Forget Me Not, My Scottish Love by Allie Palomino
Chapter Nine
Two months passed and Gillyanne was still present, although she had tempered down her spoiled and possessive outbursts. She claimed that she had not received notice from her sister yet as to accommodations.
Emotions were heavy and running thickly like blood down a river. Everyone was angry with Cameron because he hadn’t consummated the marriage. And as for Cameron, it annoyed him that the whole damn clan knew about this very personal subject.
He, too, was angry.
Part of it was the meddlesome family that he had. He was damned annoyed that no one minded his or her own affairs. Things weren’t helped by his sexual frustration, either. Still, above all remained the fear of losing Abby, and it gnawed him raw. Abby was clueless, though. She had worse concerns.
Abby couldn’t sleep at night due to the odd occurrences that had been happening around her. To make matters worse, her father was attempting to annul her marriage. Word had reached her father that the marriage hadn’t been consummated.
Cameron had seethed as he had read the letter.
“Damn Haynsworth!” Cameron had slammed his fist against the wall in the great room.
“What does it say?” Keith asked.
“Word reached Haynsworth that the marriage has not been consummated,” Cameron said through clenched teeth.
“How?” Aidan asked.
“Ye know how gossip spreads,” Keith answered.
“Or something else? We’ve long suspected someone relating information back to Haynsworth,” Aidan added.
“Perhaps there is an disloyal clansman. If there is one, we’ll find him. Da suspected one.” Cameron clenched his teeth. “As if that wasna bad enough, now Haynsworth is petitioning to have the marriage annulled earlier than the year,” Cameron growled, seeing red.
How dare his marriage relations become common knowledge!
How dare anyone attempt to take his Abby away before time.
“What are ye going to do about this, Cameron?”
Cameron looked at Aidan but was interrupted before he could answer.
“Consummate the damn marriage, which is what he should have done already,” Alice said from the entrance of the great room.
“Damn it, my marriage is no one’s concern!”
“It is our concern! We like her and she makes ye happy, Cameron. Let it happen,” Alice pleaded.
“I canna get her with child, so what is the purpose?”
“If we have to explain to ye what the purpose is, then ye’re doing it wrong, brother.”
Cameron shot Aidan a hard look, but it didn’t scare the smile off Aidan’s face.
“I volunteer to help ye consummate the marriage. I will sacrifice myself and help ye.” Aidan placed a palm on his chest and hiked his chin up a notch.
Cameron pushed Aidan. “Ye’re asking for it.”
Aidan’s smile was wide. “Aye. I just did!”
Aidan ducked before Cameron could land a punch.
“Would ye two cease?”
“Aye, Mother. Just having a bit of fun with hardstick, here. Or mayhap ‘tis nay hard at all and that’s been the problem all along.”
“Aidan MacPherson!” Alice shouted.
Cameron snorted. “At least by the end of the marriage, she would have remained pure and mayhap have a good match with another.”
“Ye mean whatever match her bastard father will make for her depending on what he stands to gain from the arrangement,” Keith snapped.
“‘Tis not a chance I will take with her future. There will be no fruit from our union.”
“Ye doona know that!” Abigail said, standing next to Alice.
“Damn it all, doona bring Abby into this!” Cameron shouted.
“If ye havena noticed, she’s apart of the solution, Cameron,” Keith said dryly.
Orfeld, Amy’s grandfather, witnessed the familial spectacle. He had come to speak to Cameron and Keith about concerns he had. One was about old man Kressyl, Alice’s uncle, moving his hutch too close to his. Another concern was that there were too many spirits in the clan, and that they needed to perform a ceremony to cleanse their land. Orfeld was a few threads shy of a full plaid, but he was a caring old man. He often complained of inconsequential things, but they had given him permission to just enter the castle when he needed something. Amy mostly helped him, amused that her grandfather was a meddling daft old man.
“If ye need lessons, laird, I’ll be happy tae give ye some. I was quite a virile lad in my younger days,” Orfeld said proudly, his chest puffing out.
“Grandda, please!” Amy said, walking into the room with Owen. Her lips twisted.
“I doona need lessons, damn it,” Cameron responded.
“Well, it sounds tae me that ye’re scared o’ performing, laird.” Orfeld gave Cameron a side look.
“I’ve had enough. Everyone who isna a part of this marriage, stay out of it!” Cameron bellowed and marched off.
“Doona worry, sweetheart, it’ll be resolved,” Alice said, patting Abby’s back.
Abby’s cheeks were twin flames. This was embarrassing. Didn’t Cameron want her?
Months had passed since the wedding, and Cameron had no intention of bedding his bride. Time was expiring.
No one was more aware of that than Abby.
As it was, she barely slept at night. Between being worried that her marriage would end and she would be taken away from Cameron, the strange occurrences wouldn’t let her sleep either.
Abby didn’t mention anything about them, though. Everyone would think she was slipping back to her old, bizarre self.
Mayhap she was.
That thought made her fearful. She shivered.
Abby had seen things move by themselves from the periphery of her vision. She’s seen an apparition, or someone, here and there. It was nothing that she had seen directly, but always at the side of her vision. When she turns her head, it- he or she- is gone.
Something, or someone, visited her every night. It even touched her, because she would wake each morning with fresh cuts, and have no memory of getting them.
Did she do it to herself?
She had begun to fear falling asleep. There were nights when she would force herself to stay awake. Other nights, she needed to drink a sleeping draught. She’d overhead Gillyanne speaking of it, and tried some herself. On those nights, she slept like the dead. With the appearance of these cuts, Abby made certain to cover her arms and not expose them. She needed to hide them lest the family see them and start doubting her mental competency.
Was it someone who cut her? Was it she herself? Could it be the apparition that was just out of her sight and gone when she turned her head?
Abby laughed aloud at the thoughts. If it cut her, then was it a ghost? Abby’s fear, though, was that she was doing it to herself and that she was having visions of things not there. She was concerned that her mind was slipping.
Broken mind?
Aye, she had that and it seemed as if it would never be repaired. The last thing she wanted was to let the family and Cameron know. She’d grown to love them and she didn’t want pity from them; she didn’t want them to know that she was truly unhinged.
Whatever or whoever it was, it would happen at night. The cuts were tiny, but they bled and left marks. She felt powerless. Abby had overcome so much in such a short span of time. She’d learned to speak. Her mind was clear for the first time in years, too, or so she thought until this. What would Cameron think of her? Alice? Keith? Amy? Aidan?
She shook her head. The best thing for her to do was to keep this secret to herself and hold it closely. After being married to Cameron for only a short time, she had to, otherwise the marriage would surely be annulled.
Who would want to be married to someone with a broken mind?
Despite her best to mask her state of mind, it was soon after the letter was received that everyone began taking notice Abby’s odd behavior. She seemed to gradually become more withdrawn and startled. She was fatigued with black circles under her eyes.
Days passed before Abby was forced to go downstairs. She stayed in her rooms, and turned everyone away.
Alice came in one morning. Abby was huddled down in the quilt.
“Get up, Abigail. I willna allow ye to waste yer life away,” Alice said, opening the fabric over the windows to allow light to infiltrate the room.
“I willna take no for an answer, Abigail. Be downstairs or I shall come up and carry ye down myself,” Alice said and left the room.
Abby slowly got out of bed. She stretched and felt sore. Her arms hurt. She was exhausted from concealing her mental lapses from them. It was becoming too taxing to do so. She hadn’t spoken to anyone in days.
Abby dressed in a hurry, fearing Alice would make good on her promise. With one hand flattening her dress skirt, she left her rooms. As Abby came down the stairwell, her eyes rested on the family at the table.
Alice saw her and smiled. “Hungry dear?”
Abby’s feet touched the floor. She hadn’t been feeling well for some time. She suspected it was the night draught she’d been taking. Her stomach was uneasy due to her lack of appetite, and she figured a piece of fruit should help. How long had it been since she ate?
“I’m hungry. Would anyone like…” she said and staggered back. “I don’t feel so well.” Abby heard herself from a distance.
Amy yelled, “Cameron, hurry, she’s going to fall!”
Cameron rushed over and caught her. When he looked at his family, all except one of them, were wearing masks of concern. Alice was smiling.
“What are ye smiling about, Mother?”
Cameron asked a servant to get water and a healer. He turned back to Alice.
“Ye’ve got her with child, Cameron! That was quick, I must admit.” Alice beamed with delight.
Everyone caught on, and one by one, they began to smile. Cameron’s face turned red.
“Ye’ve nothing to be embarrassed about, Cameron,” Keith said, hitting his back in a congratulatory manner.
“Why would ye think that I was embarrassed?” Cameron clenched his teeth.
“Because ye’re blood red, that’s why!” Aidan answered.
“I’m nay embarrassed.”
“Then why are ye red, dear?” Alice asked, smiling.
“Rage!” Cameron boomed, standing up.
“Rage? Odd emotion, isna it, considering Abby is with child,” Aidan said.
He closed his eyes, willing his patience to stay with him.
“My marriage is of my concern. Damn it, can ye nay mind yer own affairs! She is not with child!”
“How do ye know?” Amy asked.
“Because the marriage hasna been consummated,” Cameron said, lowering his voice out of concern for Abby.
“Are ye certain?” Alice asked.
Cameron looked up. “Yes, Mother, doona ye think I would know if the marriage was consummated?”
“Then she must be carrying someone else’s bairn,” Aidan joked, laughing. Everyone gaped at Aidan.
Cameron swung at him and the punch connected. Aidan, a tall man but not taller than Cameron, flew backwards.
“Doona ever speak of my wife in such a foul manner, Aidan. I will never tolerate it, teasing or nay!”
Aidan cupped his chin, blood coming out of his mouth.
“I was jesting, Cameron, damn. I didna mean it.”
“Ye deserved to get hit, Aidan. ‘Tis nothing to jest about,” Alice said. “Those rumors wouldna be kind.”
“She soon willna be yer wife if ye doona consummate the damn marriage,” Aidan pointed out.
When Bess came in, she clucked like a chicken.
“Gi’ the girl some air. Move back, move back,” she said waving them away, coming closer with a small medicine jar.
“Is she with bairn?” Bess asked.
Cameron’s nostrils flared.
“Nay. ‘Tis the first time she swoons.”
Cameron turned his gaze to Aidan, daring him to speak.
“Nay, but that isna the only indication o’ carryin’. Has she been eatin’ more, gainin’ weight, or retchin’ in the morns?”
Everyone looked at Cameron.
“Why are ye looking at me?”
“Because ye’re married to her, Cameron. Lord, but ye’re a fockin’ arse! If ye canna answer the questions, ye being her husband, there are plenty of clansmen in line to take yer place.” Keith’s eyes were wide with irritation.
Aidan’s eyes were squinting when he added, “Ye know, Keith, yer brogue gets richer when yer angry. ‘Twas mighty apparent just now.”
“Be gone with ye.”
“I see her thinner, Bess, not heavier. I doona see her eat a lot and she hasna been retching.” Amy hurriedly tried to interrupt the burgeoning fight.
Bess clucked again. “Well, judging by the circles under ‘er eyes, she hasna been sleepin’ well, nor has she been eatin’ enough if she has lost bulk. Nothin’ serious is the problem ‘ere, but I’ll wager it’s in ‘er mind. Oft times a person can suffer the same ailments as those if somethin’ is disturbing her sleepin’ and eatin’.”
“Has she mentioned anything about this?” Everyone shook their heads at Cameron.
“Just leave her alone. Ye all fumble about her as if she were no more than a delicate flower.”
They looked up as Gillyanne sauntered into the room.
“Cameron?”
“I’m here, sweetheart.”
Abby opened her eyes and as they focused, she saw them all looking at her, as well as Gillyanne.
“Are ye nay feeling well, Abby?”
“Bloody hell, Cameron, she jost swooned, what d’ye think?” Keith answered.
“Oh, no,” Abby said.
“She only swooned. Stop coddling her. Ye spoil her.” Gillyanne crossed her arms over her chest.
“Ye’re still here?” Cameron’s eyebrows rose. “Werena ye going to leave to yer sister’s home?”
“Of course I’m still here. Ye should know, I’ve been in yer bed every night. Doona deny it, Cameron. I know I promised I would keep it discreet but I canna pretend any longer.”
Cameron stood up and came within inches of her. His family stared at him aghast and their expressions grew into irritation.
“Get the hell out of here, ye lying bitch!” Cameron roared.
“But I’ve no where to go, Cameron! What will I do?”
Bess whistled loudly. In fact, her whistle was better than most of his clansmen. Aidan, Keith, Patrick, and even Cameron stood in admiration when they heard it.
“Stop the bickerin’, or would ye like to see milady more depleted than what she is now? She needs ‘er rest an’ she needs food.”
Abby made to sit up. “I’ll go to my room now, Bess.”
“Nonsense. Ye canna be walkin’ now. A sneeze will knock ye right on the ground. Nay, nay, ye should be carried.” She looked at Cameron. “Can ye take her upstairs to her chamber?” Bess asked.
He shook his head. “Nay.”
“Cameron, come out of yer stupor. Take her up to her rooms,” Alice said more harshly.
“Nay! She will go to mine. She’s mine!” His snarl curled his lips. He walked over to her and picked her up gently in his strong arms.
“Mother, please have Margery send a trencher.”
He looked at Gillyanne.
“I want ye gone.”
Cameron turned his attention to Abby and watched as her eyes were closing. He ascended the flight of stairs slowly, careful not to jostle her. Once he opened his door, he placed her carefully on his bed. Despite his gentleness, she awoke and opened her eyes.
“How do ye feel, lass?”
It took a moment for her to answer.
“Safe.”
He studied her quietly.
‘Twas an odd manner to respond to that question.