“Ewan Ross is going to leave soon and once he does, I will never see him again. Therefore, it is best I do not allow for my feelings to grow deep.”
“Oh, yes, my husband told me. It was a rash decision, in my opinion, to ask that he leave. Sometimes men are so temperamental. They make a decision when they are angry and then are too proud to admit mistakes.”
Catriona leaned forward. “Do ye think the laird will reconsider?” She looked to where Laird Fraser continued listening to claimants.
“I doubt it,” Lady Fraser replied. “Ewan Ross is not a member of this clan, so there is no allegiance to him.”
“What of the warriors he brought with him? If he leaves, they may follow suit.”
Lady Fraser shook her head. “They came on orders from Laird Ross. Leaving would be disobedience.”
Ava Fraser, Keithen’s wife, and Flora, Catriona’s companion, hurried over. Each held a basket filled with cloth. Flora pulled a tapestry from the basket and spread it over the table. “This is the perfect surface for each of us to work on a different section at once,” Ava announced.
The project gave Catriona time to consider the two conversations she’d just had. That Broden was interested in more than friendship made her anxious. The last thing she wanted was to hurt her friend.
“Flora?” she started to ask her companion something, but then noticed the woman had stopped sewing, needle poised, her gaze focused across the room. She watched Broden as he stood alone now by the front exit. Arms crossed over his chest, he looked imposing, which was done on purpose. Hopefully, most would reconsider before they became disorderly and needed to be dragged from the room.
Not knowing that someone was watching, he reached up and combed his fingers through his unruly mop of hair. The action was quite sensual.
“He is so handsome,” Flora said under her breath.
“Who?” both Ava and Lady Fraser asked. Then they followed Flora’s line of vision.
Flora blushed. “I shouldn’t have admitted that out loud.”
“Oh, yes, he is,” Lady Fraser replied with a knowing smile. “If I were single and ten years younger, I would comb his hair.”
The women all giggled, making the laird and others in the room turn to them.
Lady Fraser held up both hands. “We shall be silent.”
As the day progressed, Catriona couldn’t stop thinking about Ewan’s suggestion that she travel north to Clan Ross. It had been months since she’d seen Esme, and she did miss her terribly. At the same time, the thought of traveling so far and the risks involved scared her.
As much as she’d tried to convince herself that she was ready to live a normal life, a part of her was still held captive by fear and trepidation.
Some of the mundane tasks she’d set for herself kept her well away from the men who lived in the keep. She loved helping with the tasks of gardening and seeing to the care of the chickens but hadn’t done it until recently. And even at that, it was seldom. Now as she made her way past the kitchen to the door that led to the garden, Catriona’s steps faltered.
“The garden is surprisingly plentiful for so early in the spring,” Eileen, the cook, said as she entered through the door. In her arms, she held a basket filled with vegetables.
Catriona inspected the items. “I was about to go see what needed to be done there.”
True to her gruff form, Eileen nodded. “Well, ye know there is always plenty that can be done and never enough hands to do it. Off ye go.” She toddled away.
“That certainly put me in my place,” Catriona muttered under her breath. Her lips curved as she stepped outside. Just as the cook had warned, there were too many weeds sprouting around the plants. One corner was overgrown so much that the vines crept over the short wall.
Arms on her hips, Catriona frowned and looked around for the old man who’d been the gardener for years. He would certainly get a tongue lashing.
“Who are ye looking for?” A young kitchen lad hurried by with a pail of water in each hand.
“Vincent. Where is he?”
The lad shrugged. “He left several weeks back. He got sick and lives in the village now.”
“And no one took his place?” Catriona asked, only to realize the boy had already gone inside.
She shook her head and opened the gate. Once inside the garden, she felt protected. Unless someone came to that particular entrance, no one could really see her in there when she was bent over working.
It was a long time later that Flora appeared and upon seeing Catriona, her eyebrows rose in surprise. “Ye really are out here. I didn’t believe it, so had to come see for myself.”
“No one has taken the time to weed,” Catriona replied but grinned up at her friend. “Can ye believe it?”
“A new gardener should be hired. Vincent has only been gone for a short while and it is overgrown.” Flora studied the area Catriona had been working on. “It looks good,” she said, pointing to where Catriona stood. “Ye accomplished it all alone?”
“Yes.” Catriona looked over her shoulder at the rest of the garden. “I will speak to Lady Fraser. I will ensure the garden is properly restored. Once the task is done, she can hire someone to take over as gardener.”
Flora studied her for a long moment. “Something is different about ye.”
“I have decided to take steps to not be so fearful.” Catriona looked to her dirty hands. “Like this.”
“It makes me glad. Even if it means ye will no longer need me.”
“Lady Fraser has grown fond of ye. She will keep ye here in some capacity,” Catriona said and then dusted the dirt from her hands on an apron she’d tied around her waist. “I best get washed up. It will be last meal soon.”
Flora continued to study her. “What brought about this change?”
“When I visited my family in the village, I realized how much I had missed. My sister gave birth to a bairn. I never saw her with child. Her other four young ones have grown up and look so different, I had a hard time putting names to faces.”
“The wee ones change a great deal in the first years of life, and they grow so much,” Flora said and took a long breath. She looked to the courtyard. “My son will not remember his father and no matter how much I wish he remain a babe, he is growing quickly.”
Catriona sniffed. “I am so sorry, Flora. I forget sometimes that ye lost yer husband.”
Once Catriona got water from a rain barrel and washed up, they went inside and walked down the corridor toward the great room. Flora went into the kitchen and Catriona kept walking.
The same maid who’d been offering herself to Ewan headed in the direction of his bedchamber. Catriona walked slowly and, upon passing by, noticed that his door was cracked open. The murmur of a conversation was too low for her to make out what was being said.
A part of her urged that she go see what was happening, while her more logical part insisted she not make a fool out of herself.
Catriona gritted her teeth and continued on to the great room.
The healer walked toward her, a young lad hurrying beside him with the heavy medical box. “Ah, Miss Catriona,” the man said. “I may require yer assistance.”
“What happened?” She turned toward Ewan’s room.
“Come along.” The healer continued walking in the direction she’d just come. However, he continued on past Ewan’s room and into another chamber.
The door was open and, through it, the smell of blood spilled out along with moans. A warrior was on a table. Other than a cloth thrown over his midsection, the man was bereft of clothing.
Quickly, Catriona understood why. He had horrible wounds from his face down to his legs.
“What happened?” she asked the nearest man. “Who did this to him?”
The man’s worried gaze moved from the injured man to her and then back to the table. “He was attacked by wild boars. We were on patrol, he dismounted and, just a moment later, the beasts came out from behind trees.”
&nbs
p; “He’s been gored and bitten. He’s lucky to not be dead. Boars are vengeful creatures,” the healer said, motioning to Catriona. “See about the injuries to his legs. I will see what I can do about this big one here.” The healer pointed to the man’s right side.
As she began working, the smell of blood that permeated seemed to grow stronger. Catriona took one of the cloths and tied it around her nose and mouth. The injured man began to shake uncontrollably, and Catriona’s heart went out to him.
Despite his injuries, he kept asking for his wife and was assured someone was going to fetch her.
He met Catriona’s gaze. “D-do not allow h-her t-to see me like this.” His eyes rolled back, and he lost consciousness.
The healer pinned her with a pointed look. “After ye wash his leg, bind it tightly.”
For the next hour, several people worked on the man. He was riddled with bites and scratches, some deep, others not as bad. Although groggy from a tonic the healer had made him drink, he was sitting up in bed when a young woman barged into the room, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Come with me,” the healer said as everyone walked out the room. “Ye looked look like ye are about to pass out. Ye should get some rest.”
Catriona shook her head. “I am fine.” The last thing she wished to do was remain near the smell of blood, so she hurried away. Just as she passed Ewan’s bedchamber, the maid once again walked toward it.
“Where are ye going?”
The maid turned, her eyes growing wide. “Eileen asked that I find out if Mr. Ross requires a meal brought to him.”
“I have to see him, so I will ask.”
The maid’s gaze lowered to her dress and Catriona realized she had blood all over it.
“I will speak to Eileen in a moment.” She effectively dismissed the maid and went to Ewan’s bedchamber. She had no right to the feelings erupting, but Catriona couldn’t pull back the annoyance. After rapping twice, Ewan opened the door.
He was dressed, and very pale.
“Ye dressed yerself and now are paying for it.” Catriona walked in past him. “Perhaps ye have no wish to get better.”
“I plan to attend last meal,” he replied in a flat tone. “I cannot very well attend bereft of clothes.
Catriona turned to him. “Ye could have asked Ann, or whatever her name is to help ye.”
“Who?” he asked, nearing.
“The maid who is constantly checking on ye.” Catriona took a step back, suddenly aware of how much larger he was than her.
Ewan shrugged. “I do not know who ye speak of in particular. Oh, ye mean Annie.”
Doing her best to give him a droll look, Catriona looked up to him. “She could have helped ye.”
“I would prefer the only woman to see me without a tunic on be only ye.”
Catriona’s breath caught. “Do not toy with me.”
“I would not tease ye in such a manner.” Ewan reached up and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. The entire time, Catriona dared not move. Too afraid of her reaction to his touch, she held her breath.
It came out hard when she could no longer hold it. “Ye should not think about me in any other way than just a friend.”
“Whose blood is that?”
“What? Oh,” she said, realizing again how stained her dress was. “A man was attacked by boars. I assisted the healer. The man will recover. His wife is with him now.”
“Ye should sit,” she said, changing the subject. “Eileen wants to know if ye wish for yer meal to be brought to yer bedchamber. I will inform her that ye will be eating in the great room.”
His gaze locked to hers. “Ye know what I wish for right now?”
Catriona shook her head. “No.”
When he leaned forward, Catriona closed her eyes, but dread sent her senses reeling and she opened them just as his lips touched hers. It was a soft kiss, the kind of kiss a woman dreams of. Lingering and with just the right amount of pressure.
When he pulled back she stared up at him. “Ewan, I...”
He placed his hand on her shoulder and studied her with a strained expression. “I am sorry. I should never have done that. Are ye upset?”
It was as if warm heated water was poured over her and Catriona reached for Ewan. “Ye make me feel safe. When I am near ye, all my fears disappear. I feel relieved, actually.”
“That is not exactly what I wish for a lass to say after I kiss her...”
Catriona lifted to her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his mouth. “Thank ye.”
The look of astonishment on his face made Catriona smile. “I best go and change before last meal. Do ye need help getting to the great room?”
Ewan shook his head. “I am allowed to go then?” His lips curved. “I will be fine.”
Still not believing what she’d done, Catriona hurried out and through the great room to a corridor on the opposite side of the keep. Just then, a man walked out from behind the stairwell and they practically bumped. He held out his hands to steady her and Catriona jerked away.
Shaking from head to toe, she ran to her bedroom and slammed the door closed. The trembling became so hard, she could hear her teeth chattering.
It was no use. No matter how hard she tried to convince herself otherwise, any kind of normal relationship with Ewan was impossible.
There was a knock on the door. “Catriona,” Flora called out. “It’s me.”
Flora walked in to find her sitting on a chair, arms around her waist and head bent.
“I’m fine, just startled,” Catriona said before Flora could ask.
Knowing better than to touch her, Flora sat on the bed. “The man ye ran into is Laird Chisholm, here to see Laird Fraser.”
“Oh, no! I hope I didn’t offend him,” Catriona exclaimed, but still refused to look at Flora. “I hate this.”
“Ye did not. He asked that someone ensure ye were not hurt.”
Catriona let out a breath and opened her eyes. “I will eat here. Would ye mind bringing my meal here whenever ye finish yer own meal?”
How she hated the pitying look on her friend’s face. Catriona couldn’t think of what to say at the moment. So, she stood and went to the window. The sun had disappeared behind the horizon, but rays of varying colors of amber, yellow and orange painted the sky. It was beautiful, and yet the only thing Catriona could think was that, at the moment, she was to be a spectator and not a participant when it came to life.
“I will fetch our meal and eat here with ye.”
When Flora left, Catriona remained at the window determined to see every color until darkness fell.
Chapter Five
It had been two weeks since his attack and Ewan felt well enough to ride. Needing to test his endurance, he’d mounted and rode his steed short distances without much discomfort. Upon returning to the stables, his men had already gathered and waited for his instructions.
Until the threat from the Mackenzie was over, the Ross had agreed to keep fifty warriors at Fraser Keep to protect the keep in case of attack for the foreseeable future.
“I hope everyone is well rested,” Ewan said, earning snickers as many of the men had stayed up late the night before drinking around a bonfire.
Ewan waited for the men to quiet. “In three days, I will return to Ross lands. The rest of ye have another sennight before yer time is up. There are some things to discuss...”
He stopped talking when he spotted Keithen walking toward them. “Perhaps he has something to say on this matter,” Ewan finished.
Keithen Fraser walked to them, his gaze taking everyone in before settling on Ewan. “How many are leaving with ye?”
“We have not actually come to that question,” Ewan replied. “Replacements will have to be sent back.”
Unsure what his cousin’s reaction would be, Ewan considered that not too much time was left between the exchange of guardsmen. He turned to face the men. “Who wishes to return to Dun Airgid?” he asked, referring to Ross Keep. He continued, “Remem
ber that once we arrive, others will be sent to replace ye.”
Less than half the men lifted their hands. Many of the single men had already made it known that they planned to remain there for as long as needed. The warriors were settled in new and spacious rooms. The guards’ quarters back at Dun Airgid paled in comparison.
“Very well,” Keithen called out. “On behalf of Laird Fraser, we thank ye for yer assistance. Please come to the great hall for tonight’s last meal.”
The men dispersed and Keithen turned to Ewan. “When do ye leave?”
“In three days. Is there anything I should take to yer sister?”
The man shook his head. “No, but I do have something to tell ye.”
Ewan frowned. Whatever it was, he hoped it wasn’t going to annoy him.
“My mother is requesting to travel with ye. She wishes to visit with Esme and see her grandchildren.”
The news was unexpected. Ewan wasn’t prepared to escort the laird’s wife. “I am traveling with fifteen men. Will ye send more?”
“Aye, an additional twenty-five Fraser men will go with ye. They will escort Mother back, when she returns.”
Ewan nodded. “I am going to the village today. I need to gauge my ability to ride.”
“I must tell ye something else,” Keithen added, meeting his gaze. “Despite whatever reason ye had for killing Laird Mackenzie, we owe ye a great deal.”
“I wish I could finish what I had planned,” Ewan said.
Keithen’s face hardened. “That one is mine. I am biding my time, but it will happen. Catriona’s and my mother’s capture will not go unpunished.”
“I will leave it to ye then,” Ewan told Keithen. It gave him peace to know that the marred man would hopefully meet his demise soon.
“I do have one question.” Keithen met his gaze. “Is there any reason why ye would choose to remain here other than yer vendetta?”
Ewan wasn’t sure what brought on the question. Keithen Fraser was a man of few words. The man often kept his thoughts shuttered. “No, in actuality, there is nothing that keeps me here. I have grown close to some of yer clanspeople, but it is time for me to go.”
A Fierce Archer (Clan Ross Book 6) Page 5
