The morning found Kayla and Liv resting lazily in bed and hoping to spend some more time with Badger before heading back to the States. Kayla was able to book a plane out of Edinburgh the next day so this looked like it would be their last chance. Though she usually ended up doing some work in this city at least once or twice a year.

"So call him and see if he’s around today." Liv stifled a yawn with the back of her hand.

Kayla lifted her disheveled head from the bare belly it was resting on. "He said we didn’t need to call. Just to come by."

"Okay." Liv closed her eyes and sighed. "It’s early, right? We don’t have to get up yet." She felt Kayla chuckle against her stomach.

An eyelid opened and a blue eyeball rolled sideways to get a good look at the clock. She blinked tiredly, trying to focus on the numbers. "We missed breakfast."

"What a surprise," Liv mumbled wryly. She laid her hand on the warm skin between Kayla’s shoulder blades. "You okay this morning?"

"You mean am I sorry about what we did to Glen?"

Liv opened her eyes as Kayla sat up. "Yeah, I guess so. And everything that’s happened." I’m worried about you.

Kayla smiled affectionately at her partner and lifted her hand to cup Liv’s cheek. "You don’t have to worry about me. I’m disappointed in Glen and my business is going to be… well, things are going to be different now. I’ve never had to try to get clients. Glen sort of just said ‘be here’ or ‘go there’, and there would be a ticket for me at the airport and my bank account would get a boost after every job."

Liv’s eyes widened with alarm.

"Yeah, I know." Kayla’s gaze dropped from Liv’s. "I made it pretty easy for her to use me."

"Mmm." Liv agreed wholeheartedly but she didn’t think Kayla needed her to rub it in. "You can always get another agent."

Kayla just snorted.

"Or, we could do it ourselves? I can do scheduling and basic accounting," Liv offered. "I think."

"Really?" Kayla looked up hopefully.

"Sure." Liv turned her face and kissed Kayla’s palm before she set it on the bed. "How hard can it be? You had a twelve-year-old doing it before," she laughed. "I don’t know how we’ll find clients yet, but we’ll figure it out."

Kayla gave her partner a brilliant smile. "All right then. It’s a done deal. Come on." She sprang out of bed and ambled over to the dresser where Liv had unpacked her clothes. "Looks like it’s going to be warmer today," she said conversationally as she opened a drawer. She picked up a heavy-weight, long sleeved, white cotton blouse and shook her head slightly. I’ve never even used a dresser when I travel. Always just lived out of my suitcase. From now on things are sure gonna be…. Two warm arms wrapped around her middle and squeezed gently.

"Will you hand me my blue sweater, hon?"

Yeah, she sighed inwardly. Things are going to be great.

They dressed in companionable silence, comfortable in the unknown future that stretched out before them because the most important thing was settled. They were together.

***

It was such a beautiful, crisp autumn day that Kayla and Liv had the cab driver drop them at the end of the long, winding dirt road that lead to Cobb Manor. Their boots splashed happily through the shallow puddles caused by last night’s storm and pebbles crunched under their feet. The sky was dotted with white, fluffy clouds that floated amiably on a background of dazzling blue.

"Huh." Kayla pointed to the quiet booth by the front gate. A sign reading ‘closed’ was neatly taped to the booth’s door. "Brody didn’t mention they wouldn’t be open today. He should have been back from dealing with Glen hours ago." She turned to Liv. "Let’s just knock."

"Do you think we’re being pests?"

"Probably. So?" Kayla draped her arm over Liv’s shoulder, admiring the way the sunshine reflected off Liv’s golden hair.

Liv tilted her head up and brushed her lips against Kayla’s. "You’re so much trouble," she said against Kayla’s soft mouth.

"Isn’t she though?" Badger boomed loudly appearing from behind the gate and taking a good five years off Liv’s life.

"Jesus Christ, Badger!" Liv laid her hand on her pounding heart.

Kayla narrowed her eyes. "You wait until you can do that to us, don’t you?"

Badger jerked a thumb towards his barrel chest, his light eyes going round and conveying a devastating innocence. "Who me?"

The gesture was achingly familiar, even to Kayla, who blushed at the man’s dead-on imitation. "Very funny," she grumbled petulantly.

Liv couldn’t help but join in Badger’s laughter. She liked Badger more every time she saw him and was already feeling a sense of loss over their upcoming departure.

Badger’s gaze softened as it landed on Liv. I’ll miss you too, lass. "We’re closed to the public because we have a large private tour going on today. At this very moment, Sylla is trying to convince twenty-five Norwegian housewives that they are in dire need of pounds and pounds of shortbread."

"Ooo." Liv’s eyes glazed over with hedonistic desire and Kayla stepped between the smaller woman and Badger before the blonde woman could bankrupt them both by ordering another huge quantity of the tasty dessert.

"Are you free today?" Kayla inquired, an eyebrow lifting slightly.

"I just might be." Badger crossed his arms over his chest. "But it would take the right offer to keep me from spending my afternoon sneaking up behind Viking tourists and scaring them as they walk through the halls of Cobb Manor."

Liv scratched her jaw as she recalled the night before. "That sort of thing can be… err… interesting."

Badger laughed, low and deep, his entire body shaking with delight. "Indeed it can, girl. So," he refocused on Kayla, "back to hear more of Faylinn and Bridget, I take it?"

"We are."

"You ride?"

"We do."

Badger nodded. "Good."

Liv watched them both in wonder, amazed that they’d planned their entire afternoon in less than twenty words between them.

The trio strode around the manor towards the stables. Badger pointed towards the door with a thick finger. "Pick your mounts, ladies. They’re all bonny boys with lovely spirits. I’ll be right back."

The stable smelled of fresh hay and rain and Kayla greedily drew in a deep breath of the comforting scent, deciding on the spot that the best place to hole up and study the history they’d found on Cobb Island would be her grandmother’s ranch in West Virginia. "Liv?"

"Absolutely."

Kayla grinned. "I’ll call Granny tonight."

***

Liv selected a ginger gelding, whose long mane was a shiny coal-black. She led him over to Kayla who had just settled a saddle blanket on a muddy-colored stallion with gray socks. She scratched her horse’s nose. "Aren’t you pretty?" The animal whinnied loudly.

"Thanks." Kayla smirked. "You smell great."

"I was talking to the horse, ghostbuster."

"So was I. Ouch! Ouch!" Kayla started laughing as she ducked Liv’s hands.

"Oh! I see I got here just in time." Badger walked in leading a white mare, speckled with black spots, behind him.

Liv hands froze.

Kayla smiled, assuming Badger was going to help her with her feisty partner, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Badger plopped down on a bale of hay. "Carry on, lass. Now I’ve got a better view."

Kayla sneered at him. "Thanks, a lot, you old f– Ouch!"

When Liv was finished she made a show of dusting off her hands. "We’re just about ready here, Badger. As soon as Kayla stops dawdling we’ll be good to go."

Kayla’s mouth dropped open. "Bu–"

"Hurry up, Kayla. There’s rain coming in again tonight and I don’t want to be caught in it." Letting go of the reins in his hand, he marched over to where several saddles were hung on the wall and hefted one up. When he got close to Liv and Kayla’s horses, however, they began to dance nervously and snort.

"Wow." Liv got a good hold of her mount, afraid he’d rear. "They don’t like you much, do they?"

"I suppose not." Badger narrowed his eyes at the beasts, ignoring Kayla’s very interested stare. "Snobby things. Think they’re better bred than my own bonny girl." He handed the saddle to Kayla and their eyes met and held for a long moment. He quirked an eyebrow at her, but she held her tongue as he padded back to his waiting horse. The mare pressed her nose to his chest affectionately. "I don’t keep her inside with the others, I let her graze wild out back."

"Kayla?" Liv couldn’t help but notice the curious look on her friend’s face.

The tall woman snapped out of her trance and smiled at Liv. "Ready?"

They all led the animals outside, and Badger stuck his foot in the stirrup. "You might want to turn your heads, lasses."

"So we don’t see you tumble off into that puddle there?" Kayla chuckled and pointed to the ground.

"Suit yourself." Badger flipped his muscular leg over the powerful animal’s back and the gusty breeze caught his kilt, flipping it up against his back.

"Oh, good Lord." Liv covered her eyes with both hands, feeling almost lightheaded as blood rushed to her head. She opened her fingers to find Kayla staring. "Kayla!" she admonished, horrified.

Kayla turned her head slowly. "What?"

"Give the man some privacy!"

"What are you talking about? I’m blind! I’ll never see another damn thing as long as I live!"

Liv dissolved into laughter at the indignant look that swept across Badger’s creased face, glad that her lover had finally scored a point. But Kayla was right. That was the whitest ass Liv had ever seen. "Full moon over Scotland."

"You should have warned us to bring sunglasses," Kayla continued blithely.

"I’ve had no complaints before!" He snorted grumpily and gave his mare a swift kick, sending her galloping across the grass.

Laughing so hard they had trouble getting into their saddles, Liv and Kayla headed out in chase of a very crabby, white-haired storyteller.

***

It took them a while to catch Badger, who’d galloped over the closest hill, but soon they were riding slowly through the tall, blowing grass.

"What else is it you’d like to know of the story? There’s a lifetime to tell, and if I know it, I’ll share it with you freely."

"Bridget’s arm," Liv began. "Did it ever heal right?"

Badger blew out a breath. "Aye. It healed. I don’t believe it was ever like it was before she tangled with the cliff on Cobb Island. But she could use it well enough. And that was more than she’d had a right to hope for."

Liv said a little prayer of thanks. Good for you, Bridget.

"The baby?" Kayla asked, shielding her eyes from the sun as she glanced sideways at her companions.

"I was planning on spinnin’ that particular yarn as it’s one of my favorites. Nothin’ else?" Badger shifted in his saddle and smiled at Liv.

Liv cleared her throat softly. There was just one more little thing. "Did they ever… um… you know?"

Kayla’s eyes widened. "Liv!"

"Well, I wanna know!"

Badger chuckled softly and pulled out his pipe, letting his horse wander where she would. "So you want to hear that tale, do you?"

"Yup. And so does she." Liv gestured towards Kayla with her chin. "Don’t you dare say differently, Kayla Redding. You were talking about this very thing just the other night."

Kayla bit her lip and shot Liv a withering glare. "Big mouth."

Badger grinned inwardly. These two were simply perfect together. "Well, as you can imagine, it’s not a story that I would normally pass along. Though I do know it, mainly because Faylinn and Bridget are sort of… well, they were very colorful characters in a very conventional family. Among their own kin, they weren’t shy about the love they shared. And because they were both women, how it was that they came together was something asked over the years and answered with surprising candor or a smack in the back of the head…" Badger’s blue eyes twinkled. "Depending, of course, on whether you asked Bridget or Faylinn."

Kayla lifted a sardonic eyebrow. "Would the one who couldn’t keep her smacking hands to herself happen to be… oh, I don’t know." She tapped her chin with her index finger and pretended to ponder. "Blonde?"

Liv stuck out her tongue.

***

Virginia (Mainland)

It was an early spring and wildflowers covered the hilly Virginia countryside, filling the air with the fragrant scent of Azaleas, Snapdragons, and Oxeye Daisies.

Will and Bridget had retrieved Apollo from Cobb Island nearly a month ago, and the two mares they’d purchased several weeks back were happily munching on the thick, damp carpet of spring grass behind the stable. The mares had both been the recipients of Apollo’s romantic attentions, though the stallion appeared to have a preference for the butter-colored mare over her chestnut cousin. It was, however, too soon to know if they would be expecting foals next February.

Faylinn paused in her work in the garden to stretch her tired back. She leaned her hoe against the wheelbarrow and sighed, blocking the sun with the back of her hand and looking towards the west, the direction she expected to see Will and Bridget coming from.

"Don’t worry so much, Faylinn," Katie admonished, walking over to the well and lowering the bucket into the cold water at the bottom. "They’ll be back today."

Faylinn sighed and ambled over to Katie, who looked down at her belly and smiled.

"Your little one is growing."

Faylinn followed Katie’s gaze to her belly and she laughed. "He’s going to be a big one, I’m afraid."

"Please," Katie scoffed. "I was twice your size with my boy Richard." Will and Katie’s only child had taken ill as a teenager and died last summer, just before his seventeenth birthday, and the Beynon’s spoke of the lad often. "You’re barely showing at all."

"You’re not a very good liar, Katie!" Faylinn grinned, unconsciously rubbing her rounded belly as she spoke. "No matter how big I am, it’ll only get worse. I still have two months to go."

The bucket splashed into the water. "True." Katie made a face. "You’ve got the hardest months yet to come."

Faylinn groaned in remembrance as she thought of her previous pregnancy.

The heavy-set woman finished reeling up the water bucket and shoved a tin dipper into it. "Here." She passed the overflowing dipper to Faylinn. "It’s cool but the sun is bright. You can’t forget to drink in your condition," she teased.

Mossy-green eyes rolled, their gold flecks glinting in the mid-day sun. "Not you too! Bridget talked to you before they left, didn’t she?" Faylinn accused with a mock-glare.

"Oh, that she did!" Katie took back the dipper and took a long, satisfying drink. Breaking up the soil each spring was always the hardest part of gardening. "There’s a long list of things that you’re not supposed to be doing in your delicate state, and they include most everything except sitting on your arse and drinking lemonade."

Both women burst out laughing. They were used to Bridget and Will’s tendency to hover over the blonde to make sure that she wasn’t taxing herself. But it was still a source of amusement between them.

"I see." Faylinn sighed. "And am I allowed to continue with your reading lessons."

Katie nodded gravely. "Only if I hold the Bible. It might be too heavy for one such as yourself."

Faylinn gestured wildly as she spoke. "Did you finally set her straight and tell her that I don’t need to be pampered like a newborn?"

"I most certainly did not," Katie huffed. "And take away your chance to be doted on like a queen? Bah! I just shook my head and smiled." She demonstrated a completely insincere smile that caused Faylinn to be glad she hadn’t lost any teeth.

Faylinn cocked her head to the side and listened. "Katie, do you–?"

Just then, Will and Bridget appeared at the top of the hill, riding in the Beynon’s small, mule-drawn cart.

"Bridget!" Faylinn waved.

Bridget’s smile was visible from the garden and she waved back. She jumped out of the moving, rickety cart, and walked beside it, rooting through the tools in the back until she came up with a large leather saddlebag, which she threw over one shoulder.

"Why don’t you–?" Katie stopped when she realized she was talking to thin air. Faylinn was already making her way across the homestead as quickly as her blossoming belly would allow. "Why don’t you meet them and say hello?" she finished wryly, and leaned the dipper against the well.

Faylinn’s grin grew larger and larger the closer she got to Bridget, who looked fit and nearly back to normal. The tall woman had, by any measure, had a terrible winter. The re-breaking of her arm had led to a blood infection that had lasted for more than six weeks and had Faylinn at her wits’ end. Bridget had lost a shocking amount of weight and her skin looked pale compared to the rich, exotic color it had been when Faylinn first came to Cobb Island. But all that seemed to be in the past now as several weeks of good food and mild exercise had done Bridget a world of good. Faylinn couldn’t help but admire her lean, muscular build as she watched Bridget’s powerful gait speed her through the tall grass.

Panting slightly, Faylinn launched herself at Bridget, laughing when Bridget staggered a bit but still caught her easily. "I missed you!"

"Hello, dearest," Bridget greeted her joyfully, tipping back her broad-brimmed black hat and opening her arms just in time to catch Faylinn. "Whoa! I missed you too." Bridget hugged her tightly, closing her eyes and pressing her nose into soft hair, before setting her bundle down gently. She laid a palm on Faylinn’s protruding stomach and smiled broadly when she felt the baby kick hard enough to make her hand jump.

"Uuf!" Faylinn’s eyes widened a little at the sudden jolt. "Why must you make him do that? He’s a baby not a kicking mule," she complained, secretly pleased that Bridget continued to treat her pregnancy as though it were a cherished blessing. She rested her hand atop of Bridget’s and stroked it gently.

Bridget cleared her throat and proceeded with her familiar correction. "She was just glad to see me and wanted to show it." Blue eyes twinkled. "Like her mama."

Faylinn nodded and locked eyes with Bridget. "Like me," she agreed softly.

Will rode by the women, intentionally making as much noise as possible by snapping the reins and stamping his feet against the buckboards. "Don’t pay any mind to me, Faylinn. That’s fine." He stroked his newly grown whiskers. "I don’t mind a bit. I’m just passing through on the way to my lovely wife, who is likely to make me shave before I even get a kiss hello. But that’s all right," he called over his shoulder. "Don’t mind me."

Faylinn waved absently at Will, her eyes never leaving Bridget. "Hi, Will."

The man just shook his head. Those two only had eyes for each other. When Katie caught sight of Will’s new beard she turned on her heels and stamped into the house. He let loose a string of curse words that made even Bridget blush.

"Are you hungry?" Faylinn asked, wrapping her arm around Bridget’s and guided her towards the stables.

"Starving." Bridget slowed her step so that her stride would match Faylinn’s. "We didn’t take time to hunt while we there, and I detest Katie’s jerky, which is more fat than meat."

"Eww. And to think that I was eating fresh venison that someone, who shall remain nameless, killed, dressed and left hanging in the kitchen before she left."

"Sounds like you’re a very lucky woman."

Faylinn stuck her nose in the air in a snooty gesture that unerringly drew both women’s mind back to the life they’d left behind in London. "I think so."

"Except for one thing."

"Which is?"

"You’re standing next to someone who smells worse than Will’s mules," Bridget replied flatly. "I need a bath before anything else. Though you’ve been nice enough not to comment so far, I know that I stink!"

Faylinn stopped and pressed herself up against Bridget. She made a show of sniffing the other woman’s neck and pressed the tip of her nose into the skin exposed by the V of her linen shirt. "You smell good to me," she growled, surprising herself with the sexy timbre of her own voice.

Bridget felt a bright flash of desire and swallowed hard. "I-um… You can kiss me there again," she squeaked as Faylinn’s lips grazed her pulse point.

"All right," Faylinn answered happily, dropping another tender kiss on the spot. "But let’s go inside first. I think Will is going to fall out of his cart if he leans over any further to watch us."

"Bloody pervert!" Bridget called out, drawing only a wave from an unrepentant Will. She chuckled, then drew a playful fingertip down Faylinn’s nose. It came back sweaty. Now that she bothered to look, the younger woman looked flushed. She pressed her palm against Faylinn’s forehead as she checked for fever, not that she would know anything but the most extreme of fevers if she felt it. She did feel warm and her hands and trousers were stained with dirt. She scowled and shot Faylinn a stern look. "You need a bath as badly as I do. You mustn’t overdo it, love. I’ve asked you countless times to–"

"Don’t you dare start that again. I was not overdoing, Bridget," Faylinn snapped crossly. "The garden won’t plant itself, you know. With Will gone, Katie needed my help."

Sensing Faylinn’s temper beginning to rear its ugly head, Bridget backed off. She wasn’t about to risk not getting a good night kiss from her beloved. "Fine." But her tone made it clear she still wasn’t happy.

Time to change the subject. She’s barely home and I don’t want to argue. "Was the spot for the cabin as you remembered it?" Bridget and Will had gone in search of a meadow at the end of valley near a small lake that Bridget had come across while exploring the mainland last summer. It was two days’ ride from the coast, beautiful, teaming with game and fish, and most importantly it was very private.

Several times over the winter, men from neighboring farms had shown up unannounced, needing something or other and sending Bridget into hiding. After a difficult conversation with Will, Katie, and Faylinn, they’d all decided that it was simply too dangerous to remain this close to town and Cobb Island. Katie forced Bridget to swear on her mother’s grave that they’d come to visit often and Bridget had easily made the solemn promise.

"The spot was just as I remembered it." Bridget smiled and draped her arm around Faylinn’s shoulders as they continued to walk. "I was sure of its location, but I needed Will’s help in digging the well since my arm hasn’t gained back all its strength. We won’t need to live in such isolation forever, Faylinn. Just until people forget about Cyril’s death, his sister the witch, and his wife’s disappearance." They could never return to England but just maybe…. "Perhaps if we can raise enough horses to book passage to Scotland in a year or two?"

Faylinn smiled wistfully, remembering her family’s beautiful ancestral home just outside Edinburgh. It was surrounded by fields of tall grass, and an enchanting forest lay just to the south. The estate held fond memories for her, despite the fact that, because she was born in London, even her own kin called her sassenach when riled. "Maybe someday, when the baby wants to see where his people come from."

"Someday she will like that," Bridget corrected with a chuckle. They entered the stables and her eyes automatically began scanning the stalls. "Apollo?"

"Out back with the mares. I think it was a very good thing that you decided not to take him this week. He’s gotten quite close with one of the mares, though he’s mounted them both. He’s– "

"Oooo, the randy slut!" Bridget’s face lit up. "Excellent."

Faylinn’s eyebrows lifted. "I can see I’ll need to guard your honor with a sword should any eligible bachelor come our way."

"Hardly," Bridget snorted. "My heart is quite spoken for."

A tiny smile curled Faylinn’s lips. "It is?"

"Of course! You know how I feel about Will," Bridget said with a straight face.

Faylinn bumped hips with her companion and ignored Bridget’s burst of raucous laughter. "Aren’t you clever?" But she was smiling herself.

Once inside their room, Bridget tossed the saddlebag on the straw-filled mattress with a great sigh of relief. A large, split barrel, whose sides had been lined with pitch and that served as a tub, was already sitting in front of the fireplace, three-quarters full of water.

Bridget groaned in rapture just looking at it. The lake she’d bathed in three days ago had been just this side of freezing. "I’ve died and gone to heaven, and we know that can’t be right."

Faylinn giggled. "You said you’d be back by this afternoon. The water will only be room temperature but–"

"It will be perfect," Bridget interrupted. She pulled Faylinn close again. "Just perfect. Thank you."

Faylinn’s eyes fluttered shut as she reveled in the comforting feel of Bridget’s warm embrace. She’d done a lot of thinking over the past week, and she’d made some frightening but necessary decisions that had her pulse racing. She was tired of being afraid, and determined to move forward in her relationship with her former sister-in-law.

Faylinn had craved Bridget’s touch since she’d first seen her on the dock at Cobb Island, atop a prancing Apollo and dressed all in buckskin. Since then her feelings had grown more and more intense and she’d found herself wanting… something. Something more. Though she wasn’t exactly sure what that could be.

They’d shared tender kisses and snuggled together nightly, but between Bridget’s injuries, the resulting infection, and the nausea that had accompanied the early months of her pregnancy, things hadn’t gone any farther. To make matters worse, since Bridget found out she was pregnant, the older woman treated her as if she was made of spun glass and would break under the slightest handling. If I have to continue to wait for you to start… whatever it is two women can start, I’ll go stark-raving mad! I’ve seen the way you look at me, Bridget. The way you react to my touch… my kiss. The way you watch me from the corner of your eye when you think I’m not looking. This, she decided, was something they both wanted. Now she just had to have the courage to make it happen.

"Why don’t we bath together?" Faylinn suggested innocently. She fixed her eyes on the laces of Bridget’s rough-spun shirt and gave them a gentle tug, holding her breath as she waited for an answer.

"Uh… Bu…" Bridget mumbled stupidly, clearly startled. "Together?" Since when do we bath together? By God, that would involve being naked with her. I might die just thinking about it.

"That way we won’t have to empty the water after you’re finished," Faylinn countered sensibly. You did say we both needed a bath, if I recall."

Bridget tried to keep her voice even. "All right." She looked at the barrel. "It will be a tight fit."

"I don’t mind being close to you."

Faylinn looked up into Bridget’s eyes and the darker woman knew that all was lost. She would do anything Faylinn asked. She couldn’t help herself. Bridget swallowed again, afraid that if she actually tried to speak she would ramble on like a dullard who’d never laid eyes on a pretty girl before, which was exactly how she felt at this very moment. Get hold of yourself. You’ve seen her undressed before. Mostly. "I don’t mind that either, Faylinn." She smiled affectionately. "Though if you’re going to join me, then perhaps I should heat the water."

Faylinn just shook her head. "I’ll warrant our joined body heat will warm the water up nicely. I’m not worried." She bent over and stuck her fingers into the tub, then brought her hand back to Bridget’s lips and painted them with the cool water. "It’s not that bad, is it?"

Bridget’s knees turned to jelly and she shook her head. "Not at all." Her voice cracked on the last word.

"It’s settled then." Faylinn moved to a small trunk at the foot of their bed, praying her legs didn’t appear as wobbly as they felt. Opening the trunk she removed a large bar of soap and a scrap of linen. She could hear Bridget undressing behind her and felt her pulse quicken, but decided not to turn around. Let her get into the tub. I don’t want her to think that I… Well, I do want her to think that…. Oh, God. I don’t know what I want her to think! She let out a frustrated breath and calmed her shaking hands.

"You were right," Bridget sighed as she lowered herself into the tub. She could just barely stretch out her long legs and she wiggled her toes in pleasure. Faylinn seemed to be taking her time at the trunk, so she dunked her head underwater and came up after several seconds, smoothing her hair back with both hands.

Faylinn took a deep breath and turned around just in time to see Bridget emerging from the water. "Oh, my." She nearly dropped the soap.

Bridget wiped the water from her eyes but didn’t open them. "Aren’t you coming in?" she murmured. "It’s divine."

Unabashed, Faylinn stared at Bridget’s wet, naked body. Firm breasts were half submerged in the cool water, and the room’s partially open shutters allowed in just enough sunlight to paint golden stripes across glistening skin. Divine is an understatement.

Transfixed, she crossed the few steps to the tub and moved behind Bridget, bending to dunk the linen into the water. She settled on her knees, idly musing that men’s trousers were more convenient for just about everything. Looking appreciatively at the expanse of naked skin before her, Faylinn soaped the wet cloth then gently rubbed it over broad shoulders, dipping down for more water and repeating the process tenderly. This intimate act had become routine between them and neither woman wanted to stop it, even when Bridget’s arm was healed enough so that she could easily take over the job.

Bridget forgot to censor herself and a deep, lusty moan escaped her throat as nerve-endings all over her body flared to life under Faylinn’s gentle touch.

The unexpected sound caused a flood of moisture between Faylinn’s thighs and she shifted uncomfortably, recognizing these first strains of arousal as the familiar signals her body sent her whenever they kissed. Losing herself in the moment, she groaned quietly in response, then blushed when she heard herself.

Bridget’s eyes popped open and she completely misinterpreted the sound. She realized the shorter woman’s hands had stilled and felt a pang of guilt over taking advantage of Faylinn’s kindness for her own pleasure. She reached up and grasped Faylinn’s hand. "Thank you, dearest. But my arm is healed now." She hesitated only briefly before forcing herself on. "I can do this from now on. You needn’t trouble yourself."

"Trouble?" Faylinn’s forehead creased. "But I like it."

"I like it too." More than you can imagine. "You’re not my slave. Come join me instead and have your own bath."

Faylinn frowned. She wasn’t nearly ready to be done touching Bridget. She leaned forward and placed her lips directly on a wet, pink ear and whispered, "Let me do your hair, Bridget. Please. I enjoy it so."

Bridget was glad she was already sitting down. The maelstrom of sensation caused by the warm breath in her ear was more than enough to set her blood aflame.

Faylinn didn’t wait for an answer; instead, she lathered her hands and sank them into Bridget’s hair, pressing firmly. Her ears were treated to the most delicious, subvocal sounds of pleasure from Bridget and she wasn’t sure which one of them was enjoying this more.

"Oh, Faylinn," Bridget sighed. "I’m leaving more often if this is how I’m treated when I return."

Faylinn laughed and tugged playfully on a strand of hair. "Don’t you dare. I missed you far too much for that. Besides," she reminded, "I always wash your hair. I love how it looks when you wear it down. It’s so… so…" she couldn’t think of a word to adequately describe the wild, free look it gave Bridget that was so different from the elaborate, uncomfortable style fashion dictated, so she gave up trying entirely. "Rinse."

Dutifully, Bridget dunked her head. When she came back up for the third time, Faylinn laid warm, lathered hands on her shoulders and set to work on several stubborn knots.

"I do love you," Bridget said blissfully, letting her eyes slide closed again, and floating in that magical place where she was both aroused and relaxed at the same time. She’d done as much digging as her arm would allow and now her body was paying the price.

"And I you," came the familiar reply. Faylinn concentrated on relaxing Bridget, not speaking again until she’d given sore muscles her full attention. "Bridget?"

"Hmm?"

Her voice was barely a whisper and she still spoke directly in Bridget’s ear. "Did you think of me while you were gone?"

"Uh huh." Bridget nodded, her mind drifting. "Constantly."

"Does constantly include at night?"

A puzzled scowl lazily chased across Bridget’s face. "Of course."

"Mmm." Faylinn worked her way lower, pressing her thumbs firmly into Bridget’s spine, and earning another languid groan. "That’s good. Because that’s especially when I thought of you."

Blue eyes blinked open and Bridget suddenly found herself very awake as welcome warning bells went off in her head. "Really?" she inquired gently.

"Oh, yes." It took all of Faylinn’s willpower not to kiss the throat that was so cruelly tempting her with its softness. Not yet. "Katie is a sweet woman, but she doesn’t come close to replacing you for companionship. Still, we did spend our days together, and that made them bearable. The nights were different. I was here all alone, with nothing more to do than think of you."

Bridget sat up a little more, leaning into Faylinn’s expert touch, and exposing her nipples to the air. Faylinn’s words and the drafty room caused them to grow painfully hard, and she felt her breathing quicken.

Gathering her courage, Faylinn ventured into uncharted territory, subtly shifting her massage to a lighter more sensual touch — a caress.

Bridget’s nostrils flared as fingertips floated down her arms and then back up. Yes, Faylinn. Do that.

"I missed your body lying next to mine. The feel of your hair," for emphasis Faylinn ran her fingers through the soft wet strands, "your skin." She ducked her head and dropped a featherlight kiss on Bridget’s shoulder, sighing softly at the taste and silken texture that made her want to devour this woman completely.

Bridget’s belly clenched and with dripping hands she reached up and grasped both sides of the tub. "Fay-Faylinn?"

The smaller woman didn’t feel like talking anymore. She swept a tangle of dark wet hair from Bridget’s shoulder and began feasting on her neck.

"God!" Bridget’s entire body jumped and her chest heaved, as Faylinn’s lips wreaked havoc on her senses. She had never been kissed like that before. Not with such devastating sensuality, love, and affection, all at the same time. Who was this woman who had replaced the shy, mostly innocent creature she lived with, and how long could she stay? "Are… I can’t believe I’m going to say this." Please don’t let me be wrong. She let her head fall back giving Faylinn more room to explore, which she did eagerly. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

Faylinn brought her lips back to Bridget’s ear, letting any remaining inhibitions fall by the wayside and doing what came naturally. "Yes." She let her hands glide down strong arms and into the water, only to bring them up in front of Bridget. Faylinn ran them up a lean stomach to cup Bridget’s breasts tenderly, feeling their weight lovingly as she firmly ran her thumbs over erect, sensitive nipples. "Mmm."

Bridget bit her lip in a vain attempt to keep from crying out as she arched towards Faylinn’s hands. But the erotic touch proved too powerful and she let out a tiny whimper, praying fervently that Faylinn’s newfound courage wouldn’t desert her now.

"Is this all right?" Faylinn asked softly, the brazen seductress suddenly replaced by the gentle young woman, who was still painfully unsure of herself in this arena.

"God, yes, Faylinn," Bridget breathed. Her hands moved to cover Faylinn’s hand on her breasts. "That feels wonderful. Don’t stop."

"I-I…" As though Faylinn suddenly realized exactly what she was doing, her eyes widened. She tried to pull her hands away, but Bridget held them firm.

"Stay, love. It’s all right."

Faylinn stopped trying to escape and felt tears sting her eyes. "I don’t know what to do," she whispered in anguish. "I only know that I want to touch you. I need to."

"Oh, Faylinn," Bridget’s heart went out to her companion and she cursed herself for leaving Faylinn to make the first move. She had meant to do it months ago. "You must know I want this too. I want you."

"Have you ever–?"

"Yes."

Faylinn’s head sagged with relief.

Bridget blinked. That wasn’t quite the reaction she had been expecting.

"Then you’ll show me?"

Bridget felt her heart start beating again. "Yes. I’ll show you." She turned around in the tub until she was facing Faylinn, then she tenderly cupped the younger woman’s cheeks. She graced her with a smile full of heartfelt compassion and undying love. "You can touch me anywhere you like. Anywhere," she purred, her lips forming a hopeful, sexy smile.

Faylinn’s eyes dropped but her mouth shaped a small grin. She felt herself begin to relax as she grew more and more confident that Bridget wanted this as badly as she did. And that she wouldn’t be left to fumble aimlessly in her ignorance. "Anywhere?"

"Absolutely anywhere," Bridget swore, lifting Faylinn’s chin and forcing eye contact.

"Now?" Faylinn whispered, her eyes conveying her need.

Bridget closed her eyes. She wanted to scream ‘hell yes!’ and simply ravish the pretty woman, but thoughts of her brother and his appalling actions held her back. Patience. "I pray so, dearheart."

Faylinn nodded, resolute. "Now."

Both women let out relieved breaths and leaned forward to share a deep, probing kiss that seemed to go on forever. When it ended, Bridget stood, sending a cascade of sudsy water down her body.

Faylinn’s dragged her gaze past well-shaped calves on her way up Bridget’s body, taking in every inch of the lanky woman with sensual delight. When she finally reached Bridget’s head she allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

The dark-haired woman looked down at the bath then back up at Faylinn. Raising her eyebrows in entreaty, she said, "Join me?"

Faylinn nodded shyly, already aroused beyond words. She lifted trembling hands to her shirt only to have them replaced by steady ones.

"Let me," Bridget said huskily. Skipping Faylinn’s shirt for now, she bent down and quickly removed her boots, stockings, and the pair of borrowed and patched men’s trousers. The younger woman’s shirttails hung to her knees and Bridget suppressed a smile at how cute she looked as she carefully guided Faylinn into the tepid water.

The cool liquid soothed Faylinn’s overheated skin, but any pretense of rational thought was whisked away when Bridget began to remove her shirt.

Bridget took her time, her knuckles gently brushing over the lush curve of Faylinn’s breasts and her fingertips moving purposely lower to stroke a round belly through the linen.

Suddenly the loose shirt seemed rough and hot against her skin and was too much for Faylinn to bear. "Hurry, Bridget!" she insisted, her voice hoarse with desire. "Please."

Bridget smiled and pushed the thin material from Faylinn’s shoulders. It pooled below her breasts, Bridget openly admired every inch of exposed skin in a way she hadn’t permitted herself before. Her eyes darkened at the arousing sight.

Faylinn held the material around her middle and looked up at Bridget nervously. "My stomach–"

"Is beautiful. Just as you are," Bridget assured her seriously. To prove her point, she dropped to her knees, sending a wave of water over the edge of the tub. Leaning forward, she lifted the tails of Faylinn’s shirt, kissing every new inch of exposed skin, humming with undisguised delight and desire as she went.

Faylinn felt as though she was on sensory overload as wet lips traveled up her thighs. Her breasts ached and her center throbbed in time with her heartbeat. This new, unknown level of arousal would have been frightening if it were not for the loving woman who had one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, grounding her.

By the time Bridget’s mouth reached the apex of Faylinn’s thighs the blonde woman was whimpering softly, sure that her legs wouldn’t hold her weight. She grasped Bridget’s shoulders for support, moaning when lips softer than any she’d ever known skimmed quickly over damp, blonde curls, to lay a series of sweet kisses on the underside of her belly.

Never stopping her kisses, Bridget swept the shirt down over the flare of Faylinn’s hips instead of lifting it over her hips, removing the garment completely.

With a tug of Faylinn’s hand, Bridget guided her into the water until she was straddling her. Their combined mass sent more water sloshing over the edge of the tub, though neither gave it a second thought.

Warm thighs slid around Bridget’s hips and she sighed at the contact, a wave of heated blood pooling in her belly. She picked up the linen rag from the edge of the tub and ran it over Faylinn’s face and neck and shoulders, enjoying returning the gentle attention she’d so lovingly received all these months. Finally, she dropped the cloth and repeated the gentle motion with her fingertips, causing Faylinn to gasp at the sensation.

"Don’t be afraid," Bridget whispered, leaning forward to kiss the tip of Faylinn’s nose, her cheeks, and finally her closed eyelids. "I would never hurt you." She dropped her hands to Faylinn’s waist, feeling the ribs expand and contract quickly at her touch.

"I know." Faylinn’s eyes opened slowly and she gasped at the look of breathless desire on Bridget’s face, knowing herself captured in the smoldering sea of vibrant blue. She loosely wrapped her arms around Bridget’s neck, bringing their bodies closer together, and feeling a tuft of dark, coarse hairs tickle her inner thighs and bottom as she moved.

They both smiled, feeling the importance of the moment but relaxing under each other’s loving gaze.

Bridget sank her fingers into Faylinn’s pale hair and drew their lips together, kissing her teasingly. She nipped first at her bottom lip, then her top, not stopping until Faylinn used the hands at the nape of Bridget’s neck to crush their mouths together in a passionate frenzy. Hot tongues collided, tasting and stroking, each woman’s urgent moans fueling the other’s actions.

Remembering the feeling of soft, firm breasts in her hands, Faylinn sought to repeat the experience. She reached between them and rubbed her palms over erect nipples.

Bridget hissed as though she’d been burned.

Overcome with curiosity Faylinn broke their torrid kiss and stared at the aroused flesh beneath her hand. Unconsciously, she licked her lips as a crazy thought entered her mind. She felt compelled to move forward, wanting to drop her lips…

"Do it," Bridget whispered hotly, Faylinn’s thoughts merging with her own.

Faylinn glanced up quickly, blushing despite her wanton position, and understanding at once that Bridget had read her mind. The Redding family’s abilities had been explained to her more than once over the past few months, and she’d accepted what it meant for her and for her unborn child with a measure of grace, courage, and inquisitiveness that stole Bridget’s heart all over again. Faylinn had never imagined, however, how such a skill might come in handy in situations like this, and she found herself wondering how long Bridget had known that she desperately wanted her as a lover. "Can I?" she questioned for the second time this afternoon, needing to be reassured.

Bridget nodded, her heavy-lidded heated gaze burning a hole through Faylinn. Her nostrils flared gently. "Do it before I do it to you."

Faylinn felt the words like fire racing over skin. She let out a primal growl and descended upon Bridget’s breasts, fondling with both hands and kissing them from the outside in. She thrilled at how Bridget writhed under her lips and tongue, and at the feeling of skin so silky it melted in her mouth. When she reached a dusky nipple there was no hesitation; she enveloped it in her hot mouth, rolling her tongue around it and purring against the exquisite flesh.

Bridget moaned loudly, her hips thrusting upward of their own volition as Faylinn continued to suckle her. The younger woman’s teeth grazed the sensitive tip and she cried out again, wondering if she might come from this alone. When she could take no more, she put her hands on both sides of Faylinn’s face and brought their mouths together for another incendiary kiss.

The last remaining vestiges of their inhibitions were washed away when Faylinn’s thoughts made themselves clear in Bridget’s mind once again. They mirrored her own needs and there was never a question that Bridget would do everything within her power to fulfil her lover’s deepest desires. Wasting no more time, she leaned forward taking Faylinn with her. "God, I want to make you explode," Bridget murmured.

The words barely penetrated the hedonistic haze that Faylinn was drowning in but insistent hands broke her suction on Bridget’s nipples. Her face was flushed and she shook her head in frustration. Can women…? I don’t…. "I-I don’t understand."

"You will," Bridget vowed, leaning forward and kissing the valley between Faylinn’s breasts. Her other hand snaked down between their bodies and began stroking the silky skin of Faylinn’s inner thigh.

Faylinn screwed her eyes tightly shut and braced herself by grabbing the side of the tub. A pressure was building deep within her so fast and strong she didn’t know what else to do. "Oh, God."

Bridget turned her head and brushed her cheek against Faylinn’s hypersensitive nipple before taking it into her mouth. She groaned against the luscious flesh, sucking greedily.

"Jesus!" Faylinn nearly spasmed out of the tub, but a long arm held her securely in place.

"Let me touch you," Bridget drew her fingertip over Faylinn’s swollen lower lips, "here."

Faylinn swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes! Please," she begged shamelessly, her heart threatening to beat out of control.

Bridget stroked her relentlessly, feeling Faylinn’s body begin to quake. The motion of her fingers never wavered as she kissed her way up from heavy breasts. She took her time when she reached Faylinn’s slender neck, dipping her tongue in the hollow of her throat and kissing her pulse point gently, feeling the pounding of the younger woman’s heart and the rushing of her blood against her lips. By the time her lips found a delicate ear, Faylinn’s arms were shaking and their bodies were slick with sweat.

Breathing heavily, Bridget pressed her lips to Faylinn’s ear and said the words she knew her lover needed to hear. "I love you. And it’s all right, dearest."

Faylinn whimpered and let her forehead drop Bridget’s shoulder as her hips took on a life of their own, moving against Bridget’s hand.

"I’ve got you," Bridget promised. "Relax and let it happen."

Faylinn shook her head wildly. "I-I don’t–"

"You do," she assured her, dropping a heated kiss on the delicate skin below Faylinn’s ear. "Let me love you," she whispered. "Let me have all of you." Bridget moved her fingers slightly and began a massage of Faylinn’s most sensitive spot.

Lips parted, Faylinn’s eyes flew open and her entire body stilled, her white-knuckled grip causing the wooden slats in the tub to creak in protest. The pressure from within her built to breaking point and beyond until, in one furious instant, the dam was shattered and her body began to quake. Her eyes clamped shut and she threw her head back, screaming as a powerful orgasm swept through her, threatening to tear her in two. She convulsed again and again, groaning loudly and sending more water cascading to the floor.

Faylinn’s heart began to calm and she fell bonelessly against Bridget, still panting.

Bridget wrapped her in a tight embrace, thrilled to the core by her lover’s response. She pushed pale, damp hair from Faylinn’s eyes and kissed her forehead, quietly murmuring words of heartfelt devotion and love.

"Oh, my God," Faylinn whispered when enough blood had finally made it to her brain so that she could actually think. "We could have been doing that every night and you’ve allowed me to get by with only a kiss goodnight? What is wrong with you, Bridget Redding?"

Bridget let loose a rarely heard, full-fledged laugh. "I love you madly, Faylinn."

Faylinn found the strength to lift her head and look at Bridget. She quirked an eyebrow then she kissed her soundly. "I love you too."

"Faylinn?"

"Mmm?"

"You… um… Well, you still want me to show you some things, don’t you? Now, remember?"

Faylinn smiled at the hint of desperation that colored Bridget’s words, well imagining the state she was in. She brought both her hands to her lover’s flushed face and stroked her cheeks tenderly, giving her a dazzling smile that managed to show every ounce of the love she held in her heart. "Yes, Bridget. Now."

Kayla and Liv blinked dazedly as Badger stopped talking, turned over his pipe, and tapped out the few shards of remaining tobacco.

Liv closed her sagging jaw and shook her head as she gave her horse a quick kick, sending him galloping away from the old man and Kayla.

"What in the–?" Kayla turned in the saddle and watched Liv’s flight across the grassy meadow.

"Better go after her, lass. I’ve got to get some water anyway." Badger lifted an old-fashioned leather bladder whose handle was made from woven strips of leather and dyed in the same colors as his kilt. He held it up and sucked down the last few sips of water, wiping a few errant drops from his beard. "My throat couldn’t be drier."

"Wouldn’t a regular canteen be easier?"

Their eyes locked and a wordless understanding passed between them. Badger bowed his head slightly then winked. "Now you ken as well as I do, Kayla Redding, one of those shiny metal canteens, or worse yet, an awful plastic one, would ruin my lovely costume. What would the tourists think?" He reached down and absently stroked his mare’s snowy mane. "Go on now. Find out what sent your lady tearing out of here like the Devil was on her heels. Or maybe you’re just trying to stay around long enough to watch me climb down off this horse?"

Kayla paled. "No!"

"Your loss, lass." Badger grinned roguishly. "There’s a clean stream at the bottom of the brae, just on the other side of the tree line. I’ll see you there in a few moments." He reached back and patted his horse’s rump, sending her cantering towards the trees.

Kayla rode over to Liv, who was talking to herself. Loudly. "What’s up?"

Liv looked at Kayla as if the answer was obvious. "I can’t believe it!"

Kayla waited for Liv to continue but the older woman simply crossed her arms over her chest. Kayla sighed. "Believe what, Liv?"

"Badger and that freakin’ story! I was… you know." She emphasized the last word.

Kayla wriggled her eyebrows. "Well, you did ask. But even if their story is family lore, I have a hard time believing that they would ever tell anyone something so person–"

"That’s not the point," Liv snapped.

"Are you expecting me to read your mind here?" Kayla put her hands on her hips, her patience slipping away quickly. "Because if you just tell me what has your panties in such a wad it would really make things easier."

"The point is, I was riding along, listening to a man old enough to be my grandfather, and who looks like Santa, talk about two dead chicks getting it on, and I was getting hot! I’m worse than Dougie, who is a walking breathing hormone. I’m sick," she exclaimed, thoroughly appalled.

Kayla bit her bottom lip.

"Don’t you dare laugh, Kayla." Liv narrowed her eyes. "It’s not funny. It’s… it’s yucky! I just ran the speeding chariot to Hell right off the road so I could get there first. And now Christmas is ruined too!"

Kayla couldn’t take it anymore and dissolved into laughter. "Why did you ask then? It’s not like he offered to tell you out of the blue, you know."

Ignoring what she considered a rhetorical question, Liv shot Kayla a disgusted look then noticed for the first time that they were alone. She glanced around. "Where’s Badger?"

"He went to get some water from a stream over there." Kayla pointed to the spot in the heavy tree line where the sturdy man had disappeared.

"Why didn’t you say so?" With a tug of the reins, Liv turned her horse around. "You know sex makes me thirsty." She guided her horse closer to Kayla, until their thighs were touching but they were facing in opposite directions.

Kayla’s eyebrows shot skyward. "But we didn’t have sex."

"That’s only because Badger is waving at us." Liv smiled at the man, who was sitting on his horse at the edge of the woods, patiently waiting. She waved back, then reached out with one hand and grabbed the front of Kayla’s sweater, pulling them nose-to-nose. "We don’t want to disappoint him, Kayla. He’s used to catching us kissing. Plus," she shrugged one shoulder, "I’m horny anyway." She tugged hard on the sweater in her hand, stifling a surprised gasp, then a languid moan, with a deep, passionate kiss.

***

At Badger’s urging, they all continued their rides, but in the woods. It was warmer and darker there, sheltered from the gusty afternoon breeze and protected from the bright sun, which was now mostly hidden behind gray clouds. The earthy smell of wet leaves and rich soil wafted up from their horses’ hooves as they slowly navigated the large tree trunks and the jagged rocks that peeked up from the lush forest floor.

"There’s someplace I want to show you, lasses. But first I believe there was one last auld tale I promised to tell."

Kayla and Liv listened carefully as a strong, clear voice floated over them, taking them back in time….

"How are you feeling?" Bridget dropped down onto the ground next to Faylinn and draped her arm over the smaller woman’s shoulders. "Tired?" she asked sympathetically.

Faylinn let out an exhausted breath and looked up into the clear spring sky, wiping a trickle of sweat from her brow. "How much farther, Bridget?"

"Not far, love. A few more hours at the most."

"Thank God," Faylinn sighed. "Wait." She pinned Bridget with a withering glare. "Didn’t you say that a few hours ago?"

"Yes. But this time it’s really true."

They’d been riding for two and half days, on their way to the partially completed cabin Will and Bridget had been working on since March. The week before, Katie Beynon had walked in on the women unannounced, and the passionate kiss she’d witnessed could not be explained away. Days of confusion, arguments, frustration and tears had led to the result that Will had foretold months earlier. Katie had searched her soul and with watery eyes came to the only conclusion she could live with. A physical relationship between Bridget and Faylinn was an affront to God, a sin that was to be repented for, not accepted. Even Will couldn’t convince his wife to the contrary, though to his credit, he argued diligently on his friends’ behalf.

Katie had offered to allow Faylinn to stay on alone so she could help with the birthing of her baby, but the blonde woman had refused without thought. Nothing in this life would separate her from Bridget. Not again. And so it was time to leave the coast, and the tiny haven they’d known since the fall.

"Can you ride some more? It will only make the trip faster." They’d already added a day and a half to the trip, mainly because Faylinn had to stop and use the bushes every hour or so.

"If I must," Faylinn growled.

Bridget’s eyebrows disappeared behind windblown bangs, her eyes going round. Uh oh.

"Please, Bridget, not that wounded look. I can’t take that." She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. "I have a headache and my back has been killing me all day. I know I’m tired and grumpy."

Bridget’s face took on a shocked expression. "You?"

Faylinn’s eyes popped open and she sneered. "Yes me. I know it’s hard to believe." She let out an aggrieved sigh. "I’m sorry."

"I know. I’m sorr–" Bridget’s words were cut off by an impudent hand.

"Don’t say it," Faylinn warned her dangerously. "Don’t say you’re sorry. Not one bit of this is your fault and if I have to say that ever again as long as I live, I’ll scream. Besides," she managed a small smile, "except for feeling as if I swallowed an elephant, I’m truly happy." There was no comparing the love she shared with Bridget with her marriage to Cyril. So she didn’t try to. "Even if I am acting like an ornery shrew."

Bridget saw Faylinn struggling to get up and jumped to her feet to lend a hand. "You’re not acting like anything of the sort," she lied kindly.

Faylinn stood up straight and awkwardly reached behind her to brush off her trousers. Even Will’s pants were now too small, and these were a pair Katie had made by cutting apart a pair of Will’s old trousers and adding the material to the ones she’d already been wearing.

"Even if you were a shrew, I’d still have to say you were a cute one."

Tenderly, Faylinn reached up and gently traced the scar that ran from Bridget’s eye down to her jaw. The thin, jagged line was the only visible reminder of her love’s ordeal on Cobb Island. "You are a sweet woman, Bridget Redding. I selfishly thank God every day that you spurned the attention of Court’s eligible bachelors and that you came into my life. I love you."

That earned Faylinn a sunny grin that caused her heart to skip a beat. "Well," Bridget cleared her throat, a little taken aback by Faylinn’s heartfelt declaration. "I love you too. Now that’s all settled," she teased, "are you ready to go? We’re nearly there, I swear it."

Faylinn nodded, and the women spent the next five minutes settling her on the back of her gentle butter-colored mare, who was aptly named Jezebel. They’d left the second mare, who was pregnant, at the Beynon’s homestead as a small token of gratitude for the kindness they’d been shown. Even now, Bridget and Faylinn harbored hopes that in time Katie would change her mind and that someday they would be able to resume their friendship.

Will had seen them off and whispered into Bridget’s ear as he gave her a parting hug that she should have in faith in the future. Faith that some day Katie would come around. Faith in them. And so she did.

They rode in companionable silence for the next three hours until the sun hung low in the sky, a wash of crimson, gold and light purple. Faylinn turned her head to see an enormous smile on Bridget’s face. "What is it?"

"You’ll see."

Their horses climbed the last few steps to the top of a small hill and stopped.

Faylinn could only stare in awe as Bridget watched her nervously. "By God," she whispered.

"Well?" the dark-haired woman finally prompted.

Faylinn shook her head a little. "It’s-it’s incredible."

Bridget let out a relieved breath. Thank you. "I hoped you’d like it. C’mon." She slid off Apollo’s back and yanked off the rough wool blanket she’d been sitting on. They only had one saddle and Faylinn was using it. She gave him a loving smack on the shoulders. "Go on, boy. Run around and get used your new home."

Not one to give up a chance to run unhindered, Apollo raced across the meadow, kicking up his heels wildly and swaying his head in delight. Bridget smiled at the beautiful beast. She turned to Faylinn’s horse and lifted a dark eyebrow at her. "See how magnificent he is? Why aren’t you pregnant yet?"

"Because she’s smart!" Faylinn laughed. She bent down and petted her mount approvingly. "She’s been carrying me and our saddle bags these past few days. She knows what extra weight really means. In fact…" With great effort, Faylinn threw one leg over the saddle.

"But–"

"She must be tired, Bridget. Let her play with Apollo for a while." Faylinn fell into Bridget’s arms as the tall woman tried to help her down. "Uff!" She pushed a hand against her lower back and groaned at a spasm of pain. "One cannot go from no riding at all to days in the saddle without paying a horrible price."

Bridget chuckled, knowing all too well what Faylinn meant.

Verdant eyes flicked to the partially completed cabin in the distance. It sat on a clearing’s edge, under a large, shady tree. Too far? Nah. "I can walk the rest of the way. I’ve been sitting far too long anyway and it’ll do me good," she pronounced, unwilling to hear any protests.

Faylinn drew in a deep breath of fresh air and nodded approvingly. She would, she admitted privately, miss the salty smell of the sea, but the scent of fresh blossoms, sweet grass and the tiny lake she could barely see in the distance more than made up for it. Not that any of that really mattered in the end. She turned her head and watched Bridget fondly, as the older woman stripped off Jezebel’s saddle, blanket, tack and heavy saddlebags. She set them on the carpet of soft grass at her feet.

The mare whinnied in appreciation then darted towards Apollo. When she reached the young stallion her gait changed and she strutted past him proudly, earning his full attention. Then she bolted across the field in a full gallop with the steed hot on her heels.

"Hussy!" Faylinn called as she felt Bridget’s warm fingers wrap around hers.

"C’mon. Let me show you the cabin. The inside and outside are finished. Only the roof remains to be done. I’m not sure what we’ll do for furniture."

"Are you as good a carpenter as I am?"

"Every bit," Bridget replied wryly.

"Uh oh." Faylinn covered her face with her hands and mumbled as she shook her head. "We’re in deep trouble."

"But at least you won’t be sleeping on the ground tonight. The last time Will and I were here we did some trapping, and I’ve some beautiful furs stored inside to keep you nice and warm." Bridget shortened her step to accommodate her lover’s humorous waddle.

Faylinn stopped walking and stretched her back. "Soft furs sound wonderful. I–" Her eyes went round as twin moons then her face twisted in disgust.

"What?" Bridget searched Faylinn’s eyes nervously and clutched her shoulders.

"Ewwww! Ewwww! Ewwww! It was more disgusting than I remembered!" she complained loudly. Her fists clenched and unclenched rhythmically.

"What?" Bridget was at a loss until her gaze tracked Faylinn’s. "You wet yourself?" Her voice conveyed her surprise and her brows drew together in puzzlement. "You’ve gone to the bushes every ten minutes. How is that even possible? Even with as much as you drink, you should be empty."

Faylinn rolled her eyes and squirmed wildly at the nasty feeling of drenched legs and boots full of warm, sticky liquid. "By God, have you lost your mind? I didn’t wet my pants!"

Bridget snorted rudely. "You don’t have to be embarrassed but it’s clear–" Her jaw dropped and the blood drained from her face. "You’re having the baby? Now?"

"Not at this very moment," Faylinn assured her, but she could see by the look on Bridget’s face that her words weren’t registering.

"Your water broke," Bridget told her needlessly.

"Really? And to think I thought I’d merely wet myself like a one-year-old."

"This is no time for jokes!" Bridget spun in a circle and with outstretched arms indicated her surroundings. "You’re having it here? In the middle of a field?" With no physician or mid-wife. No one to help. No medicines. Nothing!

"How thoughtless of me," Faylinn deadpanned, an eyebrow lifting sassily.

"Faylinn," Bridget warned in a deep voice. "I’m serious."

"So am I, honey."

"But it’s not time! Katie said we have at least two weeks, maybe three"

Faylinn rolled her eyes again. "Katie is not the one having… Ooooo," she hissed as a contraction rolled through her.

Bridget’s hands shot out to steady her. "Are you all right?" She pushed down her impending panic. Judith and Elizabeth’s mother died in childbirth. And her screams… God. She swallowed back the taste of bile, her body trembling.

"Bridget? Sweetheart?"

Faylinn’s low, concerned voice and a warm palm cupping her cheeks cut through her mounting dread.

"Yes?" Bridget replied quickly. "We’ve got to get you to the cabin. We–"

"We do need that. But I need you to be with me, not passed out." Faylinn grabbed Bridget’s hands and gripped them tightly. "Breathe," she reminded her. "Now, Henry was born fairly quickly. Or so that hag mid-wife kept telling me," she remembered wryly. "But it still took hours." She was about to tell Bridget to ‘relax’ when another contraction tightened her belly, causing her eyes to widen in surprise then pain. "Yeow!"

"Oh, God. Oh, God." Bridget’s eyes darted around wildly, looking for the horses. The cabin was at the opposite end of the long, sloping clearing and she decided instantly that it was too far for Faylinn to walk. "Let me fetch a horse."

Faylinn nodded and awkwardly sat down. "You’d better make it Apollo. Jezebel will follow him anywhere but doesn’t listen well on her own yet."

"Apollo!" Bridget gave a sharp whistle and across the field the steed’s snowy white head popped up. She turned back to Faylinn, expecting her horse to join her at her side. A few moments passed, while she continually asked how Faylinn was and her friend continually assured her she was fine, before Bridget impatiently glanced over to find Apollo. When she spied her horse her eyes narrowed to slits.

The smitten steed was still at the opposite end of the clearing, rubbing his nose against Jezebel’s shoulder, his mistress’ command completely forgotten.

"Dammit, Apollo." She whistled again and once again his head popped up and he slowly turned to find Bridget. "Get over here and leave that mare alone!" she called angrily.

"Ohhh." Faylinn’s eyes clamped shut and she hissed loudly as another contraction with even more force worked its way through her, the pain beginning in her lower back and settling tightly in her lower belly. "Damn." Her hands automatically went to her back and she realized with a start that what she had thought were aches and pains caused by riding for days were actually labor pains. And she’d been having those for hours. "Bridget?" She glanced up at her warily. "I think perhaps we should hurry."

Bridget paled and stood stock-still, staring at Faylinn.

Faylinn shook her head, suddenly glad that Cyril had gone to a local pub with his business partners and gotten drunk while she was in labor with Henry. He would have undoubtedly annoyed her even more than Bridget was right now, and she considered killing her just because she could. She started to get up.

"Wh–what are you doing?" Bridget screeched, easing Faylinn back onto the grass.

"What does it look like? I don’t want to have this child in the middle of a field, Bridget, I’m going to the cabin."

"You can’t walk that far." Bridget’s face suddenly reddened. "And I don’t think I can carry you with my arm. Let me get Apollo."

"I can–"

"No."

Faylinn sighed. Be patient. Bridget’s only trying to help. She’s just afraid. The blonde woman was well aware of how dangerous childbirth was and she felt a pang deep in her chest at the possibility of leaving Bridget and the life they’d barely started together. I won’t.

The muscles in Faylinn’s abdomen tensed to what felt like breaking point and she moaned long and hard. "Ugh!" When the contraction was over she was seeing tiny stars and she reminded herself to breathe or she’d be the one passing out.

The two horses were speeding through the grass, playing and stamping their hooves. Knowing she’d never catch him if he didn’t want to be caught, Bridget didn’t bother trying to chase him down. She took several long strides away from Faylinn, then stopped and roared at the top of her lungs, "Apollo, get over here now! Or I will run you through and turn you into a saddle for that slut Jezebel!"

Faylinn stifled a slightly hysterical giggle with the back of her hand.

Bridget whirled around and narrowed her eyes at the now openly laughing Faylinn. "You are not helping! He was trained by my own hand and has never done this before," she insisted indignantly.

"I think at the moment Jezebel can offer him something you can’t, Bridget."

Bridget turned back around. Her voice was every bit as loud as before, but this time it held a note of menace that made even Faylinn blink. "Don’t make me call you again, horse!"

Hearing the unmistakable threat in his mistress’ voice, Apollo regretfully moved away from Jezebel and began trotting over.

"About time," Bridget mumbled as she bent to retrieve the saddle. Long fingers and strong hands got a good grip on the well cared for leather and she hefted it up, deciding it would be a good idea to give Faylinn something to hold onto as she led the horse to the cabin. Or maybe they’d go bareback. It would be quicker. She was spared the burden of deciding when Apollo galloped right by her at full speed, following Jezebel, who had decided she wasn’t done with her play.

Violently Bridget threw down the heavy saddle and it made a loud thumping sound at her feet. "I’m going to kill you, horse!" She took off running after them, leaving Faylinn to stare in wonder at her lover, who had clearly snapped.

Faylinn leaned forward onto all fours then pushed herself to her feet, determined not to have the child right here in the grass when the cabin was close enough that she could see it. Her legs felt a little wobbly and when she straightened she could feel that the baby had dropped, its weight pressing down between her legs.

The horses darted sideways and thundered past Faylinn at a dead run.

Bridget, who had nearly caught up to them, wasn’t quite as adept at changing directions while running at full speed, and her feet flew out from under her. But that was all Faylinn saw as her eyes clamped shut with the force of her next contraction. They were coming quicker now and her breathing was growing faster as she had less and less time to recover between pains. When she opened her eyes again, Bridget was at her side, covered in dirt, and grass staining half her body. "Are you all right?" Faylinn reached out and plucked a twig off Bridget’s shirt.

"Never mind about me," came the terse answer.

Bridget’s breathing was rough and Faylinn caught a whiff of skin, rich soil, and perspiration and for a long moment she drank it in with idle pleasure, forgetting about the pain.

"Faylinn?" Bridget’s eyes flicked to her partner’s bulging belly. "The baby?"

"We’re fine." Faylinn’s eyes tracked Bridget’s and she grabbed Bridget’s hand and pressed it to her own stomach. "It’s getting close." Her body instinctively bent over as another contraction tore through her making her knees shake. "Arhh… hurts."

Bridget let out a surprised breath at the feeling of Faylinn’s stomach growing as tight as a drum under her palm. "Hang on, love." She felt useless and scared and wanted to kill her horse and…

Faylinn released a shaky breath as the contraction came to an end and the long arm that had wrapped around her to help her maintain her balance gave her a gentle squeeze. "God," she hissed, sweat dripping down her throat and disappearing behind her shirt. That hurts!

Bridget heard the words in her own head. "I know," she soothed, pulling Faylinn close and saying a little prayer as she tried to calm her racing mind. She has to be fine. She just has to. She deserves nothing less and I can’t… I won’t live without her.

Apollo came within twenty yards of the women before Jezebel stepped in front of him. They both stood motionless for several seconds before the white horse trotted up to his companion and rubbed his nose against her rear flanks. Jezebel moved forward a step or two and Apollo, like a lamb led to slaughter, was helpless to do anything but follow. He began sniffing her again, this time managing to do a much more thorough job.

"Uh oh." Faylinn recognized the foreplay instantly. "Bridget I think we can forget the horses for a–

"Bloody hell! Not now!" Bridget’s shocked and disgusted voice rang out so loudly it stopped the noisy chatter of nearby birds and buzzing of countless insects, bringing a blanket of utter silence over the clearing. All except for the grunting and snorting coming from the horses.

"Ewww." Faylinn turned away from the scene, the absurdity of this entire situation causing her to burst into unrestrained laughter. "It’s not as though you can compete with that for his attentions, love."

"I don’t believe this," Bridget ranted. Part of her wanted to go over and pull Apollo from Jezebel, another bigger part of her knew that now would be a dangerous time to interrupt them. Her eyes dropped back to Faylinn and she was unable to stop her smile. The younger woman was nearly hysterical with laughter.

Faylinn’s laughter stopped as another contraction hit and she tried to focus on Bridget’s voice as she rode out the pain in the safety of her arms.

"At least Apollo chose well for his final activity before I kill him," Bridget said quietly into Faylinn’s hair, feeling the smaller woman’s body tense against hers.

Faylinn groaned as she was torn between laughing and crying out. "Do-don’t make me laugh now," she said through gritted teeth.

"I’m sorry, love." But Bridget wasn’t in the least.

When the contraction finally passed, Faylinn looked up to see Apollo sliding off Jezebel’s back and stumbling away drunkenly. "God!"

Startled, Bridget jumped. "What? What is it?" Her eyes ran over every inch of Faylinn, searching desperately to see what was wrong.

"Already? I’m so glad I’m not a horse."

Bridget let out an unsteady breath, feeling lightheaded. "You are going to kill me, Faylinn Cobb. I swear you are." But now it was Bridget that couldn’t help but laugh at her lover’s exclamation. "C’mon, let me be your horse."

Faylinn put her hands on her hips. "What?" You’d better not be suggesting what I think you are, Bridget Redding!

Bridget rolled her eyes. "Climb on my back, love." Her gaze shifted upwards. The sun had fully set, its last golden rays streaking across the horizon. "It’ll be harder for me to see where I’m going in the dark."

"I– Owww!" Another pain gripped her. "I don’t know if I can."

Bridget nodded, and when Faylinn’s wild panting began to subside she kneeled down in front of her. "Here. Just lean across me…. that’s it." She tightly grasped Faylinn’s wrists, and stood slowly with the pregnant woman draped over her back. "Good Lord," she grunted under the shorter woman’s weight as she began to walk. "Ouch!" Faylinn’s knee somehow ‘bumped’ her kidney.

"Don’t make me kill you now, Bridget. I was just starting to think you might live through this."

Bridget didn’t answer, instead she concentrated on taking slow steady steps and avoiding any potholes in the waning light. The sounds of the field seemed to intensify as she walked, Faylinn’s heavy breathing blending with the chirping crickets and the thumping her own labored footsteps.

Faylinn laid her face against dark hair and tried her best to wrap her legs around Bridget’s waist to make it easier. She could feel another contraction coming and tried to hang on through it, but it was too strong. "Stop, Bridget," she gasped. "Stop!"

Bridget immediately dropped to her knees, wincing as they hit the ground.

Faylinn pushed off her back and doubled over, almost managing to stifle a cry of pain as another contraction seized her, making her feel as though her body was being torn in two. Her face was flushed and her skin was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Bridget laid a comforting hand on her back and the blonde woman reached for it blindly, threading their fingers together and gripping it tightly as the pain swept over her. She could feel herself opening up and the pressure mounting between her legs.

They repeated this procedure again and again until it was fully dark and Bridget stumbled the last few steps to the sturdy-looking cabin. Its two rooms, a bedroom and slightly larger common room, shared a stone fireplace. The only thing not completed was the roof, which consisted of a crisscross of wooden rafters. With an enormous breath, Bridget lowered herself to the ground. Both women rolled on to their backs panting, but for different reasons. The dark-haired woman caught her breath long before Faylinn did and stumbled tiredly to her feet. "I’ll go back for our gear."

"No!" Faylinn shook her head wildly, feeling a sudden surge of panic. "Don’t leave me." She could hear Bridget swallow loudly and felt herself being pulled to her feet. This time she was cradled in Bridget’s warm arms like a baby and carried into the cabin. It was empty except for a large bird’s nest sitting in the middle of the floor and a partially constructed door for the bedroom that had been left leaning against the common room wall.

Bridget’s boots sounded loud against the wooden slats and she tightened her arms around Faylinn when another contraction racked her small form. "Here we are. Welcome home," she joked faintly, worry coloring her words. She shifted Faylinn until her feet hit the ground. "Wait here."

Faylinn wrapped her arms around herself. It had gotten cooler with the disappearance of the sun and goosebumps broke out all over her body even though she was sweating. She closed her eyes and rocked back and forth, hearing Bridget stalk across the room followed by the rustling of cloth. Then a hand was grasping hers and leading her over to a pile of soft furs that had been spread out on the floor.

"I need to get these trousers off!" Her voice held a note of rising panic. "The baby– Oh, God!" She clutched her stomach.

"I know. I know. I’m trying." Frantic hands pulled off Faylinn’s boots and stockings. Bridget tossed them aside and set to work peeling off her wet trousers, trying her best not to think about why they were wet so she wouldn’t be sick on their bedroom floor. "Okay, there," Bridget mumbled to herself, but Faylinn was already sinking into the furs.

Faylinn was panting and Bridget pushed sweaty bangs from her forehead. "I’m thirsty," she said softly and the older woman cursed herself for not thinking to bring the water bladder.

Bridget stroked Faylinn’s eyebrows tenderly. "Let me go get it. I can run and will only be gone a minute. All right?"

Faylinn’s face was still for a moment as she considered telling Bridget not to go, but her dry throat got the best of her and she gave her a short nod. "Hurry."

"I’ll be right back," Bridget whispered, fervently. "I swear."

"I know–" Bridget surprised her by kissing her firmly on the mouth before bolting from the bedroom.

Outside the cabin stood Jezebel and Apollo, contentedly chewing at the thick carpet of early summer grass. "There you are, my soon-to-be-dead horse!" Bridget grabbed Apollo’s mane roughly and pulled herself up onto his back. A swift kick sent him galloping up the hill towards the saddlebags. "Faster," she urged him and the horse responded instantly, his powerful legs touching the ground so briefly that for a moment Bridget felt as though she was flying.

Panting, Faylinn tried to relax as the pain of another contraction subsided. She tilted her head back and looked up between the rafters into a blanket of twinkling stars. A tiny white light shot across the sky leaving a trail behind it that sparkled like diamonds for just an instant before it was gone. She closed her eyes in wonderment, a smile tugging at her lips as she made a wish. The confusion and near desperation she’d felt during Bridget’s long walk to the cabin began to ease and she found herself better able to focus. "You’ve done this before, Faylinn. You can do it again," she told herself.

Knowing it was nearly time, she spread and hitched up pale legs, the soft fur tickling the bottoms of her bare feet. The urge to push was growing stronger and just as she felt another contraction, Bridget burst into the room and set the saddle bags behind her back, giving her something to lean against.

Blue eyes gone silver in the moonlight dropped to the spot between Faylinn’s legs. She let out an explosive breath. I’m not too late. Thank God. "Are you doing all right?" Bridget brought the water bladder to Faylinn’s parched lips and the younger woman sucked greedily, having to stop when another contraction assaulted her.

"Oh," Faylinn murmured in pure relief when the contraction ended. "I am now." She took another drink, then passed the bladder back to Bridget. "I missed you."

Bridget drank deeply then set the bladder down within reach before scooting next to Faylinn on the edge of the pile of furs. Then she reached back into their bags and pulled out a candle and flints. After a few tries the candle lit and she placed it just out of Faylinn’s reach so she wouldn’t accidentally burn herself. It cast the room in long shadows and illuminated Faylinn’s tired face. "I missed you too." When she looked back at Faylinn their eyes met and the exchange of emotion was palpable. They each held the other’s gaze and traded nervous but loving smiles.

"You look worse than I do," Faylinn said softly, her palm cupping Bridget’s dirty cheek.

Bridget leaned into the touch and laughed quietly, knowing she was drenched in sweat and filthy from chasing Apollo. "Then I’m in luck. Because you look beautiful," she answered sincerely, running her fingers through Faylinn’s damp hair.

Pale brows creased for just a second, then Faylinn brought Bridget’s hand to her lips and kissed it softly. Her eyes never left Bridget’s and her voice was the barest of whispers. "Tha mise Faylinn a-nis 'gad ghabhail-sa Bridget gu bhith 'nam chéile phòsda." Faylinn’s grandfather had taught her the language of her people as a child and she smiled at the bewildered look on Bridget’s face.

Bridget shook her head. "I-I don’t know more than a few words of Gaelic, Faylinn."

"Shh…" Faylinn kissed her hand again. "I know." Then she softly repeated the words in English. "I, Faylinn, take you, Bridget, to be my wife." Bridget’s eyes went wide as saucers but before she could say a word Faylinn explained, "I won’t have this baby born a bastard, Bridget."

Bridget opened her mouth a second time, but again Faylinn beat her to the punch. "I know technically that wouldn’t be true. But you’ll help me raise this child, not Cyril." Heart thumping, she searched Bridget’s eyes. "It’s your words I want to hear. I know it won’t be legal and is probably a sacrilege unto itself. But I want it anyway. I want you." Please.

Bridget swallowed past the lump in her throat and her eyes grew moist. "I want you too," she said hoarsely. "You know that."

Faylinn nodded, feeling the ragged edges of another contraction, and she spoke quickly but with such astounding conviction that Bridget held her breath as she listened. "Cho fad's a bhios an dìthis againn beò." She repeated it in English. "For as long as we both shall live."

Bridget wasn’t sure she could speak, so she nodded.

"I wo-won’t say ‘gus an dèan Dia leis a' bhàs ar dealachadh’, Bridget." She closed her eyes as the contraction hit her full force. "Because I won’t agree to be separated from you, even in death." She whipped her head back and her hands shaped white-knuckled fists. "I need to push!"

Bridget’s mind was awhirl, but she positioned herself between Faylinn’s legs, seeing the crown of the baby’s head through a thin layer of mucus. "The baby’s coming!"

"You’re telling me this?" Faylinn shouted angrily, as she began pushing, grunting with the force of her efforts. Her thighs quivered helplessly and she couldn’t stop it now even if she’d wanted to. Which she certainly didn’t.

"That’s it, Faylinn," Bridget encouraged, her face showing her wonder. "She’s almost here."

With a mighty yell, Faylinn gave a final push and tiny shoulders slipped free, sending the squirming baby into Bridget’s waiting hands. She gasped at the searing pain and then at its almost magical absence as soon as the baby left her body.

"Good Lord!" Bridget fumbled the slippery infant, speechless as she looked at its wrinkled, red body.

"Bridget?" Faylinn said nervously, leaning forward to see. "What’s–?"

The tall woman smacked the baby soundly on its bottom, earning a faint, choking cough and then a loud, lusty cry.

"Thank God." Faylinn nearly cried in relief, dropping back against the saddlebags so she wouldn’t pass out.

"She is a he. It’s a boy," Bridget laughed, not even noticing the tears on her cheeks that glistened in the candlelight. She looked at Faylinn and grinned stupidly. "He’s beautiful."

"Toldja," Faylinn said smugly, knowing her own cheeks were wet. She sniffed, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands when Bridget’s face went blurry.

Bridget leaned down and kissed Faylinn’s knee. "So you did." She reached over and grabbed one of the smaller pelts that Faylinn wasn’t lying on and carefully wrapped the crying baby in it, taking time to cut the cord with the knife she wore at her waist.

Faylinn ran her hands over the cap of blonde hair when Bridget laid the infant in his mother’s arms. He looked very different from her dark-haired son Henry and tears filled her eyes again when she spared a long loving thought for the sweet little boy she’d lost. "He’s beautiful," she whispered, holding him close and kissing the top of his head, smiling when he immediately quieted.

"Toldja," Bridget repeated happily, pulling the soiled fur out from under Faylinn’s lower body and replacing it with a clean one. Using the water from the bladder and a small cloth from their bags she cleaned up Faylinn the best she could.

Faylinn laughed and nodded as she repeated her lover’s words. "So you did."

As soon as she was assured that Faylinn was as comfortable as she could be under the circumstances, Bridget moved so she could get a better look at the baby. She wrapped an arm around Faylinn and the baby. Both women watched in fascination as Bridget caught a tiny waving fist and allowed the baby to grab hold of her finger. "Hello, little one," she cooed, missing the beaming look of happiness and devotion Faylinn turned on her.

Faylinn reached up and with her fingers lifted Bridget’s chin so their lips could meet in a slow kiss. "Thank you," she said softly, backing away from Bridget’s mouth only a fraction of an inch. She said the words in her mind, knowing that her companion would hear them, and believing just as surely she would repeat them for a lifetime.

Bridget’s answering smile told Faylinn she was right and the older woman whispered back the phrase she’d heard Faylinn use in passion and laughter, and through tears of joy and sorrow. She would never tire of it and they were the only words of Gaelic she knew. "Tha gaol agam ort-fhèin," Bridget said softly, her voice cracking with emotion.

Through a watery smile, Faylinn translated for the newest member of their family, who was cradled safely in both their arms. "I love you, too."

***

Kayla let out a long breath as she guided her horse around a tree. "That was some story," she admitted, not quite knowing what to say but finding herself in the uncharacteristic position of wanting to break the silence that had enveloped them after Badger had stopped speaking. They were riding single file now, with Badger leading her and Faylinn through the trees. A heavy fog had settled over the forest and it was far denser at ground level. She couldn’t see the lower half of the horse’s legs, though it was only a few paces in front of her.

Liv wiped her eyes and looked over her shoulder to smile at Kayla. She mouthed the words ‘thank you’, then turned back towards Badger. "I can tell you like that one." Several times during the tale, and especially when Bridget was chasing after her wayward horse, the old man had shook his head and burst out laughing.

"I must admit that I do, lass." He shifted in the saddle and stretched stout arms over his head, causing the leather to creak under his weight as he moved. "But there’s no crime in a man having a favorite." He gestured to the left with his chin. "We’re almost there now. Follow me closely because it’s a tricky ride in this damnable fog."

Both women leaned forward a little in their saddles and their hands tightened around their reins as they rode down a small ravine, the horses’ breath coming short and quick as they navigated the steep terrain. Several minutes more and they could hear hooves splashing through a stream beneath them though they couldn’t see the water.

"Ah. Just up ahead now." They came up on the far bank of the stream and rode into an area where the trees didn’t seem quite so dense and the ground was flat. It was quieter here too. Even the wind didn’t seem to rustle the branches or the dead leaves.

"Whoa," Badger commanded under his breath, bringing his mount to a halt. He looked back at Kayla and Bridget and they both dutifully covered their eyes as he jumped down off his horse and smoothed his kilt into place. "All right, ladies. I think Kayla is free from the risk of blindness now."

Liv laughed and climbed down off her horse, keeping a firm hold of the reins in her hand. "Should we tie them up?"

Badger shook his head. "No. They won’t go far and they know this land. Let them get a drink in the stream. It’s been a long ride."

Kayla eased off her gelding’s back and watched her horse trotting after Faylinn’s horse, back towards the stream. Badger’s mare stayed right alongside him as he walked, his feet crunching loudly on the sticks and rocks that were scattered on the ground.

Near a tall oak tree, Badger stopped and peered down at the forest floor through the heavy fog. "I thought you’d like to see this." He looked around and drew in a deep, satisfied breath. It was good to be back and he made a mental note to ride this way more often. "I haven’t been here in a while myself." He turned inside himself for a moment, thinking hard before he gently cleared his throat. "C’mon girls, don’t let the nostalgia of an old man scare you off and keep you waiting back there." He motioned them forward and Liv and Kayla joined him. "We can’t stay long, mind you. If you don’t head back suin you’ll be riding in the dark."

"I don’t see anything," Liv commented. She noticed Kayla was looking down. Her forehead creased, and curious she followed Kayla’s gaze.

A lone gravestone, about two feet high and carved from a thick slab of gray rock, poked crookedly out of the damp soil.

Liv and Kayla exchanged glances and Badger moved away a few paces, to let them look and discover for themselves. A hazy mist rolled along the ground, obscuring the words that were neatly carved into the stone in bold letters. But several seconds more and the air around them cleared slightly on the heels of a breeze that smelled of earth and sodden leaves.

The stone read simply:

The elements had worn most of the face of the stone away, and the few words below the date looked indecipherable.

Liv crouched down and traced the words with a reverent fingertip, her mind easily filling in the missing Gaelic letters that time had erased. "Together They Found Peace."

Kayla knelt next to Liv and brushed a few leaves away from the stone’s crumbling base. Her heart clenched as she felt an overwhelming sense of loss. By the death grip Liv had on her hand, she knew her partner felt the same way. They turned questioning glances on Badger, who was waiting quietly, idly stroking his horse’s mane.

It was Liv who found her voice first. "Here?" she asked needlessly. "Not Virginia?"

"Ay." Badger gave his mare a good pat then dropped his hand. "When their laddie was eight years old and big enough to travel, they booked passage back across the sea." His eyes softened in sympathy as he read the sorrow in Kayla and Liv’s faces. "There’s no need for that. No need at all. They died after a life well lived and well loved. And in the end that’s a far greater accomplishment than most souls can claim."

"They died together?" Kayla asked, noting the single year that marked both deaths.

"They did." Badger unconsciously looked towards an opening in the trees. Small bushes and trees grew there, but none of the towering oaks that they were under now. It was clear that at some point that spot had been cleared. "Even here they couldn’t prance about as though they were free. Bridget was, after all, supposed to be dead and was branded a witch. And a letter from Judith Redding to Faylinn’s family claimed that young Faylinn had disappeared in the colonies and was presumed dead as well."

He tucked his hands into his belt. "A small house stood there, but only the stone foundation remains today. The walls crumbled away over time. Behind it was a small stable." Now he smiled. "Bridget never did kill Apollo, and he and Jezebel came to stay there, and over time, so did their offspring, and so on."

"In the autumn of 1732, a thunderstorm ravaged the land and lightning struck the stable. Faylinn and Bridget were mostly past riding by that age, but Bridget, the stubborn thing, still kept a single horse to carry them back to Cobb Manor and visit their family and the servants of the house, who over the years became trusted friends. Or they’d ride back to fetch a grandchild or two they had a hankering to visit. You see, after he’d finally had a good taste of the wanderlust, their son and his family came to settle at the manor alongside Faylinn’s kin. Of course, the entire family told Bridget and Faylinn they’d bring a wagon out here to get them whenever they desired, but the women wanted the freedom to come and go as they pleased, and you can’t truly begrudge them that."

He sighed and looked down at the ground. "Anyhow… When lightning struck the barn it went up in flames, and Bridget went in to try and save her horse." His white head shook. Despite himself his voice had taken on a hint of melancholy and he laughed softly, thinking he was truly getting sentimental in his old age.

"And Faylinn went into the stable after Bridget," Liv said bleakly, knowing in her heart she’d do the exact same thing.

"Ay. That she did, and neither one came out, which is exactly as they’d wanted it." He cocked his head to the side and regarded the women seriously. "Kayla Redding, how long have you been in Liv’s company?"

Kayla’s eyebrows jumped. "Not long."

"But long enough that you should’ve explained to her what I know you know," the man admonished. He glanced back at Liv. "The graves only hold their bones, lass, not their spirits or souls. If that weren’t true then Kayla wouldn’t be traipsing around the world and encountering spirits herself now, would she? They would all be trapped in their cold graves." He reached up and took his horse’s reins in his hand. "So there is no earthly reason for sadness. Faylinn and Bridget are every bit as much together today as they were three hundred years ago."

Faylinn smiled, believing his words without question and feeling a weight lift from her chest. "I suppose you’re right."

Kayla and Liv examined the old gravestone one last time then headed back towards Badger, hand in hand. "What did they name the baby?" Kayla asked, keeping her gaze on the ground and hoping she wouldn’t step someplace she’d regret.

"They named him Roderick."

She looked up and two sets of blue eyes met and twinkled. "And what was the pelt they wrapped him in when he was born?"

The husky man threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh as Liv looked back and forth between them, wondering what was going on. "There’s a reason you’re so good at your job, isn’t there, lass?" This was, he decided, a very good day. "You already know the answer to your question."

Kayla nodded slowly, a tiny smirk appearing.

Baffled, Liv gave her head a little shake. "Well, I don’t!"

Kayla draped her arm over Liv’s shoulders. "It was a badger pelt, Liv."

Badger scratched his thick white beard and shrugged. "The name stuck. Though both my mithers did tend to call me Roderick when they were comin’ after me with a switch."

Liv’s eyes widened and she began to stutter. "You-you’re him? You can’t be him… you’re Sylla’s husband!" And how about the fact that Roderick would have to be dead? That’s a pretty damn good reason! But one look into his honest blue eyes told her he was telling the truth. She turned an accusing glare on Kayla. "You knew?"

"Not for long," Kayla assured her, squirming under Liv’s stare. "I wasn’t really sure until today."

"I never exactly said I was Sylla’s husband. You just assumed that and I let you," he admitted, an apologetic look on his face. "A little trickery on my part kept sending the poor man to the wrong place at the wrong time so you wouldn’t meet."

Badger fell silent, turned his head away from the women as though he was listening to something.

Liv and Kayla went quiet as a slow grin spread across his face. He began to walk in the direction he’d been listening, talking as he went, and moving deeper into the fog. His horse followed closely behind him. "If you close your eyes," he told them, "and listen with more than just your ears, sometimes you can hear echoes from the mist around you. It’s where all manner of things from the past live and breathe as though they’d never died at all." He drew his hand through the fog, and it swirled around his fingers. "Most people just don’t bother to stop and listen." He paused in his trek and another smile touched his lips as he faced them.

Kayla and Liv were helpless to do anything other than smile back as his words wrapped around their hearts.

"Can you lasses find your way back to the manor?"

"I-I think so," Kayla answered, wanting to ask him to stay but somehow feeling it wouldn’t be the right thing to do.

"Good." He smoothed his woolen kilt with one hand and his eyes strayed back to the direction he’d been walking. "Because right now those echoes are calling me home."

"You’re leaving?" Liv looked around in confusion, searching for something to say.

Without another word, Badger and his horse took a few steps forward and disappeared into the hazy autumn air.

The women’s horses trotted over to them and the sounds of the forest came gently floating back, leaving them to wonder if they’d ever really gone in the first place.

Kayla reached over and with a single finger clicked Liv’s mouth shut. She smiled weakly at the other woman, hoping she wouldn’t be too upset. "Surprise?"

Liv’s eyebrows crawled up her forehead and stayed there. For a moment she was truly speechless. She felt Kayla wrap her in a bear hug and eagerly returned the embrace.

"Are you okay?" Kayla whispered into fair hair.

Liv sighed and burrowed closer to Kayla, the warmth chasing away her chill. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, listening with her entire being as she opened her heart and mind.

Kayla’s ability flared and she could literally feel what Liv was doing. Her eyes slid closed too and she extended her senses beyond the here and now to what could be.

In the far off distance they both heard the faint echo of laughter. Badger’s robust, lively chuckle was impossible to miss, but along with it was mixed two women’s voices; one slightly lighter and gentle, and the other deep and true. They’d never heard them before but somehow they were as familiar as their own reflections. A peace stole over them, filling them completely.

Liv looked up into Kayla’s eyes and the voices faded away, leaving them alone together in the woods. "Yeah. I think I am okay," she said, meaning every word.

The breeze picked up a lock of blonde hair and Kayla tucked it behind Liv’s ear, smiling the entire time. She knew that Edinburgh and the secrets it held would surely call them back again someday.

But for today it was time to go home.

***

ay yes

aye always

auld old

bairn child

bonnie, bonny beautiful

brae hill

close courtyard; entry or alley

faither father

fash yersel to worry yourself

gab talk

lad, laddie boy

lass, lassie girl

mither mother

nicht night

och! an all-purpose exclamation

sassenach English person; foreigner

sporran leather pouch

suin soon

wee little, small

weel well

wi’ with

yersels yourself

I love you. Tha gaol agam ort.

Shut your mouth. Haud yer wheesht.

Go here to see traditional Gaelic wedding vows and their English translation: http://www.tartans.com/traditions/wedding.html

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