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"J
ack MacKinnon! When I need ye to fight my battles for me, I'll let ye know. 'Til then I'll thank ye to keep yer arse out of me business!" Millie abruptly handed little Midge to him, turned on her heels and stomped out the door, slamming it so hard it rattled on its hinges.
Jack, accustomed to having the bairn on his shoulder, held her with one hand and, dumbfounded, scratched his head, shaking it from side to side.
"Women. What in heaven's name brought that on?" He looked over at Caitlin, who was doubled over in laugher, as were Alex and Hector.
"Now, what was it ye said to me, Jack?" Alex asked. "She's easygoing, not one to cause any problems, will go along with what I suggest." Alex grinned at his brother, enjoying the moment.
"And did you hear her, the Lady Sinclair? She sounded like a woman raised in the Highlands. Ye and yer —why her tutors would turn over in their graves!" laughed Caitlin. She hadn't laughed so much since they came to the northern Highlands. But this was indeed a situation that caused her to appreciate how different her life, as well as Millie's, had become.
"Ah, just wedding nerves, Jack. Don't give it too much thought," Alex said.
"But she said she wasn't pleased with the dressmaker's progress and all I did was to tell her I'd go to the woman and tell her she needed to hurry up with the work. What's wrong with that?"
"Who's making your dresses?" Alex asked, turning his attention to Caitlin.
Caitlin thought for a moment. "Um, I can't exactly recall her name, but it's maybe Dora, or maybe it was Deirdre? Yes, Deirdre. Da took me to the village to buy herbs from the old woman, Nezzie, the one who lives down in the forest. She had quite a selection, so I bought a bit of dried agrimony and milk thistle to make ointments I'm totally out of. I made arrangements for her to keep me supplied with herbs until I'm more familiar with the countryside here and know where to find what I need. Between her and Lourdes I should have plenty.
“Nezzie was selling potions to a young woman she introduced to me as Deirdre. The young woman apparently knows you all well as she grew up here in the Highlands. The old woman was a bit on the strange side, but Deirdre seemed to know her. Anyway, when I told her we were to wed, she insisted on making gowns for both Millie and me. I don't have the skills for that, and I rather doubt Millie does either. So we agreed she would make them.”
Alex sent a look to Jack, who just rolled his eyes in response.
Oh, Jesus. Not Deirdre.
"Yeah, well, yes we do know her. She's a bit of a hothead her own self, if I remember correctly," Alex replied.
And she still remembers my refusal of her favors.
He had known Deirdre his entire life as she had grown up just a few miles from the MacKinnons. She had taken quite a fancy to Alex a couple of years ago, but he was not attracted to her for a number of reasons. First of all, he didn't find her attractive, physically or otherwise. She was given to complaining about much and was not a kind person. Alex had witnessed her cruel manner in her treatment of her elderly mother, who needed constant care these days. Her mother was a widow and bedridden with arthritis so severe she couldn't get about. Deirdre resented having to provide this care, so she only did the minimum. In Alex's opinion, the old woman should be cared for much better than what he had observed.
Deirdre began to come to the farm, making all sorts of excuses for coming, and making it clear that she was "available" to Alex, on any terms.
She had arrived one afternoon, ostensibly to ask Alex's help with finding someone to do some fencing, and she sauntered up next to Alex. "Ye gotta be needing a woman, Alex MacKinnon. Yer a man and that's just a known fact—a man needs a woman." She came closer to him, too close in Alex's opinion, and took his hand.
Taking her by the shoulders and moving her a few steps back, Alex looked her in the eyes and responded quietly, but firmly. "I believe it best that ye go on home, lass. I've plenty of work to keep me occupied, and when I'm ready for a woman, I'll take care of the situation."
He turned away from her and started to the stable to finish his chores. Chasing after him and jerking him by his arm, Deirdre addressed him. "Ye going to turn me down, just like that, Alex? Ye think to find a woman that suits ye better? Well, in case ye haven't noticed, there aren't a lot of women here in these Highlands. And ye'll not find one who can please ye like I can!"
In a calm, clear, voice, Alex responded. "Go now before I say more than ye want to hear." And he walked away with his back to her.
"Ye'll be sorry you refused me offer, Alex MacKinnon. And I'll not forget this day. Ye'll pay for your humiliation of me." She picked up her skirts and stomped off.
She had left, seething to the bone. That had been more than a year ago now, but she still wanted Alex. Finally, she went to visit Nezzie, the old woman who lived in the forest over behind the cave and was said to have powers —dark ones. Deirdre couldn’t care less about how dark they may be. If they could bring Alex MacKinnon to her, then that was fine.
As she came into the forest it was twilight, just before the sun totally gave way to the moon. Deirdre was afraid after seeing a number of bats, with their funneled, furry ears, making their way even deeper into the glen, but she followed them. She'd seen them before. Sure enough, they alit on the edge of the thatched roof of a dilapidated hut, hanging upside down in their strange manner. She went in, not quite as sure about this decision as she had been earlier. The place was creepy and smelled strange. But she was determined to get Alex MacKinnon at all costs.
Nezzie had been in these deep woods for as long as anyone could remember. She kept to her hut during the day, as the light hurt her eyes. Any moving about she did at night, and no one had ever seen her face, or not all of it as she wore a cloak with a hood that partially covered her features.
She had a reputation for being a healer, and there were folk who swore by her potions. Deirdre herself had seen her own mother perk up after using one of them. She had also witnessed the old one caring for her old dog after he had been caught in a trap that had been set for wolves. Her soft words and gentle hands spoke of one who had an understanding of suffering, and the young woman was surprised to see such care coming from her. Her old hut was filled with dried skins and it smelled to high heaven. Deirdre had been in it a couple of times, but it had been early in the day, not late like now. There were animal skeletons, foul smelling tins of medicines, and several feral looking cats roaming about the hut.
There were rumors of strange events over the years, and some believed Nezzie could conjure up the devil himself if she so desired. Well, Deirdre knew those stories were just folktales and she'd turned to Nezzie for help — a little dark power might be just the thing. Then, once she had Alex in her bed, she'd keep him there.
"Nezzie, I've brought ye a currant pie. I need yer help with a small problem. Would ye be able to do that?"
~ * ~
ALEX LOOKED AT CAITLIN and was glad she had come into his life. Maybe the fact Deirdre was making the dresses meant she was over her disappointment about Alex. He hoped so.
"Jack, both Millie and I are in a tizzy trying to get our dresses ready, the food for the celebration in order, and our heads are full of more details than either of us can handle. But don't worry, we'll all get through the ceremony and I'm sure we'll all be glad when that's done. I never realized getting married would be such an ordeal."
Willie was sitting next to Caitlin, though often these days he would wander over and rest next to Alex as well. He, too, thought this was a good thing — these two being together. As far as the sheep issue, he had made it clear he wasn't a sheepherder and that relieved all of them.
"So tomorrow is the day then, lass?" Wabi asked as he entered the room.
"Aye, Wabi. I suppose it is. And it can't be soon enough. Millie and I are exhausted with making food, keeping the seamstress busy and listening to Hector complain about the amount of food the ceilidh will require."
"Nah, he's happy as a lark, lass. Right down his alley, getting food ready for a crowd. He'll have enough to feed everyone who shows their face. Don't worry so," Jack said.
He, too, was ready for all this fuss to come to a halt and the farm to return to its normal routine. Making changes was difficult for him but he had begun to realize there would be some, like it or not.
Wabi and Caitlin took a walk out to the hut where she and Willie found their quiet moments. She would eventually get used to a lot of people around, but this place was a respite she needed. The three of them ambled on, watching the bright shards of light bouncing off the snow.
"Wabi, I remember you coming into my room last night, but I must have fallen asleep, as I can't remember much about the dream. But it did come, I know it did."
"Yes, I was there. You need not worry about these dreams, my girl. I agree with you that someone is trying to communicate with you, but my brief encounter with the entity led me to know there is nothing dangerous about this spirit. It will find a way to make a connection with you and will eventually disappear. If it were a harmful spirit, it would have made its intentions known by now. I can tell you the answer to understanding these dreams lies in the circle of stones — the one at the top of the moor where the burial plot is located. I'm sure you've been there."
"Yes, that place calls to me. Alex doesn't like me to wander that far without an escort, but when I feel compelled to go, I really don't want anyone with me. It's as if the place wants to share something and at the same time it feels as if it needs something from me. But what? I can't figure it out, but I must. The pull gets stronger each day, and Alex needs to learn that he can't dictate everything I can and cannot do."
"With all the activities planned for the next days, I'd try to put all thoughts of this matter aside and concentrate on it when your mind is not so burdened as it is now."
"Aye, it certainly is full at the moment. But tomorrow the sun will rise and we'll get this joining underway. Everyone is ready, and certainly Millie and I are."