Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
Alight tapping on the chamber door told Jenna that she wasn’t completely alone.
She had been awake for hours and though it was morning, Jenna wasn’t sure what she should be doing.
The room was freezing and she really didn’t want to get out of bed to get the fire going again.
Nothing but embers and ashes remained from the fire Helene started for her the night before.
Another knock, this time louder had Jenna realizing that Helene must have come back to help her. “Come in,” she called.
The door opened and Cormac peeked his head in. “Good morning,” he quietly said. “May I come in?”
“Sure.” She shivered and pulled the covers tightly up around her chin. “The fire’s out and I was too cold to get up and start it again,” Jenna explained.
Cormac went immediately to the fireplace and got a fire started with little effort. “There, that should warm the room quickly. Do ye need any help getting dressed?” he asked. “I’ll send for Helene.”
“No. Cormac I need to talk to you. Maybe you could help me dress while I tell you about what happened last night.”
Cormac looked a bit apprehensive. “Are ye sure ye want me to help ye?”
“Yes. You’ve seen me without my clothes before. I’m sure we can manage to put a dress on me without having to call Helene. Unless, of course, there’s some rule against it here.”
“As ye wish, lass, I’ll be happy to help ye.” Cormac held out his hand for her and she reached for it, feeling that familiar sensation of warmth spread through her. She stepped out of bed and he pulled her close to the fire.
“My dress is over there,” Jenna pointed to the lavender gown draped over a nearby chair and Cormac retrieved it for her.
Turning her back to him she let the nightgown drop to the floor.
The sound of Cormac’s sharp intake of breath told her he was paying attention.
He wrapped his arms around her, holding the dress so she could easily step into it.
The closeness of his body and the hardness of his wanting as it pressed against her back had Jenna trembling.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. She steadied her breathing and did her best to pretend she was just feeling the cold.
Cormac quickly pulled the dress up and she put her arms in.
He then expertly did up the laces in the back and when he was done he stepped away from her.
She immediately missed the warmth of him and turned to look at him fully for the first time since he’d entered her room.
He was more handsome than words could express.
“Thank you,” she managed.
“Yer welcome, lass. Is there anything else I can help ye with?”
“No,” she answered. “I really wanted to tell you about what happened last night when I went to bed.”
“I’m listening.”
“Edna was here. Not physically, but I could hear her.”
“Ah …” Cormac seemed disappointed, probably because he thought that meant she’d be leaving.
“She told me that I have to stay here for seven days. Just like you had to stay in San Francisco for seven days.”
“Did she say why?” Relief sounded in his voice.
“Just that I had to take the time to get to know you better. She said at the end of the seven days if I still wanted to leave, she’d send me back.”
“I see. How do ye feel about that, Jenna? Do ye want to get to know me better?” He looked like a little boy awaiting his punishment.
“Yes. I do want to get to know you better, but I don’t think it will matter. I’m still going home.”
“Well, then, I guess we should get started. I’d like to show ye my world, just as ye showed me yers.” He looked at her with one eyebrow cocked, waiting for her answer.
“Okay. Can we start with breakfast first. I’m starving.
” She gave him her most brilliant smile.
It wasn’t faked, but very real. She really was happy to spend time with him.
Once Edna took the choice of leaving right now away from her, Jenna realized that she would probably enjoy this experience, just as Ashley had suggested.
“Cormac, I’d like to apologize to you. I know.
I know, I’m always apologizing for my behavior, but I unjustly accused you of kidnapping me.
Edna set me straight and I wanted you to know that I am so sorry that I doubted you. ”
“’Tis nothing for ye to concern yerself with. I understand why ye would think those thoughts and I dinna hold it against ye.”
“Good. So we’re okay, then?” she asked hopefully.
“Aye, we are.”
Jenna threw her arms around his waist and hugged him for all she was worth. She felt Cormac’s arms go around her and heard an audible sound of relief escape his lips.
“Breakfast?” she asked.
“Aye.”
Cormac was so relieved to have the Jenna he loved back that he could hardly contain his excitement.
Everyone was already seated and eating when they arrived.
His sister Irene looked up with surprise written all over her face.
He knew she was concerned. She had shared that with him last night.
She was not sure Jenna was to be trusted with Cormac’s heart.
He understood she didnae wish to see him hurt, but he was not a little boy anymore and he was capable of handling anything life threw his way, including the possibility that Jenna would end up breaking his heart.
If that was to happen, so be it. He wouldnae allow that to ruin the next seven days with her.
“Good morning,” Jenna cheerfully greeted everyone. “I’d like to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I was very tired and I felt out of place, so I wasn’t on my best behavior. I hope you all can forgive me.”
“Of course we can, lass. Shall we start by properly introducing ourselves. I be Robert, the laird of Clan MacKenzie and I’m happy to know ye.
” Robert stood and came around the table to take Jenna’s hand in his.
Raising it to his lips, he gently kissed it.
Jenna turned a becoming shade of pink. Right behind him was Cailin, who also took her hand and kissed it.
Jenna had already met everyone, but this was their way of letting her know that she was welcome among them, even if she hadn’t been at her best on their first meeting.
“I be Cailin, Cormac’s brother and husband to Ashley, but ye already ken that.” Cormac saw Cailin wink conspiratorially at Jenna.
Irene sat silently, her face a mask. “I believe ye met my sister Irene when we arrived yesterday and ye already know Ashley,” Cormac said.
“I’m very happy to meet all of you and I’m looking forward to getting to know you all,” Jenna said.
“Jenna will be staying with us for seven days and then she’ll decide if she wants to go back home.” Cormac wanted them to know what was taking place, so they would all be comfortable with each other.
“Why seven days?” Irene asked.
“My trip to San Francisco was for seven days and Edna thought it would be a good length of time for Jenna to get to know me better and to get to know all of you. It will also give her time to spend with Ashley.”
“That’s exciting news, Jenna! It makes me very happy,” Ashley bubbled.
Taking Jenna’s hand Cormac led her around to her seat next to Ashley. “I will show Jenna around Breaghacraig and while she’s here I will teach her to ride a horse.”
“Cormac, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m only going to be here for seven days. I don’t really need to know how to ride.”
“Jenna’s afraid of horses. She had an accident when she was a child,” Cormac explained.
“That’s right,” Ashley chimed in. “That day you came to the barn with me and took a lesson. You never wanted anything to do with them after that.”
“And I still don’t,” Jenna said.
“Cormac I believe there’s a mare in the stables who would be perfect for Jenna,” Robert offered. “She’s verra sweet. Ye’ll love her, Jenna.”
“I don’t know,” Jenna started to say.
“Lass, I told ye I’d find ye the most gentle horse in all of Scotland and I believe ye’ll fall in love with her. I won’t let any harm come to ye,” Cormac assured her.
“I know, but horses are so big and I don’t know how you can stop it if it wants to toss me off,” Jenna worried.
“Let’s eat breakfast first and we’ll talk about it later. How does that sound?”
Jenna smiled her agreement and helped herself to some food.
“This is so good.” She continued eating and Cormac relaxed and did the same.
The family all discussed their plans for the day as they ate.
Cormac took suggestions on things he should share with Jenna while she was visiting and Jenna seemed agreeable to most of them.
He was going to have to overcome her fear of horses for some of them.
It wasn’t that he minded sharing his horse with her, but Cormac felt that if she could ride a horse of her own it would build up her confidence and she could look at Breaghacraig as the beautiful place he knew it to be instead of something to fear.
So far this morning, Jenna was feeling better about being at Breaghacraig.
She decided she was going to be open to new experiences, with the exception of learning to ride.
Cormac was crazy if he thought he was going to convince her to try it.
She still had memories of her fall and the fear and pain it had caused.
He’d have to be pretty persuasive to convince her and she didn’t think that would happen.
They had finished breakfast and Jenna was walking with Cormac.
He was showing her around the castle. They had already done a tour of the inside and now they were outdoors.
They had seen the postern gate, which led out of the back of the castle grounds, the barracks, the blacksmith and they were now heading towards the stable.
Jenna didn’t have a good feeling about this.
Stopping dead in her tracks, Jenna tried to get Cormac headed in a different direction. “What’s over there?” She pointed vaguely off into the distance.
“Where?” Cormac asked.
“Over there,” she pointed again.