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Excerpt from
Always and
Forever
by Pamela Labud
“I don’t know which part of hell
ye came from, but I mean to tell ye this. Ye’re our only way
out of the stramash we’re in and I’ve no intention of giving
myself or my little sister to that demon Carrick. Do ye
understand?”
Robert gurgled loudly, his
throat seeming to close up. As he lay helpless, he saw the
other woman cautiously approach and kneel behind Jenna.
“Are ye going to kill him then?”
Jenna paused, clearly giving it
some thought. “Not yet, but don’t think I won’t hesitate to
do so if the situation warrants it.”
Behind the two women, Robert
could see an all too familiar shape take form. It was the
gnome, who had likely come to make even more sport of
Robert’s predicament.
“Enth,” Robert tried again. He
didn’t like not being able to speak clearly, his disability
choosing that moment to taunt him.
“I dinna think ye’d care for it
too much,” Jenna said. “Still, there’s naught to be done
about it. If ye try to betray me or my sister, I’ll cut yer
throat, but not before I’ve separated yer balls from yer
nether regions, aye?”
For the briefest moment, Robert
saw a hint of something fearful cross her dark, green-eyed
expression. Fear and desperation lived beneath her
expression. Even though he’d seen her several times in his
dreams—the porcelain face, complete with high cheekbones, a
perfect brow, a splash of faint freckles and a mouth so
round and luscious that it practically begged for
kisses—Robert realized that he’d never really seen her at
all.
At least not like this.
Before he could answer, the
gnome cleared his throat.
“Ye need not worrit for him,
lass. I’ve fixed it so that he shall not be a chatterin’
away like a magpie. He’ll only be able to speak in your
presence and no other.”
Jenna spun on the little man,
her face twisted with fury and turning as nearly as ruddy
red as her hair.
“Are ye bloody insane, man? What
have ye done to us?”
The gnome crossed his arms
indignantly. “I’ve only done as ye asked, gel. Found ye a
fine young man to use as ye wish. He’ll be totally at yer
whim. I don’t expect ye to thank me for it, I suppose, but a
well wish or three would be most welcome.”
“Yer bloody daft, man. What he
is, is even more trouble.”
“He’s a bit on the lame side,
aye. Canna walk far or fast, but that’ll keep him from
running off, ye see. Also, he’s got a fair face, so as not
to disturb yer delicate sensitivities.”
Jenna chewed her bottom lip. The
sight of those perfect teeth worrying across her lovely
mouth almost made Robert melt.
“I dunno. It sounds reasonable
enough, I guess.”
“Ever more than that, as an
added bonus, I’ve given him rather indecent tendency toward
ye. ‘Tis true, every time he gets close to ye, he’ll get a
terrible cock stand.”
Jenna stepped back, clearly
abashed.
“Go on, look for yerself.”
“I will not!”
Robert would have seconded her
refusal had he the ability to do so. Before he could even
gurgle his disapproval, the smaller girl, Caitlin scooted
forward and lifted his covering.
“Aye, tis’ true, Jenna. He’s got
a fierce thickening for ye. My goodness, he’s well endowed!”
Robert could have died right
there on the spot.
“Caitlin! What in blazes do ye
think yer doin? Leave the poor man be, will ye!”
Deep in his heart, Robert found
a bit of sympathy for Jenna’s embarrassment, which as it
turned out, was as uncomfortable as his own.
The gnome chuckled. “Now, lass,
don’t ye be getting yerself so worked up over such a thing.
The fact is, it’s a poor spell at best, and like yon
laddie’s enthusiasm, it will likely diminish if ye give it
little attention.”
Jenna only huffed her
disapproval and turned to her sister.
“Cover him up, Caitie, afore he
catches his death. I canna have him freezing in that
condition, now can I?”
Caitlin nodded, and giving
Robert an appreciative grin, tucked the shirt around him
once again.
Relieved, and considerably
warmer than a moment before, Robert sent her a grateful nod.
She acknowledged it with a tilt of her head and then turned
back to her sister.
“Verra well, Hobart,” Jenna
began, “I suppose he will do for the time being, though how
we’re to get him down the side of a mountain, just Caitlin
and I, I’ve no idea.”
Hobart yawned wide and nodded in
Robert’s direction. “You’ll do bonny well, aye.” He then
turned around, walked two steps and promptly disappeared.
Robert was certain his chances
of ever getting back to his sane existence evaporated along
with him.
Placing her hands upon her hips,
Jenna stared at the spot a moment longer, then turning, she
approached Robert once again.
“Now, Rory, my fine lad. Let’s
see what else ye look like beneath my plaid.” She sighed and
kneeling beside him, went to the task of rolling Robert to
one side, and judging by the whistling of cool air that
touched his backside, and the rush of breath Jenna let out
when she gazed at the whole of him, she wasn’t too
disappointed with the hand that fate had dealt her.
“Oohh,” Caitlin said beside her,
“He certainly is well made, now isna he?”
That made it official. Robert
wouldn’t have to worry about getting back to his old life or
even surviving the crushing cold. He was going to die of
embarrassment long before anything worse could befall him.
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