A Man of Honor

by Bethany Hauck

  “Then it’s settled,” Owen said. “Hopefully, Mairi, I’ll have some answers for you when I return.”

  “I hope so too,” Mairi said. “Thank you, both for doing this for me.”

  “It’s what family does,” Owen said to her as Mairi hugged him. “Just don’t get your hopes up, we may find nothing to help you when we get there.”

  “I don’t know why,” Mairi said to everyone at the table, “but the name Scott is beginning to sound so familiar to me. I wish I could remember.”

  “Don’t think so hard about it, Mairi,” Flora said from where she and Ham had been sitting quietly, listening to the conversation. “Your memory will return when it’s ready, or it won’t, there’s nothing you can do to change that.”

  “Do you really believe that?” Mairi asked her.

  “There’s no way to know for sure,” Flora told her. “I know it’s hard, but if you never get your memories back, then you’ll make new ones here at Gleann.”

  “We’ll do our best to make sure they’re good memories too,” Hamish said, he was now holding Cameron and making funny faces at the babe, making him coo and laugh.

  “You know you’re making a fool out of yourself sitting here making those faces don’t you, Da?” Rory said, trying not to laugh.

  Hamish reached out and smacked Rory on the back of the head, making everyone laugh, “you know I’m still the Laird around here don’t you, Rory?” he said good-naturedly.

  “I thought Eadan was now Laird?” Craig asked jokingly.

  Once again Hamish leaned across the table, this time smacking Craig on the side of his head. “Eadan may be the Laird, but I’m still the Da,” he said, making everyone laugh again.

  The maids began clearing the table as the family was just about finished eating. One of them was coughing terribly.

  “Are you unwell?” Flora asked the girl.

  “Just a cough, Lady Flora,” the girl answered. “Many of the villagers seem to be coming down with it.”

  “Have you seen Ina?” Flora asked. Ina was the village healer and had helped raise Flora. She had been teaching Flora everything she knew about healing since she was a little girl so that one day Flora could take over for her.

  “I have,” the maid said. “She gave me a tonic to drink and a poultice to put on my chest at night. It doesn’t seem to be helping though.”

  “I need to find Ina,” Flora said, getting up from the table. “She may need my help.”

  “I’ll help you find her,” Ham said, getting up and escorting his wife out of the hall.

  **********

  “How many are ill now?” Eadan asked Ina and Flora as they tended to the sick villagers in the hall. In less than a sennight, it seemed that half the village had come down with the sickness.

  “We’ve moved the sickest people into the hall,” Flora told him. “There are now over twenty villagers there. Those that seem to be fighting the sickness well enough we’ve left in their homes with medicine to help them. If they become worse, they know to come get one of us here.”

  “How many have died so far?” Hamish asked, hating even to have to ask the question.

  “Five,” Ina said. “Most seem to be able to fight off the infection in their lungs eventually, but there have been some who just couldn’t.”

  “Is there anything you need?” Eadan asked.

  “Nay,” Flora said, trying to hide her yawn. “With Nessa and Mairi helping, we seem to have it in hand at the moment, although, none of us have had very much sleep.”

  “Let us know if there is anything we can do to help,” Hamish told the two women.

  “Of course, Da,” Flora said to him as she went back to aiding those who were ill.

  Flora, Ina, Mairi and Nessa worked through the night, giving droughts, making poultices, getting water, wiping fevered brows, and doing whatever else those that were ill needed. It seemed that more villagers were being brought in every few hours.

  “He’s dead,” Flora said to Nessa as she pulled the plaid up over the face of an old man. “This seems to be hardest on the elderly and sickly.”

  “How many is that now?” Nessa asked, and then coughed.

  “Ten,” Flora answered, looking at Nessa concerned, “are you feeling unwell, Nessa?”

  “I’ll be fine,” Nessa said. “I’m glad Da and Eadan insisted that the children be put in the nursery away from everyone.”

  “Me too,” Mairi said as she joined them. “I’ve got men coming to take this one away. We may need the pallet.”

  “I did send five people home today,” Flora said, “they seemed to be much better.”

  “I’m glad to see that most are recovering,” Nessa said as she again coughed heavily.

  Flora reached over and placed her hand on Nessa’s forehead, “you’re feverish, Nessa.”

  “I’m not feeling well,” she admitted. “I was trying not to complain, but I’ve been feeling worse as the day has gone on.”

  “Let’s find you a pallet where you can lie down,” Ina said as she joined them.

  “I’d rather rest in my room,” Nessa told them.

  “If you were the only one sick, Nessa I’d agree,” Flora said to her, “but with so many others needing care, you’d be too far away to check on.”

  “Please, Nessa,” Mairi said, “let’s find you a spot to rest.”

  “I’ll get a drought for you and a poultice for your chest,” Ina said, as Nessa again began coughing, this time much deeper than before. “You don’t sound well, dear.”

  “Thank you,” Nessa said, feeling too tired and drained to argue with them.

  “I’ll let Eadan know you’re not well as soon as I can,” Flora told her.

  “You don’t need to bother,” Nessa replied, as Mairi led her away to a pallet in the corner of the room where she’d have some privacy.

  Flora didn’t answer her. She knew Eadan would want to know that Nessa was not well and hurried to find him. He was in the study with Hamish, going over the accounts and winter stores.

  “Eadan,” Flora called to him from the doorway.

  “Come in, Flora,” Hamish said to her, “is there something you need?”

  “I just wanted to let Eadan know that Nessa is not well,” Flora told them both. “She’s come down with the sickness.”

  “Where is she?” Eadan asked.

  “We’ve put her on a pallet in the hall,” Nessa said, “I just thought you’d want to know.”

  “Of course I do,” Eadan said. “I’ll be there soon, just let me finish up here.”

  “Go be with your wife, son,” Hamish said. “I can finish up myself.”

  Eadan and Flora hurried back to the hall together. When they arrived, Mairi already had Nessa on a pallet drinking one of Ina’s droughts. Ina was nearby mixing up a poultice to put on her chest. Hopefully, it would break up the infection that seemed to attack the lungs.

  “Nessa?” Eadan said as he sat down on the floor next to her. “How are you feeling?”

  “Awful,” Nessa said. She then looked at the other women around her and asked, “could you leave us alone for a few moments?”

  “Of course,” Mairi said, motioning for Ina and Flora to stay away so Eadan and Nessa could talk privately.

  “I wanted to talk with you alone for a moment,” Nessa said to Eadan, gripping his hand tighter. “I want to apologize for the way I’ve treated you the past year.”

  “Don’t worry about that now, Nessa,” Eadan said to her, “just worry about getting better.”

  “I’m not sure I’m going to get better, Eadan,” Nessa told him.

  “You will,” Eadan insisted, “then we can talk about making our marriage good again.”

  “Nay,” Nessa said, “just listen Eadan. I’ve watched many of the villagers arrive with this sickness the last sennight.” Nessa stopped as once again a coughing fit began. Eadan helped her sit up, and neither spoke until it passed. Then she started speaking again. “The sickness seems to affect some
faster than others, and they seem to get it worse. Many haven’t recovered Eadan. I seem to be coming down with it fast and bad.”

  “What are you saying, Nessa?” Eadan asked.

  “If I don’t get better I want you to know that I don’t blame you for any of my unhappiness the past year. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but since I was carrying our son and became so ill, I just haven’t been myself,” she explained.

  “I know,” Eadan said. “I wish I knew a way to make you happy again.”

  “I don’t know if there is a way,” Nessa said. “If I don’t get better, I want you to promise me you’ll take care of our son, and maybe one day find a new wife who’s willing to give you more children.”

  “Nessa, please don’t talk like that,” Eadan said. “You’ll get well again.”

  “Promise me, Eadan,” she said, “I want you to know that I do love you and Eadan Hamish, even though I haven’t always shown it.”

  “I love you too, Nessa,” Eadan said, leaning forward and kissing her on the forehead. He was surprised at how warm she felt as he realized how high her fever must be. Eadan gripped her hand a little tighter, giving in a slight squeeze, and didn’t let go, as he stayed beside her until she fell into a fitful sleep. He stayed next to her all night since she would wake herself often as the coughing fits overtook her.

  **********

  Mairi had never been so tired in her entire life. Over one hundred of the villagers had come down with the illness which included coughing, high fever, chills and in some cases a very sore throat. Most of the villagers responded well to the drought and poultices that Ina and Flora seemed to constantly be making, but for others, they did little to no good. Many had already recovered enough to return to their own cottages where their families could continue to care for them, and some would never return to their homes again.

  Poor Nessa was not doing well. Flora had changed the herbs in the droughts she was giving her more than once already with little to no effect. Each day it seemed as if her cough and fever worsened, until today when she was too weak to cough anymore, and the wheezing sound she made as she struggled to take each breath also get worse.

  “Is there nothing else you can do?” Eadan asked Ina and Flora once again.

  “I’m sorry, Eadan,” Flora said, fighting back tears. “I’ve tried everything I can think of, and nothing seems to be working.”

  “She’s going to die,” Eadan said softly, stroking her hair from her forehead.

  “Aye,” Ina said.

  “Could you let my Da and brothers know?” Eadan asked.

  “Aye,” Ina said again, as she moved away in search of the Laird.

  Eadan gathered Nessa in his arms and propped her body up against him, which seemed to help her breathe just a bit easier. Soon Hamish joined his son and daughters by marriage at Nessa’s side.

  “I’m here, son,” he said, putting his hand on Eadan’s shoulder. Ham, Alastair, Rory and Craig joined the family soon after. Eadan sat on the floor and rocked Nessa, whispering to her quietly until she took her last breath and passed away.

  Mairi couldn’t help it; she burst into tears. Alastair quickly pulled her into him and let her cry into his chest for a long time. By the time she was done, Flora and Ina had cleaned the body and wrapped it up in a clean cloth. Nessa would be laid to rest in the family crypt next to Hamish McCabe’s own wife.

  Mairi finally let go of Alastair, knowing she needed to help with the few villagers that were still being taken care of in the hall. “I need to help,” she told Alastair, wiping her tears away.

  “You don’t have too,” Alastair told her. “You need some sleep; you’re exhausted, Mairi.”

  “In a few days this will all be over, and I can sleep,” she said, turning and walking away. She’d only made it halfway across the hall when she began to feel very dizzy and off balance. She reached her hand out to grab onto something to steady herself, but there was nothing there. Suddenly the room went black. Mairi didn’t even feel it as the back of her head hit the floor.

  Chapter 10 I Remember Everything

  “Why won’t she wake up?” Alastair asked Flora. “It’s been two days.”

  “She hit her head on the floor hard, Alastair,” Flora answered. “She’ll wake up when she’s ready.”

  “But she will wake up?” he asked.

  “I can’t be certain with a blow to the head like she had,” Flora told him, “but her breathing is good, and she doesn’t seem to have anything else wrong with her. All we can do is wait. She was also exhausted from helping in the hall for so many days. Give it time.”

  “I keep thinking about Eadan,” Alastair said. “I don’t know if I could be as strong as he’s been. He handled Nessa’s funeral well.”

  “What choice does he have?” Flora said to him. “He has a young son that needs him now more than ever. I think Da has been a big help to him. He’s been through this kind of loss himself.”

  “I used to wonder how my Da could grieve for so long after my Mither died,” Alastair said, “but now, I think I understand. I don’t know how I’d go on if something happened to Mairi.”

  “You love her,” Flora said, smiling at him.

  “With my whole heart,” Alastair said. “I never thought I’d love someone this much.”

  “I know the feeling,” Flora said. “I love your brother that much.”

  “And he loves you,” Ham answered from the doorway, coming in and hugging his wife from behind. “How is she today?”

  “She seems to be moving around quite a bit the last hour or so,” Flora said.

  “Is that good or bad?” Ham asked.

  “Good, I think,” Flora answered. “She seems to be having some very vivid dreams. She’s even called out once or twice in her sleep.”

  “What’s she saying?” Ham asked.

  “She was calling for our son, and someone named Emelia,” Alastair answered.

  “I’ve been praying she’ll be well, brother,” Ham said to Alastair, as he walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

  “Thank you, Ham,” Alastair answered. “She has to be alright; she just has too.”

  “We’re all here if you need us,” Ham assured him.

  “How’s Eadan?” he asked. “I haven’t seen him since the funeral yesterday.”

  “He’s doing as well as can be expected. There were problems in the marriage, but I believe they both still loved each other,” Ham said. Alastair just nodded his agreement.

  “I need to go back downstairs, Alastair,” Flora said, “but if you need me, just send one of the servants for me, and I’ll come right away.”

  “How many villagers are still down there?” Alastair asked.

  “Only a few,” Flora answered. “I believe the worst is past us now.”

  “How many died?” Alastair asked.

  “Last count was eight and ten,” Flora told him. “But the ones that are left all seem to be getting better.”

  “It seemed like more,” Alastair said. Glad to hear the number was less than he thought.

  “I know,” Flora agreed. “Things were bad for over a sennight, but luckily it seems to be over. I’ll be back to check on Mairi soon, but remember, if you need me, just send for me.”

  “I will, thank you, Flora,” Alastair replied, then watched as Flora and Ham left the room together. He sat down in the chair next to the bed and held Mairi’s hand. She had to get better; he wouldn’t allow her to do anything else. Alastair closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair he’d been sitting in for the past two days, he was so tired; it wasn’t long until he was sleeping, dreaming about the future with Mairi.

  **********

  “Mairi and Emelia, you have to run faster,” Cameron said as he looked behind them one more time.

  “What did those men want?” Emelia said, tears were running down her cheeks, “and why did they hurt Da?”

  “I’m not sure,” Cameron said. “We can di
scuss it when we get to Grandda’s Keep. Just keep moving.”

  “I hear them coming,” Mairi said, gripping Emelia’s hand tighter as she pulled her through the trees, heading in the direction of her Grandda’s. “We have to do something, Cameron.”

  “I’m going to try to lead them away from you,” Cameron said. “Don’t look back, just keep running.”

  “Don’t leave us, Cameron,” Mairi pleaded with her brother.

  “I have too,” he answered. “If I don’t do something, they’re going to catch us.”

  Cameron veered off to the right, leaving Mairi and Emelia running straight ahead, towards the river that Mairi knew if she followed long enough, would take her to Kerr land and her Grandda, Findley Kerr’s Keep. If they could just make it there, she knew they’d all be safe.

  Mairi ran and ran, pulling Emelia behind her. She could hear the sound of the men behind them as they followed. Emelia was tired, but Mairi continued to pull her along. Once they reached the river, Mairi turned and began to follow it east, along the bank, slowing down just enough for them to catch their breath.

  Mairi was just beginning to feel safe when three men stepped out of the trees, cutting off their path. “Stop,” one of the men yelled, it was the same one she’d seen thrust his dirk into her Da. She knew who he was, Lord Thompson’s brother, Donovan.

  “Leave us alone,” Mairi said to him. “Why are you doing this?”

  “My brother will explain everything,” Donovan said, stepping towards them. Mairi took a step back, once again pulling Emelia with her.

  “You attacked us for no reason,” Mairi yelled at him. “What did you do to my Da and Mither?”

  “Your Da should have agreed to the betrothal my brother wanted, and none of this would have needed to happen,” Donovan said, again stepping forward. Mairi stepped back again.

  “Leave us alone,” Mairi said again, hoping to see Cameron coming to help them, but he was nowhere in sight.

  “You have nowhere to go,” the man said again. “Come along, Mairi, and you and your sister will be safe.”

  “We’ll go nowhere with you,” Mairi said, again stepping back. This time though, she stepped too close to the edge of the river, the ground gave way underneath her feet, and Mairi let go of Emelia as she tumbled into the water and was swept away by the fast-moving current.