The Man of Her Dreams
Author: Bethany Hauck
Date: 2017-08-27 04:00:00+00:00

The Man
of Her Dreams

The McCabe’s Book 3

By: Bethany Hauck

Copyright © 2017 by Bethany Hauck

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2017

KDP Self Publishing

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Wynda

Chapter 2 Flora

Chapter 3 Trapped

Chapter 4 Rescued at Last

Chapter 5 A Wedding to Remember

Chapter 6 Wedding Night

Chapter 7 A Misunderstanding

Chapter 8 A New McCabe

Chapter 9 Edinburgh

Chapter 10 A lesson in Decorum

Chapter 11 Taking a Risk

Chapter 12 A Special Day

Chapter 13 A Happy Ending

Epilogue

Characters: (so far)

Gleann: McCabe’s

Hamish McCabe
-father and Laird of Gleann

Annabell e-mother (deceased)

Children:

Eadan

Ross and Ham (twins)

Alastair

Craig and Rory (twins)

Owen

James and Jacqueline (twins)

Eadan Hamish-
Eadan and Nessa’s son

Nessa McDougall
-Married to Eadan

Flora Munro
-Married to Ham

Ina
-Healer and Midwife

Tarmon: Fraser’s

Connor Fraser
-Married Jacqueline McCabe

Fiona
-Connor’s sister

Caiden
-Conner’s father and Laird of Tarmon

Alyssa
-Connor’s mother (deceased)

Alyssa and Annabelle
-Connor and Jacqueline’s twin daughters

Angus
-Tarmon guard

Helga
-Tarmon midwife.

Tioram: McCarthy’s

Iain McCarthy
-Laird of Tioram  Angela’s Da.

Catrina
-Angela’s mother

Kenna
- 17 Angela’s sister

Rhona
- 14 Angela’s sister

Angela
-Married to Ross McCabe

William
-Captain of the McCarthy guard.

Villains:

Catherine McCoy
-Connor’s mistress before marriage.

Lachlan Stewart
-Tried to force Angela into marriage

Who knows...they may turn up in later books:

Robert, Elaine and Angu s-Children rescued by Flora and Ham

Suzan
-Their mother and a seamstress

Wynda
-Tavern girl in Edinburgh

Chapter 1 Wynda

“You sure you don’t want any of the guards to go with you,” Hamish McCabe asked his son and namesake.

“No, Da,” Ham answered.  “I’m looking forward to a nice quiet ride.  I’ll pick up that order Ross had done from the armorer, stay the night at the inn, and then I’ll head back towards home.”

“Enjoy the peace while you can,” Hamish told him.  “By the time you get back your sister and her family will be here, plus Ross and Angela.”

“I’ll be happy to see everyone.  It’s been a long time since we’ve all been at Gleann together,” Ham said, smiling thinking of seeing his twin brother and younger sister.

“It’s a shame James couldn’t come home, he’ll be the only one missing,” Hamish said sadly.  “I miss that boy, but in another year his studies will be done.”  James McCabe was off at Glasgow University, he had begged his Da to let him go, and Hamish had finally given in and said yes.  James had always been smart and loved to learn, and it would be a good thing for the clan when he finished his education.

“It’ll be nice when he’s home again.  Don’t worry about me; I’ll be back as soon as I can.  Owen is supposed to meet me in Edinburgh, and we’ll ride home together,” Ham reassured him.

“Good,” Hamish said.  “It’s always better to have more than one traveling if trouble arises.”

“I’m planning on stopping at Jacqueline’s on the way back, they should be just about ready to head to Gleann about that time,” Ham said.

“Maybe being around her babies will make you want to find a wife of your own,” Hamish teased.

“Not yet, Da,” Ham said laughing.  “That’s one of the reasons I’m going to take my time coming back; I’m tired of hiding from Flora.”

“That girls been chasing you since she was twelve years old,” Hamish said, he chuckled a bit himself.  “Maybe you should let her catch you.”

“Not going to happen,” Ham said good-naturedly.  “I’ve always wondered, Da out of all the girls in Gleann, how was she one of the only ones you let play with Jacqueline?”

“Her Da was one of my best guards, when he was wounded in a skirmish, I promised him I’d take care of his daughter, he died soon after,” Hamish said.  “Not long after that her Mither got sick and passed too.  I felt responsible for her.”

“It’s not that I don’t like her,” Ham said.  “She just isn’t what I’d pick for a bride.  She wears pants, she rides astride, and she cusses more than most men I know.”

“She just needs a good man to turn her over his knee,” Hamish said, laughing out loud. “It would calm her down a bit.”

“That it would, Da,” Ham said as he mounted his warhorse, a big black stag named Diabhal.  He then winked at his Da and added,  “I’ll be back in about a week, maybe a bit longer.  I’ve been lucky enough to avoid Flora for a few days; I’m going to enjoy a few more.”

Before Hamish could say anything more, Ham had kicked his high-energy horse into motion, bringing him to a full gallop by the time he reached to gates exiting the keep.  Ham didn’t even have time to tell him that Flora was at Tarmon, visiting with Jacqueline.  She had left three days earlier, and that was the reason he hadn’t seen her around.  Oh well, he thought, Ham would find out soon enough.

**********

“Hello, brother,” Ham said as he snuck up on his younger brother Owen, grabbing him from behind as he spoke.

“Ham,” Owen said, beginning to laugh, “I was about to grab my dirk and stab back at you.  Don’t you know not to grab a knight in training like that?”

“The day you get the best of me is the day I turn in my sword,” Ham said laughing. “How’s the training going?”

“It’s going well,” Owen said.  “I do have to tell you though; I won’t be able to leave for at least a week yet.”

“I was hoping to be home by then,” Ham said.  “I’m picking up Ross’ armor early in the morning, and I was planning on heading for Tarmon soon after.  Why can’t you leave?”

“I’m on guard duty the next four nights,” Owen said, becoming embarrassed.  “I got into a small brawl at the tavern last night.”

“With who?” Ham asked.

“Some arse from the Stewart clan,” Owen said.  “He had a few things to say about our brother Ross and Angela; I set him straight.”

“Good for you,” Ham said.  “Are there going to be more problems for Ross from the Stewart clan?”

“No,” Owen told him.  “There were other Stewarts in the tavern.  The rest of them agreed Lachlan was an arse and deserved what happened to him.”

Lachlan Stewart had tried to force their brother Ross’ wife into marriage.  Ross had rescued her by marrying her quickly himself.  After being followed first to their sister’s home at Tarmon, and then Angela’s family home at Tioram, Ross had ended Lachlan Stewart’s life.  It wasn’t done without reason; Ross had taken his sword to the man after he had terrorized the village and kidnapped Angela.  They wouldn’t have to worry about him again.

“I thought we’d be able to go to the tavern together tonight,” Ham said, a bit disappointed.  “I guess I’ll have to go by myself and find a tavern wench or two to keep me company.”

Owen laughed telling him, “the sacrifice you’ll be making.”

“Do you want me to wait for you before I head back towards home?” Ham asked him.

“No,” Owen said.  “I know you wanted to stop by Jacqueline’s on the way.  I’ll go that way when I leave here, if you’re still there I’ll ride home with all of you then.  Don’t wait for me though; if you’re gone already, I’ll meet you at Gleann.”

“I do want to go by Jacqueline and Connor’s.  I’d like to get some time to play with my nieces.  Once Da gets ahold of them no one else can,” Ham said laughing.  “I don’t know what he’s going to do when Eadan and Nessa’s baby is born; he won’t have enough arms for them all.”

“The man does turn into mush around them doesn’t he?” Owen agreed, grinning.  “Maybe then we’ll all get a turn to play with them.”

“You never know.  I’ll stop by and see you again in the morning before I leave,” Ham said, patting him on the shoulder before walking away to get a room at the inn.

“See you in the morning then,” Owen said, heading towards the guard tower where he would be on duty all night.

Ham made his way over to the armorer and picked up the long forgotten order Ross had placed.  His next stop was at the inn where he secured a room for the night.  His final stop was at the tavern not far away, where he found himself a seat on a bench in the corner.  Soon one of the tavern girls came over, “what can I get for you?” she asked.

“Just some ale,” he told her.  She gave him a seductive smile before turning and walking away, swaying her hips to keep his attention.

Ham watched what was going on around him, the tavern wasn’t very full, but then it was a Wednesday, and most of the men were at home with their families if they had them.

“Here you go,” said the girl, she sat his mug down in front of him, bending low so he couldn’t miss the cleavage her low-cut gown bared.

“I haven’t seen you here before,” he said to her, “what’s your name?”

“Wynda,” she said.  “I’ve only been here in Edinburgh a short time.  What’s your name?” she asked again giving him that look.

“Ham,” he told her, “short for Hamish.”

“You going to hang out long, Ham?” she asked him.

“Depends,” he answered.  “Is there a reason to?”

“If you have a few coins, I’ll give you a reason,” she said smiling again.

Ham smiled back, it had been a long while since he had a woman in his bed, and Wynda looked much better than most tavern wenches usually did.  “I’ve got coin,” he told her, “now what would that reason be?”

“I get off in an hour,” she said, running her finger down his cheek.  “I have a room upstairs; I’ll show you when we get there.”

“I’ll wait,” he told her.

**********

“This is my room,” said Wynda as she led him inside and closed the door.  She immediately undid the fastening on the back of her gown, letting it fall to the floor, Ham was pleasantly surprised to see she had nothing on underneath it.  “You’ve got too many clothes on,” she said to him, reaching for his belt and unfastening it.

Wynda fell to her knees on the floor in front of him, pulling down his trews and taking his semi-hard cock in her hand.  She leaned forward and licked the tip where a dab of liquid had gathered.  “Mmmm,” was all she said before she sucked it all into her mouth.

Ham became rock hard instantly, never had a woman been so forward during sex, it turned him on quickly.  Wynda worked up a rhythm, sucking his cock in further and further each time, until Ham could feel it entering her throat each time.  “Do you like that?” Wynda asked him once she pulled back and he heard the pop as his cock left her lips.

“Very much,” Ham said, grabbing the back of her head with both hands and pulling her forward onto him again. Wynda worked on him faster, sucking harder than before, “Either stop or I’m going to cum in your mouth,” Ham warned her.  Wynda smiled up at him and drew him in again, letting his cock slide into her throat where she swallowed repeatedly, making her throat tighten around him.  Ham couldn’t hold back anymore and exploded into her mouth.  Wynda didn’t even flinch as she swallowed it down, before cleaning him up with her tongue.

“Let’s finish getting you undressed,” Wynda said to him, pushing him back onto the bed where she finished pulling off his trews.  She reached for his tunic next, pulling it up forcefully and causing it to rip slightly in one of the seams.  “Oh no,” she said, grinning at him.  “I’ve been naughty.  Maybe you should punish me.”

Ham had never had a woman like Wynda before, not only was she willing to give him a good romp, she liked it naughty and a bit rough.  He was happy to oblige.  Ham grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her down over his knee. “You are a naughty one,” he said to her, playing along.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
He brought his hand down on her bottom cheeks, alternating sides with each strike.

“Oh stop,” Wynda said, playing along. “I didn’t mean to be naughty.”

“I’ll stop when I think you’ve had enough,” Ham said, bringing his hand down for another round.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“Oh that feels so good,” Wynda said to him, raising her hips up to meet his every strike.  “Harder, Ham please, just a bit harder.”

Ham just chuckled and gave her another round.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“How’s that?” he asked, striking her just a bit harder, he noticed her skin was now turning a nice shade of dark pink.

“Just a bit more,” she said to him.  “I’ve been very naughty.” Again Ham brought his hand down.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

This time when he finished Ham reached his hand down between her legs, she was already wet.  He plunged two fingers up inside her, quickly working them in and out.  Ham knew Wynda was enjoying what he was doing, he pulled the two fingers out and added a third, plunging all three back up inside her.  He worked them in and out quickly until he felt her tighten around them and her juices began to flow around his hand as she came.

Ham pulled his fingers out and flipped her onto the bed on her stomach, he grabbed her by her hips, pulling her up onto her hands and knees and plunged his once again rock hard cock into her pussy.  Wynda squealed as he did so, then began to rock her hips back and grind into his every thrust.  Ham held out as long as he could.  Finally, once again he felt Wynda tighten around his shaft as she began to cum.  He thrust into her roughly a few more times before he joined her, pulling out of her quickly and shooting his load onto her back and arse cheeks.

**********

“Will you come back and see me again?” Wynda asked the next morning.

“If I’m in the area I’ll definitely stop to visit you,” Ham told her as he pulled on his boots.

“Do you have to leave so soon?” she asked, sitting up and letting the cover drop so he could see her breasts.

“I do,” he told her.  “I promised my sister I’d visit.”

“I could go with you,” Wynda said.

“I don’t think that would be a very good idea,” Ham said, he was a bit confused, Wynda was a tavern wench, what more did she want from him?  “I’ve got to go,” he said to her, reaching into his pocket and pulling out two coins, which he handed to her.  “This was fun, Wynda,” he said, “I hope we get a chance to do it again sometime.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Wynda said to him, a smile appearing on her face as she watched him leave the room.

Ham made his way downstairs and out of the tavern.  His first stop was at the inn where he’d left his things but hadn’t slept. He gathered up what he had there before wandering over to the guard tower where his brother had been on duty all night.  Finding Owen, he said, “I’m  heading to the stables to get my horse and then I’ll be leaving.”

“Did you get Ross’ armor?” Owen asked.

“I picked it up yesterday,” Ham said. “Do you need anything before I leave?”

“No,” Owen told him.  “I’m heading to my bed to get some sleep.  Safe travels brother.”

“You too,” Ham said, giving his brother a quick hug.  “I’ll see you in a week or so.”

Ham collected his horse, mounted,  and was soon on his way to Tarmon, it had been an enjoyable night, and he traveled with a smile on his face remembering it.

Chapter 2 Flora

“Ham,” Jacqueline Fraser yelled as she ran down the steps towards her brother.  “I’ve missed you.”  Ham caught her as she launched herself towards him, swinging her around in a wide arc.

“And I’ve missed you, little sister,” he said, meaning every word.  “How are my nieces?” he asked as he set her back on her feet.

“Getting bigger every day,” Jacqueline told him, latching onto his arm and leading him into the keep’s main hall.  “Are you hungry?  Thirsty?”

“I could go for something to eat and drink,” he answered.

“I’ll get you something,” she said to him.

“Where’s Connor?” he asked before she could walk away.

“He’s with his Da checking on some of the farms that are further out from the keep,” she answered.  “He should be back shortly.”

“Where are Alyssa and Annabelle?” he asked.  “I was hoping to get some time with them.”

“Sleeping,” she said, “and we are not going to wake them.  They’re down to one nap a day now, and I appreciate the afternoon break.  They’ll be up soon.”

“Don’t you have a nurse for them?” he asked.

“I do,” she said, “but I spend as much time with them during the day as I can.  They’re my children, not the nurses, Connor feels the same.”

“You’ll get no argument from me,” Ham told her.

“Hello, Ham,” he heard as someone walked up behind him.  He recognized the voice immediately and cringed before turning.

“Well hello, Flora,” he replied.  “What are you doing here at Tarmon?”

“I’ve been here for nearly a week,” Flora said.  “I come visit with Jacqueline and Connor once in a while.  Jacqueline and I have been friends since we were young girls in case you forgot.”

“I remember, but I didn’t know you still see each other,” Ham said, looking at her.  She was in her usual attire, brays and a tunic with boots that went up to her knees.  Her hair was pulled back and tied at the nape with just a piece of leather strapping. Ham thought to himself ‘what a shame, if she would spend just a little time on her appearance, she could actually be quite lovely.’

“Don’t you own a dress or skirt or something?” Ham said to her before thinking, not at all kindly.  He didn’t know what came over him when Flora was around.  He’d never spoken to another woman the way he was talking to her.

“What does it matter to you what I wear?” she asked.  “You’ve made it pretty clear the way you feel about me.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” Ham said, feeling bad about what he had said.

“You don’t have to worry, I’m not going to bother you anymore,” Flora said to him.  “Jacqueline and I talked about it, and you’re not worth it.”

“I’m not worth it?” he asked.

“It’ll never happen between us, so I’ve just been wasting my time,” she said.  “It was a silly little girl crush, but it’s over now.  Like Jacqueline said, someday I’ll find a man who will love me for who I am, not for what I wear or say.”

“Well I’m glad to hear that,” Ham said to her as Jacqueline came back into the room with a plate of food and a mug of wine for him.  He wasn’t sure he really meant what he said.

“That looks good,” he said to Jacqueline as she placed the plate on the table in front of him.

“I hope you like it,” Jacqueline said.  “Cook had some food left from the morning meal.  I’m just going to run upstairs and get the twins. They should be up from their nap now.  I’ll return in just a few minutes.”

“I’ll come help you,” Flora said, following her out of the room.

As Ham was eating, Connor and his father Caiden Fraser entered the hall,  “Ham, welcome back,” Connor yelled out a greeting as he approached the table.

“Thank you, Connor,” Ham said.  “Good to see you, Laird Fraser.”

“Caiden please,” said Connor’s father.  “We are family.”

“Jacqueline was wondering if you were going to make it here before we left for Gleann,” Connor said to him.  “I thought you were bringing Owen with you?”

“My little brother got himself into a bit of trouble and won’t be able to join us for a few days,” Ham said, chuckling.

“What did he do?” Caiden asked.

“He made sure a Stewart knew the truth about what happened with Ross and Lachlan,” Ham said.  “There was a small altercation in the tavern in Edinburgh.”

“Good for him,” Connor said.  “That Lachlan Stewart was an evil man.  The world is a better place without him in it.”

“I have to agree,” said Caiden.  “Will there be any more problems from the Stewarts?”

“I don’t think so,” Ham answered.  “According to Owen there were other Stewarts there, and they agreed Lachlan got what he deserved.”

“Good to hear,” Caiden said.

“Owen will meet us at Gleann as soon as he’s done with night guard duty,” Ham told them.

“Your sister wants to leave in two days,” Connor said.  “Flora needs to be back then too.”

“How did she end up here at Tarmon anyway?” Ham asked.

“She visits from time to time,” Connor answered. “She has an open invitation to visit whenever she likes.”

“She’s such a lovely young woman,” Caiden added. “I’m surprised no man has snatched her up and married her yet.”

“Lovely?” Ham asked.  “She wears brays and tunics.  She never seems to spend any time on her appearance.  I wouldn’t call her lovely.”

“So you’re only looking at the outside then,” Caiden said.  “That’s a pity; you miss so much that way.”

“I don’t think I’m missing anything,” Ham said.  “I’ve known her most of her life.”

“It’s rare to find a person as kind as her,” Caiden said.  “The villagers here at Tarmon love her, they don’t care what she’s wearing when they’re ailing, and she offers them aid.”

“What kind of aid can Flora offer?” Ham asked.

“I thought you knew the girl,” Caiden said.  “She’s quite skilled in healing.  She told me she’s been studying under your Gleann healer for years.”

“Flora? A healer?” Ham asked, he was stunned to hear it.

“An excellent healer,” said Connor.  “If she hadn’t already promised to stay at Gleann, I’d offer for her to come live here.  Although our healer and midwife Helga is skilled, she’s also aging.  I’ve seen her trying to train some of the younger girls here at Tarmon, but I don’t think any of them are as good as Flora.”

“I never knew that about her,” Ham told them, somewhat impressed.  It wasn’t long until Jacqueline and Flora both returned to the hall, each carrying one of the twin girls Jacqueline had delivered only seven months earlier.

“There are Da’s princesses,” Connor said as both girls smiled and reached for him.  He grabbed one in each arm, bouncing them around and making them squeal and laugh.

“They’re always so happy when I see them,” Ham said as one of the girls looked over at him, giving him a big grin which he returned.

“Of course they are,” Caiden said as he pulled Annabelle out of Connor’s arm.  “They’re given loads of love and attention every day.”

Ham turned to Flora saying, “I didn’t know you were training to be a healer.”

“How couldn’t you have known?” Jacqueline said.  “She’s been training since we were twelve.”

“There’s probably a lot of things you don’t know about me,” Flora said.  “One day you may regret it.”

“I’m beginning to think you’re right,” he answered.

“So when are you planning on leaving for Gleann?” Caiden asked them.

“The day after tomorrow,” Connor answered.  “Flora has to be back to take over for Ina, the midwife there.”

“Where’s Ina going?” Ham asked.

“Her daughter is also having a baby.  She lives with her husband in a village about two days travel from Gleann.  Ina is going there to be with her,” Jacqueline said.  “Don’t you pay attention to anything at Gleann?”

“So if Ina is gone, who’s going to deliver Nessa’s baby?” Ham asked.

“Flora will,” Jacqueline said.  “She’s delivered many babies.”

“Eadan and Da agree with that?” Ham asked.  He couldn’t believe that they would put Nessa’s care in the hands of someone who had so little experience.

“I’ve delivered over one hundred babies,” Flora said to him, sounding very offended.  “I do know what I’m doing.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, surprised.  “I didn’t know.”

“You can’t find out about things you have no interest in,” Flora said to him.  She then turned to Jacqueline and said, “I’m going to go out for a walk around the village.”

“I’ll join you,” Jacqueline told her, “Connor and Caiden will watch the girls for a bit.”  She gave Ham a look as she passed that made him cringe as she grabbed onto Flora’s arm and the two women left together.

Ham was surprised with what he had learned about Flora. She had always followed him around Gleann, but instead of finding out anything about her, he had always avoided her due to the way she dressed.  He was surprised to find out that she was actually pretty interesting.  Maybe he should spend more time trying to get to know her while he was at Tarmon.

Chapter 3 Trapped

“I’ve got bad news,” Jacqueline said to Flora and Ham as they sat breaking their fast on the morning they were supposed to be leaving for Gleann.  “Connor and I can’t leave today.  Alyssa is running a fever, and we don’t want to travel with her until she’s feeling better.”

“I have to get back to Gleann today,” Flora answered.  “I promised Ina I’d be there.”

“I know,” Jacqueline said.  “Caiden said he’ll try to find a guard to escort you back home.  We feel terrible about not being able to leave.”

“Don’t feel bad, of course you can’t travel with a sick babe,” Flora said.  “Do you need me to look at Alyssa?”

“Helga did this morning.  She says it isn’t anything to worry about, and might just be the teeth she’s cutting, but we don’t want to take any chances,” Jacqueline replied.  “Caiden will be in soon to let us know if he found someone.”

“There’s no need to inconvenience anyone,” Flora told her.  “I know the way; I can make it by myself.”

“Connor and Caiden are not going to let you travel alone,” Jacqueline told her.  “I wouldn’t even suggest it.”

“I’ll escort her,” Ham said.  “I need to be getting back to Gleann today myself.”

Ham had been trying to talk with Flora for the last two days.  She had barely answered his questions or even acknowledged his presence.  Maybe this would be an excellent opportunity to apologize for the way he had acted towards her.  The ride back to Gleann with just the two of them could be a good time to smooth things over between them.

“There’s no need,” Flora insisted.

“There’s no need for what?” Connor asked as he walked up to the table where everyone was gathered to break their fast.

“I don’t need an escort back to Gleann,” Flora said.  “It’s only a six or seven-hour ride.  I’ll make it just fine by myself.”

“You either have an escort, or you don’t go,” Caiden Fraser said, joining the group.  “You are under my protection here at Tarmon, and I wouldn’t let any woman from my keep travel that far alone.”

“I said I’d escort her,” Ham said again.  “I need to be getting back to Gleann myself anyways.”

“Maybe I don’t want to go with you,” Flora said to him.

“Why wouldn’t you want to travel with me?” Ham said.  “We’ve known each other for years.”

“Right,” Flora said sarcastically, “and we’ve always been so close.”

“You know what you need for that attitude?” Ham responded, not waiting for an answer, “a good spanking!”

“No one has ever spanked me,” Flora replied.  “If one ever tries he better be prepared, because I would get even.”

“Ham, apologize,” Jacqueline said, seeing her brother and oldest friend both getting angry.

“Stay out of it, Jacqueline,” Connor said to her softly.

“I won’t,” she said.  “Ham is being an arse.”

“Stay out of it, or you and I will be making a trip upstairs for a private conversation. And if you don’t stop using language like that, it will be with you over my knee and your hairbrush applied to your backside,” Connor leaned in and said softly, so only she could hear.

“Aye, then you handle this,” Jacqueline said, “I’m going upstairs to check on Alyssa.”

“Good idea,” Connor said to her.  He then turned back to Flora and Ham.  “I think Ham escorting you is the best option for everyone.”

“I don’t want to travel with him,” Flora said.

“Then you can stay at Tarmon until either Ross arrives, or Jacqueline and I are ready to go ourselves,” Connor said.

“When will Ross be here?” Ham asked.

“He was supposed to be here yesterday but sent a messenger saying they were delayed,” Connor told him.  “He said they’d stop on their way to Gleann but not to wait for them.  If they miss us, they’ll just meet us there.”

“That could be days then,” Flora protested.

“Or it could be today,” Connor said.  “He didn’t say what the delay was.”

“Aye, I’ll go with him,” she sighed and said, pointing at Ham.

“We leave in an hour,” Ham said.  “I’ll get the horses ready if you need some time to get yourself ready to go.”

“I’m ready,” Flora said, looking down at herself.  She had on her normal attire, trews, a tunic and her boots.

“Then I’ll meet you out front as soon as you gather your things,” Ham said.  He wasn’t even sure why he had wanted to do this so badly.  For years he had dodged Flora as she followed him around, now he was pouncing on every opportunity to get to know her better.

**********

“Are you going to ignore me the whole way home?” Ham asked Flora a few miles into their journey.

“Aye,” Flora answered. “I don’t understand why all of a sudden you want to talk with me.  You’ve run the other way from me for years.”

“Maybe I was wrong to do that,” he said.  “Can’t we try to be friends now?”

“Nay,” Flora answered.  Ham sighed, not knowing how to fix the situation.  Flora was right, he had avoided her for years, and wasn’t always very nice in the way he’d done it.

As they rode, Ham kept looking up at the sky.  When they had left Tarmon, the sun had been shining, and the temperatures had been perfect.  He’d noticed dark clouds in the distance, as they traveled the dark clouds followed and were quickly catching up to them.

“We may have to find some shelter,” he finally said to Flora.  “That looks like it could be a big storm heading this way.  I’d rather not get caught in it.  Diabhal doesn’t do well with storms.”

“Do you think we can outrun it?” Flora asked.

“I don’t think so; it’s been gaining on us the last hour or so.  There’s a cave about a half hour or more ride from here.  If it gets any worse we’ll head there and take shelter until it passes,” Ham told her.

“Let’s hope we don’t have to do that,” Flora said, giving her mount a gentle kick, taking it from a walk to a trot.

Ham kicked his mount also, picking up the pace to keep up with Flora.  The winds around them seemed to pick up suddenly.  Ham had to keep a tight grip on his horse Diabhal.  He was a great warhorse, large in the shoulders and he stood taller than almost any man.  He was as calm as a foal during a battle, but Ham had seen him in storms before, Diabhal could become quite spooked and jumpy when there was thunder and lightning. A horse his size could be dangerous to anyone around when it was spooked that badly.

“The temperature is really dropping,” Flora said as she shivered.  Ham had noticed it too.  The warm breeze they had that morning had turned into a cold hard wind, making the trees around them sway back and forth.

“It’s not much further to the cave,” Ham said as the rain began to fall harder.  He glanced up at the darkening clouds once more before saying, “I don’t like this.  I think it’s going to be a big one.”

“Just get us there,” Flora said, her teeth were beginning to chatter, and her lips were turning blue with cold.  Ham once again nudged Diabhal in the side, instead of a trot this time he had him gallop.  By the time the two reached the cave, they were wet, cold and hungry.

“Bring your horse inside too,” Ham told her as he dismounted and led Diabhal inside the cave.  “I don’t want to leave them tied up outside; it’s getting really bad.  I’ll get some wood and a fire going as soon as I have Diabhal settled.”

“I can take care of the horses if you want to get some wood,” Flora told him.

“Thanks but I’ll take care of him,” Ham said.  “I’ll warn you now, don’t ever go near Diabhal, he’s a warhorse, so he’s very high strung.  He doesn’t know you and may hurt you if you approach him.”

“I know how to handle a horse, Ham,” Flora said back, once again her attitude showing.

“Listen here,” Ham said walking towards her, he was tired of her bad attitude and sarcastic comments.  “I’ve been trying to be nice, but I’m wet, cold and hungry.  Lose the attitude, or I’ll help you lose it.  I’m not telling you to stay away from my horse because I don’t trust you, I’m telling you because I don’t trust him.”

“Aye,” she said, walking away to tend to her own mount.  “I’ll stay away from both of you then.”

Ham quickly got his horse settled and turned back to Flora who was doing the same with her own.  “I’m going to go out and round up some wood if you want to change into some dry clothes while I’m gone.”

“How long will you be gone?” she asked.

“Depends on where I can find some wood that isn’t too wet,” he told her.  “It may take me a bit.”

“Alright,” she agreed, reaching for the bag that she’d untied from the back of her horse and laid on the ground next to her.  “I hope what’s in here is still dry.”

“If not, they still have to be drier than what you have on now,” Ham said, turning to leave the cave.  The storm hadn’t gotten much worse yet, but he could see the darker clouds still coming their way.  A bolt of lightning struck in the distance, and it took a few seconds for the rumble of the thunder to reach him.  He quickened his pace, looking for a thick grove of trees that would have made a canopy, keeping the wood lying underneath it dry.  He lucked out and found one not too far from the cave with a bunch of large branches laying there.  He quickly grabbed an armload; he’d get the fire in the cave going first and then come back for more.

Flora figured she had plenty of time before Ham would return,  but decided to change quickly just in case.  As the worst of the storm drew closer, the light in the cave faded, making it harder to see what she was doing.  Flora peeled off her wet clothing.  She was glad Ham wasn’t around as the binding she used to hide her large breasts was also wet.  Flora unwound it quickly, dropping it on top of the tunic she had just removed, she then peeled off her trews.  She felt funny standing in the middle of the cave naked.  Taking a dry tunic out of her bag, she began to wipe the rest of the moisture off her skin with it. She didn’t want to complain, but she was cold and couldn’t wait to put on something warm and dry.  She pulled out the last tunic she’d traveled with and slipped it over her head.  Flora felt better then, the tunic covered her upper body and down to the middle of her thighs.

For the first time, she looked around the cave they were sheltering in.  It was larger than she had first thought; it was easily twice the size of her cottage back at Gleann with the ceiling being at least ten feet high.

Suddenly a burst of lightning hit not too far away, lighting up the inside of the cave for just a split second; just enough to make Ham’s horse throw its head back and neigh loudly, then the thunder sounded, making the horse buck up on its hind legs.  Flora didn’t think and ran over, trying to grab the reins and calm the animal down.

“What are you doing?” Ham asked rushing over to her and grabbing the reins out of her hands, pulling Diabhal back down.  “I told you to stay away from him.  He could’ve killed you.”

“The thunder and lightning spooked him,” she tried to explain.

“He would have calmed on his own,” Ham said, stroking the horse’s muzzle and murmuring softly to him.

“I know how to handle a damn horse; I could have calmed him myself,” Flora said, once again becoming angry.

Ham said nothing as he focused on calming Diabhal down.  Once the horse was calm, he walked to the middle of the cave and began to stack the wood he’d gathered.  It wasn’t long until Ham had a small fire going.

“Keep adding wood,” he finally said to Flora, “I’m going to go grab a few more loads of this while it’s still dry so we can keep the fire going as long as we need to.  Who knows, we may have to stay here until tomorrow morning if this doesn’t pass soon.”

Flora said nothing, but began to add the smaller branches to the fire.  She would add the larger ones once there were enough coals so the fire wouldn’t go out.  She heard Ham come into the cave behind her more than once and drop wood into the stack he was creating there.

Ham was on his fourth trip.  He knew there was already more wood than they would ever be able to use but he was angry and needed to keep busy.  How stupid was Flora to go near his horse when he had already warned her not to? Didn’t she know that a war horse was trained to kill?  He entered the cave once more and dropped the load of wood he’d carried there. As he was heading back out one last time, he grabbed his bow, if he was lucky he might be able to find a rabbit or two to cook over the fire.

Ham walked quietly back to the area where he’d gathered the wood, looking for signs of rabbit.  As he was about to enter the clearing, he couldn’t believe his luck, standing in the center of it was a small herd of red deer.  Although it would be much more meat than they needed, he took aim and let an arrow fly; hitting a small buck in the side, piercing it’s lung and heart, dropping it immediately.  He figured he’d gut it and take off the larger chunks of meat to be cooked immediately, whatever he and Flora didn’t use he’d take back to Gleann.

He pulled out his knife and gutted the deer, once that was done he dragged it back towards the cave.  Instead of lessening, the storm was getting worse as time went on, he couldn’t wait to get back to the fire and into some dry clothes.  Just as he reached the mouth of the cave another bolt of lightning hit, the thunder was almost instantaneous.  He heard Diabhal again screech in fear as he was about to enter.  Walking in, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing, Diabhal was again up on his hind legs with Flora lying on the floor in front of him.

He ran over and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her out of the way, none too gently.  “I told you not to get too close to him,” he yelled at her as he once again grabbed the horse’s reins trying to calm him.

“He was frightened,” she tried to explain, as she lifted herself up off the ground, “I just wanted to calm him a bit.”

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

“Nay,” she said, he could tell by the slight shake in her voice she’d been scared, “you arrived just in time.”

“Thank god,” Ham said as he walked towards her, he again took her by the arm and pulled her towards the woodpile he had created.  He propped his foot up on one of the largest pieces and pulled Flora over the top of his leg.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked him.

“What someone should have done a long time ago,” he answered. He began bringing his hand down on top of Flora’s tunic covered bottom, alternating sides.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“Ham, stop it,” she screamed as she struggled to get away.

“Not until I feel like you’ve learned your lesson,” he stopped and replied, then continued again.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“What lesson am I supposed to be learning?” she sassed back at him.  “That you’re a brute?”

“Nay,” he again stopped and said.  “That when I tell you to do something for your own safety you need to listen.” This time when he started again, he moved to her thighs.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

Finally, Flora couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.  “Please stop,” she cried.  “I can’t take anymore.”

It wasn’t until that moment that Ham noticed he was striking bare skin.  Although the tunic she wore covered her arse, it had ridden up and exposed the skin on her thighs which was now a bright red color.  “Where are your trews?” he asked her.

“I didn’t have time to put any on yet,” she said.  “You were back to fast, then with the storm and the horses and getting the fire going I forgot.”

Ham pushed her off of his lap and onto her feet.  “Go put some on,” he said to her, not wanting her to notice that his cock had become semi hard.  He was having a hard time believing it himself.

“My tunic is wet now because of you,” she said.  “I don’t have another either.” He looked up, and sure enough, her tunic was wet and slightly see through.  Had he ever noticed how large her breasts were before?

“Stop staring at me like that,” she said.

“I’m sorry,” he told her,  “I just never noticed some things about you before.”

Flora walked over to her bag and pulled out her trews, pulling them up over her arse and thighs made her wince.  “I better not be too sore to ride tomorrow,” she said to him.

“Maybe you should have listened then,” he scolded again.  “I need to get some dry clothes on myself.”

Ham went into the shadows at the back of the cave, he and his brothers had been to this cave many times as they had grown up.  He knew that through a narrow opening in the back a trickle of clean water flowed.  At least if they were stuck here. they would have food and water for the next day.  Once he was dry, he joined Flora by the fire.  She had pulled two of the larger pieces of wood over for them to sit against.  She was busy working some long sticks into the ground to hang her wet clothing next to the fire.  He grabbed a few pieces himself and did the same.

“What is that?” Ham asked, pointing to the strips of cloth she used to bind her breasts that were hung up to dry.

“That’s personal,” she said to him.

“What’s personal about some cloth?” he asked.

“Ham,” she said. “You don’t need to know everything about me now.  I need that for personal reasons.”

Ham again looked at her large breasts and began to realize what they were used for.  “I don’t know why you’d need to hide them,” he said, grinning at her.

“You try riding a horse without them being bound,” she said grinning back, her face turning a bright red.  Ham decided to quit teasing her.  It had been the first time they had even halfway joked with each other, and he didn’t want to ruin the moment.

“I’ll start cutting up the deer.  You think you can cook us some of the meat?” he asked.

“I do know how to cook,” she said, once again slightly offended.  She sat down on the log and quickly jumped back up rubbing her arse.

“I was scared you were going to get hurt,” he quickly explained.  “You deserved that spanking.”

“No one deserves to be spanked,” Flora shot back.

“Tell that to Jacqueline next time you see her,” he laughed and said.

“Connor would never do that to her,” Flora said.  “He loves her.”

“That’s why he does it,” Ham explained, getting up and walking over to the deer.  He pulled his knife and cut a large piece of meat off the hind end, bringing it back to Flora.  “You sure you know how to cook that?”

“I’ve been taking care of myself since my Mither died,” she answered.  “Who do you think has cooked for me all these years?”

Ham shrugged and went back to the deer.  As he skinned it he thought about what Flora had said.  Her Mither had died when she was barely more than a little girl.  At first, he knew she had gone to live with one of the families in the village.  It wasn’t long though until she was given a cottage of her own next to Ina, the Gleann healer.

“Why were you left alone so young?” he asked as he sat down next to her.

“What do you care?” she asked.

“I never thought about it before,” he answered truthfully.  “I just remembered now that you live by yourself in a cottage next to Ina, and have for a long time.”

“My parents never had any close friends, neither of them grew up at Gleann.  So when they both died, no one really wanted me,” she said sadly.  “Ina was the first to really take an interest in me after my Mither died and not try to change me.”

“Why didn’t you just live with her?” he asked.

“Did you ever see the inside of Ina’s cottage?” she asked, laughing softly, thinking about the healer’s cottage.

“Nay.  I’ve only been on the outside.” he answered.

“It’s so cluttered there wouldn’t be room for more than one person to live there.  But Ina talked to the laird once she knew I had an interest in learning about healing.  It was agreed I could live in the empty cottage next to hers, and she would look out for me.  Laird McCabe agreed that she could train me to become a healer so I could take over for her one day,” Flora said to him.

“Why didn’t I know this?” he asked.  “I know I’ve been away for a few years, but it seems everyone else knew.”
“You’ve been avoiding me for years,” she shrugged and said.  “It’s not like you ever tried to get to know anything about me.”

“You chased me for years,” he said.  “I think you forget, I was young too, Flora.  When you were two and ten, I was only nine and ten and dreaming of becoming a great knight, and every time I turned around there you were.”

“That’s over now, it was just a silly girl crush,” she answered.  “You don’t have to worry about it anymore, for now on when you turn around; you won’t see me.  I’ve learned I don’t really like you very much anyway.”

“You don’t really know me either,” he said, a little offended.

“You didn’t know me either, but it didn’t stop you from avoiding me,” she answered matter of factly.

Ham just shrugged, what she was saying was true.  “I don’t know, Flora; maybe if you had tried to act more like a lass, I would have tried to get to know you.”

“Then you wouldn’t have gotten to know me,” she said standing up and putting her arms out, “this is the real me.  I wear tunics and trews, I pull my hair back without fancy braids or ribbons, and sometimes I cuss.”

“Can we try to be friends?” he asked.  “I can live with all that, except for the cussing.  Young women don’t cuss.”

Before Flora had a chance to answer a large crash sounded from in front of the cave.  Ham jumped up and ran to his horse as Diabhal again reared up, upsetting Flora’s horse in the process.

“What do you think that was?” Flora asked as she grabbed the reins of her own mount, calming the mare down.

Ham walked over to the cave opening.  “Damn it,” he yelled out,” slapping his leg.

“What’s wrong,” she asked.

“We aren’t going anywhere for awhile,” he said, “A tree just fell in front of the cave opening, we’re trapped.”

“What do you mean trapped?” she asked walking over to the opening.  The tree that had fallen had to be very old.  The trunk covered almost the entire cave entrance.  A person may have been able to squeeze out the opening and make their way through the limbs, but there was no possible way they were going to be able to get the horses out.

“What do we do now?” she asked.

“Wait,” he answered.  “We’ve got food and water, someone from Gleann will eventually notice that we didn’t show up.  Don’t worry; my brothers will come looking for us.”

“How long do you think that will take?”

“Days,” he sighed and said, walking back to the fire.

Chapter 4 Rescued at Last

“Where are you going?” Flora asked the next morning.

“To see if I can find some long grasses for the horses.  We only have two days of oats at the most for them,” Ham answered.

“I wish there was a place to clean up,” Flora said, making Ham chuckle.  “What’s so funny?”

“You never struck me as the type to be worried about bathing,” he said.

“You sure know how to insult someone,” Flora said.

“How is that an insult?” he asked.

“Just because I wear trews and don’t do my hair up fancy doesn’t mean I’m dirty,” she told him, “I bathe daily.”

“You’re right,” he said.  “I apologize.  If you go into the back corner of the cave, you’ll find a small opening.  If you squeeze through, you’ll find a small stream.  The water is cold but clean.”  Flora just nodded at him before he turned and left.

It took some effort, but Ham was able to squeeze through the branches of the large tree that had fallen across the cave opening.  Once he was outside, he began to scan the landscape, wondering what would be the best way to go to find food for the horses.  As he walked, he thought about what Flora had said.  She was right; he had made assumptions about her over the years because of her appearance.  What he was surprised to find out, was now that he was getting to know her, he actually liked her.  She was smart and funny, and even the bit of sass she showed intrigued him.

Flora grabbed her dirty tunic from the day before as soon as Ham had left.  She made her way back to the spring where she was able to use it as a cloth and wash most of the grim off her body.  She worked quickly and got her clothes back on as quick as possible.

It wasn’t long until Flora heard Ham return, working his way back through the tree branches and into the cave.  In his arms were enough long grasses to keep the horses fed for the entire day.

“Do you think someone will be looking for us yet?” Flora asked him.

“I doubt it,” he answered.  “Jacqueline and Connor probably won’t get to Gleann until tomorrow at the earliest.”

“Ina is going to be so upset with me,” Flora said, her eyes filling with tears.

“It’s not your fault that you didn’t make it back on time.  With that storm yesterday she wouldn’t have been able to travel yet anyways,” Ham assured her.

“I just hate to disappoint her,” Flora said.  “Besides your sister, she’s the only person who ever accepted me for who I am.”

“I think I’m beginning to see how wrong I was for not doing that,” Ham said.  “I’m sure others will too, in time.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Flora told him.  “I quit letting it bother me a while ago.”  Ham could see that she was serious.  He knew it was crazy, but he wished he would have noticed her back in the days when she followed him around so adoringly.

**********

“It’s been three days,” Flora said angrily.  “I’m tired of deer meat, I’m tired of tending this fire, I’m tired of not being able to bathe, and I’m tired of the smell of those horses in here.”

“Do you think complaining is going to help?” Ham asked.  “Instead you should be thankful for the meat, the fire and the horses who will get us home once we’re free.”

“You know what else I’m sick of?” Flora said, not waiting for a reply she answered, “you and your ‘it will all be alright’ attitude.”

“I’m getting a bit tired of your attitude myself,” Ham told her.  “At least I’m trying to make things more pleasant for us both.”

“Pleasant?” Flora said.  “You make things about as pleasant as a horse’s arse.”  Once the words were out of her mouth, there was no taking them back.  What she said wasn’t true, Ham had been trying to be nice the last few days; she was just cross and tired of being trapped.

“Well a horse’s arse is better than the bitch you’re being right now,” Ham told her.

“How dare you,” Flora said, standing up and without thinking she slapped him.

“Aye,” he said.  “You’ve been asking for this for days.”  Just as he had done the day they got stuck in the cave, he grabbed her by the arm; pulling her over to the wood pile he had replenished just that morning.  “I’d never slap you in the face like you did me, but let me show you what an arse is really for.”  With those words he once again flipped her over his leg which he had already propped up on the wood.

“Nay, Ham stop,” she shrieked.  “I’m sorry, I really am.”

“I don’t think you’re sorry yet, but believe me, by the time I’m done, you’re going to be,” Ham said.  He then made a huge decision.  He already knew what he was going to have to do when they arrived back in Gleann, and since he’d be seeing her in all her glory soon enough, he grabbed the waistband of her trews and quickly pulled them down to her knees, baring her.

“You can’t bare me,” she said, “it isn’t proper.”

Ham didn’t answer right away.  Instead, he started in on her backside even harder than he had the first time he’d spanked her.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“I’ve had enough of your bad attitude,” he told her.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“You’re going to quit complaining and start saying something positive.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“If you can’t manage that, then don’t say anything at all, just sit quietly and smile.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“I don’t care if the smile is real or not, but I’ve had enough.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I’m sorry, Ham,” Flora said crying.  “I don’t know why I hit you.  I shouldn’t have.”

“Nay,” he agreed, “you shouldn’t have.”

“I’m sorry,” she said again.

“Aye, I believe you are now,” he told her.  “Let’s finish this spanking up then.”

“My arse can’t take anymore,” she said to him.

“Good,” he said, “because the next thirty are going on your thighs.  Don’t fight and struggle and that will be the end of it.”

“Nay, Ham,” she said, struggling to get up,  “I can’t take thirty more.”

“Good,” he said, “because it just became forty.  I said lay still.”  Flora did her best to do as he asked.  She had no choice but to let him finish the punishment.  There was no one around to help her.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“It’s done,” Ham said, pulling her up to a sitting position on his lap, Flora grabbed hold of his tunic, turning her head into his shirt where she cried.

“That really hurt,” she mumbled.

“It was supposed to,” Ham said.  “You’ll be alright.”  As Flora snuggled into him once again Ham felt his cock begin to harden; he was sure Flora would be able to feel it as her arse sat right on top of it.

It was at that time that Fiona realized her trews were still down around her knees.  “I can’t believe you bared me,” she said to him.

“What does it matter,” he said.  “I’ll be seeing all of you soon enough.”

“What do you mean all of me?” she asked.

“We’ve been alone together in this cave for three days, Flora,” he said to her.  “People are going to talk.  We’ll have to marry when we get back to Gleann.”

“But nothing happened,” she said.

“Aye, it did,” he replied.  “I’ve seen your bare arse.”

“Nobody has to know about that,” she told him.  “I’m not going to tell.”

“It won’t matter,” he said.  “The villagers are going to draw their own conclusions.  Your reputation will be ruined if you don’t marry me.”

“I’m not going to do it,” she said, again starting to argue with him.  She jumped off his lap and quickly pulled her trews back up, wincing as she pulled them over her red thighs and arse.

“You will,” he said.  “I’m not going to have everyone talking badly about you,”

“I never let village gossip bother me before,” she said, “I’m not going to start now.”

“I’m not going to have people talking badly about you because of me,” he said.  “We will marry.”

“We won’t,” she stomped her foot, almost shouting.

“More attitude,” he said, stepping towards her.

“Ham, Flora,” they heard a voice yell not far from the cave.

“That sounds like Eadan,” Ham said, running to the opening and calling out.  “We’re in here.”

“Thank God,” Ross said, as he and Eadan appeared on the other side of the downed tree.  “Are you both alright?”

“We’re fine,” Ham said.  “The tree fell and trapped us in.  We couldn’t get the horses out.”

“I’m not sure we have the right equipment to move this with us,” Ross said.

“We don’t,” said Eadan.  “We’ll have to ride back to Gleann.  We’re going to need more men, and we’ll have to chop off these branches and then try to pull the main trunk out of the way.”

“It’s a big tree,” Ham agreed.  “There was no way I could move it myself.”

“Can you get out?” Eadan said.  “We could all go back to Gleann together and come back for the horses tomorrow.”

“Take Flora home,” Ham said.  “I’ll stay here tonight with the horses, that way they don’t get spooked and hurt themselves.  Just come back tomorrow and get me out.”

“Are you sure?” Ross asked.  “You gave me quite a scare, brother when we got to Gleann and found out you hadn’t arrived yet.”

“You found them?” Connor called out to them as he rode towards them.

“Aye,” Eadan said.  “They’re both fine.  We’re going to get Flora out and take her back to Gleann.  We’ll come back for Ham tomorrow.”

“I hate to leave you here all night by yourself,” Eadan said.

“I’ll stay with him,” Ross said.  “It’s been a long time since the two of us have camped out together.”

“You sure you want to do that?” Ham asked.

“You got any whiskey on you?” Ross asked both Eadan and Connor.  Both nodded that they did.  “Good, leave the whiskey, I’ll stay with Ham.”

It took a bit of doing, but Flora was able to work her way through the branches where Eadan, Connor, and Ross were standing.  “I’m so glad to see you all,” she said to them.

“Jacqueline has been worried sick about the two of you,” Connor said to her.

“That’s sweet of her,” Flora said as Ross worked his way into the cave through the same path Flora had just followed to get out.

“Safe travels home,” Ham called to them.  “See you tomorrow,”

“We’ll be back early,” Eadan said.  “You two go easy on that whiskey.”  He and Connor laughed as the two of them helped Flora onto a horse and headed back to Gleann.

It was a long quiet ride back as Flora thought about the conversation that she and Ham were having when they’d finally been found.  There was no way she was going to marry him just because he felt guilty about them being stuck in the cave together.  If people wanted to talk, let them, she didn’t care.  All she knew was that she would not be marrying Ham McCabe.

“You found them?” Jacqueline said as she came racing down the steps of Gleann.

“Aye,” Connor said.

“Where’s Ham and Ross?” Angela, Ross’s wife, asked.

“Ross stayed with Ham.  He didn’t want to leave the horses there all night unattended,” Eadan explained.

“Where are they staying?” Angela asked.

“Ham and Flora were sheltering in a cave when the storm came through the other day.  A huge tree fell in front of the cave opening.  We’ll need at least twenty men and horses to take back there tomorrow.  We’re going to have to chop the branches off and then try to pull the trunk out of the way to get the horses out,” Eadan explained.

“Flora,” Jacqueline cried, hugging her friend as she dismounted the horse she’d been given to ride home.  “I’m so glad you’re home and safe.”

“Aye, I’m glad too,” Flora said.  “Is Ina still here?  Did Nessa have the baby yet?”

“Ina couldn’t leave with you not back,” Jacqueline said.  “She was too worried something had happened to you.  Nessa hasn’t delivered yet but Ina said it should be any day, she’s a bit worried about the position of the baby.”

“I need to go home to my cottage and bathe,” Flora said.  “Can you tell Ina I’ll be back to check with them both after?”

“Aye, I’ll let her know, go home and take care of yourself first,” Jacqueline told her as Flora walked home.

Jacqueline watched her go before turning back to her husband and brother.  “Were they stuck in the cave together all this time?” Jacqueline asked.

“It seems that way,” Eadan answered.

“Do you think Ham is going to marry her?” Jacqueline asked.

“He may have too,” Eadan said.  “You know how the villagers love to gossip, if they want to, they could make life difficult for Flora.”

“I know Ham wouldn’t compromise her,” Jacqueline said.

“We all know that, but it doesn’t matter,” Connor said.  “Just being stuck in the cave together for even one night compromised her.”

“That’s so unfair,” Jacqueline said.

“I agree,” said both Connor and Eadan.

**********

“That was a fine meal,” Ross said to his twin as they both relaxed in front of the fire.  “You’ve been eating like that the whole time?”

“I killed a deer the first day,” Ham said.  “There wasn’t much else to do so I skinned it, stripped the meat, and we’ve been roasting it and drying it the last few days.”

Ross took another swig from the pouch of whiskey Eadan had left, before passing it to Ham.  “So what are you going to do, brother?” he asked seriously.

“Do about what?” Ham asked, taking a long pull from the pouch.

“You know what I’m talking about,” Ross said.  “What are you going to do about Flora?”

“I’m going to do what I have too,” he said.  “I’ll marry her as soon as we get back to Gleann tomorrow.”

“You’re going to marry Flora Munro?” Ross asked.  Not sure he’d heard his brother correctly.

“What choice do I have,” Ham said.  “You know the villagers are going to talk, and I won’t let that happen.”  Ross and Ham passed the pouch back and forth many times, not saying anything.

“Does Flora know?” Ross asked.

“I told her,” Ham said; nodding.

“I bet she was happy,” Ross said, knowing Flora had followed his brother around for years.

“You would think that,” Ham said laughing, both were well into their cups by this point. “But you would be wrong.”

“The news wasn’t taken well?” Ross asked, surprised to hear it.

“Nay, not well at all,” Ham answered.  “You know what really didn’t go over well?”

“What?” Ross asked.

“Me baring her for the spanking I gave her right before you showed up,” Ham said laughing, “I’d already figured I was going to have to marry her, so I thought, why not.”

“You didn’t,” Ross said, chuckling.

“Oh I did,” Ham said.  “Then after I was done I told her we’d be getting married.”

“And you thought she’d agree after that?” Ross asked.

“What does it matter, she’s going to have to,” Ham said, “you know what’s going to happen after we’ve spent all these days alone together.”

“Are you alright about marrying her?” Ross asked.

“Surprisingly, aye,” Ham said.  “In fact, I think I may even be looking forward to it.  Did you know she’s training to take over as Gleann’s healer when Ina gets too old?”

“I thought everyone knew that,” Ross said.  “You didn’t?”

“Nay, I didn’t,” Ham said.  “I learned a lot about Flora Munro the last few days, and I have to say, I liked what I learned.  I’ll make the marriage work, somehow.”

“Good luck getting her to the kirk,” Ross said, taking a last drink out of the now empty whiskey pouch.

**********

“I’m so sorry, Ina,” Flora said as she entered the bedroom where the healer was checking on the very pregnant Nessa McCabe.

“I’m so glad you’re alright, child,” Ina said, getting up and drawing Flora into a warm tight hug.  “I was so worried about you.”

“I know you wanted to leave earlier, but we got stuck in a storm trying to get back, and ended up trapped in a cave,” Flora explained.

“Who’s we?” Ina asked as Jacqueline and Angela joined the women.

“Ham McCabe and me,” Flora answered.  “We were trapped for days.”

“Just you and the young man?” Ina asked.

“Aye,” Flora answered, then seeing the look on the other woman’s face she added,  “but nothing improper happened.”

“My brother will do the right thing,” Jacqueline said to Ina.

“And what will the right thing be?” Flora asked, turning towards Jacqueline.

“He’ll marry you, of course,” Jacqueline told her.

“I’m not going to marry him,” Flora said.  “We were trapped in a cave together, that’s all.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Angela added, “if the people in Gleann are anything like the villagers in Tioram, there’ll be talk.”

“You all sound like Ham,” Flora told them.

“Did he say something to you?” Jacqueline asked.

“He said we’d get married as soon as he returned,” Flora said.  “I told him that wasn’t going to happen.”

“Why?” Jacqueline asked.  “You used to be so infatuated with my brother.”

“That was before he ignored me for years,” Flora said.  “He’s also made it very clear he doesn’t care for the way I dress, or do my hair or even the language I use.  The only reason he wants us to marry is to keep the village from gossiping.”

“Or just maybe he really wants to marry you,” Jacqueline said.  “I know my brother, he wouldn’t do it if he didn’t want to.”

“But I don’t want to marry him,” Flora told them all.  “No more talk about that, tell me what’s going on with Nessa?”

Ina filled Flora in on all the developments of the pregnancy, including the fact that she was worried about the way the baby seemed to be laying.  Ina had already told both Nessa and Eadan her concerns; she didn’t think it was right to hide things from any of the people she was called in to help.

“Are you leaving for your daughters tomorrow then?” Flora asked Ina.

“Nay,” Ina said.  “I’ve decided to stay until this little one is born, it may take both of us for a good ending.”

“I appreciate that,” Nessa told them both.  “Just remember, if anything goes wrong, you save my baby first.”

“You’ve made that clear, dear,” Ina said.  “Let’s leave this young lady alone and let her get some rest.”

The woman all left the room and Flora returned to her small cottage.  She came to the conclusion that she might as well turn in early and get a good night’s sleep; she was probably going to have quite a battle with that no good, insulting Ham McCabe tomorrow when he returned to the keep.  She’d already decided that she didn’t care what anyone said, she wasn’t ever going to be forced into marrying him.

Chapter 5 A Wedding to Remember

“Welcome home, son,” Hamish McCabe said to his namesake as he finally arrived back at Gleann.   He had been waiting in front of the castle since the sentries at the gate informed him they had spotted the rescue party heading towards home.

“I’m glad to finally be here, Da,” Ham said as he dismounted, surprised when his father pulled him in for a hug.

“You had me worried, boy,” Hamish said to him.

“Sorry, Da,” Ham said.  “I wish it hadn’t happened.”  Eadan and Ross both joined them, and the four entered the hall together.

“I’m hungry,” Ham said, “is there anything to eat?”

“Jacqueline told the cook to keep something ready for when you all returned,” Hamish said to them.  “It should be brought out shortly.”

“Good,” Ross and Eadan both said.  It had been a long day with first the ride, then sawing the branches off the tree before they could even try moving the trunk.  Finally, they hooked the trunk up to all the horses and were able to pull it far enough away from the cave entrance to release both horses.

“So what are you going to do about the Flora situation?” Hamish asked his son.

“I’m going to do what I have to,” Ham answered.  “I already told her we’d marry when I returned.”

“And she agreed?” Hamish asked.  Just like everyone else in the village, he knew Flora had followed Ham around for years, but lately, her admiration of him had seemed to wane.

“Of course she didn’t,” Ham said.

“Well, you can’t make her marry you, son,” Hamish told him.

“Aye, I can,” Ham said to him.  “If I have to turn her over my knee first until she agrees, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.”

“Well it won’t be the first time,” Ross said, and Ham shot him a look from across the table.

“You spanked the girl?” Hamish asked.

“Aye,” Ham answered.

“More than once,” Ross added.

“Shut up, Ross,” Ham said, “you’re not helping.”

“Oh, he is,” Hamish said, beginning to laugh, soon Eadan and Ross joined in.

“It’s not that funny,” Ham said.

“Aye, it is,” Hamish said.  “Just let me know when the wedding is, so I don’t miss the show.”

**********

“Flora!” Ham called for a second time as he rapped on the frame of the door at the cottage she lived in.  “I know you’re in there, open up.”

“Go away,” Flora yelled.  “I have nothing to say to you.”

“Aye, you do,” he called back through the door.  “I told you what was going to happen when I got back.”

“You can’t make me marry you,” she said.

“Please, Flora, open the door so we can talk,” he said to her.  The women passing by were already stopping to watch what was going on at the cottage located almost in the center of the village.

“Aye, you might as well come in,” she said, opening the door and motioning for him to come inside.  “Say what you came to say so that you can leave.”

“Why are you being so rude?” he asked.

“You were rude in the cave,” she said.

“Aye, I was, and I apologized,” he replied.

“You did,” she agreed.  “So what’s so important that you’re beating on my door in the middle of the day causing a scene.”

“Why don’t you want to marry me?” he asked her.

“Because I want to marry a man who cares for me, and you’re only marrying me because we got stuck in the cave together,” she told him.  “That’s not the start of a good marriage.”

“You used to want me to notice you and marry you, what happened to change that?” he asked, curiously.

“You ignored me for years, Ham.  When I was younger, I thought you were the man of my dreams, now I know better,” she said.

“Maybe I can be again if you give me a chance,” he said to her.  “We won’t know unless we try.”

“I won’t do it,” she said again.  “I won’t have a marriage like my parents had.  Did you know that they didn’t get along at all?”

“I barely remember your parents,” Ham said truthfully.

“They argued all the time.  I don’t think they ever really liked each other,” Flora said.  “My grandparents arranged the marriage, and my Mither and Da had no choice but to marry.”

“That doesn’t mean our marriage will be bad,” he told her.

“It doesn’t mean it’ll be good either,” she said back.  “I’ll not be forced into a marriage; especially with a man that doesn’t really like me.”

“I like you,” he told her.  Flora gave him a look, and he knew she didn’t believe him.  “I do,” he said.  “Maybe I thought you were a bit annoying before, but I got to know you in the cave, and I liked what I learned about you.”

“Not good enough,” she said.  “Maybe I don’t like you now.”

“You’ll learn to like me again,” he said.

“Nay,” Flora protested.  “I’m not going to do it.” She walked over and pulled open the door, surprised to find quite a few of the villagers standing outside watching what was going on.

“Did he come back for more?” yelled one of the woman.

“From healer to whore,” said another, making many in the group laugh.

“Make him work for it, deary,” said another.

“We don’t want no woman like you around our menfolk,” said another.

Flora couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  She had helped many of these people when they had been ill, injured, or giving birth; now they were being cruel.  “Stop,” she called to them.  “You’ve got it all wrong. Nothing happened between Ham McCabe and myself.”

“I heard they spent three days alone together,” another villager called out, “three days and nights.”

“Now he’s visiting her at her cottage,” said another.

“I’ve heard enough,” Ham said.  He walked out the door and shouted at everyone, making sure they would all hear, “go home, how dare any of you speak to a future McCabe bride like that.  I’ll make sure your Laird knows how you talked about his future daughter.”

“Ham, don’t tell them lies,” Flora said quietly to him.

“It isn’t a lie,” he told her before bending down and putting his shoulder into her midsection, quickly throwing her over his shoulder before standing back up.

“Put me down, Ham,” she squealed.

“Quiet now,” Ham said as he smacked her twice on the arse.
Smack, smack.
“That’s what’s going to happen every time I hear a complaint out of you.”  He pulled the door of her cottage shut as he turned and headed back towards the castle his family lived in.

“Put me down,” she said again.
Smack, smack.

“I’m not going to marry you,” she said.
Smack, smack.

“You’re making me angry,” she tried again.
Smack, smack.

“You’re being a real arse, Ham McCabe,” she tried one last time.
Smack, smack, smack, smack.

“Damn it, Ham, that hurts,” she hollered.
Smack, smack, smack, smack.

“Language, Flora,” Ham said calmly, as he continued to carry her.  “I can live with the fact that you wear tunics and trews, I can even deal with the fact that you don’t want to pretty yourself up like other women do, but I will not put up with the foul language.  The rest of the village will look down on you, and I won’t have that happen to my wife.”

“I already told you I don’t want to be your wife,” she tried again.
Smack, smack, smack, smack.

“But you will be,” he said.  “Do you want to be treated like you were back there every day?”

“They’ll stop eventually,” Flora said.

“Nay,” he said, “they won’t.”

Flora quit trying to talk him out of the wedding as he carried her.  Her arse was already sore.  It hadn’t quite healed fully from the spanking he had given her in the cave right before they’d been found.  He carried her all the way to the castle and up the stairs, entering the hall where his Da, Eadan, Jacqueline, Connor, Ross and Angela were all sitting and talking.

“Jacqueline and Angela, I need you,” he said as he passed them, not saying anything else.

“Looks like we’re going to be having a wedding,” Hamish said, grinning.  “I better go let the priest at the kirk know to expect us soon.”

Jacqueline and Angela got up from the table; they smiled at each other and quickly followed Ham up the stairs.  Flora was embarrassed as she was still slung over the big buffoon’s shoulder.  Once they reached Ham’s room upstairs, he flung open the door, motioning for the two women to go in before him.  He followed them in and shut the door before putting Flora down.  She flopped down in a chair as the blood rushed from her head back into the rest of her body.

“Are you alright?” Ham asked her.

“I will be,” she said.

Ham turned to his sister and sister by marriage.  “I want her looking like a bride in an hour.  Think you can do it?” he asked them.

“Of course we can,” Jacqueline answered, glancing over at her friend.  “But you can’t force her to marry you, Ham.”

“You should have heard the terrible things the villagers were saying to her,” he said.  “I won’t allow it.  You will marry me, Flora,” he pointed his finger at her and said.  “Don’t make me turn you over my knee to get it done.  It will be a good marriage.”

Flora just stared at him at first.  Finally, her eyes filled with tears and she just nodded once at him and then stared back at the floor.  She was still shocked at the things the other villagers had said about her.

“Go away, brother,” Jacqueline said to him.  “Tell the servants downstairs that a bath needs to be sent up to your rooms.”  Ham nodded and left the room.

“Are you alright?” Jacqueline asked Flora.

“I don’t know,” Flora said, a tear finally escaping and rolling down her cheek.  “It was awful.”

“Once Ham marries you the villagers will stop talking,” Jacqueline said.

“He’s only marrying me to avoid scandal,” Flora said.  “You wouldn’t understand.”

Jacqueline started laughing, “did you forget why I had to marry Connor?” she asked.

“But Connor loves you,” Flora said.

“I hated him at the time of our marriage,” Jacqueline reminded her.  “I’m still surprised at how much I love that man now.”

“And do you know why I had to marry Ross?” Angela added.  “To avoid a horrid man who was telling lies about me.  Ross saved me from a huge scandal.”

“Do you love him now?” Flora asked.

“More than anything,” Angela told her.  “The McCabe men have a way of growing on you.”

“It’ll work out, Flora,” Jacqueline assured her.

“You sound so sure,” Flora said.

“I know my brother,” Jacqueline assured her.  “If he didn’t really want to marry you, he wouldn’t.”

“It’s not that he doesn’t want to marry me,” she explained.  “I don’t want to marry him.  For years I wasted my time chasing him around, and he ignored me.”

A loud knock sounded at the door.  Angela opened it to find a slew of servants.  Two carried in a large tub and set it up in the space in front of the fireplace as another started a small fire to keep the chill out of the room while Flora bathed.  Four more entered each carrying two buckets of warm water which they poured into the tub before leaving the room.

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Jacqueline said to her.  “You’ll feel better after a bath.”

“I have nothing to wear,” Flora complained.

“Will you let me loan you something?” Angela asked.  “We’re about the same size.”

“A dress?” Flora asked.

“Aye,” Angela said.  “It is your wedding.  Don’t you want to look nice?”

“I haven’t worn a dress in years,” Flora said.

“Why not?” Angela asked her.

“I’m not a very good seamstress,” Flora confessed.  “Trews and tunics can be bought already made.  It’s just always been easier for me to get them.”

“Will you wear a dress?” Jacqueline asked her.  Flora thought about it for a moment and nodded.  Jacqueline smiled as she began to help her disrobe and get into the tub.

**********

“You are absolutely stunning,” Angela said to Flora less than an hour later.  After her bath, Angela had helped Flora into one of her simpler gowns.  It was a pale blue color with a modest neckline and long wide sleeves.  Angela hadn’t wanted to spook the woman with anything too revealing.  Jacqueline had completed the outfit with a beautiful dark blue belt that pulled the fabric in tight showing off the curves even she had never known her friend had.  Once the outfit was done, they had combed out her hair making two small braids in the front which were pulled back and pinned in the back, leaving the back of her hair loose and flowing almost down to her arse.

“I never knew your hair was so soft,” Jacqueline said to her as she finished styling it, putting a small gold circlet on top of her head.

“I’m used to just pulling it back with a leather tie,” Flora told her.

“Would you like to see what you look like?” Jacqueline asked her.

“Aye,” Flora said.  Jacqueline led the two women out of Ham’s room and down the hall to her old room, which she now shared with Connor when they visited.  Inside was a large full-length mirror.

“Look,” Jacqueline said, leading her over to stand in front of it.

“It doesn’t even look like me,” Flora said, she had to admit she did look good.

“Of course it looks like you,” Jacqueline told her.  “You’ve always been beautiful, but now you’re just more beautiful.”

“Thank you, Jacqueline,” Flora said, hugging her friend.  “And you too, Angela,” she said, as she hugged Angela too.

“No thanks necessary,” Angela told her smiling, “after all we’re going to be sisters after today.”

“I’ve never had a sister before,” Flora said.

“And now you’ll have three,” Jacqueline said.

“Three?” asked Flora.

“Me, Angela and Nessa,” Jacqueline told her, then laughed and added, “plus seven horrid brothers.”

“Are you ladies in there?” yelled Connor through the door as he knocked.  “Is everyone decent?”

“Come in, Connor,” Jacqueline called back.  “It’s safe to enter.”

Connor opened the door and stopped in his tracks.  “My god Flora, you look absolutely beautiful.”

“I told you,” Jacqueline said to her friend, who smiled back at her.

“I’ve been sent to escort you to the kirk,” Connor said, then held out a small box, “but first I’m supposed to give you this.”

“What is it?” Flora asked.

“Open it and see,” Jacqueline told her.

Flora took the box and looked inside.  She pulled out a beautiful necklace.  “This is lovely,” she said.

“That was my Mithers,” Jacqueline told her, “my Da gave each of my brothers a piece of her jewelry years ago.”

“I can’t accept this,” Flora said.

“Nonsense,” Jacqueline said, taking the necklace and fastening it around Flora’s neck.

“Are you ready?” Connor asked, extending his arm to Flora.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Flora said as she walked towards the door.

**********

“You may kiss the bride,” Ham barely heard the priest speak those final words.  He hadn’t been able to think straight since Flora had met him at the front of the kirk.  He hadn’t even recognized her at first, she looked absolutely stunning.  He’d taken her hand at the beginning of the ceremony and refused to let go, waiting for her to attempt to bolt for the door.  She never looked up at him once the whole time the priest spoke, even though he hadn’t taken his eyes off of her once.

He reached forward and put a finger under her chin, making her finally look up at him.  He lowered his lips down to hers, giving her a soft kiss, sealing the marriage.

“That wasn’t so bad now, was it, wife?” Ham asked her softly so no one else would hear.

“Nay,” she said, her face turning red, she tried to look back down, but Ham wouldn’t let her.

“You look beautiful,” he said to her.

“Thank you,” she replied, grinning shyly at him.

“Everyone is invited back to the hall,” Hamish said loudly.  “I’ve asked the cook to throw together a wedding feast. It won’t be anything too grand due to the little warning she had, but knowing cook, it’ll be good.”

Ham took Flora’s hand and placed it on his arm, escorting her out of the kirk and back to the castle, the rest of the McCabe family followed.  Flora had been surprised at the amount of people that had gathered at the kirk on such short notice.  Most of the McCabe family had been there to watch their brother marry.  In attendance were Jacqueline and Connor, Angela and Ross, Eadan and Nessa, Laird McCabe, and all the younger brothers, Alastair, Craig, Rory and Owen.  The only one missing had been James.  When they’d arrived she’d been happy to see that Ina had been given a seat in the front row, a place usually reserved for family, but then, Ina was the only family she’d had for a very long time.

The family quickly took seats around the table once they entered the hall and food was promptly brought out.  “Too bad James couldn’t be here,” Rory McCabe said.

“He’ll be home soon enough,” Hamish replied.  “I do miss that boy.”

Flora couldn’t believe the amount of food that was being laid on the table, pork and pheasant, roasted vegetables, fruits, cheeses and two different types of bread.  To top it all off, was a large platter of pastries.

“Thank you for arranging this, Laird,” Flora said to Hamish.

“Laird?” Hamish answered.  “You’re me daughter now Flora, and me daughters call me Da.”

“Thank you, Da,” she said, her eyes filling with tears.  It had been a long time since Flora had been part of a family, she never expected to be part of one again.  She was amazed at how quickly the McCabe’s accepted her as one of them, even though she’d known them her whole life.

“No tears,” Hamish said to her.  “This is a happy day.”

“Aye, a very happy day, Da,” Ham agreed.  He raised his wine-filled cup up high.   “To my new wife, Flora McCabe,” he said.

Chapter 6 Wedding Night

“Come,” Ham said to Flora, extending his hand to help her out of the chair.  “It’s time for us to retire.”

“What about everyone else?” she asked glancing around the table at everyone that was still gathered there.

“They won’t leave as long as we’re here,” he told her.  “They’ll probably celebrate late into the night.”  Laird McCabe just had more wine brought out and a jug of whiskey.

“Where are we going?” Flora asked.

“To our room,” Ham told her.

“Our room?” she asked.

“Aye, our room,” he answered.

“But I don’t have any of my things here,” she said to him.

“I’ll help you move your things from the cottage tomorrow,” Ham told her.

“How will the villagers get to me if they need a healer?” she asked him.

“That’s a problem we can figure out another day,” Ham told her.  Flora placed her hand in his and let him help her out of the chair.  She didn’t look at anyone as they exited the room and walked up the stairs together.  “Are you nervous?” Ham asked her.

“Of course I am,” she said to him.

“But you know what’s going to happen?” he asked.

“I’m a healer and midwife, Ham,” she answered.

“Good,” he said to her. He had wondered what she knew considering her mother hadn’t been around.

As they entered Ham’s room, he shut the door behind them.  He looked around and was happy to see that a small fire had already been lit in the fireplace and just a few candles had also been lit around the room.  He reached out and pulled Flora into his arms, lowering his mouth to hers, she stiffened immediately.

“It’s alright,” Ham said, “we can go as slowly as you need to.”

“Maybe we should just go fast to get it over with,” Flora said nervously.

“Close your eyes,” Ham said to her. She looked at him for a few moments before finally sighing and doing as he’d asked. “Just keep them closed, no matter what.”

Flora nodded her head in agreement, wondering what he was going to do next.  Ham leaned forward, gently pressing his lips against hers, slowly coaxing her into the kiss.  He would break contact every few seconds and then start again until finally, Flora was kissing him back every time.  “Have you kissed a man before?” Ham asked her.

“Nay,” she answered, keeping her eyes shut, she was finding it easier to keep from being embarrassed if she didn’t have to look at him.

“Good,” said Ham.  This time when he kissed her, he ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, making her gasp just enough so he could slide his tongue into her mouth, touching his tongue to hers and pulling it back out.

Flora relaxed even more, and Ham pulled her closer, sliding his tongue in and out of her mouth with each kiss now, Flora never even realized it when she wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him close.  Ham continued to kiss her as he let his hands wander up and down her back, sometimes stopping and stroking the back of her neck and sometimes holding her head between both hands as he would deepen a kiss even more.  Finally, he began to unfasten the laces on the back of her gown; once again he felt her stiffen.  “Shh,” he coaxed.  “Just keep your eyes closed.  I’m not going to do anything to hurt you.”

Flora tried to relax as he began kissing her again, soon he had the gown unfastened, Ham slowly pulled it off her shoulders and pushed it down until it pooled around her feet, leaving her in just the shift Angela had also loaned her.  Ham pulled her close, kissed her once more, this time much more passionately, Flora was meeting his tongue on every thrust now, swirling it around with her own.  Ham let his hands wander to her front, cupping one breast in each hand, letting his thumbs stroke her nipples which became hard almost instantly.  Flora couldn’t help the groan that escaped from her.

“Let’s take this off,” Ham said, reaching down and gripping the bottom of the shift, pulling it up and over her head, leaving her standing in front of him naked.  “My god, you’re absolutely beautiful.”

“I’m not,” Flora started to deny it.
Smack, smack.
Ham put two soft smacks on her arse.

“If I say you’re beautiful, then you’re beautiful,” he said jokingly.

Flora, who had her eyes still closed, just grinned.  Ham picked her up and carried her over to the bed, he pulled down the covers and laid her on top of the sheets.  “No peeking,” he said as he leaned down and kissed her again.  He quickly stripped off his clothes and laid down next to her.

“Are you doing alright?” Ham asked her as he leaned over her.

“Aye,” she answered nervously.

Ham began kissing her again as he stroked his hand up and down her torso, from her neck, down the valley between her breasts to her belly button, where he would stop and bring his hand back up along the same route.  He continued this until once again; he felt Flora relax as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head down to deepen the kisses they shared.

Flora wasn’t sure what was happening, but she knew she didn’t want it to stop.  Ham McCabe was making her body feel things it had never felt before.  As his hand again stroked down between her breasts, she arched her back, wanting him to take one into his hand.  Thankfully he understood and wrapped his large hand around her ample breast.  He squeezed it, softly at first then a bit harder, at the same time moving his thumb back and forth across the rosy pink nipple that hardened more with each caress.

Ham broke the kiss telling her, “don’t open your eyes.”  She didn’t plan to.  She was afraid if she did, it would break the spell she felt she was under.

She was glad for Ham’s weight on top of her when she felt him take that same nipple into his mouth, making her jump and gasp.  He suckled it softly, the way she would imagine a babe would at first, then as a moan again escaped from her he began sucking harder, letting his tongue roll back and forth and around the nipple as he did so. She grabbed hold of his head, taking a handful of hair in each hand, needing something to hold onto. Finally, he broke the suction, making a popping noise as he moved over to the other breast and doing the same.

Ham knew he had her fully relaxed now.  She was enjoying everything he was doing.  While he sucked on the generous breasts he would have never guessed she had under those baggy tunics she always wore; he let his hand slowly stroke lower.  Soon his hand rested on the hair that covered her cunny.  He continued to play with her breasts as he worked one finger between her folds, playing with her clit and making it harden. He let his finger slip lower to collect some of the moisture he knew had to have collected there; he was pleasantly surprised to find her not just wet, but literally soaked in cunny juice.

Flora had been told the marriage bed could be a pleasant experience but never had she expected this. With every move Ham made, she wanted more but wasn’t sure what more was.  As Ham pushed his finger in between her legs, touching that little nub that was located at the top of her cunny, she again arched her back pushing it more firmly against his finger.  She felt his hand slide down lower and could feel it slide through the moisture she now knew had collected there.

Ham brought his now wet fingers back up to her clit, rubbing around and around it, making it harden more with each pass. He ran his fingers back down to her opening; this time working one inside of her as he sucked harder on her breast.  He began working his finger in and out of her, and it wasn’t long until she was thrusting her hips up to meet him every time.  He pulled the one finger out and replaced it with two, plunging in harder and harder.  As he primed her cunny, he wet his thumb in the cunny juice and put it on her clit, rubbing back and forth.  Finally, he felt her nub begin to convulse as her cunny gripped his fingers, making it almost difficult to keep pushing them into her.

Flora wasn’t sure what had just happened, she assumed she had just cum, something she had heard the woman she helped birth talk about many times.  One minute she had been wanting Ham to push down harder on that special spot between her legs and the next she had seen white and felt the most incredible feelings as her whole body convulsed.

Ham stroked in and out more gently as she calmed.  Once she seemed back to normal, he pulled his fingers out and climbed on top of her, holding his body up on his broad arms.  He gently pushed her legs apart, making room for him to fit between them.  He placed his rock hard cock against her opening and began to press inside.  She was so tight; he’d barely gotten more than an inch inside her before seeing her wince and pulling back out.

“Just relax,” he told her beginning to kiss her again, hoping to relax her once more.  He softly started stroking her body, it wasn’t long until she became lost in the kissing and he felt her body relax.  He again placed his cock at her opening, pushing just the tip inside her, again he felt her tense up.  Ham pulled back out; he knew that the first time for a virgin could be painful, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.  He really wanted her to enjoy the marriage bed, as far as he was concerned they’d be doing this quite often.

Flora kept her eyes shut as she came back down from the incredible feeling that had overtaken her.  She felt Ham crawl over her, pushing her legs apart and settling himself between them.  She was glad when he started kissing her again.  She really liked that part, she put one hand on his arm and another on his shoulder, giving her something to hold onto.  She was enjoying herself until she felt his cock at her opening.  She felt herself tense up as he began to push in, although she hadn’t seen it, he felt huge.  He pulled back once again until she relaxed and tried again.  This time when she felt him push a small way inside, it didn’t exactly hurt but felt more like a pinch making her tense up again.

“You need to just relax,” Ham said to her.

“Just do it, Ham,” she said.  “I know it’s going to hurt.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he told her.  “I want you to enjoy it.”

“I’m trying,” she said to him, opening her eyes for the first time and looking up at him.  “I’m just scared, and I wish you’d just get it over with.”

“Close your eyes again,” he said gently.  “Just enjoy the feelings and don’t think about what’s going to happen.”

Ham again bent his head down, taking a breast in his mouth and suckling, Flora had seemed to enjoy that.  He pulled his head back letting her nipple pop, as he let go.  He came back up kissing her but taking the same breast in his hand, plucking the nipple till it was very hard.  He again lined his cock up at her opening as he rolled her nipple between his finger and thumb.  He thrust his tongue into Flora’s mouth while at the same time pinching her nipple hard enough to sting.  Flora gasped underneath him and thrust her chest up at him.  Ham didn’t hesitate and pushed his hips forward with one thrust, sliding through her opening and tearing through her membrane all at once.

“Ouch,” Flora said, wiggling her hips around.

“Don’t move,” Ham said.  “I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”

“That wasn’t so bad,” she said.  She felt full, but it had only hurt for a minute, and the sting was already fading away.

“Tell me what you think of this,” he said, pulling his hips back until his cock was almost out and pushing back in until he was fully seated in her again.

“It feels funny,” she said.

“You feel fantastic,” he whispered to her.  “You’re so tight around my cock.”  He pulled back and pushed back in slowly three times before asking her.  “How does it feel now?”

“It’s starting to feel good,” Flora said.  “Do it some more.”

Ham smiled down at her even though her eyes were still closed so she couldn’t see it.  He wanted to pound into her but knew he had to be somewhat gentle since it was her first time.  He again started rocking his hips, pulling out and pushing back into her tight cunny.  Flora began to groan underneath him and raise her hips with each thrust.  Ham couldn’t help himself; he began to move faster, sliding his arms under her back and then up to her shoulders so he could hang on.  He gripped hold of her and began thrusting into her just a little more forcefully.  Flora wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his lips down to hers.  Ham began thrusting his tongue into her mouth, copying the rhythm of his cock thrusting into her cunny.

Flora wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him as close as she could.  She again felt her stomach tighten and that funny tingle down on her clit.  As she lifted her hips, she found if she angled it just right her clit would rub against him, making her jump.  Finally, with a roar Ham shoved into her one last time, grinding his pelvis against hers, sending her into another orgasm as the contact to her nub was made.  It was the first time Ham had ever allowed himself to spend inside of a woman, how great it felt not to have to pull out at the last minute.

Ham slowed his pace down and slowly came to a stop.  He rolled off Flora and laid on his side facing her.  “Are you alright?” he asked her.

“I’m wonderful,” she said to him.

Ham got out of the bed and walked over to the water pitcher where he wet a cloth and brought it back to the bed.  “Let’s clean you up a bit,” he said to her as he put the cloth between her legs and washed up the small amount of blood that was there.

“I thought it would hurt more,” she said to him.

“Not if you’re relaxed,” he told her.

“Thank you, Ham,” she said.

“For what?” he asked her.

“For caring about not hurting me,” she said.  “It’s been a very long time since someone has cared.”

“That’s my job now, Flora,” he said.  “We can make this a good marriage if we both try.”

“I’ll think about it,” she told him grinning.  “I’m still deciding if I like you.”

“I’ll win you over,” he said.  “You just let me know what you want and need, and I’ll try to provide it.”

“I’d like to do that again,” she said.

“That’s a request I can fulfill easily,” he said as he climbed back into the bed and pulled her into his arms.

Chapter 7 A Misunderstanding

“Why are you dressed like that?” Ham asked Flora the next morning as he woke.  He was a little disappointed to see she was already awake and dressed.

“This is what I always wear,” she said to him.

“I know,”  he said.  “But you looked so beautiful last night. I was hoping to see you like that more often.”

“You don’t like me like this?” she asked, her cheeks flushing with anger.

“I didn’t say that,” he told her.

“You don’t have to, you arse,” she said to him.  “I wish I’d never married you.” She didn’t even think about it as she picked up a candlestick on the table next to her and launched it at him.  She would have hit him too if he hadn’t ducked at just the right time.

“You little hellcat,” he said, jumping out of bed.  “You just earned yourself a good spanking.”

“Nay,” Flora yelled, turning to bolt out the door.  She wasn’t fast enough as Ham’s arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back against his still naked body.

“If you don’t stop fighting me I’m going to add extras with my belt,” he warned her.

“Let me go,” she said, kicking her foot back trying to kick him in the shin.

“That’s ten extra,” he said calmly.  “Now stop.”

“I won’t,” she said, flinging her head back and clipping him under the chin.

“That’s twenty,” he said, sitting down on the bed and flipping her over his knee.  He had her trews down around her knees so fast she wasn’t even sure how he did it.  “Let me know when you’re ready to listen to me.”  He grabbed her hairbrush off the table next to the bed.  He raised it up high before bringing it down firmly on her arse cheek.
Splat.

“You’re a real bastard, and an arse,” Flora yelled up at him.

“I’m a bastard and an arse?” he said.  “My Mither and Da would probably argue against the bastard part, but I’ll show you what I can do to an arse.”  He began bringing the brush down, leaving perfect pink circles with each strike.
Splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat.

“Stop, Ham,” Flora finally shrieked.  “I’m sorry.”

“You’re going to be,” he said.  Bringing the brush down again, this time working his way down both thighs.
Splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat.

“I’m ready to listen,” she said, tears dripping off her face onto the floor.

“Good,” Ham said, flipping her up to sit on his lap, making her wince.  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against him.  “I wasn’t asking why you were dressing like that to be mean.  I was just wondering.  You looked beautiful yesterday, and you seemed to enjoy yourself.  I’m just wondering why you were in your old clothes.”

“I don’t own anything else,” she told him truthfully.  “The dress I wore yesterday belonged to Angela.”

“Would you like some dresses of your own?” he asked.

“I don’t have money for that,” she said.

“That’s not what I asked you,” he said to her.  “You’re my wife; if you want or need something, I’m happy to provide it.”

“I can’t sew,” she told him.   “That’s why I wear trews and tunics; I can buy them already made.”

Ham sighed and said, “you’re not answering my question.  I’m going to ask one more time, and if you don’t answer, I’ll put you back over my knee until you do.  Would you like some dresses of your own?”

Flora thought about how to answer the question.  “I did enjoy wearing the dress last night.  I’ve never really had the chance to be girly and wear one before.  I wouldn’t mind having some to wear when I’m with you, but I prefer my other clothes when I’m doing my healing work.”

“Fair enough,” Ham said.  “We could take a trip to Edinburgh just you and I; there are shops there where you can find dresses already made.”

“You’d take me there?” she asked.

“I’d love to take you there,” he said.  “We can leave anytime you’re ready.”

“Not until after Nessa has her baby,” Flora told him.  “I promised to be here to help.”

“We’ll leave right after then,” he said.  “It can be a wedding trip.”

“I’d like that,” she said and smiled at him, going to get off his lap.

“Let’s take care of the extras and put this whole thing behind us,” Ham said.

“You’re not still planning on giving them to me are you?” Flora asked.

“If you earn them, expect me to give them,” Ham said, taking a strap out of the trunk at the end of the bed.

“I’m already sore, Ham,” Flora said, trying to talk her way out of it.
“Don’t make me add more,” he said to her.  “Lean over the side of the bed now, hands up next to your head.”

Flora didn’t want more added on either, she turned and leaned forward, resting her chest on the bed and keeping her feet firmly planted on the ground.

Ham walked up behind her, putting a hand in the center of her back.  “Next time you get upset with me, just talk to me,” he said.  “There’s no need to scream and throw things at me.”  With those words, he was done talking and began bringing the strap down.  He laid the first stripe right above her knees and worked his way up.
Swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack.

“I’m sorry,” Flora cried, tears again falling.  She had thought about what he’d said.  He was right, she did get angry and thought he was judging her even though he wasn’t.

“Let’s get this over with,” Ham said.  “These last ten are going to your sit spots.  I want you to remember every time you sit down the next couple days what you did to earn this spanking and how to avoid another one.”   He quickly finished, he felt terrible for making Flora cry after the incredible night they’d just shared.
Swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack.

“It’s done,” Ham said, dropping the strap on the floor and sitting down on the bed next to Flora.  He began rubbing over the redness on her bottom cheeks, trying to sooth the sting out a bit.

“That feels nice,” Flora said.

“I’d rather make you feel nice, then cause you pain,” Ham said, rubbing his hand down her thigh and over the welts he had placed there.  As he brought his hand back up, Flora let out a small moan.  Ham let his hand wander higher, letting it brush against the hair that covered her cunny.  His cock sprang to life, until that moment Ham had forgotten that he was still completely naked.

He knelt down on the floor behind her and pulled her legs apart, he immediately thrust his tongue up into her hole, holding onto her hips so she couldn’t move.

“Ham, what are you doing?” she said, surprised.

“Making you feel better,” he said, then starting running his tongue from her clit to her opening, where he’d thrust it up inside her a few times before pulling it out and licking back down to her nub, which was already hardening.  “You get wet so fast,” Ham said as he pushed two fingers up inside her.”

“Is that bad?” she asked him.

“Nay,” he said.  “That’s good, very good.”  He pulled his fingers out, and ran them up to her bottom hole, swirling the moisture over and around it.”

“Ham,” Flora squealed again.
“Don’t worry,” he said.  “We’ll save this area for another time.”  He then buried his face in her cunny again, making her moan, and squeal and jerk.  Once he felt her begin to cum, he stood up quickly behind her and pushed his hard cock into her cunny. Flora pushed back against him instantly.  He grabbed her by the hips and began working up a rhythm, going faster with each thrust.

“Harder, Ham,” Flora said.  “That feels so good.”

Ham pulled her back onto him with every thrust of his hips; she felt so wet and tight around his cock he knew he wasn’t going to last long.  He reached his hand underneath her and began to once again work her clit, rubbing over and around it.

Flora wasn’t sure what to do, part of her wanted to grind her pelvis down onto his hand while another part wanted to thrust herself back upon his cock even more.  Her ass and thighs still ached from the punishment he had just given her, but for some reason the friction of his body on those spots made her want him even deeper inside her.

Ham couldn’t hold out anymore; it was time to bring his new wife to completion.  He took her clit, which was slippery with her cunny juice between his thumb and finger.  “Cum now Flora,” he said to her as he pinched it, pounding into her harder than ever before.  Flora came instantly, once again letting out a loud squeal.  Ham followed right behind her, shooting his load far up inside her.  He couldn’t help but think about how much he was going to enjoy making a wee babe with his new wife.

“That was incredible,” Ham said as he collapsed on the bed next to her and pulled her on top of him.

“Did you really mean it when you said you’d take me to Edinburgh?” she asked.

“Of course I did,’ he said.  “I would love to buy you some new things.  Be it dresses or trews.”

“Flora!” came a yell from the other side of the door as someone also began knocking quite loud.

“Jacqueline?” Flora called back.  “Give me a moment.”  She began pulling her trews back up over her red thighs and arse. “Something must be wrong,” she said to Ham.

She raced to the door and opened it as Ham donned his trews and kilt.  “What’s wrong?” she asked Jacqueline.

“Nessa is having her baby,” Jacqueline told her.  “Ina says to come as soon as you can.”

“I’m ready,” Flora said, following her out the door.  Ham followed along behind them.

Chapter 8 A New McCabe

“How long does it take to birth a babe?” Eadan muttered as he paced in the solar outside the room where his wife struggled to give birth.

“I felt the same way when Jacqueline was birthing the twins,” Connor said.

“I remember your sister coming out with the first babe.  She placed her in your arms, and before she could even tell you what it was she was called back into the room quickly,” Hamish said.  “Scared the hell out of me.”

“I couldn’t breathe at first,” Connor agreed.  “We laugh about that moment now.”

“How is the lovely Fiona?” Hamish asked.

“She’s doing well.  She just became betrothed to a boy from the village,” Connor said.  “He’s going to begin training as one of the castle guards soon.  My Da said the wedding could take place in the fall.”

“It’s good she’s been able to pick her own husband,” Hamish said.  “It’ll be a good solid marriage.”
“That’s what my Da is hoping for,” Connor said.  “I don’t really care for the man all that much myself, but my wife has assured me that he will grow on me with time.”
“Your wife is a smart lass,” Hamish said, making the McCabe men that were gathered chuckle.  The solar was packed with them.  Besides Eadan, Hamish, Connor and Ham.  The rest of the McCabe’s had also slowly arrived. Alastair, Ross, Craig, Rory and Owen were all waiting for the birth of the newest McCabe.

They heard Nessa let out a scream just as Eadan was about to take a seat, making him jump back up onto his feet and continue pacing.

“Is that normal?” Eadan asked his Da and Connor.

“Your sister let out a few good screams while she brought our twins into the world,” Connor said.

“Your Mither did too,” Hamish said.  “Bringing a new life into the world isn’t an easy thing.”

Just then the door to the room opened.  Jacqueline escorted a very pale and shaky Angela out of the room.  She looked as though she was ready to pass out at any minute.

“Ross,” Jacqueline called her brother, “Angela needs you; it’s a bit too much for her to watch right now.”

Ross walked over and swooped his wife up into his arms, carrying her back to a chair and sitting down with her on his lap.

“I don’t know if I can do that,” she said quietly to him, tears pooling in her eyes.

“You’re one of the strongest women I know,” Ross said back.  “I know you can do it.”

“Is there something we need to know?” asked Hamish.

Ross looked at Angela, who nodded and smiled at him.  “We weren’t going to tell anyone until after Nessa had the baby,” Ross said, grinning at his Da, “but we’re going to be parents next spring.”

The McCabe’s quickly gathered around them both, giving congratulations.  “Why weren’t you going to say anything until after the babe was born?” Eadan asked.

“Because this is your and Nessa’s moment,” Angela said.  “Ours will come in the spring.”

“Another babe,” Hamish said, not being able to hide his smile.  He hugged his granddaughter Alyssa, who was sitting on his lap, just a bit tighter.

**********

“I don’t know if I can do this much longer,” Nessa said as Jacqueline wiped the sweat off of her forehead.

“You’re doing just fine,” Jacqueline told her.  “I never thought the twins would be born, but once it’s over, you forget about how bad the birthing is.”

“I’ll never forget this,” Nessa said.  “I don’t ever want to have another.”

“You’ll change your mind,” Jacqueline said, smiling down at her.  She’d noticed since she and Connor’s arrival that things didn’t seem to be going to well between Eadan and Nessa.  They spent very little time together, and although when they were together, they seemed polite enough, there seemed to be no hint of intimacy between them.

“Your babe seems to be turned wrong,” Flora said to her.  “I’m going to have to try to turn it so it can come out properly.  Helga’s going to give you a tonic to relax you.  I hate to tell you this Nessa, but it’s going to be a bit uncomfortable.”

“What if I don’t want it done?” Nessa asked.

“Then you and the babe won’t survive the birth,” Flora told her.  “It has to be done.”

Nessa drank the tonic and tried to relax as Flora worked, turning the babe until its head finally was in the right position.  Once there, the rest of the birth went quickly and soon Nessa had pushed out a beautiful baby boy.

“He’s perfect,” Jacqueline said to her sister by marriage.  Nessa just nodded in agreement.  “Do you want me to let Eadan in?”

“If you must,” Nessa said, not seeming all that interested in sharing the moment with her husband.

“I’ll take the babe out and show him to everyone,” Jacqueline said a bit confused.  “Just rest Nessa, giving birth is a tiring experience.”

Jacqueline gently lifted the swaddled babe and carried him out into the solar where her family had gathered.  She walked directly to Eadan and placed the babe in his arms; she smiled at him saying, “meet your son.”

“It’s a lad?” Eadan asked.

“It’s a beautiful, healthy lad,” Jacqueline told him.

Hamish McCabe let out a whoop as he swung his granddaughter Annabelle into the air making her laugh. “You have a new cousin,” he told her.

“Have the girls been out here the whole time?” Jacqueline asked Connor.

“They have,” he said.  “They’ve been passed around from uncle to uncle all day.  They’ve had a grand time.”

“I need to feed them,” she said.  Taking Anabelle from her Da while Connor gathered Alyssa from Rory.

“What about Nessa?  Will she need to feed the lad?” Eadan asked.

“She’s opting for a wet nurse,” Jacqueline told him.  “I hope you’ve arranged for one already.”

“I have,” he said, sounding disappointed.  “She said she wasn’t going to be tied down by a feeding babe.”

“Everyone has to make their own choice, Eadan,” Jacqueline said.

“Did you know Angela is going to have a babe in the spring?” Hamish asked his daughter.

“I thought she might,” Jacqueline said, smiling at her brother and Angela.  “I love that this family is growing more each year.”

“I agree,” Hamish said, the smile on his face was bigger than any Jacqueline had ever seen.  “Now I’m going to have to travel to three castles to spend time with all my grandchildren.”

Chapter 9 Edinburgh

“Have you been to Edinburgh before?” Ham asked Flora as they rode towards the city.

“Not since I was a little girl,” she replied.  “My parents took me once.”

“Tell me about them,” Ham said.

“There isn’t much to tell,” she said.  “They didn’t exactly have a happy marriage.”

“Why not?” Ham asked.  “I don’t remember my Mither all that well, but I know her and my Da were happy together.  It took him a very long time to get over her death.”

“My parents were good people,” she said.  “They both loved me; they just didn’t seem to love each other.”

“How could you tell?” he asked.

“I remember they argued all the time,” she said.  “After my Da died, my Mither said bad things about him all the time.  In a way, I don’t blame her for being bitter towards him.  He dishonored her more than once.”

“How did he dishonor her?” he asked.

“My Mither said he was always more interested in the whores than her,” Flora explained.  “I guess he visited them often and didn’t try to keep it discreet.”

“That’s a shame,” he said.  “How do you remember him?”

“I loved him,” she said.  “When it was just the two of us we had fun.  He would take me for walks outside the village and sometimes we went fishing.  I don’t remember much else.”

“I’d focus on the good memories then,” he said.

They rode silently for a few minutes again before Flora spoke again. “You won’t be going to the whores will you, Ham?” she asked.

“Why would you ask me that?” he answered.

“Because I don’t want to hate you like my Mither hated my Da,” she explained.

“I believe in my marriage vows,” he told her.  “I don’t plan on bedding anyone but you from now on.”

“If I ever found out different, I wouldn’t want to stay married to you,” she told him.

“I’m not going to lie and say I’ve never laid with a woman for coin before,” he said, “but I can promise you, it won’t happen again now that you’re my wife.”

“I guess I’m going to have to believe you unless I see different,” she replied, giving him a small grin.  “Can I ask you a question?”

“You can ask me anything you want?” he answered.

“Why is alright for a man to lie with a woman before marriage, but it’s not alright for a woman to do the same with a man?” she asked.

Ham laughed.  “I don’t really know the answer to that, but I can tell you this, you wouldn’t want a man who doesn’t have any experience on your wedding night.”

“Why do you say that?” Flora asked.

“Did you enjoy our wedding night?” he asked her.

Flora blushed, “you know I did.”

“Now think if you had a man who didn’t know what to do,” Ham said.

“I guess that makes sense,” Flora agreed.  “I just hate the thought of you with another woman.”
“You’re the only woman for me for now on,” he said, leaning over and giving her a quick kiss, making Diabhal, stomp the ground, jostling Ham.  “You crazy beast,” he said, patting the horse on the neck.”

“It’s almost like he’s jealous,” Flora said laughing.

“Look,” he said pointing forward.  “There’s the city up ahead.”

“Is that the castle in the middle?” she asked.

“It is,” he replied.  “We’re just going to stay in the village tonight, and then we can do some shopping on the morrow.  We’ll head back to Gleann the day after.  I’d stay longer, but with the whole family only at Gleann for another sennight I’d like to get back and spend time with them.”

“I really like Ross’ wife Angela,” Flora told him.  “This was the first time I’ve met her.”

“They hadn’t been to Gleann before,” he explained.  “This was the first time any of the family has met her except for me, my Da, Connor and Jacqueline.”

“I heard Ross married her to keep her safe,” she said.

“He did,” Ham explained.  “Lachlan Stewart was trying to force a marriage to him.  Ross didn’t know it when he married her, but Stewart somehow found out that Angela’s husband was to be given the Lairdship in Tioram.”

“Ross is a laird?” she asked.

“Not yet,” he said.  “Iain McCarthy is still alive and well.   He’ll run the clan for a while longer.”

“Does it bother you that he’ll be a laird and you won’t be?” she asked.

“Not at all,” he said.  “I’m happy running the guard at Gleann.  It gives me more time to travel and see my brother and sister.  Eadan is always busy with clan business; he doesn’t get away very often.”

“It does seem like he runs things more than your Da does now,” she said.

“I think Da is about ready to turn the lairdship over to Eadan entirely,” Ham agreed.  “He’d rather travel and spend time with his grandchildren.  Now that Ross and Angela are expecting, I expect we’ll see him even less at Gleann.”

Flora laughed.  “He is funny when he’s around Annabelle and Alyssa.  It’s hard to even get a turn with them.”

“We’ve all noticed,” Ham said chuckling.  “The man goes daft when he’s around those girls.”

They rode silently for a while and entered the city through the gates.  Ham led them through the winding streets to an inn he knew that wasn’t too far away from where he knew the market would be the next day.  “We’ll stay here the next two nights,” he told her.  “I know the beds are clean and the food is fair.”

“Alright,” Flora agreed.  “I’m ready to get off this horse for a while.”

Ham led her into the inn and rented them a room.  Flora followed him up the stairs as he carried their belongings.

“I say let’s get a good sleep tonight, and tomorrow we can get an early start,” he told her.  Flora yawned and agreed.

Grabbing a nightdress out of her bag she went behind the screen in the room to change, she still wasn’t comfortable changing in front of her husband.  Once she was done, she came out and crawled between the covers of the bed.

Ross went behind the screen after her and stripped down.  He washed up in the water that’d been provided.  He hoped he didn’t shock his wife when he walked out naked, but that’s how he’d always slept and didn’t intend to change now.  He shouldn’t have worried.  When he came out from behind the screen and looked at his wife, she was already sound asleep on the bed.  He climbed in next to her, pulled her into his arms, and got himself comfortable. He’d let her sleep this night, the few nights before had been long, with their wedding and then the birth of young Eadan Hamish McCabe.  A good night’s sleep would do them both some good.

**********

“Wake up, Ham,” Flora said.  “You’re sleeping the day away.”

Ham opened his eyes to see it was already light in the room.  “You’ve dressed already?”

“I can’t wait to see the city,” she said excitedly, then she laughed and added, “I feel like I’m eight summers again.”

“I like seeing you this happy,” he said.  “Have you any idea what you want to purchase?”

“Jacqueline said if I can’t find anything I like, then I should just get materials.  She knows a woman in the village who can sew anything I would need and would be happy to earn the coin,” she explained.

“What kind of material?” he asked.  “Did she say?”

“Nay,” Flora said alarmed.  “I didn’t think to ask.”

“It’s alright,” he said.  “I’m sure the ladies in the market will know.  It’ll all be fine.”

“Are you getting up?” she asked.

“It’ll cost you,” he said, grinning at her.

“Cost me?” she asked.

“Three kisses,” he said.

“Oh,” she replied, blushing.  She bent her head down and pressed her lips to his, giving him a quick kiss. “One,” she said, then did it again, “two,” the third time when she bent down, Ham wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down on top of him.  He kissed her firmly, sliding his tongue into her mouth and making it tangle with her own.  Once she finally relaxed and let the kiss overtake her, he let her go.

“Three,” he said, flinging the covers off of him and getting out of bed.

Flora laughed at first, then gasped and quickly turned away when she saw he was naked, her face turning red.

“You’ll be seeing a whole lot more of me later,” he said from behind her, kissing her quickly on the back of her neck, “and I hope to be seeing a whole lot more of you.”

“I hope so too,” she said breathlessly.  In the few days she’d been married to Ham, her opinion of him had begun to change.  She was finding out he was kind, and funny and seemed to enjoy spending time with her.  He was quickly becoming what she had always hoped he would be.

They left the room together and spent the entire day shopping.  Ham bought her more material than she ever thought she would need.  He bought beautiful pieces of linen, wool, velvet and even a piece of silk.  He took her over to the cobbler where he ordered her multiple pairs of slippers to wear around the castle and two new pair of boots, one for riding and one to wear when she was out doing her healing duties.  They also picked her up two new pairs of trews and three tunics.  He understood her need to be able to move freely when delivering a babe, or tending to the injured.

“These are nicer than I’ve ever had before,” she said to him as he paid for the purchases.  “I feel like you’ve spent too much money on me today.”

“It’s about time someone spoiled you a bit,” he told her.

“Can I look over there?” she asked, pointing to another stand not too far away.

“You can,” he answered.  “I need to go to the blacksmith for just a moment, so I’ll meet you there.”

He watched his wife as she wandered over to the stand where herbs and spices were sold.  He hurried back to a stand they had passed earlier.  A beautiful necklace had caught his eye.  The emerald in it would match the green in Flora’s eyes perfectly.  He bought it and hurried back to the stand.

Flora was engrossed in the different herbs available.  She was lifting each to her nose and smelling it, and even tasting others.  She was so engrossed in what she was doing she didn’t hear Ham walk up behind her and only realized he was there when she felt the cool metal hit her neck.  She jumped as Ham pushed himself up against her, whispering in her ear, “I’d like to see you in nothing but this tonight.”

She looked at the beautiful necklace around her neck and tears filled her eyes, “it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Not as beautiful as the woman wearing it,” he said to her, meaning every word.

“Can we head back to the inn now?” she asked, for once not feeling embarrassed by what she was thinking.

“We can,” he told her.  “There’s just one more stop I want to make.  I know of a stand on the other side of the market I want you to look at.”

He led her through the crowds and over to a woman selling beautiful accessories.  There were ribbons and combs of every size, shape, and color for a ladies hair.  “Pick out whatever you want,” he said to her.

“You’ve already bought me so much,” she told him.  He shrugged and smiled at her.  She turned back to the table smiling and looking at the beautiful items, picking them up and then returning them to the table.

Ham just stood back and watched.  It had been a marvelous day.  He gave himself a small pat on the back for coming up with the idea of this trip.  Flora seemed more at ease with the marriage today.  She even seemed to like him again, and he was glad, because the more he got to know her the more he was impressed with her.  He knew it was quickly turning into love.

“Ham!” he heard a woman holler his name, just before she threw herself at him, pressing her lips to his and shoving her tongue into his mouth.

“What the hell,” he said, breaking the kiss and pushing the woman back from him.

“I knew you’d come back for me,” she said, again throwing her arms around his neck.

“Wynda, stop,” he said, gently but firmly removing her arms from around his neck.  “I’m here with my wife.”

“You’re married?” she asked him.

“Aye, I am,” he said.  “You need to go now.”

“Oh I get it,” she said winking at him.  “I’ll see you when you can get away from her.”

Flora had heard her husband’s name and turned just in time to see a woman fling herself into his arms where he caught her.  She felt her heart break as Ham kissed the woman before putting her back down.  She walked towards them and was just able to hear them as they made plans to meet later when Ham could get away.

“Who’s your friend?” she said to Ham sarcastically, emphasizing the last word.

“It’s not what it looks like, Flora,” he said.

“Ham and I are old friends,” said Wynda.  “I just wanted to say hello,” she finished, winking at him.

“We are not old friends,” he said to Wynda, “we met one time.”

“But you said you’d be back,” she said to him.  “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Wynda,” he tried again, but Wynda turned and stomped off.

“His cock was grand for a night,” she yelled out to Flora as she left.

Flora didn’t wait for an explanation.  She turned and stomped off in the opposite direction, towards the inn.  Ham followed behind carrying all of her purchases.  He figured he’d let her calm before explaining that Wynda was before their wedding and he didn’t plan on seeing her again.

Flora entered the inn and stomped up the stairs.  She couldn’t believe Ham had the nerve to bring her to the city where he kept his whore lover.  She wasn’t going to stand for it.  She had seen how miserable her own mother had been and wasn’t going to let any man do that to her.  She pulled her travel satchel out and began to go around the room, putting her things back into it.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Ham asked from the doorway.

“Leaving,” Flora said, not looking at him.

“Why?” he asked.

“I’m not going to stay here and have you flaunt your whores in front of me,” she answered.

“First off, she is not my whore,” he said calmly.  “You have a right to be upset, but I can explain.”

“Upset?  I’m not upset,” she told him, trying not to cry.  “I’m angry, Ham.  I’m so angry right now that I want to hit you.  You’re the same as my Da.”

“Now wait a minute,” he said, “your Da went to the whores while he was married.  My night with Wynda happened before we took our vows.  I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“You’ve done nothing wrong?” she said to him.  “Why would you bring me to a city where one of your whores is anyway?”

“Flora,” he tried to explain.  “I was with the king’s army for three years.  I’ve traveled to most of the cities and villages within the highlands.  That would leave a lot of places I couldn’t take you.”

“You’ve had a whore in every city and village?” she asked.

“Not in every one,” he said.  He was trying to be truthful, and it seemed to be getting him into even bigger trouble.  “Those women are of no importance to me.  I couldn’t even tell you which towns I’ve had a tavern wench in; I don’t even remember their names.”

“I’m leaving,” Flora said, grabbing her bag and trying to walk past him.

“Nay, you’re not,” he said, putting an arm around her waist and pulling her back.  “We’re both going to stay here and talk this out.”

Flora was so hurt by everything she seemed to just snap.  She went wild trying to get away; she began screaming at him, “I wish I wouldn’t have ever married you.  I hate you, Ham McCabe.”

“You little hellcat,” Ham said as she caught him in the cheek with her nails, drawing blood.  “That does it.”  He picked her up and carried her over to the bed where he sat down.  Even though Flora was fighting him, it wasn’t really a struggle for him to pull her trews down to her ankles and put her firmly across his knees.

“Don’t you dare spank me, Ham McCabe,” Flora screamed.

“I’m beginning to think that sometimes this is the only way to get you to listen,” he told her, as he started bringing his hand down firmly on her arse.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I’m ready to listen,” Flora finally yelled, tears rolling down her cheeks and dropping off onto the floor.

“I don’t think so yet,” Ham told her, “but you will be.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“Stop please,” Flora cried out, Ham stopped and flipped her up onto his lap.

“You’re ready to listen?” he asked.

“Aye,” she said.

“Good.  Let’s talk this out and then get your punishment out of the way,” Ham told her.

Chapter 10 A lesson in Decorum

“What do you mean my punishment?” she asked.  “You’ve already punished me.”

“That was just to get your attention,” he said to her.

Flora looked up at him for the first time, seeing the blood run down his cheek from where she’d scratched him.  For a split second she felt bad; then she remembered Wynda.

“But you’re the one who did wrong,” she spat at him.

“I think you listen better this way,” he said and flipped her back over his knee.  He again began a volley of swats, just hard enough to sting.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“Let me back up, and I’ll listen,” Flora said, anything to get him to stop.

“I think you’re fine right there,” Ham said, leaving a hand on her arse and rubbing softly over the red he’d left there.

“Now I’ll talk, and you just listen.  I met Wynda the last time I was here in Edinburgh; it was right before I arrived at Tarmon and escorted you home.  I didn’t seek out a tavern girl that night; it was just something that happened.  I don’t know why she thought I’d be coming back for her.  I never led her to believe that.  She asked if I’d come see her again if I was in the city, I didn’t want to hurt her feelings and I told her maybe I’d be back one day.  She’s just a tavern girl, Flora; she means nothing to me.”

“She must have meant something to you if you bedded her,” Flora said.

Ham sighed, trying to explain.  “Remember our conversation on the way here?  It’s different for a man.  It’s acceptable for a man to sleep with various women before he’s married.  I’ll let you in on a little secret; a man doesn’t have to have feelings for a woman for his cock to get hard.”

“Is that how it is with me?” she asked, trying again not to cry. She had cried more since meeting back up with Ham than she had in the years since her mother had died.

“Nay!” he exclaimed.  “It’s something much more with you.  I was hoping you’d be able to tell that.”

“I was hoping it was,” Flora said.  “How is it different between us than with a whore?”

“I don’t know how to explain it,” he told her.  “You make love to your wife, but it’s just sex with a whore.”

“Did you do the same things with her that you do with me?” Flora asked.  She didn’t even want to think of Ham kissing another woman the way he’d kissed her.

“Nay,” he said chuckling, remembering the wild romp he’d had with Wynda.

“What was different?” she asked.

“I told you already.  There was no emotions, no kissing, no cuddling,” he told her.  “It was more wild, rough even.”

“Show me,” she said to him.

“I can’t treat you like that,” he said.

“You can,” she told him.  “I want you to show me.”

“You still have a punishment coming,” he told her.  “If you still want me to show you afterward, I will.”

Flora nodded at him.  After hearing him explain she knew she’d been wrong.  What Ham had done before they married was none of her concern.  He’d promised never to be with another woman now that he was married, and she was trying her best to believe him.

“Take off all your clothes,” Ham said standing her up.

“Everything?” she asked.

“No questions,” he told her.  “Just do as I say and let’s get this over with.”  Flora stood and stripped her clothes off.  It was the first time she had done it with him watching her.  She was embarrassed and looked down at the floor as she finished. “Now get your hairbrush and bring it to me.”

Flora again followed directions.  She still didn’t think she deserved further punishment but there was no getting out of it.  She figured if she cooperated it would be over quickly.

“Lean over the bed,” Ham told her.  I’m giving you twenty with your brush to start.”

“I don’t think I can take that many,” she told him, her bottom lip beginning to quiver.

“Please don’t make me add extras,” he answered.

“Aye, I’ll do it,” she said, leaning over and laying her torso on the bed, and grabbing the cover on top with her fists.

“I want you to think about what I said, Flora,” Ham told her.  “I’m getting tired of having to do this already.  Next time talk to me before hitting or throwing things.” Then the brush began to fall, thwack, thwack
, “I’ve never even raised my voice to you, but you’ve continued to act this way.”
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack
.  “I’d like our marriage to be a good one.”
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack
.  “I’d like us to learn to love each other.”
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack
. “I’d like us to raise children together.”
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack
.  “But most importantly, I want us to want to spend time together, happily.”
Thwack, thwack
.

Ham lifter her up from the bed where she was now crying and sat her on his lap, holding her close and letting her cry.  After a few minutes, she said to him.  “I’m glad that’s over.”

“It’s not,” he said.  “I just felt you needed a break.”

“I can’t take anymore, please Ham,” she said.

“Stand up,” he said, helping her to her feet.  He led her over to the corner and gently pushing her into it so that her noise sat right at the point where the walls came together.  “If you can stand her for the next half hour and just think about what I’ve said, I’ll let the punishment be over.”

“Can I have my cover?” she asked him.

“Nay,” he answered.  “That’s part of the punishment.  I want you just as you are.  When the time is up, then we’ll talk.”

Flora nodded and stayed where she was.  If this was all she had to do to end it, she could.  As she stood there, she again thought about what had happened at the market.  She ran the scene back through her head.  Ham had been right, and he pushed the woman away as soon as she’d thrown herself at him.  He also hadn’t encouraged her in any way.  She was so convinced at the time that he’d brought her to Edinburgh to see this Wynda; she wouldn’t even listen to what he said.  She’d listen now because another thing Ham had been right about is that he had been nothing but kind to her since their wedding.  He had never yelled at her or even argued with her.  The only time there had been problems was when she’d yelled at him or threw something at him, and twice now she had hit him.

Once Flora realized that she was part of the problem she felt awful.  If Ham turned to another woman because of her behavior it would be no one’s fault but her own.  Afterall, he had said the sex with Wynda was just sex and nothing more.  He said it was different, and she wondered again how it was different.

“Times up,” Ham said to her.  “Come out now and sit with me.” Ham held his hand out to her, she walked over to take it, and he pulled her naked body down on his lap.  “Tell me what you were thinking standing there.”

“I was thinking that you’re right.  You’ve been nothing but kind to me since we married.  If you go to another woman it’s no one’s fault but my own.”

“Stop that,” he said, giving her a swat on her hip.  “I’m not going to find another woman.  We just need to come to some agreements in our marriage.”

“What kind of agreements?” she asked.

“First, no more tantrums.  If something is bothering you, we talk it out,” he said.

“That’s fair,” she said to him.

“Second, there will be no other woman for me,” he told her.  “I need you to believe that.  Just because your Da did it doesn’t mean I will.”

“Alright,” she said.

“Third, you have to kiss me every morning before getting out of bed and every night before you fall asleep,” he said.

Fiona couldn’t help it, she giggled.  “Deal,” she said.

“Good now that we have that settled we can put the matter behind us,” he said.

“You know what else I was thinking?” she said.

“Not a clue,” he answered.

“I was thinking about how you said it’s different with a tavern girl like Wynda,” she said.  “I still want you to show me.”

“I don’t think I can, Flora,” he said.  “You don’t understand; there are things you do to a tavern girl that you can’t do to your wife.”

“Like what,” she asked.

Ham sighed, finally frustrated he said, “like shoving your cock in their mouth and having them suck it till you cum down their throat.  Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Woman can do that?” she asked.

Ham grinned, “they can.”

“I want to try,” she said.  “Just let me try.”

“Aye, we’ll try,” he said standing up.  “Undress me and then kneel in front of me.  But if you don’t like what we’re doing then just say stop.”

Flora did as he asked and after taking his clothes off, she found herself kneeling in front of him, his already half hard cock was hanging right in front of her eyes.  It was the first time she’d ever seen it this close.

“Take my cock in your hand,” he said to her.  “You can lick it, suck it, or stroke it.  Just no biting.”

Flora took him in her hand, surprised to find the skin there so soft.  She stroked her hand up and down him twice; she smiled when she felt him harden even more.  She gripped it a little more firmly and leaned forward, licking all around the tip and feeling Ham jerk a bit.  She wondered if that meant he liked it, so she did it again, getting the same reaction.

“That feels so good,” Ham said, gripping a handful of her hair in one hand.  “Keep going.”

Flora grinned, she was enjoying this way more than she knew she should.  She opened her mouth further, pulling his cock in a small ways and letting it slide back out.  Ham moaned softly so she did it twice more.  He gripped her hair even tighter, pulling her head forward a little more each time until she was sucking him to the back of her throat.

“Relax your throat,” he said to her, he waited a second before pulling her mouth onto him more firmly, and letting just the tip of his cock slide into her throat.  She gagged slightly as he pulled back.  “Again,” he said, doing it again and then again.

Flora did better the second and third time, she was able to pull him in further and although she still gagged slightly the sensation left as soon as he pulled back.

“I’m going to cum in your mouth,” Ham said to her.  “Try to swallow it all.” He then gripped her hair in both hands and began pumping himself into her mouth.  Every third or fourth stroke he’d push even further, making his cock slide into her throat and holding it there for a second before pulling back out.  He couldn’t believe that Flora wasn’t asking him to stop.  In fact, she seemed to be enjoying herself.  Just the thought turned him on so much that on the next thrust he began shooting his load, letting her suck him until it had stopped.

“How’d I do?” she asked, grinning up at him.

“I’ll show you,” Ham said, grinning back, he picked her up off the floor and threw her playfully onto the bed.  “Get on your hands and knees.”

Flora did as he asked, wondering what he was going to do next. Ham climbed on the bed behind her and put his hand between her legs.  “You did enjoy that,” he said to her, “your cunny is soaked.”

“Aye, I did,” Flora admitted.

“Then you deserve a reward,” Ham said, pushing two fingers up inside of her and pumping them in and out quickly.  He couldn’t believe it when his cock went hard instantly.

“Oh God,” she said, pushing back against his fingers.

“Nay,” he answered and laughed,  “just your husband, Ham.”

Flora couldn’t help but laugh too, “this is no time to be an arse.”

“No cussing,” he said, giving her two quick swats on her arse.
Smack, smack
.

“Oh,” Flora groaned.

Ham’s fingers were absolutely soaked. When he playfully swatted his wife on the arse, she had gushed juices all down his fingers.  He pulled his fingers out and began to spread the wetness all around her bottom hole, slowly working a finger into the opening.

“Ham,” Flora squealed.

“Hush,” he said, giving her two more playful swats.
Smack, smack
. Again her juices came pouring out and dribbled down her thigh.

This time when he put his finger at the opening to her bottom hole, he also lined his cock up at her cunny hole, pushing both in with one big thrust. “Ahhhh,” was all Flora could get out as she pushed her hips back against him, wanting him to go deeper.

Ham keep one hand on her hip, as he pulled his cock out of her cunny and thrust it back in to the hilt.  He started to work up a rhythm where he would pull his cock out of her cunny as he pushed his finger into her arse, when he pulled his finger back he would thrust forward with his hips.  Flora became lost in the sensations.  She didn’t know what felt better, his cock or his finger, she wanted to push back against both.  Ham began thrusting into her harder until you could hear the sound of their skin as it slapped together.  Soon she felt her muscles tighten and couldn’t stop the scream that escaped as she came.  Ham could care less how much noise they were making, once his wife tightened around him it was like being in a vice.  He pushed his finger up her arse as far as it would go as he thrust forward one last time, shooting his load far up inside her before pulling out and collapsing beside her.

“Was that alright?” he asked concerned, afraid he may have hurt her.

“I’m more than alright,” she said.  “That was wonderful.”

Ham chuckled and pulled her into his arms.  “I think you about killed me,” he said to her as they both slipped into an exhausted sleep.

Chapter 11 Taking a Risk

“Next time we go to Edinburgh I’ll make sure we can stay a bit longer,” Ham said.

“It was fine,” Flora said.  “It was nice just to get to see it.  The market was fun.  I’d never seen one so big before.”

“Next time I’ll take you to Glasgow,” he said.  “It’s got more shops than Edinburgh.”

“How can that be?” she asked.

“It’s located right on the water, so lots of trade goods are shipped into the harbor there.  We could visit James if you wanted to go there in the spring,” Ham said.

“I might like that,” she said as the walls of Gleann came into view.  The gates were open, and it looked like a party was getting ready to ride out.  “I wonder what’s going on?”

“I don’t know, but it looks important,” Ham said, a bit concerned.  “Let’s go see.” he nudged his large horse in the sides and Diabhal shot forward, Flora’s horse instantly followed as they galloped the rest of the way to the gates.

“You’re back,” Alastair said from his horse.  “You’ll have to tell us about your trip when we get back.”

“What’s going on?” Ham asked.

“It seems some of the village children went out to the fields to play this afternoon and never came back,” Alastair said.  “We’ve organized a search party.  Hopefully, they just wandered further away than they should have, and it’s just taking them a bit longer than they planned to return.”

“We’ll help,” Flora said.  “Let me run up and grab my bag, just in case anyone is hurt.”

“That’ll be fine,” Eadan said, riding up and joining them.  “With any luck, we won’t need them, but it might be a good idea to have your supplies just in case.”

While Flora ran to grab her satchel of herbs and bandages, Eadan gathered the group around him.  “Connor and Rory, I’d like you to take two men and head south.  Alastair and Craig, take two of the men and head north.  Owen can come with Da and me, we’ll go east, and Ham and Ross can take Flora and go west.  If you find them get word back to the castle.  They’ll put a signal out that all is well with the flags.”

The group nodded and headed out in their assigned directions.  Flora returned, handing her satchel to Ham while she remounted her horse.  “Which way are we going?” she asked the two brothers.

“West,” Ham said.

“You think we should check the trail by the cliffs?” Ross asked Ham.

“We snuck over there and played when we were children,” Ham said.  “I was thinking to look there first.”

“We had a couple of close of calls on those cliffs too if I remember right,” Ross said.

“That we did, brother,” Ham said, not being able to stop the grin from appearing.

“What kind of close calls?” Flora asked.  “My Mither always told me to stay away from the cliffs.”

“So did our Da,” Ham said, “but sometimes we didn’t listen so well.  There are caves up there if you know how to get to them.”

“I agree to look there first,” Ross said.  “I hope we don’t find them.”

They rode silently until they reached the trail that led along the cliffs, where they had to dismount and walk up.  The path was just too narrow and dangerous to take the horses along.

“Do you hear that?” Ross said to them.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Flora said.

“Stop for a second,” Ham said.  Standing perfectly still and listening.  “I hear something too.”

“I hear it now,” Flora said, shouldering her satchel.  “I hope that’s them.”

They quickened their pace, the calls for help became more clear as they got closer to the top.  As they came over a small rise, they saw one of the missing children lying on his belly, looking over the side.

“Are you alright?” Flora asked, running up to the boy who couldn’t have been older than three and ten summers.

“I’m alright,” the boy said, turning to her.  Flora couldn’t help but notice the tears that were streaming down the boy’s cheeks.  “My brother and sister are down there,” he told her, pointing down the side of the cliff.

“Can you see them?” Ham asked, lying on his belly and inching his way to the edge.

“They fell,” the boy said.  “It’s my fault; I brought them here.”

“We’ll worry about blame later,” Flora said.  “What’s your name?”

“Robert,” he told her. “My sister is Elaine, and my brother is Angus.”

“Elaine, Angus,” Ham yelled over the side.  “Can you hear me?”

“I can hear you,” came a young boys voice, “but Elaine is hurt.”

“Angus,” Flora called down.  “I need you to tell me where she’s hurt.  Is she bleeding anywhere?”

“She’s bleeding from her head, and her leg is bent funny,” came the small voice.  “I’m scared, and I want to go home.”

“We’re going to get you out,” Ross called down to the boy.

“They’re on a ledge,” Ham said to Flora and Ross.  “I can barely see them.  I’m not sure how strong the rock they’re standing on is.  One of us is going to have to go down there.”

“I’ll go,” said Ross.

“Nay,” Flora told them both.  “I have to go.”

“No way,” Ham said.

“Listen to me; there’s no time to argue,” Flora said, very forcefully.  “It only makes sense for me to go.  I weigh less than either of you, and I also need to see how badly the girl is hurt before we can bring them up.”

“I don’t like it,” Ham told her.  “You could get hurt.”

“So could either of you,” she said to him.  “You’ll tie a rope to me, and I’ll take another with me to tie around the children so you can pull them up.”

“She’s right,” Ross said to his brother.  “It only makes sense for her to go.”

“What if it was your wife?” Ham said to him.  “Would you still think it made sense?”

“I wouldn’t like it,” Ross said.  “Nay, I don’t like it now either, but think about it, Ham the girl is hurt and needs a healer.”

“Aye, You’re both right,” Ham said.  Then he turned to Flora, “don’t you dare get hurt.”

“I’ll do my best,” she said to him, giving him a small grin.  “Robert, I want you to run back to Gleann.  Tell the guards we’ve found you and let them know what’s going on.  They need to send more men.”

“I don’t want to leave Angus and Elaine,” Robert said.  “I was supposed to keep them safe.”

“You will be helping by sending more men to help,” she softly reassured him.  “Go now, quickly.”  Robert looked over the side one more time before scooting back and running down the trail  “Be careful,” Flora yelled after him.

“I’m going to go grab the rope off the horses,” Ross said.  “I’ll be right back.”

“I really don’t like this,” Ham said to her.

“I know,” Flora said, leaning forward and giving him a soft kiss, “but it has to be done.”

“If you do anything to get hurt, I swear I’ll spank the daylights out of you when you get better,” he said, only half joking.

“I’ll be as careful as I can be,” she said to him.

“You better be,” he replied.

“Angus,” Flora yelled down.  She could barely see the boy as the ledge went somewhat under the cliff overhang.  How they ended up on it, she wasn’t sure.

“I’m here,” he called back up.

“I’m going to come down for you soon,” she said.  “Just hang on.”

“I want my Maman,” Angus called back up, “I’m scared.”

“Maman?” Flora asked, looking at Ham.

“There Da was Scottish but their mother is Norman,” he quickly explained.  Flora nodded she understood before turning her attention back to the children.

“How old are you, Angus?” she asked.  Trying to calm him.

“Six summers,” he answered.

“And how old is Elaine?” she asked.

“Ten summers,” Angus called back.

“We’re going to get you to your Maman as soon as we can,” Flora said.

“Will Elaine be alright,” Angus asked her.

“I don’t know sweetheart until I get down there and have a look at her,” Flora said.  “Has she awoke at all?”

“Not really,” Angus yelled.  “She moans and moves around a little once in awhile.  I’ve been afraid she was going to roll off the cliff.”

“Just do your best,” Flora said.  “I’m coming down soon.”

“Here’s the rope,” Ross said as he ran back to them.

“I’m ready,” Flora said standing up.

Ham tied the rope around her waist himself, checking the knot he’d made multiple times.  “I’ll lower your healing supplies and the extra rope down to you as soon as you’re safely on the ledge,” he told her.

“Aye,” she said.  “I’m going to need both hands to get down anyways.”

“I’m tying a loop in this second rope, just loop it over the boy’s head and under his arms, and we’ll be able to pull him up easily enough,” Ross told her.

“Get on your belly and scoot back feet first,” Ham told her, “we’ll lower you down nice and easy.”

Flora took a deep breath, she didn’t want to admit it, but she was scared, heights had never been her thing.  “I’m ready,” she said as she went to sit back on the ground.  Ham grabbed her and pulled her to him, giving her a hard kiss.

“Be safe,” he said to her.

“I’ll do my best,” she said, then she sat, scooted to the edge, flipped over on her belly and let her legs hang over the side.

Ham and Ross carefully lowered her to where the children were.  As soon as her feet were on the ledge, Angus flew into her arms sobbing.

“You’re going to be alright,” she said, hugging him close.“We’re going to get you out of here first.”

“What about Elaine?” Angus asked.

“I’m going to take care of Elaine,” she said to the boy, gently wiping the tears off his cheeks.  “Don’t you worry.”

As Flora stepped towards the girl part of the edge of the ledge crumbled and fell away.  The weight of all three of them seemed to be more than the ledge could handle.  “Send down my bag and the rope,” she yelled up the Ham.  “We need to get the boy out of here and take some of the weight off this ledge.”

“It’s coming now,” he told her.  Flora watched as her bag was lowered.  Once the rope was there, she squatted down in front of Angus.

“I’m going to put this rope around you,” she told him.  “You just hang on tight, and they’re going to pull you up.”

“Is my brother up there?” he asked her.

“We sent Robert back to the village,” she told him.  “My husband and his brother are up there though.  They’ll get you back to your Maman.”

“You promise to take care of Elaine?” he asked her.  “My Da said that Robert and I have to watch out for her.  That’s a brother’s responsibility.”

“You did a good job taking care of her,” Flora said to him.  “Now it’s my turn.  Hang on tight now.”

“I’m scared,” he said.

“Ready,” Flora yelled up to Ham and Ross.  Then as the rope grew taut, she said to Angus, “close your eyes and hang on tight.”

Flora only watched for a moment before turning to the little girl.  She knelt down next to her to check her injuries, as she did more of the ledge crumbled and fell down the side of the cliff.  She made a quick decision, one she knew her husband wouldn’t be happy with, she untied the rope from herself and put it around Elaine, making sure it was hooked underneath the girl’s arms as she tied it tightly.

She quickly cleaned Elaine’s head wound best she could before wrapping it in a bandage.  There wasn’t much she could do for her leg until they had her more secure, she bent it back into the proper place, knowing she’d have to set it properly later.

“The boy is up,” Ham yelled.  “Sending the rope back down.”

“The girl is tied,” Flora yelled.  “The ledge is about to give way.  Haul her up now.”

“She must have untied herself,” Ham said to Ross as Alastair and Craig came running up the trail to join them.  “Lower the other rope, quick,” Ham yelled to his brothers.

Alastair didn’t ask any questions, he grabbed the rope and began lowering it to Flora as Ham and Ross carefully pulled the girl’s limp body up to the top of the cliff.

“Hurry,” they heard Flora yell as the ledge began to break apart underneath her.  Her weight was just too much for it to hold.

Just as the rope came into reach the ledge gave way, Flora made a leap for it, catching it and throwing one arm into the loop Ham had made.  The rope swung violently from her momentum, swinging her back into the cliff rock where she struck her head hard enough to see stars.  She could feel herself being pulled up, but the rope still swung, and with each swing, her body would hit the rocks.

Flora felt herself begin to slip as she began to fade into blackness. The last thing she remembered was hitting the wall of the cliff one last time and thinking about Ham. How she wished she could have made him love her before it came to an end.

“Flora,” Ham yelled as Alastair and Craig pulled the rope up as quick as possible.  Every time the rope swung back and slammed her into the cliff he was afraid she was going to let go.  He could see her grip slipping as she inched closer to him.  With one last hefty pull Ham was able to grab her just as she let go of the rope.  “Help me, Ross,” he yelled to his brother as he struggled to pull her back over onto the trail.

“Got her,” Ross said.  The two carefully pulled her up, and Ham gathered her into his arms.

“Flora?” Ham said.  “Wake up now.”  Flora just moaned.

“We need to get her to Ina,” he said.  He picked her up in his arms as Ross picked up Elaine.  Alastair grabbed hold of Angus and swung him up onto his shoulders as the group swiftly made their way back to the horses.

Chapter 12 A Special Day

“Water,” Flora croaked as she came awake.  She felt like she hadn’t had anything to drink in days.

“You’re finally awake,” Jacqueline said as she filled a cup and sat on the bed next to her.  “Just little sips now.”

Flora took a few sips of the water; her throat felt much better after.  “Elaine?” she asked her friend.

“Is fine thanks to you,” Jacqueline said to her.  “You’re quite the hero in the village from what I hear.”

“I’m not a hero,” she protested.

“That’s not what your husband said,” Jacqueline told her as she nodded towards a chair in the corner where Ham was sleeping.

“Is he alright?” Flora asked.

Jacqueline laughed, telling her, “he’s just tired.  He hasn’t left your side for two days.  I’ve never seen my brother so worried about anyone before.”

“Two days?” Flora asked.

“You’ve been sleeping for two days,” Jacqueline explained.  “Ina said you hit your head pretty hard, but the rest of you got pretty battered as they were trying to get you out of there.”

“The ledge gave way,” Flora remembered, “and the rope was swinging because I had to jump and grab it.”

“Ham and Ross told us,” Jacqueline said.  Ham must have heard them talking as he quickly came awake.

“She’s awake?” he asked his sister.

“She is,” Jacqueline said.  “I’m going to go let Ina know and give you two a few minutes of privacy.”

Ham watched his sister leave the room before turning to his wife, “how are you feeling?” he asked.

“Everything hurts,” she answered truthfully.

“I’m sure it does,” he said.  “I think my heart stopped every time you hit the cliff.  I was so afraid you were going to fall.”

“I remember the rope slipping,” Flora said to him.

“It did,” Ham said.  “I was able to grab you just as it slipped off.  I’ve never been so scared in my whole life.”

“Me either,” Flora said, tears pooling in her eyes.

“Hey now,” Ham said, climbing on the bed next to her and carefully cradling her in his arms.

“You were the last thing I thought of when the rope slipped,” she said.  “I was thinking that I wished we could’ve had more time together.”

“We have all the time in the world now,” he said.  “I could spank you for untying yourself and putting the rope around that little girl.”

“We had to get her up first,” Flora said.  “The ledge was crumbling once my weight combined with the children’s.”

“I realize that,” he said.  “You did the right thing.”

“I know I did,” she said.  “Did you really sit here for the last two days?”

“You’re my wife,” he said.  “I was too worried to leave you.”

“I’m glad you stayed with me,” she said to him.

“I finally realized something as you were lying in this bed injured,” he told her.

“What’s that,” she said.

“That I’ve fallen head over heels in love with you,” he said as he kissed her softly on her forehead.  “I sat in that chair the last two days and realized how happy the last week has been.  You’ve made my life better, and if I had lost you, I would’ve been devastated.”

“I hear our girl is awake,” Ina said as she entered the room.

“She is,” Ham said.  He carefully let her back down onto her pillows as he got off the bed.

“How are you feeling?” Ina asked her.

“I hurt everywhere,” Flora said.

“I have no doubt you do,” Helga told her.  “You’ve got bruises just about everywhere.”

“How is Elaine?” Flora asked.

“The little girl will be fine,” Ina said.  “You did a good job getting her off that ledge without injuring her worse.  She’s already back home with her Maman and Da.  Her leg will heal in time.”

“And the boys?” she asked.

“Are also fine,” Ina told her.  “I want you to spend the next few days in bed and rest.”

“I’m fine, Ina,” Flora protested.

“She’ll do as you say,” Ham said from behind the healer.  “I’ll make sure of it.”  Flora knew he meant it and was too sore to fight with him.

“I’m going to give you a tea with some herbs in it,” Ina said.  “It should help with the pain and relax you enough to sleep again.  You’ll heal quicker with some good rest.”

“Thank you, Ina,” Flora said.  She drank the tea that was given to her and within a few minutes she was feeling tired again.  Maybe a few days in bed would be alright; she thought as she drifted back to sleep.

**********

“Are you sure it’s alright to visit?” Flora asked Ham as they walked towards the cottage where the three children lived.

“I’m sure,” he said.  “Their Maman has been up to the castle asking about you every day.”

As they walked through the village Flora was surprised when just about everyone they passed stopped to thank her for what she’d done.  She was embarrassed by the praise.  “I wish they’d stop,” she said to Ham.

“I don’t,” he told her.  “It’s about time this village realized just how special you are.”
“You think I’m special?” she asked him, smiling up at him.

“I don’t think you’re special, I know you are,” he said, “and now the villagers know it too.”

When they arrived at the small cottage the door swung open before they even reached it, a woman ran out and gathered Flora in her arms saying, “thank you, thank you so much.  You saved my babies.”

Flora hugged the woman back not knowing what to say as Angus came running out of the house, “Flora,” he yelled as he threw himself against her and his mother.  Flora laughed as the woman finally let go, smiling down at her son.

“You need to call her Lady Flora, son,” his mother told him.

“Flora is fine,” Flora told her.

“I like Lady Flora,” Angus said, smiling up at her.

“So do I,” Ham told the boy.

“I came to see if you were really alright,” she said to Angus, “I was worried about you and Elaine.”

“Elaine has to stay in bed until her leg heals some,” Angus told her, “but me and Robert go in and try to cheer her up every day,”

“I bet you do a good job at that,” she said smiling down at him.

“Come inside, Lady Flora and see her,” Angus’ mother said.  “I’m Suzan, the mother of these troublemakers.”

“I’d love to visit with her for a moment, Suzan,” Flora said as she entered the cottage which was kept neat and tidy.

“I’ll take you to Elaine,” Angus said taking her by the hand.  They entered the room where Robert was sitting on a stool next to the bed talking to his sister.

“Hello, Robert,” Flora said.  “I’m so happy to see you’re well.”

“I’m well,” Robert said sadly, “but Elaine is still healing.”

“She’s young,” Flora tried to assure him.  “She’ll heal fine.”

“I’ll be here to help her until then,” Robert said.

“Robert,” Flora said, “you can’t blame yourself for what happened.”

“But I’m the oldest, and I should have known better than to go near the cliffs,” he said.

“Do you know my husband Ham McCade?” she asked Robert, nodding towards Ham.

“He was one of the men who helped rescue Angus and Elaine,” Robert said, he turned towards Ham and said, “thank you, sir.”

“He’s also Laird McCabe’s son,” Flora said as Ham nodded at the boy.

“Am I in trouble?” Robert asked.

“Nay,” Flora said.  “Did you know that Laird McCabe also told his sons never to play near the cliffs?”

“I’ll never play there again,” Robert said.

“Do you know why we were able to find you, Robert?” Ham said to the boy.

“Maman said that a bunch of people were out looking for us,” Robert said.

“They were,” Ham said.  “My brother Ross and I decided to check the cliffs first.  We did that because just like you, we didn’t always listen to our Da, and we played there more than once.”

“You disobeyed the Laird?” Robert asked.

“Well to us we were disobeying our Da,” Ham said chuckling.  “The point Flora’s trying to make is that you made a bad decision, but many boys your age do.  If you’ve learned from it, then that’s what’s important.”

“Do you really think that, sir?” Robert asked him.

“I do,” Ham said.  “What do you want to do when you get older, Robert?”

“I’d like to be a guard for Gleann,” Robert said.

“Then if your Maman and Da say it’s alright I want you to be at the castle tomorrow morning,” Ham said.  “Some of the boys your age are beginning to train, and I’d be happy for you to join them.”

“Can I, Maman?” Robert asked his mother, who had been standing in the doorway.

“I think your Da will approve,” Suzan said, smiling at her son.

“And how are you, Elaine?” Flora had sat down on the bed next to the girl.

“You’re the lady who saved me?” Elaine asked.

“Well I came down to the ledge, but my husband and his brother pulled you up,” Flora told the girl.

“Thank you,” Elaine said, sitting up and throwing her arms around Flora.  “Can I hug him too?” Elaine whispered to Flora, though it was loud enough for Ham to hear.

Flora laughed as Ham said, “I never turn down a hug from a pretty lass.”  Elaine smiled at him as he walked over and hugged her.

“I like him,” Elaine said to Flora.

“So do I,” Flora whispered back.

“Ok, young lady,” Suzan said.  “Time for you to take a bit of a rest.  You two boys have some chores to do.”

“Yes, Maman,” the three children said.

Flora and Ham exited the room as Suzan was shooing the children out of the house.  “Now,” Suzan said to Flora, “I hear you need some dresses made.”

“How did you know?” Flora asked her.

“Your husband and Lady Jacqueline have told me,” she said.

“You’re the seamstress Jacqueline knows?” Flora asked.

“I am,” Suzan told her.

“I’ll be back to get you in a bit,” Ham said to her, giving her a quick kiss.  “I’ll bring back the material you picked out in Edinburgh when I return.”

“Why are you leaving?” Flora asked.

“Would you like me to stay while Suzan gets your measurements?” he asked grinning at her.

“I’ll see you in a while,” Flora answered.

Chapter 13 A Happy Ending

“Did you have a good day today?” Ham asked her as they entered their room and he shut the door behind him.

“I had the best day,” she answered.  “I loved Suzan; she’s going to make me gowns that are simple but nice.”

“Whatever makes you happy,” he said.

“And I loved the children,” she added.  “I hope we have some of our own one day.”

“I would like that too,” he answered.

“I love your family,” she continued.  “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt part of a family, and the McCabe’s make me feel like I am.”
“That’s because you are, Flora McCabe,” he said.

“You know what else I love?” she asked him.

“What’s that?” he replied.

“You, Ham McCabe,” she said.  “I really love you.”

“Thank god,” Ham said sweeping her up in his arms, “I thought I’d never get you to say it.  I love you too.”

Ham carried her over to the bed where he began taking her clothes off one piece at a time, not stopping till she stood naked in front of him.  He then stripped off his own clothes as she watched.

Ham picked her up in his arms again and gently laid her on the bed.  He climbed over her, holding himself up on his arms he said, “let me show you how much I love you.”  Flora smiled up at him and nodded before he lowered his head, bringing his lips down onto hers.  Soon he was sliding his tongue into her mouth where she let her own tangle with his.

Ham kissed her breathless, then he moved down to her neck, licking and suckling till a moan escaped her lips,  He moved lower still, taking a nipple into his mouth and sucking on it softly.  Flora arched her back, trying to get him to take more, which he did, sucking a bit harder.  He pulled back letting her breast pop out of his mouth, moving onto the other and doing the same.

Flora was lost in sensation, as Ham sucked her breasts she felt the tingle all the way down to her cunny.  He moved lower still, running his tongue down her stomach to her belly button.  He stopped there and ran his tongue around and around before dunking it inside, making her giggle.  He moved lower still; Flora parted her legs to make room for him to lay there.

Ham took the sides of her cunny in each hand and pulled them to the side, baring her perfect pink nub and hole.  He ran his tongue all the way from the nub to her opening and then back up.  He swirled it around and around feeling her nub harden.  He ran his tongue back down and began thrusting it as far as he could into her hole, loving the taste of the fluids that were now leaking out.  “You taste so good,” he told her.

He brought his tongue back up to her nub which was now rock hard.  As he flicked his tongue across it, he gently pushed two fingers up inside her.  He worked slowly, not wanting her to come to fast.  “Harder, Ham,” she said.

“Nay,” he told her.  “This time we’re taking it slow and gentle.  You just healed.”

“I’m fine,” she said, thrusting her hips up as he pushed his fingers into her again.  Ham kept at the pace he had set, licking over and over her clit as he worked his fingers in and out of her.

Soon he felt her clit began to jump underneath his tongue and her cunny clamped down on her fingers.  He kept up the slow rhythm as he let her ride her orgasm to completion.

By the time she was done his cock was so hard it almost hurt.  He climbed back up on top of her and once again kissed her.  As she kissed him back, he grabbed her and flipped them both over so that she was now straddled on top of him.  He lifted her up by the hips and brought her down on his cock, entering her slowly.  “You’re in control,” he said to her smiling.

“I don’t know what to do,” she said.  Ham picked her up a small ways, sliding her cunny up off him and then letting her fall back down, entering her fully again.  “Ahhhh,” Flora said.

Flora took over from there.  She put her hands on Ham’s stomach and pushed herself up a small ways before lowering herself again.  She shifted her legs to the sides a bit more, feeling him slide in a bit deeper.  She then picked up her rhythm, lifting up slowly and then dropping back down more firmly.  She leaned forward a bit more finding that in this position her nub would rub against him, creating an even more intense sensation.

“Do you like being in control,” Ham asked her.

Flora smiled down at him, “aye,” was all she said.

Flora increased her pace and the intensity.  Soon she was raising up and letting herself down where she would grind on top of his cock, trying to make it go even deeper.  She felt that now familiar flutter in her belly and knew she was about to cum.  She ground down one last time as her body collapsed on top of Ham, her nub pulsing and her cunny gripping his cock tight.

Ham felt his wife begin to orgasm as she fell on top of him, grinding her hips down on top of him.  He reached forward and grabbed her hips, lifting her and pulling her down quickly as he pounded his cock into her, joining her, he shot his load up inside her.  When they were both done, he left her on top of him as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Do you want me to move?” she asked him, although she was comfortable.

“Nay, you’re perfect right where you are,” he said to her.  “In fact, you’re just perfect.”

“Even though I wear trews most of the time?” she asked.

“Because you wear trews,” he simply answered.

“Even though I don’t do my hair up fancy every day?” she asked.

“Because you don’t do your hair up fancy every day,” he answered.

“Even though I cuss sometimes?” she asked.

“We can work on that,” Ham said laughing.  “You’re perfect just because, you’re you, Flora.”

“Do you know what you are?” she asked him.

“What?” he asked.

“You’re the man of my dreams, Ham McCabe, and you always will be,” she said as she snuggled into him.

Ham wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer.  “It’s about time,” he said, smiling as they both drifted off to sleep.

Epilogue

“These last two weeks have been so much fun being here with everyone,” Jacqueline said as the family enjoyed their evening together.

“It has been good to have you all home,” Hamish said, holding his new grandson. He was sitting on the floor with the twins playing next to him.

“We need to get together more often,” Alastair said.

“I agree with that brother,” Rory said.  “I was gone for a long time.  I missed everyone, and now Jacqueline and Ross are off living somewhere else.”

“We could all meet again at Tioram when our baby comes,” Angela suggested.

“Your Da and Mither wouldn’t mind?” Ham asked.

“Not at all,” she said.  “The castle has plenty of extra rooms.  My Mither loves to entertain.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Ross said, giving his wife a quick kiss.  “What a smart woman I married.”

“There is something I wanted to talk to all of you about,” Hamish said to his children.

“What is it, Da?” Eadan asked.  No one had mentioned the fact that Nessa hadn’t come down to join the family.

“I’m to the point in my life where I want to just sit back and enjoy my family and grandchildren,” he began.  “I’m thinking about announcing to the clan that Eadan will be taking over as Laird.”

“Are you sure you want to do that, Da?” Eadan asked.

“Aye, I am,” Hamish said to him.  “That would make it possible for me to travel and see my grandchildren and not have to worry about Gleann.  I know I’d be leaving it in good hands.”

“I’m honored, Da,” Eadan said.

Before the conversation could continue further Connor and Jacqueline were surprised to see Angus, one of the soldiers from Tarmon, come walking towards them.

“Angus,” Connor said jumping up.  “Is something wrong back home?”

“Your Da sent me,” Angus said.  “You’re needed back at Tarmon as soon as possible.”
“What’s wrong, Angus?” Jacqueline asked.  “Is someone hurt?”

“No, Lady Jacqueline,” Angus replied.  “Laird Fraser was delivered a scroll from the King.  It seems Lady Fiona has been betrothed.”

“She’s already betrothed, to Brayden,” Jacqueline said.

“Not anymore,” Angus said.  “She is being commanded to marry Logan Stewart.”

“A Stewart?” Ross said, getting to his feet.  “Why would he do that?”

“It seems he’s worried about bad relations between the McCabe’s and the Stewarts after what happened with Lachlan,” Angus said.

“But Fiona isn’t even a McCabe,” Jacqueline said.  “Why would he make her marry him?”

“Because there aren’t any other McCabe girls.  This still makes the Stewarts family through marriage,” Hamish answered.

“How is his Logan related to Lachlan?” Connor asked.

“They’re cousins,” Angus said.  “I don’t know much more.”

“I know Logan Stewart,” Alastair said.  “We fostered together for a short while; he’s not a bad guy.”

“If he’s anything like his cousin, this marriage won’t be happening,” Connor said, he turned to Jacqueline saying, “we need to get home as soon as possible.”

“I’ll start getting our things together, and we’ll be ready first thing in the morning,” Jacqueline said.  “I want to get home too; poor Fiona must be so upset.”

“I’m going with you,” Alastair said.

“I’d appreciate that,” Connor said to Alastair.  “You’re the only one who knows the man.”

“If there’s anything we can do, just send us a message,” Hamish said.

“That goes for us at Tioram too,” Ross said.

“Thank you both so much,” Connor said.

“We’re all family now,” Hamish told him.  “The McCabe’s, Frasers and McCarthy’s will be there for each other.”

Connor nodded to them all as he rushed from the room.  He needed to get home for his sister.

Thank you for reading:

The Man of Her Dreams The McCabe’s book 3.

If you enjoyed the story (or even if you didn’t) please take a minute and leave a review on Amazon.

Books by Bethany Hauck:

An Honest Mistake: The McCabe’s book 1.

Jacqueline and Connor

A Good Man: The McCabe’s book 2.

Ross and Angela

The Man of Her Dreams: The McCabe’s book 3

Ham and Flora

Coming soon: Fall 2017

The Marriage Nightmare: The McCabe’s book 4

Fiona and Logan

A Man of Honor: The McCabe’s book 5

Alastair and Mairi

Continued on the next page:

A Man of Honor

The McCabe’s Book 5

Chapter 1:

Chapter 1 A Chance Encounter

“Thank you again, Alastair, for everything you did for my sister,” Connor Fraser said to his brother by marriage as Alastair prepared to leave.

“Fiona assured me she was well and happy before I left,” Alastair explained to him once again.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Connor said, “When she was first brought out of the dungeon, I was going to kill her husband, maybe it’s a good thing that I didn’t.”

“Stop it,” Jacqueline, his wife, and Alastair’s sister said laughing, smacking Connor playfully on the arm.  “You have to quit threatening to kill Logan.  Fiona loves him, and he loves her.”

“I wouldn’t have blamed him for killing Logan Stewart when we first arrive at Dunnottar,” Alastair said to her, trying to hold back a smile. “It’s a good thing he was still recuperating and didn’t come down into the hall.”

“But everything has turned out well for them, and I think it’s a good match,” Jacqueline told them both before asking Alastair,  “you’ll be careful traveling home, brother?”

“Your husband is sending more men than I possibly need to accompany me.  I’m sure to be safe,” Alastair assured her.

“I’ll make sure he makes it to Gleann in one piece,” said Angus as he joined them.  Angus was in charge of the guard at Tarmon castle and would be accompanying his men as they escorted Alastair back to the McCabe keep.

“Then let’s ride,” said Alastair, giving Jacqueline one last hug before mounting his horse.  “Hopefully, it doesn’t snow before we get there.”

“Keep aware in case you run into those highwaymen,” Connor warned both men.  “We’re patrolling further out, as are the rest of the clans, but we still haven’t caught them.”

“I’ll be watching,” Angus said, “I wish we would run into them.”

“If you do, make sure none of them survive,” Connor said seriously to him.  “They’ve created enough unrest for travelers.”

“Aye,” Angus agreed.  “I think they may be out of the area for the winter. But if we catch them, I guarantee, none will walk away.”

“I love you, little sister, and I’ll see you in the spring, at Tioram,” Alastair said, he then turned his horse and rode through the gates of Tarmon, finally beginning the last leg of his journey and heading in the direction of Gleann.

Alastair was quiet as he rode, glad to be heading back to the family keep he’d left three months before.  He missed Gleann, and once he arrived there, he didn’t plan on going anywhere until spring, when the McCabe family would gather at Tioram for the birth of Ross and Angela’s new baby.

He’d left home with the majority of his brother’s for the best of reasons.  To rescue Fiona Stewart, Connor’s sister, from Dunnottar castle.  She’d been locked in the dungeon there after being falsely accused of trying to kill her husband, Logan.  The Fraser, McCabe, and McCarthy clans had banded together and gone to demand she be set free.  After Fiona’s release and Logan healed, knowing his wife would never have tried to hurt him, he’d come to Tarmon to make amends, and begged her to return home with him. Logan’s brother, Gregor, and his once betrothed Isobel had been the ones to try and end Logan’s life and then laid blame on Fiona.  Their assassination attempt was unsuccessful, and instead of dead, Logan Stewart had been left unconscious and severely wounded.

Fiona hesitantly agreed to go back home to Dunnottar, after hearing about Gregor’s death and Isobel’s trial, and Alastair volunteered to accompany her.  He didn’t mind going since he and Logan had been friends many years before, and the visit had given them time to rekindle the friendship.  He’d spent a month at their castle, as Fiona and Logan Stewart’s guest.  The couple seemed more than happy with the marriage, and each other, when he left.

He’d departed Dunnottar with a group of guards that accompanied him to his brother Ross’ home at Tioram, less than a day’s ride away.  Ross lived there with his wife Angela and her family.  Since Ian McCarthy only had daughters, and Angela was the oldest, Ross would one day take over as Laird there.

Alastair had only planned on staying at Tioram one night, until a snowstorm moved in, making his visit last three.  He wasn’t upset by it; he’d enjoyed spending time with his older brother and sister by marriage.  The entire McCarthy family had been very welcoming during his extended stay at their keep.

Ross and Angela had bid him farewell and sent him on his way with their own guards to escort him to Tarmon, where his baby sister lived with her husband and twin daughters.  He’d again only planned on staying one night, but his sister Jacqueline had ideas of her own.  He’d always had trouble telling her no, and the visit there had lasted another three days.  He’d finally put his foot down, and told her it was time for him to go home.

The weather was good as they traveled.  The snows so far in the highlands had only left a few inches on the ground, but Alastair knew that could all change soon.  Winters in the highlands were unpredictable, with large snowfalls one day, that melted three days later.

“Let’s stop and take a rest,” Angus said, riding up beside Alastair.  They’d already been traveling for more than half the day.  “The horses could use some water and food, and so could the men.”

“Agreed,” Alastair replied.  “I need to step into the woods for a minute myself.”

“There’s a small river up ahead,” Angus told him.  “We can rest and water the horses there.”

“I know where it is,” Alastair replied, nodding his head.

They quickly rode the short distance, and the Tarmon guards unmounted their horses and led them over to the river, which wasn’t much more than a creek.  While the animals drank, the men unpacked the provisions Jacqueline Fraser had prepared for them and sat down to eat.  It was a quiet bunch as they enjoyed the peaceful sounds of nature around them and ate their meal.

“Did you hear that?” Alastair asked Angus, who was sitting next to him, as he quickly stood up.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Angus replied, although he quickly stood up too.

“Shhh, listen,” Alastair said, walking quietly towards the road they’d been traveling on, with Angus following.  “I thought I heard a woman scream.”

“I believe you’re hearing things,” Angus told him, as he joined Alastair on the road, where they both stood silently, listening.

“There, did you hear it?” Alastair asked, as again the faint sound of a scream floated on the wind that blew towards them.

“I heard something,” Angus answered, turning to his men he said quietly, “mount up.  We’re going to move out as quietly and quickly as possible; there may be trouble beyond the next rise.”

The Tarmon guards were well trained and followed Angus’ orders without question.  They all mounted and rode towards the sound only Alastair and Angus had heard.  As they came to a stop at the top of a small hill, Alastair finally got a look at what was causing the screams.  A wagon was sitting just off to the side of the road, and searching through it were three men.  They pulled out crates and satchels, throwing things onto the ground, breaking some, and ruining others as they landed in the melting snow and mud.  Some of the more valuable items, they were stuffing into their pockets or setting them on the edge of the wagon to grab later.  Off to one side of the wagon was a young woman being held between two other men.  They laughed as a third taunted her, grabbing at her cloak and skirts.  Two more stood next to the wagon on the opposite side, where a man’s body could be seen lying in a pool of blood, these men were also laughing, as they watched what the others were doing.

“We’ll all get a turn with the lady won’t we, Kirk?” one of the men next to the wagon yelled.

“Yeah, Kirk,” said the one standing next to him.  ‘It’s been a fortnight since I’ve had a good romp.  I’d like some time with the lass.”

“No one touches her,” the skirt grabber, who must have been Kirk, answered.  “Lord Thompson wants her brought to him alive and well.”

“He’ll never know,” one of the men said.  “Afterall, she was already married, so she isn’t pure anymore.”

“You may be right,” Kirk called back, smirking.  None of them had even noticed the group of highland guards that were bearing down on them until it was too late.

Alastair was angry, angrier than he’d ever been in his entire life, as he watched the men manhandle the girl.  He wouldn’t have been able to explain why, but he felt an unstoppable need to protect her.  He pulled his broadsword from its sheath on his back as he charged towards them.  Angus and his men were with him, and they did the same, following Alastair’s lead.

By the time the highwaymen looked up, it was too late for them to defend themselves.  Alastair rode as close to the men who were still holding the girl’s arms as he could and brought his sword down with as much force as he could muster, severing the arm of the one on the right.  Angus was right behind him and did the same to the man on the left.  Although Angus’ hit didn’t severe the arm, he felt his blade hit bone before he pulled it back.  Both men fell to the ground, the first dying quickly as blood spurted from the stump that was still there, and the second, in too much pain to be a threat any longer.

Once again the girl screamed, falling to the ground with her arms around her stomach as if she was protecting herself.  The Highlanders made short work of the outnumbered highwaymen, and they were all dead or dying within minutes.  Alastair unmounted his horse and checked the body of the lass’ companion, an obviously older man, that was lying near the wagon.  The man was dead already; there wasn’t anything they could do to help him.   He slowly approached the girl, who lay on the ground with her eyes tightly closed, crying quietly.

“Lass?” he said softly as he knelt down next to her, trying not to frighten her anymore than she already was.

“Please don’t kill me,” she pleaded with him.

“You’re safe now,” he said quietly, trying to soothe her.

“Please, just go away and leave me be,” she said, still keeping her eyes tightly closed.

“I’m afraid I can’t-do that,” Alastair said.  “I won’t leave you out here alone.  I’m sorry, but you’re Da is dead.”

“He wasn’t my Da,” the girl answered so quietly Alastair barely heard her.  “He was my husband.”

Alastair was stunned by that revelation.  The dead man lying next to the cart must have been close to his own Da’s age, if not older.  This young girl lying in the snow and mud couldn’t have been more than twenty.  “Then I’m sorry to tell you, lass; your husband is dead.”

“I’m not sorry,” she said, finally opening her eyes and looking at Alastair, he could see she was still fearful of him.

“What’s your name?” he asked, offering her his hand, which she shrank back from, seeming to be afraid he was going to grab her.

“Mairi,” she answered quietly.

“I’m Alastair McCabe,” he introduced himself.  “If you tell me what clan you belong to, I’d be happy to escort you home safely.”

“I don’t belong to any clan,” she answered.  “We were heading to Edinburgh but got caught in the snows last week.  My husband is a...I mean, was, a traveling tinker.”

“Do you have family in Edinburgh?” he asked, again offering her his hand, which this time she took, tentatively, as he helped her to her feet.

“Nay,” she said, stunned by the warmth that coursed through her as Alastair enveloped her hand in his and carefully pulled her to standing.

“Do you have a home there?” he asked, holding onto her hand just a few seconds longer than necessary, he gave it one last reassuring squeeze before finally letting go.

“Nay,” she answered again.

“Do you have the means to rent a place to stay for the winter?” he asked.

“I don’t know what Samuel has,” she answered, motioning towards her husband’s body.  “He never told me much.”

“Do you have another name besides Mairi, lass?” he asked.

“I won’t use his name,” she said, once again motioning towards her dead husband.

“What was your name before you married him?” Alastair asked.

“I don’t know,” she answered, tears filling her eyes.

“How can you not know?” he asked her.

“I was an orphan,” she explained, shrugging.

“What do you want to do now, lass?” he asked her.

“I don’t know,” she said again, looking defeated.

“Load her wagon back up,” Alastair said to the guards that were standing around, others were busy pulling the dead men off to the side of the road and stacking them, while one last group was picking her husband up off the ground to lay him in the quick grave they had dug.  “We’ll be taking it with us.”

“You’re going to steal my wagon?” Mairi asked, a little fight coming back into her.  “How will I make it to Edinburgh without it?”

“Nay, lass,” Alastair said, “but I can’t leave you out here alone.  I’m on my way home to Gleann; you’ll be coming with me.  Your welcome to stay there until you figure out what you want to do.”

“I don’t even know you,” Mairi said to him.  “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“You have a choice, lass,” said Angus, interrupting the pair, “you can go with Alastair to Gleann, or you can travel back with me and my men to Tarmon, but we won’t leave you out here alone.”

“You can’t make me go anywhere,” she said to them both.  “Just leave me be.” As she spoke, she put her hand on her belly, her very round belly.

“Are you with child, lass?” Alastair asked her, noticing the large bulge for the first time.  It’d been well hidden by her skirt and cloak up until now.

“I am,” she said, her eyes again filling with tears.  “I won’t let you hurt my babe.”

“I would never hurt a bairn,” Alastair said, a bit offended.  “What were you doing traveling on a cart in your condition?  You must be due to deliver soon.”

“In about a month,” Mairi answered.  “My husband said it wouldn’t hurt the bairn or me to travel another sennight, or two.”

“Have you seen a midwife recently?” Alastair asked.

“Quit asking me so many questions,” Mairi said to him.  “What I’ve done or haven’t done is no concern of yours.”

“Stop with the attitude, Mairi,” Alastair warned.  “Babe or no babe, there are ways of correcting a woman.  I’m trying to help you, just accept the kindness I’m offering.”

“I didn’t ask for your kindness or your help,” she said.  “Just leave me be, and I’ll be on my way.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Angus said.  “Gleann or Tarmon lass, your choice.”

“I don’t understand why you can’t just let me be,” Mairi answered.  She looked at the faces of the two men and knew she wasn’t going to talk either one into leaving her alone to travel on her own.  Instead, she decided to be agreeable, while beginning to plan how she could get away from them later.  She’d had enough experience with men to know none of them could be trusted, and she’d escape from them the first chance she got.  “I’ll go to Gleann.  Could one of you help me back up on the cart?”

“You’ll be riding with me, Mairi,” Alastair said to her.  “I don’t care what your husband told you; you’re too far along with your bairn to be riding on that bumpy cart bench.  I’ll have one of the guards drive it for you.”

Mairi could see there was going to be no talking the big Highlander out of it.  “Alright,” she said, nodding.  “I’ll ride behind you.”
“You won’t be safe riding behind me,” he said, mounting his horse.  “Hand her up to me, Angus.”  Before she could protest, Angus gripped her gently around the waist and easily lifted her up to Alastair, where he carefully sat her sideways across his lap.  “Comfortable enough?” he asked her once he got her settled.

“Does it matter?” she asked.  “I’m assuming I have no other choice.”

“You’d be correct, lass,” Alastair said, as one of the guards climbed up on the bench of her cart.  “We’ll head back to the river where we watered the horses, and bed down there for the night.  I hope we can make it to Gleann tomorrow, but with that cart slowing us down, it may take another day.”

“I’ll lead the way, stay alert, we don’t know if there are any more of those bandits out there,” Angus called out to the rest of his men, as he moved forward and the rest of the group mounted their horses and followed.

“At least those highwaymen won’t be attacking any more travelers on the road,” Alastair said.  “I wonder if that was all of them?”

“They weren’t highwaymen,” Mairi told him.

“What do you mean, Mairi?” Angus asked, slowing his horse and letting them ride up next to him since he couldn’t help but hear the conversation they were having.  “Who else could they have been?”

“I don’t know,” she answered, “but they said Lord Thompson paid them to bring me to him.  I think they must have mistaken me for someone else; I don’t even know who Lord Thompson is.”

“You don’t know why the man would want you?” Alastair asked.  He glanced down at her, she was a beautiful girl, he had a feeling he already knew why a man would want her.

“Nay,” she said.

“Where are you originally from, Mairi?” Angus asked her, still riding alongside them.

“I don’t know,” she answered again.

“You’re making no sense, lass,” Alastair said to her.

Mairi sighed, not knowing how much she could trust these men.  She’d never met a man she could trust before, at least not one she could remember.  “It’s a long story,” she said to them, “one I’m not willing to relive today, maybe one day I’ll tell you my tale.”

“I look forward to hearing it,” Alastair said to her, as they continued riding towards their camp.

They weren’t aware of it, but as they rode away, three sets of eyes peered out of the woods, watching them.  “Those idjits,” said one of the men, “I told them to grab the lass and hurry back, but they insisted on taking whatever was of value the tinker had on his cart.”

“What do we do now, Donovan?” asked one of the others.

“I’ll ride back and tell my brother what happened and that she’s being taken to some place called Gleann. You two, follow them, and if you get the chance to grab the lass, do it and get out of there,” the man named Donovan answered.  “If not, leave word at a tavern near this Gleann on where you’ll be staying, and I’ll find you when I return with more men.  Stephen isn’t going to be happy about this.”

“Why’s he want the lass anyway?”

“That’s nothing you need to know, but he’s paid you a lot of coin to find this woman and bring her to him,” answered the man named Donovan. “I wouldn’t worry about the reason.”