Page 21 of Bride Takes a Laird (Highland Vows & Vengeance #2)

East Dunbartonshire

Glasgow, Scotland

September1260

E arly autumn’s light shone upon the stones and wooden crosses amid the burial grounds. Kendra stood before the hole that had been dug for her father’s final resting place. She peered at the stone carved into a square with rounded edges and etched with Catherine, the name of her mother, next to where her papa would be placed. Her parents would be rejoined in the hereafter just as her father had spoken of many times in the last few months. That thought didn’t do much to quell her sadness. She already missed her cantankerous papa but she was gladdened to know that he was now with her mother.

After the priest spoke prayers and praised her father, he bade the men to lower her papa into the ground. As he descended into the darkness, Kendra remained still. Her eyes stared without a single tear showing her emotion. She kept herself steeled against showing her true feelings. She had to endure and be strong. Besides, she’d wept most of the way home and her eyes had all but dried up and no tears remained.

Kendra waited until the last shovel of dirt was placed atop the small mound before she headed back to the walls of the manor. The mourners, several Dunbartonshire locals, the manor’s servants, soldiers, crofters, and merchants paid their respects. She bowed her head in appreciation for their mournful words as they passed by her to exit. Her mouth had gone dry and she didn’t think she could utter a word without sobbing.

Linet stepped forward and set her arm around her shoulder. “Come away now. Unless you wish for more time…”

She shook her head. Kendra took one last glance at where her parents rested in a settled grave and the mounded new one, and stepped back. Linet guided her from the graves and they walked in a leisurely pace toward the manor. There, Mistress Gilda had a light early supper served but Kendra couldn’t eat a bite. Her stomach was in knots and flutters. Instead, she took small sips of mead and listened to those around her speak of her parents. Stories were told of how fond her father was of her mother and what a good lord he’d been.

Kendra wondered if the keep’s residents worried about who their next lord would be. She worried about that too, and considered writing to the king to give him the news that her father had passed. If Aston was there, he would take on the role of lord, but he hadn’t returned and might not, given the amount of time he’d been gone. Would the king place someone else as lord? Perhaps she should hold off informing the king of her father’s demise.

Winston approached and interrupted her thoughts. “Milady, now that ye have buried your da, we should make arrangements to return to Cameron land.” He spoke low. “I will see to the matter if that pleases ye.”

“Nay, I shall not return, at least not yet. You may go, Winston, and take the Cameron sentry with you.” She hadn’t told the young soldier why she wanted to remain, but she needed time to find the coins and return them to Heatherington. Only then could she return to Cameron land.

She wouldn’t tell him that his laird probably wouldn’t care if she returned or not, or that their last encounter was filled with his wrath. She firmed her lips at the remembrance of his anger when he’d looked at the steward’s parchments. Perhaps she could find a little peace now that she was home—that was, if she could find and return Heatherington’s coins.

Undecided, Kendra raised her face to look at Winston. “Give me a little time and I shall let you know when I am ready.”

“I cannot return without ye and will await until ye are ready.” Winston inclined his head and stepped away.

Kendra didn’t wait for the sky to darken before she sought her bed. She left the hall and trudged up the steps as if her feet weighed as much as boulders. Lord, she was tired. Now that she had seen to the duty of burying her father she could finally get some rest.

She opened the door of her bedchamber, and sighed because she had never thought of seeing her room again. Nevertheless, she was home in the bedchamber she’d used since she was a young lass. Being there filled her with both sadness and joy.

She went about readying for bed almost mindlessly and pulled back the covers. Kendra crawled upon the bed and pulled the covers to her chin. Weary, she closed her eyes and fell asleep without a thought.

*

As dawn broke on the horizon and filled her bedchamber with light, Kendra stretched and threw her legs over the side of the bed. She took a moment to settle a dizziness that came over her. She closed her eyes for a moment to keep the room from spinning but then she hastened to the chamber pot. Kendra fell to her knees and held the pot with shaky hands. With all that had happened, her body rebelled against her. She gagged and drew in deep breaths but nothing helped. Taking slow breaths through her nose finally eased her and she rose.

At the basin, she used her hands to scoop handfuls of water and pressed them on her face. After she washed and dressed, she was ready to plunge forth into a thorough search of the manor. She didn’t care if it took her a fortnight. The coins had to be there somewhere and she meant to find them.

In the hall, she found herself alone. She sat in a chair and scooted forward. There was a trencher of sweetbreads and a fresh pitcher of mead placed in the center. She helped herself to a small piece of bread and half a cup of mead. It was as much as her stomach would allow.

“Milady, good morn.” Winston came into the hall and approached.

“Good day, Winston. Before you speak, I should tell you that I plan to stay here for a while. If you would be so kind as to take a message to Magnus when you return to Cameron lands, I would appreciate that.”

“But Milady, I thought ye were going to return with me.”

“I do not think I can for I have a malady…” Kendra shuffled her chair back and stood. “I am ailing, Winston. Until I feel better, I will remain here. But I do want you to take a missive to deliver to Magnus.”

Winston’s face reflected his disappointment with a slight scowl on his dark brows. “I live to serve ye, Milady, so if that is what ye wish…but I cannot leave. I’ll have another soldier deliver the message to our laird.”

“Good. Come and see me later. I should have the missive written by then. The messenger can leave on the morrow.” Kendra turned away and left the soldier standing by the table. Her heart ached to tell him such but it was the truth. She wasn’t feeling well, though she probably could travel. Her footsteps took her to her father’s bedchamber.

Gently, she closed the door, leaned against it, and took in the sight of her father’s domain. It still smelled like him: a woodsy and leathery scent that permeated the air. She drew a deep breath and smiled because his scent would stay with her and she vowed never to forget it.

Kendra did a thorough search for the missing coins. The chamber was completely disheveled by the time she finished. Chests remained open, blankets tossed here and there, chairs askew, and trunks toppled. She’d searched every single spot and found no coins. But she found a small wooden box that contained her mother’s cherished items that her father had kept.

Inside the box, there was an ivory comb etched with flowers that had likely cost a small fortune, a scrap of parchment that had the lines of her mother’s favorite sonnet, a length of ribbon, and last but most prized, a ring her father had given to her mother when they married. Had he saved it for her? Her father had never mentioned it.

She set the items back inside the box and held it against her chest. When she was able to shake away her sentiment, she placed the box on a table and went about setting the room to rights. As she tidied up the chamber, she found a few items of her fathers that she added to the box: a small gold cross, a braided ring of horsehair that could fit upon a wrist, and a kerchief that her mother had made for him with his insignia embroidered at the corner. The box now contained a treasure that she wouldn’t part with for the world.

Kendra left her father’s chamber and put the box in her room. Whatever ailed her came upon her again and she lay upon her bed. The room seemed to float before her eyes. A knock sounded on her door and she called out to enter.

Linet crossed the room and reached the bedside. “Kendra, you’re still abed? Winston mentioned that you are ailing. Are you ill?”

She nodded. “I have been for a few days now, even before we left Cameron land. I cannot seem to hold anything down and my vision is making everything move.”

Linet retrieved a damp cloth from the basin and set it on her forehead. “That should make you feel better. I shall have my mother come to see you. Tell me about your ailment.”

Kendra told her how she’d felt and the effects of her dizziness and such. Linet listened patiently and then left the chamber .

She groaned as her stomach rumbled. That morning, she had eaten very little. Perhaps it was only that she needed to eat. She didn’t want to worry Linet or Mistress Gilda.

A little while later, Linet opened the door and called to her. “’Tis just me and Mama. She’s brought the midwife with her too.”

Kendra tried to sit up but instantly her stomach convulged. She lay back. “I do not think that I need a midwife, Linet. It’s just a stomach ailment.”

“At least let her check you over. Mama says that it sounds as though you might be with child.” Linet smiled widely and sat in the chair closest to her.

Gilda took a seat on the other side of the bed and bobbed her head. “Worry not, lass, we shall see you right. This is Agnes, a friend of mine from the village. I’ve known her since we were young girls.”

The woman, a midwife, was aged with a full head of long, gray hair. She had kind blue eyes though, and so Kendra allowed her to tend to her.

“Be still, My Lady, and we shall find out soon enough if you are carrying a babe.”

The midwife’s hands roamed her stomach and she pried her eyes open. Kendra felt awkward with the woman’s somewhat rough treatment especially when she pressed her fingers on her breasts. She made her urinate in the chamber pot and all the while Kendra’s face brightened. The woman though, seemed unaffected by her embarrassment. Mistress Agnes took the chamber pot from her and stood by the window casement. After a long moment, she returned to the bedside.

“Yes, My Lady, I can confirm that you are with child. You must be far along because your belly is quite big. I say you will bear your child before winter ends. You must eat small meals throughout the day and drink no mead for it will upset your stomach. ’Tis the honey that makes you retch. Best to drink ale or water. I shall come and see you in a fortnight or so to check on you.” With that, she bowed her head to Gilda and left the chamber.

Gilda and Linet remained silent. Kendra stared at them and was dumbfounded. She didn’t know how to react to the midwife’s news. That she was with child pleased her but it also saddened her. She needed Magnus but alas, she was on her own for now.

“There, there, My Lady, you have some time to go before you give birth. We shall fatten you up for you must eat. I can make some drams that will settle your stomach too. I’ll go and prepare a light meal for you. Rest and stay abed.” Gilda left.

Kendra gently pressed her hands over her stomach. “I cannot believe this.”

“I am sure your husband will be overjoyed at the news,” Linet said. “We should make arrangements to return to him and—”

“Nay, I cannot leave now, Linet. I must find the coins my father accepted from Heatherington. Only then can I go.”

Linet sat beside her and clasped her hand. “I understand that you feel it necessary to return the coins but you should be more concerned about—”

Kendra cut her off because she needed to explain. It was time to tell her what Heatherington intended, though she had tried to spare her friend the worry. “If I do not return the coins, Heatherington will besiege us and all within the manor will be in danger. I cannot allow that to happen. Will you help me? Help me search for the coins?”

“Aye, and I’ll have John aid us as well. Together, we will search every place we can think of. Worry not and when we return the coins, you can go to your husband.”

Kendra nodded. “I will send a message to him for now. Perhaps he will come to me if he is not too busy with his laird duties.” But she knew that Magnus had his hands full with finding Ned’s murderer and other clan matters. She was but an unwanted diversion, a wife he hadn’t asked for. Still, he was noble and maybe he would understand that she needed time at home. Would he come to her? If so, when? She wondered how much time she had.