Chapter 21

21

T he birds tweeted as dawn rose. The sky was pale blue, and the dew shone on the flowers. It had been a month since the gathering had taken place. The grounds of the clan that had been filled with merchants and nobles were now barren, open and wide, the blades of grass swaying in the breeze. Finlay's horse trotted towards the keep, its hooves clad in mud after having cantered over the far fields that had been used as a camp. The grass had not been able to regrow fully yet, and there were still remnants of the camp that had been created there, although the storming noises of the raucous feasts had long since diminished.

As Finlay approached the keep he tugged on the reins, slowing his horse's pace. The captain was riding out to greet him, and he had a stern look on his face. Finlay gulped and looked around, but there was nowhere to hide. He braced himself as he met with the captain.

"Buchanan, I need tae hae a word with ye," the captain said, narrowing his eyes towards Finlay. Finlay nodded and dipped his head. "When the Laird showed mercy on ye, ye swore that ye would dae yer duty tae the best of yer ability. Hae ye forgotten that?"

"Nae, sir," Finlay answered quickly.

"Then why dae I find ye out here again, patrolling the grounds during the night? Dae ye think ye are beyond sleep?"

"Nae, sir."

"Ye dae understand that if ye gae without sleep then ye are nae gaeing tae be able tae focus properly. If ye dae find something wrong, then ye might find yerself at a disadvantage. Is that what ye think the Laird wants?"

"Nae, sir."

"Right! Then, dae ye want tae tell me why ye are out here again?" He arched an eyebrow. He wore a stern expression, but he was not berating Finlay, nor was he treating Finlay like a criminal. Finlay had worked hard over the last month to repair the damage done to his reputation by the false accusation many years ago, but he knew it was something he was going to have to continue working towards for the rest of his life.

"The thing is, sir, that I cannae sleep that well any more, sae I thought I should at least dae something worthwhile. And I want tae show ye and the Laird that I am serious about this. I want tae prove that I can be a good guard, and I want tae show the Laird that he hae nae made a mistake."

"Laird McLeod would nae hae pardoned ye if he thought it was a mistake. Now, let's get tae the training ground. I'm gaeing tae show ye why ye need yer rest. And if ye are haeing trouble sleeping, well, I will make sure tae tire ye out," the captain grinned and headed off to the training ground. Finlay followed him there and dismounted from his horse. The captain threw him a sword and the other guards teased Finlay, mocking him for trying to be the perfect guard since the Laird pardoned him.

Finlay took it all in his stride. He was happy to be teased for doing the right thing. He wanted to make them all see that they could trust him. After all he had done in his life, he was ready to walk a straight and narrow path. He was lucky enough to have been given a second chance at being a guard, and he was eager to seize the opportunity with both hands. Unfortunately, he knew he wasn't going to be able to get a second chance in another area of life, namely with Anne. She had probably made a swift escape from the keep as soon as she had been freed from Murdoch. He had no idea where she was, but he hoped it was someplace happy, someplace where she could be taken care of. There was probably another man out there, a better man, who got to wake up with her in the morning and call her his wife. The thought stung his heart, but he nourished himself on the fact that he had shared one night with her. It was going to have to be enough to keep him going for a lifetime, because he would never be able to give his heart to anyone else. She had first intended to steal money from him, but in the end, she had stolen something entirely different.

After training, Finlay washed away the sweat and got changed into clean clothes. The barracks were a lively place. There was always something happening, mostly revolving around cards or dice. Finlay tried to stay away from those things, knowing how easily one could fall down a hole of gambling. He was in the middle of reading a book while others played, but he couldn't concentrate. It wasn't just because they were whooping and hollering as the cards were revealed, but also because he couldn't get something off his mind. It was the thing that prevented him from sleeping. He had been back in the clan for over a month now, if he counted the moment when he arrived for the gathering. In that time, he had kept to himself and remained on duty for as long as possible. One reason for this was to make a good impression on the captain and the Laird, but another reason was to avoid the inevitable.

He was yet to reunite with his father.

Every day Finlay woke with the nagging feeling that he should go and see Brandon, and every night he was met with the same feeling of failure. So many years had passed that he wasn't sure what to say to the man, or if he would even be welcome. While his name had been cleared with the Laird, it could well be a tougher task with Brandon. His father had always been a man of principle and when the news about Finlay being a thief had broken, Brandon had condemned him. He said that he should confess his crimes to the Laird, not believing that Finlay was innocent.

The tether that existed between father and son had become frayed over the years. Finlay had been a disappointment to Brandon, and was there anything left to say? He wasn't sure, but the story Anne shared with him had touched his heart. She had spoken with such sorrow about her own father and it was clear she would have done anything to see him again. He had the opportunity to reunite with his own father, so it seemed churlish of him to not do exactly that. Working up the courage was another matter entirely, but he thought if he wasn't going to do it for himself, then he could do it for Anne. It would be the last positive influence she had on his life.

He put the book down and swung his legs off the bed, leaving the barracks. He kept forcing himself to put one foot in front of the other because if he slowed, then he knew he would turn away again. He muttered to himself as he walked along, trying to figure out what he was going to say to his father.

Anne hummed to herself as she filled bowls with ladlefuls of oats. Brandon and Rory came in from outside. As soon as dawn broke, they were up with the roosters, getting a bit of work done while Anne made breakfast. She had fallen into her new role with ease, tending to the house while the men tilled the land. Brandon was clearly enjoying the fact that he had people to help him. Rory's youth and vigor helped him farm more of the land than before, while Anne could go around and see to the animals. She had a particular fondness for the old horse and always made sure to give it a treat every day. Brandon didn't mind, he said that the horse was his son's favorite as well.

Anne hadn't tried to pry about Brandon's son. It always seemed to bring a tear to Brandon's eye when he mentioned the son, so Anne tried to avoid the topic altogether. As far as she was concerned, they had each suffered enough tragedy for an entire lifetime so they did not need to wallow in it. She was happy to see Rory thriving as well. Since getting settled on the farm, he hadn't mentioned becoming a guard or running away to join an army. He had a natural affinity for the work and absorbed everything that Brandon taught him. Even though the old man wasn't related to them by blood, it was easy for Anne to think of him as family. He had taken them into their home and given them the opportunity to live without ever questioning their integrity. It was the second chance she needed, and she was determined to make it last for a long time.

She only ever occasionally ventured towards the keep. It was far quieter than when the gathering had taken place, although the market did bring about many people. When she tended the stall, she found herself glancing towards Murdoch's bar, wondering what Finlay was getting up to. She hoped that he had found a way to escape. At one point, Anne had mentioned Murdoch to Brandon, but Brandon acted as though she had spoken a curse. He said he didn't want that name ever mentioned again in his house, and it made her fear for Finlay's life.

If he had escaped, then she hoped he had found somewhere safe to run. Her romantic heart wondered if he would scour the Highlands searching for her again, but he was doomed to fail as she would have been right under his nose. It was sad that their story had to end like this, but she supposed that was the way it went for some people. You couldn't have everything in life, after all, and now that she had a sturdy roof over her head she wasn't about to be greedy. Brandon had occasionally brought up the idea of marriage to Anne, but she had avoided the topic with a coy laugh and a dismissive wave of the hand. He did not press too much, and she was glad of it.

Life was quiet and uneventful. She did not have to live in fear of running out of coin. Food was plentiful and she could turn her mind to other matters, like cooking. She was an adventurous cook and liked experimenting with flavors, and she loved rewarding the men for their hard work with a hearty meal.

Halfway through eating, Rory cleared his throat. "There's something I want tae ask ye both," he began, speaking in a most serious tone. Anne wore an amused smile, wondering what he was going to ask. "I know I hae been working on this farm day in and day out, and I enjoy the work. But when I was near the keep the other day I got tae talking tae a blacksmith and he's looking for a new apprentice," Rory's words began to falter. "I know that ye need my help here, but I was wondering if I could gae and learn after him. I already told him about the farm and he said that I could begin by learning from him just a few times a week, and he said that if I start making my own weapons, then I can get a commission for them and that would help offset the work I cannae dae here. Dae ye mind if I dae that?"

Anne saw the light in his eyes. Brandon looked proud as well.

"I think that's a wonderful idea," she said.

"Aye, lad, people are always looking for talented blacksmiths. I'm sure ye will be one of the best if ye apply yerself like ye hae done here," Brandon said. Rory smiled with relief, clearly having been afraid that he wasn't going to get what he wanted. He then finished off his breakfast. Anne started to see the future take shape before her eyes, and it made her smile.

Then, there was an unexpected knock at the door. Brandon frowned, for they were not expecting anyone, but he got up anyway. Anne picked up the empty bowls and took them into the kitchen.