Chapter Six

Eli woke up the next morn with an ache in her knee. She sat on the edge of her bed and rubbed her kneecap, trying to recall if the knee that hurt right now was the same one that her grandmother had hurt in the archery field.

Was this a true injury or was she taking on Grandmama's pain? How she hated the way it came on her at the oddest times. If it happened immediately, she'd have a better idea as to what the cause was, but it didn't always happen that way. Sometimes, the pain would start within a short time, but other times it could be the next day before her pain developed.

Fortunately, whenever she carried another's pain, it never lasted too long. She took care of her ablutions, dressed, and headed down the stairs. To her surprise, there was a huddled group of people toward one side of the hall. Some of the women were squatting on either side of someone Eli couldn't make out.

"Stand back, everyone. I'm fine." The voice sounded like her grandmother.

She approached the group and discovered it was indeed her beloved grandmother the others were tending to. The dear woman was seated awkwardly on the cold stone floor.

"And dinnae get Logan. I dinnae want him here." She pointed at the group, circling her finger in warning.

Aunt Brenna sat on a stool next to her. "Gwyn, what happened?"

"I've always had trouble with my knee, Brenna. Ye know it. But I was walking yesterday and turned it. Overnight it blew up to this size. I dinnae know why it is so swollen. I attempted to walk across the room, and it buckled on me, so here I am. I cannae get up on my own."

Eli stepped closer, leaning over Ysenda's shoulder to see what exactly had happened. One look at her grandmother's knee made her gasp.

Ysenda looked at her. "What was that for?"

"Her knee. It looks so painful." Why the hell wasn't the woman writhing in pain?

"It is," her sister muttered with an extra hiss. "Hush now."

Eli was sick inside, wondering if her grandmother's knee had turned that badly because of the fall she'd taken on the archery field. A sudden feeling of guilt washed over her. Her grandmother shouldn't have come to the archery field, but she'd done it because Eli's cousins had teased her and she felt sorry for her.

She should have walked along with her to make sure she wasn't hurt.

"What is wrong with ye?" Ysenda asked, looking at her strangely. She tugged her sister over to the door. "Ye look as though ye are about to drop. Or is it cry? But ye never cry, so it cannae be that."

"I was with Grandmama at the archery field when she stumbled. Her foot caught in a hole. She said her knee took an odd turn. I'm feeling bad that she followed me there and now this happened." If she hadn't stormed off, her grandmother wouldn't have followed. She rubbed her cheek with the back of her hand.

"Stop doing that," Ysenda barked, grabbing Eli's hand away from her face. "'Tis no' yer fault. Ye didnae push her, did ye? Or dig the hole?"

"Nay, of course no'."

"Then 'tis no' yer fault. Stop wallowing. This is no' about ye."

Either way, she didn't wish to stay in the hall and watch her grandmother suffer. She had the answer to why her own knee had bothered her earlier, the burning inside so real. "I'm going to the stables to brush my horse down." She rubbed her knee to make sure it wasn't swollen.

"We'll talk later, Eli," Ysenda said, then headed back to the group helping their grandmother.

Eli couldn't get out of there fast enough, telling herself to stop limping just because she could feel her grandmother's pain as her own.

Her sire came toward her, her grandfather behind him. "Gavin, have a talk with yer daughter. I'm going to check on Gwynie." He moved past Eli without a glance.

She reminded herself that he was worried about Grandmama. That was the only reason he didn't speak to her. It was surely not because he was angry with her for not wanting to marry Alaric. Now she guessed she would have to listen to some lecture from her father.

Patrol was looking more and more inviting. Perhaps it was time to get away for a while.

"Eli, ye look upset. Did ye see Grandmama?" her sire asked.

"Aye, and her knee looks terrible," she said, rubbing her knee as if she spoke of her own.

"Are ye feeling the pain yerself again? I wish ye could control it, especially since it seems to happen more often now that ye are older." He motioned for her to follow him into the garden where there was a bench to sit on.

"I'll be fine. But Grandmama did step into a hole in the archery field yesterday and twisted her knee. I feel bad that it happened when she was with me."

Her father wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her to the bench. "Now ye know Grandmama has had much trouble with her knee for a long time. Her pain has naught to do with ye."

"I hope no' or I would feel terrible. What did Grandsire wish for ye to talk with me about? Please tell me the subject isnae Alaric Grant again."

Her father broke into laughter.

"Why are ye laughing, Da?"

"Because 'tis exactly what he wants, an alliance with the Grants. He's hoping to tie one of his granddaughters up with Alaric. Yer grandsire thinks he's going to pass on someday soon and said he cannae leave until the alliance is settled. We cannae forget that he thinks he's running out of granddaughters of age. Brenna will be passing soon, so he wants a match in yer generation."

"Sometimes Grandda is daft," she whispered, peering over her shoulder after she said it. "He'll live forever, and ye know it."

"He's got some time, but unfortunately, he willnae be around forever. Now what is wrong with Alaric?"

"Naught is wrong with him, I just dinnae like him." She lifted her chin, hoping her words were the only thing her father required to believe her.

"Do ye know him well enough to be certain? He seems kind and honorable to me."

"Of course he is. He's a Grant, but he likes to order me around, and I dinnae like it. And why do men always like to order women around? Grandda does it all the time. I am old enough to make my own decisions."

Her father nodded slowly as he peered at her, his brow furrowed. "Ye are, I guess. Ye are eight and ten, so ye can think for yerself." He scratched his beard, assessing her carefully. "Ye are the youngest of my bairns, so I do forget that sometimes."

The entire situation with Alaric made her uncomfortable, but she'd feel the same about any man, she knew. "Da, I dinnae wish to marry. Must I?"

That comment surprised him, she could tell by his expression. "I suppose no', but why are ye set against marriage?"

"Because I dinnae like anyone enough to wish to spend all my time with him. I've been around enough to know."

"Have ye ever been kissed, Eli?"

"Da!" She did her best not to blush, but she knew she had no control over it.

"'Tis a fair question. Ye need no' tell me who, just if ye have."

"I have. Many times."

He arched his brow at this comment but said nothing.

"I dinnae like exchanging spittle with a man. I see no reason to tie myself to one person. The prospect of living with a man, growing ungainly with bairns, then spending all my time taking care of them—I dinnae wish to do it."

"Ye dinnae have to. 'Tis what most lasses want as they get older, but no one will force ye to marry anyone."

"Promise? Ye'll no' let Grandda make me marry Alaric?"

"Nay, yer grandsire willnae force ye into any marriage. Ye are my daughter, and that decision is yers and yer mother's and mine. Why do ye worry about that?"

"Because I know I'm no' Grandda's favorite. He's always yelling at me. Now he's yelling at me to marry Alaric. Please ask him to stop." She bit back the words of anger that she'd love to unleash at her grandfather.

"Elisant Ramsay, ye know verra well that Logan Ramsay yells at everyone. 'Tis his way. He loves ye the same as all his grandbairns."

She didn't wish to argue with her sire. His promise not to force her into marriage made her so happy that she didn't wish to ruin their time together. "I suppose so."

"I'd like to check on yer grandmother. Come with me. Ye'll see that she doesnae blame ye for her injury."

"Must I?" She'd rather not be forced to view the reminder of her grandmother's recent problems. She'd prefer to go to the stables or the archery field, away from where any feelings of guilt would assault her again.

"Aye, ye must. Ye'll be leaving on patrol on the morrow is my guess. And I dinnae wish ye to bear guilt that isnae deserved." He started to lead her back but then stopped in his tracks. "Ye do wish to go on patrol, do ye no'? Ye dinnae feel forced in that, do ye?"

"Aye, I do wish to go. I just dinnae wish to be forced into a relationship that isnae of my choosing."

"'Tis a foolish worry."

"Why is it foolish? He's told me, told Grandmama, and now ye." She had no idea why he would say such a thing. "He'll no' give up on it easily."

"Who is the one person that Grandpapa willnae argue with?"

"Aunt Brenna. Everyone knows that."

"And ye recall why?"

"Because she saved Lily and Torrian."

"And Uncle Quade. He was nearly dead when Grandda kidnapped her. And ever since then, he will not argue with her. But 'tis also because yer grandsire respects Aunt Brenna. He considers her to be wiser than any other person he knows."

"Besides himself?" she whispered.

Her father chuckled and said, "Besides himself. He thinks she has the wisest mind of all. I tell ye this because I think ye have the idea that Grandsire has a certain view of women. He does, but 'tis no' what ye think."

Now he had her totally confused. "I dinnae understand. What does he think of women?"

"Promise to never repeat this to him?"

"I promise." She had no idea what he was about to say.

"He believes women are stronger than men, and I cannae disagree with him."

"'Struth?"

"'Struth. And because he reveres Aunt Brenna so much, ye need no' worry about him ever forcing ye to marry."

"Why no'? What does Aunt Brenna have to do with my marriage?"

"Because Aunt Brenna's mother made Alexander Grant promise that he would never force any of his siblings into a marriage they didnae want. Elizabeth Grant was an unusual woman, and Aunt Brenna makes sure that no Ramsay forces a marriage on anyone either. 'Tis a private cause of hers. If she thought ye were being forced, she would stand up for ye."

"I'd heard that about the Grants, but I never knew why. 'Tis most interesting." She let out a large sigh. "And pleasing to know."

"Stop worrying about Grandda. Now, let's visit Grandmama."

She didn't relish going back inside, but she went along with her father. He'd just made her happier than anyone had in a verra long time, and she felt free to make her own decision. And no one would change her mind.

She was never getting married.