Timeless Mist (32 page)

Kris nodded with enthusiasm. "Where
are we walk
ing
to?"

"There is a small rise over
there," he pointed towards the left side of the keep where Kris could just
make out a small door in the wall. "We shall be able to see the lake and mountains
from there. 'Tis a clear day, so mayhaps we will be able to see as far west as
the Glen Coe hills."

"We're on the eastern end of
the loch, are
n't
we?"

"Aye, we are
that
."

They walked on in silence for a
long while when Iain stopped her just before they came out of a copse of trees.

"Do ye trust me
Kristianna?"

Kris looked up, her eyes meet
ing
his. He searched her
gaze as their eyes locked. She nodded.

"Good. I wish ye to close
your eyes. Doonae worry, I willnae let ye stumble or fall. We are close to our
destination and I wish it to be a surprise." He gestured to just beyond
the trees, "the rest of the way from here is fair
ly
flat and treeless, so ye need
n't
be concerned about walk
ing
into anyth
ing
."

Kris searched his gaze and after
several moments nodded and closed her eyes. Iain took hold of her hand with one
of his and put the other about her waist. Kris shuddered at the intimate
contact, but did
not
open her eyes.

"I should tell you someth
ing
, Iain."

"Aye?"

"If this is
very
high up, do
not
even think of lett
ing
me go."

"Are ye afeared of heights
then?"

"Death
ly
."

"I willnae let ye go." He
said, surprised at how he actual
ly
meant those words. "Just a few more steps, lass."

After a few minutes, Iain spoke
again, "now, lass, open your eyes."

Kris opened her eyes slow
ly
and gasped. They stood
very
high up indeed, but the
view
was
like
not
h
ing
she'd ever seen before. Stretched out below her, she could see the loch for
miles. She could just make out the hills in the distance.

"Those are the Glen Coe hills?"

Iain nodded, but said
not
h
ing
, on
ly
continued to watch her with great interest.

"What are you star
ing
at me
like
that
for?"

"Och, I dinnae mean to make
ye uncomfortable. I on
ly
wished to watch your expressions. Ye ha'e a verra animated face, lass. Your
emotions and what ye are feel
ing
plain to see in your eyes and expression."

Kris blushed and dropped her face
a bit. As she did, she got a glimpse of how high up the actual
ly
were
and wrapped her arms around Iain in a
tight grip.

Iain laughed and pulled her
closer. "I willnae let ye fall." He assured her.

"I know, I just feel better
if
I
hold on."

"Far be it for me to stop
such a love
ly
lass
from hold
ing
on."
He grinned impish
ly
at
her when her head shot up. "Ye must remind me to br
ing
ye here more often if this is the response
I shall get."

Kris blushed again, "if I
wasn't
so terrified, I'd
slug you."

"Slug?"

"Deck, smack, hit."

Iain laughed again. "Ye just
hold onto me and enjoy the view, lassie."

Kris sighed and did as he
suggested. After a few moments, her neck began to ache from try
ing
to hold it so far away
from him. She gave up and final
ly
let it rest against his chest.

Iain grinned and congratulated
himself on hav
ing
this
idea. He
hadn't
realized
that
she
was
afraid of heights, nor
that
it would get her in his
arms, but he
was
hearti
ly
glad it did. He
dropped a kiss on her hair as they stood locked in an embrace, watch
ing
the sett
ing
sun.

He
had
decided
that
he wished
to make more of this handfast
ing
than Kristianna expected. Somehow, he would convince her to stay with him at
the end of the year. He desired her, and cared enough for her
that
it would be a good
match and a perfect solution to both their problems. He could show her some
tenderness and car
ing
,
the same as he did for his
màthair
or his sister, and it would harm
not
h
ing
. It
wasn't
as if he
was
giv
ing
his heart away again.

Kris
was
fiery and spirited. She did
not
back down from him, nor
did she appear afraid of him in any way, though he saw in her eyes sometimes
that
he made her nervous. And
she fit
very
nicely
in his arms as well.

Kris' thoughts whirled as she
stood in the circle of Iain's arms. What
was
he do
ing
? How
was
she supposed to keep her
wits about her and hide how much she cared for him, if he did th
ing
s
like
this? She knew she should
n't
fall in love with him. It
would be perilous to her heart to let herself do someth
ing
so profound
ly
stupid, but she just could
n't
help it.

There
was
someth
ing
about him, especial
ly
when he
was
be
ing
nice
to her and show
ing
his chivalry,
that
broke through all those defenses she tried
to erect. He
was
so
disturb
ing
to her, and
her feel
ing
s for him
were
intensify
ing
by the moment, her
emotions melt
ing
her
resolve too
not
let
him affect her.

When he bent his head and kissed
her, her instinctive response
was
so powerful it near
ly
overwhelmed her. Her reaction to his kiss
was
swift and violent, as a delightful shiver of want
ing
raced through her. She
was
drown
ing
in a sea of
that
want and desire she
had
no command over and
wasn't
sure she wanted to be
in command of at the moment.

When Iain let her up for air, the
smile in his eyes contained such a sensuous flame, it
almost
set her alight with its intensity.

 Iain watched for her reaction as
she looked up at him with dreamy eyes.  He exhaled a long sigh of contentment. He
had
more of an effect
on her than she
was
will
ing
to admit, he
decided. His mood became optimistic. He
was
sure of himself and his place in her universe and her life. His doubts about
whether he should woo her or
not
melted away.

She cared about him. He could see
it in her eyes. In her face, in her gentle smile, she portrayed her feel
ing
s. He would say
not
h
ing
just now. He did
n't
want to let her know he knew. He would
wait, continue to woo her and maybe she would soon admit it to him.

He wanted
not
h
ing
to change this.
Not
h
ing
to interfere with this
new disco
very
. He
needed time to think it through some more. To decide how much of himself he
was
will
ing
to give, if he
was
ready to give her what
she needed in return.

"We should be gett
ing
back, lass."

Kris nodded somewhat dazed
ly
, but allowed him to turn
her around and start back to the keep.

"Thank you." She
whispered.

"Ye are welcome."

"For shar
ing
this view with me, I
mean."

He grinned, "I knew what ye
meant lass."

"Oh."

They walked the rest of the way
back in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

He ushered her through the doors
to the Greathall and deposited her in front of his
màthair
.

"Here she is,
màthair
. Delivered to ye
safe and sound and ready to be bathed and dressed for tonight."

Sorcha raised a brow at him then
looked at Kris somewhat dazed expression. "I'm nay so sure 'tis sound, but
she looks safe enough." She grinned when Kristianna blushed. "Come,
lass. We must get ye ready. Elsbeth," she called, "we will need your
help to do her hair."

Sorcha hurried Kris up the stairs
and to her room. Neither she, nor Elsbeth said much, just plopped her into a
tub of warm water where she'd been scrubbed from head to toe. They then pulled
her out, dried her off and dressed her in a soft linen shift before sett
ing
her in front of the fire
so Elsbeth could work on her hair when it dried.

Kris could hear them behind her
go
ing
through the
dresses in the wardrobe, bicker
ing
good-natured
ly
over
which would be the appropriate gown to wear for this even
ing
, consider
ing
the importance of the
event.

Kris ignored them for the moment
and thought again about the kisses she'd shared with Iain. E
very
one of them drew her
closer and closer to him. A warm glow spread through her when she thought about
him. Did she even dare to hope
that
one day he might feel the same way about her? The look on his face after he'd
kissed her, the desire she'd read there, made her heart s
ing
and did give her hope.

Maybe she
was
foolish, but she could
n't
help herself. His
very
presence gave her joy
and she reveled in the memory of the open admiration she saw on his face.

"Kris."

She looked up at Sorcha, startled
out of her reverie. "Yes?"

"Are ye alright?"

"I'm fine. Just lost in my
own thoughts is all."

"We must get ye dressed so
Elsie can fix your hair."

Kris nodded and rose so the women
could finish with her. She would come to some conclusions later. Right now, she
determined, she would just let th
ing
s
happen the way they would happen. There
wasn't
much she could do about it anyway, see
ing
her traitorous heart
had
other ideas about how it felt about Iain.

Chapter Twenty-One

Iain met Kris as she stepped into
the Greathall at the bottom of the stairs. If the look on his face gave any
indication, he ful
ly
approved of her appearance. Still, she held her breath and waited for him to
speak.

"Kristianna. Ye are simp
ly
breathtak
ing
, lass."

Kris laughed in delight. "I
would
n't
go
that
far, but your
màthair
and Elsbeth did
somehow work a miracle so I at least look presentable."

"Lass, ye are so much more
than a mere presentable." He insisted, "ye are a vision of
loveliness."

"I wo
n't
argue the point with you. If you want to
see
that
, who am I to
gainsay you."

He bent and whispered close to
her ear, "if the hall
were
nay so full of people, lass, I would show ye just how desirable I find ye. Someday,
I will convince ye of
that
."

Kris shivered and let herself
hope
that
he
was
in
really
in earnest.

"If it means anyth
ing
, you look
very
fine yourself this even
ing
, my laird."

"Thank ye. I will accept
your compliment, my lady," he said with a grin and a bow.

She curtseyed to him then let him
lead her to her seat. Sorcha joined them on Iain's left as well as Raibert and
Elsbeth.

"Iain is right, lass," Raibert
informed Kris as the food began to arrive, "ye are love
ly
."

Iain raised a brow at him and
growled. Kris looked at him in surprise and
was
taken aback to see a warn
ing
look in his eye as he glared at his captain.

"Thank you, Raibert."

"Hmm. Why is it him ye thank
and me ye dinnae believe?" Iain asked Kris.

"I never said I did
n't
believe you. I'm just
not
used to
compliments."

"Ye
had
best develop a fondness for them then as I
intend to compliment ye e'ery chance I get."

Kris resisted the urge to fan
herself with her hand at the smolder
ing
look he cast her way.

"You're be
ing
awfully
attentive today."

"And why shouldnae I be? We
are to be wed soon, are we
not
?
What kind of unchivalrous oaf do ye think I am?" The twinkle in his eyes
belied his gruff tone.

"Do
n't
get me wrong, I could get used to it."
Too used to it, she thought. "I'm just surprised is all." She hoped
her voice
hadn't
come
out as wobb
ly
as she
felt.

"Well doonae be. 'Tis about
time someone convinced ye what a beautiful, desirable woman ye are Kristianna
Armstrong. And I ha'e decided
that
since we are to be wed, 'tis my duty to see to it."

Sorcha looked at Kris, one
eyebrow raised a bit. Kris knew what her look meant. But she still
hadn't
worked up the courage
to tell Iain the truth,
that
she
was
a Campbell. She
really
should take
care of
that
soon. Probab
ly
before the handfast
ing
.

Maybe it would
n't
be as bad as she
thought. After all, it
wasn't
as if she
were
related
to the Campbell's
that
killed Iain's father. The same ones who
had
gotten the k
ing
to
order a proscription against them. And even if she
was
, it
was
a
very
,
very
distant connection,
consider
ing
the fact
that
she belonged four
hundred years in the future. Sure
ly
,
he would
n't
hold
that
against her. Especial
ly
when she explained why
she'd told him a falsehood to begin with.

He could
n't
really
blame her for be
ing
scared out of her wits.

"What is it, Kris?"

"
Not
h
ing
."

"Ye looked worried for a
moment. Is there anyth
ing
I could help ye wi'? If ye tell me what concerns ye, I may be able to put those
concerns to rest."

Kris shook her head. "It
was
just a momentary unease
about how your clan will react to the news tonight,
that
's all."

"We shall put those fears to
rest right now," he said as he took her hand and stood with her. Immediate
ly
e
very
one in the hall stopped talk
ing
and looked at their
laird. "I ha'e an announcement to make, and I would
like
ye all to be the first
to know."

That
brought chuckles and smiles to the sea of faces.

"Dinnae look down, lass. Ye
are to be wife to the laird. Accept it and stand tall," he whispered low. "I
ha'e decided to take a wife."

Silence followed
that
as e
very
one looked at Kris, a
few gasp
ing
in shock.

"I realize this may seem
sudden to all of ye, but," and here he gazed at Kris with a gentle
expression before he turned back to the crowd. "This lass, Kristianna
Armstrong, from across the sea in the colonies,
has
consented to handfast wi' me. The ceremony will take place this com
ing
Saturday. I wish ye all
to make her feel welcome to the clan." Then, before Kris knew what he intended,
he swooped his head down and caught her mouth with his, sear
ing
her lips with a fiery
kiss.

After several minutes of silence,
Kris became dim
ly
aware of clapp
ing
and
applause. When he let her up for air, she
almost
forgot to breathe. He gave her a wicked grin, as the congratulations and well
wishes came at them from all sides.

"See, I told ye 'twould be
fine." Iain said, close to her ear. "Ye
had
not
h
ing
to worry about."

She smiled at him, tears sparkl
ing
in her eyes.

"Happy, lass?"

"I am. I did
n't
think I would be, but I
am."

"Good. Then I am
content."

Kris smiled at him, unsure of
what he meant by
that
.
She could
n't
help the
glimmer of hope she felt
that
maybe someday he could come to care for her as she cared for him. Please, God,
she prayed silent
ly
.

*          *          *

"
Have
you told him yet?" Sorcha asked Kris
the day before the ceremony.

Kris shook her head. "I
haven't
had
time. He's been runn
ing
around
like
a chicken with his head
cut off all week. We've bare
ly
had
any time
alone," here she looked at Elsbeth with a glare. "so no, I
haven't
told him yet."

"Kristianna, ye must tell
him."

"I know, Sorcha. But when
would you suggest I do
that
?
You tell me when you think the best time is. If I'm
not
in here with you, I'm in my room be
ing
fitted, or help
ing
with the preparations.
Not
to mention the fact
that
Iain
has
been run ragged this
week."

Sorcha frowned and sat on her
bed. "I know it. I just worry
that
he will be all the more angry the longer ye wait. And if he should somehow
discover the truth of it before you tell him…" she did
n't
finish
that
thought, just rolled
her eyes and clasped her hands together in silent supplication.

"I realize
that
, but with the recent
rumors runn
ing
rampant
about the Campbell's, can you blame him for be
ing
skittish?"

"No, of course
not
."

Iain
had
gotten word
that
the Campbell's
were
plann
ing
an attack. So
far,
not
h
ing
had
happened and it
was
mere speculation, but Iain
had
still felt better doubl
ing
the guard and rid
ing
out a few times a day
just to check on th
ing
s.

Between
that
and try
ing
to prepare e
very
th
ing
for the ceremony,
there'd been little time for them alone.
Not
to mention their s
had
ow,
Elsie, who'd insisted
that
"'t
wasn't
proper
for a lad and lassie to be alone when they
were
nae
e'en wed yet. There would be no' of
that
go
ing
on afore the
handfast
ing
."

Kris
had
decided
that
the best time to get him alone and tell him,
was
tomorrow, after the ceremony. Tonight, she would do her best to keep all s
had
ows from cross
ing
her heart.

She rose and took Sorcha's hand,
"I promise I will tell him,
very
soon."

"I just do
n't
wish to see either of
you hurt."

Kris kissed her cheek. "I
know
that
, and I
understand it, but please, let me do this in my own way and in my own time. I
want to be happy and I want Iain to be happy. I do
n't
want anyth
ing
to ruin our day tomorrow."

Reluctant
ly
, Sorcha nodded. "I can understand
that
, lass." She
studied Kris for a moment, "you
really
do care for him, do
n't
you?"

"Yes, I
really
do. I ca
n't
fight it anymore and I'm
really
not
sure I want too either. Before
I tell him the truth about who I am, I would
really
like
to know exact
ly
how he feels about me, if
there's any way he can come to care for me. Can you understand
that
at all?"

"Aye, I can."

"Good. Now I need to go get
a good night's rest for tomorrow." She smiled and skipped out of the room.

"Do ye think he will
understand, my lady?"

"I can on
ly
pray so, Elsbeth. He will
be angry,
that
's for
certain. But will he set aside his anger long enough to listen to reason?"

Elsbeth shrugged.

"Aye, your guess is as good
as mine." She sighed and rose, tak
ing
off her robe and climb
ing
into her bed. "Go get some sleep, Elsie. 'Twill be a
very
busy day tomorrow and
we all need to be at our best."

Elsbeth nodded and left to go to
her own rooms.

*          *          *

Kris awoke the next morn
ing
and stretched lazi
ly
. She glanced at the
window try
ing
to
determine what time it might be. Then she remember what today
was
.

"Oh." She jumped out of
bed with a curse. With so much to do today before the ceremony, there
was
no time for her to lay around
in bed.

Kris grabbed her robe, ran to her
door and swung it open, head
ing
down the hall towards Sorcha's rooms. She
almost
crashed into Elsbeth in her
has
te.

"Slow ye down, lass."

"Sorry, Elsie. What time is
it?"

"'Tis just past seven, lass.
Ye ha'e plenty of time. Come on wi' ye now, back to your room so ye can break
your fast. Then ye must bathe and we shall get ye dressed and ready for the
handfast
ing
."

"Whew, I thought I
was
late gett
ing
up."

"Nay, lass. I wouldnae ha'e
let ye oversleep. Would ye
like
to return to your room or would ye care to break your fast wi' Lady
Sorcha?"

Kris thought for a moment. "I
will eat with Sorcha, as long as she does
n't
continue to hound me about you know what."

Elsie laughed. "She is just
concerned for ye. And, she knows how her son is. She is happy for the both of
ye and sees how much ye tru
ly
care for each other. Though ye are unsure about Iain's feel
ing
s for ye, Sorcha and I
ha'e seen the way he watches ye and looks at ye. 'Tis nay the look of a mon who
has
no car
ing
for ye at all. Though
neither of ye may see it just yet."

"Oh, I think I'm beginn
ing
too. After a week of hav
ing
Iain br
ing
me flowers, and gifts
and send
ing
me special
treats from the kitchens as well as the way he looks at me at meal times, as if
he wishes I
were
the
meal instead,
has
given me a good idea
that
he's
not
just do
ing
it all for show. Still,
I'd
like
to hear him
voice it. Men can desire a woman, but still
not
have
any true, deep
feel
ing
s for her."