Highland Soldiers: The Betrayal (13 page)

“He did know.”

Jenny nodded. “And he held no affection, nor any respect for me.”

“It angered him greatly to lose you,” said Andrew.

“Because of his pride,” Jenny hastened to say. “But he never loved me.”

“After you left, he went into a rage. He demanded compensation. But with no money left in the tontine, he settled for revenge. He went to the Laird of Glengarry. I’m sure it was his plan to repay his public humiliation with mine. But Glengarry has been good enough to keep it private.”

Jenny reached for Duncan’s hand.

Andrew gazed at his wife. “I am sorry, good wife.”

Rowena’s sympathy shone through her distress.

Before she could speak, Andrew opened his desk drawer and pulled out a pistol. Pushing Jenny behind him, Duncan lunged over the desk and grabbed hold of Andrew’s forearm to keep him from pointing it at himself. A hissing sound and a puff of smoke rose from the pistol, and then nothing. Duncan forced the pistol from Andrew’s hand as Rowena rushed to her husband’s side. “Are you hurt?”

Andrew stared at his desk without expression. “No, much to my misfortune.”

Duncan said, “You’re lucky the main charge failed to ignite. Give me your word that you’ll not try that again.”

Andrew did not respond right away, but a tear trailed down his face. His voice broke as he said, “You have my word.” He fell into his wife’s arms and wept.

Jenny stared at her father. She had never seen him cry, or express any emotion like this.

After a quick search of the desk, Duncan found what he needed to remove the ball and clean the powder from the barrel. With that done, he slid the pistol into his belt. “I’ll keep this for you for now.” Pulling Jenny aside, he asked, “Are there any more guns in here?”

“Not that I know of.”

While Rowena tended to Andrew, Duncan led Jenny outside. As he closed the door, Jenny said, “I should do something.”

“They are best left alone, for now.”

With Jenny’s hand still in his grasp, Duncan led her on a walk to nowhere in particular, just away from the house. “You will not blame yourself.”

“I dinnae know what you mean.”

“Yes, you do. You may lie to yourself, but do not lie to me.”

Jenny walked on in silence.

“This was not your fault.” He lifted her chin and searched her eyes. “Nor was it mine.”

Jenny lifted rueful eyes. “And yet, here we are at the center of it.”

Duncan stopped and pulled her into his arms. “I’ll hear no more talk like that. We may have been at the center, but we were not the cause. Your own father admitted it.”

“That’s little comfort when your parents and now mine have had their lives torn apart. All the people we love have been hurt.”

A fierce look burned in Duncan’s eyes. “Tavish MacLean has had his revenge.”

Duncan helped Andrew stow the trunks on the carriage Rowena’s sister and husband had sent for them. Her sister had married a wealthy merchant. Andrew had always looked down upon him for being in trade, but now the merchant would be able to look down upon them. They had become the poor relations, and Rowena’s sister and husband were taking them in. They would live in his grand house in Glasgow until Andrew could put their lives back together.

“Must you leave right away?” Jenny asked them.

Rowena touched her palm to Jenny’s cheek. “We must put this life behind us. It will be better for your father.” Tears welled in her eyes.

Andrew was not himself. Nor would he be, Jenny feared. She promised to visit as she held her mother close and bade her goodbye. She gave her father a kiss on the cheek. He could barely bring his red-rimmed eyes to meet hers. When he did, all she saw there was sadness.

Duncan offered his hand as Rowena stepped into the carriage. She was grateful, and showed it. He had saved her husband’s life. There were no words for that, nor did Duncan expect them. The carriage drove off, but the unbidden weight of their sorrow remained.

*

Duncan and Jenny stayed with Callum and Mari for a time. They had a large house, which they were glad to share. Summer came, and its warmth and long days had a healing effect upon Jenny. In the mornings, Callum and Duncan practiced swordplay at the castle with Alex, Charlie and their clansmen. There were rumors of being called back into service, but none came to fruition. In the afternoons, Duncan and Jenny helped Callum with chores. While their house was grand, their income was not. There was always work to do, and Duncan and Jenny were glad for the chance to help out. Night fell late in the summer, so they had long evenings to walk and dream together of the future. Life was as they once hoped it would be after marriage, with days of contentment, and nights of passion.

The time came to deliver more food and supplies to Duncan’s parents. They were producing enough kelp to pay for most of it. Soon the first barley crop would be harvested and they would begin to make whisky.

On a cool summer evening, joined by Alex and Charlie, they all sat by the fire talking and laughing. When the conversation fell into a comfortable lull, Callum said, “We’ve not had enough evenings like this.”

Mari said, “Aye, it’s true. This reminds me of our days together in Edinburgh.”

While they had shared many fine evenings together, they had shared tragedy, too. Duncan eyed them skeptically. “We have been here since spring. Are you not tired of us yet?”

Mari smiled. “Never.” “We have not seen Alex and Charlie as much as we’d like.” Mari look to them both for agreement.

Duncan glanced at the men with a smirk. “That lot is but minutes away, and we’ve trained together every day.”

Mari met Alex’s eyes with a knowing expression.

Taking her cue, Alex said, “Och, Duncan. In truth, do you not wish for those days?”

“No,” Duncan said bluntly. “I do not.”

Alex chuckled. “Of course you do. Don’t we all?”

When no answer came forth, Alex gave Charlie a sharp elbow to the ribs.

“Aye! More time together!” Charlie said as though waking up.

Duncan glanced at Jenny. They both turned toward the others, whose eyes twinkled mischievously.

Silence stretched awkwardly on until Mari said, “The truth is, we thought it a nice time to go spend by the sea. We were all hoping there might be some barley to harvest, and a croft to build.”

Jenny grinned. “’Tis a fine idea! Would you really do that for us?”

“Not for Duncan,” said Callum with a wink. But for you and his parents we will.” He leaned forward. “However, there is one condition.” He turned to Duncan, in earnest, but made him wait for the rest. “I would have a dram or two of your whiskey.”

With a broad smile, Duncan said, “It will be yours. But if it doesnae taste good, blame the harvest workers.”

“I will do just that.”

Duncan leaned back, content to have such good friends.

*

A driving rain welcomed them back to the croft on the coast.

“’Tis a good thing that I thought to bring a tent.” The corner of Callum’s mouth quirked up as he caught Mari’s eye. They both knew that she had reminded him of it.

Duncan pointed out a suitable place to pitch the tent, and they set to work. The rain had blown over by morning, but they waited another day for the barley to dry enough to harvest. Duncan thought they should wait one more day, but Brodie disagreed. The best chance for a few days of sunshine was right after a rain. So they went to the fields when the dew had burned off and the sun was high in the sky. A strong sea breeze braced their spirits as they faced the task before them.

The men cut their way down long rows with sickles, while the women followed to gather and bundle the grain. Jenny stole more than a few glances at Duncan as he bent over to work. His shirt, damp from sweat, clung to his broad shoulders and muscular arms. Her eyes traced a path from his torso to his backside and powerful thighs. Hard work had its rewards, she decided. Her thoughts thus focused, she did not hear Charlie approach. Nor did she see him follow her gaze and grin as he guessed her thoughts. Charlie cleared his throat loudly.

“Och, Charlie, you startled me!” Jenny pressed her hand to her chest.

“So I see. You seemed deep in thought.” If his knowing weren’t enough, he glanced back at Duncan and then at her, grinning.

Unable to deflect Charlie’s unabashed teasing, Jenny blushed and turned away.

Charlie chuckled. The others all stopped working and headed for the barrel of water. Charlie poured a dipper of water over his head.

Duncan sat down beside Jenny, and joined her in leaning against a stack of bundles. “I’m sorry that you have to do field work.”

Charlie overheard and offered, with a wink, “She has a fine eye for this sort of work, haven’t you, Jenny?”

Duncan seemed confused. “I dinnae know that it takes as much eye as it does muscle.”

Charlie nodded, “Aye, well, your Jenny appreciates both, don’t you Jenny?”

Jenny picked up a handful of stray stalks and threw them at Charlie, who was already ducking. “Away with you!”

Charlie brushed the barley from his hair and clothing as he rose to go after more water.

Jenny blushed as she explained to Duncan, “Charlie caught me admiring you as you worked. You’re very braw.”

Duncan’s eyes smoldered with unexpressed thoughts. “You’re a fine worker, yourself, lass.” He glanced down at the moist neckline of her shift and blew gently on her chest to cool her. His lips spread into a slight smile as she leaned her head back against the barley stack. With a sigh, she closed her eyes.

Duncan said, “Your arms and back will be sore from the work.” He proceeded to rub her shoulders and neck.

Callum announced that he was going back to work, and everyone followed. Duncan and Jenny exchanged a wistful look, and then joined the others.

At the end of the day, they went down to the shore.

Charlie announced, “Take heed, lassies! I’ll not swim in my plaid, so turn your heads or not. Tis your choice.” By the time he had said it, his plaid lay in a heap on the rocks, and his leine was next to follow.

With a gasp, Mari turned. “Charlie, you gave us no time!”

Jenny laughed and called out. “He’s a proud man, Mari. We’re still not sure why.” Mari was too shocked to laugh, but the men chuckled and called out their agreement.

The other men showed no shame in unwrapping their plaids and running into the water, as they had done many times in the loch since they were young children. But Mari, steeped in her lowland Covenanter upbringing, was unused to their wild Highland ways. For her sake, Jenny discreetly alerted her when the men were fully immersed in the water. For years, Jenny had felt like one of the lads. There was nothing any of them could do anymore that she could not dismiss with a roll of her eyes. She should have minded their antics, but she did not.

Jenny said, “This may shock you, but I’m going in there, too.”

Mari was not shocked, but neither was she ready to take off all but her shift to go into the water with a group of naked men, even if her husband was one of them. “You go on, Jenny. I’ll wade in to my ankles.”

Callum called out to Mari, “Wear your shift into the water. We’ll all turn around until you’re all the way in.”

Charlie said, “I’ll make no such promises, dearie!”

Callum practically growled. “Lad, you can look away on your own, or I’ll have you looking away under water.”

Charlie laughed. “You’re not as much fun as you used to be!”

Mari said, “Oh, but Charlie, he is!”

It was Charlie’s turn to be caught off guard. For once, he was at a loss for words.

Meanwhile, Callum came out of the water such as he was, and scooped the fully clothed Mari into his arms, and carried her over his shoulder and into the water. Jenny laughed as she removed all but her shift and ran after. Duncan waved and swam toward her, meeting her in shoulder-deep water. He planted a kiss that took her breath away, as his hands explored all they could find under the water.

“Duncan! The others.” She warned him.

“They cannae see me do this.”

Jenny gasped.

“Or this.”

“Oh!” Her eyes were quite round. Duncan’s smile dissolved and a dark expression took its place. “I’ve been yearning for you.” His warm breath brushed her ear.

“Well, you’ll not have me here!” She whispered, frantically.

He held her against him so his lips brushed hers as he spoke. “Tonight. We’ll sneak out under moonlight. I want to hear you sigh my name as we lie on a bed of fresh-cut barley.”

Jenny glanced about to make sure no one saw the exquisite torment he could cause under water.

“Tonight, then?”

“Aye.” It came out as a sigh. “Now, please stop.” With reluctance, she gently pushed him away.

He took her face in his hands and touched his forehead to hers. “Know this, Jenny, my love. Between now and then, every time I look at you, I’ll be thinking of us in the barley, and what I will do to coax another sigh from you.”

She looked away to be sure no one was watching, sure that her thoughts could be read on her face. “And I will have thoughts of my own.”

No one was watching because everyone else was on their way out of the water. Some stood on the shore. Jenny asked, and Duncan saw to it, that the men turn away as she emerged with her linen shift clinging to her body. She hid behind jutting rocks as she squeezed out the water until the shift hung loosely. Then she gathered up her clothes and walked back to the croft while her shift dried. Duncan slipped his hand into hers, and they lingered behind the others. Jenny hoped she would never lose the thrill his touch brought her.

He smiled down at her, and lifted a brow as his gaze swept over her breasts. “You should put on your bodice.”

“But my shift is still damp.”

“Aye, it is that.” Duncan hooked his arm about her neck and drew her close to his side while he whispered into her ear. “And, while it is a bonnie sight, I would rather it be only mine to see.”

Jenny followed his gaze to her chest. Her wet linen shift was translucent and clung to her curves. Mortified, she glanced up at his smoldering eyes.