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The next week went better for Alyssa. She did her cooking lessons in the mornings, spent her afternoons with Beth, Heather, and Holli, and occasionally even Gillian would join.

Alyssa particularly enjoyed talking to Gillian.

And her evenings were spent with a sword in hand, learning how to defend herself.

Her arms were always aching, but she never once complained because she wanted to be allowed out of the village on her own.

She wasn’t even certain why it was so important to her, but it was.

It was as if there was an invisible, impenetrable wall around the village that she couldn’t get through.

She needed to see what’s on the other end.

The sword that had been used for play was just about the right size for her, and she did as she was told throughout the training. She felt like she was ready to wander on her own, but Kendrick still refused.

She often spent time in the mornings beside the keep where no one would get hurt, and she fought with pretend enemies, sometimes using her own shadow to slice at.

Then she would go in the keep, have a lovely lunch with Holli and Heather, and Beth and Gillian when they came, but they weren’t as consistent. Her afternoons were spent making clothing for the baby Holli was carrying.

“I’d let you use the clothes I made for my boys, but after seven of them, they kind of wore out.” Heather sounded apologetic as she said it.

Holli just smiled. “I love doing for my sons. I mean, I’m glad I have help, but I would have regretted it if I hadn’t had time to just sew myself.”

“I wish we had a sewing machine,” Alyssa mumbled under her breath.

Heather grinned. “I believe you knew there would be no modern conveniences when you decided to do this!”

Alyssa shrugged. “But I didn’t think about how truly hard the work would be, now did I?” It really amazed her as she realized how very much, she’d used technology in her everyday life. She missed her washing machine the most.

“Is the cradle you used for the boys anywhere to be found?” Holli asked.

“Yes, it’s in Bryson’s old room. He was the last to use it and we just never moved it out of there. He quit using it more than a year ago, though.”

They all laughed at that. “Considering he’s over six three…” Holli said.

Heather looked at Alyssa. “How are the sword fighting lessons going?”

Alyssa shrugged. “I think I’m getting good enough to go out on my own, but of course, Kendrick disagrees. The man is going to drive me to drink. Where’s the Scotch?”

“Do I need to have another little talk with him?” Heather asked.

“Absolutely not. You need to remember that when I talk to you about our marriage, I’m talking to my best friend, not my mother-in-law. Things are already weird enough, don’t you think?”

Holli nodded. “Yeah, me too. I mean, it’s nice to always have my mother-in-law in my corner, but I know it angers Bryson.”

“But you two should take advantage of the situation!” Heather said, shaking her head. “I sure did with Beth, and we weren’t best friends before I married Derek.”

Alyssa shook her head adamantly. “Absolutely not. I need to learn to talk with my husband and solve our disputes on my own, and not let you do the work for me.”

Holli sighed. “Me too. Though this marriage thing is going to be a lot harder without you.”

Heather grinned. “All right. If that’s how you want to play it.”

“Is tonight Irish nacho night?” Alyssa asked. “I’m already getting hungry. I want a huge plate and I don’t want to share.”

Heather shook her head. “You’re getting as bad as Holli. You’re probably expecting too.”

Alyssa’s eyes widened. “I’ve only been married for about ten days. I’m sure I’m not pregnant yet.”

“You’re a McClain wife. All the men get their wives pregnant quick!” Heather said. “I can’t help but wonder if you really might be. We should get Gavin over here to look at you soon.”

“But…I don’t want my husband’s grandfather to know before he does.”

Holli shrugged. “There’s no other way to know this early. It’s up to you, of course.”

“Well, I don’t want to know that then. Are Beth and Gavin joining us for Irish nachos tonight?

” Alyssa asked, thinking maybe she could get the older man alone and ask him.

She just didn’t want the others to realize how very much she wanted a child.

She wasn’t sure why she didn’t want them to know, but it felt very private to her.

“They went to heal someone. Beth usually goes with Gavin now that she’s not the Lady McClain. Then they don’t have to spend as much time apart.”

“Oh,” Alyssa said, feeling sad. “Do we know how long they’ll be gone?”

Holli and Heather exchanged a look, but neither of them called Alyssa on her strange behavior. “About a week,” Heather said. “The other clan is two days ride from here, and he usually ends up with a whole line of people to be healed once he goes somewhere.”

“What does this clan do without them?” Alyssa asked, genuinely curious.

“They go to Gillian,” Heather said. “She learned about healing from her own mother-in-law. She tried to teach me, but I didn’t have enough interest. Not with Gavin always around.”

“I see.”

Alyssa spent the rest of the afternoon, with her fingers sewing as they were supposed to, but her mind was gone. Thinking about all the places she wanted to explore as soon as Kendrick gave her the okay.

But…why was she listening to him anyway? He was her husband, sure, but she was a modern woman, and the word obey hadn’t been in her marriage vows. At least she didn’t think it had. The whole day was confusing in her head.

She really wanted to spend some time in the woods. She didn’t know why they drew her so strongly, but they really did.

As she daydreamed, the other two talked about different things happening with the clan. “Bonnie says that Anella is doing much better than she was. She hasn’t kept her up all night since the day Gavin healed her,” Heather said.

“I always forget that she’s your grandchild as well,” Holli said shaking her head. “I’m so focused on the child I’m carrying that it feels like it should be the only child in our world.”

“Still calling him Herbert to annoy Bryson?” Heather asked.

“Well, yeah,” Holli said. “He’s easily annoyed at times.”

“Kendrick was always my troublesome child,” Heather said. “He was such an angry little thing. I felt like I was always having to stop him from trying to beat up one of the boys in the village.”

Alyssa had tuned back into the conversation. “What would he fight about?”

Heather laughed. “The most common fight he was in was over who had the prettiest mother. Isn’t that the sweetest thing?”

Alyssa smiled and nodded. What she wanted more than anything else was a nap, though. “How long until supper?”

Heather and Holli exchanged a look. “About two hours,” Holli said. “I think. I still have some issues with telling time here.”

“Two hours is right. Why?” Heather asked.

Alyssa shook her head. “I’m just really dragging today. I think I’m going to go back to the cottage and take a nap.”

“Use one of the upstairs rooms,” Holli said. “Turn right at the top of the stairs and Kendrick’s old room is the sixth door on the left. I’m sure you’ll feel cozy in there.”

“I think so too,” Heather said. “Go on upstairs.” She looked at Holli. “Are there sheets on the bed?”

Holli nodded. “I keep Kendrick’s made up because sometimes he’s here late, and he’ll crash upstairs, rather than going home to his lonely cottage. Or at least that’s what he did before he married Alyssa, of course.”

“Of course,” Heather said. “Do you want me to show you which room?”

Alyssa shook her head. “I’m sure I’ll be able to find it. Sixth door on the left.”

Heather nodded. “Go sleep. We’ll wake you for supper.”

Holli watched her go with a frown on her face. “Alyssa never naps.”

“No, she doesn’t. I hope Beth and Gavin get home soon. I think there may be something wrong. Probably just pregnant, but it could be anything. I don’t want to lose my friend.”

“I think Kendrick would be one hundred percent behind you on that,” Holli said.

Alyssa ignored them both as she climbed the stairs and went to the room they’d indicated. She was going to sleep the rest of the day away.

She woke to Kendrick beside the small bed in his childhood bedroom. “Are you all right, lass?”

Alyssa nodded. “I think so. I was just really tired.”

“Come, it’s time for supper.” He helped her up, but he had a look on his face that made her realize he was worried. She wished she knew how to tell him not to worry when the truth was, she was worried herself.

“Irish nacho night?” she asked. It had to be Irish nacho night.

“Aye, and Mother tells me Cook made up another big batch of cheese.”

“Oh, good,” Alyssa smiled slightly. Something was wrong, and she had no idea what it was. She felt unsettled. If she’d been home in New York, she’d have already explored the entire area by foot. It was how she destressed and thought things through. Walking around the village just wasn’t the same.

“Ye look a little sad tonight, lass. What is it that’s bothering you?” Kendrick had a frown on his face as he watched her.

“I’m just being silly,” she said, not even certain how to put her feelings into words.

“Talk to me. I canna help if I dinna know what’s wrong.”

“I just need to be able to explore outside the village, which sounds crazy. Back home, I went to all the parks near our house and walked all through our hometown. Here, I feel like I’m not allowed to do anything and it’s making me feel…oppressed? I’m not even sure if that’s the right word.”

Kendrick sighed. “I’ll take you for a long walk on Sunday.”

She nodded. She didn’t like to walk with people. She preferred to walk alone. But she would agree with him so he wouldn’t worry about her.

Supper was fun that night with just the three couples. They ate the Irish nachos and laughed a great deal. Alyssa felt like she was watching it from outside the circle though. She wasn’t really one of the others.

After supper, Alyssa and Kendrick left immediately, and he detoured around the lake on the way to their cottage. “It’s beautiful at this time of day,” he said.

She nodded, staring off into the distance. She had no idea what was over the hill in front of her, but it was the only thing her mind could concentrate on. What was behind the invisible wall he kept her from going beyond?

“Ye dinna usually nap,” he said. “Are ye feeling sick?”

“Not really. Just tired.” She didn’t know why she felt so off, but she did, and she was going to have to work through it, with or without his blessing.

They walked all around the lake and then back to the cottage. “Do you want to talk about something?” he asked.

She took a deep breath and said what she’d been thinking all day.

“It’s hard for me to know I’m not allowed to leave the village.

I know you think it’s a perfectly reasonable expectation from your wife, but how I work through any problem is to walk.

I’ve walked ten miles while working something out. ”

“And ye need to work something out?” Kendrick looked terrified at the prospect. “I can find ye a guard who will walk a short distance behind you and then ye can walk to yer heart’s content.”

She sighed. “I guess that will have to work, won’t it?

” She knew it wouldn’t be the same. Why had she thought that traveling back in time to a period when women didn’t have rights was a good idea?

Yes, she was content to keep a home and have babies, but she needed to be able to wander to her heart’s content.

“I will have someone here in the morning ta walk with ye.”

“All right.” It wasn’t enough though. It certainly wasn’t what she needed. “Do the McClains have that many enemies?” she asked.

“Nay, but it only takes one to hurt ye, lass.” Kendrick gathered her close, burying his face in her hair. “I dinna want ye ta be unhappy, but I dinna want ye ta be unsafe.”

Her face was buried in his shoulder as she nodded.