The Twisted Laird

by Cherime MacFarlane

  There was a sound behind her. Rhona turned to glance over her shoulder. Her mother was waving at Rhona and calling her name. It appeared it was time to begin the day. There was food to see to. Afterward, perhaps Edan would finally tell everyone what he had been doing.

  Lifting her skirt, to clear a large clod of earth, Rhona turned back toward the clearing surrounding the cottage. With another heavy sigh, she resigned herself to waiting on Edan. She had no choice.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Edan held the old Bible. No one knew how old it really was, but it was said to have belonged to Gideon. Sitting on a stool in front of the assembled women and children, Edan patted the old worn cover. Rhona knew he did not need to open it. Edan could probably quote from any passage he chose. He had taken to learning Latin quickly.

  Birk was pleased to have an interested student and Hamish was happy as he was allowed to skip that particular area of learning. A small smile lifted the corner of her mouth, as Rhona recalled the hours she and Hamish spent together, thanks to Edan.

  "This morn, we need tae thank God for bringing us safely tae this place." Edan's words cut through her thoughts. As Rhona anticipated, Edan would be speaking from the Bible before they got to the things she wished to know about.

  "It appears tae me, Exodus holds ah good lesson for us this day. We are strangers in ah land which is nae our own. Tae keep from becoming slaves, we'll need tae keep ah sharp eye out."

  Nodding in agreement, Rhona concentrated on his words. Edan was working up to something.

  "I'll speak tae tha pastor of tha kirk. Mind me here, pay close attention tae tha manner in which things are done on Sunday. Be civil, but nae go trying tae make friends in tha kirk. We're going tae be on sufferance here. Tha pastor can force us out, as surely as tha Crown. Nae trust ah one in tha congregation. Tha lot will be looking tae catch us out as papists. This copy of tha Bible, by itself, could cause us grief."

  "What are we tae say? If we hold ourselves apart, will they nae be suspicious?" Jean asked. Rut nodded in agreement.

  "We've ah reason tae be holding ourselves away from all. All yur men are gone. None of us has ever lived in such close quarters with so many people an we can use that. We are shy, reserved an humble. If ye wish, ye can pretend tae have little of tha Sassenach's tongue."

  Nessa spoke up. "We're in mourning, aye. Another good reason tae nae be gallivanting round. We're ah family of grieving widows."

  With a nod, Edan smiled at her. "'Tis tha God's honest truth. Stick tae tha truth. As it says "tha truth shall set ye free". An we hope, keep us free." He wrapped the old Bible in its covering of soft leather and returned it to the wooden box it was stored in.

  "Now, we need tae discuss all tha rest of tha week's business. I wasnae prepared tae see tha extent of tha cottage. 'Tis far larger than I hoped. Are ye all happy with tha place?"

  Edan's gaze traveled around the semicircle of women before him. Rhona did note how quickly he passed over her. Perversely, she decided to make him respond to her.

  "It's ah braw place, Edan. But, what of tha field? Why are we nae farming it ourselves?"

  Watching him stiffen as he turned toward her, Rhona smiled slightly. Needling the man produced interesting results. As she was being fairly reasonable, he was not able to ignore her.

  "Aye, well, I was getting tae it. Jamie Anderson owns tha field. We hold tha cottage an tha backland. Jamie needed ah place tae enter tha field, an in exchange for access, we get free vegetables. An nae labor on our part."

  There were quite a few chuckles and general agreement. That did not bother Rhona. She was willing to go easy on the man for the moment. Regardless, there were things she wished to understand about their circumstances.

  "'It seems ah good enough bargain. But we've nae seen Smith. Wasnae Anderson tae go back tae Smith after bringing us here? Is Smith going tae be angry? I've seen him peeved when we were working for him an I've nae need tae have him angry with us."

  She watched as Edan's head came around and he stared at her for a moment. She couldn't read his expression, but something in his eyes caused a bit of goose flesh to run up both arms.

  "There's nae need for Smith tae get angry with us once he kens tha way all played out. Anderson is more involved than we. He will be tha one answering tae Ian Smith, needs be."

  The green and blue eyes bored into her. There could easily be trouble. Rhona sensed there was more to the story than Edan wished to go into. She was determined to hear the whole of it. He would not be able to avoid her forever.

  Rhona wrapped the arisaid tightly around her shoulders. Her son, Hamish's heir, was going to be birthed into this world. This was to be his home and Rhona would not have her son threatened.

  Och! This conversation is nae over, Edan! Lifting her chin, Rhona stared back at the Laird of MacGrough.

  As if they had communicated out loud, Edan gave a slight nod of his head. But his eyes still held hers. "Smith didnae see tha property. He took it from Anderson's uncle for ah debt. 'Tis nae our fight. I worked for this, for all of us."

  Biting her tongue to keep from saying more, Rhona looked away. Edan had agreed to discuss this with her further. It would be enough for now.

  The topic of duties and chores was brought up by Rut. Rhona heard the voices speaking around her, but her thoughts blanketed the meaning. What would she do now? There were no cows to herd, no sheep to tend and no garden to weed. Other than weapons, she had no other skills.

  Sewing was out of the question, as she was barely able to mend her own clothing. Everything she wore was sewn together by her mother. If she was not to go about in rags, it appeared, she must learn the basics.

  With a slight smile, Rhona acknowledged to herself there would be a reckoning with her mother. Evina told her time and again, she needed to learn things beside swordsmanship and how to tend to livestock.

  Evina sat on a stool behind Rhona. Leaning back against her mother's legs was comforting. When a hand reached out to clasp her shoulder it was, as if her mother read her thoughts. Rhona reached up to pat her mother's hand. Feeling the slightly knobby knuckles and thin fingers beneath her hand, Rhona realized with a sharp twinge of fear, her mother was growing older.

  How much longer would her mother be there for her? Would her son have the opportunity to get to know his grandmother? It was a miracle Evina had survived the beatings Cai gave her. He had not broken her mother's spirit, but he had caused physical damage. Damage which caused Evina's joints to ache when the weather changed.

  Rhona's hand tightened on her mother's. For a very long time, she had ignored anyone other than herself and Hamish. Rhona thought to have Hamish far longer than she did. Life could be snuffed out in a heartbeat. How many heartbeats did her mother have left?

  Then, there was the child growing inside her. What if the child was sickly when he was born? If he did not live past infancy, what would she do? Panic overtook her. Rhona had to force herself to breathe. With one hand over her mother's and the other on her unborn child, Rhona sat terrified in the midst of her family.

  A conversation with Hamish came to mind. They had been sitting in the corrie, near the pond, in the gloaming of a high summer day. The long fingers of light gave everything a soft glow. Angry over some slight from Seumas, Rhona was thinking of ways to exact revenge.

  "Let it go, lass. No harm was meant. 'Twas ah prank, naught else." His voice rolled over her. His newly obtained man's timbre soothed her somewhat. The words however, did not.

  "Nae! 'Twas disrespectful. I'll nae put up with it."

  "If I didnae love ye beyond reason, I'd avoid ye, as ah plague carrier. Rhona, have ye nae compassion? Do ye nae see beyond yur own needs? God's teeth! Ye're so beautiful on tha outside an so shriveled on tha inside, I wonder..."

  His voice trailed off, leaving Rhona staring at him. Hamish sat there with his arms around his folded up legs for some time. His chin on his knees, Hamish stared into the distance.

  Frightened by his withdrawal, Rhona
finally reached out to him. "Hamish? I'll nae do anything tae Seumas. I swear."

  Sighing loudly, Hamish rose. Reaching a hand out to her, he pulled her upright. "An why will ye nae take revenge?"

  His question caused her to look away from him. "I nae want ye angry with me." It was all she could think of.

  A firm hand stroked her cheek. "Och! I suppose 'tis as good ah reason as any for tha moment. But Rhona, I want more for ye. I ken ye love me, but there's more I would have from ye. At times I fear ye'll never ken, never feel it..."

  When she looked up at him, confusion evident in her eyes, Hamish dropped the matter. They walked home from the corrie in the twilight and nothing more was said that day.

  But if she loved others as Evina loved Cai, pain was inevitable. As tha pain I feel now? Rhona asked herself.

  "Life always holds pain. I'll miss my da. He was ah good man, ah good da. I nae regret ah thing I did for him. I only wish I could have done more." Rhona recalled what Hamish had said the night Birk died. She held Hamish, as he cried for the loss of his father. Rhona recalled he had not been ashamed of the tears. She also recalled Edan and Hamish had cried together over their father's grave.

  She looked up at Edan. Sitting there, in front of the remainder of the clan, he was patiently speaking with Nairna. Reassuring her in that quiet way of his, he spoke calmly to the young woman. His voice was pitched lower than Hamish's, but the cadence of his words was similar. Rhona had never noticed the similarity before.

  Even knowing of his physical problem, she was struck by the solidity of the man. And he was a man. It was another thing she had ignored about Edan. For years she had discounted him as a poor copy of Hamish, simply a youngster.

  Cheeks burning, Rhona looked away, out across the land. Edan was responsible for this place of safety she was in. Edan brought Hamish home, then led them away from certain death. It was true, there were dangers here. Danger was unavoidable. A different set of dangers surrounded them, but it was always lurking at the edge of existence.

  Having had her moments of stark terror, as the possibility of death stared her in the face, Rhona was aware of what could happen. Several times, she had come within a breath of dying. Whatever happened to them in this village, this new place, was part of life. It was much like the turn of a card. One could not control what came face up on the table.

  She resolved to spend more time with her mother and less time brooding about the past. Hamish was gone, but he had left her something. If he had been wrong and she right, there would be no child to look forward to. There was much to be thankful for, much to care for and nurture.

  Her love, her beautiful man understood what she had not. It was better to love than to shrivel up inside from fear. It was time for her to grow up, to put childish fears and anger aside. Hamish would want this, he had always wanted this.

  Tears filled her eyes. She only wished Hamish could know she was beginning to understand. Removing her hand from her belly, Rhona brushed away the tears. She was not ashamed of crying, but she did not want her mother to worry. Evina had endured sufficient pain in her life.

  It was time for her mother to have a bit of peace. Rhona intended to see to it that her mother enjoyed what time they had left. There would be no more wallowing in self-pity. Together, they could plan for the child and enjoy the babe.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Sunbeams filled the casements. There was no glass in the windows yet. In order to keep the window tax to the bare minimum, there would only be two windows. With two windows in the weaving area, a window in each bedroom and two in his shop, Edan would be able to keep the total amount of windows below the ten window count. The tax per year would be two full shillings, true. But for over ten windows, the tax was four per year. Edan had planned carefully to avoid the higher rate.

  He sincerely hoped they would be able to generate enough income to pay the tax. If not, he was not going to worry about it. If they were not able to generate two shillings, they would lose the land, making the window tax a moot point.

  Sitting in the sun as he waited on the workers to arrive was a pleasure. Edan looked around his workshop and pictured where everything would be placed. Due to his need to sit, the workbench would be lower than usual height. A smaller bench, one which would serve as a work area for his apprentice, would be set at standard height. He could use it for things he needed to stand to accomplish.

  Adie would be his primary apprentice and Blane would help with the smaller, less exacting tasks. Jean had agreed to his plan for her two sons on Sunday. Once the boys were finished eating, they would be joining him in the shop.

  Today, they would begin setting the roof beams. Although he could not do the job himself, Edan planned to keep a sharp eye out on the three men doing the actual labor. The journeyman stone mason recommended the carpenter. As the masons did a good job, Edan was hoping the men he recommended, would work out as well.

  A noise at the door opening caused him to look up into the dark eyes of Rhona. With a slight sigh, Edan leaned back against the wall behind him.

  "Surely ye expected me." She lifted one eyebrow as she stared down at him.

  "Och! I did." He replied quietly, trying to keep the small flash of anger from his tone.

  "An, ye're nae happy about it." Her skirt swished, as she entered the unfinished room. Rhona looked about her. "It's coming along. Today, ye're starting on setting tha roof?"

  Wishing she would get to the point and cease dancing around whatever she meant to say, he responded a bit shortly. "Correct. An hope tae have it finished by tha end of tha week. Ye have questions, I gather? Shall we get tae it?"

  Tisking at him, Rhona shook her dark head. "I'm trying tae go easy here. I'm nae seeking an argument, only answers."

  She moved out of the sunlight and into the shadow of the wall. Edan followed her movement with his eyes as the woman ran one hand down the completed outside wall. Her hand rested lightly on one rock before she gathered her skirt in both hands and turned toward him.

  "Smith is nae going tae be happy. Ye glossed tha affair over on Sunday. Is there ah possibility we might lose this place? Will there be ah fight? An, if there is trouble with Smith, great trouble, will Anderson take our part?"

  Rhona did not raise her voice, something which took Edan back a bit. He had been expecting her usual mode of attack. Still on guard, Edan chose his words carefully.

  "There is likely tae be trouble. I expect Smith tae be furious. But, tha matter is truly between Jamie and Ian. Smith thought tae make ah bit of coin here. He thought he took us. After all, he worked ye an tha others, as well as myself an tha lads. But it seems Anderson an his uncle worked out ah plan tae keep Smith from finding out about tha field. If tha deal was for tha land Smith thought he had, Smith would have gotten tha better deal. As it is..." Edan spread his hands wide. "Tha bugger became tha buggered."

  "An ye dinnae mind one bit that Smith came out the loser here." Rhona said with a grin. "Och! Neither do I. Tha man fair got his money's worth out of us. We didnae wish tae make matters worse, but Smith worked those pregnant an old, far tae hard."

  Folding his arms across his chest, Edan grimaced. "None of ye said aught. How was I tae ken he was taking advantage, if ye kept shut?"

  "We discussed it. It was decided naught would be served by complaining. 'Twas not ah long term thing, we felt we could deal with it."

  Edan picked up a small shaving left from the trimming of the casement and shredded it in his fingers. "I'm nae sure if I should be angry with tha lot of ye, or nae. I suppose it worked out for tha best. In future, I need to hear these things. I'm tae look out for all MacGroughs. If ye nae tell me what is what, how am I tae do so?"

  "Dinnae be angry. We all worked, ye an tha lads, as well. Had it been harder, had he behaved improperly, we would have come tae ye. An dinnae be angry with Daracha for keeping her lip buttoned. We all swore tae keep silent."

  Rhona laughed softly. "We got through it. Now, if we can get past tha confrontation wi
th Smith, we can work out our places here."

  Knowing his mouth was hanging open in amazement, Edan clamped his lips together. Had kelpies come in the night and stolen the real Rhona away?

  Raising her eyebrow, Rhona laughed at him again. "I've thought long an hard on where we find ourselves. I'm carrying Hamish's heir an I want tha lad tae have tha best that can be provided for him. As ye're laird now an charged with caring for what is left, it would appear I must change my tune ah mite. I'm nae happy with it all, mind. But it is what it is. Dinnae expect me tae go along meekly, as an old ewe ready to become mutton. But, I'll try tae be somewhat reasonable. What say ye tae ah truce, Edan Campbell MacGrough?"

  He gulped once as he tried to find his voice. Edan was quite sure this could not and would not last. The woman was far too volatile. Eventually, her real nature would win out. A truce was in the best interests of all, however.

  "I'll take ye up on tha offer. Truce it is Rhona. As long as ye abide by tha terms, so will I. Now, what are yur terms?"

  She grinned at him. "Always tha realist. My terms are, ye're never tae disrespect me before tha others, ye're never tae force me tae do ah thing against my will and I willnae give up my lad. Never, ever, will I give up my bairn."

  Edan stood and took a step in her direction. "I would never ask ye tae give up tha lad. But I never want ye tae take him from the bosom of his clan an kin. I'll nae disrespect ye, so long as ye never disrespect me, before tha clan. As tae forcing ye tae do anything against yur will, that depends on tha circumstance. I cannae promise that. I can promise tae talk with ye, to negotiate, force will always be tha last method I choose."

  Edan held out a hand. "So, will ye call truce with me? Will ye swear tae abide by tha terms on your honor an on Hamish's grave? What is it tae be, Rhona?"

  Turning pale, she closed her eyes for a moment. Opening them, she looked up into his face. "Ye're quick. Aye, I'll agree." Taking his hand, she shook it once. Still holding his hand, she spoke again. "I swear by my honor an on Hamish's grave."