Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

K atherine found one of the MacLeod sisters in the great hall talking animatedly with one of the guards, while at the same time, pointing to something across the room. There had been much activity in the last week, and Katherine had heard that the Yule log would be arriving in the coming days. No doubt, the conversation had something to do with that.

As Katherine approached, Domhnall’s sister, whichever one of them it was, sensed someone behind her, and turning, she smiled broadly at Katherine.

“Katherine,” she said openly.

“Hello…” Katherine hesitated and looked uncertain, for she did not want to make the mistake of addressing the wrong sister with the wrong name.

“Enya,” the lass said, her smile widening even further. “I ken, it is nearly impossible tae tell me and Thora apart.”

Katherine nodded. Perhaps, if she wasn’t so shaken up, she might have looked at Enya’s hair to see if she could really see any difference in the shade, but at that moment, her body trembled a little as a result of what she had witnessed.

Enya frowned then as she took in Katherine’s expression.

“Whatever is the matter?” She reached out a hand, taking hold of Katherine’s shaking arm. “Yer face is ashen and ye look like ye’ve just seen a ghost.”

“We were attacked,” Katherine blurted.

With her mouth falling open, Enya gasped. “When? Where? Are ye all right?” Taking a step back, the woman scanned Katherine’s body with her eyes.

“I’m fine, truly. I am more worried about your brother. He took on five men, and though he tells me he isn’t injured, I struggle to believe it can possibly be true.”

Enya went to speak, and then halted, as though monitoring her own speech. Katherine found that a little strange, but Enya continued so quickly, she had little time to consider it.

“I’m sure Domhnall is just fine. Ye, however, look like ye need something fer the shock. Come. We’ll go and see Brianna.”

“Brianna?” Katherine said.

Enya linked her arm and they began walking side by side out of the great hall. “Aye. She’s the castle healer.”

“But I heard you were a healer.”

Enya smiled. “I am o’ sorts. But everything I ken, I learned from Brianna.”

They headed out of the castle and with Enya taking the lead, they moved across the cobblestones of the courtyard outside. Several minutes later, they rounded the corner of a small cottage, and Enya, smiling at Katherine, came to a stop and knocked on the door.

When the door opened, they were met with a surprised smile. A smile that was somewhat toothless, but that didn’t take away from the warmth in the old woman’s face. Katherine noted her dark eyes and white wayward hair before the door was opened even wider, bidding them entrance.

“Come in. Come in,” the older woman beckoned.

The cottage was dark inside, illuminated by candles placed on the mantle and tables around the room. But even in the dim light, Katherine could see sprigs of herbs hanging from different places.

“So, ye are the English lady I have heard so much about,” she said.

Enya stepped in then. “Brianna, I would like ye tae meet Lady Katherine de Beaumont.”

“My, my, that is a mouthful,” Brianna said, smiling playfully.

“Katherine will do just fine,” Katherine replied.

Enya then went on to explain the reason they were there, and Brianna, looking a little concerned, said, “I have just the thing.” She turned her gaze to Katherine. “Now. Ye sit yersel’ there.”

She pointed to a chair and then turning on her heels, making her long flowing clothes swirl, she disappeared from the room. When she returned a moment later, Brianna held a brown bottle in her hand. But instead of moving directly to Katherine, she looked at Enya.

“And the laird?”

Enya shrugged and the two shared a look made even more curiosity rise in Katherine.

“Och, ye ken me braither, Brianna. I’m sure he’ll be grand.”

“Hmmm,” Brianna said with a nod.

While Katherine expected the conversation to continue, Brianna turned towards her and handed her the bottle.

“Now, tak’ this sparingly. ‘Tis very strong.”

Enya was nodding. “Aye. I can attest tae that.”

“Here,” Brianna said, producing a spoon. “Tak’ a taste o’ it now. It’ll settle ye. After that, tak’ it once ‘afore bed.

With the sweet tasting tonic administered, Brianna and Enya spoke some more, and as they did so, Katherine felt a warm feeling rising in her body. It started at her toes and moved right up her legs, over her torso, and down her arms, finally making her head feel a little light. So light, in fact, that she struggled to hold it upright.

“Perhaps I gave ye a little too much,” Brianna said, looking at her with concern.

“I’ll tak’ her tae her bedchamber,” Enya said. “Perhaps some rest will dae her some good.”

Brianna nodded, and stepping forward, Enya helped Katherine to her feet. But a second later, Katherine swayed so much, Brianna was forced to rush to her other side and stop her from falling.

“Perhaps we both need tae tak’ her tae her chamber,” Brianna quipped.

Katherine had never been drunk before, but with the room spinning, and her head feeling like it might float right off her neck, she imagined that it felt very much like what she was experiencing.

“What was in that?” she slurred.

“Never ye mind.” Brianna smiled. “Come on. I dinnae think Enya’s going tae manage ye by herself.”

After much stumbling, as well as huffing and puffing from Brianna and Enya as they tried to keep Katherine on her feet, they eventually managed to get her to her bedchamber. The women began attempting to get her undressed, but soon gave up when Katherine could not hold her arms up for more than a second.

“Just lay her down and put the coverlet over her,” Brianna suggested.

Moments later, Katherine felt her boots being pulled from her feet, and more or less falling into bed, even though Brianna and Enya tried their best to hold her steady, the soft pillow caught her head, feeling like a gentle cloud, beckoning her to sleep. She was already slipping into slumber when she felt the coverlet being pulled over her body, and though the voices were fading, she heard one last thing.

“How much laudanum did ye put in that tonic, Brianna?”

It took some time for Katherine to open her eyes. She had roused from sleep, with some difficulty, but even now, she did not seem to have the strength to lift her eyelids.

Lying there for a little while longer, she took deep breaths, trying to wake herself even further, and eventually, after another moment, she was finally able to open her eyes. It was then that she realized that she had been asleep for hours, for the drapes were closed and several candles lit the room instead of daylight.

“What did that woman give me?” she murmured, pushing the coverlets off her.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, she stretched her arms and sighed a yawn.

You have no right to be tired, Katherine.

And yet, the effect of the tonic that now sat on the bedside table beside her still lingered. Lifting the brown bottle, she squinted to look at it, but there was little point. The label made no sense to her, for the words were written in a language she did not understand.

Only after placing the bottle down, did she notice a book that she was certain, had not been there before. Lifting it, she looked at the title, but she had never heard of it. A piece of paper peeked out of the front cover, which read Ars Amatoria , and opening it up, she found a note.

Another item off from yer list.

Now more curious, she flicked open the pages. Scanning the words, her cheeks bloomed bright red, for she could hardly believe what was being described. The passages were certainly not written for the eyes of a lady.

“A banned book,” she gasped.

A smile grew on her lips, both at the knowledge that Domhnall was keeping his word, and the fact that, while she hadn’t quite believed that he could facilitate her finishing her list, it did appear that it might actually occur.

Placing the book back where she had found it, Katherine moved across the room to the bowl and jug of water. She wanted to freshen herself up before she ventured out of her bedchamber. But as she approached the dresser, a tray of food caught her attention.

“How long did I sleep?” she murmured, now wondering if it might be the middle of the night.

As though the sight of the food had caused the reaction, Katherine suddenly felt hungry, and thus, before freshening up, she sat and ate the cold meats, bread, and fruit.

Slipping out of her room sometime later, she made her way down the corridor towards the wide staircase. She had slept so much she no longer felt tired, and whatever time it was, she did not want to remain in her bedchamber.

The book Domhnall had left for her was tucked safely under her arm, out of sight of anyone that might pass. But apart from a few servants, Katherine found her journey to the library rather eventless, for she met with no one who might stop and converse with her.

Closing the solid wooden door behind her, she made her way across the stone floor of the library to the huge fire place, where flames licked at the air and the burning wood crackled and hissed. She had already been in this room once before when exploring the castle. Admittedly, she was surprised, on that occasion, to see so many books in the castle.

Perhaps it was because she had made a presumption before she had even left England. A presumption that had been proven false on several occasions. As she had travelled over the many miles from her beloved home to Scotland, she had thought of the Scots as an uneducated people. Uneducated and unrefined. And yet, her narrow view had been proven wrong over and over again.

Not only were they educated, they were clever, organized, and extremely loyal. But it wasn’t loyalty out of fear. These people protected each other. As many of them as there were in this clan, they treated each other like family. As though each one of them was as important as the next.

Several times, she had witnessed Domhnall speaking kindly to a maid or a servant, whereas Reginald would see that as beneath him. Not once had she witnessed her brother speaking kindly to those who served him. His orders were given to the steward or housekeeper, who then relayed his wishes to the rest of the servants.

In fact, as she settled herself onto a chaise lounge near the fire, Katherine had to admit that much of what she had thought and felt before arriving at Dunvegan Castle was either slowly dissipating or being proven wrong.

An hour later, and totally mesmerized by the book in her hand, Katherine suddenly jumped at the sound of the library door opening. Slamming the book closed, she turned to see Enya and Thora moving across the room towards her.

“There ye are,” Enya said with a warm smile. “How are ye feeling?”

Katherine only knew it was Enya because she wore the same clothes as earlier, otherwise, she would have struggled to identify the sisters once more.

“Far more rested than I ever have been in my life,” Katherine replied, trying to hide her nervousness.

“Well, ‘tis good tae see ye looking well,” Thora added. “Enya told me ye had quite a scare.”

Katherine smiled. “I think that’s putting it mildly.”

The sisters dropped onto a chaise lounge opposite, while Thora continued. “Aye, sometimes we forget that ye’re nae used tae what happens here.”

Her words sounded a little heavy, and Katherine remembered what Domhnall had said about their parents.

“I’m so sorry for what happened to your mother and father,” Katherine said with genuine sorrow. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you, losing them both on the same day.”

Enya and Thora shared a surprised look.

“Domhnall told me,” Katherine said, confirming how she knew.

Again, there was hesitation between the sisters, and then Thora, forcing a smile on her face, said, “Well, we dinnae think about it too much.” Her eyes fell to the book in Katherine’s hand. “What are ye reading?”

Clearly, she was trying to change the subject, but Katherine suddenly felt panic rush through her body. She couldn’t lie, for what if they took the book from her to look? But nor did she want to admit what the book was.

“Oh, its, er… it’s not really that good.”

Thora raised an eyebrow and smiled knowingly. “Ye are hiding something from us, Katherine. Ye have nae need. We’re all friends here.”

“Sisters actually,” Enya added.

“Aye.” Thora nodded. “That’s right.”

Maybe it was the fact that Katherine had never had sisters, coupled with the fact that they were so likable and open, that caused Katherine’s panic to lessen. Since her arrival, they had been nothing but kind and caring, as different in personalities as they were. She could not lie to their very faces.

“I am ashamed to tell you what I am reading,” Katherine admitted.

Thora’s face lit up, while Enya looked confused.

“Dae tell us,” Thora pressed, clearly the more adventurous of the two.

“Well—”

“Wait,” Enya interrupted. “We need wine.”

Five minutes later, all three of them had a glass of wine in hand as Katherine tried to explain what the book was about, blushing the whole time. The twins became more and more excited, and urged Katherine to read some of it to them.

“I couldn’t,” Katherine gasped.

“O’ course, ye can,” Thora said with a grin. “Come on. We might all learn something.”

The three giggled, and now that her panic had completely gone, Katherine turned to the page she was reading before the twin’s arrival.

Katherine continued to read, feeling parts of her body reacting to the words, while at the same time, feeling heat in her cheeks as she spoke the words aloud. She dared not look up to see the reactions of Enya and Thora, but she sensed they were hanging on her every word, for she could hardly hear them breathing.

Katherine paused and lifted her wine to take a sip. Her mouth was dry, but she was certain it was not just from reading.

“My god, have ye ever heard anything like this?” Enya gasped, taking advantage of the break.

Katherine grinned but shook her head. “Never.”

“Where ever did ye get it?” Thora pressed.

There was no way Katherine was going to tell these women that their brother had given it to her, and instead, thinking quickly, she said, “I found it… in a tavern we stopped at on the way here.”

Thora started to giggle. “Well, we all ken what happened in that room ‘afore ye arrived. I hope someone changed the sheets.”

Katherine gave them an appalled look which sent the twins into hysterical laughter. Katherine couldn’t help but join in, and the three giggled for ages.

Rather than continue with the book, the conversation turned, and they discussed the approaching Yule holidays. The twins were clearly excited, and talking over each other, nearly bombarded Katherine with all the things that would take place; feasts, dancing, hunting, to name a few.

“Maybe we might even find our men,” Thora said whimsically.

“Aye, and maybe if ye find one,” Enya teased, “ye can welcome him in like the book said.”

Again, the women fell into hysterical laughter. Thora nearly fell off her chair, and Katherine choked on her wine.

It was nearly too much, and the three of them laughed and laughed. With red faces, and tears running down their cheeks, they couldn’t stop. Between the giggles, they groaned in pain as their sides, tummies and cheeks hurt.

When they all finally calmed down, Katherine felt tired again, though she also acknowledged, she had never felt so happy, relaxed, and comfortable.

“Someone else needs to continue reading this, for I don’t think my eyes will let me read any further,” she said, holding the book out to the twins.

Thora took it, while Katherine lay down on the chaise lounge, and snuggling until she was comfortable, she closed her eyes as Thora began where Katherine had left off.

A strange movement woke Katherine, as though she were back in that boat on her way to Scotland. She seemed to be rocking back and forth, and when she finally opened her eyes, she jumped a little as she glared up at a strange sight.

Domhnall looked down at her with a light smile. “It’s all right,” he said softly. “I’ve got ye.”

And he did have her, for with what looked like no effort at all, Laird MacLeod had Katherine wrapped in his arms and was carrying her down a corridor.