.”

Holly knew this conversation wasn’t going how she wanted and with the alcohol still clouding her mind she didn’t want to play games, she had to set Callam straight. “I’mz not usuallys mean and Ima sorry, but you are not for me. I knowz because I can touch yous and mes hearts beat doesn’t increase. I can look at yous and thinks yous are very nice to looks at, buts your notz what turns me on. I don’t crave your touch. I gets allz that with Duncan. I knows I haven’t been heres longs, buts I think I’m falling in loves with that idiot. Oh craps, I mayz already.” She threw her hand up and almost fell forward.

Callam steadied her and then she felt his arms come under her legs and around her shoulders and he cradled her in his arms.

Holly let out a squeal. “Haya, I can walks.”

“Not nay up the stairs in the state ye are in. Let’s get ye inside. We’ll take the servant stairs at the kitchen.”

Duncan moved to the shadows as the two came in. He still wanted to kill his brother, but he felt like a bastard for the way he treated Holly, especially when he’d come out to see what they were up to. He should have trusted her. Duncan came upon them in time to hear Holly tell Callam she was his wife. As he was about to go out to help her, Holly continued by saying how she loved his eyes, and what his touch to her alone could do, and she felt nothing for Callam. The thing that shocked Duncan the most was that Holly was falling in love with him.

He followed them up the stairs. He was going to apologize to Holly. Duncan had to bite his cheek to stop from laughing when she said, “Yous don’t smells like hims either. He smells woodsy. I loves his smell toos. That’s whats gots me first.”

“Ye dinna like me smell?” Callam asked.

By now Callam kenned Duncan was behind him.

“You smell nice. Just not the yummyz smells that’s mys Duncan smells.”

At the door to their chambers Duncan opened it and took Holly off Callam and shut the door behind his brother.

“Duncan. Yous came. I’ma sorrys. You weres right. I didn’t know. I promises. I only likes you.”

He helped her get undressed, gently placed her on the bed and kissed her forehead. “I ken, Holly. I’m sorry for the way I acted. I was jealous.”

“Why. Yous have nothing to bes jealous about. I only wants you.”

“I ken that now.” He took his own clothes off, got in bed and gathered her to him, holding Holly tight, and stroking her back. “I’ve never been like I am with ye with anybody else. I share everything with me brother, but I’ll nay share ye.”

“Mmm. Good. I donts wanna bes shared. I just wants you. Yous makes me wants to stays, even though yous dad doesn’t likes mes.”

He frowned and held her tighter to him. How could she still be thinking of going back to her time? They were married and perfect for each other. He didn’t care what his father thought anymore. Holly couldn’t leave him. He needed her. She made him happy.

The sunshine didn’t last long, only a few days. On the fifth day of her marriage, the rain pelted down, and the sky was dark and dreary again, a perfect complement to the way she felt. “Oh, God, I knew there was a reason I didn’t drink.”

Duncan chuckled under her. “Does that mean ye’ll turn me down if I feel ye up and want to make love to ye?”

“Ahhh, stop shouting.”