Captured by the Kerrs

Stunned, he tried to explain himself.

"I'm no pushin' ye awa'," he tried to reassure you. "I'll manage baith. I'll get ma brither back an' marry you 'n' a'."

"That is if ye'd hae me," he added, not wanting to take her for granted.

He'd made the promise. He'd no idea how to keep it yet, but he had the motivation to find a way, even if it meant tearing the land apart.

Now if only she'd kiss him back everything would be alright.

"Do you think I would be arguing with you like this if I didnt want you, you oaf?", Alice asked, shaking her head at him. If she had loathed him she simply would have slapped him after that kiss instead of begging him not to rouse her heart further.

Suddenly an idea hit her and she reached for his hand without thinking.

"I think I know how all could work out! But it might still fail!", she said, trying to collect her thoughts. "If you marry me you are entitled to a dowry. Ask for the sum my parents wanted for your brother's release."
If her parents didnt pay he would be allowed to drop her, leaving her dishonored. Something the Collingwood family would never allow to happen, caring too much about their reputation.

It was a mean game to play against her own blood, but for Alice this seemed like the only way out. Out of the arranged marriage and out of Callum's predicament as well. Again Alice proved that she was quick in her mind and also ready to take risks. Qualities not many other English ladies seemed to posess.
"We just need to convince everyone that the marriage is geniuine and not a set up or something you have forced me into."

Callum's mind raced through the possibilities again. Asking for his brother's freedom as a dowry for Alice had already occured to him, but he'd reckoned the chances of the Collingwoods throwing the offer back in his face were too high. After all they had a clan heir whilst he only had a youngest daughter. And if the offer angered them, they might torture Robert until the Kerrs released Alice.

He could have the local priest solmnise their marriage without asking her parents, but the man wouldn't do so unless his own parents told him to and they wouldn't do that and risk the feud between the Collingwoods and Kerrs escalating to all out family war.

Not unless the marriage was to formalise a situation that already existed in all but name, that was. If they had evidence that he and Alice had become lovers quite voluntarily, with no coercion on his part then they might just decide to make good the shame by marrying them quickly. And then the Collingwoods would have to accept the situation and negotiate in good faith over the dowry or be publically shamed for abandoning a daughter who had proven wanton, which would stain their family. The Collingwoods would have good reason to negotiate quickly and in secret and come to a mutually satisfactory conclusion.

Yes, that would most likely work. But only if their love had already gone so far that marriage was the only option.

Callum explained his reasoning to Alice, then hesitantly added, "So dae y' really mean ye'd lie wi' me so that ither folk knew, an' risk the shame, all so we could be thegither an' ma brither free too?"

Alice nodded once in a while during his explanation. He mentioned things that had gone through her mind as well. Their plan was very risky and had no full promise of success, but it was the only thing they could do. Running away together was out of the question from the start and for Alice running away on her own would seal her doom as well. Going back home was a thing she didnt even want to take into account, so the marriage was the only thing left.

"So dae y' really mean ye'd lie wi' me so that ither folk knew, an' risk the shame, all so we could be thegither an' ma brither free too?"

"Yes, I would.", Alice said with no hesitation, her eyes meeting his to show her determination. "Should this not work out I will at least know that Sir Horton will not want to have me any longer, so my biggest fear will be eliminated."

And she also believed, or at least hoped with all her heart, that Callum would not abandon her should their parents shun the marriage.
Until then however they would still have to wait. They needed time to convince everyone of the fact that they had fallen in love, while Callum would have to continue the negotiations with the Collingwood family.
The person who would probably support them first was Rowenna, who had already decided in her childish fantasy that Callum was to marry the new arrival so that Alice would stay and keep her company.

"We will have to go about this slowly. You will have to start spending a lot of time in the chamber with me, always using some kind of excuse. Then we have to be seen walking together, talking with ease and eventually exchanging little carresses."
She didnt go further than this, her mind refusing her heart to race ahead. It wouldnt be difficult acting this out. She loved talking and walking with him and his touch, even the smallest one, send her heart racing. The only thing Alice feared was that amongst all this she would forget the goal of their arrangement.

It seemed strange to be conspiring with the object of his affections in his wooing of her, and with the aim not of winning her heart but of convincing others that he had won it. Strange, but rather thrilling too.

His gut feeling was that rather than act out a slow wooing she should instead act as if overcome with lust, maybe sneaking into his chamber at night after he had ‘accidentally’ left the bolt on her door undone, then making love with him noisily enough that his parents would hear. For if they played out a courtship slowly they risked his parents forcing them apart before they could reach the point where marriage was the only way to protect the family name. But it seemed that Alice wanted a courtship, so a courtship she would have, and if his family tried to put obstacles in the way he’d break them down with all his strength.

“Aye, that’s agreed then,” he said to her. “A kiss tae seal the bargain?”

He was pushing it a bit, but he so wanted to feel her lips on his again. He leaned in towards her hoping that she wouldn’t turn away.

Alice wanted things to go properly, just as she had seen it happen with her sisters. Courtiship first, marriage later. Even if it would take time, she thought that it was the safer way.

“A kiss tae seal the bargain?”

She saw him leaning towards her and for a moment hesitated. But then she leaned forward, pressing her lips against him softly. Their first kiss had ended so fast that she wanted to enjoy this one. Her hand moved to the side of his face as her lips refused to move away from his.

Instead the kiss started to become more and more passionate. He pressed forward and she didnt flinch, but simply returned the passion. It was pure bliss to be kissed like this and the butterflies in her stomach were going wild.
His lips were so much softer than she had expected and his taste was so delicious that she never wanted to pull away ever again.

Oh my, she was a good kisser! Callum might not have had that much experience with women but he had kissed a fair number and Alice made up with tenderness and passion what she lacked in technique. She was even on a par with Jessie, the miller's daughter, who could almost make her tongue dance a reel in a fella's mouth.

As their kiss deepened his hand came to rest on Alice's side, just below her ribs. Then, not even realising he was doing it, he brought his hand up over her breast.

Suddenly aware of what he'd done, he yanked the offending hand away as if burned, mumbling "sorry" into her lips as he continued to kiss her.

Alice gasped into the kiss as his hand found her breast, but he quickly pulled it away, apologizing in an instant, their lips still seeking each other.

"Dont be...", Alice told him, another kiss interrupting her next words. "We have to make sure not to get ahead of us...", she whispered, her forehead leaning against his as her lips were eager to feel his again. He was drawing her to him as if by magic and it was too irresistible for her to fight this attraction.

She had said herself that they shouldnt be rushing things, but she felt so ready for passion, for love, for him. Again her lips found his and they kissed again. Slowly Alice found herself falling backwards, dragging Callum down with her on to the bed as their kiss never broke. Her hand started to run through his hair, while her other hand explored his muscular shoulders.

Before he even knew it, Callum was on top of her, his right knee pressing between hers, his hardening cock against her thigh, though the layers of her dress deadened the sensation somewhat.

He pressed his tongue into her mouth, meeting the tip of hers and feeling its strength.

This time when his hand sought her breast he didn't pull back, but laid his open palm gently over her, letting her feel the size of his hand and how perfectly she fitted in it, almost as if they were made for each other.

His tongue against her lips demanded entrance and she granted it freely and soon their tongues were battling each other wildly. Alice was inexperienced, but passion was leading her, telling her how to do things.

All the while her mind was screaming at her that they had to stop, that things were going too fast, but that tiny voice of reason died the moment his hand found her breast again. When he squeezed lightly she moaned into the kiss, arching her body towards him.
She felt something hard press against her thigh, but for now she brushed the feeling aside, concentrating much more on the kiss and his hand on her breast.

Her own hands were roaming over his neck, his back and his arms, loving the feel of his muscles under her fingers, even if the fabric of his clothes was still in the way.

None of the two noticed the footsteps that were coming closer and closer to the chamber, belonging to noone else than Callum's mother who had wanted to bring their 'prisoner' a decent meal.

Callum's free hand stroked down over Alice's hip and thigh. He wanted to feel her skin. No, he needed to feel her skin, and in his urgency he broke the kiss to reach further down, easing his fingers under the hem of her dress and under her petticoats, finding the fine wool of her knee-length stockings and working upwards, seeking the bare flesh between them and her drawers.

"Alice, oh Alice," he murmered. "I want you so badly."

He was too caught up to even hear the door start to creak open.

His hands were moving where no man had ever touched her, yet she didnt pull away. She wanted it as badly as he did in that very moment.

"I want you too...", she managed to breathe out, looking down at him. But then the creaking of the door caught her attention and she was quick to pull away from him as fast as possible. What if the intruder was little Rowenna?!

She jumped off the bed, but didnt manage to even out her skit in time. She didnt look like an innocent maiden at all. Her hair was a slight mess and her dress didnt look as if it had been hanging down as it should have been either.

Callum's mother stopped by the door, looking at the flushed faces of her son and their prisoner.
"What 'ave yer been doin', Callum?!", she screamed at him, looking ready to pull his ear again. "Puttin the lass in sich a position! Do ye nae care of her purity?!"

"Your son wasnt trying to force himself on me.", Alice quickly assured the woman. "I was quite willing...", she admitted, her voice more like a whisper and the blush on her face deepening.

"This is nae the problem, lass! My boy doesnae force wommun. But he should have moore brains than to take ye in such a filthy wee chamber like a whore.", the lady of the castle shouted, placing the food down, before going to Callum, hitting him across the head lightly.
"And what will yer father say if he ken this? Ye sleeping with a Collingwood withnae his approval?!"

Alice wanted so badly to help, to say something, but she didnt know what. She was confused as to why Lady Kerr wasnt shouting at them for having done it in it the first place but for having done it in the wrong way.
The older woman caught her confusion and smiled.
"Yer a good lass and my boy needs oone of yer kind. But this oaf 'ere is ready to ruin it by rushin like a boar." And again she smacked Callum lightly before leaving them with her words rininging in their ears.

"Im sorry...", Alice whispered, really thinking it might have been her fault. "At least your mother didnt seem too angry..." Despite having raged and even hit him lightly.

"I think ma approves," said Callum brightly, once his mother had left the room. Then at Alice's expression he elaborated. "For ay thing I still hae a' ma teeth, and for anither she hiz left us alone again."

"She's richt, though - we shidnae hae let oorsel's get carried aw' like that," he added.

He was sitting beside her again and his hand was casually on her thigh but this time in an affectionate way, not trying to explore further, just needing to feel her physical presence.

What his father might say would be quite another matter, if indeed his mother mentioned it to him at all.

"I think we need tae talk tae her," Callum announced after a pause. "There's nae yis pretendin' tae her that we're just startin' tae like each ither whan she's caught us wi' ma hand up yer dress, or near as maks nae difference. Fit say ye, ma love?"

With that simple endearment he let slip the affection and love he felt for Alice, and that none of it was sham, whatever the game they were playing.

Alice sat down again, placing her hand over his when he touched her thigh. She was even leaning her head against his shoulder as she listened to him talk. There was no point in pretending a growing courtship in front of Lady Kerr after she had caught them already.

"Perhaps if your mother knows she might help us.", Alice thought out loud, her fingers trying to intertwine with his. The tiny endearment he had added to his last words had meant so much to her. More than he would probably know.

"We have to talk to her indeed. Explain what we want to do and she might be able to convince your father that what we plan is right."
A woman had a lot of power over a man if she only tried. Her mother had never used this power, but she knew that one of her sisters was constantly tormenting her husband with it.

"But you are right. We have to be more careful in not getting carried away."
Especially not when the door was not secured. Still, she gave him a small affectionate kiss on the cheek.
"But I meant what I said when I said that I wanted you too. It wasnt just spoken out of lust.", she whispered to assure him.

Alice's last words warmed Callum's heart. So she definately wanted him for who he was, not just as an alternative to the vile pig she was promised to.

"Let us gang doon and see her, then," Callum suggested, taking Alice's hand and leading her to the door.

They found his mother in the kitchens, supervising a welcome home dinner for her husband. She took one look at the nervous but serious expression on Callum's face and shooed away the kitchen staff.

"So, ma wee boy hiz foond himsel' a wumman, then, it seems. Trapped her, then foond he's mair trapped than she!"

She turned her penetrating gaze on Alice and asked her outright, "And fit dae ye hiv tae say fer yersel', lass?"

Alice followed him downstairs, her hand joined tightly with his.
She was glad when his mother didnt instantly start shouting again, but pronounced that she was quite glad to see her son with a woman by his side.

"I know that it is all happening awfully fast and through the worst of circumstances...but your son means a lot to me, Lady Kerr. He has stirred my heart like noone else has before...I am willing to be his.", she said, just as serious and nervous as Callum. Her words however brought a smile to Lady Kerr's face and she even walked over to her to squeeze her hand.

"Yer a bonny lass. Headstrong, proud and nae some tremblin leaf. A richt wiv for a laird. Bu 't will nae be easy taer convince my husband. He loathes yer kin."

Alice couldnt blame him. Her family had captured his eldest son after all.
"I dont expect our family to become friends through this union.", Alice said. Their feud had been running for too long to simply disappear. "But perhaps this will free your son, Lady Kerr...and it would make Callum and me happy."
This wasnt just about Robert Kerr and escaping Sir Horton. This was about so much more.
"We wont stay here forever. We wish to make our life somewhere else." Or at least she wished to do this. In her mind they could have no future in a land where their two families kept feuding and they would be caught inbetween.

“Then ye really will hiv tae see yer brither freed first, or yer father’ll no let ye his only free heir awa’.”

“I widnae tell him quite yet, though,” she advised. “Ah’ll work on him a wee, whan he’s mair receptive.”

She knew precisely when that was. Just after she’d taken his seed in her mouth the Kerr laird would agree to almost anything she asked. No need to let her son into that little secret though, she thought, as she tried to hide the little blush that crept upon her.

Alice caught the little blush, but didnt comment on it. She had no idea what was so embarrassing that all maidens blushed about it. But then again, she lacked detailed knowledge and experience of what happened in bed between a man and a woman. Even if Callum had given her a rather exciting first taste.

"So you give us your blessing?", she asked with a hopeful smile.

"Aye, lass. With all me heart.", Lady Kerr said and kissed her cheeks. "But be careful to nae get 'er with a bairn too soon. Even if I long fer some babes to spoil."

Alice heart warmed at the woman's words.
"I am sure that we will give you the grandchildren you wish for eventually. I will fulfill my duties as a good wife."
Or at least she would try. Her mother had said that she had a good body to bear sons, so the hopes were high.

Alice smiled at Callum and squeezed his hand affectionally.
"And noow donae stand aroond 'ere. Im tryin to work for dinner.", Lady Kerr said, shooing them out of the kitchen, leaving them alone again.

"I am glad that your mother approves so heartily.", Alice said with much relief as they walked away from the kitchen.

“Aye, she’s a grand wumman, is ma,” replied Callum as he walked into the corridor hand in hand with Alice.

“It’s so hard tae keep ma hands aff ye,” he whispered as he leaned in closer. “It’s jist as weel there’s plenty o’ things sweethearts can dae that dinna get a lass wi’ child.”

She watched him lean closer, but before he kissed her, she leaned her forehead against his.

"But surely not here in the corridor.", she whispered back to him. She longed to kiss him again, to feel his muscles under her fingers, but without a tunic in the way. But no matter how much she desired him, she still had her own honor and would not do wanton things where everyone could catch them.

"Teach me, Callum. I want to learn about passion.", she suddenly said, looking right into his eyes. "I want to experience what everyone is blushing and giggling about."
She was so ready for it now, she felt it. Her heart was beating wildly and her body felt as if it was on fire.

“Aye, follow me tae ma room then,” he breathed, lust making his voice shake. God how he loved this woman! Loved, and lusted after.

He led her back up the stairs and to his chamber. Luckily they passed no-one and he hussled her through the heavy iron-studded oak door before pressing her against the wall and kissing her passionately, his hand finding her right breast through her dress.

Alice had to almost run to keep up with his pace, but she didnt care. When they entered his room she didnt even have a chance to take a look around. She was instantly pressed against the wall, feeling his body crushing against hers. His hand moved to her breast and she gasped into their passionate kiss.

"The door...", she breathed, before her lips found his again. "You need to bolt the door."
She didnt want to let go of him, but she wanted to have complete privacy with nobody bolting in unexpectedly.

Soon they were pressed tightly against each other again however, their kiss showing their hunger for each other. Alice's hands were exploring his body, soon pulling at his tunic. She wanted to feel her hands on his skin. She wanted to feel his muscles under her fingertips, exploring all of him. Giving all of herself to him as well.

"Callum...", she breathed as they stopped for a moment to look at each other. The way his name slid of her tongue was filled with lust for him as well as desire and love.

Callum heeded her warning and fetched a length of wood from under his bed and used it to jam the door catch shut with an ease that suggested he'd done so many times before. His father, a strict man, hadn't let him fit a bolt to his door when he asked many years back and Callum had come up with this alternative. He could pass it off as a jammed catch if anyone tried the door.

Back in Alice's embrace he felt her fingers undo the lacing of her jerkin and then tug at his shirt. He hauled it free of his belt and took her hands, sliding them up under it to caress his chest as they continued to kiss.

His tongue was in her mouth now, pressing and probing against hers as he kissed her with a passion he'd never felt in his few previous encounters.

Alice trembled slightly when he moved her hands under his tunic. His skin was so hot against her own and she loved the feel of it. Before he had a chance to object he pulled the garment that separated her entire body from him, his tunic falling to the ground. For a moment she broke their kiss to take a look at him. Broad shoulders, firm muscles and strong arms. God, he seemed so perfect to her. Slowly she let her hands run down his chest, then back up and over his shoulders and down her arms.

"I love to feel you...", she whispered, her eyes locked with his as her fingertips kept exploring him. A moment later they kissed again, their tongues instantly dancing with each other. Alice pressed herself against him and yet she still didnt feel close enough to him. Again she felt a hardness against her and this time it send a shiver through her. A shiver of fear, but also one of anticipation.

Callum was turned on by the way she gazed at his bare torso. He always felt a little ashamed that he didn't have the chest hair of his older brother, who teased him about it when they swam in the river, but Alice's admiration made him feel truly a man.

Kissing again, he undid the hooks of the bodice of her dress and eased it down over her hips, to fall on the floor. Underneath she wore a fine thin linen two piece shift. He slid his hands under the shirt top part and caressed her sides before cupping her breasts, this time bare to his touch. He held her bosom by the sides, letting his thumbs circle round, brushing her nipples.