Children of Toil ✔

Chapter Six

"You better tell me about your wife," Meggy said after Lucan slowed the horse to a walk. "Is that what you'll tell your uncle and fiancé? Because I'll need tae know about her if I'm to be her sister."

"Do ya mind, Meggy? It was the best idea I could come up with."

"It's a good one." She smiled and added, "What were some of your other ideas?"

"Well, I thought of tellin' them I won you in a raffle." Meggy laughed so loud that Lucan couldn't help but do the same. Her body shook against his. He held onto her tighter. The feel of her was like a hot coal. Heat surged through Lucan's body. He released her and put his hand on his knee.

Lucan sucked in a breath as if it had to do with his laughter but he knew it was more to contain the sensation of her leaning against him. He wondered how he would survive having her between his thighs with her backside pressed up hard against him and the smell of her scent in his nose.

"I'm sure they'd believe that tale, Lucan," she said unaware of what was going on within him.

"Aye, you're probably right." He sighed, and then began to speak, "My wife's name was Kat Munroe. She had one brother, Jacob. Charles, her father didn't like me. He had been a miner but bettered himself and became a grocer." Lucan chuckled at the memory. "Charles didn't like any man who was attracted to his daughter. Kat fought for me and my biggest regret was that Charles never spoke to her again. Her mother's name was Mabel. She died when Kat was thirteen. It's probably why Charles didn't want to let her go."

"How old was Kat when she died?"

"Twenty-two, going on for twenty-three."

"So how old would she be now?"

"Twenty-five going for twenty-six."

Meggy nodded. "So, I'll be her younger sister. I'm going on for twenty-one." She paused, and then asked, "How old are you, Lucan?"

"Twenty-six."

"Aye... so what did she look like?"

Lucan exhaled a heavy lament. Meggy felt his warm breath against her shoulder and thought, he still misses her.

"She was a bit like you in a way. Blonde but her hair was curly. She stood a little shorter than you, only came up to just below me chest."

Meggy felt his body vibrate against her back as he chuckled.

"I could rest me arm quite comfortably on her head if she stood next to me. She was thinner than you. Real fragile she was. Sometimes I thought she might break if I touched her too hard," he spoke dreamily.

Meggy wondered if he had meant to say that out loud.

"She was always happy. I don't remember ever having a bad word with her but I suppose we musta at one time or another. She died giving birth to young Riley. It's when I met you the first time." Lucan let out another heavy breath. "It took me a while ta love him. They couldn't stop the bleeding. I was in the pit. She died without me bein' there with her."

Lucan went quiet. Meggy remembered that night so vividly. She tried not to move, so he could be as alone as possible.

*

They camped beside the Walsh River. Lucan made a fire and they ate beans from a can. He rolled out the swag and encouraged Meggy to lay down while he leaned against the saddle looking into the fire. Lucan stared at the flames. He threw in a dry twig, it crackled as it ignited, the bright flash flared, and then died.

Meggy lay on her side, her head on her hands. She watched as his fingers snapped another twig and flicked it into the fire. Lucan slid to lie down on his back, his head on the saddle.

"You cannae sleep there." Meggy pushed herself up to look over at him.

Lucan lifted his head. The fires flames glistened in her eyes and the sleeve of her shirt had slipped exposing her collar bone, her hair fell around her face.

She pushed some behind her ear as she repeated, "You cannae sleep in the dirt." Before he could answer she threw the flap of the swag opened and laid it flat on the ground then spread the blanket to cover it.

"I'm all right, Meg. I can't sleep there."

"And why not?" she whispered. "I'll no have you sleep on the dirt like a dog. If it's me honour you're worried about then you're way too late for that, but if it's just ya trying to respect me then you'll keep ya hands to yourself."

As if in a trance Lucan rose, brushed the dirt from his trousers and shirt as his long legs closed the gap. He lay beside her on his back and placed his arms behind his head.

Meggy watched his graceful movement and looked down at him as he lay. "Good night, Lucan."

"Night, Meggy," he murmured.

I do hope Lucan will be respectful of Meggy.  So far I think they are getting on very well. ♥

Photo - Animalia Life