Magnus and a Love Beyond Words Read online

  I sighed and relaxed in his arms. “Slow then.”

  I kissed him more, my tongue exploring between his lips, tasting the breath of him, strong and sure. The breath that had been weak and wanting was now returned, his health restored, even though his skin held so many scars, it also held that scent. I drew it into my lungs.

  His jaw was stubbled, I ran my lips along it, sharp and rough, to his ear. I nibbled and breathed whispered sighs there as he scooped my shift up and off my body and tossed it across the room.

  “I am naked, dear sir, and you are still fully clothed.”

  He grunted. He ran his hands in a massage, up and down my back causing me to shiver in his arms. I climbed on his lap and pressed across his kilt planning to tease him and make it last, but it was just so freaking sexy sitting naked on his wool-covered lap. I groaned as his mouth found my breast and I rose to meet his lips. “God, please take off your clothes.” I was panting, full-blown-breathless.

  “As ye can see, Kaitlyn, I canna undress because ye have me pinned.”

  His hand moved between my thighs and a finger went up and explored. I have to get up to... my voice and thoughts left my mind — what? I held on tighter around his head. Were we…?

  Magnus said, “Shhhhh, mo reul-iuil. You daena have tae speak.” He stood with me wrapped around his waist. I pulled his linen shirt up and off his arms, over his head and away. I dropped my feet to the floor and ran my hands along his chest and his stomach while he unlatched his belt and allowed his kilt to fall to the ground. He turned me around, my back pressed to his chest, he rubbed around my breasts, my stomach.

  Then we both kneeled and he, with hugs and caresses, leaned me over the mattress and with his wide chest spread along my back and his mouth near my ear, his breath on the nape of my neck, his hands wrapped around mine — he pushed inside of me and paused, pressed, pushed...

  My breaths worked in and out with his, oh god, we rocked against each other. Our movements synchronized and small and seductively slow. In my moans were words. I love you I want you… He exhaled against my skin, and it was much like a dance, warmth and shiver, press and pull, within and without, ohgodohgodohgodoh. I pressed against him and sat back on his lap, knees spread wide across his. His hands caressing up and down and over all of me, ohgodohgodohgodooooohhhhhhhhh. I collapsed forward, my face pressed into the rough fabric of the mattress, gripping the blanket’s woolen folds.

  Magnus rose up, held my hips steady, and it was a lovely intense ride full of slapping skin and oh god, oh Magnus, oh, oh, and he was hard and fast and powerful and then och, mo reul-iuil. He collapsed on my back and clutched me to him, wrapped and holding, gathering me up from my gravity pressed down on the hard bed. He lifted me to his chest, his arms under and repeated a simple, och.

  I said, I know.

  We remained there panting. Magnus wrapped around me and inside me at once. His sweaty cheek pressed to mine, his gentle pressing, his body’s weight, the gravity. I could have fallen asleep, right there, half on half off the bed with firelight dancing in the half-light of a spring night in Scotland.

  He kissed my cheek and pulled off me gathering me to the bed, climbing on beside me, and pulling a cover over us. I curled alongside his arm, my lips on his shoulder. “Goodnight, my love.”

  Chapter 44

  Waking was blissful — a bird outside the window chirped us awake, but then the noises rising from the ground floor, men clomping around downstairs, reminded us it was time to rise. We kissed and caressed and agreed it was time.

  I peed in the chamber pot and then Magnus and while I pulled on my skirt, I saw him chuckle as he pulled on his kilt. “What?”

  “My tartan smells like my wife.”

  I batted his shoulder. “It does not.”

  He raised his brow. “Och aye, tis a blissful scent of her.” He put the kilt to his nose and inhaled.

  “Magnus, you cut that out. I do not have a ‘scent’.”

  “Aye, ye do. I have told ye this, ye smell of osna, a sigh or a breeze.”

  “Okay, that’s better. So your kilt smells like a sigh, I can live with that.”

  He laughed. “Nae, my kilt smells like your castle gates.”

  “My what?!” I chuckled. “Magnus, I am a proper Campbell wife, and a freaking Queen, I’ll have you know. You best speak about me with more due respect.”

  He buckled the belt around his waist holding the whole thing together. “Your Highness, I ken ye are a queen, tis why I dinna call it your stable gates.”

  I batted him on the shoulder again with a giggle and Quentin from outside the room asked, “Boss, you almost ready to go eat? I’m hungry.”

  “We’ll be dressed in a moment, Master Quentin.”

  * * *

  The tavern kitchen passed around bowls with a paste like porridge and a small cup of milk. I was given another large mug of ale, which seemed bonkers so early in the morning. The milk was good though, warm, which was unexpected. I knew there was some coffee upstairs, but didn’t want to ask the barkeeper for hot water.

  Magnus directed us to one of the tables and before we finished our breakfast, there was a commotion outside — horses and men’s voices. Magnus stood. He said to me, “Kaitlyn, please be quiet on the matter, allow me speak.”

  I said, “Of course.” I wouldn’t have known what to say, anyway.

  To Quentin he said, “You will be watchful?"

  “Yes boss. Will you ask about Beaty though?”

  Magnus leaned on the table his expression intent. “You are serious about her, Master Quentin? Tis the young Beaty Campbell, dost ye understand the difficulties of the coupling?”

  “The coupling? I — I just wanted to see her.”

  The door of the tavern opened. Magnus said, “We will speak on it later—”

  I turned to see his Uncle Baldie, his brother Sean, his brother-in-law Liam, and about seven other men I recognized.

  I wished Lizbeth would have come but guessed she probably had no place here in this meeting, but neither did I. I was simply here because it wasn’t safe for me to be anywhere without Magnus and Quentin.

  The men moved into the tavern taking all the space, pulling chairs to the central table roughly, spreading out like no one else was there.

  Baldie said, “Young Magnus come speak with us.” The men all had a way of appearing to be relaxed and sitting sprawled, although their hands rested close to their weapons. The air was tense with the suspense, they could just spring into action. This was a lot more men than I expected. I couldn’t tell if they were being friendly or if Magnus was in deep shit.

  I really hoped he wasn’t in deep shit. Quentin had a gun, but he wasn’t planning on using it against the Campbells. His fingertips itched near it, anyway.

  I clasped my hands in my lap, stared at my fingertips, and tried to hear what was said.

  I was shocked though and from the looks on their faces they all were, too, when Magnus, big strapping Magnus, dropped to his knees in front of his brother and very quietly began to beg his forgiveness.

  Chapter 45 - Magnus

  I wasna used tae begging on m’knees in front of other men, but as of late I had been on my knees most days prayin’ tae God for forgiveness and on m’knees in front of Kaitlyn, beggin’ forgiveness, and I guess I had grown used tae the posture. Twas a great deal of wrong I did in my life, and was sometimes hard tae explain I kent I had wronged.

  But if I drew m’self in and became small, twas easier for the person I had wronged tae forgive me and twas a lesson I had been puttin’ tae practice.

  When Sean crossed intae the room tae the table, he was bound up with anger and wouldna sit. I could see he wasna goin’ tae reconcile without a real gesture of contrition.

  The truth was, I had brought real damage on my clan. I hadna any choice at the time, I was chased and needed their protection, but I had brought death too near tae m’family.

  It had been a hard night, tae nae be able tae go home. Tae be sleepin’ in
the tavern. Those men had approached me last evenin’ and I had claimed tae be a Campbell, but I couldna tell them I was Magnus, nephew of the Earl, brother of Sean, nephew of Baldie, because I hadna known what my standin’ was and so, without standin’, now, I decided tae kneel.

  My brother had a look of shock tae his expression.

  “Sean, my brother, ye have lived and breathed and fought alongside me since we were weans and I ken I have brought death and destruction tae our family and the gates of our castle. I have fought alongside Liam and Baldie but I also took up arms against yerself… I ken ye were doin’ what ye thought best tae protect your family. Ye may have been right in many ways, ye told me tae take the battle tae my own kingdom instead of bringin’ it here, but I dinna heed your wisdom.”

  Sean grunted.

  “Since I turned myself intae Commander Davis—”

  Sean sneered, “You dinna turn yerself intae him, I turned ye over.”

  I wanted tae argue but instead I said, “Aye.”

  “I am surprised ye arna in prison or worse.”

  “Och aye. I am nae in prison because I killed Commander Davis and all of his men for what they did tae our family. Then I fought my Uncle Samuel and killed him as well. I have been crowned king since I saw you last and wish tae tell ye my family here has nothin’ tae fear from armies from my lands. I bring a promise of peace from the kingdom of Magnus the First.”

  Sean’s fist slammed intae the side of my head. The pain jerked my head back and almost knocked me tae the dusty floor. I righted myself and shook my head tae clear it. “I winna fight ye, brother.”

  With a growl he grabbed the back of my head and kneed my face. “Ye almost killed us Magnus.”

  The pain tae my nose was terrible, but I kept tae my knees. “I ken tis true, my brother. I am beggin’ forgiveness.” Blood poured down my chin.

  Sean put his hands on his hips and laughed, a big guttural laugh. The surrounding men joined in laughin’. He proffered a hand and I took it. He pulled me tae my feet and threw his arms around me in a brotherly hug.

  “Daena bleed on m’shirt, Young Magnus, my Maggie has woven it for me.”

  I stepped back with a laugh. “I wouldna want tae ruin it brother, tis the only part of ye that is nae ugly.”

  “Och, says the handsome younger brother, but see, Magnus. I have broken yer face, now ye art nothin’ but a scabby-boggin tarriwag.”

  I smiled, “Och, now we are twins.”

  Chapter 46

  Chairs were pulled out and highlanders sat together in a circle to talk. The proprietor handed Magnus a dirty rag to wipe his nose on and I made a mental note to explain germ theory and bacteria to Magnus as soon as I could.

  “Phew.”

  Quentin opened his eyes wide. “Fuck, that was scary. I was thinking, ‘How the fuck am I going to carry him out of here and fight off all those men, plus Kaitlyn?”

  I laughed, that laugh of ‘Oh my God We Just Almost Died.’ “Would you be fighting me or carrying me?”

  “I have no idea, you are always a wildcard.”

  I looked over at their table. “Wish I could hear what they’re saying.”

  “Yep, me too. I seriously don’t think Magnus should have groveled, but I guess it worked.”

  “He had to help Sean save face. Sean was an ass, but he has to live here and take care of people, so Magnus was helping him by acting like Sean was the one who was in the right. I’m super proud of him.”

  “Me too. He’s a good big brother.”

  We grinned at each other.

  “I was about to say you’re older than him but he is older by 300 years. So speaking of old people — you know this whole seeing a Campbell woman is a big deal. You like her?”

  He nodded.

  “What could you possibly have in common?”

  “Katie, seriously, coming from you?”

  “No, really, tell me, what does she do?”

  “She works on her dad’s farm.”

  “A farm, wait, how old is she?”

  “I don’t know, probably 18.”

  “Probably eighteen! She’s just a — Quentin has something happened with her?”

  “Yeah, but I like her, she likes me. I told Magnus to help me see her.”

  “Quentin you cannot have a baby mama in the 18th century. You will screw up the whole course of history.”

  He grunted. “Rich coming from you.”

  “I’m not wrong.”

  He said, “I’m not talking about a baby mama. I wear protection. I’m not stupid. Look, I just want to see her. And she’s not too young for me, her family already thinks she’s getting too old, her father told her she was hard to marry.”

  My eyes widened. “Why is she hard to marry?”

  “Because she’s funny and she speaks her mind.”

  “Oh lord, these Campbell women are as much trouble as the Campbell men.” I handed him my mug. “Will you get me another ale, we needs be drinkin’ more than this.”

  * * *

  When he approached the proprietor to get me an ale. Magnus with his bruised face, whose focus had been on the conversation, kept an eye on me the entire time. Quentin returned to the table a few minutes later and Magnus returned his attention to the conversation at his table.

  I said, “You know there’s a possibility you’ll have to marry her? You understand that right? I mean, if her family can get past the part where you’re black. I have no idea how that works.”

  “I think you might be confused about how sex works, Katie. You can have sex and not be married, do I have to show you diagrams?”

  “Do I have to hit you upside the head with a fucking bible? I get you can have sex with a girl in the 18th century and you can be a scoundrel, but do you understand the ramifications of being that kind of a scoundrel?”

  He spun his drink. “I don’t want to be a scoundrel.”

  “Good, well I won’t say anything more. I think Magnus will know how to handle this, I hope. But whatever you and he decide, I want to tell you the older Magnus said he needs you. He asked me to get you. He made it seem like that was the first thing on the list: Get Quentin. I know you deserve a life and happiness and a warm bed but Magnus needs you.”

  He squinted at me with a grin. “I take Boss’s need for me seriously, Katie. He’s like a brother. He can count on me.”

  “Good, thank you.”

  * * *

  A while later Sean called to our table, “Join us, Black Mac.”

  Quentin went to the table. A rough-hewn chair was offered to him between Baldie and Sean. The men greeted Black Mac rowdily, and there were pats on the back, and some jeers and insults passed. It seemed like the trouble was over except I was too far away to hear what they were saying.

  Magnus turned in his chair enough to have me in his peripheral vision, but didn’t look over at me.

  So I whiled some time mostly ignored, which was fine, because there were men here I didn’t know and just an hour ago the possibility of us all being in extreme danger. I kept my hands folded and glanced occasionally at Magnus while the men talked.

  Then a man at Magnus’s table banged his mug on the boards and announced to the room he needed another drink.

  I ignored him since it had nothing to do with me, but then Magnus startled me by commanding, “Kaitlyn, ye needs rise and fetch Ailig an ale.”

  All eyes were on me. “Oh.” I glanced at Magnus’s face. There was still blood around his nose, accentuating the sternness he held there. He refused to look at me. I crossed to the table and asked, “May I get you a drink as well?”

  He grunted and passed me his mug with his jaw set.

  Another man grunted and held his out for me too. So I swallowed my humiliation and asked the barkeeper for three ales. When I brought them back to the table I even bobbed a little curtsy as I placed them in front of the men. I bobbed another curtsy when a fourth man handed me his now empty mug and a then a fifth.

  When I returned to the table a s
econd time I heard Sean say, “…her obedience is verra flatterin’ tae yer authority, Mag—” I realized from all the eyes on me that it was me they were talking about.

  I flushed, curtsied, placed the ale on the table and crossed back to my own lonely seat. I tried to behave as demurely as I could, my back straight, my hands folded in my lap, my eyes cast down. I didn’t know what kind of test that was but I prayed a little I passed it, for Magnus’s sake and my own.

  Magnus kept his attention away from me and never looked over at me once.

  Chapter 47

  The meeting over we were all to go back to the castle and though there were horses to carry our bags, we, Magnus, Quentin, and I, would have to walk.

  The men on horseback rode away down the path and we all collectively breathed out.

  I turned to Magnus. “Your poor beautiful face.”

  “Och, tis verra painful all over here.” He gestured toward his entire head.

  “I saved out a few things from the first aid kit. First, please wash with this.” I handed him a wet wipe.

  He winced as he wiped his face around his nose.

  “I’m super proud of you. I want you to know it. I’m sorry you had to bleed to do it, but you handled that really well.” I passed him a painkiller and some water from a bottle I was carrying.

  “Thank ye for jumpin’ when I called on ye. Twas necessary for ye tae do it.”

  “Why was it necessary?”

  “Ailig said ye were the one that ruled in m’house. He said twas the story they are all tellin’ of us. So I had tae tell him ye submit tae me without question. He challenged my side of it and I am verra glad ye followed m’orders. He is a rough man and would have wanted me tae correct ye.”

  “Holy shit, that would have sucked.”

  We packed it all and Quentin slung the pack over his shoulder.

  We were returning on the path we followed yesterday, through the same trees, along an uphill route that soon left the sparse trees and ascended into hills.