Page 83 of Priceless
My hand. My ring. My husband—my Highlander.
Jacob drifted back from the men with another plate I had not asked for and a grin that could unfasten my glittering corset without lifting a finger. To remind me that I was now his, he patted the plaid knot before setting down the plate holding two fresh meat pies.
He found my hand, tapped my ring with his broad fingers, then kissed the inside of my wrist where my pulse was playing cheerleader.
“Eat,” he said into my skin.
“I’ve been trying. But men keep dancing me away from the table.”
“Has anyone brought ye drink?”
“Oh, yes. I think they all want me drunk.”
He lifted a brow and peered close, probably gaging the size of my pupils. I had never been much of a drinker, but these people handed you whisky the way Americans handed you hand sanitizer—often and fully expecting you to use it.
Jess jumped onto the little stage and clapped her hands for quiet. Her cheeks were nearly as red as her dress. Her da whistled and those inside the tent hushed each other. Song requests were shouted her way, and she nodded, then spoke to the band. The fiddle player jumped right in. I didn’t recognize the song until she started singing.
Out on themoor where the heather grows bare,
Soni stood singing to the cold midnight air.
Her love was a shadow, no warmth in his skin,
But she sang to the wind till he answered again.
Oh Simon, oh Simon, come walkin’wi’ me,
From the land o’ the hush to the roots o’ the tree.
If love can awaken what death has undone,
Then rise, bonnie ghost, wi’ the touch o’ the sun…
An ageless blondwoman with giant breasts came through the line when the song ended. She grabbed my new husband’s head and pulled him down for a kiss, and I didn’t need to be told that this was the Widow Woodbrey. Thankfully, she let him go and moved on. She’d had nothing to say to me and sasheyed out of the tent.
It took a minute for me to realize the music had stopped, and everyone was looking at me, to see what I might do. I decided to let it go and shouted, “Dinnae fash! Next time she needs someone to walk her home, I’ll do it!”
I was still laughing when the blond and his wife came to stand in front of us. Jacob introduced them in case I’d forgotten—Simon and Soni.
“That would make you a witch,” I said to her. “And you,” I said to Simon, “a ghost.” Then I shook my head. “I thought Banner was supposed to be the ghost.”
Jess came up behind the couple and grinned. “Well, now that ye’ll be stayin’ in Scotland, we’ll let ye in on the secret of Culloden. Simon and Banner are two of seventy-nine men raised from their graves and given life again. Some of the others are here.”
When I looked around at the faces and kilts, I started to believe I could tell which ones they were. A little more rugged, a little less refined in their faces. Then I heard myself and laughed. “Are they really ghosts? Or am I drunk?”
Jacob put his forehead against mine. “Both things can be true at once.” Then he turned and shouted, “Someone bring the bride a coffee!” He gave me a sly smile. “I’m goin’ to want ye sober soon, so I can get ye drunk on somethin’ else.”
He twirled me carefully, caught me, and kissed my neck to show what he meant.
I had never wanted a coffee so badly in my life.
I hopeyou enjoyed reading PRICELESS as much as I enjoyed writing it. I’m quite proud of it, and I hated to say goodbye to all the characters. I hope you’ll leave a review and let me know what you thought.
A special treat awaits you.If you haven’t yet heard the recording of “Rise, Bonny Ghost,” you will be able to find it at www.llmuir.com. I’ve written a number of songs, and I was thrilled to have this one put to music! That experiment was another distraction that pushed back the release date.
Make sure you’re signed up for my newsletter, so you can receive other such treats, including “Letters from Wickham.” Same website.
~Thank you for playing!
Lesli
