Page 14 of Farlan (Immortal Highlander Clan McKeran #3)

“’Twas perplexing,” he said carefully. “The collapse knocked us out, and we shared a dream. I met her in my parents’ cottage, and she hurt her hands.

When I woke she’d hurt them trying to dig through the fallen stones.

After I told her of Dun Talamh and the curse, she sought comfort in my arms. I wished only to do that, but I couldnae contain my passion. ”

None of it was false, although it could hardly be called truth. He would not place the fault on her, however, for he might have stopped her in time. For a moment Farlan suspected he hadn’t deceived his eldest brother at all, and then Tasgall nodded.

“’Tisnae like you, Brother, and yet never has such a mortal woman come into the trap,” the laird said. “You saw how every man who could see into the hall beheld her in a daze. She moves like water flows and speaks as if making music with her lips.”

That made Farlan recall the cool softness of her hands stroking him. “Aye.”

“Indeed, no female here may rival Mistress Johansen. Men happily murder each other for the chance to claim such a woman.” Tasgall gave him a direct look. “I need her choice of lover or husband made quickly.”

“If you reckon I shall stand by and do naught…” He stopped when he saw how his eldest brother was looking at him. “I cannae take the lady as my wife. We agreed long ago that none of the clan may wed a mortal female.”

“Only I did by marrying Ava. Alec too with his Olivia.” He shrugged as if one of their most important customs meant little.

“Considering the events of last night, I’m persuaded you’ve first claim to Mistress Johansen as your lover, no’ your bride.

’Twould be wise to settle the matter before the binding ceremony, lest our lads brawl over her. ”

“Outsider females dinnae consider marriage the same as the lassies from our time,” Farlan reminded him. “Her own grandmother refused to marry again after she came to us. Grace shouldnae be forced to choose me.”

“Simply ask Mistress Johansen to share your bed,” the laird suggested. “She shall wish to be with someone familiar these first days in the trap, just as Ava stayed near me, and Alec with Olivia. I suspect she shall make you her choice without hesitation.”

“You dinnae ask if I desire her as my lover,” Farlan muttered .

Tasgall shrugged. “’Twould seem you made that choice last night, Brother.”

He understood how important this was for the clan, their vassals and the lady herself.

Women remained scarce in the spell trap.

If Grace objected to his offer to share his bed, then there just might be a war over her among the other males at Dun Talamh.

For almost a thousand years they had worked with great care at keeping everyone at peace with each other, for no one could escape the stronghold or avoid the company of those trapped in it.

The laird’s command serves me, too, for I want her still.

Farlan could easily imagine himself fighting off any vassal or clansman who dared cast a covetous gaze on her.

She was his, in so many ways he could not put name to, in the very deepest sense.

He had never once experienced immediate possessiveness with any of his lovers, so he suspected his urges to possess and protect her came from some other source.

The lady’s beauty was such that she could wield it like a weapon, and yet she had offered herself to him as freely and without reserve as a woman completely in love.

Such generosity did not come from a fancy of the moment. He would swear she had given her heart to him. Yet how could she, in that dark place, when she knew nothing of him ?

“I shall go and speak with her.” A knock came, and when he opened the chamber door Lady Ava smiled at him. “My lady.” He looked past her. “Did you leave Mistress Johansen with our chatelaine?”

“Don’t worry, she’s gone on a tour of the castle with Olivia.

Time for me to report, too.” Her gaze shifted to her husband as she came inside.

“Inga just learned from Grace that her daughter Tonje has passed away, and ran out before I could stop her. I could see that she was deeply upset by the news. Would you go and check on her, honey?”

Tasgall nodded and left them.

“You’re very understanding, my lady.” Farlan grimaced as he realized how that sounded. “I didnae mean to imply anything yet exists between my brother and Mistress Holm.”

“Nothing does, Seneschal.” She nodded when he eyed her. “Tas could have married Inga long before I got here, but he didn’t. His past doesn’t bother me. Our chatelaine may still be in love with my husband, but I know she really does wish us the best. Not many women would.”

“You would, for you’re just as kind as the lady.” Farlan had always respected Ava, but now he envied her composure. He needed to calm himself. “Grace—Mistress Johansen—how does she cope?”

“That girl could be a world champion poker player. She doesn’t waste a word, or show much of what’s going on in her head or her heart.

I’ll guess she’s a bit upset with Inga. Seems like she expected a friendlier reception.

” Ava gave him a shrewd look. “I was surprised to see some love bites on the side of Grace’s throat. You two got cozy right quick, sir.”

“’Twas far swifter than wise, my lady.” He could admit that much. “I ken being trapped with me played a part. I hope Mistress Johansen shall remain close to me as she makes a place for herself at Dun Talamh.”

“You mean, you’re going to do your best to make her fall in love with you,” the laird’s wife said, and smiled at his startled look. “Shouldn’t be all that hard, Seneschal. Just stick with her and be yourself. You are pretty adorable, you know.”

Farlan bowed to her to hide his foolish grin. “Thank you, my lady.”

“ I t’s okay to freak out, you know,” Olivia Gibson said as she showed Grace into the rooftop hothouse she had referred to as the solar. “I did when I first came here. Honestly, I spent so much time clutching at Alec he didn’t have any choice but to fall in love with me. ”

While she was slender and had stunning red-brown hair that any model would covet, Olivia otherwise appeared quite ordinary.

Earlier, when she had stood beside her astonishingly handsome husband, the former surveyor had looked almost painfully plain by comparison.

Yet War Master Alec McKeran had barely glanced at Grace before gazing with utter adoration at his wife.

The way he’d kissed Olivia good-bye before heading out with a group of guards made it clear that he was passionately in love with her, too.

Good, then I don’t have to deal with him. As gorgeous as the war master was, he had left Grace unmoved.

Seeing them together had made her think of Farlan, however, which she’d been doing since Ava had led her out of the passage.

She might have asked for him, but that seemed unwise.

Just processing the fact that she had seduced a total stranger seemed impossible.

She also didn’t care for the ugliness twisting inside her.

Since meeting her grandmother it had been like a knife someone had stabbed into her chest, one that had gotten caught in her ribcage.

Maybe Mom and I were more alike than I thought.

A young woman came in with a tray of steaming cups and a big plate filled with food, which she set down before bobbing and leaving again. Somehow in the midst of that she also stared so hard at Grace she barely blinked, and stumbled a little over her feet on her way out.

“Don’t mind the maids,” Olivia said as she offered her one cup and took a sip from the other. “They’ve been imprisoned here for centuries, and newcomers don’t arrive too often. In fact, Ava and I were the first women to cross over in years.”

“Of course.” She didn’t want to talk about her situation, so she added, “Neither of you seem upset about being trapped here.”

“Handsome and devoted husbands are a nice perk,” Olivia said, smiling.

“Ava and I have both had some time to adjust to this place. Then there’s the fact that we can’t leave, no matter how much we want to.

For now, that is an inescapable reality.

” As she spoke she sliced an apple onto a plate and added some berries before setting it within her reach.

“We’re working on finding a way for everyone to escape this place, one theory at a time. ”

Grace ignored the food offering. “If the clan and their people have been trapped here for a thousand years, wouldn’t they have already tried everything by now?”

“From a twelfth-century perspective, I guess they have,” Olivia admitted.

“We outsiders, however, bring with us knowledge they don’t have.

Ben—ah, Benedict Miller, a doctor who became trapped here two years ago—has been building all sorts of things from the available materials.

He’s attempted to fly out on a glider, and also to tunnel his way out with an excavator contraption.

So far he hasn’t been successful, but not from lack of trying.

You don’t have to worry about rationing food here, either.

Obviously, it’s all organic, and whatever stores we use each day are replaced by enchantment the next morning. ”

“I don’t eat much.” She saw the way the other woman frowned. “It’s an occupational hazard. I was a model.”

“I know. I can’t say if any of the other outsiders will recognize you, but I did.

” Olivia sounded almost apologetic now. “I read a lot of magazines while I was in college to learn about fashion and hair styles. I tried to dye my hair blonde once, but that was kind of a disaster.” She laughed at herself.

“You have incredible hair,” Grace said, tugging at a thin strand beside her ear. “I wish mine were as thick as yours.”

“We all want what we don’t have, I suppose.” She sighed. “You’re even more beautiful in person, you know. Like the woman every little girl dreams she could grow up to be someday.”