Chapter Fourteen

Eli

Eli and Dyna sat in front of the hearth later that night. Many had taken to their beds and the three men were outside checking on the horses. They'd brought two more stallions and three mares, bringing their total to eight. The stables could hold more, but Eli was pleased with the new additions.

Dyna sat back in her chair and sighed. "I'm so excited to have everyone here. And I'm thrilled to have my sister here too. I was not expecting to see Astra in the group. I'm surprised my mother allowed it." Astra was her only sister who was not married. She looked like her opposite because she had the dark hair of her father, but she had the same blue eyes as her mother and sister.

"You need someone to help watch your three wild ones. I love their enthusiasm for life. Don't change them. Astra will make sure they are just like you. Derric's skills can be used elsewhere. Any of the men they find to be guards from the isle will need to be trained. Derric is a good swordsman. He'll be wonderful with them." Eli wasn't ready to have any bairns yet, but when she was, she would ask Dyna for advice.

"At least with Astra here, I'm certain my parents will visit." She gave Eli one of her lopsided grins. "Getting a chieftain to leave their clan is difficult, but now that they are passing it on, Papa may come along someday."

"Probably not for a bit. I love visitors, but everyone knows we must get settled first. We've much to do, but it was too quiet with Maitland and Derric gone. This is better. We are nearly twenty now. It is an exciting development." Eli took another swig of wine. "I have a question I forgot to ask earlier with all the excitement, Dyna. Did you chat much with the traveling merchant? The one who brought the bread?"

"I did. He said there is a village a wee bit west of here where many worked for the MacDougalls. Said he was sure some would love to join the guards. I asked about a housekeeper. And a cook. He said there were probably a few who might be interested. He said he would pass the word that we were looking when he stopped at the village. With all these new arrivals, we definitely need someone to help serve, cook, clean. All of it. We have the coin." Dyna got up and grabbed the bottle of wine, pouring them both a bit more. "I'm so glad we found this in the cellar. It's lovely. What about the lass, Tamsin? Do you think she will stay?"

Eli's face fell because she'd taken a liking to the lass, but she didn't have much confidence that she would be with them much longer. Anyone who had to worry about being beaten like that needed to change their life, but that was a task not easily accomplished. "She's improving, but I'm quite sure that once she heals, she'll return to her husband because they have a daughter together. Her name is Alana, and she's not yet two. He took the child away from Tamsin. Said she couldn't see her again until she gave him a son."

Dyna bolted out of her seat and paced in a circle around the chairs. "Where did you say that bastard lives? I'd like to take aim at him. This is the part I don't like about starting a new clan. We always had hundreds of guards to call to our aid if necessary. Now we have few to help us. If we were on the mainland, I'd talk to my father about putting an end to that mean beast on the morrow."

"We just grew from five to nearly a score in a sennight. Be patient. Now that we have more than ten, I'm more comfortable leaving the castle in search of others—merchants, guards, anyone we can hire to help us grow and build our fortress. And Alaric has gone to town. Found out about some traveling merchants who will bring goods to us."

Dyna stopped and stared at Eli, planting her hands on her hips. "But I am quite serious." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Where does Garvie live?"

"On the Isle of Ulva. Not far, but we'll need ships and oarsmen if we plan to attack him."

Eli looked at Dyna as a small smile crossed her face. She'd seen that look before. Raghnall was not going to be pleased when Dyna finished with him.

Dyna said, "I have something to discuss with my co-laird on the morrow. You'll see."

Raghnall Garvie was in trouble.

Eli would get all the information she could from Tamsin.

***

Tamsin stepped back from the door where she'd been listening. She knew it was rude to eavesdrop, but she believed it was imperative to learn exactly how trustworthy these people were.

She loved what Dyna had said about Raghnall, but she didn't have the time to wait for Clan Grantham to find the oarsmen. Her daughter could be sold by then.

Her husband's mother tried to hide that part of her business, but Tamsin had heard enough talk about it. If they had wee ones who'd been orphaned, she preferred to sell them outright. There were ships from faraway lands who would stop and purchase any goods they had to sell.

Including bairns.

Would Dagga be that coldhearted? Would she sell her own granddaughter?

Tamsin would be gone on the morrow. She had no other option.