Ainsland waited at the house all morning. She hoped that things would go better than Collum had expected and that he might return with good news after lunch. When it became evident that he would not be back so soon, she decided to explore her surroundings more thoroughly. She pocketed the key and put out the lock before setting off in no particular direction, being mindful of the path that she was taking. She had no desire to become lost.
A mile to the south, she spotted a small house. Smoke was rising from the chimney, and animals and children ran loose in the yard. The little ones clamored around her and took her hand, leading her into the house. She almost collided with an elderly woman, who was standing near the doorway with a bundle of clothing in her arms.
“Oh! I’m so sorry!” Ainsland cried, holding out her hands to take some of the bundle from the woman. “Here, let me help you.”
“Thank you, child,” the woman said, grateful to be relieved of some of her burden. “I’m Elspeth, and these here are my grandchildren. Well, most of them are here. The older ones have already gone on to their own houses.”
“I’m Ainsland. I’m your neighbor.”
“Eh? Oh, the healer’s wife! I heard tell of the wedding. You’ve made a good match for yourself. I couldn’t have done a better job myself.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I’m a matchmaker. Been doing it since I was a girl. Of course, I don’t get paid for it, but people do come to me for advice on their pairings. If they’ve got their hearts set on someone, then nothing I say will matter, but I tell them how it is. I’ve never been wrong.”
“Really?” Ainsland remarked, interested but disbelieving. “How do you know that we’ve made a good match?”
“Sit with me a few minutes, and I’ll tell you. I’ve got a lot of mending to do.”
She turned to the children and said, “Out in the yard with the lot of you! Children should be either playing or working out of doors when the weather’s good enough for it. Now, get!”
Giggling, the small ones darted outside.
“My youngest son’s brood. They’re good ones but so young. My old bones can’t keep up with them like I could the last batch.”
“You live with your son?”
“Him and his wife both died in the fever that swept the lands four years ago.”
“My parents, too.”
“It’s a shame,” Elspeth said, lifting a torn shirt and threading her needle. “So many good people lost.” As she began her mending, she went on, “I live here with the children. They love their granny, they do.”
“I’m sure they do. Could I help with the mending?”
“You’re my guest, Child. I’ll mend alone. I always do. I should give myself a patting on the back for everything I do for myself. I may be old, but I’m not dead, yet.” When Ainsland grinned, the woman continued, “You asked how I could know that you’d made a good match with the healer. Well, let me tell you.
“In the first place, it’s plain to see that you’ve both got more learning than most people in the village. You’ve been properly schooled, which many women have not. You also seem to be good with the practical things of living.
“Collum’s got a combination of book-learning, practical learning, and spiritual learning that’s unknown to most men in places like these. Although he’s by no means old, he’s a wise man. He may have been born that way or he may have become that way during his life.” As Elspeth knotted her thread, she confided, “You, young lady, are an innocent and need someone with greater experience than you to guide you at this time.”
“That’s all quite true.”
“There are other reasons if you’d like to hear them.”
“Yes, of course.”
“The two of you have suffered great losses in your lives. You’ve lost your parents and someone else you were close to. An uncle, perhaps.”
“My husband,” Ainsland admitted. “He was more like an uncle to me though.”
“Ah, that was it then. There was some tragedy involved, yes?”
“Yes. And Collum?”
“Hm. His loss runs deep, but no one knows what it was. He’s a very private man.”
“Is there more?”
“There’s the fact that you’re both of noble blood.”
“Excuse me?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “He more so than you actually. Don’t ask me how I know these things. I’ve always had the gift of seeing, as your husband has the gift of healing.”
“Is there anything else?”
“Only that you love and desire each other which is more important than the rest.”
“How can you know such a thing? You’ve never even met me until today, and I doubt if you’ve spoken to Collum since he and I met.”
“It’s in your eyes and on your face, Child. If you’re that pleased with him, then he must love you and desire you in the same way or else you wouldn’t look nearly so content. However, there’s something troubling you.”
Ainsland told Elspeth of Maggie and the twins, and the old woman listened quietly as she stitched the hem of a dress. When Ainsland had finished, she said, “What a shame. Maggie’s a nice girl. I hate to know that she’s suffering. Plus, if anything does happen to her and those babies, the healer will blame himself.”
“But I don’t think he will,” Ainsland said with a touch of exasperation. “He’s so calm about it.”
“He has to be or he wouldn’t be able to do his work, but he’s only a man after all. He’ll blame himself even though he’s wise enough to know he shouldn’t.”
“What should I do if Maggie dies?”
“You’re his wife. You’ll learn what works best over time. He’ll let you know if you’re going at it the wrong way.”
Ainsland left Elspeth to her mending and her grandchildren. She’d never known her own grandparents, who had died long before she’d been born. Elspeth was what she imagined her grandmothers might be like. She vowed to visit the aging widow frequently.
The next house she came upon was in poor condition and was guarded by a large, fierce black dog. No one emerged to greet her, so Ainsland hurried past the snarling animal.
There was an enormous house further down the path. Ainsland knocked at the door, which was opened by a blonde girl of perhaps fifteen.
“Is your mistress at home?”
“I am.”
Ainsland looked past the girl and saw a rather heavy-set woman at least twice as old as she. The woman was dressed in fine clothing that was neither ostentatious nor distinctive.
“Please come in. Becky, fetch us some tea, if you please.”
“Yes, Mum.”
“We took her in,” the woman explained once the girl had gone towards the kitchen. “Her mother put her out to prostitute her at a tavern in Reems. My Finneus, he happened in at the tavern that very night. He asked her for her favors although he never intended to take them, paid the mother a handsome sum, and smuggled Becky out of the city. He brought her along the coast of Amare to our home. She’s a good girl.” Taking Ainsland’s hand in hers, she said, “I’m Jane, by the way. And you’re Ainsland.”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“Finneus, Becky, and I were at the wedding. You looked lovely.”
“Thank you.”
“What brings you here?”
“Collum is off seeing to Maggie, and I thought I should go on an explore.”
“And I’m glad you did. Finneus should return soon. He’d be pleased to meet you. He’s gone to Overbruck to check on the boats. We’ve two that will set sail next week.”
“Can he ride to Overbruck and back in one day?”
Jane smiled and said, “You’re not familiar with this part of Amare, are you?”
“I’ve never been to this area.”
“I heard about that atrocious Garreth of Blon. Devil! You don’t have to worry about any of us doing a thing like that. You’ve a home with our little family in these parts.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Ainsland caught sight of a huge tapestry that hung on a far wall.
“Why, I used to have one very similar to this!” she cried.
“Really? And what happened to it?”
“After Garreth killed my husband, the tapestry was burned, along with everything else in our home.”
“How dreadful!” Jane exclaimed. “What a beast! Why does no one lock this man away or hang him from a tree?”
“He must know someone very powerful. That’s all I can think of.”
“Well, don’t think of it anymore today. You and I shall sit in the drawing room with Becky and play nobility until Cook has our supper ready. You’ll dine with us, and then Finneus or one of our men will take you home.”
“Oh, no. I’ve been gone too long. What if Collum comes home and it’s dark, and I’m nowhere around? What if someone comes looking for help? I’ve been out too much of the day as it is.”
“It’ll take you quite a while to walk home,” Jane said. “Halfway there, it will be dark. If you stay here, you can eat, share some wonderful company, and then be safely escorted home, all in about the same time. What do you say?”
Ainsland knew it would be rude of her to refuse. Jane’s husband, Finneus, took her home well after sundown. She was certain that Collum would be waiting for her, but he was not. Finneus, as plump and jovial as his wife, waited with the stable boy who’d accompanied him while Ainsland unlocked the door with her large key. She thanked him for his hospitality, said goodnight to him and the stable boy, and then closed and bolted the door as the man had insisted. She watched at the window as he and his servant disappeared quickly into the night.
Ainsland was certain that sleep was impossible. Therefore, she was surprised to wake the next morning to the sound of someone’s tapping lightly on the door. She grabbed for a blanket and went to peer out of the window, hoping to see Collum. Instead, she saw an old woman holding a small kitten.
“Old Lindy, they call me,” she informed Ainsland once the girl had opened the door to her. “Is Collum here?”
“I’m afraid not. May I help you?”
“I came to give him something for saving my Tabby here. You’re his wife, are you? I couldn’t come to the wedding. I didn’t want to leave Tabby alone. Oscar told me about it, though.”
“You know Oscar?”
“He’s my son.” She squinted up into the sky and said, “Looks like rain’s coming. I should be getting back. It takes me some time to get this far.”
“Would you like to come in? I’d hate to see you get caught in the storm.”
“I’ll make it back in time. I know the weather. It won’t be bad until midday.” She held out a small bundle of ragged flowers with the words, “He uses these in some of his medicines. Tell him there are more if he wants them. I couldn’t carry it all, not with my Tabby in my arms.”
Ainsland accepted the bundle and bid farewell to Old Lindy. Then, she quickly dressed in case someone else came to call. No one did. The storm reached the cottage at midday and raged on all afternoon.
“Perhaps Collum’s decided to stay at Maggie and Luke’s,” Ainsland muttered, as she stirred the stew that was simmering in the pot over the fire. “Perhaps he won’t come home until it’s over.”
There was a knock at the door then a familiar voice called out, “Ainsland! It’s me!”
Collum’s clothes were sodden, and he shivered with cold. His boots were caked with mud, and he bent to remove them before entering the house.
“Leave them on, and come inside!”
He stood in the rain just outside the threshold and scraped as much mud off the boots as he could before entering. The instant he stepped into the house and closed and bolted the door, Ainsland draped a warm blanket around his shoulders. He lowered himself down at the edge of the hearth and tried to stop his teeth from chattering.
“There’s stew if you’re hungry.”
He nodded and accepted the bowl in hands that were almost blue with cold. She sat silently, watching him eat the hot stew until the shivering stopped and some color returned to his hands and face. She refilled his bowl once more and then joined him on the stones in front of the hearth.
“You could have waited to come home,” she said quietly. “The weather is terrible. What possessed you?”
“You possessed me,” he said as he rubbed at his eyes. “I wanted to come home to you. I wanted to sleep in my own bed next to my wife.”
“How is Maggie?”
“Maggie will live.”
“You don’t sound pleased.”
“I am very pleased that Maggie will live. I doubted that she would several times.”
“But?”
“The birth was long and difficult. Neither of the twins survived.”
Ainsland forced herself to say, “Tell me about it.”
Shaking his head, he insisted angrily, “I can’t come back every time I fail and tell you about it! It’s enough to lose someone you’re trying to save even though you know it’s hopeless!”
“All right, all right,” she said soothingly. “Let me help you out of those clothes. I’ll heat some water and pour it in the large basin. You can bathe then go to bed.”
“I’m too tired to bathe. After what happened with Maggie and having no sleep for so long, I actually slipped on the road on my way home. That’s how I got so filthy. I can barely keep my eyes open.”
“Then I’ll bathe you. You can’t come to bed like that, and it’ll make you feel better besides.”
Ainsland took the soap in her hands and decided to work her way from his head to his feet. As she washed away the dirt, she could feel him slowly relaxing under her touch. Once, he dozed briefly.
“Stand up,” Ainsland ordered. “I’ll rinse you, then you can dry off and put on something warm.”
When he was dry, Collum retrieved his nightshirt from the hook by the fire. After donning it, he agreed to sit and drink some honey wine that someone had brought him as payment for his services. Once he’d drained several cups of the wine, he went to the large bed and sank back onto the mattress and murmured, “Come lie next to me.”
Night fell, and the storm grew stronger. The wind howled around the little cottage, and rain pounded the roof and the walls. Ainsland snuggled closer to Collum and tried to ignore her fear of the elements. As she edged closer, she brushed against Collum’s groin with her hand. His shaft was fully erect.
She looked at his face. He was in such a deep sleep that she doubted anything could wake him. She climbed quietly out of bed and lit a lamp. Then she turned back the covers and lifted his nightshirt. She stared at him for a long time before lifting her own nightdress over her head and kneeling on the bed. Straddling Collum’s hips, she took him in her hand and reached between her own legs to find the opening to the heated passage there. She guided his stiff member upwards and held it until she was able to maneuver herself into a position where she was somewhat comfortable. Then, she began to lower herself onto him.
For several seconds Ainsland wondered if it was possible. However, after a few awkward movements, the slick juices of her passage eased some of the strain of her efforts.
“Ainsland,” Collum moaned, but she realized that he wasn’t truly awake.
She managed the rest of her descent uneventfully and sat for a minute experiencing the feel of the shaft tightly encased by her flesh.
“Ainsland,” he moaned again.
She began to move forward and backward, enjoying the feel of him inside of her. Suddenly, his hands were on her hips, and his eyes were on her face. He was urging her to move faster and faster against him. The pleasure was building in her, and soon she found herself crying out her release as a sweet wetness coated her thighs.
Collum kept his hands on his wife’s hips and reveled in the sensations of her shuddering above him. She said his name over and over as though she couldn’t bear to stop. Finally, the shuddering ceased, and he pulled her shoulders downward, wrapping his arms around her. He grew hard again and flexed inside of her, and she gave a little squeak of delight and surprise.
He held her like that until he was ready. He was about to suggest that she begin to move against him when a familiar feeling settled within his belly. He pressed Ainsland closer against him and waited. No, he was not imagining it.
Collum guided Ainsland up and slid out of her. She sighed at the emptiness, and he smiled. He pulled off his nightshirt and urged her onto her knees, and then he placed her hands on the wooden rail that ran along the head of the bed. Kneeling behind her, he gazed at his wife for a moment then laid his hands on her ankles. She drew in a sharp breath but didn’t speak as his hands began to caress her calves, her thighs, and her backside. She groaned as he rubbed at her sex, and then cried out a shocked “Oh!” as he slid the head of his erection into her.
Immediately, Collum felt her muscles tighten around him and heard her whimper with desire. He wrapped his hands around the fronts of her thighs and held her fast. Although it made him feel as though he were going to explode at any moment, he fixed his eyes on the place where they were connected. He inched forward into her, seeing his hard flesh being swallowed by her burning softness.
When the hilt of his shaft had disappeared completely from view, he pulled Ainsland away from the rail and drew her up until the backs of her thighs rested against the front of his then reached around and cupped her right breast in one hand. He encircled her waist with his left arm, stroking her neck and ears with his mouth and tongue.
“Collum?”
“Hush, Ainsland. Feel me.”
Collum drew her forward slightly and then pulled her back against him. He did this again and again until the pattern of the tug of his member between her legs had her trembling in front of him. Collum released her left breast and moved his hand around and over her left hand. He brought it down to rest on her belly.
“Our child lives within you,” he said in that same low voice that she’d heard the first time they’d made love. “It is strong and whole.”
With his final thrust and her final scream, he sank deeper into her than he had thought was possible. Collum felt himself come and thought of the son or daughter that had begun only two days before, the baby he was so very close to inside its mother’s womb.