The Highlander's Secret(16)
Jain turned away and joined Aileen in cleaning and refreshed the house. Feeling the effects of the busy day, Jain was grateful when they finished. The light was dim from the burning embers of the fire. Jain removed her outer garment then sat on the edge of the bed to untie the wrappings of her hair. As it came undone, her red tresses fell down across her back in gentle waves. Jain shook it out and snuggled underneath the covers to rest her head against the pillows. There was barely enough room for the two of them, and even though it was cold outside, the warmth of their family fire kept them comfortable through the night.
“What’s gotten into ye?” Aileen whispered. “Ye dinnae seem yerself today.”
Jain rolled over, resting her head against the pillow and attempted to smile. The fabric felt soft against her cheek and she inhaled the familiar scent of goose feathers. “There’s a lot on my mind, that’s all.”
Aileen pouted at her response, propping herself up on one of her elbows and fidgeting with edge the blanket. “It isn’t good fer ye to worry so much. Mayhap ye should start thinking about finding a husband.”
Jain scoffed and rolled back against the pillow to stare up at the ceiling. “Not ye too. That’s all I hear about these days.”
“Ye’re the proper age,” her cousin argued. “Eamon and Moira won’t be around forever, and ye’ve got to think about yer future.”
She rolled her eyes. “I have nae intention of hunting myself a husband, nae matter how many times ye or my parents ask me. Just because I’m old enough doesn’t mean I should be obligated to marry.”
“Ye dinnae want to end up a spinster,” Aileen reminded her. “Ye’re too sweet and maternal to not be a mother. We just want ye to be happy.”
“I’m happy now,” she insisted. But even as she said the words, Jain knew they were not entirely true. Certainly, she was content in Elign and grateful to Moira and Eamon, but always there was an undeniable restlessness that only seemed to worsen as she grew older. Some days, she wished she could be more like Aileen and the other lasses in the clan and think of nothing but marriage and children.
Aileen reached out from beneath the blankets and gave her a warm embrace. “I’m sorry.”
Jain sighed, hugging her back and said, “It’s alright.”
“And I’m sorry if I got carried away about the talk with Rodrick. He’s just … perfect. It’s almost too good to be true.”
Jain grinned, placing her forehead next to Aileen’s and offering a mischievous grin. “Now that kind of talk I dinnae mind in the least.”
Aileen smiled and then let out a rasping cough.
Jain’s eyebrow furrowed with concern. She eyed her nervously and asked, “Are ye feeling all right?”
Her cousin nodded with her hand against her chest and said, “It’s nothing, I must have just over done it today.”
They laughed for a while, whispering to each other until Aileen fell asleep. Even after the rest of the house was deep in slumber, Jain stayed awake, listening to the gentle bleating of the lamb and cattle in the other room. She listened to her cousin sleeping and noticed that her breathing became labored. Jain knew the cold air wasn’t good for her and hoped that in the morning she could convince her cousin not to work so hard.
Jain pulled the blanket up over them and hummed into the darkness. She lay there quietly for a while and her thoughts returned to Alan with his beautiful singing on the road. He had the most amazing voice and it brought her comfort to remember the song like it was a lullaby.
Then her thoughts drifted into something different, imagining Alan in the bed beside her with his arms wrapped around her waist. A sigh escaped before she realized what was happening and pictured them holding her tight, with his lips grazed against her ear.
Jain’s pulse quickened at the thought and she realized that something between them had changed. He didn’t look at her the same. It was more intense. Even knowing his eyes were on her made Jain’s entire body tingle and cause her breathing to become labored.
When did he go from being the lad she’s always known to the handsome blacksmith that infiltrated her private dreams?
She never fancied any of the lads in the village like that, or even romanticized the concept of marriage, but Alan was different. He wasn’t like the men who’d destroyed their settlement on the coast. Proud as she was of her Viking roots, Jain could see herself spending a life with him. She would accept a Scottish husband if he was a man like Alan, but was it love? Jain wasn’t sure about anything anymore.
Chapter Eight
Jain yawned as she finished her morning meal, still waking up from the night before. She hadn’t slept well and spent a few hours tossing and turning before she was able to fall asleep. Her red hair was unbound, hanging down across her shoulders and she brought her bowl over to the wash bucket. “Thank ye, Mam.”
“Ye’re welcome, dear.”
Moira kissed her hair and walked over to the door to retrieve her shawl to wrap around her shoulders. “I’m off to help yer da with the chicken coop. Let me ken when Alan and Rodrick get here.”
Jain and Aileen both nodded, watching the woman leave through the open doorway. After she was gone, Jain let out a tired sigh.
She picked up a rag and was starting to dry her hands, when glancing out the door she saw Alan and Rodrick coming up the hill. Alan was carrying a set of tools with him and his long blond hair glistened in the sunlight. Jain tried to conceal her excitement at having them return, but her stomach was doing summersaults and she felt her breathing hitch. A secret place in her heart wondered if he could tell that she’d been dreaming of him the night before. Her cheeks felt hot at the scandalous memory and Jain quickly pushed it from her mind. Aileen hummed to herself as she danced around the house cleaning up dishes and helping to put things away.