Our Shared Horizon (Kaitlyn and the Highlander Book 10) Read online

  I did quiet. Then I asked, “Did you just shush me?”

  “Aye.” He stroked my hair again. “And I will do it again, wheesht. The bairn is listenin’, ye needs tae be careful what ye are saying to her. She will be born and she will love ye and she will want tae be just like ye. How can ye say tae her, I am nae good enough for ye?”

  I nodded against his chest.

  “So aye, I said wheesht tae ye. I will say it whenever ye talk poorly on m’wife.”

  I chuckled. “You’re going to protect your wife against me?”

  “I will always protect her, though I need tae say she often protects me as well. She is strong and she has a verra big heart. Did ye ken that she takes care of all her friends as if they are family? Did ye ken that she is a mother tae m’son without question? Did ye ken that she has patience with me when I am an arse?”

  He watched me solemnly.

  I nodded a little.

  “Good, because ye are enough. Daena worry on the rest.”

  There were soft footprints from the hall and Archie’s quiet voice, “Kay-be?” His little pajamas on his short little three-year-old legs, his hair sticking up, not really seeing, still mostly sleeping. His expression showed that a cry was imminent.

  “Did Archie wake up?”

  He sniffled and nodded. I held my arms open and he rushed to us, climbed into Magnus’s lap and sprawled across me held in both of our arms. Magnus grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and spread it over all of us. We snuggled in.

  The baby kicked just then and Archie felt it on his side. “Baby not sweepy,” he said and kissed my tummy, right on the mound covered by my pink T-shirt that said, “Pregnant AF,” on it, because Zach and Emma thought it was hilarious.

  Then he snuggled against me with his wee fingers in his mouth.

  Magnus switched the lamp off. We had the tv’s main screen set on nothing, a tiny inset screen set watching the weather radar over the Eastern seaboard. There was also a glowing light from the kitchen, casting a blue glow on the side of his face. Through the glass windows I could see the dark night outside. The undulating forms of the sand dunes, the shifting movement of the sea grass.

  I whispered, “Do you want to go to the bedroom so you can lay down?”

  “Nae, I want tae stay here, just like this.”

  He kissed me on the forehead and soon enough I had fallen asleep against his warm solid chest.

  Twenty-eight - Hayley

  My first thought was warm, comfortable, my first glimpse, the up close of wool, skin covered in furriness, linen, scent of man, my man. I closed my eyes again and thought I might just lay here for longer. A hand held my back securely. I felt protected and comfortable even while my whole body was in — wait a moment, it wasn’t writhing pain, it was more like, regular awful pain. It was almost bearable. Apparently I was in Fraoch’s arms across his lap. I looked up into his face. He asked, “Ye lived? Ye came home tae me?”

  “Of course I did.” I stroked my fingers down the side of his cheek. “How long have I been out?”

  “Nae long... I am verra sorry I dinna come with ye, I daena ken...” His eyes looked pained, just like Kaitlyn had told me they would be.

  “I know. I know you wanted to, Fraoch, you just couldn’t and I’m sorry you had to send me away to get better. You must have been very worried.”

  He nodded.

  “Yeah, well, I’m all better.” I pulled my head up to look around. “Where’s...?” I spotted Quentin sitting up, shaking his head, a few feet away.

  Fraoch asked, “He is the black man who is a friend of yours?”

  “Yes, he’s here to make sure I arrived safely and to get news for Magnus.”

  Fraoch scoffed. “He is tae protect ye?”

  We both looked over at Quentin who groaned with his head in his hands. “I don’t feel like I’m dead, so that’s an improvement.” Quentin looked up. “Um... Hayley, who’s the guy?”

  “This is Fraoch, my husband.”

  “Ah, good, because I can’t lift a sword to fight. Tell him I’m not a threat.”

  I joked, “I think he can tell. The way you’re barely moving in the dirt.”

  Fraoch stood and situated our bags on his horse, while he kept checking over his shoulder. “We hae tae go, there are highwaymen about.”

  Quentin and I rallied.

  I asked him, “How do you feel?”

  “Not bad actually. Like I time-jumped, but I can get to my feet. How long were we out?”

  “It’s only been minutes, though Fraoch doesn’t tell time like a normal person.”

  Fraoch laughed. “I ken the time of day, ye just hae tae look at the shadows.”

  “It’s overcast, how do you see the shadows?” I rolled my eyes.

  He shrugged. “But we hae spent too much time a’ready, we must go.”

  As we left the woods a group of men led by Sean Campbell rode from the gates to meet us, guarding us with their weapons in hand. They surrounded us and rode in formation around us to the gates, which opened just enough to let us all through and then closed right behind us.

  The castle courtyard was full of people, horses, carts and carriages, bags and crates. The crowd parted for us. Stable boys bustled over to care for the horses, and then the activities of the crowd resumed again.

  Then there were men climbing from horses, “Black Mac!” Quentin was manhandled and shoved and greeted and harassed. It was in turns heartwarming and then sort of menacing the way these men showed friendship and respect. There were displays of power, preening, an awful lot of chest-bowing and everyone had their hands on their swords while simultaneously smiling. Quentin was very good at playing along.

  Quentin asked, “All these people are here for protection?”

  Sean said, “Aye, there were some skirmishes bringing them tae safety, but we hae only one man gravely injured.”

  Quentin’s brow raised. “So everyone has to stay inside the walls of the castle? Do you have enough weapons?”

  Sean said, “We will hae a meetin’ on it once ye are welcomed properly.”

  The men dispersed and we were crossing the courtyard. Quentin said, “Phew,” and stretched out his neck. “Kinda forgot how fun this was, like being in a cage with lions. You’re in the cage with them and they like you, and it’s thrilling to be around them, you truly feel alive, but you realize you smell a little bit like meat.”

  Fraoch laughed heartily and clapped him on the back. “Aye, I like the black man!” He slung a bag to his shoulder. “I will take ye tae Lizbeth, Hayley, then Black Mac and I will go meet with the men.”

  Quentin said, “Hayley, I’ll see you tonight at dinner.” And he was gone, off with Sean, shoving through the crowd to climb the walls and meet with the guards.

  Fraoch and I climbed the stairs. “Should I be worried? What’s happening?”

  “After ye left and the weather cleared twas easy tae see that there were men about, strangers, on the road and in the village, settin’ up camps in the woods. We are nae sure of their intent. We hae brought the villagers here for protection as men are overrunnin’ the crofts. We are runnin’ guard in shifts. I hae spent many long nights keepin’ watch.”

  “That sounds intense.” He pulled my hand to a stop. From the step above him I put my arms around his neck and we kissed, long and deep and so lovely. When I came up for air, I buried my face in his neck. “I missed you.”

  “I missed ye as well, m’bhean ghlan.” He chuckled, kissing into my neck behind my ear, nestling into my hair. “Ye hae the scent of the new world on ye.”

  “And you, my beast of a man, have the scent of the old world.”

  We kissed again. “Do you have some time to spend with me? It’s still technically our honeymoon and...”

  “Aye.” He grinned and grabbed me on the back of my skirts. “I hae somethin’ tae show ye in our room. Tis under m’kilt.”

  I laughed. “That is exactly the welcome home present I was hoping for.” I jogged
up the stone stairs with him chasing me, catching me, clutching my hips, while I squealed in delight.

  We made it to our room and through the door and tumbled onto the bed, fully clothed. My bodice and skirt were way too much work to take off — as breathless and excited as I was. He pinned me and started bunching up my skirts while I bunched up his kilt, laughing at how funny we were, relieved to be back together. He had been an abstract, in the past, someone I told people about and thought about, and now in a rush, we were together. He was my man, here, on me, heavy and warm and insistent and...

  My bare legs wrapped around his bare legs and the bunched up wool kilt, scratchy and then his skin, furry and — he slowed. We kissed with licks and nibbles and I was thinking we could stay here for a while, kissing and then slowly making love. But then there was a banging on the doors down the hall. “Meeting!”

  Fraoch quieted, listening, then the bang was on our door. “Fraoch! We need you in the meeting.”

  “Och.” He pushed his way inside me with a rush and fucked me not like a gentleman but like a warrior who was needed on the walls of the castle. It was fast and desperate and his collapse at the end was near total and his groan of release was so deep and lovely in my ear.

  He remained there for a long time, until finally I asked, “Do you need to go?”

  His body heavy on mine, his face in my hair beside my ear. “I daena want tae. I dinna think ye were comin’ home tae me, yet now ye hae come. I want tae lie here on ye.” He looked down at me with a smile. “Protectin’ ye.”

  “I wish you could lie here protecting me too, over and over again, but it sounds like you’re needed.”

  “Aye.” He slowly raised on his arms and then crawled off the bed, down my body, stopping to kiss me right on my pelvis, trailing his lips and his fuzzy beard across to my thigh and then pulling himself slowly away with a groan. “Ken this, m’bhean ghlan, I daena go because I want tae, tis because I want tae make sure the castle is safe for ye.”

  I pulled my skirts down and straightened them. “I know it. I really do.” I reached into my satchel, fully stocked once more. “Here’s some beef jerky for you. And some fresh orange juice. Hunk of one, big drink of the other, and then you can go. I’ll find Lizbeth on my own.”

  Twenty-nine - Hayley

  I found Lizbeth in the kitchens looking, for the first time since I’d known her, harried. She hugged me then said, “Ye have survived! Tis a marvel that ye are a normal color again! Ye hae seen Fraoch?”

  I said, “Yes, I’ve been up in our rooms with him.”

  “Good, he was verra worried on ye, we all were. I am glad ye are well. Ye turned around and returned in a week though, some might question if tis enough time tae hae been made completely well. Tis nae matter on this day, there are too many people around tae care on your comings and goings.” She quieted when a few women walked by us, then added, “But Madame Greer is about, make sure tae tell her ye are still feelin’ a little unwell. She will appreciate the chance tae think ye weak.” She grinned. “Now with that out of the way, ye can see that there are a great many mouths tae feed.”

  “I see that, can I help?”

  “Aye, we will need ye tae help with the breads.” She led me to the long wooden table where five women were kneading dough. Lizbeth spoke to the group in a way that I didn’t understand except for the word ‘Fraoch’. To me she said, “Gaelic will be the only language spoken here, so just smile and be friendly.”

  She tossed a hunk of dough at me as if this was something I had been doing my whole life instead of never ever. She added, “I will be back tae gather ye in a bit of time.” And she was off to manage another area of the kitchen.

  I did not want to fail at this. I nervously watched the women’s actions, mimicked them, and aimed for confidently kneading, while smiling. Within a second I had dough stuck in between every finger. The more I pulled at it the worse it got. I mumbled, “This is very different from the bread we make in the New World.” It was totally bunched up around my fingers, despite my desperate tugs.

  One of the women tried to hide her laughter, but then burst out laughing, then another and another. The first woman shook her hand mimicking me trying to get the dough off and they all laughed harder. One of the women spoke fast and loud about me. It would have been awful if I hadn’t been able to tell they were being basically kind. And legit found me hilarious.

  One of the women smacked flour on my hands, pulled the dough from my fingers, and wound it into a ball again. She plopped the dough to the table, kneaded it a handful of times, and then tossed it into a cast iron pan. She nudged me with her hip, and they all laughed merrily.

  Lizbeth appeared to check on us, “Tis a merry sound!”

  I said, “They think I don’t know what I’m doing, and I think they’re right.”

  “Have ye never baked bread before?”

  “Not really.”

  She laughed and spoke along with the women, mentioning Fraoch a few more times, and joining in with their laughter. She said to me, “Follow me tae the pots tae stir the porridge, Madame Hayley.”

  There she handed me a wooden spoon. “Ye must give it a stir,” she gestured a spin-scooping motion.

  I asked, “Why were you talking about Fraoch?”

  “The women said they would need tae save some extra bread for him as his new bride was like tae starve him.”

  “Ah.” My face flushed in embarrassment.

  She added, “Daena worry on it, Madame Hayley, they were just havin’ fun. They used tae be unsparing when I was a young bride, I was Lady Mairead’s daughter after all. She would never deign tae try tae help and I had nae one tae teach me what tae do. They appreciate that ye attempted the task—” A loud crash from the other end of the room and Lizbeth ran off to help.

  The flame was very high and the heat was stifling, but at least this I could do. I reminded myself that if I had screwed up one of twenty loaves it might have been forgivable, but if I allowed the giant pot of oats to burn people might go hungry. So I stirred. I concentrated. I tried not to let my mind wander.

  And apparently when the porridge was done it was mostly right. I hadn’t scraped the bottom quite as enthusiastically as I should have, but Lizbeth shrugged it off as unimportant because, “Sean and Liam prefer the brown parts and we arna in a position tae change it. There are men tae be fed and nae nearly enough food tae feed them.”

  We scooped porridge into bowls and passed them down the long line.

  I said, “So many men.”

  She said, “They eat first, then the women and children. We will be servin’ for a verra long time this day.”

  Of the first group were Sean and Liam, they made a joke with Lizbeth about the food, “A feast for a king.”

  Lizbeth said, “Tis nae kings, only rascals about.” They all laughed.

  Then Quentin received his bowl. Lizbeth said, “Tis good tae hae ye visit us again, Black MacMagnus. How is our Beaty Campbell?”

  “She is well, Madame Lizbeth.”

  “Dost she keep a comfortable home for ye?”

  “Aye, she makes it very comfortable.” Already his Scottish brogue was coming through. He winked at me as he passed. “What is this — did you cook it?”

  “I stirred it.”

  “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you cook before.”

  I laughed. “I make a mean mac and cheese from the box.”

  “You have some flour on your forehead.” He sniffed the bowl. “Smells like a burnt hot pocket. You had the microwave turned on too high.”

  “Very funny.”

  “No worries, in a siege we have to eat what’s in front of us.”

  “Oh, this is a siege?”

  “What did you think it was?”

  “I don’t know, like a ‘maybe we would get a dance off later’ kind of thing?”

  “While these men like to dance I think they really like to wave their swords around more.”

  Next was Fraoch.

 
I asked, “Was it a big meeting?”

  “Aye,” he looked up and down the line of people. “I will tell ye about it tae night. I may be verra late though, I have a shift on the walls and Black Mac and Sean are taking a survey of the woods. There will be much tae uncover. After dinner ye should head tae yer room, there are many men about.”

  “Yes, of course, don’t worry about me.”

  Lizabeth said, “I’ll keep her company.”

  “Thank ye, Madame Lizbeth.”

  And then my husband was gone, down the line, and then out to the Great Hall, a room that would be full of Campbells, no women, as apparently we were to huddle together somewhere safe because we were under siege and so every moment needed to be talk of war.

  Lizbeth said, “We can sit in my rooms until he’s ready to sleep.”

  I sighed. “This has been a really stressful honeymoon.”

  Thirty- Hayley

  Late that night Liam and Fraoch and Quentin came to the door of Lizbeth’s rooms. She and I had been talking and then sitting quietly watching the fire. It had been such a boring evening. I had music on my phone, but with the castle under siege I felt like I should save my battery.

  In case I needed to call for help.

  I went to the hall and Liam took my place in the room with Lizbeth. He was a quiet man, old school, I had barely heard him say three words before. But I supposed that was why Lizbeth liked him, he was strong and quiet and let her do what she needed to do.

  A stark contrast to most of the women who cowered around the men, Lizbeth walked through them. I had asked her once about it, she told me that Sean was her protector. Everyone knew that Sean would kill them if they disrespected her. Liam was almost as big a force, though not quite as scary as Sean. For Lizbeth it was like having two armed bodyguards around. It was hard to imagine a time when her first husband had beaten her.

  The darkness in the hallway was lit only with the beam from Quentin’s flashlight. “What is happening?” I asked for the hundredth time that day.