16. Chapter Fifteen

The trip from Dun Ugadale to the guardhouse on the border took Craig and the men with him a little more than a day and a half. He spent the entire time thinking about his wife. He hated worrying about her. Whether she would fit into brooch life. How she and Helena would get on with them working together.

She still argued with him and remained stubborn on certain points, but he was more certain each day that Lenora's rough tongue came from years of neglect and abuse at the hands of the men in her life. The only one he was sure had protected her to a certain extent was Knox, but he stated that he was away from the castle for months at a time.

She did not trust men and had every reason not to. If they were to have a peaceful life, he had to earn her trust. That was not something he could order her to do. His whole existence had been turned upside down. His initial idea of wed her, bed her, and leave her hadn't worked very well.

"MacKay, where is yer brain today?" Gre'gor rode up alongside him. "I'm thinking ye're spending too much time pining for yer bonnie wife."

Craig growled. "I am no' pining for anyone. I'm thinking of what lies ahead for us when we arrive at the border."

The bluidy man had the nerve to toss his head back and laugh even though Craig's sgian dubhs was close at hand. "Ye best be riding far from me for the rest of the day, Gre'gor.

Once they arrived at the guardhouse, Craig's mind was taken up with their assignment. He had no idea how long they would be there.

Eventually, Robin would send another contingent of warriors to replace those who were there. ‘Twas only recently that they had guards permanently, but despite the new alliance between the MacKays and the Gunns, Robin confided in him that he didn't trust the laird.

Craig had never trusted the man. A man who had so little control over himself that he took his fists to a lass was not only dishonorable but not someone he would want alongside him on the battlefield. Or at the negotiation table. He did wonder why the man was so easily swayed to replace Robin, Laird and Chieftain of Dun Ugadale, with his brother.

He jumped from his horse and strode up to Airche, Captain of the current group of men at the guardhouse. "How goes the area?"

The man shrugged. "No troubles that we haven't been able to deal with. Mostly small groups of outlaws stealing from the farmers."

"Have ye seen any Gunns or Sinclairs? The laird had information that there might be trouble from them here."

Airche's brows rose. "Dinna ye just form an alliance with The Gunn by marrying his shew of a sister?"

Craig felt the blood rush to his face. "Doona speak of my wife in that manner unless ye want to cross swords with me. I demand respect from all clan members for Lady Lorena."

Airche's brows now rose. "'Tis sorry I am, Craig. I'm just going by the rumors I heard."

Craig fisted his hands by his side, trying very hard not to pull out his sword and run the man through. "Rumors is all it is. I expect ye to deny any more gossip ye hear about my wife. ‘Tis like a bunch of old women with ye all speaking about something ye ken no'hing about."

"Aye, again ‘tis sorry I am. I should ne'er have said that."

Craig nodded and stormed into the guardhouse, still ready to punch someone. The lass didn't have a chance of acceptance if the rumors about her rough tongue had arrived at the clan before her. Hopefully, working with Helena who was sweet and loved by all, she would gain her place within the clan.

His mood turning sour, he grabbed a jug of ale and poured himself a drink. The sounds of the men departing who had finished their assignment rang throughout the area. Craig downed his ale and headed back outside where his men were setting up a fire to cook the evening meal.

"Tomorrow we break into groups of three and ride the entire border between here and the Sinclairs. Another group of two each will cover the Gunn territory. There may be groups of men seeming to be outlaws but take a second look at them if their clothes are clean and they seem well-fed. ‘Tis possible they are from a clan and pretending to be otherwise."

"MacKay," one of the warriors said, "Does the laird have reason to believe the Gunns are causing trouble even after the alliance with ye and Lady Lenora?"

"Anything is possible." He didn't think it wise to pass along too much information to the men. They were here to find reivers and keep the small villages from being ransacked and burned. The politics of the situation were between Robin, him, and Finn.

They roasted a few small animals they caught as well as vegetables they'd brought with them from the brooch. Once he'd eaten, he left the group around the fire and entered the guardhouse. He headed to the cot in the corner with a screen for privacy for the current captain. He sprawled on the cot. He was bone tired and what he wanted more than anything was sleep.

Even though he and Lorena hadn't been married long, he missed having her beside him, her warm body pressed up against his. He smiled thinking of her soft snores.

Not that he'd spent a lot of time sleeping with women, since he usually visited their beds and left, but it seemed to him that his wife suffered from more nightmares than was normal for a woman.

When she was restless, he could calm her down by drawing her into his arms and rubbing her back. With her determination to remain independent, he never told her about that.

He sighed, hoping that sleep would not elude him while he thought about his wife. He'd never had to worry before on assignments about missing anything or anybody. ‘Twas a strange feeling. One he wasn't sure he liked.

"What was wrong with the little one that made him cry so hard and pull up his legs?" Lorena asked as she and Helena left the home of the young mam.

"I believe he has a problem with his stomach. I left her with some chamomile that she can use for tea and that should help him. If it doesna then she might have to switch the bairn to goat's milk."

"Instead of his mam's milk?" Lorena asked. They were on their way to the young lass who was having her first bairn in a few months. As much as Lorena was not happy about having to trail Helena around all day, the woman was not only perfect, but she was a great teacher.

Of course.

"Aye. As strange as it sounds some bairns canno' digest their mam's milk and do better with goat milk."

Lorena thought on that for a while. Again she touched her middle wondering if she and Craig had made a bairn before he left. She glanced sideways at Helena who was beginning to show a small bump under her kirtle. "Do ye feel anything from yer bairn yet?"

She had no idea why she asked that personal question, but it seemed to pop out before she thought about it. Would Helena be offended?

The healer smiled and placed her hand on her bump. "Nay. ‘Tis too soon, but I expect within a month or so the little one would start making his presence known."

They arrived at the young lass's bothy and Helena knocked on the door. "Cait, good morn, it's Helena come to visit ye."

The door opened and a small woman with a much larger bump than Helena, tears sliding down her cheeks opened the door. Lorena took in a deep breath at the large bruise on the lass's chin.

"May we come in, Cait?" Helena said in her soft, soothing voice.

The lass looked around and then said, "I'm no' supposed to allow people into the bothy."

Helena took her hand. "'Tis fine. We can speak out here. Can you join us?"

"I'm no' sure. Maybe for a minute or two." She walked with them to the end of the pathway where there was a low stone fence. They all sat, Cait with her hands in her lap, twisting her fingers.

Helena gestured to Lorena. "This is Mister Craig's new wife, Lorena."

"'Tis a pleasure to meet ye, Cait." Lorena said. The young wife smiled at her. "I heard Mister Craig married. I wish ye well."

After a moment, Helena asked, in a non-committal tone, "How did ye get the bruise on yer chin?"

The lass stuttered for a moment. "I fell."

Helena winced. "Ach, what a shame in yer condition. Where did ye fall?"

Lorena knew that Helena didn't believe Cait fell to get that bruise. It was clearly a fist to her chin. Lorena had enough of them from her brother and husband to recognize it. She sat and watched how Helena was going to handle this.

"I fell against the table this morning." She tried to smile. "I'm a tad clumsy."

"Let me get some cream from my cart that ye can smear on the bruise to help the pain and healing." Before the lass could object, Helena was on her feet and headed to the cart.

Lorena turned to the lass. "When I was married before, I was verra clumsy, too. I always seemed to have bruises on my chin, eyes, and even some on my arms." She shook her head.

Cait looked around and leaned in closer. "Was yer clumsiness only when yer husband was around?"

"Aye. Since I've been married to Mister Craig I haven't had any accidents. I guess marriage to the right mon makes ye less clumsy."

The young lass continued to look at her. "Thank ye for telling me that."

Lorena reached out and touched Cait's hand. "If ye feel the need to speak about it, ye can always ask for me up at the brooch."

The lass nodded just as Helena arrived with a cloth and cream she took from a jar. "This will help ye. I suggest ye try to get some rest today. It will help ye and the bairn."

"Oh, I couldna do that. When Gaun comes home in the afternoons from the fields he wants all my chores finished and supper ready. I have no time for resting."

Helena tapped her lips with her fingertip. "I will send supper down to ye from the brooch if ye promise me ye will get some rest today."

The lass's eyes grew wide. "Ye would do that?"

"Aye. As yer midwife, ye are my responsibility. Good food, fresh air and naps are verra important for a woman carrying a bairn."

Cait began to chew on her lip. "I'm no' sure Gaun would like that."

Helena waved her hand. "Pssh. He doesna even have to ken. As long as it's here and ye heat it up in yer hearth, he willna ken the difference."

The lass gave a soft laugh. "He will ken the difference because he tells me I am a terrible cook."

"See," Lorena said, "ye can tell him ye spent the day improving yer cooking skills."

All three women laughed but Lorena was not laughing inside. She knew what this young woman was going through, and her carrying a bairn!

They chatted for a while as Helena asked about Cait's diet, rest, walking in the fresh air and if the bairn was still active.

"Aye. He is verra active. The worst seems to be at night when I'm trying to sleep. I keep moving around to get comfortable, but Gaun gets mad because he says I keep him awake, and kicks me out of the bed." She stopped for a moment and said, "He asks me to leave, I mean."

Lorena had no doubt that this husband of hers did most likely shove her out of the bed with his foot. This poor lass needed someone to speak with her husband. Would Robin want to be involved?

After giving Cait a hug, they left her. "What do ye think of her bruise?" Lorena asked Helena. She didn't want to get too far into this if Helena had a different opinion. She would most likely resent her going to the laird if she didn't see a problem.

"The lass has been beaten. ‘Tis no' the first time I saw marks on her, but this was by far the worse and I had no doubt this time ‘twas a beating." Helena's lips tightened and she said, "I shall speak with Robin tonight. He must visit their bothy and make Gaun understand that taking his fists to his wife is not allowed in the MacKay clan."

"For certe?" Lorena said, the surprise in her voice.

"Aye. Robin is verra determined that women and bairns are no' to be treated that way. He's been known to throw a mon in the dungeon for beating his lad."

Lorena thought about all that while they headed to the next house. This one was an older man, named Eby who had pains from the cold Scotland air and his age. Helena had told her she didn't know the man's age because he didn't know himself. But she guessed he had seen seventy or more years.

The man was very sweet and Lorena came to the conclusion that more than a healer, he wanted company so he could tell his stories. When she said that to Helena on their way back to the brooch, she laughed. "Aye. He had two sons who were killed in a battle a few years back. The brooch takes care of his food and other needs. Robin has asked him several times to move to the brooch, but he refuses, saying he likes his own company better than anyone else's."

Lorena smiled. "Yet he likes to sit and tell ye stories."

"Aye. I hope when I'm an old woman that there is someone for me to tell my stories to."

"Ye will have yer bairn and yer husband."

"Aye." She patted her bump.

The servants were preparing the great hall for supper. Helena hurried to the kitchen to ask Maude to wrap up two servings of what she'd prepared and send one of the kitchen maids to deliver it to Cait MacKay's bothy.

The woman didn't question her, but merely nodded and reached for a bowl to put the food into. "Kerry, come take this to Cait MacKay's bothy. And make it fast."

Lorena left Helena after they put away the medicants and returned to her bedchamber. As foolish as it sounded, she expected to see Craig standing there, his laughing eyes welcoming her. She would love to be able to sit and tell him all about her day. The people she met, the things she'd learned.

She had never spent time speaking with many people, never having had a female friend, which it seemed Helena was becoming. Staring at the bed, she slumped thinking of another night by herself, no warm body to curl up to. Of course, she'd slept alone all her life, even when she was married because Avery told her he couldn't stand having another person in his bed all night.

She brushed her hair and washed her face and went down to the great hall. Helena and Robin were already seated at the table and by the intense look on Helena's face, she was most likely telling Robin about Cait MacKay.

Finn was also absent since he'd left for his assignment early that morn. ‘Twas hard looking at the love shared between the laird and his wife. For certe, she didn't love Craig, nor he love her, but it might be nice to speak with him at the last meal. But he was gone, which was exactly what she'd told him she wanted when they married.

Be careful what ye ask for lass, ye might get it.