“No matter. ’Tis my decision. In the meantime, summon the lad and tell him to meet me in the stables.”
“Gavin? To the stables, my laird? The lad is not fond of horses.” He had to give the lass credit. Despite the authority he wielded over the clan, she stood up for what her mistress wanted. ’Twas good to have much loyalty in a servant, but her loyalty should revert to him. ’Twas the way things worked, and that was that.
“Aye, the stables.” With those words, he left the noise and confusion behind and headed down the path to the stables, dodging more of Katie’s arriving clansmen.
About a half hour later, when he was about to go back to the castle and drag young Gavin out of his bedchamber where he was most likely hiding, the lad arrived. His eyes were as big as saucers, and he dragged his feet—’twas almost as if he were facing his executioner. Attempting to ease the lad, Evan knelt in front of him and put his hand out.
The lad stared at his hand until Evan said, “Put yer hand out and shake my hand. ’Tis what a mon does.”
“I’m not yet a man.” The whispered words barely reached Evan’s ears. His pinched face and flushed cheeks declared his nervousness. He seemed to be a bright boy, and his fine looks, delicate build, and timid manner were probably what appealed to the monster who wanted him.
“Aye, ’tis true ye are not yet a mon. How old are ye?”
He looked up, then back down again. “Ten years, my laird.”
“Well, ye won’t be a mon if you dinnae learn how to be one. Now, shake my hand.”
The boy took his hand, light as a feather, only giving him the tips of his fingers. “Nay, that’s not how ye do it, lad. Like this.” Evan shoved his hand into the boy’s and gave him a firm shake. “Ye ken?”
To Evan’s amazement, the lad smiled. “Aye. I ken.”
Evan stood and placed his hand on his head. “Do ye ride, Gavin?”
He shook his head. “Nay. Katie said she would teach me one day, but she was always busy.” He eyed the horses warily. “I’m not too keen on riding, my laird.”
“Would ye like to learn?”
He shuffled his feet for a bit, then said, “Aye.” His word lacked enthusiasm, which Evan found unusual in a lad. Most were anxious to jump on a horse. Gavin turned to look at the horses in the stalls behind them. “But they’re so big.”
“We can find ye one that isn’t so big.” He laid his hand on the lad’s shoulder. “Come, let’s take a look.”
They visited with a few horses until MacDuff led them to a smaller horse—an older, well-worn mare. Gavin was even able to pet the horse without shying back. “This is good, MacDuff, saddle it for the lad, and I’ll tack my own horse.”
Once the horses were ready, Evan showed Gavin how to hold the reins and walk the animal out of the stable. After a few awkward steps, the boy managed to bring the animal out into the light.
Evan looked up at the lass stomping down the pathway to the stables. Mistress Katie was all fire and righteous indignation. She held her skirts up so she could move as quickly as possible. She stopped not three feet from Evan.
“And who gave ye permission to teach my brother how to ride a horse?”
Chapter Thirteen
When Meggie told Katie that Evan had insisted Gavin be moved from her bedchamber to the one with all the other children, she was angry enough, but when she learned he had also taken it upon himself to teach him to ride, anger turned to fury.
She growled at Meggie, gathered up her skirts, and couldn’t run fast enough to the stables. The nerve of the man! She was Gavin’s only parent, and she would make all the decisions where he was concerned. When she saw her brother walking out, leading a horse, her heart dropped to her stomach. He’d always been petrified of the animals. Evan was smiling and chatting away like there was nothing wrong. She stopped right in front of them, attempting to catch her breath. “My brother is not fond of horses. He will need some time to get used to the idea.”
He waved her off like some pesky insect. “Ye smother the lad.”
“Nay. I dinnae.”
“Aye, ye do.”
“Nay, I dinnae.” Katie turned to Gavin. “We will be right back.” She grabbed Evan’s arm and dragged him to the back of the stable. “’Tis my right to decide how to raise the lad. I dinnae feel he is ready to ride yet.”
“Is that right?”
“Aye.”
“And how old were ye when you started riding?”
That stopped her cold. She began to count and realized she’d been younger than Gavin. Somehow she’d seemed older. She’d always felt older. First, because she’d been alone with her mum and da, and then when Gavin was born, and Mum had died within days, she’d taken over the entire keep as well as the raising of her brother.
“That dinnae matter, since I was older than Gavin when I was his age.”
He grinned at her, raising her ire even more. “Did ya hear what ye just said? That makes no sense.”
“It does.” She waved her hand around. “I had responsibilities he never had to handle.”
“Then ’tis time he did take on some responsibilities. He’s a lad, not a bairn still in nappies, and will grow into a mon—if ye allow it.”
“If I allow it! Of course I want him to grow into a mon. It’s just that he is sensitive and shy. He is not the type to—”
“There is only one way to shut ye up, lass.” Evan pulled her flat against his chest, taking all the air from her lungs. Before she could inhale, his mouth covered hers in what could only be called a frenzy. He nipped, sucked, nibbled, and nudged her sealed lips until she opened. Then he entered with a vengeance, a master taking control.
His kisses, along with her lack of air, almost had her swooning. Something she never did, since only Sassanachs were so weak.
“Ah, lass, ye make me crazy,” he mumbled against her neck as he scattered kisses along her jawline to the soft skin underneath her ear, then back to her mouth again. His hands wandered over her shoulders and back, then covered her bottom, pulling her tight against him.
Her body relaxed against his warmth. Again, she had the urge to rip her clothes off—his too—in an attempt to cool off. Or continue with what he’d started, which would probably go much better without clothing.
Her own hands did some wandering of their own, over his muscled chest, large shoulders, and strong arms. The scent of soap, along with leather and man, teased her nose. Her fingers twisted his hair, and she held on for dear life, since she’d apparently lost all her common sense.
“Katie?” Gavin’s voice broke into her scattered mind, nudging her back to time and place. For goodness sake, she stood in the very visible stable, in the middle of the day, in a passionate embrace with the man to whom she’d come to deliver a set-down.
She pulled away, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. She turned and walked away, stumbling at first, until she accepted Evan’s hand to right herself. “Yes, my love,” she almost gasped breathlessly to her brother. “I am here. I only wanted a few words with the laird.”
He watched her anxiously. “Is he still going to take me riding?”
Riding? Was someone going riding? She hesitated for a moment, then smiled what she hoped didn’t look like a grimace. “Did you want the laird to take you riding?” Still trying to put the pieces of her mind back together, she ignored Evan when he walked up to Gavin.
“Aye. I would like to learn to ride. The other lads do, and they tease me about being afraid of horses.” He patted the old, weathered horse he held by the halter. “Except this one. This one is nice.”
Nice. She had to admit there was nothing at all frightening about this horse. He looked as though he would be happy to take a nap right where he stood. Katie glanced up at Evan, who stood next to Gavin, his arms crossed over his chest, and a smirk on his face. Oh, how she hated him being right. Especially when it came t
o her brother, whom she’d taken care of—by herself—his entire life. She should probably be happy that he’d found someone he trusted enough to teach him to ride.
But it should have been her.
She brushed the hair back from the lad’s forehead. “Are ye sure?”
“Aye, the lad is sure, mistress. ’Tis no need to continue to question him.” He clapped his hand on Gavin’s shoulder. “Shall we be off, lad?”
Obviously dismissing her, Evan began to instruct Gavin on how to mount a horse. She opened her mouth to suggest he use the mounting block when Evan turned in her direction. “I believe ye have more arrivals.” He nodded to the front of the castle where another group of weary travelers trudged up the pathway.
“Aye.” She hurried away, angry with herself for the tears that flooded her eyes at the idea of someone besides her teaching Gavin something. She swiped at her cheeks, and just as she arrived at the front door, she remembered she hadn’t talked to him about Gavin’s sleeping arrangements.
“Blasted man,” she murmured as she reached the crowd at the door. “Welcome. I’m glad ye made it safe and sound.” As she led the group into the castle, she turned to see Gavin and Evan slowly walking their horses from the stables. Gavin looked a bit nervous, but Evan chatted away, most likely in an attempt to calm the boy. ’Twas apparent that Evan worked quite well with Gavin.
…
Evan kept up a stream of conversation with Gavin, offering instructions and encouragement. The lad went from absolutely terrified to mildly anxious as they moved the horses forward. He was a smart lad, and even though he held himself stiffly, he would no doubt master riding in a short time. Most lads did. It amazed him that the poor boy hadn’t yet learned to ride. He shook his head at Katie being so clever and yet so protective of her brother.
That brought his thoughts right where he didn’t want them to be. Katie. His three attempts at marriage had put him off the idea of finding a wife. None of the lasses he’d taken to his bed had interested him in the way Mistress Katie Sterling did. But would he consider her for a wife?
The attraction was certainly there, and she was very receptive to his kisses. His blood warmed just thinking about their encounter in the stables. She was pretty, smart, and had a sharp tongue when riled. She was a healer, and confident enough to drag her entire clan across the country. After such a short spell, he was having a hard time keeping his hands off her. When she raised her saucy chin and challenged him, all he could think about was tossing her over his shoulder and finding the nearest room with any flat surface.
But with Mistress Sterling’s tendency to be a bit on the ornery side when it came to obeying his instructions, he didn’t need the headache of a woman who thwarted him at every turn, no matter how much he desired her warm, soft, and receptive body underneath him. He could wed and bed her only to lose her when she foolishly put herself into danger by ignoring his warnings.
Aye, marriage was not meant for him.
Pushing all of that to the back of his mind, he returned his attention once more to Gavin. At ten years there was so much more he should be doing. And sleeping with his sister was not one of them. He hoped the reason she had kept him so close was because of the threat by Richard Armstrong. That situation would make any lass nervous to leave her brother alone. But as long as the mon thought he had a plan to get to the lad by marrying Katie, Richard would not be too concerned.
However, now that Katie had made her escape, he would most likely be after her like a hound for a rabbit. Well, the mon was not going to get his hands on the lad, or the sister, either. He’d heard about those who preferred children in their bed, and it had always caused him to go from queasiness to pure rage.
“How familiar are ye with a dirk?” Now that the lad had relaxed a bit, it would be good to make conversation to keep his mind off where he was sitting.
“A dirk? I’m not sure what that is.”
He shouldn’t have been surprised, since he already kenned that the Stirling laird had certainly neglected his duties as a laird, landowner, and parent. ’Twas no wonder the Armstrong bloke thought he could show up at Katie’s door with a forged marriage contract. For as indifferent as the laird had been to his children, anyone could have stopped by and waved a paper at Katie.
Evan pulled a dirk from his boot. “This. This is a dirk.”
Gavin’s eyes grew wide. “Blimey. That’s òirdheirc!”
Evan threw his head back and laughed. “So ye think it’s wonderful, aye?”
The lad nodded. “Aye.” He glanced up at him, then down at his foot.
“What?”
Gavin raised his head but didn’t meet his eyes. “Can I…can I hold it?”
“Aye. Not only can ye hold it, but I’m going to teach ye how to use it.”
Most likely forgetting he was on a horse, Gavin hopped up and down on his seat. “Aye!” His demeanor immediately changed as his chin dropped to his chest. “Nay. I dinnae think Katie will allow it.”
“No worry, lad. I am yer laird, and for that matter, yer sister’s laird as well.”
Gavin continued to look glum. “My da was laird before he died, but Katie still did what she wanted. She never listened to him.”
Evan held in his laugh, certain Katie had ignored whatever her da wanted. She was truly a spirited lass, and he imagined she’d been a handful to manage. However, he didn’t want to say anything against the old laird, even though the lad had to learn the difference between a laird who took his leadership seriously and those who pushed it off onto someone else. His sister should never have been left with all the responsibilities.
“Aye. Yer sister said as much. However, with yer da getting on in years, he depended a lot on Katie, so she probably made more decisions than most lasses her age.”
“But yer not getting on in years? Are ye?”
Evan choked back a laugh, since the lad seemed verra serious. “Nay. I think I have a few good years left in me.”
“That’s good, ’cause I like ye. I like that ye are teaching me to ride; and when will ye teach me how to use the dirk?”
Evan laughed again. “Dinnae ye think ye learned enough today? Look at how well yer riding that horse.”
Almost as if he’d forgotten, the lad looked down at the horse, then back up at Evan. “Aye. I am riding a horse.”
After another ten minutes of easy companionship when Gavin pelted him with numerous questions, Evan turned them back toward the castle. Tomorrow when he took the lad out, they would do more than just walk the horses. Gavin had already gained a bit of confidence, and that was a good thing. He would make sure that before he left for Argyll, the lad would be on his way to becoming a mon.
Leave for Argyll? He’d wanted that ever since he’d learned about the inheritance. Get the MacDuff lands under the watchful eye of a competent and honest land steward and then back to his own clan who needed him. Now, the idea of leaving Katie behind made him a bit uncomfortable, especially in his trews. He shifted his position on the horse.
Not that he had any less confidence in her ability to do the job, but his body hummed when she was near, and he wasn’t certain at this point what he wanted from her. God’s toes, he knew what he wanted, but she was a gently raised young lass, and nothing short of marriage would be permissible to get her into his bed.
With his hand on Gavin’s shoulder, Evan walked the lad from the stable after teaching him how to rub down his horse and see that he was comfortable with enough water and food. The lad hopped on one foot and danced around him, still pestering him with questions. Truthfully, he enjoyed it. It had been a long time since a bairn had looked up to him.
It felt good.
They were no sooner in the house and headed to the kitchen when a pounding on the door had him turning around. After telling Gavin to find Cook to give him a snack, Evan wandered to the front door where Colum was stationed. A
young mon stood on the doorstep, pale as could be and sweating. “I am seeking Mistress Stirling.”
“Aye. I can summon her. Who are ye?”
“Finn MacDuff.” He barely got the words out. “My wife, Freya, is having a bairn. She’s screaming her head off, and I dinnae ken what to do.” He looked like what he wanted to do was jump on a horse and ride as far and as fast as he could. This must be the lass Mrs. MacCabe had told them about.
“Did you fetch Mrs. MacCabe? The healer?”
“Aye, she’s on her way, but she told me to hurry here and ask Mistress Stirling to join her.”
“Wait here.” Evan took the stairs two at a time to the next floor, then rounded the corner to the solar. Katie was there with several other women. They seemed to be sewing and chatting away.
When she saw him, Katie dropped her sewing and jumped up, her hand at her throat. “What happened? Is it Gavin? He was thrown, wasn’t he? I told ye not to take him riding.” It must have been the look on his face that threw her into a dither. Before he could say a word, she rushed past him down the stairs and ran smack into Gavin, eating a meat pie.
“Ach, look at ye. Where does it hurt?” She placed her hand on his forehead as if he had a fever.
“What?” The lad barely got the word out over the mouthful of pie.
Katie dropped to her knees. “Where does it hurt? Ye shouldn’t be walking around.”
Gavin looked up at Evan, who placed his hand on Katie’s shoulder. “Katie, the lad is fine. ’Tis young Mr. MacDuff who needs ye. His wife is having her bairn.”
She dropped her head on her chest and took a deep breath. “Oh. Thank ye.” Then she seemed to see the young husband for the first time. “I apologize, Mr. MacDuff. I will get my things and hurry to yer house. Just wait for a minute so ye can direct me.”
“Wait a minute.” Evan grabbed her hand as she made to hurry off. “Ye cannot go by yerself. I will go with ye.”
“What? I certainly ken what I’m doing.”
“Aye. I’m sure ye do, but until this Armstrong situation is fixed, I will accompany ye when ye leave the castle.”
A Scot to Wed (Scottish Hearts) Page 9
