“Nae, Mam. I want to stay with you,” he answered with a tired voice.
Tavish moved closer, “We will stop soon, Madam, to let the horses drink in the loch we are approaching. The lad can ride in front of my saddle. He will be more comfortable.”
“Aye. I will ride with Tavish, Mam.” Sven rallied at the offer.
Maidie could not refuse her tired son. “I suppose ‘twill be good, Sven, if Tavish promises to stay close.” She turned to look at the warrior.
“Aye, Madam. I will stay verra close,” he said with a grin. From the pleased look on his face, Maidie felt sure Tavish would keep his word.
Finally, the signal to stop sounded from the lead when the loch came into view. The warriors led their mounts to the water, dismounted, and drank first from the cool water, then let their horses drink. Those on foot lined the banks of the loch to drink their fill, while the cart drivers drank then filled leather bags with water for their horses. They wanted to avoid the carts getting stuck on the muddy banks. Tavish jumped from his horse, then helped Maidie and Sven dismount. He took the reins for both horses to lead them to the water.
“I’ll bring you a drink, Madam. You and the lad sit under this tree until I return.” He pointed to a nearby oak, spreading its branches with an inviting shade.
Maidie withdrew a small bundle wrapped in clean cloth from the pocket of her arisaid. Nellie, being so thoughtful, had wrapped some of the cheese and bread from the morning food tray for Sven and her. The two made themselves comfortable on the damp leaves under the large birch tree. The scent of blooming heather filled the air. With the lifting of the mist, Maidie could see the hills, now covered with the last lavender blossoms of the season. The small white heads of tansy peaking between the purple heather lined the bank of the loch.
She sat for a moment drinking in the beauty of the Highlands before carefully opening the small bundle and handing Sven a piece of cheese, which he gobbled down. His face looked drawn, tired. She nibbled on her piece, then they ate the bread. Tavish soon returned with the horses and a leather bag filled with water. Sven and she drank thirstily. Maidie stood to stretch her legs, looking for a place to relieve herself, while Sven ran to the loch to watch the ducks. Tavish stood close by, ready to assist in every way. She spotted a patch of brushwood, and walked in that direction. Maidie quickly took care of her personal needs and returned to the group.
“How do you fair, Madam Munro?” Gavin approached her.
“I fair well, but Sven is uncomfortable on the back of my horse. Tavish will carry him for awhile.”
“Aye. Mayhap Sven would like to ride with me at the front of the line.” Gavin looked sideways at Tavish whose face remained expressionless. The warrior knew not to question the tanist. “Sven will ride with me. I’ll teach him the art of skillful riding.”
“I rather Sven stay close to me.” Maidie’s heart raced with the thought of Sven riding with Gavin.
“Then you shall ride beside me.” He searched her face. “’Tis settled then. Tavish, get the lady’s mount and help her upon it while I fetch Sven. Time we were going.” Gavin mounted his horse and rode toward the loch.
Maidie turned to Tavish, who spun quickly away to fetch her horse. He returned with haste, helped her mount, then mounted his own horse.
“You should ride on to the front of the line. Sir Gavin will be waiting.” Tavish motioned with his hand.
Her plan to keep a safe distance from Gavin had vanished. She nodded, displeased with the edge in the young warrior’s voice. Although his lips formed a hard line across a stoic face, his hazel eyes pooled with dark disappointment.
She extended her hand to touch his arm. “You have been so verra faithful in serving Sven and me, Tavish. I canna thank you enough.”
He turned from her gaze, staring ahead. “I did my duty. You must go now. The tanist will be waiting with Sven.”
Erskin galloped from the front of the line to rein in beside Maidie. “Time we move on, Madam. Sven is safely seated on Sir Gavin’s horse.”
Glancing once more at Tavish, Maidie rode with Erskin to the front of the column. The warriors afoot fell in behind those on mounts. Horses stomped and snorted, ready to move forward. A blistering wind blew across the glen, through the grey lifeless trees, stirring up dust that burned her nostrils and eyes. Her heart filled with clouds like those passing over the sun, dulling its light while keeping warmth from the earth. She pulled the veil of her riding bonnet down over her face.
Gavin waited with Sven comfortably seated on a cushion in front of his saddle. Sven waved to her with the excitement of riding on Maithe.
“Mam!” he called. “Sir Gavin is letting me ride with him.”
“I see, Sven.” Maidie rode close. “I feel certain Sir Gavin will keep you safe.” She searched Gavin’s face as he did hers. She was thankful for the veil that hid the fear of him in her eyes.
“Ha’ nae a fear, Madam. I’ll guard you and your son with my life.” His gaze seemed to penetrate the veil.
“Aye, Sir.” Maidie turned her eyes toward the road as Gavin moved his horse forward.
The long day of riding took its toll on Maidie. Sven fell asleep in Gavin’s arms and slept most of the afternoon. The column did not stop until the gloaming, with only enough light left in the sky to make camp and start fires. The mounted warriors cared for their horses, then tethered them on a rope tied between trees. They would sleep with their heads on the saddles, wrapped in their great plaides around a fire. Those afoot would sleep in the same fashion, but with no saddle for their heads. Several men set up a tent for Maidie and Sven with another close by for Gavin. A fur robe topped several wool blankets to comprise Maidie’s bed.
“May I go sit with the men beside the fire, Mam?” Sven asked as Maidie removed her arisaid and bonnet.
“Aye, but mind you stay near the tent.”
When Sven left, she lay down on the fur fully dressed and dozed while food was prepared over the campfire. Maidie ate in the tent while Sven took his meal seated with the warriors beside the fire. Her son seemed taken with the fighting men, their horses, and weapons. How would she be able to keep him away from such in the house of her father?
Sven came into the tent smelling of smoke. He repeated the stories about wars, battles, and heroes the men told. She had trouble settling the lad down, feeling sure his company kept the rough fighters from speaking their true minds.
***
The aroma of food cooking over an open fire roused Sven and he wakened Maidie. “I’m hungry, Mam. May I go to the fire and eat?”
“Aye, you may. Will you bring me a bite first? I’ll eat in my tent this morn.” Maidie did not feel up to facing the men or Gavin.
Sven slipped on his outer garments and then left the tent. Maidie snuggled under the warm fur for a few more minutes before rising to dress. Her stomach growled, so she gladly assisted Sven when he came to the tent opening with food in both hands. She took the tray of oatcakes, eggs, and poached salmon.
“I’ll bring you some ale, Mam.”
“Nae ale, Sven, only water. I dinna think ale will sit well on my stomach this morn.” Maidie’s stomach suddenly churned with the thought of riding the horse all day once again.
“Aye, Mam. I ken how you feel.” Sven turned from the tent to fetch the water.
Gavin’s familiar voice could be heard beside the campfire. She heard bits and pieces of the conversation as she ate a small portion of food. His words were not distinct enough to know what he said, but Maidie heard Sven answer him. Suddenly, she saw Gavin’s boot protrude inside the tent opening, and then his large frame followed filling the small tent. She scrambled to stand and found herself face to face with the smiling tanist.
“Good morn to you, Madam. Did you sleep well?” His warm breath fanned across Maidie’s face. She felt uncomfortable standing so close to him and looked down at the tent floor.
“Aye. The bed was welcomed after riding in a sidesaddle all day.” She continued to look a
t the floor, not wanting to gaze directly into his eyes.
“Would you rather ride sitting atop the tents in the cart? ‘Twould be more comfortable.”
Maidie shook her head. “Nae. I’ll ride close to Sven.”
A smile crossed the handsome face. “Then you’ll be riding close to me. Sven asked to ride on my horse this day.”
Maidie didn’t raise her eyes. Gavin caught her chin, lifting her face so her eyes met his. “You will ride close to me.” Maidie didn’t answer, only looked into the eyes almost black with emotion. “Just say the word, and I’ll find another way to rescue Andrew. I have enough men to besiege the castle and demand his release.” His mouth moved closer to hers.
She stared at his slightly parted lips. “Nae. I wanna risk his life.”
“You’re tearing me apart, Maidie. I canna let you go.” His voice grew husky, and she felt the power of his arms as they pulled her toward him.
Maidie made an attempt to leave his embrace, but he held tightly. She turned her head to avoid the lips in pursuit of hers. He found her mouth and pressed an ardent kiss on her lips. She tried not to respond, but the passion of his mouth on hers weakened her knees and her resolve. Her hands clutched at his shoulders then reached around the thick neck. A vision of Andrew flashed through her mind.
Quickly, she pulled away from Gavin’s embrace. How could she let herself do this? She did not love Gavin, and now he would think she cared. Maidie realized her heart belonged to the one she could never lay claim upon. One she would never be able to hold and caress and kiss with the passion like she had kissed his brother.
Sven called from the tent door, “Mam, I have your water.”
Gavin released her, leaving the tent without a word. Sven entered and handed Maidie the skin of water. She drank thirstily, handed the skin back to her son, and gathered up her meager belongings. The men needed to take down the tent and load it upon the cart for the day’s journey. Maidie’s horse stood saddled and tied to a tree beside the tent. Gavin mounted his large warhors. Erskin lifted Sven to sit on the pillow in front of the tanist’s saddle. Gavin reached for the reins, encompassing her little son with his large arms. Sven would be safe indeed.
White mist boiled from the ground, keeping the morning sun from sharing its warmth on the company of warriors. As they passed near villages, soldiers ahorse and afoot joined the ranks, until Maidie felt sure Gavin had two hundred men in his sluagh. Mayhap he had plans to besiege the castle anyway. Surely, he would not put Andrew’s life at such great risk as to try and take the castle by force while the chief was still the enemy’s hostage. Maidie regretted yielding to Gavin’s kiss and showing any sign of agreeing to his offer. His ego may interpret her yielding as more than a kiss.
A hawk’s call pierced the air from somewhere overhead and Maidie looked up. She could not see the bird for the heavy mist. A sudden chill filled her with dread and remorse. Andrew, oh Andrew. Lord, please dinna let me be the cause of his undoing.
Chapter Fifteen
The long day of riding finally ended and the camps set up in a small clearing beside a swiftly running burn. The tall snow-covered peak of Ben Wyvis could be seen in a distance. Castle Lach demanded a beautiful view of the mountain from it’s eastern front. Maidie remembered visiting the castle with her father and mother when she was a young lass before her mother’s death. She remembered standing in awe at a small window in the third floor apartment of Lady MacKenzie and gazing at the beautiful mountain. The lovely lady died giving birth to her third daughter, not long after their visit. Maidie heard Laird MacKenzie remarried and had a son. His second wife died of a fever about the same time Maidie’s mother died, and he had not remarried.
Maidie again, took her food inside the tent. Sven sat beside the fire with the warriors. She did not hear Gavin’s voice among the others and assumed he was out with his men. She overheard one in conversation say the tanist liked to visit the camps rallying the men on the eve before a battle. Relief came like the gentle burn flowing through a glen, when Maidie realized she would not have to face Gavin this night, and hopefully, next morn. She had little strength left in her fatigued body to fight his amorous advances.
After eating the food Erskin brought to her, she undressed down to her under garments and made ready for bed. She snuggled under the fur robe, trying to warm her chilled body and waited for Sven. The lovely sound of a flute somewhere in the distance floated through the night air. A lone singer began with the words to a Gaelic ballad in praise of a Munro chief.
Mo Rothach deas mìleante thu.
Mo sheabhag fhìorghland uasal thu.
Mac an Rothaich cruaidh cinnteach thu.
My handsome Clan Munro warrior are you.
My truly pure and noble falcon are you.
My Munro tough and sure are you.
Maidie’s mind filled with thoughts of Andrew while she listened to the haunting melody. Her heart cried for him. Was he well? She imagined scenes of the chief being tortured with his terrible wound opening to spill the contents of his belly on the dungeon floor. Maidie rose to her knees on the cold canvas floor of the tent. Her body shivered and trembled as she grasped the small crucifix around her neck. “Lord, please take care of Andrew. Keep him safe. Deliver him from the hands of his captors. Return him to the safe keeping of his clansmen. If a battle is to be fought on the morrow, keep these warriors under Your great protection. I love Andrew, but I desire his freedom and well-being above all else.”
Sven entered the tent while Maidie knelt in prayer. He hurriedly went to her, wrapping loving arms about her shoulders. “Mam, you’re cold and trembling. Go back to bed.”
Maidie patted Sven’s arm. “Aye. I’m cold, but I must pray for these brave men and the chief.”
“The Lord will hear your prayers if you’re under the fur instead of here in the cold.” Like a little man, Sven pulled the fur robe back, helped Maidie recline underneath, and then pulled it over her cold body. He kissed her forehead.
“What would I do without you, Sven?” she asked with a weariness invading her body so that moving the smallest muscle became difficult.
“I’ll always take care of you, Mam.” Sven removed his outer garments and climbed beneath the fur with her.
Maidie wrapped loving arms around his small shoulders and closed her eyes to dream of Andrew.
***
After five days of naught but stale water, fat rotten meat, and molded bread, Andrew and Colin were so covered with filth and mire they could hardly stand themselves or each other. For the first three days of their confinement, the warriors trained as best they could without weapons. Andrew taught Colin moves in sword fighting that had saved his life on occasion. They engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Colin could have bested Andrew several times, but held back because of his wound and loss of strength. Now, both lacked energy to workout or train. Colin talked of his mother and father. He told Andrew stories about his family and about the Lord.
On the fifth evening of their imprisonment, while daylight turned to gloaming, and Andrew felt the fatigue caused by poor food, a parched throat, and weakness from the bleeding wound, the two men sat with their backs to the cold slimy wall.
Colin turned to Andrew and said, “My da and mither worked from sunup to sundown, through the gloaming most days until they could see nae more. Da plowed the runrigs soon as the snow melted and the ground softened enough for the plow so the wheat and oats could be planted early. He would be near exhaustion and fall into bed without eating some nights. Mither worried for him then. She would leave his food in the kettle on a bank of coals. In the night when he felt more rested, he would get up and eat a little. The next day, he did the same.”
Andrew turned to stare at the lad. Colin must be trying to take his mind off the misery both of them felt, so he encouraged the gille’s tale. “Your da worked hard, I remember that about him. He always paid his rents on time with never a complaint.”
Colin smiled. “Aye, he was that. A hard worker he was.
My mither worked hard also. Mither spent a lot of time carrying water from the burn for drinking, cooking, and a little washing, but we didn’t waste much with bathing. We washed our bodies in the cold burn on occasion and she washed our few clothes there when ‘twas no’ frozen.
“Our food was mostly turnip or cabbage bree with some oatcakes and honey, if we could find a honey tree, and bannocks, to be sure. Da could no’ afford to kill a sheep with the wool needed to pay rents. We had only one milk cow, and when she got old, Da traded her for a young heifer. It took a couple of years to breed the heifer and wait for a calf before we had milk to drink again. We drank leann fraoich and water.”
“I’d give my right arm for a drink of leann fraoich right now,” Andrew interjected, thinking of the mug of heather ale he drank with Maidie Munro.
Colin turned to look at him with bloodshot eyes. “Dinna say such a thing, M’Laird. Your right arm is too valuable to give for a drink of leann fraoich.”
“I jest, Colin. Dinna you ken I jest?” The gille hung his head. Andrew felt remorse for taking such a harsh tone. “Go on with your story. I take pleasure in hearing of your life. ‘Twas so different from mine, but your family seems to have been a loving one.”
The gille smiled then, “Aye, ‘twas a loving family. We ha’ naught but one another and that was enough. We ha’ songs in our hearts and sang most times while working.”
“’Twould be nice to hear those songs. If we ever get out of here, Colin, I want you to take me to one of those luadhadh, waulking of cloth, so I can enjoy the songs of the lasses.” Andrew had heard the village women singing, but had never taken time to listen to their music.
Colin shook his head. “’Twill be my pleasure, M’Laird.”
Colin’s story made Andrew forget his misery for a short while. He appreciated for the first time, the hard life of the people living on the Munro estates. He had been among them, but never as one of them, only as the son of their chief and now the chief. He saw what they allowed him to see, and never had a clear picture of what their lives were really like, until Colin told him. Andrew realized he had never really talked to his gille. The lad was knowledgeable about many things. Andrew learned much about the daily life of his villagers and crofters. Some of their conditions needed improvement. He determined to right them when he left the vile dungeon of his enemy.
A Highland Pearl (Highland Treasures Book 1) Page 14
