The Duke She Wished For Page 14

  Alec looked at Jaime’s disappointed face and followed her eyes over to the left side of the field. There was a small sheep standing in the mud, looking around in wonderment. Alec smiled at Jaime’s scrunched up nose and disappointment.

  “It’s the baby,” Alec replied. “He was born right before I left. He will be fine while I fix the fence.”

  “Can I pet him?” Jaime asked, excited at the thought.

  “Of course,” Alec responded. “They really are gentle creatures — not at all like you.”

  “Ha!” Jaime responded, elbowing Alec in the side. “Well go on. Go fix your fence. I have a baby sheep to play with.”

  “Aye, lass,” Alec responded, playfully bowing and heading off across the field.

  Jaime watched Alec trot across the yard, his strong muscles rippling through his white blouse, and his thigh muscles peeking out from under his kilt. She never would have guessed she’d find a man in a skirt so sexy. She sighed at her lust and bounced happily over to the puff ball of a sheep standing in the field bleating. She ran her hands carefully over the tuft of wool attached to baby’s back, and he reached back and licked her hand. She smiled at him, and all the emotions of the past while came flooding through her. She was so alone here. Her mood changed from excitement to melancholy as she sat in the muddy field, pampering the young sheep that probably had never been shown so much attention.

  As the minutes ticked by and the wide eyes of the baby sheep punctured Jaime’s heart, tears streamed down her face. She missed everything familiar back home in 2017. When she was there, she couldn’t wait to get away and now she missed it all too much. Jaime looked up at the horizon, confused on how she could find this place so warm and inviting but at the same time want her other life back. The sheep let out a bleat and ran off towards the gate as Alec approached.

  “What has happened? Why are you crying?” he said, lifting her from the ground.

  “Bob,” she mumbled through tears. “He reminded me of home.”

  “Who is Bob?” Alec stated, looking around for a man.

  “Bob is the baby sheep,” she said, pulling back and wiping the tears from her eyes.

  “Ye named the sheep?” Alec asked, scrunching his nose. “It is not good to name your food.”

  “You will not eat Bob!” Jaime shouted, standing back. “Oh, Alec, promise me you won’t eat him.”

  “What do ye think we do with them, love?” Alec asked, trying to control a smile as he realized how serious she was. “But if it means that much to ye, I’ll mark Bob as a wool sheep. Though she might prefer a better name.”

  Jaime burst out laughing and wrapped her arms around Alec, laying her cheek against his warm chest. They stood for a moment in the cold wind, sharing a connection for that moment. Jaime felt Alec pull back and she looked up into his big hazel eyes.

  “Why donna we get cleaned up a bit, pack some cheese and berries, and go out to the cliffs to watch the sunset?” Alec offered.

  “Okay,” Jaime sniffled. “Please tell me there is water to get this mud off of me.”

  “No, we use sheep piss,” he said with his arm around her shoulders as they walked towards the house.

  “What?” she said looking up at him in surprise.

  “I’m just jokin’,” he laughed.

  Once they were back at the house, Alec helped Jaime take off her boots, and set them outside of the door. She watched as he untied his and placed them beside hers before opening the door and allowing her to walk in first. The girls immediately went to work getting Jaime everything she would need to clean up.

  Jaime sat as Una dipped her hair into a bowl of water and worked the mud from the roots. She was a gentle girl, and Jaime imagined Alec’s mother had been exactly like her. Una smiled down at Jaime as she combed the tangles and knots from her strawberry hair and dried it with a woolen cloth. Jaime sat up and ran her fingers through it, surprised at how soft and good smelling it was.

  “How did you get it so soft? I am assuming you don’t have shampoo,” Jaime asked, looking in the mirror.

  “What is sham...poo?” Una asked.

  “Oh, nothing,” Jaime replied, realizing she slipped up. “Just a fancy soap.”

  “Well, my mother had lavender oil she used to wear in her hair, and I figured you might like some,” Una explained. “Alec loves lavender. And given that he loves you, I think he would like ye to wear it.”

  “He what? He loves me?” Jaime said surprised. “And why do you say that?”

  “Well,” Una said wiping her hands and walking over to the window. “He married you for one. He did not want to be married. And I see it when he looks at you. Ye do not notice, but I certainly have never seen him look at Miss Gillie or any of the other woman in that way.”

  Jaime sat quietly, unsure of what to say as she finished drying her hair. She stood up and walked over to the dresses on the bed, picking out one that was a little prettier than the others. She stood looking down at the dresses, lost in her thoughts.

  “I am going to go start supper for me and me sister,” Una said, tearing herself away from her daydreams. “Alec has yer meal ready. If you need anything, please let me know. I’ll wash this dress with the others.”

  “Thank you, sweet Una,” Jaime replied, smiling kindly, before changing into the new dress.

  When she walked outside to put her boots on, Alec was standing, holding a blanket and basket. She smiled at the innocence in his eyes, something she hadn’t seen in him before. He set his things down and bent to help her with her boots. She noticed he had knocked the mud off of them while she was getting ready. When he was done tying the laces, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He looked at her with a question in his eyes before standing and helping her up. They walked along the path and down toward Perth, quiet but enjoying each other’s company.

  After a few minutes, Alec took Jaime’s hand and led her carefully through the woods. She didn’t know where they were going, but she still trusted him, a feeling that surprised her given his recent deception. She looked ahead at a hole in the forest, the lessening light leading the way. Jaime smiled at Alec as he stood to the side and helped her up and over a fallen tree into the light. She gasped as she looked out over the cliffs. The sun was inching towards the horizon, casting reflections of oranges, pinks, and browns down across the rippling water. The breeze picked up, and the smell of salt and sea filled Jaime’s nose.

  Alec went to work laying out the blanket and unpacking the basket of fruits, cheeses, and some cured sausages. He pulled out a flask of wine and set it down next to the food before reaching for Jaime’s hand and helping her down onto the blanket. Jaime ran her hands over the soft fur beneath her as she looked out over the raging ocean. It was absolutely beautiful. There were no boats or telephone wires; there were no lights from the city or passing cars, just all natural beauty. She closed her eyes and felt the salty air hit her skin, smiling at the comfort she felt deep in her chest.

  Jaime and Alec sat, eating the food, laughing at the day’s events, and watching the sun set into the Scottish horizon. Jaime scooted closer to Alec, feeling close to him on the high cliffs. He put his arm around her and kissed her on the top of the head, not wanting the evening to end. Jaime sighed, lost in her thoughts before turning to Alec.

  “They think we are married. If I am going to do this, I want to know your family name is protected even after I am gone,” she said, hoping Alec wouldn’t interrupt her. “So, let’s go, tomorrow, and really get married. I know your family already thinks you’re married, so we can do it on our own, but I think it would be the right thing to do.”

  “Me father already spoke to me about this,” Alec said looking out over the water. “He would like us to have a real ceremony so that the family can be witnesses. I was going to ask you later if ye would be okay with it. That is why he is in Perth. He is gathering goods for the feast. He wants to hold it the morn evening at sunset.”

  “Oh,” Jaime laughed, shocked. “Tomorrow?
Well, I guess you already have everything under control. Good. Tomorrow I become Mrs. McDermont.”

  Alec smiled, and Jaime turned back towards the ocean, a feeling of confusion settling in her soul. She had just met Alec, but here, after just a few days in 16th Century Scotland, she felt she knew him better than she had known Chris after years of dating. Her chest fluttered, knowing she was setting herself up for heartbreak, still unsure if the man she had grown close to, the man she would marry, believed her at all.

  When the sun was down, they packed up their things and walked quietly back to the house. The feeling between them on the way back was a bit more distant than just hours before, and Jaime, lost in her thoughts, clasped the blanket to her chest as they walked. Alec seemed distracted, almost like he wasn’t there at all. Jaime’s chest hurt, she was so badly torn between wanting to give herself to this man and wanting to run for Crieff and find the portal so she could be happily tucked back into her bed. She wasn’t even sure if that was an option. She still didn’t know if a portal was how she came to this time period, and she certainly couldn’t find her way back without Alec’s help.

  Once inside, Jaime changed into the nightgown she was given and pulled herself under the covers, next to Alec. He was laying on his back, his arms behind his head, still lost in his own thoughts. Jaime turned away from him and laid on her side, hoping sleep would take her from her own mind. She could feel Alec turn towards her, his warm skin rubbing against her legs. She lay still until she heard his deepened breathing and then turned over and placed her head on his chest. His heart beat melodically, and to the sound of her future husband’s chest, she fell deep into sleep, dreams of her home and her friends interspersed with dreams of Alec, a Highland warrior, filling the space between asleep and awake.

  She tossed and turned throughout the night until the light started to seep in through the windows. Jaime lifted her head from Alec’s chest and looked out at the bright, cold day. Her eyes fell upon Alec’s sleeping face, and for a moment, she felt content, like she was in the right place. She sighed and sat up on the edge of the bed, looking into the mirror in front of her. Today she would become a wife. Today, incredibly, was her wedding day.

  Chapter 7

  Jaime

  “Wake up, sleepyhead,” a small voice whispered into Jaime’s ear. “It’s yer wedding day.”

  Jaime opened her eyes to see Emilia and Una staring at her excitedly. She smiled at the girls, their impatience and enthusiasm almost contagious. Una stood holding a white dress in her arms while Emilia held a long veil and pair of satin slippers. They walked quickly over to the desk and set them down as Jaime pulled herself from the bed, noticing Alec was gone. The sun was shining, and there were just a few dark clouds in the distance. Nerves began to tingle in Jaime’s belly.

  “Okay,” Emilia said with a bossy tone making Jaime smile. “This is how it works, if you donna ken. Ye can go eat some breakfast, and then its hair and dressing time, followed by our ride to the church.”

  “Sounds good,” Jaime said apprehensively. “Are there going to be a lot of people?”

  “Of course,” Una laughed. “It’s a McDermont celebration. Everyone who could make it this quickly will be here! Is yer family coming?”

  “No,” Jaime responded. “They are… too far away.” She put on the robe the girls had brought to her and followed them into the dining area for some tea and fruits.

  The house was empty besides her and the girls, and Jaime figured the men were setting up for the day. She heard a loud banging from outside and walked to the door, opening it slightly to peek outside. Alec was standing on a large block hammering an overhang together. There were handmade tables all around with beautiful linens covering each and flowers everywhere. There was also an area Jaime assumed was for dancing. She shrugged her shoulders, realizing that 16th Century Highland weddings were not much different than the ones in her time.

  When she was done eating she went back into the bedroom where Una was standing with what looked like a hot curling iron contraption and Emilia, who she started calling Em for short, was laying out different jars on the counter. The thought of a child putting a hot curling iron from the fire in her hair terrified her, and she laughed in nervousness.

  “Um, I thought since my hair is already wavy that we don’t curl it,” Jaime suggested. “I like the natural look.”

  Una looked at her confused, shrugged her shoulders and set the iron down on the bricks of the fireplace to cool. Relieved she wasn’t going to have to endure the hot iron, Jaime sat down in the chair and let the girls apply whatever was in the jars in front of her. They lightly dabbed and polished for what seemed like forever, standing back like artists examining their work after each swish of their brush. Finally, after hours of primping and pinning of hair, Em announced it was time to put the dress on.

  “First you have to finish this last stitch of the dress for good luck,” Una explained. “This was to be my wedding dress one day but yer need is greater, and I figured I can still wear it when it is my turn.”

  “Oh Una, that’s not necessary, I can wear something else,” said Jaime as she looked at the intricate overlay of lace, but then seeing Una’s face fall realized she had taken the wrong tactic. “But of course if you don’t mind I’ll wear it. It’s absolutely stunning Una, really. You are very talented.”

  “Thank you,” Una said, now beaming. “I designed it so the tight unsightly undergarments are unnecessary. It is not the giant ball gown that the Queen would wear, but I think it fits the McDermont clan perfectly. Simple with subtle hints of class.”

  Jaime smiled at Una’s wisdom as if she had rehearsed that very speech in her chambers. Em stood smiling and nodding feverishly, obviously excited to see what Jaime would look like in the gown. Jamie peered up at the girls and smiled.

  “Well, let’s give it a try then, shall we?” Jaime said, watching the girls nod excitedly.

  She excused herself behind the dressing partition and noticed they had placed a long mirror inside for her to see herself in. It was the first time she remembered really looking at herself in some time. She slipped her nightgown off and pulled the dress over her head, reaching over and buttoning the sides. The gown had a high square top that stopped right at the collar bone and led straight into the long delicate sleeves. It was form fitting and hugged her curves down to the waist where it flared out ever so slightly. The material on the bottom was silk, but it had a lace overlay that ran from top to bottom.

  Jaime turned and froze, staring at herself in the mirror. The girls had pinned half of her hair back in a halo like style, the waves trickling down over her shoulders. Her cheeks were rosy from the makeup they had applied, and her lips were a subtle pink. The dress fit her perfectly, as if Una had made it for her. A tear popped in the corner of her eye as she thought about her mother and father seeing her in this dress. Even across timelines, she would never be able to bring them back.

  As she stepped out from behind the partition, the girls clapped excitedly, and Jaime could see the look of pride on Una’s face. Una walked over and lifted the long train and flipped it over, revealing a stitched horseshoe on the bottom. She smiled and handed the edge of the fabric to Jaime to inspect.

  “I thought it might be cumbersome to carry a horseshoe for luck, so I etched one in the dress instead,” she explained. “I did it in blue so that ye had something blue on yer wedding day, the new being yer dress.”

  “And in here,” Em chimed in, holding up her slippers. “Una sewed a small pouch on the side and put a lucky sixpence in so ye wouldn’t have to step on it all day.”

  “Thank you so much, both of you,” said Jaime, as she slipped the shoes on her feet. “You ladies really thought of everything, haven’t you?”

  “Almost,” Una said smiling as she reached for the bedroom door. “Alec has something old for you to wear.”

  Jaime watched as Una covered her brother’s eyes and backed him into the room, not wanting him to see his bride before
the church. He chuckled at the sound of the girls’ excitement when he entered the room. He smelled the air and smiled at the hints of lavender and rose.

  “This was my mother’s,” Alec stated as he held out a necklace for Jaime to take. “I thought ye might wear it for the ceremony.”

  “Oh, it’s beautiful,” Jaime gasped as she took the long silver chain, with a sparkling green stone at the end, from Alec’s outstretched arm. “Thank you.”

  “I shall see ye at the church?” he asked, somewhat nervously.

  “See you at the church,” she replied, leaning in and kissing him on the cheek.

  Una showed him to the door and watched as he jumped on a horse beside his brother and father, and raced down the path toward the church. Jaime could hear Una squeal in excitement. Both the girls had been dressed in their white dresses since after breakfast and were itching to get on the way.

  “Father paid for a horse drawn carriage,” Una blurted out in the doorway to the chambers. “Em grab the bouquet, it’s time to get going.”

  Jaime laughed and watched as Em ran off to the kitchen, returning with a bouquet of small white flowers wrapped in ribbon. Jaime smiled as she took them and held them tightly in one hand while rolling the emerald stone of her necklace around in her other. Jaime stepped out into the hallway and walked towards the door, her nerves so on edge she feared she might throw up. Em carried the train of her gown out the door to avoid getting it dirty, and the three girls climbed into the carriage. Jaime looked around at the satin-lined walls and cushioned seats and felt like the Queen riding to her castle. The McDermont Clan shield hung proudly over the small door and just below the window of the carriage was a beautifully carved Celtic knot.

  “This carriage is part of our clan,” Una explained. “Anyone who gets married or dies gets to use it. At funerals, they pull the casket on a wagon behind the carriage, and everything is draped in clan colors.”

  “Wow,” Jaime said, realizing Una only knew this because of her mother’s death.