Page 19 of The Mad Highlander

19

C ayden grabbed Hunter’s forearm, and Hunter did the same in return. Both men held tight to the other, their faces close to each other, their eyes locked. Hunter was the closest thing Cayden had to a brother since his own brother had been killed.

“I’ll send word if there are any delays,” Hunter said. “We should be in Castle McCraig after dark, and we plan to stay there two nights. Clan McCraig has been generous enough to house us for a night on our journey, but I’m still not convinced Laird McCraig will send any men if it comes to war, and I’d like to add a little persuasion before we head north to Castle Murdoch.”

“Aye, it will look guid, too,” Cayden added, still holding Hunter’s arm. “Clan McCraig has always loosely been our ally, and it makes sense for ye to stop there. Laird Murdoch might start to wonder if ye were to approach him too hastily; he might nae like it. Takin’ yer time is a wise move.”

“And it gives ye ample time to get yer arse up there. When will ye leave? Overmorrow?”

The handshake finally ended with smiles from both men.

“Aye, overmorrow,” Cayden confirmed. “We’ll ride through Scallig Forest and the back of Loch Oben, stayin’ off the roads. If ye do run into trouble, send a messenger after us. We’ll nae have much of a chance to change course before we get to the castle unless ye alert us hastily.”

“Ye do ken I’ve always defended ye when folks have called ye the mad laird, and then ye go and walk into the castle of our enemy with a handful of men on a rescue mission. Yer nae doin’ yerself any favors.”

Cayden laughed. “I have a reputation to keep. I cannae keep people afraid of me if I make rational decisions, can I?”

“Aye, that’s true.” Hunter looked past Cayden before looking him in the eye again. “Listen, ye need to be careful up there. If anythin’ goes wrong, we willnae hear about it until it is too late, and even if we catch wind, ye will be too far away to help. I dinnae want to have to mount a rescue mission for ye.”

“Dinnae,” Cayden stated. “If I’m taken in the castle, dinnae come after me. Murdoch is plannin’ war, and he’ll use that to divide our forces. As soon as ye reach the predetermined point on the road, ye camp there overnight and then return here as quickly as ye can. I’ll need ye to lead the clans against him.”

“Ye’ll get yer arse back here, or I’ll kill ye meself,” Hunter warned him. “I’ll lead the clans and defend the castle with me life, but with ye nae at the helm, it will cause more unrest, and I ken some will leave the cause. Are ye sure we cannae switch places? I’ll gladly go into the castle to retrieve the lad.”

“I appreciate it, but nay.” Cayden rubbed his head. “I have to be the one to go in.”

Iris’ words the previous night had made him second guess his actions, and Hunter’s were doing the same thing. He hadn’t thought about what would happen if he was caught or killed on the rescue mission.

I just better make sure I’m not.

“Will ye check in with Iris for me when ye return? Ye will be back to the castle first. I have two of me best men watchin’ her while I’m away, but she might need some comfort from ye until I return.”

“Aye,” Hunter said. “And afore ye go, make sure ye spend some time with her to comfort her. All the plans are made, and there is nae need for ye to be sittin’ at the war table and goin’ over everythin’ again and again. Ye need what she gives ye.”

Cayden cocked his eyebrow and smiled. “Aye, and what is that?”

“I’m nae even talkin’ about that,” Hunter stated. “I’ve seen the look in yer eye since ye brought her back here. And the way ye talk sometimes. She’s changin’ ye for the better.”

“Och, she’s nae changin’ me at all.”

Hunter shook his head and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Aye, she is, and it’s about time ye had some contentment in yer life. She does somethin’ to ye that no one else can, and do I dare claim that ye have found some happiness?”

Cayden wanted to protest, but he knew Hunter was right. He had not felt as content before in his own castle as he had recently. And it was obviously down to one woman.

“Aye, I will spend some time with her,” Cayden agreed. “Me sister has been tellin’ me about a spot by the river that she claims is the most beautiful spot in all Scotland, and I ken she means for me to take Iris there. As if I dinnae have ideas of me own.”

“Ye dinnae.” Hunter laughed. “That’s why ye will be takin’ her there, isn’t it? Unless ye have a place of yer own.”

“I thought ye were me friend,” Cayden complained.

“And as yer friend, I fully support yer decision to take yer betrothed to the place suggested by yer sister. Now, if ye need any advice on what to do when ye get there, ye only have to ask.”

“Aye, away and boil yer head,” Cayden grunted. “Are ye nae leavin’ already?”

“Aye, I am.”

The mood became solemn again—it was truly time for Hunter to leave the castle and set off on the first part of the mission. Cayden took the chance to grab Hunter’s arm again and give it a firm shake. Hunter responded with the same, and they let go as quickly as they took hold.

“Guid luck,” Cayden said.

“Aye, ye too. I’ll see ye back at the castle.”

“Aye, and we’ll have a tankard of ale each with one for the rescued lad,” Cayden said.

“Have ye ever been in a war afore?” Iris asked.

Margot looked up from her embroidery and held Iris’ gaze, but she didn’t answer.

“Everyone is always talkin’ about war.” Robyn stuck her needle through the fabric and pulled it back through, focusing on her needlework but still engaged in the conversation. “Everyone always thinks there will be a war, but it doesnae ever happen.”

Iris looked at Margot, and the woman had a knowing look in her eyes. She had seen war but was hesitant to talk about it before her daughter. Iris didn’t look away. She didn’t want to hear about war but needed to prepare herself for it. Iris was hopeful that Robyn was right.

“I’ve never been in a war,” Robyn stated, still looking down at her embroidery.

Iris looked down at the form taking shape on her piece of stretched cloth and pulled the needle through again to stitch another morsel of purple that would eventually be the flower atop the sprig of heather. There was something relaxing about embroidery. Still, it did little to ease her heart after the Laird had talked of war.

“There have been wars,” Margot stated. She had not gone back to stitching after Iris had asked the question. “Most were long afore ye were born, Robyn. Some happened when ye were a wee bairn, and ye willnae remember any of it.”

“Faither fought in wars, didnae he?” Robyn asked.

“Aye, he did,” Margot replied.

Robyn continued to work her needle through the fabric, and Margot remained still with her needle in hand.

Iris cleared her throat. “What, eh… what was it like?”

Margot gave Iris a look that told her she shouldn’t have asked the question, but for the first time since they had started working on their floral projects together that morning, Robyn halted her work to listen, too.

Margot cocked her head and looked out of the window. The sun came in at an angle so as not to blind them while still providing ample warmth for the room.

“It’s nae for the faint-hearted; that’s all I will say.” Margot continued to look out the window.

Iris’ eye was drawn to one of the large tapestries on the wall displaying the landscape of the Highlands. There were no people depicted in the threads, but she couldn’t help but feel it was somewhere where a battle had taken place.

“We willnae be part of it, though,” Iris said.

“The men will fight, but some women have been kenned to fight alongside the men. Ye willnae have to fight, and neither will we. We will be safe in the castle.”

The answer did not put Iris’ mind at ease. “While Cayden is out fightin’.”

Margot did not answer. She sat in silence, her brows dropping a little. They might be safe in the castle, but they would all mourn if Cayden should fall in battle.

“If we lose the battle, they might storm the castle,” Robyn pointed out.

“Robyn!” Margot snapped. “How about ye concentrate a little more on yer needlework and nae on what will happen to the castle. I’m gettin’ tired of this talk about war and fightin’. We are supposed to be havin’ a pleasant afternoon together, and ye are all talking nonsense. I willnae have it in me castle. Do ye hear me?”

Iris was stunned. She had never heard Margot talk with such vigor and anger before. Robyn was shocked, too, and did not move for a second. When Robyn dropped her cloth and thread, Iris expected the young woman to run from the room. She did not. Instead, she ran to her mother to embrace her.

Margot trembled in her daughter’s arms. Iris should never have asked the question. It was obvious a lot had happened before Robyn was born and in her younger years, and it was not something Margot ever wanted to talk about. Iris had only hoped to have her mind put at rest, but she was more scared than ever.

“I’m sorry,” Iris said. “I shouldnae have brought up the subject.”

“It’s nae yer fault,” Margot soothed, even though she was the one who was crying. “There hasnae been a war for a long time, and I trust Cayden to keep it that way.”

“Are me ears burnin’?” Cayden asked as he entered the doorway. “Ye werenae talkin’ about me, were ye?” He looked around the room to see three women who looked distraught, and his mother was in his sister’s arms. “What’s wrong? What happened.”

“Naythin’ happened,” Margot admitted. “We were only talkin’, and ye ken how I can get sometimes. Reminiscin’ about the past is all.”

“What can I do?” Cayden asked, stepping into the room.

“I’ll be fine,” Margot admitted. “Keep doin’ what ye are doin’. Ye lead the clan well, and that’s all ye can do.”

“Is there news about…?” Iris looked hopefully at Cayden.

“Nay, I don’t have any other news. Hunter just left, and I will leave in two days. Before that, I thought we might—” Cayden looked back at his sister and mother, who were both staring at him. “I thought you might like to take a walk and have a picnic this afternoon.”

Robyn leaped to her feet. “Oh, Cayden! Are ye goin’ to take her to the spot by the river? The one I told ye about? Oh, Iris, it is perfect there! Ye will have a braw time, and mind that I told him first. He’s nae the one who kenned about the place first. I kenned about it a long time before him.”

“Thank ye, Sister,” Cayden said. “If it was goin’ to be a surprise where we were goin’, it’s certainly nae a surprise anymore.”

“Oh.” Robyn placed a hand over her mouth and spoke through her fingers. “Is that where…?”

“Aye, it’s where I’m takin’ her,” the Laird growled. “And it’s nae a complete surprise, but it might have been nice nae to have all of this build-up afore we go out there. It’s only a walk and a picnic.”

Even with the Laird stating it, Iris felt her heart quicken at being taken on a picnic with Cayden.

“Ye should have the cooks put some of that cheese ye like in the picnic basket, and they just cured some meat? Are ye takin’ some wine?” Robyn asked.

“I ken how to pack a picnic basket,” the Laird growled. “I’ve asked them to pack all of that already. Och, I came in here to talk to Iris, and now, I’m havin’ a whole conversation with ye instead.” The Laird turned to Iris, his dark blue eyes piercing her soul. “Would ye like to go on a walk with me and have some lunch?”

“Aye, I would like that a lot,” Iris agreed.