The next morning Bridgid woke to the sounds of pounding. Once dressed, she noticed her mother and her mother's husband were gone. On the table they had left her some bread and cheese and she grabbed each and sailed out of the cottage.
The sun cast a brilliant glow on the land, burning the dew into mist that lingered just off the ground. Her clansmen and women were busy in their tasks. Everywhere she looked as she walked there was a buzz, a frenetic energy that was contagious. Smiles were easy. She waved to those she passed and they greeted her warmly in return. It was good to be home.
When she approached the chapel next to the keep, she saw men hard at work on a structure that looked very much like an arch. It was forming around the top of the steps, just in front of the massive doors. Naturally, she wondered what it would be used for and, distracted, her heart leapt furiously as she spied the one man who could make it do so. He would not quash her joy on this fine morning.
She bounded up the steps of the chapel to him and flashed a heart-stopping smile. The sun in her face, she held a hand to her forehead and cocked her head to one side.
"Good morning, Laird. It is a beautiful morning, is it not?"
"It is now, my lady, for you make the sun shine brighter."
She chuckled at this and perused the men intently working beside them to see if they had heard their ruthless laird speak in such a manner.
"Do you try your hand at poetry, then?"
"If it works. Is it?"
She turned her head, drawing her brows together as if she were truly measuring the question.
"I cannot say that it is not."
"Well, then, it is a start. Would you have me say more words?"
"I think you know very well that there is only one word I would have you say." Then, abruptly turning the topic. "What is this?" She motioned to the structure forming in front of their eyes.
"Its purpose is clear to the one who would but see it."
What an obtuse answer; how very like the man. She examined the structure and its placement.
"Very well, then. I will simply have to divine its purpose since you appear to be less than forthcoming." Again turning the topic. "Have you seen my mother?"
"I have."
"And," she prodded, thinking the man loved to toy with her when she seemed particularly intent upon something.
He crossed his arms in front of him and leaned casually to one side, smiling. "She is in the great hall, I believe."
"Is she?" She crinkled her brows briefly. "And what does she see to in there?"
"I know not, for certain. Though, I am advised that it is terribly important."
"Terribly important? You have tasked my mother with something important?" She knew this to be a compliment to her mother, yet was surprised.
"I think she mentioned something about a wedding…" He trailed off, pleased for the moment, for his bride-to-be, who obstinately refused to acknowledge herself as such, was instantly fuming. God, he loved to watch the play of emotions tumble across her expressive face.
"This again," she spat the words as she turned to stomp off to the keep. But, Ramsey stayed her with a gentle but unrelenting hand on her arm. He walked down a couple of steps so that he could look her in the eye.
"'Twill be a glorious day tomorrow. I would not see you ruin it while you stubbornly cling to your pride." He placed one arm around her, warming the small of her back. He pulled her slowly and efficiently up against him.
Her eyes flicked around them as she trembled like a frozen mouse.
"Laird, 'tis unseemly. You may not caress me like this in broad daylight and in front of the entire clan." She pushed against him as she motioned with her body and her eyes that they were in the midst of a captive audience.
He ignored them entirely. He did not relent his hold; he only grew bolder. He leaned in to her; his mouth was barely an inch from hers. "If they look, they see only what I have declared to them, that you will be my wife, their lady. 'Tis hardly unseemly, then, for them to see us kiss. It is only natural." And he did kiss her, then, with no affectations of unease or hesitancy. Indeed, he ravaged her mouth, forcing her to open hers and plunging his tongue in to mate with hers. As he held her close, he traced his hand lightly around the small of her back.
Ramsey loved the feel of her too much. When his hand moved downward of its own accord to clasp her buttocks he immediately stopped, wrenching himself away. Soon, he knew, and for the rest of his life, he would have her. She stared at him, her wits momentarily flown. That he could affect her so. He could pierce right to the heart of her vulnerability with one kiss. She stepped around him and went to find her mother in the keep.
"Bridgid," Ramsey called after her. She turned back to him. He was smiling, too sure of himself. "You will join me for dinner this evening."
She shook her head at him.
"Dare you disobey me in front of the entire clan?"
"You cared not of your audience before."
He walked down the steps to meet her. "You will join me for dinner this evening as we are having a guest, a very important guest. You will greet him with me, by my side." He emphasized his last words, knowing they alluded to her questions of last evening.
Somewhat appeased by this, she nodded. "As you will, then, Laird." She turned and left.
Bridgid found her mother braiding rushes in the great hall. She was just one of many women working diligently in their tasks. The hall was being cleaned and whitewashed. Tapestries and runners were being changed or cleaned. No detail was left untended.
When Leah looked up and saw her daughter, she dropped her work and flashed a bright smile.
"Daughter," she shouted in happy greeting. She ran to her and gave her a warm hug and placed a sloppy kiss upon her forehead. Then, she held her by the arms, examining her. "Why did you not tell me of your glorious news? I had to hear it from our laird. It is he you have agreed to marry?"
"There is a simple reason I have not told you."
"And," Leah waited in anxiousness.
"It is because I have not agreed to marry him."
"He told me you would say that." She let go of her daughter and turned back to her work. "Come, sit with me here while I work."
Bridgid sat down beside her mother and took up rushes to braid. But, Leah stayed her hand, taking the rushes from her. "You are not to lift a finger."
"Why not? I am an important contributor to this clan. I have always happily agreed to do my fair share."
"So you have, so you have," Leah declared, "but he has commanded it. You are to be Lady Sinclair. Your rank precludes such work. You must acclimate yourself to your new role. It is the highest honor, the highest."
Bridgid nodded, knowing her mother sought the accolades more than the honor.
Leah studied her daughter, wondering on the edges of her hesitancies.
"What is it, my beautiful daughter, that holds you back from this?" Leah saw Ramsey out of the corner of her eyes and smiled to call a greeting, but he shook his head and held a finger to his mouth, imploring her to make no note of him.
"He does not love me, mother," she practically wailed her lament. "He wants me in his bed."
"And what man would not," Leah interrupted Bridgid's explanation.
"He tolerates me," Bridgid continued. "He has a hole to fill and dirt to fill it. That is all."
"Dirt? I am afraid you have lost me, daughter."
"I am his problem to be solved," she looked into her mother's eyes, pleading for her understanding. "It is not the love match that I had planned."
"Ah, love. You were always fanciful in that. Your father, God rest him until I get there, always abetted you in your notions. But, you insult me when you declare it is not the love match you had planned. For, in truth, we both know it is exactly the love match you have always planned. You love him, daughter."
"I do," Bridgid answered with no hesitation, "with all my heart." Leah glanced at Ramsey.
"And, how long have you loved him?"
"How long? I cannot say. It seems that I have loved him my whole life and, yet, I know that since his return, since he became laird, it suddenly became very real."
Leah smiled warmly, then, and leaned in to take her daughter's hand. "Then, do yourself a favor, do your heart a favor, and give him a chance."
"And risk getting hurt when he casts me aside?"
"Why would he cast you aside? Do you think so little of your laird?"
"You know I do not."
"Apparently, I do not."
"Without love, this passion he has for me is fleeting. He could have anyone in his bed, mother, anyone," she stressed. "I could not take the devastation when he turns from me. I would be his helpmate, his partner, the mother of his children, his dearest friend, as well as his lover." Her voice faded off, embarrassed at her own pledge. "Would that I could know he felt the same."
"Then all is not lost. You may one day hear that pledge and know it to be true when you do." Leah sought to make eye contact with Ramsey again but found him gone. She patted her daughter's hand and returned to her rushes.
Bridgid strove to avoid the keep and Ramsey for the rest of the day. Since she was not allowed to work as she had before, she went to the stables to find a horse to ride. She carried her bow and arrows, just in case. And if they afforded her some dinner, well, all would be the better.
She flew out of the stables on the back of a gray mare she favored. Her golden hair trailed behind her and caught the sun. When she passed Ramsey on her way to the fields he was struck momentarily by her beauty, her smile. She seemed to be happy. That she could love him so. He knew not why he was favored, but was determined to earn it.
But, in a flash, fear crept in at her leaving. Would she seek to leave me even now? He whistled to Proster and waved him over furiously.
"Yes, Laird?"
"See to a horse and follow your lady," he pointed to the gold and gray vision that rode off. "She has a tendency to wander south these days and I would not see her lost to me."
Proster nodded and smiled as he climbed on a horse and rode off after her. He knew the lady was giving his laird trouble. And, he could not help himself. He enjoyed seeing the fierce warrior twist just a little in the wind.
Bridgid had not intended to go far while she was all alone. She was chastened and more than aware of the possibilities of unseen danger since her and Gillian's brush with death. But, she caught sight of Proster trailing dutifully behind her, no doubt at his laird's request. The man was becoming a worrier where she was concerned. He would assign anyone to watch over her if he himself could not do it. She knew this should annoy her but, in truth, it warmed her heart. Though he could not yet say the words, she knew he cared for her, if only just a little.
With Proster watching her back, she rode deep into the surrounding forests and hard for many hours. Because of the arduous journey to England and back, she had become accustomed to riding for several hours in a day and found she enjoyed the diversion. When she finally stopped to rest, she spotted a plump rabbit and eagerly nocked her bow. But, as she carefully took aim, Proster rode forward.
"My lady, get down," he screamed. He, too, had his bow nocked.
Bridgid crouched low on her horse, waiting for an ambush to appear. And, when it did not, she carefully picked her head up and looked around.
"Where is the danger," she asked.
"I know not," he replied. "I saw you nock your bow and take aim. I assumed you intended someone injury that I could not yet see.
"I did," she laughed, "my dinner. But, you scared him off."
"Your dinner? You were hunting? Does Laird Sinclair know of this?"
She sat back on her horse, pursing her lips and scolding him with her eyes. "I expect he does not. I do not need his permission to do anything, nor do I seek his sanction or approval. I am a hunter, a good one. I have been doing thus for some time now and plan to continue doing as such."
"My lady, 'tis not proper for a woman to do such things."
"My father taught his only child to hunt. I care not what anyone else thinks. Now, if you would kindly quiet yourself and watch, you might learn something."