touches and greedy clutching they sought to be one. Jenny cried out and Duncan covered her mouth with his palm to muffle the sound, as he buried the rest of her cries with a ravenous kiss. Jenny gripped him and hungrily pulled him close as he plunged further into her. Desperate panting gave way to bliss as they held on, reluctant to part. Together, tangled as one, they lay still but for their rising and lowering chests and the breathing that slowed as their hearts beat together.
*
Duncan lay sleeping, his arm stretched across Jenny’s waist. Jenny awoke. There was shouting downstairs. Had an argument broken out below? Footsteps bounded down the hall to their room.
“Duncan!” It was Alex.
Jenny shook Duncan’s shoulder, but as she did, he leapt out of bed and reached for his dirk. He flung open the door as Jenny clutched the bed clothing to her neck.
Alex ignored Duncan’s state of undress and said, “There’s a fire. It’s your home.”
With haste, Duncan pulled on his trews as he glanced back at Jenny.
Waving him on, Jenny said, “Go! I’ll catch up with you.” Duncan nodded and left with Alex. When Alex had gone, Jenny hurried to dress, and followed after. She rode a horse from Callum’s stable and arrived to find the cottage a smoldering pile of charred planks in the midst of the stone walls.
Duncan met her as she rushed to him and asked, “Where are your parents?”
“They’re fine. Only my mother was home, and some wee lads saw the fire and got help.”
“What happened?”
Duncan’s silence was condemning.
Jenny shook her head. “No, my father could not do such a thing.”
“I said nothing of your father,” said Duncan.
“But you thought it.”
Duncan did not reply. Instead, he turned and said, “I must care for my mother.”
Hastily following at his heels, Jenny said, “Is she hurt?”
He spoke over his shoulder. “She breathed in some smoke.” Duncan arrived at his mother’s side. She was well tended by friends. Duncan knelt. With disgust, he spoke quietly to her. “Were you alone?”
His mother gave him a calm, but knowing, look. “I’m fine, lad. Dinnae fash yourself.”
Duncan clenched his jaw, but said nothing.
Nellie, said, “We’re lucky to have seen it in time to keep it from spreading.”
“Who saw it?” asked Duncan.
“The young lads were playing and saw a man ride by with a torch, so they ran to fetch help.”
“Tavish.”
“It could be, but he wore a cloth over his face, so we cannae be certain.”
With a pointed look, Duncan said, “Who do you think it was?”
Without hesitation, she said, “I’ve nae doubt it was Tavish.”
Duncan said, “I’ve nae doubt I will kill him the next time I see him.”
Jenny touched Duncan’s shoulder.
Alex opened his mouth to speak, but stopped as he heard someone singing.
With mounting anger, Duncan turned toward the approaching sound.
Alex held out his palm. “I’ll take care of it.”
“You mean you’ll protect him,” said Duncan. “For if he comes within my reach, I’ll put my hands about his sorry drunk neck.”
Duncan’s mother reached a gentle hand out to him. “No, love. You will not.” She wheezed and coughed.
“And why shouldn’t I? Ma, he left you to burn.”
“No, laddie. He left me to drink. He dinnae know this would happen.”
Duncan muttered. “Does he know that I hate him?”
“Don’t talk so.”
“I’m sorry, Ma, but–”
“There is naught to be done, except fetch me some water.”
Duncan rose to find water, but Nellie stopped him. “I’ve water right here.” As Elspeth sipped from the cup of water, Duncan’s father arrived. Through eyes bright with drink, he looked at his wife. “Are you hurt, darlin’?” Brodie pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry. I should have been here.”
Duncan got up and walked a way. He cast one glance down at his mother in his father’s arms. His jaw tightened as he bit back harsh words. The smell of charred
*
Duncan lay sleeping, his arm stretched across Jenny’s waist. Jenny awoke. There was shouting downstairs. Had an argument broken out below? Footsteps bounded down the hall to their room.
“Duncan!” It was Alex.
Jenny shook Duncan’s shoulder, but as she did, he leapt out of bed and reached for his dirk. He flung open the door as Jenny clutched the bed clothing to her neck.
Alex ignored Duncan’s state of undress and said, “There’s a fire. It’s your home.”
With haste, Duncan pulled on his trews as he glanced back at Jenny.
Waving him on, Jenny said, “Go! I’ll catch up with you.” Duncan nodded and left with Alex. When Alex had gone, Jenny hurried to dress, and followed after. She rode a horse from Callum’s stable and arrived to find the cottage a smoldering pile of charred planks in the midst of the stone walls.
Duncan met her as she rushed to him and asked, “Where are your parents?”
“They’re fine. Only my mother was home, and some wee lads saw the fire and got help.”
“What happened?”
Duncan’s silence was condemning.
Jenny shook her head. “No, my father could not do such a thing.”
“I said nothing of your father,” said Duncan.
“But you thought it.”
Duncan did not reply. Instead, he turned and said, “I must care for my mother.”
Hastily following at his heels, Jenny said, “Is she hurt?”
He spoke over his shoulder. “She breathed in some smoke.” Duncan arrived at his mother’s side. She was well tended by friends. Duncan knelt. With disgust, he spoke quietly to her. “Were you alone?”
His mother gave him a calm, but knowing, look. “I’m fine, lad. Dinnae fash yourself.”
Duncan clenched his jaw, but said nothing.
Nellie, said, “We’re lucky to have seen it in time to keep it from spreading.”
“Who saw it?” asked Duncan.
“The young lads were playing and saw a man ride by with a torch, so they ran to fetch help.”
“Tavish.”
“It could be, but he wore a cloth over his face, so we cannae be certain.”
With a pointed look, Duncan said, “Who do you think it was?”
Without hesitation, she said, “I’ve nae doubt it was Tavish.”
Duncan said, “I’ve nae doubt I will kill him the next time I see him.”
Jenny touched Duncan’s shoulder.
Alex opened his mouth to speak, but stopped as he heard someone singing.
With mounting anger, Duncan turned toward the approaching sound.
Alex held out his palm. “I’ll take care of it.”
“You mean you’ll protect him,” said Duncan. “For if he comes within my reach, I’ll put my hands about his sorry drunk neck.”
Duncan’s mother reached a gentle hand out to him. “No, love. You will not.” She wheezed and coughed.
“And why shouldn’t I? Ma, he left you to burn.”
“No, laddie. He left me to drink. He dinnae know this would happen.”
Duncan muttered. “Does he know that I hate him?”
“Don’t talk so.”
“I’m sorry, Ma, but–”
“There is naught to be done, except fetch me some water.”
Duncan rose to find water, but Nellie stopped him. “I’ve water right here.” As Elspeth sipped from the cup of water, Duncan’s father arrived. Through eyes bright with drink, he looked at his wife. “Are you hurt, darlin’?” Brodie pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry. I should have been here.”
Duncan got up and walked a way. He cast one glance down at his mother in his father’s arms. His jaw tightened as he bit back harsh words. The smell of charred
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