Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Q uint followed Shade and Walter, a lad of no more than ten years, through the woods. The scrawny lad was damp with sweat from running to get to Shade, speaking between tears, sniffling them back and using his shirt sleeve to wipe away the stubborn ones that fell.

"It's broken. I know it is. He's going to die just like John's da did when he broke his leg," Walter said, raising his arm to wipe his wet cheeks.

"Is a bone protruding from your da's leg, Walter, like what happened to John's da?" Shade asked calmly.

The lad shook his head. "Nay. Nay. But it swelled and bruised instantly after he fell, and he is in a lot of pain. Are you sure you have all you need with you?" He nodded to the pouch she carried.

"Worry not, Walter, I have everything I need to tend to your da."

"It's only me, Mum, and Da. Harvesting needs to be finished, fences repaired, a spot on the roof needs patching, wood chopped before winter sets in. If Da can't?—"

"Your clan should send help," Quint said.

Walter cast a quick glance back at him. "We're a small clan, sir, and our chieftain is old with no heir. Lord Torrance of Clan Glencairn has visited with him twice in the last week and all fear that our chieftain is going to surrender the clan to him. There are rumors that clansmen will be forced to join the fight against Clan MacLeish. Lord Torrance is a harsh ruler. If he rules over our clan and my da cannot work the farm, he will force us out of our home and put another family there. We will have nothing."

Shade stopped walking. "You and your family are not alone. Once we reach your home and I know more about your da's injury, I am going to send you to Rawlin, my step-da. You know him, don't you?"

"Aye, I do. He is a good man. He and my da worked together to help bury the monks."

"Rawlin will gather some men to help get things done for you and your mum until your da is healed enough to return to work," she reassured him. "Now let's get to your da."

The lad calmed upon hearing there would be help for his family and he talked less and set a faster pace.

Quint cast a glance around as they approached the farm. It was small but appeared well cared for with only some minor repairs needed. Though if they were left solely to a lad of ten to accomplish, they could be seen as mountainous.

"I will wait out here," Quint said when they reached the cottage.

Walter paid Quint no attention, he hurried inside the cottage and Shade followed, sending Quint a nod.

He waited until she entered the cottage, and the door closed, to peruse the farm. He had to be cautious here, the area more familiar to him than he would let anyone know. Then there were those who knew his face and he was not ready to make his presence known. It would not go over well.

He saw a portion of a fence that needed mending and decided to keep himself busy as he waited. It would also help clear his mind. Though he doubted it would help him make sense of what Shade had told him about her secret skill. He did not know how that could be possible, yet he believed her, and he wanted to talk with her more about it first chance they got. He rolled up his sleeves and got busy repairing the fence.

Hollin was a large man, his size taking up most of the bed. It was a good thing his wife, Galen, was petite or there would be no room for her. Fear filled her eyes and Shade could see why. Hollins leg was double its size with a dark bruise encompassing his shin.

"Thanks for coming, Shade," Hollin said.

Shade took off her cloak, Galen was quick to take it from her and place it near the hearth. "What happened, Hollin?"

Hollin shook his head. "I did nothing more than step off some rocks, I've stepped off endless times before. Only this time my leg twisted, I felt a sharp pain, and I went down. Walter had to help me to the cottage. It's painful when I try to walk on it."

"Let me have a look and see what I can find out," Shade said and gently ran her hand over his bruised leg while her eyes scanned inside the leg to see if she could see if anything was broken.

The crackling fire was the only sound heard as she took her time, wanting to see things clearly. Just when she didn't think she could see anything it came into view. A slight break so minor she might have missed it, and, with rest, it would heal nicely.

"You're lucky, Hollin. It is barely a break. If you stay off your leg and rest for two full moon cycles you will heal without a lasting problem."

His eyes rounded with fear. "That is too long. Winter will set in by then. I need to tend to the farm."

Walter hurried around Shade, smiling. "Shade is sending me with a message to her step-da, Rawlin, that we need help. Shade says that he will gather some men to come help us finish the few things that need doing."

"Don't you dare let your foolish pride get in the way of help, Hollin," his wife cautioned when seeing him scowl, ready to refuse the offer. "You would do the same for Rawlin, if necessary."

"And he would appreciate the help from a friend," Shade said. "If you fail to heed my advice, Hollin, the break will worsen and leave you unable to walk properly or possibly not at all, never mind what other problems it could cause."

Galen crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her husband. "He will do as you say, Shade."

Hollin's wife might be petite, but her look was powerful enough to have her husband say, "I'll do as you say, Shade, and I appreciate any help Rawlin or others are willing to give me."

Shade smiled. "Wise choice, Hollin. Let me give your son a message to take to my step-da, then I will show your wife how to tend to your leg while it heals."

"I'm ready to leave," Walter said eagerly.

"You need to be careful, son," Hollin cautioned. "I have heard that Lord Torrance's men are in the area scooping up men and even young lads to help with the battle. Stay off the worn paths and speak to no one."

Shade's stomach knotted at the thought of what such a battle could bring for not only her best friend but many others. "Has the battle started?"

"There is talk that Lord Torrance is on the verge of marching his men toward Clan MacLeish," Hollin said. "God pray Chieftain Ryland is wise and strong enough to stop him. If he doesn't, Lord Torrance will not stop at Clan MacLeish."

Shade stepped outside with Walter and gave him a quick message to deliver, knowing the lad was eager to leave.

"It will take me a while to reach the Rawlin farm, but I'll go as fast as I can," Walter assured her.

"Remember to heed your da's warning and do not dally once there," she said and looked to the darkening sky. "A storm brews, and you don't want to get caught in it."

With a nod, Walter took off running.

Shade, seeing that Quint had repaired a portion of a fence, went to him and shared everything that had been said in the cottage.

"I can follow the lad and make sure he returns unharmed," he offered.

"It might be wise to do with Lord Torrance's men in the area."

"You will remain here until I return," he ordered, unrolling his sleeves.

"I will not leave without you," she said and glanced up at the sky again. "It appears that a strong storm is brewing. I hope we can make it home before it hits."

"Be ready to leave when I return," he said, and his arm snagged her around the waist to pull her against him and kiss her.

Shade stood there stunned, watching him hurry off. It happened so fast that she questioned if it truly had happened at all. But it was hard to deny since her lips continued to tingle from his kiss. She wondered why he kissed her. Were his kisses meant to entice? But why here and now? Did he leave with a reminder of what could be between them? She shook her head. She had no time for this. She had Hollin to tend to, though the thought of coupling with Quint continued to linger in the back of her mind.

Habit.

He had kissed Shade out of habit as he once did with his wife whenever he left her. But he had not kissed her on that fateful day. He had been in a hurry to go and return to her. It haunted him every day that he had not taken the time to kiss her.

"You owe me extra kisses," she had called out to him when he rode off and he had told her he would give her a lot more than kisses when he returned.

He shook the memory away. It hurt too much to recall, and he hurried after the lad.

All went well until it didn't. The message was delivered quickly, and Walter took his leave just as quickly. He was keeping a swift pace when out of nowhere three men stepped in his path bringing him to an abrupt halt.

"He looks like a good one. With him, it would make ten lads to deliver to Lord Torrance," one of the men said.

"Young and quick on his feet, he could gather the weapons off the dead in no time," another man said.

"I must get home. My da needs me," Walter said, a tremor in his voice.

"Lord Torrance needs you more," the one who hadn't spoken yet said. "You'll be coming with us."

Walter squared his scrawny shoulders. "Nay, I'm going home."

The three laughed.

"You are a brave one, but foolish to think we'll let you go," one of them said.

"You will let him go," Quint said, stepping from the depths of the forest.

Two laughed. One didn't.

The one fellow sized Quint up in one glance. "You'll make a good one to fight for Lord Torrance."

"Leave him be," the one who didn't laugh ordered hastily.

The other two looked at him as if he was daft.

"We'll be going," the one said. "Leave the lad."

"Nay. He's one man against three," another man said.

"I would listen to your friend if I were you, or you will not live to see another day," Quint warned.

"We want no trouble. We're leaving," the one said, raising his hand briefly as if in surrender. Then he whispered something to the other two.

The two men paled.

"The lad is yours," one said, a tremor in his voice.

"We want no trouble," the other said, backing away.

"Release the other lads you took or each one of you will be dead by tonight," Quint threatened.

"Aye. Aye." The three echoed and turned and ran.

Walter stared at Quint.

Quint approached the lad, and he shrunk back away from him, unsure. "You will hold your tongue about what happened here, lad. Do you understand?"

Walter nodded.

"Return home and remind the healer to wait for me. I won't be long. Now begone."

Walter nodded again and rushed off.

He didn't have much time now. News would spread. He needed to be done here and move on and finish what someone else had started.

The sky continued to darken as Shade kept a quick pace with Quint. Would they outrun the approaching storm or get caught in it? And why did Quint seem troubled? She felt the difference in the weather and in Quint as soon as she had finished with Hollin and stepped out of the cottage. The air held a chill. More dark clouds had gathered overhead, and as for Quint? He seemed a different man. His features even seemed different, the lines on his face more pronounced. Though that could have been from the intense scowl he wore. She had no time to ask what troubled him. He had insisted they take their leave so they could reach home before the storm hit.

A powerful crack of thunder that felt as if it rattled the ground had her cringing and was followed by a fat raindrop that splattered on her head and was followed by one after the other. They would be soaked by the time they got home.

They emerged from the woods as lightning struck like a sword swinging down from the sky to pierce the earth, striking and illuminating Coggshall Abbey. Shade shivered at the eerie picture it painted. The empty edifice once offered shelter to those in need, but not so Shade. She had never been welcomed there and after the horrific incident, people avoided going near it. She did not care how soaked she got; she would never seek shelter in the abbey.

It was a thought she never should have given credence to, for in the next moment she felt a blow to her shoulder and went down hard to the ground. Quint quickly followed her, covering her with his body, though only briefly. He jumped to his feet, his arm snagging her around the waist as he did, bringing her to her feet as well.

They were nearly on top of the abbey and Quint rushed her toward it so fast that she barely felt her feet touch the ground. He braced her against the stone wall once they reached the side of the abbey and shielded her body with his.

He lowered his head, his mouth near her ear. "An arrow grazed the top of your shoulder. It was meant for me."

Shade didn't know if it was the cold rain that continued to fall on them, the fear of what he had just told her, or the tickle of his lips against her ear that made her shiver.

"We are too much in the open, too much of a target for him. We need to seek the safety of the abbey," he said and giving her no chance to object, he kept her shielded and pressed against the stone wall as he walked them around to the front door of the abbey.

He planted her against the door, his body looming over her as he reached behind her and opened it. To Shade's surprise it opened without difficulty. She didn't want to enter but the strength of his body stepping forward propelled her inside. Once there, he stepped away from her and retrieved a plank and locked it in place on the door so no one could enter.

"Quint," she said anxiously, stretching her arm out in search of him, the area turning dark as soon as he closed the door.

"I'm here."

She almost sighed with relief when his hand closed around hers and she felt even safer when he wrapped his arm around her.

That Shade should suffer harm that was meant for him fired his anger and he fought to keep control of it. "I believe the refectory is the only room with a fireplace. We need to find it and get a fire going so we can get dry and tend to your wound."

Shade hadn't given her shoulder any thought. It stung her but only slightly. "How do we find anything in this darkness?"

"We remain close to a wall and follow it," he said, and they did just that.

Cobwebs caught at her face and hair, and she heard the soft scurry and squeaks of rodents rushing out of their path. New residents now occupied the abbey. Or had they simply joined the spirits of the deceased monks? She gripped Quint's arm that he kept snug around her waist. She wasn't prone to being fearful, but there was something about this place that left her feeling uneasy.

They found the room far more easily than she expected. Shock had her halting her steps when she entered it. Two openings in the shape of crosses high up in the walls kept the room from being soaked in complete darkness. It looked exactly as it did in her nightmare, though there were no dead monks.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain?" Quint asked at her abrupt stop.

She didn't want to burden him with the memory of her nightmare. They had more important things to consider.

She shook her head. "I need to sit."

Quint hurried her to one of the benches at the long table centered in the room and slipped her wet cloak off her shoulders.

He felt her apprehension when they entered the abbey, and it increased the deeper they descended into it. He could not blame her. The spirit of the unsettled still lingered here.

"I'll get a fire going then we can see to your shoulder," he said.

She would love the heat of a fire but wondered where he intended to get firewood. She got her answer when he began to break benches apart. She couldn't help but smile when flames sprang to life and grew rapidly, and the fire's warmth finally reached her.

Quint moved a couple of benches closer to the fire, then took her arm and helped her to sit before he sat opposite her. "The heat will help dry our garments."

She turned her face to the fire, its warmth feeling like a warm caress upon it. It was quickly replaced by the gentle caress of Quint's hand. She welcomed his touch that was not only growing more familiar to her by the day, but she was discovering that she favored it more and more each day.

"Are you all right, Shade?"

She pressed her cheek against his hand and spoke honestly. "I am since you are here with me."

He brought his face close to hers. "Never would I harm you, Shade, not ever. Now, let me look at your shoulder." His hand drifted off her face to her shoulder to examine it with a tender touch.

It briefly crossed her mind that he might kiss her, and she was disappointed when he didn't. His remark also left her wondering. Why did he let her know, at this particular moment, that he wouldn't harm her when it wasn't a thought in her mind? She may have been cautious upon first meeting him, but time spent with him had shown him to be a decent man.

She cringed when he touched a specific spot, and she turned her head to examine the wound for herself. She glanced over it, seeing right away it was a minor abrasion. "It's nothing more than a graze. I have some honey in my healing pouch."

Quint didn't wait for instructions. He grabbed the pouch she had placed on the floor and rummaged through it. He was familiar with the small crock of honey wrapped in a cloth and found it easily.

"I will see to it," he said when Shade went to take it from his hand.

He eased her clothing off her shoulder to expose the wound and her lovely skin, soft to the touch. He took his time, covering the wound thoroughly and he couldn't help but wonder if her skin was soft all over. This was not the place nor the situation for such intimate thoughts and he chased them away.

When he saw how she stared at the wound, he asked, "Tell me of this special skill of yours. Can you truly see inside a person?" She appeared cautious to speak about it and wisely so. "I understand why you are hesitant to speak more about it with me. Some people would believe such a skill comes from evil. I find it interesting, and I give you my word I will keep your secret." When she remained silent, he thought she would say nothing more about it, then she spoke.

"I thought it was the way of things, that everyone saw as I did, the details of how a body worked and, in such unison, each part depending on the other part, intricate and precise. Until my grandmother realized I had inherited the skill. She explained to me that it was something I could discuss with her, but I was never to discuss it with anyone else. When I got older, she told me that if I knew without a doubt that I could trust the man I wed then I should confide in him but only after being wed for several years."

That she trusted him with such a secret said much of what she thought about him, and it pleased him more than he would admit. "It is good to know you have such trust in me for I feel the same about you."

That she could share such trust with a man had her thinking that he would make a fine husband, but was she wasting her thoughts on nothing more than a foolish dream?

"So, you saw the broken bone in Hollin's leg?" he asked.

"With his leg so badly bruised and swollen, I expected to find a serious break but was pleased to find a minor one. I believe the bruising and swelling came from hitting the stone when he fell. My only worry is that if he does not give it a chance to heal and walks on it too soon, he will worsen it." She smiled. "Though as petite as his wife is, I get the feeling she will see that he follows my advice."

"From what you have told me about them, they are a strong, loving family. I am sure they will fare well," Quint said, adjusting her clothing over her shoulder. She turned her head away as he did but not before he caught the worried look on her face. "What troubles you, Shade?"

"Are we trapped here? Does the archer wait for us?" she asked, turning to look at him, no longer able to avoid the obvious. "With the rain and wind, why would he take such a chance in firing an arrow that had the least chance of hitting its target?" Her brow scrunched. "What satisfaction would he get in killing you from afar? Wouldn't he want to look the man in the face who killed his two brothers? Unless…" She stared at Quint as if a strange thought had struck her. "Could it be someone else who is trying to kill you? Have you earned the wrath of others?"

That had been his thought from the moment the arrow narrowly missed her. When he had followed the three men to make sure they released the lads they had taken captive, they had done so without hesitation. Then they had huddled in talk with the other two men who had been keeping watch over the lads. He had gotten the distinct feeling they had been talking about him and the thought that they were anxious to share the news of his presence in this area, perhaps for coins, crossed his mind. What presently crossed his mind was that if someone had tracked him, it would be known he was staying with the healer, putting Shade in danger.

"That was a foolish question," Shade said. "You are a warrior. Of course, you have made enemies."

"We are safe here," he said, trying to reassure her.

"Are we?" She glanced around. "Here where men were brutally slaughtered?" The question fell from her lips without thinking. "Did you inscribe crosses made of blood and ash on the monks' foreheads when you found them?"

The loud shattering of wood muffled his response and had them both jumping to their feet and Shade taking a step closer to Quint.

"I don't think we're alone anymore," Shade said.