Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

I n the last two days since Dru's departure, the main talk of those who came by for healing was the news of Lord Torrance declaring that Chieftain Ryland must meet with him and talk to settle the dispute or meet on the battlefield. If he didn't, Lord Torrance threatened to attack his clan and destroy it. Shade's worry for her friend Ula and her husband Caleb grew ever stronger. She was glad she had sent a message with Dru so that Ula would know she was thinking of her and would not fail to contact her if necessary.

People were worried and rightfully so. Lord Torrance would not accept defeat easily and if he won, it would only quench his thirst for power and wealth for so long. He would want more. She wondered if that was what disturbed Quint. He seemed unsettled and distracted since Dru left, staring into the woods as if he expected someone. Or was he impatient for the brother of the two men he killed to arrive so he could be done with it and be on his way? She could not blame him. His mission had been delayed long enough. She didn't want to think of him leaving, but she had a feeling it wouldn't be long now.

He stood staring into the woods and her heart ached sensing he was anxious to go while she was anxious for him to stay.

"Go if you must," she said, though she wished he wouldn't, but she would not have him there if he truly wanted to leave.

He turned to look at her, a questioning scrunch to his brow. "Not until I make sure you are safe."

He approached her and she thought of walking away from him, to put distance between them and protect her heart, already beginning to feel the pain of his departure. But she couldn't. She wanted his arms around her as much as possible before he would hug her no more.

She fell into his embrace as she always did and cherished the way his strong arms wrapped around her tucking her close, holding her as if he never wanted to let her go.

He loved holding her in his arms, feeling her pressed against him, the sweet scent of her hair drifting up to tickle his nose. When he arrived here, he wanted only healing from her. Now that he had gotten that, he wanted so much more. He was about to reassure her when he heard a distant tinkle, a warning from one of the talismans he'd hung in the trees.

He pulled her along with him as he went for his sword near the cottage door. He was about to open the door when he thought differently.

"A talisman alert, someone approaches," he said.

Fright rippled through her. Those who came for healing knew well to call out if they set a talisman chiming, letting her know they approached.

"I want you to go into the woods and wait. If for some reason this doesn't end well, you leave and seek safety, understood?"

Shade nodded, the lump in her throat and roiling stomach not allowing her to speak.

He kissed her quickly. "Worry not. I never lose."

She nodded again, not saying what came to mind . There is always a first time.

Quint didn't watch where Shade went. He hoped whoever was there would believe her to be in the cottage. He went to the bench that sat braced against the cottage wall and sat, taking a cloth to his sword, appearing as if he was cleaning it, and waited.

Shade ducked down behind a pine tree where she had a view of the area in front of her cottage through the branches and waited just as Quint did.

A man thick in body but not having much height stepped out of the woods and Quint stood, his sword in hand and approached the man, showing him not an ounce of fear.

The man stopped where he stood and called out, "I am Cyril, brother of Rand and Brant, two fools. I came here to tell you that I have no cause to fight you, not now, not ever. Unlike my brothers, I don't wish to die." He backed away as Quint continued to approach him.

"Stay your ground," Quint urged, keeping his voice low. "I wish only to talk with you."

Shade wished that Quint hadn't lowered his voice. She wanted to hear what he was saying to the man.

"You will keep your voice low when you speak with me," Quint said.

"Aye," Cyril said with a nod, sweat breaking out along his brow.

"You intended to kill me."

"That was before I found out who you are," Cyril said, a nervous tremor in his voice. "I want no trouble with you. I didn't realize what Rand had gotten himself into and how instead of waiting for me, Brant's impatience cost him his life. I came here to tell you face to face that I harbor no ill will toward you and I intend to return home and forget this dreadful turn of events."

"How is it that I should trust your word that you will walk away and never bother me, or the healer, not ever?"

"I have no fight with the healer or you," Cyril said, wiping the sweat that dripped down his face with the sleeve of his shirt. "I wish only to return home, a distance from here, and pray that I make it since Lord Torrance is scooping up any man who he sees fit to fight for him. My brothers made their choice and now I make mine. I take my leave, never to see you again."

"If our paths ever cross again?—"

Cyril shook his head. "I don't know you and I don't care to know you."

"You are wiser than your brothers."

"Which is why I am alive and they're not."

Quint watched as Cyril disappeared into the woods and it wasn't until he heard the tinkle of a talisman in the distance that he turned around and saw Shade standing by the cottage. He walked over to her, seeing the confused look on her lovely face and, keeping his sword in hand, he snagged her around her waist with his other arm.

She pressed against him, his strength always a source of comfort to her. "He walked away. What happened?"

"He is a wiser man than his brothers and chose not to die," Quint said and felt a shiver rush through Shade. It could have been the chilly wind that whipped around them, but he sensed it was more of a relief that Shade felt. "Let's go inside and warm ourselves with a hot brew."

Shade got busy fixing a brew and keeping a tight hold on her tongue. She wanted to ask him if he would take his leave now, but she worried over his response. She didn't want to hear that he was leaving her.

Silence hung heavily over them while Quint sat at the table and Shade kept herself busy, fearful of looking at him and seeing in his eyes that he had something to tell her. When she went to return to the hearth from where she was moving things randomly around on the narrow table under the window just to keep herself occupied, his arm hooked her waist and forced her onto his lap.

"I know what disturbs you and I will not depart just yet."

Shade sighed at the reprieve and rested her brow against his. "But you will leave."

He brushed his lips over hers. "I have no choice. I must see this mission done."

Shade asked the question she feared to ask, "Will you return to me?"

"It depends."

She raised her head. "On what?"

"On things we will discuss another time." He moved her off his lap, not that he wanted to, but he had to. He had to think, and he couldn't do that with her on top of him. "I am going to hunt for supper and to make sure Cyril left." And to make sure no one lurked about, but that he didn't tell her.

He kissed her, grabbed his cloak and sword, and left without saying another word.

Shade stared at the door a bit baffled. What did he mean it depends? What could his return depend on? With some of her worry abated, she fixed herself a hot brew and sat to spend time with her thoughts.

Three days and Quint had yet to mention that he would take his leave and while Shade was pleased that he stayed with her, she wondered what was keeping him here. They settled into a comfortable routine, never lacking for talk or laughter or making love. She realized now that it was love she felt for him, and she wished he felt the same, for if he did, he could never leave her. His heart simply wouldn't let him. She often caught him looking into the woods as if he was expecting someone. Or could it be that he was aching to leave?

Shade glanced over her garden. She would be harvesting the last of her plants soon and she expected her mum to arrive any day now with extra plants from her garden to share. She would bring candles as well, her mum and other women making them to share with the surrounding farms.

She picked up the basket she had filled with enough kale and onions to add to a hardy rabbit stew that was already cooking in the cottage and hurried her steps. She stopped abruptly when she came upon Quint speaking with a cleric.

Clerics who came to the Highlands believed healing was their domain and did not take kindly to women healers. It was something her grandmother warned her about and what Brother Emmett had confirmed. So, she approached them with caution, even though she knew Quint would never let anyone harm her.

"How wonderful, the bride is here," the cleric said with a warm smile.

Shade stared at the man, average in height and his brown robe too large for his slim frame, his rope belt proving a necessity, while wondering if she had heard him correctly.

"A moment, Brother Peter," Quint said.

"A hot brew would be good while I wait," Brother Peter said, smiling and rubbing his hands together as if he could use the warmth.

"I will get that for you," Shade said.

"Bless you," Brother Peter said and went to sit on the bench under the oak tree.

Shade hurried into the cottage and heard Quint follow her. She turned on him as soon as he closed the door. "Did I hear him say bride?"

"Aye you did," Quint confirmed.

Shade remained silent, waiting for him to explain.

"I need to know you are safe when I am gone, and you will be safer with everyone knowing you have a husband."

"You want to wed me to keep me safe?" she asked, stunned by his unexpected proposal and not sure how to feel about it. Did she accept his offer for what it was… sensible? Or did she refuse because she preferred that he wed her out of love? And what did wedding him mean for her? Would he make his home with her or come and go as he pleased?

"Aye, that and because we get along well, and you make no demands of me."

She chuckled at that. "It is a wife's duty to make demands of her husband."

Quint smiled. "So, you will make demands of me when I become your husband?"

Shade kept a smile on her face, but she feared her eyes betrayed her worry. "Will you truly be a husband to me?"

Quint's smile faded and his brow scrunched as he reached out and drew her slowly against him. "No matter what, I will always be a true and good husband to you."

She lifted her chin. "Since I expect honesty in a marriage, I want you aware of the possibility that I may not be able to give you children since I am older than most women who give birth."

"It matters not to me."

"You say that but?—"

Quint took hold of her chin. "You are all I need, Shade."

Her heart felt as if it skipped several beats, his words sounding like a declaration of love and that made her decision easier.

She smiled. "I will wed you, Quint."

He kissed her and not gently, but with a need. When done he cupped her face. "Remember no matter what, you mean more to me than I can find the words to say."

She didn't hesitate to tell him how she felt. "That is good to know, Quint, since I have fallen helplessly in love with you."

He stared at her speechless, his heart soaring, but words failing him.

"One day, Quint. One day you will tell me," she said and eased away from him. "Now let's get married."

The cleric enjoyed his hot brew while he spoke with the two of them asking Shade if she was ready to be a good and obedient wife to Quint. She was wise enough to say what he wanted to hear and was surprised when he joked about most husbands finding themselves being the obedient ones.

The ceremony did not take long. Shade stood beside Quint, holding hands under the oak tree, a few colorful autumn leaves falling around them as they exchanged words that had the cleric pronouncing them husband and wife.

"I have wed many couples, and it is easy for me to see the ones who care deeply for each other and will do well in their marriage while others have no love for each other and wed out of duty. I am pleased to see the love between you two. You will do well in your marriage. Now as much as I wouldn't mind staying and sharing in that delicious stew that I smell cooking, I must be off to meet a fellow cleric."

"What brings you to these parts, Brother Peter?" Quint asked.

"Unfortunately, a battle. Word was received at my monastery for a cleric to bless the warriors and console them if necessary. I was given the task as well as another cleric from another monastery."

"So, one of you will go to Clan MacLeish and one to Clan Glencairn?" Shade asked.

"Nay," Brother Peter said, a sorrowful look in his eyes. "Lord Torrance is a more than generous supporter to both monasteries, so we both go to serve him. Your skill would certainly be welcomed after a battle, my dear."

"With my good friend having wed a MacLeish, my loyalty lies there," Shade said, "though I would help any wounded warrior that came my way."

"As any good healer would, and it is good that you now have a husband that will see you safely there if necessary. Now I must be off. May your marriage be blessed with much happiness and many children."

When the cleric was out of sight, Shade asked, "Will you be leaving me now?"

Quint chuckled and scooped her up into his arms. "Not yet."

"Stay with me for a bit at least," she said, trying not to sound as though she pleaded with him.

He kissed her. "I would not leave you if I didn't have to."

There was much she wanted to say to him, much she wanted to ask him, so she was surprised at her first question. "How did you get a cleric here?"

She suddenly realized how he had done it and spoke the same time Quint did.

"Dru!"

Quint laughed. "I asked her to find him and send him here when I went and spoke with her before she left."

She grinned. "You are sneaky."

"When I need to be." His eyes turned stormy, and his smile faded. "I want to make the rest of this day and night memorable, then I will tell you what you need to know about me. For now, it's you and me, husband and wife."

Quint swung around. "Do you hear that?"

"Rushing footfalls," Shade said as her husband lowered her to her feet and grabbed his sword near the door.

Brother Peter burst out of the woods along with another cleric who could barely catch his breath.

"Bodies. Bloody bodies strewn all over," Brother Peter said, his own breath labored and pointed to the other cleric. "He was at Coggshall Abbey. Dead. Ten.? All dead."

"Dead bodies at the abbey again?"

Shade turned to her left at the familiar and anxious voice. "Mum?"

Her mum and Rawlin walked out of the woods, their horse trailing behind them.

"Good, Lord, more bad news," her mum said incredulously. "Terrible news was received this morning. The battle is done. Lord Torrance has been victorious against Clan MacLeish. Chieftain Ryland is close to death, and Lord Torrance intends to send a band of mercenaries to Clan MacLeish to keep what is left of the clan from retaliating and oversee it until he can travel there and claim the clan." Her eyes filled with sorrow. "Ula sent word. She pleads for your help to save Chieftain Ryland, though she made no mention of Caleb. What more bad news can there be with the fall of Clan MacLeish, the chieftain close to death, and dead bodies at the abbey again?"

Rawlin spoke up. "The return of The Monk."

The two clerics and Shade's mum gasped.

Brother Peter, his breathing having eased, said, "A bit of hope and joy in a sorrow-filled day. Shade called you mum, know that your daughter was joined in marriage this day with a good man."

"You are wed?" her mum asked, clasping her hands close to her chest and a smile spreading across her face.

Quint turned, having avoided looking at Shade's mum and her step-da. "Aye, Shade and I are wed."

Before any congratulations could be offered, Rawlin cried out, "Good, Lord, nay! Say it is not so."

"Rawlin!" Shade's mum admonished.

Rawlin shook his head adamantly. "Nay! Nay! Nay! It cannot be. Shade has wed The Monk!"