Page 76 of Highlander’s Claim

Mhairi and Sìomon were thriving. Jenny watched Mhairi and Seoras sitting next to each other at the long table, cooing over their swaddled son. While Mhairi was recovering, Laoghaire had volunteered to watch over the orphans and surprised everyone with her kind but disciplined ruling over them. Somehow, even boys adored her lessons about manners and dancing. Girls learned from her how to run a household and sew clothes. But also, Laoghaire blossomed with them and smiled broadly and often.

Jenny could hardly imagine that she’d wished she and her girlfriends had gone to Hawaii instead. She loved Scotland—the rugged, dramatic landscape of Islay, the murmur of the sea, the loyalty of the people. She’d always miss her family and friends in the twenty-first century, but she’d found an even bigger family here.

Esteemed allied clans were also present—the Mackenzies, Cambels, Ruaidhrís, and others. With astonishment, Jenny had learned that she was not the only time traveler when she’d met Amy, Amber, and Kate of clan Cambel and Rogene Mackenzie and her brother, David, as well as James, who’d married Catrìona Mackenzie.

“Spouts,” said Jenny to Colum, before explaining their use.

“Ah, Aunt,” said Colum and winked. “It astonishes me what things ye ken…”

It was the first time he’d called her Aunt, and Jenny frowned. “I’m like eight years older than you! Please don’t call me Aunt. It makes me feel old. Call Aulay Uncle all you like. He’s the old man here.”

“Ye ken what I do to ye when ye call me old,” Aulay growled, and Colum blinked and look away.

Oh yes. She knew. Jenny had wanted him to wait for six weeks after his injury, the time usually advised by surgeons. But he couldn’t. Against his doctor’s wishes, he started making love to her. Granted, he did it gently, letting her do most of the work.

She was just as guilty—his touch had the power to make her as horny as a cat in spring. And so, she broke her own recommendation with him…often!

“Aulay!” she said, feeling heat flushing her cheeks.

“We still need to consummate the marriage,” he said. “Or someone might question its legality.”

Colum cleared his throat loudly. “Ahem. I wanted to say, a ship just docked at the port—”

Before he could finish speaking, the large doors to the great hall opened, and a tall man with a group of warriors strode in. The musicians stopped playing. The hubbub of voices died out. Children froze and stared at the man in awe.

He was tall, broad-shouldered, and middle-aged. His shoulder-length hair was dark with some strands of silver. He wasn’t particularly good-looking, didn’t have any other distinguishing features, except for his posture. He stood with his back and broad shoulders straight, his chin lifted.

At one of the nearby tables, someone squealed and jumped up. It was Anna, Aulay’s niece, who was married to David Wakeley.

Anna hurried down the aisle. She was expecting, even though her slim figure was still not showing, but everyone knew she was carrying another potential heir to Aulay’s legacy.

Anna dropped to a curtsy before the man. He looked at her with warmth, then let her stand and grasped her in a bear hug—very unusual for the Middle Ages.

“’Tis our king, Jenny,” said Aulay with pride as he stood from his seat. “Robert the Bruce.”

Jenny raised her eyebrows. She knew Aulay and the king were great allies and friends, but they hadn’t known if the Bruce would make it to their wedding with so much happening on the English border.

When the Bruce let go of Anna, his illegitimate daughter, he marched down the aisle towards the great table. Jenny stood up and curtsied as Anna had taught her. Aulay and Colum greeted their king. Robert walked around the table and took an honorable seat next to Aulay.

“I appreciate ye came, Yer Grace,” said Aulay.

“Aye,” said Robert the Bruce, eyeing Jenny with curiosity. “I appreciate the invitation. I couldna come earlier. We are preparing to siege the Isle of Man. I hope I can count on yer birlinns and on the English treasure, swords, and armor ye found.”

“Aye,” said Aulay. “Ye can always count on me, my king.”

Bruce clapped Aulay on the shoulder. Jenny poured him a cup of wine and he raised it gratefully.

“And ye, too, Colum? Will ye come to fight?” Bruce asked Colum, who was still standing at the other side of the table. Jenny had the sense that Colum had no one else to talk to in the clan. The only one that he was real friends with was Aulay.

“Ye ken I always will, Yer Grace,” Colum said. “Any news of Queen Elizabeth and yer daughter Marjorie?”

Bruce sighed deeply and drank the whole cup of wine in one go. “They’re still kept with the English. But we must start to prepare for what’s to come next year. By John the Baptist next year, the English army will come to Stirling. I heard rumors Edward already started gathering an army. Word is out all over Europe for the best knights to gather in London and go to Scotland for riches, land, and glory.” Bruce scoffed. “They’re already dividing our castles among each other, the pigs. But they dinna ken us. With ye, Aulay, and Colum, with my loyal clans Mackenzie and Cambel and Ruaidhrí, we will show them what Scottish steel is worth.”

“Aye, Yer Grace,” said Colum.

“Ye will have to gather come next spring near Stirling. There’s a wee place called Bannockburn. We will set camp around there and start training men. Everyone is welcome to come. Young. Old. Warriors. Farmers. This battle will define Scotland’s future for centuries to come.”

Jenny had heard about the Battle of Bannockburn, but only vaguely. Still, it was one of those legendary events in history everyone knew of. She caught Rogene’s eye. She was a historian, so she knew much more about these things. It was amazing to see history unfold before her eyes, a doctor, who had nothing to do with history. It must have been ten times more thrilling for a historian like Rogene to see what she’d learned about come to life.