Marti Talbotts Highlander Series 1 - Anna Rachel u Charlet

that?”
    “Kevin is a good lad and would never do such a thing. Our women will not return until morning, but come, you can stay in Catherin’s cottage until then.” He stood aside so they could pass. The young women who walked behind their mother were each as pleasing as Rachel and he knew several men who would fall all over themselves to make a good impression. He was going to enjoy watching it.

    It was early morning when Connor left a guard in place and the rest of the men rode to the Cameron hold to collect their families. They were surprised when they discovered the women had started walking hours earlier an d were almost half way home.
    Connor got off his horse, held his arms open, and let Rachel run into them. He was so happy to see her ; he lifted her off the ground and swung her all the way around twice. Then he kissed her hard. War had a way of making a man appreciate what he had that much more.
    Kevin slapped him on the back. “Much more of that and I will force you to marry her.”
    “You will not have to force me.” He kissed Rachel again only this time more passionately. It took a while for him to remember he needed to talk to Kevin. “We have visitors. It is Catherin’s sister and her daughters.”
    Kevin looked over the heads of the people until he spotted Justin and motioned for him to come closer. Catherin was seated on Justin’s horse and instead of talking to Justin, he smiled up at her, “Your sister has come.” He was rewarded wi th Catherin’s beautiful smile.
    “She is safe?” Catherin asked.
    “Aye and her daughters are with her. We intend to keep them.”
    “Good.”

    Two weeks later, Connor and Rachel stood shoulder to shoulder in front of a Priest and gave their vows to each other in the courtyard where everyone could see. They were dressed the same as on all other days, but Rachel had a ring of flowers on her head and Connor never looked so clean. Rachel had even rubbed flower petals in her hair to make it smell good.
    They were married at long last and everyone celebrated. The people danced to the music of a flute, sang songs, drank wine , and danced some more. More than a few young men already had eyes for Sarah’s daughters, except Eppie who was too young. Others, including Rachel’s whole family, were inside the great hall laughing, talking, and sampling various meats, sweet tarts and honey bread.
    Happy at last, Rachel stood on the landing outside the door, leaned her back against her husband and felt him put his arm around her waist. She loved all the dancing and the music, yet something made her stare at the closed door of the Keep .
    “Do you want to go in?” Connor asked.
    “Nay.” She said it, but she wasn’t sure why. Something was wrong and she didn’t know what. She glanced at the door again and then turned to smile up at him. A n instant later, she was once more staring at the door. Somehow, she felt there was pain behind the door and she never wanted to go through it again. But then, there was also something behind t he door she desperately wanted.
    “Rachel, what is it?”
    “I do not know.”
    She turned in his arms, kissed him and tried to make the feeling go away. Suddenly, a dark memory crossed her mind. She was a little girl sitting on a wooden floor wearing a pink skirt. Her mother sat across from her, but every time her mother moved, a chain made noise on the floor. She lifted her mother’s skirt and saw the chain locked to her mother’s ankle, but then a huge man grabbed her from behind and had her around the waist. He was holding her t oo tight and she was screaming.
    “Dear God,” she breathed.
    “What is it?”
    She violently shoved Connor away, burst through the door and screamed, “Mother!”
    Everyone stopped eating and stared. Her mother was seated at the table next to Justin and when Rachel spotted her, she ran into her arms. She was crying so hard, she could hardly breathe and then she slumped down on her knees. “I remembered.”
    “Oh no,” Catherin moaned. She began to cry as well and soon, Anna was kneeling beside her little sister with tears running down her face.
    Rachel could hardly speak, “You were...chained...I saw it. A mean man grabbed me...and I was screaming...I wanted to be with you, but he put me in a little room. It was dark and I tried to open the door, but...”
    Behind her, Connor looked horrified and so did most of the others.
    Catherin wiped her tears away with the back of her hands. “Rachel,