“Ye seem repulsed by me touch.” Alistair said. “When only moments ago it was ye who touched me.”
“To help you,” Jane said firmly. “Nothing more. I do not desire your death. At least, not until I am returned to my rightful place.”
“Is that so?” Alistair asked.
“Yes,” Jane said. “My kindness should not be taken for licentiousness. I am not wanton, as you have implied for the entire time that I have been in your acquaintance.”
Alistair looked shocked. “I have never insinuated that ye are wanton. All I say is in jest. I thought you knew this. Nay, Ikenye ken that.”
Jane shook her head. “You cannot know what you do not know.”
Alistair sighed. “Dae ye still believe that I killed yer uncle, Jane?”
Jane bit her lip and looked at the floor. A long time passed before she looked at Alistair. “Nay, Alastair, I dinnae any longer.”
She saw something quite like relief on his face. “I am glad, because ye have captured me heart and I cannae bear the thought of ye leaving while angry with me.”
At the reminder that she would have to leave him, she despaired. She pressed her lips against his. He was surprised at first, but then his hands encircled her waist, and he pulled her closer to him. He kissed her soundly and was rewarded with a small sound of satisfaction. She pulled back suddenly. “Alistair,” she said, “I have… I have feelings for you, too. But you must remember our circumstances. You must save your sibling and I must save mine.”
She saw several emotions play out on his face before the look of acceptance settled over it. “Ye are right, he said. “I must bring me braither back. He means everything tae me. Every day, I regret nae having done enough at the battle where he was captured. Had I done things differently, Ramsay would be here-”
“Ramsay?” She gasped.
“Jane?” Alistair probed.
“Did ye just say Ramsay?” Jane asked.
Alistair frowned in confusion. “Aye. What is-”
Jane gathered her skirts and hurried out of the room. She went to her room and reached for the gown she had been wearing on the day of the capture. Catrina had offered to help her burn it, but Jane had graciously declined and opted to dry and then sun it instead. She’d forgotten all about the letter! Oh, she hoped nothing had happened it, for she had gone through a great many ordeals in the dress. She put her hand in the pocket of the dress and she found the letter. It looked the worse for wear, crinkled and with the ink smudged in some places. But it was still legible, to a large degree. Just as she made to turn back and return to Alistair’s room, he appeared in hers.
“Why dae ye have a habit of running away, Jane Marsh?” he asked.
“Look!” Jane said, showing him the letter. “It’s me sister’s. She speaks of a man named Ramsay in it. Read it.”
Alistair did. When he was done, he looked at Jane, his expression tender. “Ramsay was very private about his love affairs -which I endlessly teased him about- but twice, he spoke of a girl with black hair and black eyes that he had been meeting every chance he could. He would tell me nothing more about it, and I was worried that she might be from a rival clan. I had nay idea she was from a rival nation.”
“Our siblings were having an affair,” Jane said slowly. She had to reveal the rest. “That has culminated in a pregnancy.”
Alistair’s eyes widened. “Yer sister is with child, the child of me braither? Yer sister is carrying a Fletcher?”
“Unfortunately,” Jane said. And then she realized that that was quite impolite and said, “Apologies. But it is, in truth, a complication.”
“I understand this. It cannae be easy fer yer sister. Where is she? In yer old home? I must arrange fer her tae be brought here at once. So she can get all the care she needs.”
“No,” Jane said. “You cannot simply ‘bring her’. Do you think you can just kidnap her as you did with me? Is that your approach to every situation?”
“You are very prickly today.”
“If you wish to call it that, it is solely your concern. You will not uproot Eleonor from her life as you did me.”
“I believe, Jane Marsh,” Alistair said slowly, “that it was yer faither that did that.”
That knocked the wind out of Jane. “I have to speak to your brother,” she said finally. “I have to know what he feels about my sister. I cannot simply do what Commander Pierce wishes.” She gave him a meaningful look. “Or what you wish, for that matter.”
Alistair nodded. “We cannae continue with the exchange, fer sure,” he said. “I must think of a new plan of attack. I shall call a meeting of me warriors. Thank ye, Jane.”
He walked towards her and then stopped. It was as though he had meant to do something but decided against it. He strode to the door.
