by Terry Spear
“You were one fighting against five.” Avelina shook her head.
“Four now. Unless one of the other men didna make it to shore alive.” He desperately wanted to ask her if they were nearly to the croft, but he didn’t want to sound like he could barely make it, even though he was taking steps like a wee bairn would.
“We are nearly there,” she finally said.
He tried not to breathe in a sigh of relief that she would notice, but she smiled up at him, and he figured she’d heard him.
Then he saw the stone croft, the roof partly missing, the rest moss-covered, like the stones. The byre was in shambles, much like the ship he’d been on, and he felt like he was in as bad a shape as the stone croft’s roof.
“Dinna run out of here screaming in the middle of the night should you see something you hadna expected. You could fall in a bog, off a cliff, or end up in the ocean again, even though we are a long way from there now.”
“The banshees or the dead dinna scare me. We only have to worry about the living.” Which, in his case, meant both her kin and his brother’s own men. Quinn was trying to come up with a plan where he could turn this around so that he had a chance of surviving. It didn’t look good.
She released her hold on him and hurried into the croft. “I’ll leave what’s left of your clothes in here, the flask of wine, and the food. I must see to the widow I mentioned before to you to ask if she can take you in. I must go before my people worry about me not returning for the meal as I promised. I will return on the morrow when I can get away. Rest, and I will see you when I can.”
“Be safe, Avelina, and thank you.”
“Take care of yourself. If you are caught here with my brother’s things, it willna go well for either of us. Just dinna get caught. This place is far enough away from any others that if you burn peat at the hearth, no one should notice. If anyone did, they’d be assured the ghosts have returned. I must go.” She offered him brown bread and fish.
He broke apart the bread and offered her a piece. She frowned and shook her head. “You’ll need your strength. You’ll have to work to earn your food as soon as you’re healed.”
He didn’t state the obvious. That he hadn’t seen any men, any women, children, nobody, as if he and she were the only two people here. And Fenella, but he couldn’t let her know he knew about her too or Avelina would realize he hadn’t been unconscious the whole time she and her cousin had been with him on the shore.
But she kept him away from her people for some reason. Why? Because she was left in charge of the women and children? Maybe elderly men past their prime? And she was afraid Quinn would try to take over? What of the other shipwreck survivors? The mercenaries? She had mentioned Hamish, the man left in charge. For his sake, Quinn hoped he had enough men at the keep to ensure the mercenaries didn’t cause them any trouble.
“I have work to do. See that you eat everything, and I’ll visit with you…later. Wolf, stay, guard the man.” She considered Quinn for a minute more, took in a deep breath, then left the croft.
He watched her go as she walked up the slope, her hips swaying suggestively, though only because she couldn’t help it as she navigated around the gorse, and disappeared beyond the hill.
“Here, boy, have a bite,” Quinn said to the wolf. He’d never dealt with a halfway tamed wolf before, but he figured a well-fed wolf was better than one that was hungry.
Wolf glanced in the direction his mistress had gone. When he saw she was out of sight, he hurried over to get a chunk of bread and excitedly wolfed it down, then looked eager for more.
Quinn petted the wolf’s head and gave him part of the fish, then secured the rest for the morrow. He’d learned long ago not to trust that he’d have an easy time getting food the next day. Rationing had saved his life many a time. “If your mistress brings enough tomorrow for us to eat, I will share more. You know, this is our secret. If she learns we’re best of friends, we’re both liable to be in trouble.”
Wolf looked up at him with beautiful amber eyes, the sunlight streaming through the holes in the roof, glinting off them. Wolf licked his chops.
“Sorry, there’s no more for you, or me, this eve. You wouldna know where there’s a boat to get off this island, would you?”
Wolf sat down next to the hearth.
“We’re going to have to work at your growling at me. Just for show. That way Avelina doesn’t know that you’re keeping me company and not guarding me.”
In one respect, Quinn wished she’d taken the wolf with her for protection. But he was glad to have the company. The wolf could possibly warn him if anyone showed up unexpectedly. Quinn glanced up at the roof. He could repair it mayhap on the morrow after he’d had the night to rest. He debated on making a fire and decided he’d start one so that he could warm up until he could fall asleep. He made the fire. Then he untied the bundle and found his sheathed sgian dubh. He smiled, unsure whether she had left it on purpose to afford him some protection, or by accident, but he was glad to have his sgian dubh back. He would have loved having his sword returned too, but maybe she would bring it tomorrow.
He wanted to do more for himself, so she wouldn’t have to return and risk getting caught.
Before it was dark, Quinn made a bed of her extra plaid, and left his drying by the fire. He wrapped himself in her brother’s plaid. Wolf curled up next to him. Quinn suspected he didn’t get a “pack” mate to sleep with normally. The wolf seemed to like the arrangement.
“You warn me if we have any unwelcome visitors, aye?” Quinn said to Wolf.
The wolf pulled his panting tongue into his mouth and stared at Quinn for a moment, then laid his head on his chest.
Pain shot up Quinn’s ribs, and he groaned. But he didn’t make Wolf move his head, figuring the pain would be worse moving around and hoped it would subside soon. He appreciated the wolf’s companionship and warmth.
Avelina hoped she wasn’t making the worst mistake of her life by aiding Quinn. She could tell the others where he was, if she should change her mind and feel he was as much a brigand as the other men, but her people would know she hid him away for a while and wouldn’t like that she had. She would lose their trust. Her cousin might even be implicated since they had been together earlier, and Fenella had been trying to leave the castle grounds, carrying the bundle, before Avelina finished the task.
When Avelina reached widow Judith’s home, the elderly woman was cooking fish inside.
“Come in, come in, and join me.”
“I have to return to the castle soon. They’ll send out search parties if I dinna. But I must ask you, can you take care of an injured stranger, who was shipwrecked on our shores, if I bring him to you?”
Judith’s gray eyes widened. She licked her lips. “How badly injured?”
“Bruised or cracked ribs. His head and arm were bleeding, and he was having a devil of a time walking.”
“Where is he now?”
“Somewhere safe. But we canna tell anyone about him. Could you care for him? And in return, when he’s feeling better, he’ll repair your croft and byre?”
“Oh, aye, of course.”
“Good. Eat your food, Judith. I just wanted to come by to see how you were faring.”
“And learn if I would take in a rogue, aye?” Judith smiled a little, her eyes lit up with humor and intrigue.
“Aye, but I’d planned to visit you earlier, before we found the man.”
Judith frowned. “We? Who else knows about him?”
“Fenella.” Avelina told her about the other men, about their mission, Cormac, all of it.
“Och, lass.”
Avelina had to tell her everything, but she was afraid now that Judith would think Quinn would be too much trouble.
“He could repair—”
Judith waved her hand, silencing her. “I will take him in, care for him, and protect him. I will enjoy the company.”
“Do you mind if Wolf stays with the two of you? I want him to guard Qui
nn.”
“To protect him, or to keep him from leaving?”
“To keep him from leaving. Though I dinna know where he would go if he thought to steal a fishing boat. I doubt he would be able to manage the coracle by himself because of his injuries.”
“Tell me what Fenella says about this Cormac before you bring Quinn here, will you?”
“Aye. I must leave now. Take care, and if all goes as planned, I will return sometime tomorrow and then fetch Quinn and bring him to stay with you.”
“Take care, and I’ll see you on the morrow.”
That was the fastest Avelina had ever gotten away from Judith, but she could tell the older woman was delighted to have someone stay with her for a time. Avelina just hoped she wouldn’t be in trouble for it too, should anyone learn of it.
Avelina ran as fast as she could back to the keep, but slowed down the closer she got to the castle. Then she saw some of the men returning.
“Where have you been, lass?” one of the men asked, frowning at her. He’d been on a hunt earlier, before news of the shipwreck had changed the men’s focus.
“Seeing to Judith, and she is well. Did you find any more bodies?”
“Some.”
Avelina took a deep breath, hoping that one of them was the other mercenary who had tried to kill Quinn. “Are they all sailors, or are some of them like the men captured and waiting in our outer bailey?”
“I have no idea. They’ll bury them in the morning, but we’ll have the men at the castle identify them first.”
“Good idea. Do you think you have found all of the men from the ship?”
“Hard to say. If one wasna injured badly, he might have made it inland a way. We’ll resume our search in the morning. The others are probably lost at sea. ‘Tis getting to be too late this eve to look any further. I am surprised Hamish allowed you beyond the castle gates, once we learned of the sunken vessel.”
“He knew I was staying away from the sea. I had my sword and sgian dubh, and know how to use them. If any of the men had survived, they would be injured like the ones already found.”
“Aye. Unless one was lucky.”
When they reached the keep, Fenella hurried out to greet Avelina. She cast her a warning look not to appear overanxious, and Fenella quickly smiled, but didn’t throw her arms around her in a grateful hug, like she appeared to want to do.
“I’m so glad you made it home in time for the meal.”
“Judith is well,” Avelina said. “I will tell you all the rest later. They found more bodies on the shore.”
“Oh, no.”
Avelina was dying to ask Fenella about her supposed love interest in Cormac, but she was afraid she might be overheard when they entered the great hall for the feast. Still, she couldn’t wait and warned her cousin first, “Dinna overreact when I tell you some news.”
Fenella frowned at her. “What is wrong now?”
Avelina whispered to her, “Do you know a man by the name of Cormac?”
Fenella’s eyes widened. “Nay. Should I?”
Avelina let out her breath with relief. She was glad her cousin hadn’t planned to leave here without her da’s permission. “I will tell you all about it later. Come, let us eat.”
They took their seats at the head table. The great hall seemed so empty now that most of the men were gone.
“You canna say that and keep me in suspense. Tell me what? Just whisper it to me,” Fenella said.
Against her better judgment, Avelina did.
Immediately, Fenella’s face reddened and outraged, she said, “Steal me?”
“Lower your voice, Cousin. Others will take notice. He thought you wished it.”
“I dinna wish to be stolen away from my kin to wed some, some brigand.”
“Aye, I gathered as much when you told me you didna know the man.”
Fuming, Fenella poked at her fish soup. “Now that this Quinn knows the truth, does he still plan to steal me away to hand over to his brother?”
“Nay. He would be foolish to even think of such a thing. He had to know the truth though, that wedding his brother wasna your wish.”
“It isna. Do you believe him?”
“Aye. He knew he’d be in more trouble if he told me, than if he kept quiet about it. He could have said he was bound for another place and the storm sidetracked them. Once I tell him that was never your intention, he willna attempt to take you anywhere, but the rest of the men? Mayhap. Did you learn anything more about them?”
“When I tried to get close to overhear anything the men might say, Hamish shooed me away, but he used my name and the men’s eyes widened. They cast each other glances. Now that I know that they were actually planning to land on our island, and well, the rest, I’m sure they were glad to learn who I was. Shouldna we tell Hamish what they had intended to do?”
“What if he doesna believe us? If the men say and do naught to incriminate themselves, our men may believe we are crazy.”
Fenella finished her soup. “Then we need to somehow trick them into giving themselves away. Unless, we bring Quinn here, and he tells the truth.”
“It would be his word against the three men. Dinna you go near them until I return on the morrow.”
“You were gone forever. Hamish was getting ready to send men looking for you, though he was concerned with the others searching the beach, and the rest watching the prisoners and guarding from the wall walk, he didna want to leave too few men here. The prisoners will be staying with the men in the barracks this eve.” Fenella tore off a piece of bread. “What if this Cormac realizes his men aren’t returning, and he sends more to fetch me?”
“Mayhap it was only a ruse. That he thought he could get rid of Quinn, once we discovered his purpose in coming here. And Cormac never intended to have you taken from your family.”
“He set him up to be killed then.”
“Like before, if Quinn is correct in his assumptions.”
Fenella chewed on her bread, appearing deep in thought. Avelina glanced around the great hall, but noticed they must have fed the prisoners elsewhere as they weren’t here. She was thankful for that. She could imagine Fenella having difficulty eating if she had to see the men in here. Hamish was watching Avelina, and she worried he might know that she hadn’t been perfectly honest with him about just seeing Judith. If the other guard told him, he would think she’d also been gathering herbs. But she hadn’t. She’d carried some with her just in case she had to show them to any of the guards. Hopefully, they wouldn’t realize they were dried and not freshly cut, if anyone asked her about them now.
After the meal was done, she and Fenella left the great hall to go to Avelina’s chamber so she could pack more items for Quinn when she met him on the morrow, including bread and cheese from the meal she’d slipped into a spare pouch of Fenella’s on her lap. Fenella, likewise, had added some more food to the pouch under the table. Avelina hoped the hounds wouldn’t think they were casting them leftovers and grab the bag of food.
Hamish moved toward them and Avelina slipped the pouch to Fenella. “Go to your chamber. I’ll meet up with you there.”
Fenella looked ill-at-ease that she was carrying the pouch filled with food from the supper, or that she would leave Avelina alone when Hamish was sure to question her about where she’d gone. Reluctantly, Fenella moved away from there, and Avelina was glad she had gotten it right and that Hamish hadn’t intended to speak to Fenella instead.
“How is Judith?” Hamish asked.
Avelina wanted to sigh in relief, but she still didn’t trust that Hamish was only concerned about Judith’s health. “She is well, but I’m returning on the morrow to help her out.”
“Where is Wolf?”
Avelina didn’t think anyone noticed when he was with her or not. She hadn’t expected anyone to question her about him. “Guarding. He’ll remain beyond the castle walls this eve and will alert us if he sees any strangers about.”
“You dinna believe he will
howl to be let in to join you?” Hamish and others had objected to her raising the wolf from a pup, but when Avelina’s mother had died from a fever, she’d been inconsolable.
“He will mind me and stay out there guarding, like I told him to do.” When her da had brought her the wolf pup from the mainland, she’d been overjoyed, and everyone believed her da would eventually take the wolf from her and return it to the wild, but she was his pack. Wolf was her family, just as much as her da, her uncle, and her cousin were. And she knew if they released him elsewhere, someone would kill him.
“Did you find the herbs that you went in search of?” Hamish asked.
“Aye. Thank you for worrying about me.” Before Hamish could question her further, Avelina asked him, “Where were the men headed who were shipwrecked on our island?”
“Home, they said. They were blown off course by the storm.”
“Do you believe them?”
Hamish narrowed his eyes a little as he considered her.
She shrugged as if she had only mentioned it as an afterthought. “Why keep them prisoner, if you believe they wish us no harm?”
His eyes narrowed further. “You are no’ intrigued with one of the men, are you?” Now he sounded all growly.
“Nay, of course no’. Whatever made you think such an outlandish notion? You must be jesting. I only mentioned it because you seem concerned about their intentions, and I wondered if we should be also. All of us, I mean. Did they say where they came from?”
“They work for a chief named Cormac on the mainland.”
At least they had told her people the truth about that. She frowned. “Has Cormac ever been here to see my uncle?”
“In one of the skirmishes we sent forces to aid those who have alliances with us, aye.”
“You have met him?”
“Aye.” Hamish was still looking at her as if he knew something more was up because of all her questions. “You have naught you wish to tell me, do you, lass?”
