Chapter 24
TWENTY-FOUR
“Ashley,” Jenna called to her friend across the courtyard. She waved and smiled a greeting to her friend.
“Jenna,” Ashley returned the greeting and headed her way. “I see you took Rose out for a walk. How was it?”
“It was wonderful. Rose is very sweet and Cormac was so patient with me. I learned a lot today.” Jenna smiled up at Cormac, who leaned down and gave her a quick kiss.
“I’ll leave ye to yer friend,” Cormac said. Ashley stood on tiptoe and gave Cormac a kiss on the cheek.
“We’ll see you later, Cormac,” Ashley said as he strode away towards the barracks. “Oh, and Cormac.” Ashley called. He turned to see what she needed. “Thank you again for the peach gummies,” she said, popping one into her mouth.
“Where’s he going?” Jenna wanted to know.
“Probably to the practice field with the other men. They work there every day.”
“Doing what?”
“They practice with their swords and bows. It’s fun to watch. Sometimes I go up on the battlements and take a peek.” Ashley giggled at her guilty pleasure. “Come on. I’ll show you.”
Ashley took Jenna by the hand and headed for the stairs that led up to the battlements. They reached the top and made their way past the guards who were stationed around the perimeter.
Ashley seemed to know them all by name. She exchanged greetings with them and continued along until she came to the overlook of the practice field.
“Here.” She pulled Jenna closer and pointed down to a field filled with shirtless men in kilts.
They were all wielding some sort of weapon and looked amazing doing so.
“Wow! This is quite the sight,” Jenna gasped. “Where’s Cormac?”
“There,” Ashley pointed to the figure of a tall, handsome and extremely well built man that Jenna recognized immediately as Cormac. “Try not to drool, my dear.”
Jenna giggled at that. “Is Cailin out there, too?”
“Mmhmm. And Robert.”
“And Dougall,” another female voice came from behind them.
“Oh, hi, Helene,” Ashley greeted her.
“And what are you two ladies doing up here, might I ask?”
“I dare say we’re doing the same thing you are, missy,” Ashley teased.
Jenna looked around and found all of the men in question. She had to admit they were quite the good-looking group of men. She’d never seen anything quite like it back home.
“Do they know we’re up here?” Jenna asked.
“I’m sure they do, but they’re pretty busy trying not to get bonked with a sword.”
“Dougall teases me about it all the time. I told him I’d nae come up here again and he admitted that he liked knowing that I was watching him.”
“It’s true. I know Cailin enjoys it. And it makes for some pretty amazing sex later on.”
“Ashley!” Jenna was shocked at her friend.
“What? I can’t help it if I have the hottest husband in all of Scotland.”
The three women burst out laughing at that and Jenna had to admit that this was better than any sporting event she’d ever been to.
Ashley handed out more candy. It was Helene’s first taste and her facial expressions went from surprise, to deep concentration, to joy. She held out her hand for another.
“Are you and Dougall married, Helene?” Jenna wanted to know.
“Nae yet, but I’m hoping he’ll ask me soon,” Helene blushed.
Jenna put her focus back on Cormac, who was looking pretty hot. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him and was disappointed when Ashley suggested they head back down for some tea.
“Come on. They do this every day. We’ll come back tomorrow if you like.”
“Okay,” she let Ashley tear her away from her spot on the battlements.
Once inside the castle, Helene went off on her own. She had some work to see to and that left Ashley and Jenna alone. They went and sat by the fire, where they warmed their hands.
“I’ll go get us some tea and I’ll see if there are any sweet cakes around. I’ll be right back.”
Jenna was about to offer to go along with her, when Irene entered the room. The tension was thick and Jenna was feeling uncomfortable.
“Hi, Irene. I’m going to get some tea. Shall I have them bring some for you, too?” Ashley asked.
“That would be lovely, Ashley. I’d be pleased to sit with Jenna while yer gone,” Irene said.
“Be right back,” Ashley said as she headed out of the room.
There was an awkward silence, as Jenna looked down at her hands and basically anywhere other than at Irene. The look on Irene’s face told her that Jenna was probably not her favorite person.
“Well, Jenna, how are ye enjoying yer stay at Breaghacraig?” Irene asked.
“I’m enjoying it very much. Thank you for your hospitality.”
“Of course. Me brothers are very important to me and if Cormac wants you here, then you are welcome here.” Irene sat stiffly across from Jenna with a serious expression on her face.
“Jenna, I hope that ye willnae break my brother’s heart. It is obvious to me that he cares deeply for ye. I dinna wish to see him hurt.”
“I don’t wish to hurt him, Irene. This is an awkward situation for the both of us.
A meddling witch was not something I ever believed I would come across.
When Cormac arrived out of the fog in San Francisco, I had no idea he was from another time.
I didn’t believe it. Coming here with Cormac was not my doing, so if you have a problem with it, I suggest you speak with Edna.
Cormac and I are just the unfortunate recipients of her matchmaking scheme.
” Jenna was feeling a bit defensive as she sat here with Irene’s eyes boring holes right through her.
Irene softened her tone a bit, “Jenna, I dinna mean to accuse ye of anything. I understand this was not your choice, but I ask ye not to give me brother false hope.”
“I care deeply for Cormac, too. I would never purposely hurt him. I don’t want to be hurt either, but I’m not sure how to avoid that at this point. I will be leaving when the time comes and I will be very sad to leave him behind, but I cannot stay here.”
“Why?” Irene asked.
“Why? How could I? I, I … I’m used to my life in San Francisco.” That didn’t sound very convincing. Surely she could come up with something better than that. Irene had her feeling off kilter.
“Ashley did it. She came from San Francisco and she has fit right in here with us. I believe you could, as well. We would welcome you here just as we’ve welcomed Ashley. She is a loved member of our family now.”
“I’m not Ashley,” Jenna said.
“I know that ye aren’t. I just ask that ye take the time ye’ve been given to consider a life here at Breaghacraig.”
“The tea’s coming and I managed to get some sweet cakes, too,” Ashley announced as she arrived back by the fire. “What are you two so serious about?”
“Oh, nothing. We were just talking about Breaghacraig,” Jenna replied.
The servant arrived with the tea and cakes and served the ladies as they sat by the fire.
“Don’t you just love it?” Ashley asked.
Jenna didn’t answer. Instead she sipped her tea and examined the sweet cakes in front of her.
“I have something to share with the two of you,” Ashley said excitedly. “I haven’t told a soul. Well, I’ve told Cailin, but I swore him to secrecy.”
“What is it?” Irene wanted to know.
“I’m pregnant,” Ashley blurted out. “I think I’m about 3 months along, but I wanted to be sure before I said anything.”
“Ashley! That’s amazing! Congratulations,” Jenna gushed.
“Ashley, I am so pleased to hear it,” Irene took Ashley’s hand and rubbed it gently. “You are going to be a wonderful mother.”
“How are you feeling? Have you had any morning sickness?” Jenna wanted to know.
“No. None at all. That’s why I wasn’t sure.
I’ve always heard stories of women being really nauseous all the time and I’ve been so lucky.
Not even once.” Ashley was beaming. “I wanted you two to be the first to know. Cailin has been being a bit over-protective though. He won’t let me carry anything heavy.
He’s always right at my elbow making sure I don’t fall down.
I mean, really, I’ve been walking my whole life.
Does he think I’m all of a sudden going to forget how? ”
Ashley was laughing at the silliness of it all.
“He’s just concerned for yer safety, ‘tis all,” Irene said. “He loves ye so much, Ashley.”
“I’m sure he’ll lighten up once he realizes that you won’t break,” Jenna said. Thinking back to the day she arrived, she couldn’t help but wonder, “So the day I got here, he was trying to keep you from running to me. I guess that was because he was afraid you’d fall.”
“He’s so sweet and concerned. I can’t get mad at him about it. I think he’s going to tell Cormac and Robert today. He’s just about bursting with the secret.”
“So, in six more months, my best friend is going to be a Mommy. I can’t believe it,” Jenna said.
“The way that my life was going last year, I wouldn’t have believed it either,” Ashley said. “But, now I’m the happiest woman on the planet!”
“Ashley, we’ll have to start making baby clothes, don’t ye agree,” Irene looked like she was calculating in her head just how many things they could make before the baby was due.
“I hadn’t thought about that, but you’re right,” Ashley agreed.
“Maybe someone could throw you a baby shower,” suggested Jenna.
“A what?” Irene asked.
“Oh, you know, a bunch of women friends get together and bring gifts for the baby and they play games and eat. In 2014, that’s what we do,” Jenna explained. “That way the new Mom has everything she needs when her baby arrives.”
“We could do that, here, Ashley. We would invite Lady Lena, Kenna, Helene and the other women of the clan.”
“I would love that,” Ashley beamed.
Jenna suddenly felt sad. Her very best friend in all the world was going to have a baby and she wouldn’t be around to celebrate with her.
“Is everything okay, Jenna,” Ashley worried.
“Yeah, I’m okay. I just wish I could be here when the baby is born,” Jenna explained.
“Then stay,” Ashley begged. “Please, I’d feel so much happier knowing that you were going to be here with me.”