Once Mistress MacCabe sat, she waved at the plate of luscious-looking scones. “Please, have some of my special scones. I sell them every Saturday at the marketplace.”
Katie had to keep from moaning as the burst of sugar, cinnamon, and another flavor she couldn’t identify filled her mouth. “This is indeed delicious, mistress.”
The woman dipped her head in acknowledgment, as if she expected nothing less. Evan also finished one scone in only a few bites and then reached for another one. “Mistress Stirling is correct; these are truly wonderful.”
“Thank ye. I will send some up to the castle.” She leaned in close to Katie. “Yer cook is a fine one, but her scones do not hold up against mine.” She winked. Katie truly liked Mistress MacCabe.
…
Evan licked his lips and eyed the remaining scones on the plate. He’d already had three and could certainly find room for another one, but he didn’t want to eat the poor woman out of her house.
Mistress MacCabe was a cheerful sort. Lively blue eyes belied the wrinkles on her face. Her home was small but tidy. Various smells from drying herbs hanging from the ceiling gave it a cozy warmth, reminding him of the MacNeil kitchen where Cook always had rows and rows of herbs. She also had fruit or meat pies and other treats for a lad who used to sneak into the kitchen to swipe some treats. Those memories also brought back a longing to return home.
Before he could think twice, his traitorous hand reached out and grabbed another scone. Katie grinned at him, and he grinned back as he took a large bite.
’Twas good to see the lass smile at him. They’d gotten into quite a heated exchange over her brother. As he watched her compare notes with Mistress MacCabe on various herbs used for medicinal purposes, his mind returned to their conversation. ’Twas a sad day when a mon did not take an interest in his own bairns. ’Twas one thing to suffer when yer wife passes, but to ignore the child because of yer grief was no excuse for a mon at all.
At least while he was still at Fife, he could take the lad under his wing. Get him started training with a broadsword. Even though there was no need to prepare for battle, since the Sassenachs had taken over everything in Scotland, ’twas still a handy thing to know. A mon never knew when the need would arise to protect himself.
He glanced at the small wooden clock on the fireplace mantle and pushed his chair back. “I’m afraid we must take our leave. We have other calls to make.”
So deep in conversation were the two women that they looked up in surprise to see him sitting there. Katie and Mrs. MacCabe slowly stood, still chatting away. They linked arms as they strolled to the doorway, heads down. Instant friends, it appeared.
“I will call for ye in a couple of days to make the visit to Freya. The poor thing is quite nervous, this being her first bairn. ’Twill make her feel better to ken that there will be two of us when the time comes, which as I said before, will be soon.”
The two women hugged like old friends, and Evan and Katie mounted their horses to ride away from the house. “What was that all about?” he asked as he directed his horse to the left to visit the next cottage.
“Were ye not listening?”
’Twas probably not the best idea to tell the lass that once they started talking about healing herbs and medical practices, he’d closed his ears to the conversation. Although he could slice a mon with his broadsword, fell an animal with an arrow, and wring a chicken’s neck, when it came to healing and stitching up, his stomach generally rebelled. He had the embarrassing habit of fainting like some swooning lass at the sight of his own blood. “Aye, I did for a while, but women’s talk eventually makes me close up my ears.”
Katie snorted. “Typical man. Make ye nervous, does it?”
“Nay,” he snapped. “Healing is women’s work.” They rode for a few minutes while Katie smirked. “Are ye not going to tell me, then? A punishment for not paying attention?”
Katie shook her head. “Nay. It seems there’s a young lass—Mrs. Freya MacDuff—getting ready for her first bairn, and she’s quite nervous about it.”
“Isn’t it normal to be a wee bit scared?” He made sure to stay far away from pregnant women, but occasionally he would overhear talk among the lasses, whether he wanted to or not.
“Yes. Women do die in childbirth. My mum, in fact, was one. But there are also many, many healthy births, with happy mothers at the end.”
He studied her profile. Her face had gone from happy to sad in a matter of minutes. “Have ye attended a lot of births, then?”
“Aye. Mum let me accompany her many times. ’Twas most unfortunate that she was the one who died, with all the women we helped.” She shook her head. “She was a good woman. I miss her every day.”
Katie seemed to shake herself from the melancholy that had overtaken her. “Mistress MacCabe is the local healer, as you might have determined.”
“Aye. I thought as much.”
“She is getting on in years and asked me if I would take over her role in the community.” She turned to him, her eyes bright, her face flushed. “I would love to do that. I enjoy my work as a healer and gained a great deal of satisfaction from helping those in pain.”
He rode for a few minutes in silence, not too sure that it was a good idea. “’Tis a noble cause, for sure. But will ye have enough time to do that and still run the estate? ’Tis a big job yer taking on. The lands, tenants, the castle, all the staff, and now healing?” He shook his head. “I dinnae ken if that would work.”
“Aye. I did it all back in Stirlingshire.”
“And ye said one of the reasons ye left was it was too much for ye to keep up, and the place had begun to fall apart.”
“’Twas because of my da’s fondness for drink, too, ye ken. He spent all the coin on trips and seeing to his pleasure. That caused me more trouble than how busy I was.”
The opportunity had presented itself, and he would not let it pass. “Tell me again why ye decided to move yer whole clan to Fife? Ye just said again ’twas one of the reasons ye left, which leads me to believe ’twas another reason. More than just the run-down condition of yer da’s estate? What was the other reason?”
Katie looked at him briefly, then glanced away. Everything in her body screamed she was hiding something. “Aye. I misspoke. That was the only reason. Just to have a better place to live.” She looked up quickly. “Also, the fact that the MacDuff lands belong to me.”
“Aye. That fairy tale again.”
“’Tis not a fairy tale. A Bannerman Lady was a MacDuff about one hundred years ago. The MacDuff property should have come to Mistress MacDuff Bannerman on her brother’s passing. But the poor woman’s husband had just died, and she being heavy with child couldn’t travel to Dumfries to claim the land. So her cousin Sean stole it.”
He considered that as they continued on for a few minutes until they reached the next cottage. Evan pulled on his reins about a quarter mile out from the house. “Just a minute.”
“Aye?”
“A lovely story to be sure, but I wonder why ye haven’t told that part of it before now. Ye are hiding something, Mistress Katie Stirling of Stirlingshire. Why do I think there is another reason why ye decided to move everyone from one place to the next? And dinnae tell me ’twas because yer mum was cheated out of this place.”
She stared at the back of the horse’s head.
He moved his horse closer so their legs were almost touching. He bent his head to look into her eyes. “I would have the truth from ye, lass.”
Chapter Twelve
Katie continued to study the back of the horse’s head as if it was the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen. Anything to keep her from looking directly at Evan. She could deny there being any other reason, but she’d never been good at lying. If she didn’t have to look the other person in the face she might—just might—get away with it. But if he demanded she look at
him, she would begin to fidget. Then her face would turn red, and then she would look heavenward, as if to ask for celestial assistance.
“I’m waiting, lass.”
She took a deep breath and faced him. “Aye. There is another reason. Richard Armstrong.”
She said no more, and eventually, with Evan staring her down, she glanced away.
“Who is Richard Armstrong, and why did ye leave yer home because of him? Do I have to drag the entire story out of ye? As yer laird, yer well-being is my business. If ye need protection of any sort, I need to ken.”
After all this time—and distance—she’d managed to push Richard and everything he’d threatened to the back of her mind. But there was no doubt the time would come when she needed to face that problem. ’Twas indeed better if she shared it now rather than after he left her to return to Argyll. Should Richard make good on his threat, he would show up here eventually.
“Richard is the neighbor to the north of our lands. He arrived at my front door a week after my da passed. He had a paper in his hand that stated he and I were betrothed.”
“I take it this was a surprise to ye?”
She nodded. “I must admit the signature on the paper was my da’s. But I honestly do not believe he would give me to that man.” She shuddered, which, of course, Evan noticed.
His lips tightened, and his grip on the horse’s reins stiffened. The tension in his body had his horse shifting, feeling the anger of its rider. “Continue.” No questions from him, only his request for her to continue.
“I dinnae want to marry the man. He’s vile.”
Evan leaned forward, the fire coming from his eyes a frightening sight. “Did he touch ye in any way? Did he harm ye?”
At first she didn’t understand what he meant, then when she realized he was referring to rape, she smiled, which had him looking both angry and confused. “Nay. That was never an issue.”
His brows rose to his hairline. “The mon showed up at yer door with a betrothal paper, and ye weren’t concerned he would violate ye?”
“Nay.”
“Must I drag the rest of the story from ye?”
Katie looked off into the distance, not wanting to face him with her words. “Richard prefers the affections of young lads.”
Evan sucked in a breath. “Yer brother.”
“Aye.”
Nothing was said for a few minutes, just the far off sound of small animals scurrying about and birds overhead, searching for food. The soft wind blew in her face, and just the words spewing forth after holding them in all these months calmed her.
“Do ye have reason to believe he will follow ye here?”
“At first I dinnae think so. I told myself he wouldn’t make such a trip, but I don’t know for sure.” She twisted in the saddle and looked at Evan. “Ye see, Richard dinnae like to be thwarted. With the paper supposedly signed by my da, he feels he has the right to come after me and drag me back to Stirlingshire.”
“Ye and yer wee brother.”
“Aye.”
Evan ran his hand through his hair. “Even if the betrothal was signed by yer da, which I doubt, given what ye just told me about the mon, those things can be broken.”
“If he accepts that. I hate to say this because it embarrasses me so much, but he’s had his eye on Gavin for a couple of years. I think da being alive, even though he was absent a great deal of the time, kept him from doing what he wanted with the lad.”
“Ye have nothing to be embarrassed about, lass. ’Tis the mon’s shame, not yers.”
“What can I do?” It amazed her how quickly she’d grown to rely on Evan. Aye, he was her laird, and based on his actions so far, he was a caring man and a staunch leader of people. But she felt a certain connection to him that she’d never felt before with any man.
“’Tis my problem now. If the mon thinks he has a strong reason to fetch ye back home, he will come through the front door with his paper in hand. We will rely on that for now. But with all the others arriving from yer clan, he could easily slip in if he feels ye might naysay him. ’Twill be best if ye set up some method to check everyone arriving from yer clan.”
“Aye. That’s a good idea. I can have Colum and Meggie stay by the door. The rest should be arriving soon.”
Evan reached out and touched her hand. “Ye have nothing to fear. I will protect ye and yer brother.”
Katie felt as though a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Evan moved his hand from hers and cupped her face. “I won’t let any harm come to ye. Do ye trust me?”
She licked her suddenly dry lips and nodded. “Aye. I trust ye.”
“Good. Let’s return to the castle so ye can speak with Colum and Meggie.”
They turned their horses and made their way back, the sun a bit brighter, the air a bit sweeter, and her heart a bit lighter.
They were greeted by a group of people that Katie recognized as her clansmen. She smiled at Evan as he helped her from the horse. “’Tis Riley and Michael and their families.”
“I’m thinking we should send one of the men out to ask among the tenants and farmers if they ken of any empty cottages. Our visits are taking a bit longer than I had planned, and we cannot keep putting people in the castle.”
“Aye. I agree.” Katie hurried into the castle, hugging and welcoming the new families. All the little ones were crying and the older ones racing around, happy to have the long journey behind them. Evan trailed behind her, but after asking for Colum and Meggie to join him in the library, he made a quick escape.
Katie stood on the front step, addressing the group. “We’re still trying to find cottages for all of ye. Until then, ye can stay with us here in the castle.”
“Nay, Mistress. No need for that. Just point us to a piece of land, and Riley and I will put up our own cottage.”
“But the little ones? It will take ye a while to build something. It might rain.”
Hannah, Riley’s wife, looked up at her husband, her hands fisted at her waist. He was a giant of a man, and she a wee lass of no more than five feet. Yet she’d always stood up to the man, much to the delight of the other clansmen. “What are ye thinking, ye numbskull? The wee ones have been sleeping outside for weeks. They need a warm bed and some decent food. If ye and ye fool brother want to build yer own cottage, go ahead; Marilea and I will stay here with the bairns.”
“I think that’s a good idea, Riley,” Katie said. “The little ones look a bit tired.” All five of them turned to watch the children race around the area, run up and down the stairs, and slide down the bannister, screaming and yelling with delight.
“Aye, Mistress. They do look a bit worn out.” Michael smirked at her and reached out to snatch one of his bairns by the neck of his shirt. “Stop yer blasted running around, or I will take a switch to ye.”
…
Evan closed the door to the library, thinking the Battle of Culloden had been quieter than the crowd at the entrance hall. If they didn’t find cottages for these people soon, he would be forced to sleep in the stables. Which, given the chaos, might not be a bad idea.
The door opened and Colum and Meggie stepped into the room. “Ye sent for us, my laird?”
“Aye.” He waved to the chairs across from him. “Sit. I have an assignment for ye.” He rose and placed his hands behind his back and began to pace. Something that oftentimes helped him put his thoughts into words. ”Ye are both familiar with Richard Armstrong? He thinks he is betrothed to Mistress Stirling?”
“Aye,” Meggie snapped. “The mon is a monster. He tried to convince my mistress that she was betrothed to him. Her da would never have agreed to a marriage with that vile man.”
“That is what Mistress Stirling said. Ye believe her?”
“Aye! She wouldn’t lie about that.” Meggie shifted in her chair in her agitation. “Her da was a negle
ctful man in some ways, but he kenned that Richard was an evil man. A devil’s spawn, to be certain.” Meggie looked over at Colum, who nodded his agreement.
“Verra well; then this is what I want ye to do. Once this Richard discovers that Katie—er, Mistress Stirling—has left, it probably won’t take too much effort on his part to find out where she was headed. If he follows her, I want to ken the minute he arrives. Since the two of ye are familiar with the mon, I’m charging ye with the job of watching for him. He is not to get anywhere near Mistress Stirling or her brother. Do ye understand?”
Meggie and Colum glanced at each other and nodded. He wasn’t certain if they kenned about Richard’s preference for young lads, but he guessed from the look they shared that they did. “Ye are to summon me immediately and send word to Mistress Stirling to find her brother and wait in her bedchamber until I send for her.”
“Aye,” Colum and Meggie replied at once.
“That’s all. I’d like ye to start now. If this mon does arrive, I want to see him right away.”
The two left the library, and Evan sat and thought for a few minutes. Then, determination in his steps, he left the room and grabbed Meggie’s arm. “Do ye ken where wee Gavin is?”
“Most likely in his bedchamber. He’s sharing one with Mistress.”
God’s toes! The lad would never become a mon with Katie treating him like a wee bairn barely out of nappies. “Nay. That won’t do. Have ye set up a room for all the wee ones to sleep together?”
“Aye, but Mistress Katie told me to put Gavin in her room.” Meggie looked a wee bit nervous, twisting her hands. Apparently, when it came to the lad, Katie was adamant about her wishes for him. That would change. As long as Gavin lived under his roof, he would act like a lad and not a bairn.
He spread his feet apart and crossed his arms over his chest. “I am instructing you to move Gavin from her room into the nursery, or wherever all the other bairns are.”
The lass’s nervousness increased. “She won’t like that, my laird.”
A Scot to Wed (Scottish Hearts) Page 8
