Chapter Thirteen
The man introduced himself as Gordon, and from that moment, Marion hung off every word that fell from his lips.
The chair was there for him to sit and sometimes he did, but mostly he moved about the crowd weaving his tales of faeries and sprites, of witches and selkies, and she loved every second of it.
“But the worst of ’em is a creature so cunning ye don’t know you’re under her spell until ’tis too late.
” He sat for this story and seemed to enjoy the gasps among the crowd.
“Glaistig is what the old folk called her. Nine times she’s tried to drown me in the loch, but I outwit her every time, that I do.
“Now, you mind when walking these woods if ye see a stream, ye better turn the other way, for there she will be waiting all dressed in green with a long skirt to hide her goat legs. She will call your name sweetly and ask ye for aid, but don’t turn toward her for that’s when she will cast her spell and draw you to the water.
“She’s nearly gotten me, but I know her ways now. I know how to ward her off.”
Marion leaned forward, for though the stories of myths and legends were abundant in her neck of the woods, she’d never heard anything like this Glaistig which seemed far more malevolent than a ghostly piper or a will-o’-the-wisp.
“And do ye want to know how, lass?”
So taken with his story was she that she jumped slightly when he addressed her directly. She nodded, not trusting her voice.
“Aye, well ye see, ye have to call her by her real name. I heard her singing it to herself one day and that’s how I knew.”
Marion cleared her voice and dared ask, “And what is her name?”
“I dare not say it out loud, lest we might summon her. But I’ll whisper it to ye,” he said and motioned her forward.
Marion looked up at Alexander who nodded to her. Standing on shaky legs, she approached the old man and leaned close to his ear.
“BOO!”
Marion jumped and squealed then burst into laughter as she realized his jest. Delighted with him, she kissed his cheek and then took her seat again. Others around her laughed and clapped and she joined in what then became a standing round of applause for him.
He graciously bowed then invited anyone else to share their tales. She turned to Alexander and caught his broad grin which resulted in a little flip-flop in her belly. By God, but he was handsome, and she couldn’t recall a time when she so thoroughly enjoyed herself.
“Your man is very talented,” she said to him.
“Aye, he is a treasure to be sure. And he never tells the same story in the same way.”
Marion could believe it. The twinkle in his eyes told her plenty of the mischief that lay behind them. She’d never met anyone who possessed that kind of charisma.
Next up was little Archie, and Marion found herself leaning forward again while the lad prepared himself, clearly loving the attention that was already befalling him.
Alexander cleared his throat to quiet those around them and then nodded at Archie. “Go ahead, lad,” he said quietly.
Archie pulled himself up to his full height and Marion was surprised when he spoke in a loud clear voice.
“My name is Archie, and I am here to tell of a tale that is even scarier than Gordon’s Glaistig.
My story begins deep in the loch when the moon is high and bright.
On those nights when you are all tucked and snug in your bed, ye may want to pull them up a little higher for out of the loch flies Fanny Wi’ Four Teeth, and if ye look in her eyes she will steal ye away to the loch to keep for ever and ever. ”
Overly exaggerated gasps could be heard all around, making Marion smile.
“Have ye ever seen her?” someone asked from the crowd.
“Aye,” he said and stood up and paced like Gordon had. “I saw her one night through granny’s old, knitted blanket. I saw her but she never saw me and then she flew away again.”
“Tell us another!”
The look of pride on Archie’s face in that moment made Marion’s heart swell. She stole a glance at Alexander and could see water welling in his eyes. Without thinking, she placed her hand on his arm and squeezed. He blinked a few times then smiled down at her.
“He’s a natural,” she said.
“Aye, that he is, and I believe maybe spending too much time with Gordon.”
“You have a lovely family, my lord,” she said.
“I am glad you approve,” he said and placed his large hand over hers. “And if we are courting, you must call me by my given name when we are speaking alone. I believe I may enjoy hearing it from your lips.”
Marion’s breath caught in her throat. She searched his expression for jest, but there was none.
“And I would like to hear my name on yours as well,” she said, not meaning for her voice to have taken a deep tone.
Alexander sucked in his breath and let it hiss through his teeth. “You are making it very difficult for me to keep my vow,” he said, his voice low and deep.
“And what vow is that, Alexander?” she asked.
“My vow to ensure your reputation is intact during our courtship. I vowed I would not lay a hand on you, but that is increasingly impossible when you look at me the way you do.”
She didn’t know in what way he meant; she just knew that she couldn’t stop looking at him and couldn’t stop thinking of how delicious she felt when he kissed her.
“And why would you vow such a thing without telling me?” she asked, now realizing where the hot and cold came from.
“I—I suppose I was protecting your virtue.”
“I believe I may have a say in my virtue as well, do I not?”
“Aye.”
“Then, my lord Alexander, please do not refrain from kissing me anytime we are alone.”
“You do not mean that surely,” his voice barely above a whisper now.
Marion did mean it as in her mind if they were courting, they were testing their compatibility and that included kissing. There she let the thought complete itself in her mind.
“I do mean it.”
“And what if I want more than kissing?”
“For that you shall have to wait.”
“Marion, every time I kiss you, I want more.”
She was pleased for his honesty, but it took a great deal of courage to reveal her own truths with him. Still, the constant guessing what his feelings were was exhausting.
“Very well, we shall keep the kissing to a minimum, but there will be some. That is my requirement in this courtship. And you will not hide your feelings for me, nor I from you.”
He took far too many heartbeats to reply, but a slow smile spread across his firm lips. She found herself looking at them and was again distracted by the memory of how they felt pressed against hers.
“Lady Marion, you drive a hard bargain. I accept your terms,” he said and reached out his hand.
They shook hands and then he kissed the back of hers. “I do not believe even the most difficult of the king’s tests of skill have challenged me as much as this arrangement with you.”
Marion laughed. “Surely you jest, my lord—”
“Alexander.”
“Alexander, surely you jest. For I have seen you atop your horse barreling toward your next opponent. That, sir, takes great skill.”
“Aye, it does indeed. But the constant need to restrain myself from carrying you off to the nearest bed so I can bury myself inside you until we are both depleted of our strength is much, much harder.”
His lips were so close to hers, all she had to do was lean forward and the entire hall would be privy to a scandal that could only end one way.
The din in the hall broke through then, and she sat back regarding his expression. His eyes were dark like a stormy sea, and he looked like he could devour her. When their time came, and she knew in that moment that it would, she wondered if she would survive it.
She did have some idea of what happened between a man and a woman, but even her limited interactions with him were far more than she could have even imagined. What more did she have to learn?
Alexander gave her one final longing look and then turned back to the next storyteller, making himself ready to please a demanding crowd. Marion drew in a deep breath and prayed no one else in the hall had caught the intensity that had just passed between them.
*
Why on earth he had agreed to such terms he could not say.
But he was certain that if he did not restrain his growing passion for her, there would be no need to wait for her to return to Linlithgow for her parents’ blessing.
He would marry her on the morrow and ease his ever-tightening loins by tomorrow eve.
God, that thought didn’t help his burden.
Merely sitting next to her was becoming torture, and to hear her demand kissing her was about all he could take.
How on earth could a maiden and a lady say such things without knowing about lovemaking?
Damned if he knew, but he was determined to keep her chaste until such time as they were wed.
The last thought surprised him. He thought his plan was sound.
He could court her and then formalize a betrothal and marry sometime in the new year.
At this rate, at least a betrothal was out the window.
And was it fair to rush this with her just because he needed to be inside her?
Had he actually said that? But she hadn’t recoiled from the comment either, so what did that mean?
She either knew what he meant and wanted it, or she had no idea what he was talking about. His mind went round in circles.
He would have to confess, he did not pay much attention to the remaining stories that thankfully went well into the eve so that even the queen and king wished to retire rather than turn the evening into a late-night ceilidh.
They’d save that for another night. He was sure the king had been somewhat amused, but had not displayed his normal joviality that was visible at his own gatherings.
Once all the guests retreated from the hall and only Marion and Alexander remained, save for a few servants, he turned to her.
“Shall I escort you to your chamber, my lady?”
“Aye, my lord, I believe that would be acceptable.”