Claimed by a Laird (26 page)

James paused for dramatic effect, glancing at Anna for
approval over his performance. She caught her breath in her throat but held her
face expressionless. Was this why she never saw her father growing up? Because
she literally
couldn’t
?

Obviously tiring of waiting for her reaction, James sighed.
“I waited for him every night after that and in seven days, he reappeared. He
retrieved his things and slipped out of the castle under the cover of night.
One year later, he visited the Grahams again and the same thing happened. That
time, however, I formulated a plan to take the stone for myself.”

Anna was not sure how long James had been drinking, but a
slight slur infiltrated his speech. She slowed her breathing, determined not to
allow her mind to spin out of control. She needed to keep a level head and
keenly observe her surroundings for the slightest opportunity to escape. If she
could keep James calm and drinking, she just might have a chance.

He briefly closed his eyes and laughed. “It was too easy,
really. After he reappeared, he was distraught and slipped the stone into a
satchel. I followed him to the chapel where he sought confession from the
priest in residence, and swiped the stone from the bag while he made his
confession. It was then I heard him speak about you.”

James paused and lifted her fingers to his lips again.

“As soon as I was able,” he seemingly became mesmerized all
over again by the sheer memory as he cast his gaze to the other side of the
hall and his voice softened, “I attempted to use the stone as he did. It took
me years to figure out it was the timing of the equinox that allowed a man to
disappear from one world and into another. But when it finally worked it was
amazing, Anna. I was transported to a place so much like where I had come from,
yet so different at the same time. At first, I feared I was living a nightmare
where the English crown had successfully rid Scotland of its people since no
one spoke anything other than English, but there were so many other astonishing
things around me I knew the place could not be from my imagination. Strange
wagons without horses. Wooden boxes with moving and talking life-like
paintings. Light without flames.”

Anna’s eyes shot to his, her throat dry. Her spine tingled
in terror at the quick, almost imperceptible darkening of the spark in his
hazel eyes.

“I knew you existed somewhere in that world and it took me
years to find you. But when I did, I knew you were Alec Campbell’s daughter.
All that red hair and those sea-blue eyes. You looked so much like him. You
still do.” He squeezed her hand then gulped down the rest of his ale.

Dazed, she followed his hand as it seemingly moved in slow
motion to rest the empty cup on the arm of the chair. Then a small thought
snapped her back into the present moment. Here was her chance to play the
dutiful wife he so obviously wished her to be. “Would you like more?” she
demurely offered, forcing herself to lean toward him as the stench of unwashed
skin met her nostrils. Lord, the man needed a bath.

His unfocused eyes widened in momentary surprise before his
features softened. “You have read my mind, my love.”

She smiled and curled a finger toward the woman waiting in
the shadows with the pitcher of ale.

The pale gold liquid fell from the pitcher into James’ cup.
He did not drink this much when she knew him. But then again, she had probably
never known the real James until the moment he hit her.

He waived the servant away and tipped his head back to allow
more ale to slide down his throat. “I can hardly believe I let you slip away
from me so easily,” he grumbled, throwing her an annoyed glare.

Anna’s whole abdomen suddenly contracted—hard—and she bit
her bottom lip to prevent herself from uttering her surprise at the ferocity of
the pain. She gripped the armrest, desperately attempting to convince herself
she was only having an especially bad run of false labor.

James laced his fingers between hers and took another drink.
“Even though I could not get that damned stone to work for awhile, it was not
long before its charms worked in my family’s favor while the Campbells fell on
hard times. They lost land, wealth and many warriors as rivals challenged them
for their land and wealth. Your father’s elder brother and heir to the clan
leadership was killed on the battlefield. And then the Gowries came to their
rescue in return for their fealty and service to us.”

The contraction fell away as James spoke and, before
thinking better of it, she murmured a thought out loud. “They became your
henchmen.”

James simply clucked his tongue. “You say that as though it
is a bad thing. You have spent far too much time in the company of the
MacAirth.”

“If you had all the power you needed, then why come after
me?” she asked, steering the subject away from Galen. The mere thought of him
brought tears to her eyes and she could not risk James becoming suspicious she
harbored any real feelings for Galen. James would use it against her for
certain.

“The Campbell run of bad luck did not stay around forever,
you know,” he replied in irritation. “Once your father took over as laird,
things slowly turned around for them. Since I was my father’s heir, I wanted
assurance the Campbells would remain under my power when I became laird. Once I
figured out how to do it, I started traveling to that damnable excuse for a
fair in the old Graham castle every year for eight years before I finally found
you. In the beginning, I thought to simply hold you in my household as a
hostage. But then I saw you. I saw what a beautiful woman you had turned into
and realized if you were my wife, then I would have further control over your
father and his clan. In fact, I figured I could have his sons killed in order
to ensure only you would inherit his lands.”

Anna’s stomach filled with dread and she sank back against
the chair, closing her eyes. James’ kidnapping of her had nothing at all to do
with Galen and had everything to do with keeping her father in line—if this man
he spoke of was indeed her father. She now knew with certainty James would
never willingly let her go. Not when so much of his pride and power was at
stake.

Silence fell between them as Anna stared at the feast’s
preparations before her. James intermittently caressed her hand as he held it
and commented on whatever popped into his head, whether it was what he had
ordered to be cooked for the meal or future plans for his castle. She fought
the urge to shake off his unwelcome touch, only half hearing his words, and
glanced around the room, searching for some distraction.

Her entire abdomen buckled inward as another contraction
bore down upon her. The contractions were becoming harder, but they were not
painful or coming terribly fast yet. She prayed for more time as the light grew
dim in the hall and food was piled on the tables before her.

Soon the feast was underway. A minstrel strolled through the
increasingly drunk and rowdy crowd that paid little attention to him. Laughter
and shouted conversations pounded in Anna’s ears as James guided her to a table
on a dais near the fireplace.

Balancing cups in one hand and a large pitcher in the other,
a serving woman stooped before them to place everything on the table. She
curtsied shyly in front of Anna and James before pouring them both cups of
blood-red wine.

James handed her one of the cups and then raised the other
to her with a triumphant smile before throwing his head back and downing the
contents. He laughed as she wrinkled her nose at the smell and swiftly leaned
forward, planting a kiss at the corner of her mouth before she had the chance
to move away.

“Drink up,” he insisted into her ear as he rubbed her lower back.
“I have not yet tupped a woman so great with child, but tonight I could be
persuaded.”

A wave of panicked revulsion washed over her. He laughed
again as her eyes, wide with fright, met his. She had to get out of there, but
how?

“Drink,” he insisted.

Anna lifted the cup and tilted her head back, careful to
keep her mouth closed so the wine would not pass through. She pretended to
swallow and licked her lips, the bitterness of the wine tingling the tip of her
tongue.

“That is my good lassie,” James crooned, squeezing her hip.

She was rescued from the repulsive situation as three of
James’ warriors approached and bowed lowly before them. It was an odd gesture
to her since none of Galen’s warriors ever bowed before him. Galen always
treated every man in his clan as more or less an equal and it made her fall in
love with him a little more.

Anna reached for the pitcher in front of her and poured
additional wine into James’ glass. He glanced at her out of the corner of his
eye and nodded his thanks as he reached for the cup once again.

James fell into a conversation in Gaelic with his men and
was soon joined by others. Ribald and some downright sexist comments flew back
and forth along with loud laughter. He turned his back to her and she heaved a
sigh of relief.

Anna was determined to keep a straight face and James’ cup
filled as the evening wore on. Her contractions seemed steady, but still not
close enough together for her to freak out.

James’ speech became more garbled and the rowdiness of his
men increased, putting her on edge. She chewed her lower lip, searching for any
and all exits from the great hall, when she spotted Conn strolling toward her
out of the corner of her eye.

“More wine, my lady?” He reached for the recently refilled
pitcher before her.

Anna was about to decline when a small, folded piece of
parchment fell from his fingertips next to her cup as he topped off her wine.
He moved toward James’ group and topped off all of their cups as well.

Anna slowly reached for the parchment with one hand and the
wine with the other. She glanced around to see if anyone watched her and then
unfolded the parchment, tilting it toward the firelight behind her.

Go to the chapel for prayers.

Anna’s eyes darted around. Was this was some sort of trap?
Conn threw his head back in laughter, slapping the shoulder of the man next to
him. She glanced at James and then stuffed the note into the neckline of her
leine
.

Could she trust Conn? She couldn’t think of a single reason
why he would want to hurt her, but if she were to get caught, would he betray
her?

It didn’t matter. She had to at least try to slip away.
Careful to avert her gaze from Conn, Anna pressed her fingertips against James’
forearm to get his attention.

Laughing, James turned toward her. “Yes, my love?”

“I would like to go to the chapel and pray for a while
before I retire to my chamber,” she murmured into his ear.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I did not realize you
were a religious woman.”

“Time changes people,” she replied, softening her words with
a demure lowering of her lashes.

She wasn’t certain what it was, but something in her
expression pleased him and he smiled in satisfaction. Perhaps in his drunken
stupor he saw what he thought was surrender or deference.

“Of course, my sweet,” he agreed. “It is good for the wife
of a laird to practice holiness. It sets an example for the other women.”

Thankfully, Anna was able to keep her seething rage hidden
and instead humbly bowed her head.

“Conn.” James waved his empty cup at his cousin across the
table. “Escort my lady to the chapel and stay with her while she says her
prayers. Then take her to her room.”

Conn handed the empty pitcher to a buxom young woman who
sashayed toward the group with another full pitcher. “Of course, laird. My
lady?”

Anna stood from the hard, wooden bench she had sat on far
too long and absentmindedly rubbed her lower back as she cursed her stiff,
swollen ankles. How on earth was she supposed to make a break for it when she
moved slower than molasses in January?

As she was about to step away from the table, James caught
her hand.

“I will join you when your prayers are over,” he slurred,
throwing her a depraved wink.

She turned before her face could betray her disgust and
skirted around the table to where Conn waited. He offered her his arm and then
guided her through the crowd to the door.

Anna welcomed the cool night air on her flesh as they
stepped into the silent courtyard. Conn quickened his pace and she struggled to
keep up, her ears ringing at the sudden absence of sound after having spent
several hours in the loud hall. They walked around to the back of the keep and
approached a small, stone chapel. Soft candlelight spilled from the
stained-glass windows on the side of the secluded structure and onto the
ground.

Conn pulled open the door and silently stood aside. The
little hairs on the back of Anna’s neck stood as she peered inside, still
uncertain if she should cross the threshold. She glanced up at Conn, but he
remained stone-faced. She took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Several worn, wooden benches stood to either side of an
aisle that led directly to a small altar in the tiny, white-washed room. Three
rows of burning candles stood on a low table in front of the altar, just behind
an ornate, wooden kneeler with a crimson cushion.

She glanced behind her as the door latched closed. It
appeared she was alone, but her gut suggested otherwise. She slowly advanced
toward the altar, watching out of the corner of her eye for any sort of
movement. As she approached the kneeler, she used the low table before her to
steady herself as she lowered to her knees.

Anna folded her hands together in a prayerful pose, her ears
straining in the silence for anyone approaching. Several moments passed, with
nothing other than an ache creeping into her knees.

This is ridiculous.