Page 45 of Bride Takes a Laird

Magnus appreciated his soldier’s offer but he didn’t want to leave Jake until he knew for certain that he wouldn’t succumb to his injury. His mother couldn’t stand the loss of another of her younger sons.

Hayden approached and stood next to him. “Go on, Laird. I’ll stay with them both and will come when I have news.”

Lillith returned from her table and dabbed a wine-soaked clothover Oswald’s leg. “Magnus, ye should go and take your dead home. I will take your soldier up on his offer. He’ll be of use to me here whilst I tend to the wounded. When they recover, I will send them back to ye.”

“Aye, we will go then. Hayden, if ye need me…”

“I will come, Laird,” Hayden said.

Magnus nodded to him, took a glance at his brother who continued to slumber, and turned to the door. Once he was outside, he whistled to his men and readied for the trek home. The men quickly disbanded camp, put out the small fire they’d made, and mounted their horses. They set out for home and he hoped to reach it before nightfall.

The heavens were marked with varying streaks of color as the sun set over the peaks of mountains in the distance. With its brilliance, a smattering of stars made their appearance in the early night sky. They approached the gates and stopped before the guardsmen. After explaining what happened on their trek, the men left to prepare for the burials which would take place after the soldiers’ families were told of their demise. With the onset of darkness, they’d bury their fallen soldiers in the light of the morn.

Magnus was met by Winston at the stables as he approached. His soldier had a fat smile on his face. Marriage agreed with him. Magnus quickly told him of the happenings.

“Terrible news, Laird. I’ll tend to your horse and will aid the men to prepare for the burials.”

“Before ye do, fetch Wyren and have him come to the keep.”

“Aye, Laird.” Winston disappeared with his horse inside the stable.

Before Magnus could seek his rest, he needed to give the news to his soldiers’ families. Giving such dreadful bearings tightened his chest. He never wanted to impart such atrocious news to the families of his clan, but it was his duty as laird.

The families, as expected, were distraught and inconsolable. Heslowed his steps on the advance to the fief. Although he wanted to see Kendra, he didn’t wish to have to explain, once again, what transpired on their journey. His father would expect an explanation and would want the details.

Magnus wanted to seek his bed, shut his eyes, and have a wee bit of peace. Come the morning, there would be time aplenty to fill his father in on the news. He opened the door to the keep and entered. There were no voices to be heard and he thought all had sought their beds. But as he gave the great hall a quick glance, he noticed his father sitting by the hearth. Magnus took a settling breath and slowly moved toward him. He took the seat across from his father and leaned back, wary and tense in wait for Wyren.

His father inclined forward and stoked the fire. “’Tis a chilly evening. I should have the men bring more firewood.”

Magnus barely heard what his father said.

Wyren trudged into the room and sat in the chair next to his father’s. “Winston said ye wanted to meet. What happened on your trek? Did ye find anything out?”

“Before we get to that, I must tell ye that Jake was injured in a scuffle with the Chattans. I took him to Lillith, the healer, and she’s tended to him. He’ll take time to recover, that’s if he survives. Hayden stayed with him. Oswald, as well, suffered a battered leg. He stayed at the healer’s cottage too.” Magnus’s words droned out and he couldn’t look at his family. He kept his gaze on his knee and waited for their outrage.

“Lillith is the best healer in these parts. She’ll have Jake well in no time,” Wyren said. He poured a cup of ale from the pitcher that sat on a nearby table and handed it to him. “Looks like ye need a drink, brother.”

“Oh, damnation, your mother will pitch a fit when she hears about Jake. I will wait until the morn to tell her for she’s gone to bed,” his father said.

“Did the Chattans attack or did ye initiate the fracas?” Wyren asked.

Magnus pointed to himself, and after, he chugged the ale until there wasn’t a drop left. The drink did nothing to allay him. “Me, for I am at fault. I wanted to insert my wrath at them being on our land. I should’ve just kept riding… We were headed for home.”

His father pressed his hands over his face and spoke in a harsh tone, “Och, ye are not to blame, son. ’Tis a sad state of affairs that we lost two men and two convalesce, but at least now the Chattans know we mean business. Mayhap now they’ll stay off our land.”

They fell into silence. Magnus appreciated his father’s and brother’s support. Not that it lessened his regret or culpability.

Wyren refilled their cups. “Tell me what ye found out about Ned.”

Magnus swirled the ale in his cup and peered at it as he spoke, “Aye, apparently Ned told his mistress—”

“Wait…whoa, what say ye? Ned had a woman?” Wyren chortled. “I disbelieve ye. He wasn’t the lover sort of man.”

“She wasn’t his alone.”

“Oho,” Wyren said and his mouth hung open. “That makes more sense for Ned would have to pay for a woman. Never saw him with a lass. Go on.”

“What do ye mean by that…that she wasn’t his alone. Do ye mean she was with others?” His father frowned hard at him.