Marti Talbott's Highlander Series 1 (Anna, Rachel & Charlet) Read online

  Anna beamed and leaned down to put her cheek next to the baby’s cheek. It was the softest thing she had ever felt and she closed her eyes to savor the feeling. Then two little boys ran in, saw Anna and abruptly stopped. She handed the baby back to her mother and motioned for the boys to come. Each looked to their mother for permission and once she nodded, they ran to her. Anna was surprised when they wanted to touch her face. It was as though they needed to be sure it did not still hurt and when the smallest one poked her cheek, she poked his back. That made him laugh.

  “There now,” Katie said. “By nightfall all the mothers will know, the place will be crawling with children again and they will all want to poke your face.”

  “I will love it”

  It was a true blessing. Every time Anna went out to walk, the children gathered around. They poked her at first, but she knew games and tricks they had never seen before and they were fascinated. Once when Katie looked out the window, Anna was flat on the ground with laughing children crawling all over her and Katie couldn‘t wait to tell Kevin --his wife doesn’t know it, but she wants children.

  CHAPTER VIII

  Word finally came by way of one of the king’s soldiers; they finally found Rachel. The Highlanders gathered their things, prepared the horses and were standing near the clearing watching Catherin pace back and forth.

  Justin leaned close to Kevin, “How long should I wait before I marry her?”

  Kevin looked surprised. “You prefer her?”

  “Are you daft? Every unmarried lad in the clan will want her.”

  “Then 'Tis a good thing you have the advantage.”

  “What advantage?”

  “It was you who saved her and it is you she talks to.” Catherin was pacing faster now and Kevin could only guess how hard it was for her to wait. “It will please my wife if her mother and sister live with us.”

  “Aye. How old do you think Catherin is?”

  Kevin smiled, “I do not even know how old Anna is, but I would guess Stoneham took Catherin when she was very young.”

  Finally, Athena walked into the clearing with a child in her arms. Catherin screeched, began to run and as soon as Athena let Rachel down, the child turned and ran into her mother’s arms.

  Behind Athena, the King of England sat on his horse watching. He got down when Athena walked back to him and was surprised when the woman boldly kissed his cheek. Grinning, he got back on his mount, returned Kevin’s nod of appreciation and rode away.

  On the other side of Kevin, Thomas sighed. “It warms my heart to see such joy. Do you want me to ride ahead and tell your wife we are bringing them with us?”

  “Nay, I wish to surprise her.”

  Kevin and his warriors had been gone for most of three weeks when they finally neared the keep. He told Justin to hide Catherin and Rachel in the trees so he could sneak them in later. Catherin didn’t look happy about that idea, but she didn’t make a fuss.

  The men were tired, hungry and wanted to see their families. But instead of being inside the wall, the women, children and most of the guards were standing on the crest watching something in the meadow. Kevin almost didn’t go see what it was, but when his men headed over and the crowd laughed, it piqued his curiosity.

  As soon as he swung down off his horse, Katie ran to him. “You are not going to believe this!” She grabbed his arm and was practically dragging him when he came to a sudden halt.

  There she was. The horse was as big as he remembered and the woman was even more beautiful. She was wearing the same skirt with her purple tunic, belt and medallion. The only thing different was the white ruffled nightcap on her head and this time she carried no bow and arrows.

  The woman slid off the horse and lay down in the field. The horse circled her once and then side stepped until he was as close as he could get without stepping on her. Then the stallion nudged her side with his head. She didn’t move a muscle, so he nudged her again. Suddenly, she sprang up, patted his nose and ran away. The crowd roared.

  It was the horse’s turn. He got down on all fours, laid down and rolled over on his back until his hooves were sticking up in the air. Again the crowd roared.

  “The horse showed up two days ago,” Katie said, watching the woman walk over to the horse. The woman took her bare foot and gently nudged the side of the horse, but the horse didn’t move and half the crowd was bent over with laughter. Again, the woman nudged the horse and this time the horse rolled away from her until he was on his side. The woman gently patted his neck, sat down on his side and then stretched out. She folded her arms and closed her eyes. The horse closed his eyes as well and they both looked like they were asleep.

  Kevin was worried. “The horse can not help but hurt her this time.”

  “I have seen her do this twice before. Just watch.” said Katie.

  The horse moved so slowly, it was a thing of beauty. He let the woman sit up, step off and move away before he rolled on his stomach and got his legs under him. Then he waited until she grabbed his mane and swung up on his back. As soon as they were up and trotting again, she moved to stand on his back, and when he stopped in the middle of the meadow, she slowly curtsied. The crowd cheered.

  “How did you find her and what do I do now? I am married.”

  Katie was surprised Anna’s ruffled nightcap hadn’t given it away. She put her hands on her hips and watched the side of his face. “‘Tis a sorry day when a MacGreagor does not recognize his own wife.”

  His mouth dropped and he nearly went weak in the knees. He couldn’t take his eyes off her before, but now he saw her as his wife and she was even more magnificent.

  “The horse swam the moat and nearly toppled the wall to get to her,” said Katie, “I have never seen anyone so happy to see a horse. I tell you Kevin, she rides like the wind and gave her guards quite a scare the first time she out ran them.

  Anna slid down off the horse and started to walk away. The horse followed and began to nudge her back just as it had the first time Kevin saw her.

  Katie continued, “We also have a visitor. The same morning the horse showed up, the guards found Anna’s friend, Harold, sleeping in the courtyard. He is the one who told us Stoneham was dead, her mother was free and you were looking for Rachel.”

  “How did he get in?”

  “No one knows and he is not telling no matter how many of your men glare at him. He came to bring her belongings. Anna probably knows how he got in. In fact, it might take a lifetime to learn everything Anna knows and we must be grateful our mother taught us to speak English. Shall I get her attention?”

  “She knows I am here. She shot an arrow between my legs, remember, and I was certain she had not noticed me then.”

  Katie laughed, “She said she wasn’t aiming that low.”

  He looked at his sister finally. “Do you mean she remembered me?”

  “When you tried to find her that day, she hid in the forest to get a good look at your face. Then the first morning she was here, she recognized you.”

  “I looked everywhere for her that day and each time I went back.”

  “She tried to find you too...when her father finally let her out. Kevin, you have no idea how happy you made her when you told her about the lass on the horse.”

  “I thought she would hate me forever.” He watched Anna sit down and then carefully turn until she was laying face up on the horse’s back. His smile widened even more when she finished her trick and the horse brought her to him.

  “Threcher stop,” she said not two feet from him. Her eyes were dancing and she nearly forgot her manners until the horse started pawing the ground. “Oh do forgive me. Threcher, this is my husband. You will obey him as you do me.” The horse nodded, curled a leg back, bowed and then stood back up.

  “He might not let you touch me,” she warned when Kevin moved closer. “He will need to get used to you first. In case you have not noticed, he is a very powerful horse. I have had him since the day he was born and sometimes I t
hink he understands English. Tell me, are my mother and sister well? Did you find Rachel?”

  She was so beautiful up close he could hardly think and Katie had to nudge him to get him to answer. “Aye, are you getting down off that horse?”

  They had a very large audience, but neither of them seemed to notice. “That depends.”

  He spread his legs apart and folded his arms, “On what?”

  “I have not yet had a wedding feast and I wondered if that could be arranged.”

  “It could, is there anything else?”

  “There is.”

  “And what might that be?”

  She grinned and once more stood up on the horse’s back. With her eyes closed, she began to turn and fall so she would land on her back in his arms. “You!”

  It was the first time she had been kissed and she hardly knew what to expect, but the minute he set her down, put his strong arms around her and touched his lips to hers, she was completely lost in the wonder of it.

  He didn’t hear the crowd cheering or feel his sister pat his arm before she walked away. All he could think about was how good she felt in his arms. He didn’t even notice when the horse trotted off to graze and the crowd left.

  He kissed her, ravished her neck, lifted her into his arms, swung her around and kissed her again. Then he remembered he meant to bathe in the loch before he saw her.

  When he finally set her down, she looked into his eyes. “Did you kill him?”

  “Nay, the King of England killed him.”

  She was astounded and couldn’t quite take it in. Finally, she asked, “Did you tell him what I said?”

  “Aye, right before he died.”

  “Good.” She took his hand and walked with him toward the drawbridge.

  But he let go of her hand and put his arm around her instead. “Should we put your horse in the stable?”

  “I doubt anyone can.”

  “Are you challenging us?”

  “Not at all, I am protecting our property. You would not like knowing what happened to the last stable someone tried to put him in.”

  He couldn’t stop looking at her and hadn’t heard much of what she said. He was sure ten thousand men could attack and he would still be looking at her, so he had to force himself to think of something else. “How did Harold get inside the hold?” When she started to laugh, he frowned. “Anna, it is for our protection. I must know.”

  She sighed and gave in. “Well, Harold found Threcher. He also found my belongings and managed to recover some of them. He used what I am wearing now to tempt the horse so he would follow. It seems my horse likes purple. Threcher is nearly two hands taller than that sad thing Harold rides, so when they got here, Harold got them across the moat and used the two horses like stair steps to get over the wall and jump down. Unfortunately, he brought my clothing inside with him and Threcher was having none of it.”

  “I would prefer you wear my plaid.”

  “I know, but I worry the plaid will come undone when I ride. If it did and Threcher stepped on it...”

  “I see your meaning.” A shiver ran down his spine just thinking about what could happen. He kissed her hard and then headed for the loch to bathe.

  She watched him take the clean clothing one of the women handed him and sighed. “I believe I like kissing very much -- but that is all.”

  Kevin invited his twenty most trusted men and their wives to join them for the evening meal. Half his men were unmarried and he wondered just how much competition Justin would have. Two hours ago, the cooks began to prepare the meal, men carried water up for his wife’s bath and women brought bouquets of flowers to adorn the great hall. Anna hadn’t changed a thing, but no matter, he was convinced she would once she felt it was her home. He wanted everything to be perfect for his surprise and so far, it was.

  All they had to do was wait for her and he couldn’t keep from glancing toward her door every thirty seconds or so. He reminded Thomas one more time to tell everyone not to notice when her mother and sister came in. Then he saw the annoyed look on Thomas’ face.

  At last, her door opened and she walked out. She couldn’t have been more becoming. She wore his plaid and moved along the balcony with such grace it took his breath away. On her head, she wore a blue scarf the same color as her eyes that hung down her back to her waist.

  When she started down the stairs, she noticed how quiet it had gotten so she stopped and wrinkled her brow. She tilted her head to one side and asked, “Is something amiss?”

  “Nothing could be amiss tonight, I would not let it be,” her husband answered, heading to the bottom of the stairs to meet her.

  Thomas leaned closer to Katie, “I did not even guess how bonnie she would be.”

  “That’s right; you have been away while she was healing. She does not know how beautiful she is either. She keeps asking why the men stare at her. She thinks it is her lack of hair, but Kevin will soon notice and have a few heads.” Katie watched her brother kiss his wife and cheered with the rest of the gathering.

  “Does that mean you did not miss me, Lass?” Thomas asked.

  Katie looked at the gleam in his eye and blushed. Too soon, Kevin and Anna were standing in front of her and it was her duty to keep talking until the surprise arrived. So she talked…and talked...until blessedly, Kevin interrupted.

  “Anna, turn around.”

  “No, I want to hear what your sister has to say.” But Katie stopped talking. Then she heard a small voice behind her say, “My Anna.” She spun around so fast, she nearly toppled over. “Rachel?” She ran to her mother and soon, mother and daughter were hugging, kissing, and nearly squishing Rachel between them.

  “My Anna,” the little girl announced again.

  Anna moved away and fully intended to take Rachel out of her mother’s arms, but the child reached for Justin instead. He was more than happy to take her and lifted her high in the air until she giggled.

  Anna wanted to introduce her to Katie, but her mother turned to look at the closed door. The room grew quiet and the guests parted when Catherin slowly moved toward it. Anna motioned for the guard to move away and followed her mother.

  Catherin paused and for a very long time she stared at the handle. Her hand was shaking, but she finally managed to get a firm hold on it and began to pull. It was a heavy door and Kevin thought to help her, but Anna shook her head. Catherin added her other hand and when the door opened, a look of sheer joy crossed her face. She let the guard hold the door open for her and headed out.

  In the light of a full moon, the dark courtyard was a dusty blue when Catherin walked straight across it until she reached the raised drawbridge and stopped. Behind her, Anna and all thirty-one guests followed. With Kevin’s nod, the bridge began to lower and as soon as it was secure, Catherin glanced back, spotted Rachel sitting on Justin’s shoulder and then started across.

  “Is she going back to England?” Justin whispered to Kevin.

  “If she is, it seems we are all going with her.”

  Catherin turned toward the meadow where Threcher was grazing. When they reached the crest, the crowd stopped to watch. Anna hurried to catch up and without a word, took her mother’s hand and made her stop. Then she let go, moved away, reached both of her arms out with her palms up and began to slowly spin. In a few seconds, her mother did the same.

  “What are they doing?” asked Kevin.

  It was Katie who answered. “They are tasting freedom. Anna did the same thing when we finally let her out.”

  Athena said, “A MacGreagor did this to them and it will be MacGreagors who set it right.” Everyone nodded.

  Anna grabbed her mother’s hand and pointed. The horse was turning around and around and when she saw it, Catherin burst out laughing. Soon mother and daughter were laughing so hard, they had to sit down in the meadow.

  Katie asked Rachel if she was hungry and when the child nodded, she took her off Justin’s shoulder and led the guests back inside. That left only Kevin and
Justin to watch the women play in the meadow like children and Kevin wondered if he would ever get them to come back inside. He began to doubt it even more when Catherin wanted to spin again and Anna joined her. Then he wondered if the women even knew he and Justin were there.

  Dizzy, Anna and her mother had to hug each other to keep from falling down and finally sat down in the grass. Unaware the breeze would carry their words to the men, they began to talk.

  “Mother, there are good people here. They are so kind and loving, I hardly know what to do. I have thanked them so often I am certain they have grown weary of hearing it.”

  “Your husband and Justin are kind, but...”

  “I believe my husband is a very good man. I love him, Mother. I realize I know little of love, but my heart leaps when he is near me. Did you love my father at first?”

  “Anna, I was twelve. What could I have known of love?”

  “Twelve,” Justin breathed. “That toerag!”

  “Am I too young to know of love?” Anna asked.

  Catherin brushed a strand of Anna‘s hair out of her daughter‘s face. “At seventeen, you are twice as wise and three times more brave than I will ever be. You must be the one to decide if you are old enough to love.”

  Kevin shifted his weight. “Good heavens, her mother is not much older than I am.”

  “Mother, will you stay for just a little while and learn about these people?”

  “I am afraid.”

  “I know, I am terrified too.”

  The women were looking at the men now and Kevin’s mind was racing. He knew Catherin was frightened, but Anna hadn’t seemed afraid since that first day when she wouldn’t give him her hand. What terrified her?

  “I am thinking of Rachel,” Anna was saying. “I want to see her in a home where there is love and joy, not fear.”