Binding Vows (28 page)

“I’m pregnant.” Tara stared off, completely ignoring the young girl who watched her every move.

How could I have been so blind? Morning sickness
and sleeping all day. I would have made a terrible
nurse.
She sucked in her lower lip. “A baby,” she whispered.
I’m going to be a Mom.

****

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Fin didn’t protest Tara’s request that all the metal dishes be done away with to make way for ceramic and glass. But he would have preferred Duncan drag someone else on his errand.

The bathroom she insisted on building was mind-boggling. Mainly because he was having a hard time making it happen. He hoped Myra would return sooner than later with the book on plumbing Tara told her to get.

He voiced his complaints to Duncan as they worked their way back to the Keep. The cart was loaded down with dishes and pans making the ride slow, thus allowing them time to talk. Or in Fin’s case, complain.

“The Keep has not had a central place to bathe since it was built. Why does it need one now?”

Duncan clicked his tongue. “’Tis a simple request, Fin. One you would like, if you could make it happen.”

“I haven’t seen you scratching your head on this.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Busy?” Fin and Duncan rode their horses alongside the cart that was driven by one of the Keep’s servants. “Ah yes, busy—busy counting the spiders in the cabins outside the Keep’s walls with your bride.” He rolled his eyes. “Such
busy
work.”

Duncan rode in silence.

“What? Nothing to say? No retort?”

Duncan reined his horse behind the cart to stay out of earshot of the driver.

“I worry, Fin. Tara’s not been well. She tells me she’s fine, but she’s not.”

Duncan’s sobering words wiped the smile off Fin’s face. “Worried is all she is. We all are.”

“I hope ’tis all it is.”

Fin changed the subject to distract his brother from fretting over much. “Do you know the advice 242

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she gave to our sister before she left?”

“Which advice do you speak of?”

“Tara suggested Myra lose her virginity if she gets desperate.”

“I’m not surprised at Tara’s words. I should have thought to say the same thing.”

“Your wife is very open with our sister.”

“You don’t approve?”

“It’s not that, it’s... Dammit, Duncan, doesn’t it bother you that Myra could right now be—”

“Nay, it doesn’t,” Duncan said, cutting him off.

“Myra is very wise and will take care of herself. I’m grateful for Tara’s coaching.”

“I hope her knowledge is helpful to Myra now.”

“I think it is. One of us would know if she were in trouble.”

“What about the risk here?” Fin asked. “Do you think ’tis great?”

“If it drove Myra from us, than it should be thought of as such.”

“I want her back,” Fin exclaimed.

“We all do.” Duncan looked toward the Keep and smiled.

“What is it?”

“Tara is singing again.”

****

Fin went to the kitchens through one of the back doors. Duncan led the horses to the stables. He made sure they were compensated well for their journey before making his way inside.

He scarcely got in the door before Tara leapt into his arms, squealing and nearly knocking him off his feet.

“I thought you’d never get home.” Tara pecked kisses all over his face, while he held her off the floor. She latched her legs around his waist and took advantage of the fact it took both of his hands to hold her up. “I missed you.”

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He laughed.

The maids who rushed to the hall when they heard her squeal, wore shocked expressions.

His dismissive glance had them scurrying out of the room.

“Feeling better, I see,” Duncan said, holding her butt with both hands trying to ignore his physical reaction to their intimate embrace.

“I feel great.” She caught his lips in a deeper kiss. She slid down his frame almost as quickly as she had jumped on it. “And hungry. I could eat a horse.”

“No more sickness then?”

“I could only hope. But my guess is I’ll have to deal with that for a little longer.” She smiled, leading him to the dining hall.

“Deal with what? You’d tell me if you were ill, wouldn’t you, Tara?”

“I’m not ill.” She turned to him now. “In fact, I’ve never felt better.” She made a show of holding both his hands and gazed up at him with misty eyes. “I have a surprise for you.”

“What surprise, my playful wife?”

Her body wiggled closer, her mind and thoughts slipped in as well.
We’re going to have a baby!

Duncan’s eyes flew open wide. He skimmed over her thin waist. His jaw dropped.

He stared, and said nothing, bending his head to study her. “Are you certain?”

She nodded, and did a little happy dance.

Duncan’s heart burst with happiness. He crushed her into his arms. A primal howl escaped as he twirled her in circles.

Every maid, servant, knight, and family member within earshot ran to the room. “What happened?” several voices asked.

He seared her lips with a soulful kiss.

She stumbled backward.

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He caught her at the elbows, heart still soaring with gaiety.

“God’s teeth, son. Take it to your chambers,” Ian bellowed. “You had us all worried.” Ian stood surrounded by faces, all saying the same thing.

Can I tell him?
Tara asked bouncing with excitement.

Be my guest.

“Sorry, ‘Grandpa’, we got carried away.” Tara put her head down in mock shame. “We won’t do it again.”

“As well you should be. Such displays are...

‘Grandpa’?” Ian stopped speaking, his voice lowered with suppressed happiness.

Tara looked up through strands of hair, which had fallen, in front of her eyes, obviously trying hard to keep a straight face. She failed miserably.

Duncan applauded her efforts.

“Grandpa?” Ian asked with a robust laugh.

Tara did the happy dance again.

Ian swooped her in the air as Duncan had done a moment ago. His beaming grin twinkled in his eyes. By the time Fin had his turn, Tara looked green.

Duncan, Ian and Fin apologized at the same time.

When Lora led Tara to the kitchens for food, Duncan accepted the knocks of congratulations on his back.

A new life to celebrate,
Duncan pondered. ’
tis
exactly what we needed. Worries can wait for another
day.

****

Because the family wanted to talk of the new arrival until all hours of the morning, it was late when Tara and Duncan finally made their way to their chambers. Duncan helped her out of her gown.

He pulled loose the strings binding the gown 245

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together, while she held her long vibrant hair back.

It was a husbandly chore he enjoyed fully.

“Are you truly happy?” Tara asked.

Her question surprised him. How could she not know how pleased he was? He caught her reflection in the mirror, and gathered her against him. His hand trailed down her side and settled on her flat stomach. “I couldn’t love you any more than I do right now.”

Duncan remembered the vision he had placed in her head right before he had made love to her the first time. Looking at her now was as if the vision was a premonition to their future.

“Are you sure it isn’t because of the vows we took in California?”

His brows narrowed. He caught his breath.

“The handfasting?” Tara turned to stare him in the face. “You haven’t forgotten have you?”

“Nay but...”
How does she know...

She read his thoughts, almost before they formed. “You don’t really think I don’t know what happened back there, do you?”

“Ah,” He searched deeper to see if she was angry or hurt. It was the only secret he kept. He feared what she was going to say. He swallowed and waited, but neither fear nor anger emerged.

“Even if Myra hadn’t told me, I would have figured it out. We started...”
Talking to each other
like this the instant our vows were spoken. You had
to think I’d know.

Myra told you?

“Yes, the day of our wedding. I told her the vows we took in California, and she explained what they were.” Her breath hitched. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I couldn’t have told you then, you wouldn’t have believed me.”

“What about later? When we came here?”

“There were so many things for you to take in at 246

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first. I didn’t think it was wise to give you more.”

“What about after we were engaged?”

He rolled his head back. “I didn’t want to lose you. When you ran off that first day you scared me.”

“I could never leave you.” She put her arms around him, placed her head on his chest. “When I think of how Grainna must have planned my demise, our demise, it sickens me. You didn’t have to bind with me. You could have let me say my vows and left.”

“That was never an option.” He held her tighter and shot her a look. “You have flooded my mind every moment from the minute I sat on you.”

She chuckled at the memory, then turned toward the mirror and watched as his hands slid down her hips. “A baby, Duncan. We’re going to have a child.”

He enjoyed the slim curve of her hip. “Do you think our child would mind sharing you tonight?”

His hands circled in front of her turning from love to passion.

“I think our child has little to say at this moment.”

He lifted her and carried her to the bed.

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Chapter 22

Rumors began circulating throughout the Keep and leaked to the village. Talk of Myra having some deathly illness grew. Some rumored she’d ran off with one of the men who had visited at the wedding.

Excitement over the announcement of Tara’s pregnancy halted some of the gossip surrounding Myra. However, the MacCoinnich’s thought it best to give some explanation to Myra’s disappearance. It wasn’t known how long she would be gone, and keeping up the ruse of her nonexistent presence was taxing on everyone.

One afternoon, Ian stood in the courtyard with Fin to set up their newest scam.

“She’s unreasonable. Every suitor she denies!”

Ian yelled.

“Calm down, father. Myra is willful and knows what she wants.”

“Blah.” He tossed his hands in the air. “She does not know what is good for her. Perhaps the convent will give her the solitude and time to regard my request for her to marry.”

“Are ye certain?” Fin’s voice carried to the men standing guard in the towers.

“Aye, tomorrow Duncan will escort her before the cock crows. She can return when she’s more reasonable.” Ian turned on his heel and left.

“Poor Myra.” Fin announced to the growing crowd.

Mumbles of agreement ran amongst the men.

****

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Tara hated seeing Duncan leave, even if only for a few days.
I’ll miss you.
She held him fast.

“I’ll be back in less than a week, my love. Stay close to the Keep.”

“I will.” She leaned close and whispered, “I’ll think of all kinds of wicked ways to show you how much I missed you.”
And your body.

His eyes clouded with passion, a low groan merged from his lips.
Witch! Now I’m sure not to
sleep.

“Good.” With a final kiss, Tara watched as Duncan rode away with Lora, posing as Myra hidden beneath a long cape.

****

Gregor kept watch in the early hours of the morning. The rain let up in the night, a relief for him and the men who patrolled.

He considered himself a faithful servant to Laird Ian and his family, and never thought to question why the men were placed on alert.

Whenever his laird sensed trouble, trouble came. He watched the hillsides with a keen eye, and investigated every noise.

He noticed the farmer long before the farmer saw him. He was running fast for a man his age, as if the Devil himself was on his heels.

As much as he would have liked to meet him half way, Gregor knew better than to leave his post and waited for the man to flag his attention.

Gasping for air, the man opened his mouth to speak. It took him several minutes to tell him what he found.

The nature of his tale had the hair on Gregor’s neck standing on end. He hurried the man into the courtyard and bid him water from one of the maids, and then told his squire to ready a second horse.

The commotion in the courtyard brought Ian and Fin at a run. Gregor jumped off his horse before 249

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it came to a stop. His quick bow to Laird Ian was brushed aside, he kept his voice low. “The body of a young woman from town has been found by the edge of the village.” He pointed to the farmer who was still catching his breath. “He found her, and begs that we come.”

Ian and Fin exchanged looks. “Could he determine the cause of death?”

Gregor visibly swallowed. “Her neck was cut.”

“A murder,” Fin said aloud.

“And something else. Her blood was used to circle her body. The villagers will think demons are amongst us if they find her. The man was sensible enough to come here first.”

Ian looked up at the walls of his home, several men were poised on the lookouts, and no alarm was being raised. “Quickly, Fin, and only us four.” He nodded to Gregor as Fin ran off to get their mounts.

“Is this the trouble ye thought was coming?”

“I hoped to avoid any trouble.”

****

Tara slept in late. Again. Pleased she wasn’t suffering with morning sickness, she took her time getting ready.

When she made it downstairs to the main hall it was all but abandoned.

“Where is everyone?” Tara asked the kitchen maid Alice.

“Laird Ian and Lord Fin rode off in a hurry, a problem methinks. Young Amber is out with the kittens. Lady Lora is in her chambers, mournin’ her daughter’s departure still. I’m not sure where Lord Cian is.”

Tara tensed with Alice’s words. The blank stare the woman wore on her face had goose flesh rising on her arms. Reading people was easier for Tara these days and Alice seemed scared. “Do you know what the problem is?”