Chapter Twenty-One
Jake
The twin most like his father.
Chapter Four
*This scene stuck in readers’ minds. It’s the twins and the stones, and the pain in their mother’s eyes. I loved that when Jake matured, he asked his father why he stopped his mother from striking them, but that scene comes later…
It had happened over six summers ago, back when Jake and Jamie were five and ten summers.
Their uncle, Robbie, had warned them to make careful decisions, but they were young and giddy and three other lads had found some of the best liquid the Scots could make and hidden it for a special occasion.
The “breath of life” that the Scots brewed and aged had a reputation like no other.
They’d each had their times with too much ale, but this was different.
They’d decided to hide the bottle of whisky and celebrate with it on a special occasion.
Ewan, Roy, and Douglas had told him they’d talked two lassies into baring their breasts for the lads.
Like most lads that age, the twins had developed a keen interest in lassies and their bodies.
Though it shamed him to think back on it, Jake had been stirred by the mere thought of such a show.
Jamie had tried to talk him out of going, but Jake had insisted, knowing that his brother would follow him anyway.
So they’d planned the occasion carefully, choosing an isolated place in the stables, setting sentries outside to watch for them, and bringing food and drink for all.
Jake had been as excited as if they were attending a jousting match or a fair, but the evening had not unfolded as he’d expected.
The lassies had changed their minds.
When Jake stepped into the stall at the far end of the stables, the two lasses were struggling with his three friends against the wall. Douglas was trying to rip open the one lass’s bodice while Roy held the other lass and Ewan had his hands all over her breasts.
“Stop, please, Ewan,” she said through tears. “I’ve changed my mind.”
Ewan exploded. “Then why in hell are you here? You should have stayed home. When you walked through the door, you agreed to show us your titties.”
“But Roy said I could kiss Jamie if I came. ‘Tis all I want. Leave me be.” She struggled against Roy’s arms.
The other lass cried out, “I’ve changed my mind, also. I do not want to do this anymore.”
“Too late,” Douglas said. “You’ll show us now. You cannot be a tease.” He pulled on the ribbons at the front of her bodice, causing one breast to fall out of its confines, and the lass screamed in response.
Jamie yelled, “Leave them be. Douglas, take your hands away.”
When Douglas did not answer him, Jamie rushed over and tugged his hands away from the lass.
Jake took off toward Ewan. But Ewan was the quicker of the two, and he took a swing at Jake, catching him in the jaw, before he turned back to the lass.
He grabbed her breast, and the only thing Jake could think to do was grab the lad’s hand and pull it away.
Unfortunately, that was the exact instant the twins’ mother had flung the door open.
Jake’s hand was on the lass’s breast and Jamie’s hand near the other lass’s bare breast. The look of pain and anger on his mother’s face was one he’d never forget, but it was almost eclipsed by the fury of his sire, who stood behind her.
Hellfire, he glanced at Jamie because he knew they were in the worst trouble they’d ever been in.
Maddie Grant shot across the room and raised her hand to slap each of her sons, but Alex stopped her, attempting to remove her from the stall altogether.
Instead of her sons, she grabbed Ewan and Roy by the arms, yanking them away from the girls.
Alex managed to pull her to his chest before she could go after Douglas.
Having never seen his mother in such a tirade, Jake was stupefied.
“Mama, we were trying to stop it,” Jamie cried just as his mother came after him again.
“Do not dare to lie to your mother on top of what you’ve done.” Alex hauled Jamie away from Maddie and tossed him across the stall as if he weighed no more than a feather.
Jake saw his sire coming toward him, so he ran, but his sire—big and bulky and surprisingly fast—got to him first and tossed him out the stable door.
Jake looked up from the ground and saw his two uncles coming toward them along with more guards.
Uncle Robbie looked down at him and bellowed, “Do not dare to move from that spot.” The sentries they’d posted outside the stall to keep watch had been hauled off to the side, where they were being watched by two other guards.
Jamie came flying out of the stall, landing next to Jake on the ground, and the brothers just stared at each other wide-eyed.
“Mo chreach,” was the only thing Jake could get out. “We’re in the worst trouble ever.”
Jamie rubbed his face as if his mother had actually slapped him. “I know. Mama almost hit me. I’ve never seen her hit anyone.”
Jake whispered, “And now she’s sobbing.”
Maddie came out of the stall, an arm around each lassie’s shoulder.
Celestina had just arrived, and she came forward to help Maddie with one of the lasses.
They walked past the twins as they headed off toward the lassie’s huts, passing close enough for Jake to see the tears running down his mother’s cheeks.
There was something else that bothered him more.
She refused to look at either him or Jamie.
This was not going to be good. His sire sent Ewan, Roy, and Douglas off with the other guards, though Jake and Jamie did not know where they were headed.
They waited an eternity for their father to step out of the stall.
When he finally did, his head was down as if he couldn’t stand to look at either of them.
He barked orders to his brothers. “Get them up and meet me out at the rock pile.”
“But Da…” Jake tried to defend himself, hoping to explain that they’d tried to stop the other lads.
“Silence!”
Uncle Brodie said, “Are you sure you do not wish to lead them out?”
Alex Grant lifted his head to stare at his sons. “Nay, I said I’d kill anyone who put that look on my wife’s face again, and I do not wish to kill my own sons. If I touch them, I will.”
Uncle Robbie grabbed Jake and forced him to stand. “Consider it done.”
Their uncles led the way to the rock pile, and Jake didn’t dare speak until he noticed his sire was staying behind, pacing.
“Do not get your hopes up, lads. He’s waiting to be sure your mother is all right. Once he tends to her gentle sensibilities, he’ll come for you.”
“But Uncle Brodie, we were trying to stop it,” Jamie cried out as he stumbled along the pathway.
“Aye,” Jake added. “The other lads lost their senses.”
Uncle Robbie said, “So you’re saying you’d heard about their plans and were only there to stop it?”
Jake frowned, wondering how to explain everything. “Not quite.”
Jamie sighed. “Mayhap it doesn’t matter. We’ll be in less trouble if we just shut up and accept our punishment. You know that’s what Da has always said.”
“But Jamie, we were trying to help.” He glared at his brother. There had to be a way to convince their father that in the end, they’d made the right decision.
“Aye, ‘tis true, but ‘twas not why we were there, and you know it.” Jamie had whispered low enough so his uncles wouldn’t hear him.
Jake opened his mouth and snapped it shut. He couldn’t argue with that, and besides, he’d talked Jamie into going. He’d have to thank his brother later for not tattling on him.
“Wise move on your part, lad. Lying will get you in worse trouble.” Uncle Brodie narrowed his gaze at his nephews.
“But they said they wanted to show,” Jake said. “That’s all.”
“According to the expressions on their faces, they were not willing.” Uncle Brodie spat off to the side. “Hellfire, lads, but you’re putting me and your uncle in the worst of spots.”
“Why is that?” Jake asked.
“Because your sire is in a killing rage. Could you not have pished off someone else?” His uncle glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone was behind him.
Uncle Robbie shook his head. “Lads, I’m only going to give you one warning. Keep your mouths shut and accept responsibility for the deed you’ve done. ‘Twill go better for you.”
Uncle Brodie added, “Robbie’s right, ‘tis the only way. Your sire is coming this way, and he does not look happy.”
Laird Alexander Grant strode over to stand in front of his sons, his feet apart and his hands clenched into fists so tight Jake expected to see blood dripping from his palms at any moment.
“Lads, do you not recall the several conversations we’ve had about respecting females?”
“Aye, Papa, but we…” Jake started.
“Silence!” His sire glowered at him and took two steps forward, opening and closing his fists several times. “You’re trying my patience, lad. Do you know who you hurt the most with your actions?”
Jamie squeaked out, “Aye, Mama…”
“Aye, your mama. As you know, I’ve said any man who put that look in her eyes again would be a dead man. Do you know your only good fortune?”
Jamie shook his head; Jake said naught.
“Your good fortune is I made a promise to your mother that I would not flay you both alive. And do you know why I agreed?”
Jamie shook his head again.
“Because your mother says ten and five is not the age of a man grown. She says you are still lads. And since the look in her eyes would be worse if her eldest sons were dead, I’ll not touch you.
If I touch you, I fear I’ll lose my temper.
So you will move that pile of rocks from that spot—” he pointed to the mountainous pile they used for various purposes in the clan, made up of rocks and boulders of all sizes, “—and you’ll move them over there.
” He pointed to a spot way off to the right.
Jamie stared at his brother, a green look in his face. The pile of stones stood taller than either of them. “All the way over there?”
“Aye.”