A Lesson in Passion (10 page)

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Stopping for the night, Ginny was exhausted
from sitting on top of the horse and not eating a damn thing. Her
head pounded from having no water all day, her joints and back hurt
and her disposition was bleak. They stopped to camp by a creek in
an open field filled with flowers. The fragrance, which would
normally be a comfort to Ginny, was now making her eyes water and
her nose itch. Above everything else, she now had to suffer with
allergies.

Ginny walked over to the creek and scooped up
some of the water to drink. Many of the men joined her, slurping up
great amounts of water. They filled their waterskins and then
turned to water the horses. Returning to Broderick's horse, Ginny
stood awaiting orders. There probably wasn't much she knew how to
do, but she could do something.

Ian was watching her from a
distance. When Ginny turned and noticed him staring at her, she
walked over to him. The long day had reduced her anger and fear.
Also, he was currently looking agreeable. “What can I do to help?”
she asked, thinking she sounded helpful, but immediately noticed
his head drop. She turned without another word and sat down on the
edge of the camp.
What the hell does he
want from me. I'm trying, aren't I?

After a few moments of feeling sorry for
herself, Ginny wandered over to a copse of trees on the edge of the
field. Scotland really was breathtaking. The hills and valleys were
covered in green grass, which was stunning against the blue sky.
Dotted throughout the landscape were groves of trees, adding to the
green, and high, craggy mountains. Ginny had always wanted to visit
and if she ever made it back, she definitely would.

After taking the time to once again “pee in
the woods,” Ginny began to gather sticks for firewood. Ian
obviously wouldn't explain how she could help, so she would just do
what she could. Returning to the camp, Ginny dropped the firewood
by the nearest warrior who seemed to look like he needed it, then
turned and walked back to the woods.

After gathering another handful, she again
returned, dropping her load by another man. She repeated the
process until she could no longer find any sticks to gather. She
didn't have a hatchet, so she was limited to what was on the ground
or easily broken from the trees. Once completed, Ginny looked
around for Aileana and Alec. Perhaps they would be kind enough to
invite her to dinner.

There were only two tents set up. She found
the pair in the first tent, talking softly. Not wanting to disturb
them, Ginny turned to walk away when she heard Alec call out to
her. Alec walked out of the tent. “Can ya stay with Aileana for a
while? I need to speak to my brother.”

“Of course,” Ginny said, knowing it
was what she'd hoped for, a chance to talk to someone who didn't
yell at her. Alec turned and strode off and Ginny entered the
tent.

“How are you feeling? Was the ride
too much for you?” Ginny asked, going immediately into medical
mode.

“Nay, it was heaven being in Alec's
arms again. I dinna think I ever would have the chance again.”
Aileana stared out the tent as if she could track her husband
still.

“I'm glad it wasn't too taxing on
you,” Ginny wished she could say the same.

“I saw ya riding with Broderick. I
would have thought you would be with Ian.”

“Ian got mad at me, scared me half
to death with his temper, then dumped me on Broderick. It was a
great day,” Ginny said sarcastically, with a big smile on her face
to emphasize exactly how she didn't feel.

Ginny started to stretch out her back, leaning
back as far as she could without falling. Then she went to work on
her sore shoulders. Next would have been her backside, but she
didn't think Aileana wanted to witness that. It seemed that every
part of her body ached. Ginny remembered feeling this way only
after she started yet another workout routine.

“Can I rub yar back for ya?”
Aileana asked.

“What... no, no. That's kind of
you, but it's not necessary. I just really want to eat something
and go to bed.”

For the first time that Ginny had seen,
Aileana's face lit up. She got up and began to pull things from
saddle bags her husband had used. She began to prepare some supper
for her and Ginny immediately protested. “Let me help
you.”

“Nay. Ya saved my life. I can make
ya a meal.”

Ginny sat down on the pallet Alec had prepared
for Aileana. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.” Suddenly, a
waterskin was handed to her and Ginny took a long pull of the weak
ale. Ginny watched Aileana as she made a fire, prepared some
tasteless oat cakes and fried them. Aileana was a different person
when in her element and that was exactly where she was: cooking,
preparing, taking care of someone else.

It looked to Ginny like it was doing her
friend a world of good. Well, Ginny hoped they were friends, since
she had no one else in this time period. Even her persona, Lady
Chatham had no one. It made for a lonely existence.

Just as Aileana was finished removing the
cakes from the pan, Ian and Alec walked to the tent. The look of
fury on Ian's face was obvious. His eyes narrowed, his breathing
quickened and the redness was back. Before anyone could ask what
was wrong, Ian went into a rage. His voice was menacing, “What do
ya think yar doing? Lying there waiting to be served by my
clan.”

Aileana was the first to speak up. “I asked to
make her some supper.”

“Ya willnae sit there like a queen.
Ya should be serving Aileana for all we are doing for ya.” Ginny
stared at his face. Not a word would form on her lips. Silent and
mute, Ginny was incredulous and... scared. Terrified to be more
accurate.
This would be
it
, she thought.
He will either kill me or leave me behind.

Alec, being the voice of reason, could see
where this was going. “Ian, my wife asked to prepare the meal. Ya
need no' be so upset. We owe Ginny for what she did to aid us in
Aileana's rescue.”

“Nay!” he screamed with renewed
vigor. There was no getting through to him. Staring Ginny in the
eye and panting from his anger, Ian again spoke in his menacing
tone, “Ya willnae be served. Any food ya eat, ya will prepare. Any
place ya sleep, ya will build. Get to it, tis almost dark.” With
that, he stormed away.

“I will see what that is all about.
Til then, Ginny, ya better go and find ya'self some food.” Turning
to his wife, he said, “I will be back soon to eat with ya.” And
then, he was gone as well.

Still speechless, Ginny rose and left the
tent. She could hear Aileana crying and turned to her. “Maybe you
could show me how to make those oat cakes?”

A smile came back to Aileana. “Aye. 'Tis easy.
Come and I will show ya.” Together, the two women prepared and
cooked. As soon as it was done, Ginny had made her own tasteless
dinner. Before she could sit down to eat it, Ian and Alec walked
over. Once again, Ian was growling like a junkyard dog.

“Where did ya get
those?”

“I made them myself. Aileana showed
me how.”

Grabbing the meager offering out of her hands,
he said, “Now make yar own.” With two bites, her dinner was gone.
Ginny was already shaking with hunger and now she was also shaking
with rage. She did what he asked and still, it wasn't good
enough.

Before she could stop herself, she rose up,
stepped right up to Ian and said in as equally menacing a voice,
“What the hell is wrong with you? You wanted me to make it myself,
so I did. Why would you do that?”

“I am the Laird. Ya owe me
everything ya have. Cooking my dinner is expected,” was all he said
in reply, once again turning on his heel, he strode off.

Ginny could feel the tears in her eyes. She
could feel the draining of her energy as she slipped into
helplessness. Defeated was not the word. She was
shattered.

Alec grabbed her by the shoulders and walked
her into his tent. He handed her his dinner and told her to eat it
quickly before Ian came back. He winked at her and left the tent.
Ginny did eat the oat cake, while she cried huge tears that
streaked down her cheeks. When she was done, she left the tent,
made her way to the creek and washed her face.

The sun had nearly set, casting huge shadows
across the camp. The bright red sky looked beautiful with the
mountains in the foreground. Ginny laid down next to the stream,
her head feeling heavy. She was lying on her side, using her arm as
a pillow, watching the last of the light fade away. After it was
gone, she moved to her back and looked up at the stars. Stars that
had been there for millions of years, and were still there in her
time. She realized that she just wanted to go home.

Once it became dark, Ginny rose and made her
way back to the tent. Before reaching it, she saw Ian sitting
outside the tents speaking with Broderick and Alec. Remembering
what he said about finding her own accommodations, she looked
around at the fires scattered about. She had no bedding, no
blanket. She had no tent and no coat. Every fire was surrounded by
men, with no room for her.

Ginny couldn't bring herself to beg Ian for
anything. She was already feeling the sting of uselessness and
weakness. Instead, she wandered back to the woods where she'd
collected the firewood. Finding a soft spot among the pine needles,
she made a bed for herself. Hating the idea of bugs crawling on
her, but too exhausted to care, Ginny closed her eyes and fell
asleep. She didn't expect it to last too long, since she was
already cold, but wanted to get a few hours before it became
impossible.

Ian had watched her make her way to the trees,
figuring she was just taking care of her needs. When she didn't
return, he went looking for her. He didn't know what had come over
him. The anger, even for him, was unreasonable. He saw her sitting
there, waiting to be served, and something in him snapped. After
speaking to Aileana, more like Aileana screaming at him, he
realized his mistake. He was waiting for her so he could apologize
and offer her his tent.

He found her curled up on a bed of pine
needles, looking so small and defenseless. It made him feel worse.
Ian kept her to protect her, but there was no one to protect her
from him. He knew he had to do a better job because if he didn't
show that he accepted her, his clan never would. Bending over as
quietly as possible, Ian picked up the sleeping form. Again, she
curled into him, seeking his warmth.

Walking back to the tent, he gingerly placed
her on the bed he'd made for her. He placed the kilt blanket over
her and laid next to her to keep her warm. Ginny turned in her
sleep to face him. He bent slowly down, placing soft kisses on her
face and lips. Feeling himself getting excited, he stopped and
closed his eyes. It would be another long night.

Ginny was having the most wonderful dream. She
was warm and content, lying in her big bed under tons of covers.
She sighed in her sleep, happy for the moment.

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The moment didn't last. The next
morning, Ian shook Ginny awake and told her to prepare to leave. It
was still dark, with no dawn light in the horizon. As she was
leaving the tent, Ginny stopped.
How did I
get in the tent?
Ian must have found her
and carried her in. But why? The man was incredibly confusing.
Taking a deep breath, Ginny walked to the stream, drank heavily and
washed her face.

By the time she had finished in the woods, it
looked like everyone was already leaving. Ginny had no idea who she
would ride with today, so she went to Broderick and asked him. “Am
I to ride with you today?” She sounded so meek, so broken. So
unlike her in real life. It bothered her that after only a couple
of days she could feel this way.

“Aye,” was all Broderick said
before he climbed his horse and helped her up.

“Thank you,” was the last thing she
said for the rest of the day. Broderick was again not into
conversation and neither was Ginny at this point. She sat as still
as stone, trying to warm herself when possible. After half a day,
they came to another stream, where the men got off and watered
themselves and their horses.

Stretching herself as much as possible and
drinking as much water as she could stand, Ginny began walking
around the other warriors. After not moving for so long, she felt
sore, like being on a long flight. Just wandering around was
helping both her joints and her spirits. Finally, she went around
some bushes and took care of her other business. When she popped
back out, Ian was waiting for her.

“May I speak to ya?” he asked, like
she had a choice.

“Sure,” was all she said, afraid to
say the wrong thing.

Ian looked at his boots and the sky and the
bushes, everywhere but at her. He coughed and ran his fingers
through his hair. Ginny waited, wondering what was going
on.

“Last night was... I behaved... I
feel... bad about how I treated ya,” finally, he got it out. He
stared into her eyes, looking as if he'd hit her if she made a big
deal out of it. For the first time that day, Ginny
smiled.