Aidan (23 page)

“Well, now, if thet’s the case than ye’ll no
’ be a true MacKeefe. Mishaps and grief are part o’ the MacKeefes’ lives, but we jest get o’er it all and move on, me angel.”

“But Aidan, I’m no’ a true MacKeefe and will ne’er be.”

“Ye will if I have anythin’ te say aboot it. Effie, me dream angel, I want ye te stay here with me and be a MacKeefe. Because as much as the stone means te me, ye mean more to me, and I dinna want te live the rest o’ me life without ye. What do ye say?”

“Do ye real
ly mean it, Aidan? Please tell me this is no’ what ye say te all the lassies ye bed.”

“Well, I’ve ne’er said it
te anyone afore. And, aye, I mean it more than anythin’. But if ye want te seal the agreement with a beddin’, I canna say I’d mind.” He flashed her a smile. “As I’ve had a verra nice dream with ye in it, and I’d like te see how it works out.”

“Well, what aboot
me sister, Coira? Can she stay here too? We have no family now, and I willna leave her.”

“O’ course she can stay as well,” he said. “And I ken our chieftain will give his permission
te both o’ ye since ye helped te save the stone.”

“But it was our fault it was stolen in the first place and ye almost died,” she said.

“Storm MacKeefe will understand. His own wife was a leader o’ a band o’ renegades once and took him captive, so I ken he is verra fergivin’.”

“Then I accept fer the both o’ us.”

Effie reached over and
anxiously kissed Aidan, so happy that she thought she would burst. He fell back and hit his head on the stone in the process, and she proceeded to kiss his head as well. They both laughed, and then Aidan held his stitches.

“I missed ye, Effie. And I couldna even think o’ anythin’ happenin’
te ye. I will be here te protect ye from harm, I swear I always will.”

“Make love
te me, Aidan. I want te feel ye inside me again.”

H
is hands expertly undressed her while she pulled off the coverlet from over him. He was naked beneath it, as Effie hadn’t wanted to risk putting clothes over his wound until he was healed. His manhood was hard and ready, and it excited her to see him this way.

“Are ye sure this willna be too much fer ye with yer wounds?” she asked. “After all, ye are still weak and far from recoverin’.
And I dinna want ye te break the stitches after Madoc sewed ye up so nicely. He said his half-brathair is a tailor, and showed him how te sew. He was verra proud o’ his small stitches.”

“Then ye’ll jest have
te do all the work,” he said. “And kiss e’ery part o’ me thet is hurtin’.”

She reached out and kissed his wound gently,
and then kissed his bruised body as well as the scar on his head.

“Is thet better?” she asked.

“I think there’s more thet hurts,” he said.

“Did I miss a wound?” she asked, not understanding what he wanted.

“No’ a wound, but ye did miss the part o’ me body thet hurts the most right now.”

“I did?” She pulled back and looked at his entire body. “Where?”

Then she saw the grin on his face and his eyes directed her downward. And to her surprise, when she looked below his waist, his desire for her seemed to be moving on its own.

“I see what ye mean
,” she said, hesitant to try this, but then, deciding she would do whatever he wanted. She reached out and kissed him there, and felt his hand come around the back of her head.

“More, lassie, please. Open yer mouth this time.”

She did as instructed and took him into her mouth, and looked up to see his eyes closing and hearing the gasp of delight coming from deep in his throat. He then rocked his hips forward and pushed into her further. Alarmed by this, she pulled away, and his hands came around her and pulled her up his body. She straddled him, feeling the warmth between them, and also the wetness between her legs.

He reached out and fondled her breasts, then raised his head and took her into his mouth as well. Her nipples went rigid and her body started to vibrate, and when she felt his manhood at her door, she opened and let him in.

“I love ye, Aidan,” she told him as they did the dance of love. It felt so good, so right. And she felt so protected in his strong arms that she never wanted this to end.

“I love ye, too, me dream a
ngel.”

“I love it when ye call me thet
,” she laughed, rocking her hips to meet his, feeling herself climbing higher and higher, the heat between them scorching, and their rhythm getting faster.

“Well, welcome te the clan,
Effie MacKeefe.”

She liked the way that sounded. It excited her, and she let loose with her inhibitions
. And while trying to be careful of his wounds, she screamed out when she found her release. He joined her and then she collapsed atop him, wrapped in his arms as their bodies vibrated as one. She had found her man. Her dream come true. And she would be staying with the clan now, and having a family once again. She would be a MacKeefe, as all the members of the clan called themselves. She liked that. And she would try her hardest to gain back Aidan’s trust through time, as well as show him he’d made the right choice by asking her to stay. And the only thing that could make any of this better was if she were Effie MacKeefe – not just a member of the clan, but Aidan’s wife.

Chapter 26

Perth, High
lands. A month later.

Aidan, Ian, and Onyx moved the Stone of Destiny into the crypt of an unknown ancient monk, deep in the bowels of the catacombs of Scone Abbey. Then, together they covered the stone by sliding the very heavy and tall headstone over the top, sealing it into the ground where no Englishman would ever find it again. Abbot Murray smiled and gave them a nod of satisfaction.

“Ye lads have done guid,” he said, sounding very pleased. “And only us, along with King David will ken the new location o’ the stone. It’ll be safe here until we need it to crown Scot
land’s next king. But we need te keep this a secret.”

“We will,”
said Onyx, “ye can count on us.”

“Aye,” agreed Ian, then he looked over to Aidan. “How aboot ye, Aidan? Will ye haud yer whees
ht this time and no’ tell anyone where we hid the stone?”

“I promise,” said Aidan. “And ’twill be easier this time,
as Effie told me she didna want me te tell her where it was and thet she would make sure I dinna tell a soul.”

“All right then, I guess our work here is done,
” said the abbot.

“No’ exactly,” said Aidan. “I would like
ye te join us at the Perth Highland Games, as I am goin’ te surprise me love, Effie, and marry her jest afore the competition.”

“I would love to, Aidan,
” said the abbot. “But if anyone sees me with ye, they’ll ken we were together. It’s too risky, as we dinna want anyone to ken where ye brought the stone. But me congratulations are with ye and yer loved one. I wish ye the happiest marriage.”

“Thank ye,” said Aidan with a nod of his head.
“We’d better get goin’ then, as I still have a lot te do afore the weddin’. Willna Effie be surprised?”

* * *

Effie hadn’t seen Aidan in a sennight
, and was excited that he was going to be meeting her here at the Highland Games in Perth today. She’d been here since this morning with the MacKeefe clan, and even Storm’s parents were present. Kyla had introduced her to them this morning.

Effie sat back on the grass
, overlooking the open fields and rolling green hills, as well as the high mountains in the distance. Beautiful purple and pink heather spilled down the valleys, and the skies above it were bright blue. She’d never seen such a beautiful site in her life.

Her sister was picking wildflowers with Kyla, and looked up and waved at her.
Effie smiled and waved back. Coira’s health was improving every day, and it did Effie good to see her sister smile again after everything she’d been through. Her sister no longer seemed so frail or afraid. She’d made friends with Kyla and they were almost inseparable. Coira loved her new home with the MacKeefe clan, and Effie did as well.

Perth
was bustling with Highlanders as well as some Lowlander Scots too, and Kyla had even pointed out that the MacDuff clan was present. She was curious about them, but refused Kyla’s suggestion to introduce herself to them. She was afraid if they knew who she was they’d be treating her like a hero because of her grandmother. But she still felt like a traitor for everything she’d done, even though Aidan as well as all the MacKeefes had forgiven her.

She just wanted to relax and watch the games
today, just happy to be one of the MacKeefe clan now that Storm had approved and accepted Coira and herself into their family.

Burly men
readied themselves for lifting heavy stones or throwing the hammer, while others prepared for the caber toss.

A long rope was being laid out on the ground, as clans would compete against each other in the tug-o-war. The lassies competed in their own events, and Effie knew that Kyla had be
en practicing tossing the sheaves with a pitchfork high into the air for the last month back at camp. She was trying her hardest to impress Ian.

And the children of the clans competed in their smaller versions of the games as well as a footrace.

Bagpipes split the air, and drumming joined in, signaling that the competition would start soon. The smell of mutton pie and haggis drifted lazily through the air, making her hungry, but she was waiting for Aidan before she had anything to eat.

Then, she saw On
yx and Ian riding toward her, and her heart skipped a beat as she shaded her eyes from the sun, eagerly looking for Aidan.

“Lookin’ fer me?” Two hands snaked around her waist from behind, and Aidan nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, kissing her.

“Aidan! Ye’re back.” She jumped up and turned around and threw herself into his arms. “I missed ye.”

“And I missed ye as well,” he said, kissing her again. “I brought ye a present.”

“A present? Fer me?” she asked, then raised an eyebrow and grinned devilishly. “Well, if it’s anythin’ like me birthday present, then mayhap we’d better wait til we are at least under the cover o’ some trees.”

“It’s no’ thet,” he said, “no’ now anyway. But I promise ye we’ll have some o’ thet later.”

He walked over to his horse and pulled something out of a travel bag, and handed it to her. She took it gingerly in her hands and opened the bundle to see the most beautiful gown made entirely of the MacKeef purple and green tartan, with a white leine with billowy sleeves to wear beneath it. The bodice was laced with purple and green braided ribbons, and there was a matching circlet for her head as well.

“It’s beautifu
l, Aidan. Where did ye get it?”

“I had
Madoc’s step-brathair who is a tailor make it fer ye. Madoc may be handy with a needle when it comes te closin’ up a wound, but his step-brathair, William is a Master Tailor, so I hired him te do it. It is constructed so well it’ll last ye a lifetime. Ye ken, William even has his own shop and belongs te the guild.”

“Why
would ye hire him te make this, when I already have clothes te wear?” she asked, feeling like something good was about to happen.

“I did it s
o ye’d have somethin’ special te wear today. Somethin’ thet is yers and no’ borrowed from someone else.”

“Fer the Highland G
ames?” she asked. “I dinna understand.”

“Effie,” he said, pulling something from the pouch at his waist. “I have somethin’ else
te give ye as well. I’ve been thinkin’ aboot this fer a long time now, and I hope ye’ll say yes.”

“Say yes?” She
was sure now that something good was about to happen. And when Aidan got down on one knee and took her hands in his, she knew she hadn’t been mistaken.

“Effie, say ye’ll marry me and be me wife. I love ye, me dream angel.” He opened his fist and there was a rin
g. A shiny, gold ring with an amethyst stone, and angels etched into the band.

Tears welled in her eyes and her throat tightened and she felt as if she couldn’t speak. She nodded her head furiously, and then choked out
the words, “I will, Aidan. I will be yer wife. I love ye, too.”

She sank to her knees and fell at
op him, kissing him as they rolled to the ground.

“The priest is here as well, Effie,” he said. “We can get married right here, right now.”

“I’d like thet,” she said.

“And I brought y
er grandmathair’s brooch, too. I was hopin’ thet ye would wear it when I bring ye te meet the MacDuffs today.”

“Nay
, Aidan, I canna. I dinna deserve the brooch nor te meet the MacDuffs after I was te blame fer Scotland almost losin’ the Stone o’ Destiny fore’er.”

“They dinna ken thet, angel. Only the MacKeefes ken the truth, and we are all goin’
te keep quiet aboot thet, I assure ye.”