Love Beyond Belief (Book 7 of Morna’s Legacy Series) (27 page)

Callum lowered his blade and motioned for those gathered around him to do the same. Much needed to be discussed, and no truth would be found if everyone continued to cling to their weapons. Only words would bring understanding among them.
 

I’d never seen Callum with such a stern expression on his face. It looked painful, in truth. To contort his muscles in such a way must require great effort. If he meant to hide what he was thinking, the furrowed brow, tight lip, and downcast eyes certainly did that. I couldn’t tell if he wanted to scream or cry, or if he just had a massive headache.
 

After he explained everything, Morna insisted on shoving the same horrific liquid drops she’d snuck into my coffee down Raudrich’s throat just to make sure he wasn’t lying. Once they had proof he was not, the tension in the room dissolved quickly.
 

No one would grieve the loss of Drustan Macaslan. Even his own men put up no resistance to Callum or the McMillans after they learned of his death. As far as I could tell, relief was the overwhelming emotion throughout the territory, and since the MacChristy’s, the McMillans, or Laird Allen had no interest in laying claim to the land, it was up to those living in the territory to decide who controlled it.

“We canna stay here. Not even for the rest of the morning. Morna is already preparing our horses to ride out once again. She canna stand knowing that Jerry is with Grier. Raudrich claims he saw Grier and Jerry to one of the makeshift cottages we built during the castle’s repairs. Morna is ready to head that way at once.”

They were the first words Callum said in over half an hour, but he continued to look down as he spoke.
 

He leaned against the ledge of a tall window, down a long hallway just off the dining room where everyone else remained. They all had instructions to leave us be. While Callum made haste to get me alone, he sure took his time letting me know why.
 

“I know. I didn’t expect for a moment that we would stay. Callum, are you all right? You look…well, I’ve never seen you look that way.”

When he looked up, the anger in his eyes made me wish I’d not said anything.
 

“No, lass, I am not. I doona know whether to slap ye or tup ye.”

I walked over to him and gently rested my hands on his shoulders. His sort-of-threat didn’t worry me for a moment. “If you choose the former, just know that you will soon thereafter have to remove your testicles from your arse.”

He choked on his own spit and continued to cough as he looked at me with wide eyes. For the first time, he smiled.
 

“Ye women of the future say whatever comes into yer mind with no hesitation, even for a moment.”

I shrugged and moved to run my fingers through the hair just above his ear. “Guilty.”

“I would never lay foul hands on ye, but I’m so angry with ye, I can scarcely breathe.”
 

“Angry?” I truly thought that after he knew the truth he would understand.
 

“Aye, angry. Ye promised me ye would not go back, and ye did. Why? Not a thing Laird Allen said gave me the answer to that.”

I leaned in to hug him and continued to hold his head against me as I spoke.
 

“Callum, Jerry was dead set on going back, and I couldn’t very well stop him. I told him that I would wait for him to go quickly and come back, but he fell down the stairs, and I knew he was hurt. I couldn’t leave him to bleed out in the stairwell. You’ll see when we reach them. Raudrich said he required stitches.”

I felt the air go out of Callum’s lungs as he relaxed against me.
 

“Ach, Sydney, I can forgive ye for that. I truly wondered if ye did it to spite me for making ye swear to stay put.”

“No.” I pulled back and kissed him gently. “I wouldn’t do that. I’m sorry I frightened you. Did Morna know we were here? Is that how you were able to head straight for Macaslan Castle rather than go to Cagair?”

He nodded and pulled my body flat against him and kissed me with an urgency that caused my head to spin.
 

When he broke the kiss, he moved his lips upward and spoke huskily into my ear.
 

“What do ye think the chances are that I could take ye right here without someone walking in on us?”

I reached around to my back and fumbled with my laces.
 

“I have no idea, but let’s risk it, shall we?”

CHAPTER 40

“I can see ye missed one another, aye?”
 

I grinned sheepishly as I stood on the tips of my toes to reach high enough to hug Raudrich before he mounted his horse and left with his men.
 

“How can you see that?”

“Ye’ve some hair sticking up quite wildly, lass. Doona worry, no one can blame the two of ye for it.”

I hurried to smooth out any stray hairs, but everything felt rather flat and tidy. He laughed as he watched me pat all over the top of my head.
 

“I was only teasing, but I see now I was right.”
 

I smacked him gently on the arm as I clucked my tongue in disapproval.
 

“Not cool. Still…thank you.”

He twisted his head to the side much like he’d done the night before.
 

“For what, lass? I’ve brought ye nothing but a sore arse and a few restless nights of sleep.”

I knew he referred to the long horse ride and the lack of true rest while sleeping atop such a beast, but I could tell by the ornery glint in his eye he knew how his words sounded.
 

“You are awful. It’s a good thing you didn’t say that in front of Callum.”

He smiled and winked at me as he moved to secure his pack on the side of his horse.
 

“Aye, lass, I’m a scoundrel, but ye must admit that ye’ve grown rather fond of me over these past days. Have ye not?”

It was true, and it saddened me to see him leave knowing that his territory was so far from Cagair Castle.
 

“I have. You are a good man, Raudrich.”

He reached out and gave my arm a short squeeze.
 

“And ye, lass, are one of the bonniest women I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. If ye and Callum should ever find yerself north, please do stop by.”

“We will.” I reached to rub his horse as he situated himself for the long ride. “So, you really don’t have yourself a lady-friend, huh?”

He bobbed his head playfully toward Callum.
 

“No, I doona. Are ye offering lass? Did ye tire of Callum so quickly?”

I waved a dismissive hand at him as he gathered up the reins.
 

“You know very well that’s not what I was saying. It’s just surprising is all. You’re very likeable.”

“I doona know about that, but I hope ye are right. I’ve much work to do, many people to win over in my brother’s territory if I am to care for the land in his stead. I hope they all come to think of me as kindly as ye do.”

I had no doubt that they would.
 

“They will. Please send word to Cagair when you reach your destination safely. If you ever need anything, I know Callum and his men will be there for you.”

He nodded and slowly turned his horse away, only to turn it back in my direction after a few steps.
 

“Ach, I almost forgot, lass. I’ve carried this with me since my brother’s death, but I think now perhaps the babe Nora would be better off with it than I.”

He leaned over to grab something from inside his pack then handed me a small painted portrait of a man that very much resembled Raudrich and a woman that I knew had to be his wife.
 

He spoke again before I had a chance to say anything in response. It was a special treasure. The fact that he was willing to give it up so Nora would have some piece of her parents touched me deeply.
 

“I doona know if the lassie’s Ma and Da will wish for her to see her birth parents or not. They may not want her to ever know. That is their choice, but if they wish to tell her, I thought it might be nice for her to have it.”

“It’s more than nice. I know Jane and Adwen both. They will be happy to show this to her one day.”
 

“It pleases me to know it. I hope that we meet again, lass. Until then, farewell.”

CHAPTER 41

The first few days of the journey, Morna rode hard. The last day, as we approached Cagair territory, she rode like a fiend.
 

“Are you excited to see Jerry, or are you simply trying to get it over with? I really can’t tell.”

Morna rode a few yards ahead of Callum and me, but she twisted to look back at us as she answered.
 

“Both. Even though I’m liable to strangle the bastard as soon as I see him, I’ve missed him more than ye can know. In all the years we’ve been married, I’ve not spent this long away from him. At the same time, I dread what may occur between Grier and myself.”

Callum spoke up as he moved our horse so that it walked in step with Morna’s.
 

“Morna, I still doona know what happened between the two of ye, but I’ll not allow ye to cause her harm. We’ve had enough violence these past weeks without ye adding to it. Do ye ken?”

She sighed before speaking. “Callum, I doona intend to harm her. She is far more likely to harm me than I am her.”

“Why?” Both Morna and Jerry had been so vague about all of it for far too long. “We are bound to find out in a few minutes anyway. Just go ahead and tell us.”

“Grier was my mentor. She taught me how to use magic. She guided me and cared for me during a time that was verra dark in my life. Jerry was the first man both of us ever loved.”

I suspected as much the day I saw Jerry’s tears on the night of his heart attack.
 

“And he chose you?”

Morna shook her head and pointed to the small cottage in the distance.
 

“As far as he believed, there was never any choice. Grier was his dearest friend, but I was the woman he loved. I think Grier always believed that deep down he loved her—that Jerry and I would run our course and then she would be there waiting. When I left and Jerry returned to the time from which he was born, she saw it as a betrayal.”

“And you never saw her after that? At least, not until now?”

“No. The last words she said to either of us were those of a curse. I’ve been frightened of her ever since.”

“Morna, I truly doona think ye’ve need to be scared of her. ’Twas so long ago, she’s unlikely to be the same person she was then. Are ye?”

Callum fell back, allowing Morna to take the lead toward the small cottage that lay in the distance. He knew she could sense where Jerry was.
 

“No, we all change with time and circumstance. I shall listen, for ’tis evident to me now that perhaps that was her intention all along. She wishes to speak. So we shall.”

I could make out a figure standing outside the cottage as we approached. As we neared, I knew it was Jerry. The hunch of his shadow gave him away.
 

He stood, waving us forward, calling out to his wife as soon as we got within hearing distance.
 

“Morna, lass. God, I’ve missed ye. Get over here.”

She pulled her horse to a stop, dismounting with the grace of someone half her age as she ran the remaining distance to Jerry. For a moment, I feared she was going to jump up and wrap her legs around him—a move that was sure to send them both toppling to the ground—but she refrained, instead holding so tightly that as Callum and I rode up on our own horse, I worried Jerry would faint from lack of oxygen.
 

“You better let him go. He’s looking rather pale, Morna.”

“Ach, he’s always pale. I’m trying to decide if I wish to let him live or not.”

Jerry laughed and pulled away from her only to wrap his arm around her and hold her close.
 

“Ye doona get to be mad at me. In all our years together, I dealt with one foolish errand of yers after another. This is the first time I did anything ye wished me not to. Ye can forgive it.”