A Lesson in Passion (17 page)

After the meal, Ian asked Ginny to sit with
him by the hearth. There were two upholstered arm chairs facing the
the fire. Ginny took the nearest chair, turning to stare at the
fire. By the fire she finally felt warm.

“I need to speak to ya,” Ian looked
like he was in an awful mood. Ginny figured it had to do with their
antics that afternoon. He obviously did regret it.

“Very well,” was all she could
manage to say. She was terrified that he was going to chastise her
for being so wanton. When the hell did she start caring about what
he thought anyway.

“Ya shouldna provoke Broderick so
much. The man canna take much more.”

Huh, what? Really?
“Yes, you're right. I will try to leave him alone.
I really wanted to be friends, but my being English makes that
impossible, doesn't it?” The relief on her face was obvious, but
fortunately, Ian wasn't looking at her at the moment. He continued
to stare into the fire.

“No, he doesna like the English and
he has good reasons for it.” Ian slowly turned his face to look at
her. His eyes spoke of something else, something hidden. “Sweet
Ginny, I have something to tell ya...”

He never finished his thought. The door to the
keep slammed open and in came a small boy. He ran directly to Ian
and said, “Laird, yar brother needs ya. It is Aileana.”

“What happened, boy?” Ian stood up
and was walking away when Ginny stopped him.

“Should I come... maybe I can
help,” she looked at Ian.

“Aye, come.”

They walked out of the keep into the
courtyard. Ginny knew the way, as she had been visiting with
Aileana often. She and Maude were her only real friends here, so
Ginny coveted the time she got with them.

As they approached the hut, they could hear
Aileana screaming. Things were crashing around the hut. Ian began
to run to the hut and stopped before going inside to say, “Stay
here.”

Ginny stood with the boy, rubbing her arms
against the cold of the night. The sun was down and the air was
chilled. She was covered with goosebumps, but some of those may
have been caused by the unholy screaming she heard.

Alec appeared at the doorway and called Ginny
in. Before she could set foot in the hut, Alec warned her. “She
isnae being reasonable. I dinna know what is wrong. She willna talk
to me.” His eyes were frantic and desperate.

Ginny placed a hand on his shoulder. “Maybe
you and Ian should go. Leave her to me.” Alec was shaking his
head.

“Nay, Ginny, it wouldna be wise.
She is out of her mind.”

Ginny put on her most serene face and said,
“Trust me.”

Alec calmed down slightly and put his head in
his hands. When he looked at her again, he nodded and turned to his
brother, who was avoiding the attack as much as possible, “Ian, let
us go outside. The women need to be alone.”

Ian turned and glared at Alec, then Ginny.
“Get out now, Ian. I need to talk to Aileana. You've no place here
right now.” Two could play at the “leave no room for discussion”
game. Ian took a deep breath and followed his brother
out.

Ginny turned to Aileana, who had exhausted her
ammo and was curled up into a ball on the floor. Ginny didn't dare
touch her, but wanted her to know she was there. She sat down in a
chair at the small table, keeping her voice even she said, “Do you
want to talk to me?”

A sob escaped the fragile figure on the floor.
Her shoulders shaking, deep sobs began to rack the small body. Not
able to resist any longer, Ginny knelt down and wrapped her arms
around Aileana. She didn't resist Ginny's touch, only continued to
sob. After what seemed like hours, Aileana's face turned toward
Ginny and asked, “What am I to do?”

“Do about what?”

With a sigh of resignation, she said, “The
baby.”

It took a moment for Ginny to
realize what she'd said.
Baby? Was Aileana
with child?
A child conceived by rape and
torture. By men hardly worth being associated with human beings.
Now she understood... the screaming, the violence. Although every
one of those men had been killed, at the hands of her own family,
they were still torturing her beyond the grave.

“You're sure. The baby was
conceived during your... your... captivity?”

“The pain wouldna be so bad if I
was sure. But, Alec and I... were... intimate, before I left to
visit my family. Truth be told, Ginny, I dinna know whose baby I
carry and I dinna know how to tell my husband,” anguish filled her
face and she began to cry once again.

Ginny put her arm around her again and waited
for her to compose herself. No DNA tests were available, so Aileana
would never have piece of mind. Alec would always wonder too, even
if he was too much a gentleman to ever reveal that to his wife.
Ginny had no consoling words, nothing to give her for
comfort.

“Can ya tell him for me?” Aileana
asked. “I dinna think I can. I canna watch the look on his face. He
doesna know that I see the pity, and the shame, when he doesna
think I am looking. I canna take much more.”

What could Ginny say? She wanted to help this
tortured woman, but didn't relish the job of telling her husband
the news. She stared into Aileana's eyes and nodded. Of course she
would do it. Of course she would take whatever pain from her she
could. Even as little as it was and as impotent that she
felt.

“Do you want me to wait. Stay with
you a while longer,” she sounded cowardly, but didn't
care.

“Nay, it needs to be done. I owe ya
so much, Ginny. I dinna deserve a friend like ya.”

“Ha! You're one of the few people
here who never treated me like a pariah. You've paid me back a
thousand fold just by accepting me.” Ginny smiled and got up to
leave. “He'll be in here as soon as I tell him. Prepare
yourself.”

“Aye,” was all she said as she
slowly got up and sat down on the bed. The last thing Ginny saw
before leaving the hut was her head drop to her hands.

*
*
*

Ginny forgot how cold it was outside and
immediately began to rub her arms. Ian and Alec strode over to her,
determined to find out what she'd learned. Alec's face grew forlorn
when he saw Ginny expression.

“Do ya know what is wrong,” Alec
asked, trying to sound hopeful and failing miserably.

“Yes, I know. Can we take a
walk?”

Ian and Alec exchanged a glance,
but nodded and slowly began to walk away from the hut. Ginny spent
the time trying to phrase what she was going to say. No one ever
likes giving bad news, but especially in Ginny's
line of work, it was inevitable.

“Alec, I'm going to tell you what's
wrong and you have to promise to stay here until I'm completely
finished. Agreed?” Ginny didn't want Alec running off as soon as
the words were out of her mouth.

“Aye.”

Ginny took a deep breath and said, “As if she
hasn't been through enough... Aileana is pregnant.”

Unfortunately, they hadn't moved far enough
away that Aileana would not have heard the tortured cry of Alec. He
was angry and the look in his eye spoke of murder. Ginny backed
away and Ian came to stand in between them. Alec fell to his knees
and buried his face in his hands. How much more could this one
family take.

Ginny was determined to get through to him.
She moved to his side and knelt beside him. “Listen to me, Alec.
She doesn't know who the father is. She told me that you two were
together before she left. The baby might be yours. There is no way
of knowing.” Alec began to cry harder and started to pound his
fists into the ground.

He slowly looked up to her face. His anger was
palpable and suddenly, Ginny was scared. He was going to lash out
and she had stupidly put herself in the target zone. She spoke as
calmly as she could, trying to keep the tremble from her voice,
“She needs you. She needs you not to be so angry because she knows
how you feel. She needs you to go into that hut, put your arms
around her and let her know that no matter what happens, you still
love her. That nothing could ever change that... even your own
guilt.”

Anguish flashed across Alec's face and he
looked around for something to get his anger out on. Ian stepped
forward, reached down to help his brother up and said, “Hit
me.”

Alec closed his eyes for a moment, then,
without warning, punched Ian in the face. Ian went down on his
butt, but got up immediately and said, “Again.”

Alec wasted no time punching Ian's chest and
head. Ginny was appalled, but kept quiet. Ian took each hit and
stood for another. He was his brother's punching bag, and
hopefully, Alec would be sane enough to speak to Aileana when it
was over.

When his anger was spent, he turned to Ginny
and said, “Thank ya, lass. Thank God yar here. I canna ever repay
ya for yar kindness.” He turned to the hut and began to walk back.
After a few steps, he turned and said, “Ginny, yar my family now.
Yar my sister and I will always protect ya with my own life. Know
that.” He turned and walked toward his hut.

Ginny was humbled. She didn't feel she
deserved such feeling, but she was appreciative of it nonetheless.
She wished she could hug him, to let him know how much it meant to
her, but now was not the time. Ginny turned to look at Ian, who
looked a little swollen and wore a fierce scowl on his
face.

Looking down at her, he said, “Yar
not my sister, that is certain. But I would protect ya as well.”
His eyes darkened and the lust was apparent. Ginny smiled and stood
there hoping for a kiss. She was not disappo
inted.

Ian lowered his head and met her lips gently.
Molding his lips to hers, he hesitated to deepen the kiss. There
were things he needed to tell her before this relationship went any
farther, but he hadn't found the courage yet to speak to her. He
had tried before they were summoned to his brother's home. Ginny,
of course, had different ideas and opened her mouth to use her
tongue. A man only has so much willpower. With a growl, he took
over her mouth with his tongue and let her know who was in
charge.

Ginny reached her arms behind his neck and Ian
winced. She pulled away, realizing that he did just take a beating
from his brother. With a laugh, she said, “Come. Let's get you back
to the keep so I can clean you up. You look like hell.”

“Hell, ya say. Hmmm, ya canna mind
so much if yar willing to kiss me like that.”

“I didn't say I minded, did I?” He
laughed as he walked her back.

*
*
*

No sooner had Ginny cleaned up his face, did
Ian tell her to go to bed. She was getting used to his ordering her
around and, at times, found it somewhat endearing.

She changed and climbed into bed. It was
always the coldest when she first got in. When she began to warm
up, she dozed off. The dream was so vivid, she thought for sure she
was awake. She thought Ian climbed into bed with her and put his
arms around her. The warmth was exquisite. She cuddled close to his
hairy chest, smelling his outdoorsy, male scent.

Her hands began to explore his body,
finally settling on his erect penis. God, he was huge. She wanted
him so badly, but heard him say no. She was confused. Why would her
dream Ian refuse her. Damn, she couldn't even get laid in dreams.
In frustration, she turned her back to him. He pulled her back
against his chest and whispered endearments in her ear. This wasn't
so bad. At least she was warm. Ginny didn't remember anything after
that.

• * Chapter 16 *
  

The next morning, Maude came in as
cheerful as usual. She began to chatter on about people in the clan
that Ginny didn't even know. She stoked the fire to life and added
more wood as another woman, a maid named Rhona, brought in the
large washtub. Several women began to bring in buckets of steaming
water and pouring them into the tub. Ginny finally realized she was
going to get another bath. Maybe not as good as her jetted tub at
home, but still, a chance to get every part of her
clean.

Maude insisted on helping her. As
Ginny stepped into the tub and knelt down, Maude rinsed her and
washed her hair with a sweet smelling soap. Ginny was just enjoying
sitting in the small tub full of water. Maude was massaging her
scalp, just like in the nicer salons.
Now
if only I could do this everyday, I could definitely live
here
, she thought merrily.

Once she was clean, rinsed and dried off,
Maude combed and braided her long hair. As if possessing someone
else's body wasn't strange enough, there were things you just
didn't get used to. One was having hair so long it reached your
butt. Ginny's normal hairstyle was as short as possible without
looking boyish. The weight of this new hair was ridiculous. One
more thing that women suffered with in the good ole
days.

Once dressed, Maude and Ginny went in search
of breakfast. They entered the great hall and there was Ian and
Alec, speaking in low voices and obviously arguing over something.
Maude offered to fetch her some porridge and scampered off. It is
difficult to be so independent and have someone waiting on you, but
Ginny didn't begrudge Maude wanting to hightail it out of the room.
The atmosphere was grim.