The Laird's Future Bride (15 page)

Duncan’s heart broke at the look on Holly face as she’d looked at him and whispered those words. When he’d touched her, she’d flinched away from him. Duncan hadn’t realized that he’d been sheltering Holly from this side of him, from this side of his time. He’d told her it was dangerous, but he hadn’t told her about the raiding, the killings, or all the feuding that went on.

“I need to get clean.” Holly ran toward the loch, and he gripped his sword tighter and followed, worried she might run into more trouble. The loch was a good hour-long run from here.

His wife was fast. She ran nimbly through the bushes around them. Holly reached the loch before he even caught up. As he came upon her, he stood frozen and watched as she yanked her garments off and screamed, “I need to get clean. Argh. I need to be clean. So much blood.”

He stood stunned as she scrubbed herself until her skin was red. When she started to bleed from the scrubbing, he undid his plaid and walked into the loch to hold her tight. “That’s enough, angel.”

Holly fought his hold. “Let me go. I’m so dirty. I need to get rid of the blood.”

He carried Holly out of the water and put her down, then picked up his kilt and wrapped her in his plaid. Uncaring of his own nudity, he picked her back up and carried her, shaking and raving about being dirty, back to the keep. When they reached the tree line, his men came to them and took in the situation.

“What happened?” Mason asked.

“Seven McCoys came upon us. They are in the bluebells meadow. Go get them, and someone go and get Lady Holly’s gown from the loch. I’d like a plaid too.”

As he spoke, Holly rocked in his arms and scrubbed at her skin. Duncan was worried, and he held her hands and hoped his mother would ken what to do.

Holly muttered, “Nooo. Let me go, I need to get clean. There is so much blood on me. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t… I killed.”

Mason’s eyes widened, and Duncan nodded. A plaid was wrapped around him and Mason left to do his bidding.

Carefully, with his precious bundle in his arms, he walked to the castle. He prayed his mother could help Holly.

He was glad when he arrived at the keep doors, and his mother was there, one of his men whispering to her.

“What happened to her?” His mother’s eyes were wide as she took everything in.

“We were ambushed by seven McCoys.”

Holly rambled on, repeating what she had been saying for the hour he’d been carrying her. Duncan was terrified that she wouldn’t survive this without hurting herself more than his mother could fix.

“Oh, Duncan. She’s in shock. Get her in yer bed, and I’ll get her a potion to sleep.”

It had been three days, and Holly had barely moved. She sat rocking, or lay without moving in their bed. Duncan didn’t ken if Holly would ever recover.

Finally, he kenned what he had to do. He could nay watch her the way she was anymore; it was breaking his heart. He gathered his mother, da, and Callam in his sitting room, where Duncan looked at all the people he loved.

“She is nay getting better.” Duncan looked at his mother. “I love her. I canna keep her here like she is. She needs to go back to her time.” He ran his fingers through his hair and felt his heart breaking into a million pieces. “Ye all ken I will go with her. I will nay leave her.”

His mother stood and nodded. Callam looked away, but his jaw was clenched, along with his fists.

His father response surprised him; he shook his head. “Let me go talk to her, son.”

Duncan shrugged, sure, what could it hurt. “Aye, we’ll wait here.”

Holly couldn’t get past what she’d done. She had taken a man’s life. Holly felt dirty, and her whole body ached. She felt like she needed to purge herself. She couldn’t move, and couldn’t believe what she’d done. She told herself that she’d saved the man she loved, but was that worth the price that was paid?

Holly didn’t know how long she lay unmoving. She went to the bathroom, and she couldn’t remember the last time she even did that. In the back of Holly’s mind, she knew if she kept this up, she would make herself crazy, if she wasn’t already. She would get sicker, and if she didn’t eat and drink something, she would die. Did she want to die? No, she didn’t.

Holly heard the door open and close, and she shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep, so she wouldn’t have to face Duncan.

“I ken ye're awake, lass. Sit up and listen to what I’m going to say to ye.” Duncan’s father’s stern voice had Holly obeying, shocked that he was in her room. “Do ye love me son?”

Holly wondered why he would ask that question of her first, instead of asking about what had happened, what she had done. “Yes. I love him, more every day.” Holly didn’t hesitate to answer his easy question.

He nodded. “Ye do realize if ye go back to yer time, ye will nay see him again? He’d want to come with ye and I could nay allow that. He belongs here as the laird.”

Holly frowned, realizing this whole time she had laid in the bedroom, she hadn’t thought once about going home. She sat up straighter and stared at the man before her. He smiled at her.

“I can see from yer face that it has nay crossed yer mind. Ye’d think after what happened, ye'd be begging to be sent back.”

Holly blinked. “You’re right. It never even crossed my mind. I can’t leave him.”

The smile on his face got bigger and his eyes grew bright. “I was wrong about ye.” He came to her and kissed her forehead. “Be strong. To be safe in this time ye have to do things ye dinna agree with or like. Stay strong to yer beliefs but keep in mind because of ye, me son and ye live. Unfortunately, it is the way of the world. I thank ye for what ye did. Ye were brave. The right kind of lass to help lead this clan.” His smile turned wicked. “We may even learn something from ye. Ye never know what ye could do. Take what ye have done and learn from it.” He helped her up. “Come on. No more dwelling on what canna be changed.”

Holly grinned. She liked Duncan’s father.

Duncan was shocked when his da and his wife came out of his chambers. Holly was dressed and looked almost normal again. She came straight to him and wrapped her arms around him.

“I would kill him again to save you. I’m sorry I lost it.” Holly gazed up at him with big soulful brown pools.

“Come on, let’s go. They need to talk alone.” His da winked at him as he gathered his brother and mother, and ushered them out of the room.

Duncan breathed a sigh of relief and squeezed her tight. “Mother has her powers back to send ye. I understand if ye want to go back to yer time. To yer home. I will nay stop ye, but I’m coming with ye. I’m sorry I could nay protect ye.”

Her heart broke that he wanted to send her home. Gathering her strength, she shook her head. “No, I am home. No more talking about that. It is not an option. You are laird and need to stay here. I’m here for good.” She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down to her.

“Thank ye.”

She signed inwardly, hoping that the ‘thank you’ meant he wanted to keep her, then forced a smile and whispered, “Make love to me.”

Lifting her into his arms, he took her lips, savoring everything that was his.

When she and Duncan emerged from their room the next day, Magan hugged her.

“I love ye, Holly. Dinna scare us like that again.” Magan placed a bunch of keys in Holly’s hand. “Ye're the Lady of the Keep now, so ye need the keys. These will open all the doors in the castle. If anyone needs things from the storage rooms, or if we have guests, ye're now in charge of the keys and everything to get organized. If ye need any help, just ask, but I have faith ye can do it.”

Clenching the keys in her hand, she smiled at Magan, feeling honored Magan had given her the responsibility. “I’m glad you have faith in me that I can be a good lady of the keep.”

“Ye're different, but after ye helped me son, I ken ye have the strength and determination it will take to be the best Lady of MacLeods. I’m sorry I didn’t see it before now. I should have. We are all different in this clan and bring different qualities; ye bring yer own too.”

Holly hugged Magan. “Thank you.”

Magan patted her back. “Ye know where to find me if ye need me.”

Holly nodded, and Magan walked toward the solar.

Holly spent the morning after breakfast in the kitchen, and as she rolled and bashed the dough, she listened to the women gossip and joined in, feeling for the first time since arriving that she could really do this. The women were lovely, and she knew they would become close friends.

After her talk with Magan, she felt like she had a purpose now. If Holly were going to live in the past with Duncan for good, she was going to make some changes, though. She wasn’t going to keep her mouth shut. She would voice her opinions, and Holly was going to learn to protect herself. She thought of weapons and settled on knives, after she went snooping in the weapons area. Knives were easy to hide, and she hoped she could learn to throw them. She would learn to be deadly. Holly was determined to find something to make her special to the clan.