Chapter Nineteen
Breckin finished settling his horse, speaking with some of the soldiers, and searched for Aymer to gain his report, but the soldier was taking rest. Aymer, according to his brother, Alton, had been on night duty so Breckin decided to find him later.
He walked hastily toward the end of the island and entered the longhouse.
He expected to find his brothers inside.
They were gone, as was Eva. Silence met him.
Breckin gazed about and noted the cleanliness of the floors, the sweet smell of beeswax that shone on the floorboards, and the gleaming table by the kitchen area. Eva had been busy.
He quickly changed his garments and stood in the bedchamber, feeling oddly welcomed.
He hadn’t felt so eased but the coziness of the room with the Buchanan tartan covering the large bed, to the sight of items belonging to Eva, assured him that he was home.
She even made use of his sister’s trunk which pleased him.
Then he remembered that she’d thought the trunk belonged to his betrothed, that Marian was pledged to him.
He smiled at her ireful response because that meant she might be beginning to care for him.
He retreated to the outside, intending to find his wife.
His first thought was to kiss her until she was breathless because he’d missed her, his second was to find out how she’d fared whilst he was gone.
Then he’d search for his brothers. He was somewhat irate that they had disobeyed and hadn’t stayed in the longhouse as he’d bade.
Now his punishment for them would be harsher.
If only he could come up with a reprimand that expressed the seriousness of their misconduct.
He would think of something—he usually did.
As he walked about the island, he greeted his clan’s people. They seemed remarkably cheerful, a strange occurrence because they were not the cheery sort. Nevertheless, he ambled onward and when he got to the bridge, he stopped to talk to Aymer who’d returned to his post.
“Welcome home, Laird.” Aymer closed the gate to a small corral where three horses nibbled at the grass.
“Ye were on duty late? When I returned, ye were asleep so I thought I would catch up with ye… I assume there is naught to report?”
“Nay, Laird, all was well when ye were away. We had no troubles and even your brothers were somewhat behaved…except for the mishap with the tailor’s hut earlier. Still, they being lads, they did not know they’d light it up. I hope ye went easy on them.”
He gave a firm nod and agreed. His brothers needed to be reminded of the dangers of fire before they lit another building aflame. “I spoke with them. They were supposed to be in the longhouse but were not inside. Have ye seen them?”
Aymer fingered his beard and chuckled. “Oh, aye, they went on a mission for Milady and should be back soon.”
Breckin leaned against the fence post of the small corral as he spoke to his guardsman. “What mission?”
“Milady is giving her cart to Old Thom. The lads are taking it to him as we speak and should return soon,” Aymer said.
“Old Thom, the farmer? Why did she send the cart to him?”
Aymer bobbed his head. “She told the lads to have me send the carts to farmers who might be in need. Aye, she gave away all the carts. This be the last one.”
Breckin hadn’t realized that she had given the carts away and hadn’t noticed any missing. “So she emptied them all. I wonder where she put all her belongings. There wasn’t much inside the longhouse and there was little left in the store area.”
“She made a pact with the merchant…Amos. He will sell her possessions and in return, well, he keeps the coins and uses them to buy food for the ailing in the woods. Milady has a kind heart.”
Breckin had forgotten that Amos told him about their arrangement. After Clare had spoken to him about her learning to cook, he’d gone and spoken with the merchant. Astounded, he wanted to broach the subject with her but then he had been called away.
“Och, I guess ye have not heard about Hamish…” Aymer leaned his folded arms on the fence and grinned.
“Well, now, the way I heard it was… Gideon’s lad was going to his gran’s and was being chased by a boar.
Milady helped him up a tree and then she used the lad’s sling to scare it away.
Deena says Milady saved her lad’s life.”
“Eva was fortunate that she was not killed herself. That she put herself in peril…” He groaned at the thought of her being attacked by a boar, but Breckin was glad she was able to save the lad.
He should have warned her that there were wild creatures in the woods on the other side of the bridge.
Then he was crestfallen because he should have given her a dagger or something to use for her protection when she went on her walks.
“Father Murphy says he hopes ye stop by because he wants to speak with ye about something.” Aymer waved to his brother who held the reins of a horse he was putting in the pen.
“I will speak to the father later. Right now, I want to find my wife. Have ye seen her?”
Aymer chuckled. “She gets around, Laird, och the guards told me that she crossed the bridge earlier. I have been on duty since and have not seen her return.”
Breckin waved to him as he turned and left. When he got to the other side of the bridge, he saw Father Murphy leaving the church. “Good day, Father.”
“Laird, for some ’tis, but earlier I gave last rites to Gareth. I am on my way to get him put in the ground.” The priest blessed himself and raised his face to the sky.
“Gareth died? I am sorry to hear that, Father. My thanks for seeing to him. Have ye not heard back yet from your order? Surely they must know of a cure or what ails them.”
Father Murphy shook his head with dejection. “Not as yet but I am going to write again and urge them to send a response. I should be off.”
“Have ye seen Lady Buchanan?” Breckin trudged forward and peered along the lane in both directions.
“I saw her earlier. She headed that way,” Father Murphy said and pointed toward the area where the torch sat. “I would speak with ye about her if ye have a moment.”
“If it can wait, Father. I have not yet seen my wife since my return and long to greet her. We will meet later, and my thanks for the news.” Breckin marched off, determined to find Eva before the sun set.
On his approach to the torch area, he spotted her sitting on the ground at the base of a tree with her eyes closed.
Much like Marian when she… Immediate panic tensed his chest and he sprinted forth.
When he reached her, he grabbed hold of her shoulders and forcibly shook her.
He shouted, “Eva! Eva…”
She opened her eyes and tried to pull back from his hold, alarmed. “What is the matter? What is it, Breckin?”
Breckin fell to his knees before her. “God Almighty, I thought ye were…dead.”
“I am well, Breckin, I promise. Why would you think I was dead?” Eva grabbed his hand and held it in her attempt to placate him.
Her touch mollified him and he sighed with relief. “I…well, I found Marian here by this tree in the same position. I thought that you… ’Tis absurd and I apologize if I frightened ye.” He shifted to sit next to her.
“Oh, I did not know that you found her…Marian. I wanted to rest here before I headed back to the longhouse. You returned earlier but I understand that you were busy.”
“I had to gain reports and check in with the men. So ye were busy, aye, whilst I was away. I saw the longhouse. Looks akin to a home now. Where are all your belongings? I would have thought every inch of the house would be filled. I told ye to bring them inside.” Breckin knew where her items went but he wanted her to tell him.
“I only kept a small amount of the items, what I thought was needed.”
He squeezed her hand a little. “Where is the rest of it?”
“I gave it to Master Amos, the merchant, to sell.”
He had to keep himself from smiling. “Oh? And what will ye do with the coins ye make from it?” Breckin hoped she’d be more forthcoming but she was being evasive.
“What do you mean? Do you need coins? I told you to keep the coins my father sent. Oh, and there is a small coffer of jewels, too, that I found with my belongings. I really should send them back. Surely my father did not mean to send them.”
He released her hand and drew in a heavy breath. “There was no message?”
“No. As to the coins that I receive from Master Amos, I am afraid that I have given them away.” She kept her gaze on the far reaches of land in the distance, avoiding his gaze.
Breckin couldn’t withhold his humor at the situation. He chuckled and drew her furrowed brows. “Master Amos told me and that ye directed him to buy foodstuff for the ailing. Ye are tenderhearted, lass.”
“Someone should look out for them, Breckin, the ailing. They believe you are their benefactor and I did not correct them when they told me they thought you most kind to give them food.”
His shoulders sagged at that. “I should have thought of it, och ye did a kindness for them and me. Is there anything else ye have not told me?”
She shifted her head in small shakes but he disbelieved her. He was sure on the morrow, he’d find out something more about his bonny wife and the care she’d dealt out to his clan.
“Can we stay here for a little while longer?”
He nodded and moved closer to her. Breckin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. With his drawn-in breath, he smelled her sweet fragrance. She always smelled of flowers. Holding her close, he eased and stroked the softness of her arm until he reached the underside of her breast.
“I missed ye, lass. Will ye give me a welcome home kiss?”
“If you wanted a kiss, you should have found me right off instead of gallivanting around the island.” She giggled after a moment of quiet. “I jest, Breckin.” Eva pressed her mouth on his.
Breckin allowed her to lead the kiss but he became impatient.
Passion overrode his good sense and he used his tongue to spur her to respond.
The motions of their mouths sent him to groan and to an unsatiable state.
It had been some time since he’d been with her and now that he had her in his arms, he wanted nothing more than to enjoy her body.
Eva pulled away from him and tried to get up but he pulled her back onto his lap. Breckin didn’t speak but found her mouth again and kissed her longingly. When he was satisfied with his welcome home kiss, he drew away.
“Lord, I missed ye. Come, we should return to the house. This night, we should seek our bed a wee bit earlier,” he said teasingly. Breckin helped her to stand and took her hands in his.
Eva gasped and peered at the sky. “Oh, look. The sky is beautiful this eve.”
He turned and glanced at the duskiness of the sky but it was entwined with various shades of green, red, and purple. The colors weaved in a remarkable pattern that often held him spellbound. “Ye know, lass, that most believe the lights in the night sky predict a bad omen. Och, I do not agree.”
She held on to his arm but kept her gaze on the sky. “What do you believe?”
“Others say it is a sign from the spirits of the dead.”
“Like ghosts?”
Breckin shrugged. “I deem it is a sign from God sending his blessings to us. Aye, because I was most fortunate when Alexander forced me to marry ye.”
Eva laughed with a scoff. “Forced you to marry me? Hah, I think he forced me to marry you. That seems so long ago, does it not? I find that I am not as displeased as I thought I would be.”
“I was blessed that day and every day since. Aye, ’tis gladdened I am that ye are not displeased, Eva, because I thought ye would have a difficult time adjusting to the Highland way of life.” He kissed her lightly on her cheek.
“There are days when it is difficult, especially when I have no one to talk to. But now that you are home, I find I am most content.”
Breckin wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her back toward the bridge. “This night, ye can show me just how content ye are.” He hooted a light laugh when she smirked. Breckin pressed his hand on her face and a smoldering yearning came. He needed her more than she knew.
She leaned her face against his palm and smiled. “Perhaps you should show me how much you missed me.”
He stopped in the center of the lane, holding her face in the palms of his hands. With a serious gaze, he stared hard at her. “If it means anything to ye, I thought of ye often when I was away. I missed ye more than ye know. Ye have no notion what ye do to me, lass.”