came out from behind a patch of clouds. The heavy rain of the last few days was finally giving way to sunny weather. She wondered when the men would get home. She wondered if they’d run into trouble. Not that it mattered on a personal level of course, if Rowan Murray was safe and well. What mattered was that these were dangerous times, the more armed men a stronghold had, the safer it was for the noncombatants.
What also had to matter, she thought, must be the attitude of the people who dwelled inside the thick walls of Cape Wrath. She was afraid that these people might be more likely to rely on some ridiculous spell or chant or something than on more realistic resources. That could not be good for the survival of the population. Something really ought to be done about their attitudes.
60
A Kind of Magic
Before she could launch into a lecture on the folly of their erroneous beliefs, Rosemary said, “I can’t help it if you don’t like what the lines in your hand show to be true.”
Maddie fervently wished she hadn’t let Rosemary have a look at her palm. At first she hadn’t even realized that the woman had fortune telling in mind since Rosemary’s request came after Maddie complained that she was getting calluses from trying to learn how to spin wool.
She’d been surprised when Rosemary said, “You’ll have a long adventurous life.
Your love will have a rocky start but you’ll be giving our Rowan at least four strapping sons.”
She didn’t want to have an adventurous life. Nor did she have any intention of giving Rowan Murray sons. Besides, not only was the prediction unscientific, she had no intention of staying around long enough to give anyone four strapping anythings.
“I shall enjoy having four nephews,” Micaela said.
“I’m not having any—”
“Did you see any daughters, Rosemary?” Micaela forged on over Maddie’s protest.
“Two.”
“No!” Maddie was on her feet before she realized she’d shouted. When she whirled around to face them, she saw that the women were laughing at her.
“Lady Maddie doesn’t believe in our ignorant superstitions,” Rosemary said, eyes twinkling with merriment.
“No, of course not,” Micaela agreed.
“That must be why she just jumped as if someone had stuck her with a pin.”
Maddie began to laugh herself. “All right, you got me,” she acknowledged. She pointed at Rosemary. “I don’t believe in palm reading, but it’s unnerving to be told I’m going to have six babies.”
“That’s because you hunger to hold a child of your own,” Rosemary said.
“No way. I’m too old to start having babies.” Besides, she didn’t have a husband, not really. Never mind the longings that had plagued her before she ended up in the past, her arrangement with Rowan wasn’t going to do anything to fulfill them. All she had here was an agreement to live with a man for a year and a day. It wasn’t the same as having the love and commitment she knew was necessary for raising a child. Besides, she didn’t intend to let Rowan Murray close enough for the subject—or anything else—
to come up.
“I don’t have time start a family,” she reminded the staring women.
“Rowan will have some say in that,” Rosemary answered.
“And you only need one time to make a baby,” Micaela added, and blushed.
Which was another good reason not to go to bed with Rowan Murray. Maddie didn’t know anything about birth control, at least she hadn’t had any hands-on 61
Susan Sizemore
experience with the subject. Besides, she doubted if a Highland laird, probably used to having his way with every woman in the countryside, would graciously consent to slipping into a condom even if she had any on her.
I’m not going to think about that right now, she decided, even though she couldn’t stop herself from conjuring up an image of how he looked completely unclothed.
“You’re blushing, Lady Maddie,” Micaela said.
“She does that quite a bit. No doubt
What also had to matter, she thought, must be the attitude of the people who dwelled inside the thick walls of Cape Wrath. She was afraid that these people might be more likely to rely on some ridiculous spell or chant or something than on more realistic resources. That could not be good for the survival of the population. Something really ought to be done about their attitudes.
60
A Kind of Magic
Before she could launch into a lecture on the folly of their erroneous beliefs, Rosemary said, “I can’t help it if you don’t like what the lines in your hand show to be true.”
Maddie fervently wished she hadn’t let Rosemary have a look at her palm. At first she hadn’t even realized that the woman had fortune telling in mind since Rosemary’s request came after Maddie complained that she was getting calluses from trying to learn how to spin wool.
She’d been surprised when Rosemary said, “You’ll have a long adventurous life.
Your love will have a rocky start but you’ll be giving our Rowan at least four strapping sons.”
She didn’t want to have an adventurous life. Nor did she have any intention of giving Rowan Murray sons. Besides, not only was the prediction unscientific, she had no intention of staying around long enough to give anyone four strapping anythings.
“I shall enjoy having four nephews,” Micaela said.
“I’m not having any—”
“Did you see any daughters, Rosemary?” Micaela forged on over Maddie’s protest.
“Two.”
“No!” Maddie was on her feet before she realized she’d shouted. When she whirled around to face them, she saw that the women were laughing at her.
“Lady Maddie doesn’t believe in our ignorant superstitions,” Rosemary said, eyes twinkling with merriment.
“No, of course not,” Micaela agreed.
“That must be why she just jumped as if someone had stuck her with a pin.”
Maddie began to laugh herself. “All right, you got me,” she acknowledged. She pointed at Rosemary. “I don’t believe in palm reading, but it’s unnerving to be told I’m going to have six babies.”
“That’s because you hunger to hold a child of your own,” Rosemary said.
“No way. I’m too old to start having babies.” Besides, she didn’t have a husband, not really. Never mind the longings that had plagued her before she ended up in the past, her arrangement with Rowan wasn’t going to do anything to fulfill them. All she had here was an agreement to live with a man for a year and a day. It wasn’t the same as having the love and commitment she knew was necessary for raising a child. Besides, she didn’t intend to let Rowan Murray close enough for the subject—or anything else—
to come up.
“I don’t have time start a family,” she reminded the staring women.
“Rowan will have some say in that,” Rosemary answered.
“And you only need one time to make a baby,” Micaela added, and blushed.
Which was another good reason not to go to bed with Rowan Murray. Maddie didn’t know anything about birth control, at least she hadn’t had any hands-on 61
Susan Sizemore
experience with the subject. Besides, she doubted if a Highland laird, probably used to having his way with every woman in the countryside, would graciously consent to slipping into a condom even if she had any on her.
I’m not going to think about that right now, she decided, even though she couldn’t stop herself from conjuring up an image of how he looked completely unclothed.
“You’re blushing, Lady Maddie,” Micaela said.
“She does that quite a bit. No doubt
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