Fourteen
“How long will he keep away?”
Katie asked herself that question as she worked in her mother’s beloved gardens. Maddie used to help her but was now busy with Anne.
Smiling, she lovingly touched a rose. Anne was a beautiful baby, with a healthy set of lungs.
Katie’s demeanor changed when she thought about whether she’d ever have a baby of her own. It had taken her a long while before she’d felt comfortable with anyone touching her. She’d shied away from them, even from her family. Slowly, she began to warm up to their hugs and it had become better after some time.
But Katie knew what it would take to create a baby and she wondered whether she could engage in such activity given her past.
Of course, her thoughts turned to James. They never strayed far from him. She'd been surprised that she had grown accustomed to his touch. Surprised, and grateful. She wasn't blind. Any woman would be enamored of him by appearances only.
Katie remembered when she’d first seen him. He was the handsomest man she’d ever seen. James had been, and still was, intimidating, so tall and muscular. His eyes were hard and quick. The look about them was intense. There had been a seriousness about him.
And when he’d rested his eyes on her, and they had become curious and softened slightly, she'd been lost in their sun-colored depths.
Could she be intimate with James?
Katie envisioned a child with his golden eyes, who showed a dimple when he or she laughed. A baby who would steal his heart and make his eyes shine with love.
Katie brought her dirt-covered hands up to her chest where her heart missed a beat thinking of her love.
"Why are ye smilin'?"
Snapping out of her sweet reverie, her eyes focused on Alpin. She did not like being around the cocky man. He made her feel uncomfortable. It was the way he spoke to her and looked at her, as if by virtue of being a woman, all she was ever meant to do was marry and serve her husband.
"My thoughts are my concern alone, and no one else's."
She was through mincing words with him. She didn't like him and she would not pretend otherwise. It would encourage him and give him false hope that they could form a relationship, which most certainly would never happen.
He sneered and her hands clenched in reaction.
"Being friendly, ‘tis all."
Katie snorted. "I'm nay sure ye even know the meaning of that word."
Alpin's face reddened. "I doona know why I bothered with ye. My father encouraged me to, since ye are his laird's daughter."
Katie's lips pursed and her nostrils flared slightly. "My brother is laird, now, Alpin. I've told ye before, that I amna interested in ye."
"But yer interests lie in that porridge for brains?"
Katie reared backwards, shocked at his vehement insult. "He's a kind man, Alpin. He treats me well. Much better than ye have."
Alpin snorted. "D'ye know how many lasses want my attentions?"
She looked around in mockery. "Are they in yer head?"
His lips shriveled and his eyes hardened. "Ye are a difficult, spoiled, ingrate who should be thankful that I am even speaking to ye, much less considered ye possibly for more."
"For what? An unhappy wife? Because truth be told, that is what I'd be with ye were ye to become my husband." Katie shuddered, fanning the flames of his anger. "No thank ye. Sounds more like a dreadful night terror."
"How dare ye? And James Menzies is a better option?" He snorted again. "I think not."
His coloring darkened as she laughed. "I've no need to defend him against yer insults, Alpin. The man speaks for himself. Suffice to say, he treats me as his equal."
His laugh was condescending. "Equal? A woman? Ye're not, and 'tis best that ye end those whimsical notions in that head of yers."
“‘Tis best for who? Ye? With those thoughts and opinions, Alpin, ye will never marry."
"I'm leaving. I will no longer spare an additional moment of time speaking with someone like ye. With the way ye speak to yer betters, Katherynne, 'tis no surprise why ye were raped."
Katie gasped as she felt her eyes prickle with tears. What a hateful thing to say. She quickly rose to her feet.
"Ye are filth, Alpin. Ye disgusting arse."
Katie reared her fist back and punched him like James had shown her. He howled, and rubbed his reddening jaw.
"Whore bitch."
Katie massaged her hurting knuckles, but smiled through the pain at him.
"Call me what ye like, Alpin, but ye canna call me a wilting flower or weak, for I am neither. Insult me again, and I shall make other parts of ye sting with pain."
He began walking away, rubbing his jaw, but not before looking back at her once again. "Bitch."
Katie smiled and waved him goodbye. When she turned away from him and looked back down at the garden, she set her tears free. Rubbing her hand, she mumbled, "Hateful arse."
Settling back onto her knees, her thoughts flittered to James once again. James and Alpin were as different as night and day. James never once treated her as inferior. While she was inexperienced with matters of the heart, she knew there were a great many men who believed such as Alpin did- that a woman was inferior and belonged only in the home to serve her husband. James wasn't one of them. The manner in which he was with her reminded her of the way that her father and Connor were with her mother and Maddie. That is the way love should be.
Love.
Longing entered into her heart. Again, her thoughts returned to where they were before Alpin interrupted her.
Could she be a true wife to James?
Katie closed her eyes.
She could learn to be. After all, she'd slowly become accustomed to James' feel, smell, and touch.
Katie wrapped her arms around herself. The nagging doubt entered into her thoughts. James was deserving of a good woman, one who would be able to fulfill all of his dreams, wishes, and desires of the mind, heart, and body. For him to have less would be unfair and not deserving of him.
Katie heard barking and looked over to her right, smiling. "Ramsay!" The dog hurried over to her, wagging his tail. Slobber dripped from his mouth from where he panted.
She loved the dog- everyone did, really. Mayhap not Connor as much. Her brother had taken exception to the poor hound's name, which was, of course, not Ramsay's fault. Maddie had a great love for him, and once Connor saw that the adoration was returned by the hound, and that Ramsay would love and protect his wife as much as he himself would, Connor had relented. Although her brother feigned differently, Katie knew that he'd grown to like the shaggy dog.
"Come. It is verra hot now. Let us go and find some treats."
Ramsay barked and wagged his tail, walking along with her.
"Mayhap my treat will come soon, too," she whispered, her thoughts on James.