Page 6

The following morning, Alyssa had ingredients to cook with, but she was also surprisingly chilly.

She thought it didn’t get quite that cold in the Highlands, but maybe she’d been reading the wrong things.

She wished she, Heather, and Holli, had made a trip there before they’d come back in time.

It would be fascinating to see the differences between modern-day Scotland and medieval Scotland, where they now lived.

Before Kendrick left, he stoked the fire, and kissed her sweetly. “I’d like to stay in the house tonight,” he said. “I haven’t had any real time to get to know my beautiful wife.”

Alyssa smiled. She’d never been called beautiful before. “I’d like that.”

“Good,” Kendrick said, dropping a quick kiss on her lips before leaving.

Alyssa found a broom, or what she thought passed as one in medieval Scotland, and she swept the floor. Then she made oatcakes for later. Holli had sent her home with some honey, so she made them slightly sweeter than what Bonnie had recommended.

While the cakes cooled, she walked to Bonnie’s cottage. Bonnie was pacing back and forth with the baby in her arms, and Alyssa could hear little Anella crying.

“Is she all right?” Alyssa asked.

Bonnie was upset, and it was obvious. “I dinna know what’s wrong! We must get Gavin.”

Alyssa nodded, remembering that Heather had said they lived next door to one another. She ran all the way to her cottage and looked at the ones on either side of it. She spotted Heather through a window, knocking on the door loudly.

Heather smiled when she saw Alyssa, but her smile quickly faded. “What’s wrong?”

“Something’s wrong with Bonnie’s baby.”

“I’ll get Gavin. You get back over there and help. No idea what it is?”

“None!” Alyssa called her answer over her shoulder as she ran to Bonnie and Collum’s house.

She hurried in the door without knocking and started asking questions. “Is she running fever?”

Bonnie shook her head. “I dinna think so.”

“Her diaper isn’t wet or dirty?”

“Twas the first thing I checked!”

“Is she hungry?” Alyssa knew she was grasping at straws.

“No! We need Gavin.”

“I’m here,” Gavin said as he walked into the room. For a man who had to be ninety, he was awfully spry.

“I dinna know what ta do!”

“I know, lass. It’ll be fine. Lay her on the table.”

Alyssa could see what a struggle it was for the other girl to put her baby down. She looked so tiny on the table, lying there with nothing around her.

Alyssa gripped Bonnie’s hand tightly as Gavin moved his hands over the infant, not touching her, his hands just above her body. After a moment, he said, “Aye, that’s it.” His hands focused on the tiny baby’s stomach. After a moment, she stopped crying.

Bonnie reached for her baby and held her to her chest, tears in her eyes. “What was wrong?”

Gavin sighed. “Her stomach was upset, and it was giving her pain. I’ve healed it, and she should be fine.”

“Thank you, Grandfather,” Bonnie said. “Thank you for helping my bairn.”

“Tis my job as the official healer of Clan McClain.”

After Gavin had left, Alyssa looked at Bonnie. “Your morning has been much too difficult for you to give me more cooking lessons. Could I make something for you while I’m here so you can tend to your baby?”

Bonnie shook her head. “Nay. We were up half the night, and Collum kept telling me it would be all right, but she just wouldn’t stop.”

“I’ll go then. I’ll be back later to see if you need anything.”

Bonnie smiled. “Thank ye. I will be forever grateful for your help.”

Alyssa decided to walk around the lake then. It looked more like a large pond than a lake to her, but everyone referred to it as the loch, so she may as well go along with them.

It was a beautiful stroll, and she enjoyed it immensely.

When she reached the far end of the lake, she saw the men moving the rocks for their wall.

She stood and watched for a moment before a voice behind her said.

“Ye like seeing the men without their shirts?” A hand clapped onto her shoulder, and she immediately went into defensive mode.

Alyssa turned around to see a man who wasn’t wearing the McClain plaid, which was dominantly blue with some green. His was green with blue stripes through it. “Nay. I was looking for my husband,” Alyssa tried her best to sound like a Highlander, but by his face she realized she’d failed miserably.

“Ah, ye must be the new laird’s bride. I heard yer accent was as strange as their mother’s.”

“I’m not. I am married to his brother, Kendrick.” She’d thought at first to say twin brother, but that would have made her more valuable to the man as a prisoner. At least that was her fear.

“Relax, lass. I’m from Clan Campbell, and we are allies, not enemies. I’m here to speak with me cousin, Bryson. I didn’t realize Kendrick had married already. And a beautiful lass at that.”

Alyssa looked toward the men, thinking about running toward Kendrick, but she didn’t see him there. She felt better when one of the McClain men stood behind her. “Are ye here ta see Bryson?” the man asked.

“Aye. I’m his cousin, Caelan. I’ve been sent by me laird to discuss trading for some of yer oats.”

The McClain man nodded. “I will get him.” He nodded to Alyssa. “Come with me please.”

Alyssa was happy to follow the man with the same plaid she was wearing. He made her feel much safer than the Campbell who said he was an ally.

He walked straight back to the men who were working on the wall, and Kendrick walked to her. “What are ye doin’, lass? Why are ye walkin around with no guard?”

“I just thought it would be a pretty walk. Your cousin, Caelan frightened me though.”

Kendrick looked toward the loch, seeing his cousin standing there. “Why is he here?” She could see the anger on his face, and she wondered if she should try to diffuse it before he did something stupid. He was much bigger than his cousin though, and Alyssa wasn’t worried for his safety.

“He said he needs to speak to Bryson about trading for some of our oats.”

Kendrick took her hand and pulled her along behind him as he found his twin. “Caelan is here to talk to ye about trading for our oats?”

Bryson narrowed his eyes. “Did he say something to frighten you, Alyssa.”

“He did, but I’m not sure he meant to.” Alyssa felt foolish for being scared by the huge man.

Bryson sighed. “I will chat with him about scaring our ladies.”

Kendrick still held her hand, nodding to Collum to take over the training for a bit, and he led her out of the middle of his men and back toward the keep. “Ye canna just wander around, lass. Ye have ta be careful!”

Alyssa realized that his accent got much stronger when he was upset, and she sighed. “I didn’t mean to do anything wrong.”

“Ah, lass. It isna a bad thing ta do, I just want ye to be safe.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “It’s me job to keep ye safe, but when I’m working, I canna see ta ye.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll wait to go on walks when you can go with me.”

“A verra sound plan, lass.” He sighed. “I’m going ta deliver ye ta the keep. Ye stay there until I fetch ye.”

Alyssa nodded. “I will.” She was suddenly glad that though his face was very much like Bryson’s, they were easily told apart. They must be fraternal twins, not monozygotic.

He left her at the keep with one of his soft kisses that left her wishing for more. When she walked inside, Holli was sitting with her feet up. “Do you think my feet are swelling?” Holli asked. “I know it’s a symptom of pregnancy, and I think my feet are swelling.”

“They look fine to me,” Alyssa said.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Holli looked at her friend’s face and knew something had happened.

“I walked around the lake, and some jerk cousin of Kendrick’s scared me, and then Kendrick told me I’m not allowed to walk around without him. That’s ridiculous. I’ve walked around without a big man taking care of me half my life, but he thinks I need to be put into a glass cage or something.”

“He’s just trying to take care of you,” Holli replied. “Don’t get upset with him. He’s being protective, and we both know Heather is the one who taught him to be that way.”

“I’m not sure if I’m upset with him or upset with me. He doesn’t want me walking, but I did, and I got scared. I think half of his reaction was because of my fear.”

Holli nodded. “It probably was.” She shook her head. “I need to tell you a story about Beth’s wedding day, and it may help you to understand why he’s being so protective of you.”

“All right…”

“The day Beth and Gavin got married, they realized one of Gavin’s nieces was missing. They looked everywhere for her, and then they found out what had happened. Word had gotten around about his healing power, and she was taken, only to be returned if Gavin would heal their laird.”

Alyssa’s eyes widened. “No way…”

“Oh, yeah. After that, they spread to all their allies that all anyone had to do was ask for Gavin’s help and he would be there.

Everyone thought he was using potions and salves, just like they think now, but they knew they needed and wanted him.

It spread all over the Highlands, and it hasn’t happened since, but everyone is always worried it will.

They did it on a night when the clan was vulnerable, during a transfer of power from laird to his youngest son.

” Holli shook her head. “Now, they prefer if no female family members, whether married to a brother or not, and no children, go out without some supervision. I’ve done it a couple of times, and I know Heather has, but Beth feels strongly about it too.

He was so busy healing his own clansmen and those of other clans, that he truly didn’t have time for a marriage or to lead his clan, so that’s also when one of the laird’s brothers began to train the men. ”

“I understand,” Alyssa said. “Now I just have to figure out how I’m going to follow the rules. Maybe I can learn to use a bow and arrow.”

“Won’t work. I promise. It’s a rule that must be followed and that’s that.”

“So, if I want to go to my cottage right now and start supper, I can’t?” Alyssa asked.

Holli shook her head. “No, it’s more if you go into the woods or around the lake. Why?”

“Kendrick told me not to leave here until he came to fetch me. That feels awfully extreme to me.”

Holli narrowed her eyes. “That’s not the rule for the general family. Maybe it’s just a rule that Kendrick wants you to follow. Until you get to know the area.”

“I can’t feel like I’m living in a glass cage. Don’t get me wrong, I was really scared earlier. But I still feel like he’s going a bit overboard.”

“I do too,” Holli said. “I’ll see what I can find out from Bryson.”

“Have you heard of their cousin, Caelan?” Alyssa asked.

“I don’t think so. Why?”

“He’s the one who scared me. He’s a Campbell, and he was just creepy. But I know Campbells are our allies, right?”

“They are. I’m going to ask Bryson about it. We’ll have an answer tomorrow.”

“And I’m your captive for the afternoon. What shall we do?”

“Well, there are so many options. We could read, or we could game, or we could sew, or we could eat. Eating always sounds good.” Holli grinned at Alyssa.

“That’s because you’re a pregnant bottomless pit! I hope you’re not always this hungry during your pregnancies.” Alyssa tilted her head to one side. “Do you realize that you’re going to spend over five full years of your life pregnant? You’d better get used to it!”

“No, I never really thought of that. That sounds like forever.”

“It does to me too.” Alyssa sighed. “I went to Bonnie’s for my cooking lesson this morning, and the baby was crying nonstop.

Bonnie was in tears as well, and she sent me to get Gavin.

I don’t know where Gavin and Beth live, of course, so I ran to my cottage, because I remembered Heather said she lived next door.

She ran for Gavin, and I ran back to Bonnie…

” She took a deep breath. “Gavin healed the baby, and she was fine when we left. But then I had no cooking lesson. I offered to cook for Bonnie and Collum, but she told me she just needed to see to her baby, which I can understand. I mean, I’d freak out too if my daughter was crying like that.

So, I didn’t have anything to do until this afternoon, so I decided to go for a walk around the lake… ”

“And ran into a Campbell who was a pain in the butt, and then you had Kendrick scold you for doing something you’d never been told was wrong or why it was wrong. I think I’d be furious if I were you.”

“What good would that do? We need to learn how to deal with one another as a married couple,” Alyssa shook her head. “It would be better if I knew him. We married so fast.”

Holli nodded. “We did too. The same day I arrived.”

“Do you feel like you even know Bryson yet?”

“We’re getting there. I love him, but do I know every detail of his life? Nope. Heather tells me stories of him as a boy, which helps some. Beth tells the clan’s history beautifully. I really do need to write it all down when I’m not having a pregnancy the length of an elephant’s.”

“You’ve only been here three months! You haven’t been pregnant long!” Alyssa was certain Holli was having way too much fun watching for pregnancy symptoms. “Were you even queasy this morning?”

“No, Gavin healed me before they left last night. Oh, speaking of which, are you and Kendrick staying for supper tonight?”

Alyssa shook her head. “No, he told me this morning that we need to stay in tonight and get to know each other better. I guess it’s a good sign when he realizes that we need to take time to do that.”

“Of course, it is! I think you two are going to do great together. I kind of half expected you to come here in thirty years and marry my youngest, but I’m glad you’re here now. It’ll be fun being married to twins…”

“Twins that run a clan. Are you sure about this?”