Page 53 of Cottage in the Mist (Time After Time #3)

Bram woke to the sounds of the river. Stars still studded the black velvet sky.

The air was cold, but it was warm in the cocoon they’d made of their plaids.

Lily’s leg was draped across his thighs, her hair tickling him as it curled beneath his chin.

She was beautiful in sleep. Almost as beautiful as she was in the throes of passion.

He felt his body respond to the images in his brain.

And he indulged in a satisfied smile as he pulled her closer, the soft whoosh of her breath warm against his skin.

She murmured something in her sleep, and then stretched, her breasts pressing into his chest. “Did I fall asleep?” she asked, her voice not much more than a whisper.

“Aye. As did I.” He felt her smile.

“Well, if you’re going to wear a girl out like that, it’s to be expected, I suppose.”

She rose up on one elbow, pushing her rioting hair out of her face, green eyes glittering with laughter and something more.

Something that made him swallow with anticipation, desire stirring to life again.

He wondered if he’d ever get enough of her.

And just as quickly let the notion go. They belonged to each other now. And nothing would separate them.

He blew out a harsh breath. Would that it were that simple. But there was so much uncertainty. For a moment, he felt a wash of guilt. He shouldn’t have brought her into this. Shouldn’t have asked her to give him her life. Not when so much was at stake. Not when tomorrow might mean his death.

“What is it?” She was still watching him, but frowning now. “You’re not regretting this, are you? You’re not regretting us?”

“Nay, lass, never.” He reached over to kiss her, trying to ignore his fears. Tonight belonged to them. And he’d not let his uncle take this too.

“Good.” She settled next to him, her fingers softly tracing patterns through the hair on his chest. “Because I have no regrets either. But that doesn’t mean that I’m not worried about what tomorrow will bring.”

“Dinna think on it now,” he said, wishing it were that easy.

“I can’t help myself. I came back to stop you from fighting Alec. To keep you alive. But now I fear I’ve just thrown you from the frying pan into the fire.”

“An interesting turn of phrase,” he said, twining a lock of hair around his finger. “But you canna fash yourself o’er something you canna control.”

“I might not have control. But you do. You don’t have to challenge your uncle.”

“I dinna have to, no, but to honor my father, I must. Surely you can see that?”

She sighed. “I suppose I do. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I guess you and Iain have a plan?”

“Aye. We’re to ride on Dunbrae on the morrow.”

“I see.” Her voice had gone quiet, barely more than a whisper. “And what about me?”

“You’ll stay here with Alec. And with Robby.”

“And Frazier?” She was back on her elbow, looking down on him. He tried but couldn’t read her expression in the shadows.

“He’ll stay here too. I canna risk his coming with us. Alec has agreed to keep watch o’er him. And you.”

“And if I don’t want to be watched over?”

“Lily, you canna come with me. ’Tis no place for a lady.”

“Maybe I’m not a lady. After all, I wasn’t afraid to take a knife to Frazier earlier today.” She sounded so fierce, he smiled.

“Ach, but you were magnificent indeed. But you also were in grave peril. And I canna risk being distracted with worry o’er you. As much as I’d prefer to have you with me, I need you to stay.”

Her gaze was mutinous. “I’ll not let you ride off into God knows what without me. I’m your wife. My place is with you. I can stay back. Out of the fray. That way I won’t be a bother. But I’ll not stay behind. If you insist on it, I’ll only follow.”

It was his turn to sigh. He’d married a strong-willed woman.

And while he’d have it no other way, it meant that she was telling the truth.

She wouldn’t stay behind. Not unless he tied her to a bloody tree.

And although the idea held some appeal, he was not stupid enough to believe she’d easily forgive something like that.

“All right then, you can come with us, but you’ll not engage in combat and you’ll stay out of sight until I come for you. Agreed?”

She paused, considering his offer. Then with a frown, she nodded in acceptance. “It’s a compromise, I suppose. Do you think your uncle is expecting you?”

“He’s no’ a fool and he has to know that his other attempts have failed. That said, he doesn’t know that I’ve made peace with Alec.”

“And have you?” She was still frowning. “Made peace with him, I mean?”

“Of a sort. I canna get rid of a lifetime of believing him an enemy as easily as that. But I no longer believe he was involved in the attack on my father. Or the attacks on me. Frazier damned himself and my uncle when he slipped and mentioned Malcolm’s name.”

“But why would your uncle want to take Dunbrae from your father? I mean, they were brothers.”

“Because it rightly should have gone to him.”

“I don’t understand.”

“My grandfather wasna a kind man.” He pulled her back down to his chest again, his arm circling her and holding her close.

“He took great pleasure in playing people off against each other. Most particularly his sons. My father was the second son. Born from a second marriage. As was his younger sister, Ealasaid. Malcolm’s mother, Bradana, was my grandfather’s first wife. ”

“Ealasaid is Ranald’s mother, right?” Lily queried.

“Aye, that she is,” Bram smiled and then sobered. “Anyway, by all accounts the marriage between Bradana and my grandfather wasna a happy one. It was an arranged marriage, and there was no love lost between the two of them.”

“But that wasn’t the case with your father’s mother?” Again she had cut to the heart of the matter. He stroked her hair, his mind thinking back to the stories his father had told.

“According to my father it was a passionate match. And one that happened well before Bradana died, I’m afraid. My grandmother, Deirdre, was a beautiful woman.”

“She was his lover?”

“Aye, ‘twould seem so.”

“And your father?”

“Born safely on the right side of the blanket, but you can ken how well his father’s infidelity sat with Malcolm. He believed himself to be the heir after all.”

“I’m sorry, you’ve lost me again. As the oldest wouldn’t that be an absolute?”

“In England surely, but no’ in the Highlands. A laird names his own successor and, while it is common for it to be a son, nothing says it must be the eldest.” He smiled down at the woman who was now his wife. “Or for that matter, even a son.”

“A woman can inheirit?” Her eyes widened at the thought.

“Aye, if ’tis believed to be best for the clan.”

“Imagine that.” She nestled closer with a smile, then tipped her face to meet his gaze. “So Malcolm believed he was your grandfather’s heir.”

“That he did. And being close to his mother, he resented my grandmother from the beginning. And once his mother was dead and Deirdre became the new wife, his anger grew. It festered and found a worthy source once my father was born.”

“What about Ealasaid?” She was chewing on her bottom lip as she contemplated his story. “Did Malcolm hate her too?”

“Nay. I dinna believe he saw her as a threat. And I think for a while she acted as a shield of sorts. Protecting my father from Malcolm’s ire. But then, when Deirdre died, my grandfather sent her away. To the Macqueens, which is where she ultimately met Ranald’s father.”

“But that meant there was no longer anyone to stand between the two boys. How terrible for them both.”

“True enough. And mayhap it would have passed as Malcolm grew to manhood, except as I said, my grandfather liked to play the boys against each other. And for better or worse, my father often came out on top. So Malcolm’s ill feelings grew. And my grandfather’s games only fanned the flames.”

“Which in turn fed Malcolm’s anger and jealousy.” She snuggled closer, her warmth keeping Bram’s emotions safely at bay.

He sighed, then nodded. “Then fate stepped in to make it worse. When my father came of age he fell in love with my mother. Aileen Mackintosh was a beauty and a wealthy woman in her own right. And there were many men who sought her hand. But she never had eyes for anyone but my father.”

“And I’m guessing Malcolm was one of the other men.”

“That he was. And when my mother agreed to marry my father, he was incensed. Demanded that his father grant him Aileen’s hand. He was older than my father, after all. But my grandfather refused. So Malcolm appealed to his uncle.”

“The head of your clan?”

“Aye, and because my grandfather had always gone his own way, my great uncle was only too happy to countermand his orders.”

“He gave Aileen to Malcolm?”

“He tried, but my father would have none of it. He and Aileen sought the approval of the head of her clan.”

“Chattan,” Lily prompted.

“And the Mackintosh gave the couple his blessing. They were married at Moy. Of course this dinna sit well at all with my great uncle or with Malcolm. But it was too late and Ian Ciar couldna risk angering the head of Chattan. Although he ne’er forgave my grandfather or my father.

Anyway, Malcolm turned his mind to other things.

My grandfather was getting old, and my uncle pushed him to let him take over Dunbrae.

But my grandfather was still angry over what he viewed as Malcolm’s betrayal. ”

“Going over his head to his brother.”

“Aye. And so in a fit of anger, he gave the lairdship to my father. Malcolm swore revenge and began gathering men to the cause. But Iain’s grandfather stepped in and with the might of Chattan behind him, forced a truce.”

“I bet that went over well.”