Chapter Seventeen #2
Eva cherished her belongings and, because she didn’t want to bring them inside, told him something was amiss. “Ye can bring in whatever ye wish, Eva. This is your home now. I do not mind if ye clutter it up with your trinkets.”
“Trinkets? No, I am happy with the items that I have inside now and will keep the others stored.”
Breckin made to retort but suddenly became aware of the sharp scent of something burning. He pushed to his feet, praying it wasn’t one of the cottages with their thatched roofs; a single spark from an unchecked fire could cause the entire keep to become engulfed.
“Do ye smell that?”
Eva turned toward him and raised her chin. “It smells like smoke.”
They both hastened to the back of the longhouse and retreated through the back door. Breckin jumped off the steps and rushed towards his brothers who appeared to be stomping the ground. “What are ye two doing?”
“Naught, och Connor accidentally lit the grass aflame.”
“I did not. Ye did.” Connor put the final stomp on the ground and put out what flame remained.
“Go on now and get back to the training field. I will hear of no further scuffles with the other lads. Ye will spar together and with no others until I say otherwise. Gideon wanted ye to use the quintains this day, get to it. I will test your ability when I return to the field. I might reconsider taking ye hunting on the morrow if ye do not do as I say.”
His brothers set off and he turned back to Eva who stood looking disheveled by her morning chores and from worry by the ruckus his brothers caused. With little effort, he scooped her into his arms and grinned.
“What in the name of Mary are you doing?”
“I just want a wee kiss,” he said and leaned his head toward her but she pulled back.
“Honestly, Breckin, there is too much to do this day to fool around.”
“Aye, hurry up then and kiss me because my back is hurting.”
She gave him a quick peck and giggled. “You can put me down now.”
“The hell I will,” he said and pressed his mouth against hers. Breckin wanted to be alone with her and now that the lads hailed off to the training field…
“Laird! Breckin!”
Someone shouted for him and he dislodged his mouth from Eva’s and allowed her to slide against his body until she got her footing. “Damnation. I should go, I suppose, even though I would rather stay here kissing ye until I make ye shake with need.”
Eva continued to clutch him. “Yes, you should go.”
Aymer whistled and called, “Laird, are ye here?”
“Aye, inside.” Breckin took hold of her hands and slid them slowly from his body, disappointed that he wouldn’t spend the afternoon as he’d wanted.
“Oh, there ye be.” Aymer appeared around the side of the longhouse and spotted them in the back. Now he waved a missive in the air. “This just came for ye from a Campbell messenger.”
Breckin sighed and took it from him. He opened the message and gave it a hasty read. Would it never end? He barely had time to take care of the people of his own clan. He turned to Eva. “Colin calls me to aid him. He is having trouble with his neighbor, the MacNaughtons.”
She frowned but didn’t say anything.
“Aymer, tell Gideon to ready a regimen of soldiers with haste. We will leave shortly.”
“Aye, will do, Laird.” Aymer bowed to Eva and said, “Good day, Milady.” He left on his quest to ready the men.
“I will be gone for a wee bit. Ye will fare well?” He detested leaving her when he’d only just returned. Breckin pulled her into his embrace and kissed her head. “Do not overwork yourself. The longhouse is fine as it is.”
“There is plenty more for me to do. Go on about your war. I shall be busy enough without you here. But Breckin,” she said and stopped him by taking his hand. “Be careful.”
“Worry not because I always am. I will return soon.” He hurried away then, walking along quickly on the lane toward the stable.
Though he certainly wished to stay, he had to answer the call of his fiercest ally.
That the MacNaughtons caused the Campbells grief concerned him.
Breckin wondered if the matter was of importance or if Colin called him for naught.
*
Summer was beginning to wane, although it was still warm.
Well, as warm as it could be. Soon Autumn’s bluster would roll over the hills and settle once again in the valleys.
Breckin didn’t much mind the cold season because that meant he got to spend more time at home.
Now with Eva there, he hoped to put off any travel come the late autumn and winter.
His men lingered in the loch, carousing, and carrying on.
Their bellows echoed from the heavy bluffs that surrounded the loch.
After the brief scuffle with the MacNaughtons, they retrieved the missing cattle the Campbells had claimed as theirs.
Since the MacNaughtons did not protest much, Breckin took it as their guilt.
Their rivals took to the woods and absconded before they could decrease their numbers.
The few bloodied MacNaughton soldiers that remained behind were not long for the ground.
He commanded that his brethren dig a large enough hole to bury them in.
Colin Campbell scoffed when he heard him. “Why in Heaven’s name wouldst ye give them a place of honor?”
Breckin chortled and paced along the row of men digging the ditch.
“Colin, these men were sent by their laird to steal your cattle and were only following orders. I will not leave such dedicated men lying in the woods to rot. Nay, we will bury them not because we care about them but because we respect their loyalty.”
Colin whistled to his clansmen who stood nearby. “Assist the Buchanan warriors.” His men retrieved shovels and some used their hands to scoop the earthen away from the trench.
When the hole was large enough, they worked to collect the five or so men who needed a final resting place.
When all was finished, Breckin turned toward his horse but said over his shoulder, “I will not be able to come and aid ye for some time, Colin, so best ye call up your other allies or strengthen your soldiers’ ability when ye come to trouble. ”
His comrade’s brows drew together. “Why? Have ye troubles of your own? ’Tis unlike ye not to give aid.”
“I need to spend time at home and I cannot do that if I am out riding through the Highlands aiding every clan that begs for help.” He hadn’t meant to affront Colin, but it appeared he had.
“I mean no disrespect, Colin, och I have been remiss in my duties toward my clan. I need to remedy that and I cannot do that if I am aiding others.”
“Perhaps it is time for me to get my men better trained. I understand, Breckin, and wish ye well then.” Colin gave the order for his soldiers to return to their land.
Breckin directed his soldiers to take a rest on Campbell’s land overnight. Near a smaller loch by the border of Campbell land, they set up camp and some hunted for the late day meal. Once they rested, they’d get a good early start on the morrow.
Gideon leaned against a tree and took swigs of his flask. He held it out to him but Breckin shook his head, rejecting his offer.
“If the horses did not need rest, I’d be halfway home by now.”
“Aye, aye, and back to marital bliss,” Gideon said with a chuckle.
“Cease being an arse, Gideon. Married life is new…different…and I am navigating it as best I can.” But that wasn’t necessarily true because he avoided what was on his mind and in his heart.
“Cosh, look at them… Nothing like seeing the shining arses of a bunch of Highlanders after a good brawl. Shame the MacNaughtons did little to entertain us. Och, the heat though…’tis good to cool off in the loch.
We should join them.” Gideon set his flask aside and ran in a sprint, discarding his tartan and tunic on the way.
Breckin soon joined them and had to admit the water was refreshing, cooled him, and even allayed his sullen mood. He was much more agreeable and as he rested in the camp that night, he peered above at the star-speckled sky.
Gideon lay on his side and used his arm as a pillow. His comrade appeared relaxed and untroubled with thoughts. “We shall soon be adding to our family, Deena and I. Maybe we will give Hamish a brother. Aye, for we will have a bairn come late winter.”
“That is good news, my friend. I know that ye were hoping to have more children.” Breckin reached for his cup beside him and raised it in a silent cheers to his comrade.
Gideon lifted his head in response and nodded. “We had given up hope, och, God has blessed us. Deena is pleased by it, for she will now have another child to care for. Are ye thinking of having children soon? Now that ye are married and plan to be home more oft?”
“I have not spoken to Eva about having children. ’Tis the truth, I would welcome a bairn or two.
But the clan has made life difficult for Eva and I have not made it easier,” Breckin said without much deliberation of his words.
“Sometimes, I deem I am not worthy of her. She received a fortune in coins from her da and he bade her to use them for her life. Yet she was willing to give them to me. Of course, I refused them.”
Gideon frowned at him. “What say ye? Ye turned down a fortune in coins?” He swatted his arm. “What in God’s name is wrong with ye?”
“I told her that we did not need coins, only what we are given from the land.”
His comrade chortled. “What a load of cosh that is. Ye know that next year the king will demand the tax and we have no measures to amass the forfeiture. Just because the king allowed ye a respite from what ye owed does not mean he will not seek to receive it going forward.”